Chapter 93 – The Web Unveiled
Eisenwald looked alive. The market bustled, farmers brought early harvests, and blacksmiths hammered steel into tools and weapons. Yet Fenrir's eyes never left the shadows. Peace, he knew, was often a lie.
After the capture of the first spy from Hohenberg, he had tripled patrols and ordered every gate inspected. His words still echoed through the garrison:
> "Find the rest. I know they are here."
Three days later, the hunt bore fruit.
A scout rushed into the war room.
> "My lord, we caught a man posing as a cloth merchant. He tried to bribe his way through the gates at night. We found coded slips in his bag—bearing Altenburg's seal."
Fenrir's lips curled into a wolfish smile.
"Good. That's one."
Within days, two more infiltrators were dragged from hiding:
A woman disguised as a caretaker, lurking near supply depots. Hidden in her cloak were sketches of Eisenwald's armories—she was Falkenhain's agent.
An old preacher caught wandering the villages. In his satchel was a sealed scroll stamped with a black dragon: the mark of Drachenfels.
Now, Eisenwald's dungeons held not one, but four spies—each from a different baron.
---
The dungeon smelled of damp stone and blood. Three spies were bound in chairs, bruised but defiant. Fenrir stood before them, arms folded, crimson eyes steady. Lyra's blade gleamed in the torchlight, while Viktor loomed like a wall behind them.
Fenrir spoke first, his voice calm but edged.
> "I don't need your names. I know you come from Altenburg, Falkenhain, and Drachenfels. What I want is why."
The Altenburg spy coughed, face swollen.
> "We were ordered only to watch. Nothing more."
Crack! Viktor slammed his fist into the table, splintering wood.
> "Don't waste our time!"
The Falkenhain woman sneered.
> "Your barony grows too fast. Our lords simply wish to measure how dangerous you've become."
Fenrir leaned forward, aura simmering faintly around him.
> "And your connection to Hohenberg?"
They froze. Silence thickened. Lyra slid her dagger along the preacher's cheek, a thin line of blood forming.
> "Talk. Or your tongue is the first to go."
The old man laughed hoarsely, his voice broken but mocking.
> "…The four barons stand together. Hohenberg, Altenburg, Falkenhain, Drachenfels. Eisenwald is a threat. And threats must be destroyed before they become too strong."
The words sank like lead in the chamber. Markus paled, Selene clenched her fists, Roland growled like thunder.
Fenrir straightened, eyes gleaming red.
> "So the alliance is real. Good. That means I can crush you with certainty."
---
At dawn, Fenrir summoned the Eisenwald Council. Commanders and advisors sat grim-faced in the hall.
Selene spoke first, worry in her tone.
> "If four barons march together, they will field twice our number."
Roland slammed his iron fist on the table.
> "We've beaten mercenaries, we've stood against counts. Numbers mean nothing if they break on our spears."
Lyra smirked coldly.
> "But this proves our reputation frightens them. That fear is why they move first."
Fenrir raised his hand, silencing the hall.
> "Then let them come. If they want war, they'll find it. But we won't wait idly—we'll strengthen Eisenwald first."
---
The mechanical chime struck in Fenrir's mind.
[Quest Update Completed – Shadows of the Border]
Objective: Identify and counter spies sent into Eisenwald (3/3) – ✔️
Reward Granted:
+15 Cunning
New Skill: [Counterintelligence Lv.1] – Increases detection rate of enemy spies and saboteurs by 20%.
Eisenwald's morale increased.
Fenrir exhaled slowly, satisfaction flickering behind his calm mask.
"One quest finished. The next begins."
---
That night, Fenrir stood atop the fortress wall, staring at the marshlands under the pale moon. His crimson aura pulsed faintly, like molten lava beneath the surface.
He whispered to the wind:
> "Hohenberg. Altenburg. Falkenhain. Drachenfels. You fear the wolf? Then you should. For now that you've revealed yourselves, I will strike first."
The Crimson Wolf had marked his prey.
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[Status Panel – Fenrir Eisenwald]
Name: Fenrir Eisenwald
Title: Baron of Eisenwald, The Crimson Wolf
Age: 17
Level: 15
EXP: 24,100 / 28,000
Aura: 135
Stamina: 145
Strength: 105
Cunning: 205 (+15)
Charisma: 120
Mental Fortitude: 160
Skills:
[Aura Control Lv.3] – Refined manipulation of aura in combat.
[Swordsmanship Lv.3] – Adaptive sword techniques.
[Leadership Lv.4] – +20% morale to units under command.
[Tactical Instinct Lv.3] – Advanced battlefield adaptation.
[Counterintelligence Lv.1] – Increases detection rate of spies by 20%.
[Passive – Legacy of Strategies] – Knowledge of ancient stratagems from his past life.
Traits:
[Wounds That Shape] – Trauma of war increases Mental Fortitude permanently.
[Lord of the Marsh] – +25% Cunning and +15% Strength when fighting in swamp terrain.
Active Quests:
1. Expand Eisenwald's Territory – Conquer or integrate two neighboring baronies (Progress: 1/2).
Note: Falkenrath integrated. One more remains.
2. Shadows of the Border – ✔️ Completed.
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