The first group of free men, who were sent as cannon fodder, had no resistance and had already climbed the hillside.
The wooden fence, angled at the slope and pointing skyward, blocked their advance. It wasn't fully sealed but had gaps for spears to pass through. When attackers damaged the logs, defenders could simply stand behind the fence and strike with their spears.
To Duke Frank's surprise, the defenders on the city walls had vanished, leaving the perimeter completely unguarded. The vanguard swiftly hacked through the walls with axes, toppled several logs, and surged up the ramparts. Before long, the wooden gate was lowered.
"We retreat," the Duke snapped, flicking his reins to lead the remaining troops toward the city gates. From the assault to the gates 'fall, less than two-quarters of an hour had passed. What was Giasia Wemberton up to? Fran frowned. Any seasoned warrior knew that when abandoning a city, one must leave a contingent of personal guards or hire fearless mercenaries to hold off the enemy's advance, buying time for the main force to withdraw.
The Third Princess was no fool—otherwise, she couldn't have so swiftly rallied the entire southern realm to her cause. Why hadn't she stationed a guard to defend the walls? Even the most formidable defenses and ingenious traps would be rendered useless without human hands. After careful consideration, Duke Fran decided to send his personal guards into the city first to scout the area.
The captain's report remained unchanged: no resistance was found within the city, though some streets were indeed blocked by wood and stones. His men had already begun mobilizing the local population to clear the obstacles.
Without hesitation, Fran led the remaining troops into Eagle City. As a seasoned veteran who had fought alongside King Wimbledon III for years, he was no pushover to a mere young girl. Tefiko's move, however, was a misstep. Had he waited until Fran breached the city gates and marched through, he could have saved considerable time.
As the duke passed through the city gate, he detected a pungent odor—not the typical stench of decomposing corpses from the battlefield, but rather a mixture resembling pine nut oil, orange peel, and incense. Upon taking a deep breath, he even perceived a faint fragrance.
What was this smell? He scanned the area but found nothing unusual. The drainage ditch for the earthen wall had been blocked, and the sewage overflowed, trickling slowly along the ground. The filthy buildup—unattended for who knows how long—was pitch-black, its surface shimmering with multicolored patterns under the sunlight.
"That must be the stench of this sewage," Frank shook his head and led the group toward Castle District.
Now that we've captured Eagle City, we should naturally visit Lord Castle and the town hall to see if there's anything worth taking. While the city has likely been plundered by Giasia, leaving the Golden Dragon behind, the larger artifacts and decorations would make excellent war trophies. Our grain carts could be repurposed to load the loot. As for the mercenaries, they've probably already headed to the shops and farms.
Who cares? The Duke of Joy was dead anyway, and who'd take his place was still up in the air. Right now, the real priority was to ransack the city.
After visiting Lordcastle, Frank Chilter noticed something was off.
The castle was empty, he thought. Not only were the coins gone, but the entire basement had been stripped bare—no fabrics, no grain. Where murals once hung, only blank walls remained. The bookshelves stood empty, and even the Lord's bed had vanished. The castle was as if stripped bare.
Could this really be accomplished in such a rushed retreat? Frank sensed something was amiss. Had the Castle not been systematically looted from the outset, it would never have been so thoroughly plundered.
Just as he was about to go to the town hall to take a look, a thick plume of black smoke suddenly rose from the north gate.
"What's the matter? Is there a fire?" "I don't know, sir. I've already sent Molly to check," said Captain Wei. "It might be the enemy setting it deliberately." True, the Duke initially suspected a trap, but he soon realized the fire-blocking tactic was pointless. Even if they could bypass the gate and climb out through the hillside, simply lighting the fire would be futile—any organized group could quickly extinguish it if no one attacked during the chaos.
The proper strategy involves stationing troops within the city walls. When the flames spread across the area, one should launch a surprise attack while the enemy is in disarray. This tactic can effectively disrupt the enemy's formation and even force them to retreat. As he once said, a trap left unattended is nothing more than a lifeless object.
At that very moment, black smoke began to rise from the other three gates, while flames could already be seen at the North Gate, rapidly spreading as if the area were piled high with straw. The city echoed with the agonized cries of civilians, as if someone's house had been set ablaze.
This can't be right... The Duke thought. He had entered through the north gate, where there was no ignition source—just an open field! But without any ignition, how could the fire spread so rapidly? Wait... A memory suddenly flashed through his mind. Could it be that Garcia Wemberton had secretly recruited the Witch?
Flan stroked the God's Stone of Punishment hanging around his neck, his heart finding a slight solace. Had it been the Witch's Fire, he could have simply stepped over it—those demonic flames couldn't harm him in the slightest. Moreover, every member of the guard wore such stones, posing little threat. As for the free citizens who couldn't afford to donate to the Church, the Duke had no time for them at this moment.
The city was shrouded in eerie tension, prompting him to head out first. The army could camp at the South Gate, where they could both monitor Eagle City and support the returning royal cavalry. With this in mind, he ordered the guard captain: "We'll march out through the south. Sound the rallying call on the way and gather the troops." "Understood!" The group set off immediately. But as they approached the South Gate, flames had already engulfed the city. Residential areas were ablaze, and the scorching heat forced them to retreat. The citizens, who had been hiding indoors, now rushed out. The streets were packed with people, and even the guards' blades couldn't stop them from fleeing in panic to the unburned open ground. For a moment, everyone seemed trapped in a sea of fire, surrounded by thick smoke and raging flames.
"Stay calm! Find a well and pour water to extinguish the flames," Duke Frank commanded swiftly. "Leave the house alone. Just douse the burning debris on the streets and clear a path. Keep the signal going so others know where we are!" "Duke!" A Knight galloped from the city center, leaping off his horse before it could stop. It was Moril, sent by the captain to the North Gate. "Your Majesty, the fire at the North Gate is beyond control!" "What do you mean?" Frank asked in surprise. "Beyond control?" "The flames are burning on the black water," she said urgently. "They won't be quenched by water—they'll just flow with the current! Your Majesty, the entire North Quarter is ablaze!" "Unquenchable flames..." he murmured. "Yes, it's the Demon Fire." The Duke shouted. "Everyone, stay calm! This is the Demon Fire cast by Giasia using the evil Witch. As long as you wear the God's Stone of Punishment, these flames may look terrifying but won't harm you!" "I see," Moril instinctively touched her chest. "May mercy be upon you, Your Majesty. What should we do?" "What's the point of the God's Stone? Everyone mount up and charge!" The Duke waved. "These demonic fires will vanish when they meet the God's Stone!" He paused. "Moril, lead a group out first. I'll stay here to gather the rest." "Yes!" The female Knight nodded. "Take care, Your Majesty." "Others, stay close!" She then mounted her horse and charged toward the scorching street without hesitation.