The knight who had arrived belonged to the second corps under Earl Glasgow. Recognizing him, Marquis Rodrick stammered as he asked, disbelief etched across his face.

“My… my castle has been captured? Linderstein fell this quickly?”

Rodrick repeated himself, as if trying to convince himself that what he was hearing wasn’t true. The knight, looking somber, confirmed the devastating news.

“Yes, Linderstein has been captured by the Count of Fenris. The defending forces have been annihilated.”

“But I left twenty thousand troops there! What about the second corps? Earl Glasgow’s forces should have arrived, shouldn’t they?”

“Our second corps…” the …