"Wh-what's going on?"

"Cavalry!"

The mercenaries who'd become soldiers of Becker Castle had weapons in hand, but they were rattled.

To mercenaries, cavalry with knights among them were always something to fear.

Dudududu dudududu.

The hooves of dozens of riders rumbled like thunder.

The horsemen's gleaming armor flashed in the sun.

They came on without hesitation, as if they'd already picked their target.

"This doesn't look good..."

"Damn it..."

The mercenaries were so tense their palms were sweating.

Even at a glance, the riders gave off a grim air.

The horses charging straight for the castle were bursting with power.

They carried a domain banner bearing a rearing white horse, and they kept closing in.

The riders wore heavy chain mail, and every one of their warhorses was armored too.

They were in a different league from the soldiers of Becker Castle, kitted out in shoddy leather.

Shields hanging at the horses' flanks, long lances, heavy cavalry swords—just looking at their weapons was enough to know what they could do.

On the walls, the startled people of the domain froze as they watched the horsemen come.

"Th-that's House Lubeck's banner! The baron's!"

"It's House Lubeck—the cruel tyrant!"

A silent scream swept through the people.

It was the banner of the domain that bordered the county of Bersha.

In the past, many of the domain's people had gone there and been sold off as serfs or slaves.

Baron Lubeck, a lord without blood or tears.

He was infamous for treating people like worthless animals.

At the sight of his banner, the people were horrified.

"Hiiiiiiing."

The horses let out a racket of whinnies and stopped in front of the walls.

"..." The soldiers, still stuck in their two-bit mercenary habits, only looked at one another and did nothing.

Not one of them dared step forward.

The patched-up gate would never stop a knight.

At the head of the horsemen stood three knights, their silver armor gleaming brighter than the rest.

It had to be mana armor, alloyed with mithril.

Without taking off their helmets, the knights lifted their heads and stared…