Taking advantage of the darkness, Duke Otto secretly approached the woods with his soldiers and horses. Although there had been advance investigation, as the troops marched, Duke Otto once doubted the credibility of the intelligence - this dense forest did not look like a place where a catapult could be built.
But those previous scouts were Duke Otto's cronies, and there was no way they could lie. Still doubtful, Duke Otto groped for some distance in the woods. He discovered that there were pirates standing guard ahead, which somewhat dispelled some of his doubts. After quickly and quietly getting rid of the few sentries, they moved forward for a while, and sure enough, several unfinished catapults appeared in front.
Although the catapults have been discovered, Duke Otto is still puzzled - even if they are built, those catapults cannot be pushed out from the woods? But after seeing the felled trees around him, Duke Otto clapped his head and understood the reason - but the construction process of the trebuchet requires a large amount of wood. As the construction progress progresses, the forest will be filled with wood. Just cut a way, and then the catapult will naturally be pushed out smoothly.
There are many defenders near the construction site.
"Just being clever."
Prince Otto spat on the ground. Although this method is secretive, it has a fatal weakness: Hiding the catapults in the woods, Otto does not even need to lead troops to attack. He only needs to set a fire in the woods, and all the half-built catapults will be destroyed. It was burned to the ground.
Duke Otto waved back, signaling the soldiers behind him to get ready.
--"ignition!"
Duke Otto was stunned because the words he just said did not come from him. The surrounding woods shook, and Duke Otto suddenly pulled out his sword and shouted: "There is an ambush! Get out quickly!"
It was too late, the dark forest suddenly burst into flames, and people from the Pirate Kingdom appeared in front, back, left, right, and in all directions.
"Otto, you finally got out of the car formation."
A voice sounded behind Duke Otto. Otto turned around suddenly and saw Ella Cornelius Scipio walking out surrounded by a group of pirates.
Duke Otto's legs weakened and he knelt on the ground.
"I know there might be an ambush," he whispered.
But he had no choice but to launch a night attack. If he waited for the catapult to be completed, he would have no chance at all. Ella grasped the weakness of his cart formation, and his defeat was doomed from the moment Ella set up camp on the battlefield.
"I lost, King of Sweden, I am no match for you."
He threw the sword to the ground and took off his helmet.
"So, King of Sweden, what do you want? Ransom? Or my territory? If you are willing, I can also be loyal to you and help you attack the Alemannic Federation."
Asking for ransom means that he can make a comeback; by occupying the territory, he can unite other nobles to put pressure on the Count of Île-de-France and gain benefits from it; and becoming a vassal of the King of Sweden can stimulate the Alemannic Federation to attack the pirate kingdom. Hostile.
Although he lost the war, he was in a favorable position politically from the moment Ayla launched his attack.
Unexpectedly, Ella replied: "You shouldn't ask me this kind of thing. I'm just a mercenary hired to fight."
Duke Otto's voice suddenly became louder: "Mercenaries??!!!"
Ella turned back and motioned for the mayor of Hamburg to come forward: "Mayor, what is your purpose of attacking Angria this time?"
The mayor of Hamburg avoided Duke Otto's gaze, took out his handkerchief and wiped his sweat, and said: "Yes...it was because Otto led troops into Hamburg without authorization with the intention of destroying Hamburg's neutral city status, so we Decided to fight back.”
"Great Mayor! It's obviously you who attacked Angria!"
"Nonsense! We only dispatched a thousand men from beginning to end this time. A thousand men attacked Angria with 10,000 people. You don't believe it yourself!"
"Great Mayor! You...I...you-!"
Otto jumped up and rushed forward to punch the mayor of Hamburg, but he was quickly intercepted by the pirate next to Ella. The pirates grabbed his head and forced it to the ground. A pirate took advantage of the situation and raised his axe.
"I surrender! I surrender!"
Duke Otto shouted from the ground.
"King of Sweden, I said something wrong before. You will become a very great king! I can give up all ownership and inheritance rights of the land and become your knight!"
Ella looked at the mayor of Hamburg: "Mayor, he said that, what do you think?"
"Great Mayor! I give you all my property! Many of them are outside the Duchy of Anglia. Even if you occupy all of Anglia, you won't be able to get them! Give them all to you! Give them all You! Please, spare me!"
The mayor of Hamburg didn't even dare to raise his head: "King of Sweden...it's up to you to decide."
"How can that work? I'm just a paid mercenary."
"Then...King of Sweden, it's up to you to decide for me, right?"
"Since the mayor said so..."
Ella stepped forward and walked around Duke Otto a few times.
"Otto, to be honest, I personally have no reason to kill you. Although the things you did are completely crimes, you are a member of the Alemannic Federation and I have no right to judge you."
Otto seemed to have grasped a life-saving straw and said repeatedly: "Thank you so much..."
"——But, I also have no power to forgive you."
Ella asked the soldiers to pull Duke Otto up from the ground. At that moment, Duke Otto saw Ella's expression - there was neither pity nor anger, not even the joy of victory.
At this moment, she didn't want to show mercy, nor did she want to take revenge. She just ruled like a judge:
"It is up to them to decide whether to hand him over to the citizens of the Duchy of Anglia, life or death."
"You want me to die!" Otto struggled hard, "I don't understand! We have no grievances, right? My blaming the Abrahamic Orthodox Church has nothing to do with you! My occupation of those lands has nothing to do with you. It doesn’t matter! Those untouchables who died have nothing to do with you! Why on earth do you want to help them? Why don’t you let me go!”
"Occupying land and killing people has nothing to do with me?"
"Of course it doesn't matter! You are the lord of the Pirate Kingdom, but this is the Alemannic Federation!"
"Otto, have you ever heard the rumors? My full name is Ella Cornelius Scipio, and I am the legal claimant to the throne of the Seven Hills Empire. And in books from the East, I read There is a very interesting saying - "
"So what? So what!!!!"
"Shut your mouth first!"
Ella took out a sword from the pirate beside her and stuffed it into Duke Otto's throat, forcing him to stop his meaningless shouting.
"Remember this sentence for me: All the land in the world is the land of the king; the shores of the earth are all the ministers of the king!"
Barcelona's Restoration Diary
