A good "date" thus broke up unhappily.
Jon and the others couldn't figure out what Karl was thinking, but none of them spoke, maintaining their proper silence.
After so many times, they had grown accustomed to trusting their King.
Especially a man who was suspected to be the incarnation of the Seven Gods.
And as time passed, Karl also seemed to lose interest in sightseeing, and only then did the group return to their own military camp.
"Your Majesty, regarding tomorrow's battle, shouldn't we make some preparations?"
After the attendant finished clearing Karl's dining plate, Jon, who had just arrived and had been waiting nearby, stepped forward and asked in a low voice.
During the time Karl returned to the camp and dined, Lady Ewyn Oakheart and others had already prepared for the pre-battle meeting.
They reminded Jon to inform the King, which was why Jon was here.
Hearing Jon's reminder, Karl looked up at him, put down the silk napkin he was using to wipe his mouth, and stroked his chin.
After thinking for a moment, he waved his hand and said, "Alright, I was just about to give you a task."
"At your command."
Hearing this, Jon immediately stood at attention, his expression serious.
"That's good," Karl stood up with a smile, walked to the entrance of the tent, lifted the curtain, and looked out.
People came and went in the military camp, and even though they knew they would face an enemy two or three times their size, the soldiers did not appear overly flustered.
Taking all of this in, Karl nodded in satisfaction.
Then he continued, "This task is very important, and I want to see your performance.
You'd best be mentally prepared."
After saying this, Karl finally lowered the curtain and turned to look at Jon, his tone becoming much more solemn.
Seeing that things seemed not simple, Jon subconsciously became nervous.
"Your Majesty, what do you want me to do?"
Jon remembered the last time Karl gave him a task, it was to send a gift to House Martell.
That gift was the Mountain's head.
Many things happened after that.
It was also after that incident that he returned to King's Landing and learned his true identity.
Although not much time had passed, why did it feel like a long time ago?
Thinking of this, Jon couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
This was his secret with Duke Eddard Stark.
Karl did not know that Jon had thought so much in such a short time.
Facing the nervous Jon, he merely shrugged his shoulders with a relaxed expression.
"Don't be nervous, the task is very simple."
"I just need you to go eat something first, and then you are to gather Lady Ewyn Oakheart and the others.
I don't care who specifically, that's for you to consider."
"Because this upcoming meeting will be presided over by you.
Throughout this process, I will only listen; I will not answer any of your questions, nor will I give you any advice."
"This is the task I'm giving you, do you understand?"
"If you understand, go eat first.
I'll wait for you here."
Hearing this with no mental preparation, Jon, who had been serious, gradually widened his eyes.
His first reaction was disbelief, followed by a sudden tightness in his chest, as if he could barely breathe.
Because if he hadn't misheard, Karl meant to hand over the upcoming war to him.
He never expected that at such a critical moment, Karl would suddenly abandon his responsibilities and dump all the burden onto his shoulders, which immediately flustered him.
"What? I'm fighting this war?"
"Your—Your Majesty, this, this…"
The bewildered youth was flustered, almost unable to speak.
Because a grand war involving tens of thousands of people, concerning the political situation of the dynasty and the state of the Seven Kingdoms, the King in front of him simply tossed it to him so casually.
He knew how important this war was, but the King, at such a moment, handed a war that could determine the future of the kingdom into his hands.
What virtue and ability did Jon Snow, the White Wolf, possess to handle this?
What was this if not nonsense?
At this moment, Jon wished Karl's task for him was to slay a dragon, because at least then he would die a clearer, more straightforward death.
But facing Jon, whose face was flushed and who was almost in tears from anxiety, Karl merely patted his shoulder with a sinister smile.
"You have to believe in yourself, Jon.
If you are really worried that you can't do it, I suggest you can also bring Earl Randyll Tarly."
"From now on, you must learn how to become a qualified leader.
This is a talent you were born with."
"Duke Eddard Stark could do it, and so can you.
If you still feel you can't, then first learn what it means to know how to use people well and how to listen."
"I expect you to do this well."
"So, from this moment on, Ser Jon Snow, the White Wolf, I officially appoint you, in my capacity as your King, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Highgarden Offensive and Defensive War.
I look forward to your performance."
Patting Jon's shoulder again, Karl brushed past him, found his reclining chair, lay down, and closed his eyes to sleep.
He was clearly shirking all responsibility, presenting a rogue-like demeanor that basically said, "Jon, you figure it out."
Seeing that Karl didn't seem to be joking, Jon stood in place, hesitated for a while, and could only put away his anxious feelings, bit his lip, and turned to leave the tent.
Regardless of whether the King was joking, his only option now was to bite the bullet and push forward.
The subsequent meeting was exactly as Karl had said: he neither spoke nor uttered a word, observing the entire time with a faint smile, as if he were merely an ornament.
At the meeting, Jon felt that everyone he called upon had the right to speak and offer suggestions, but whenever people's gazes subconsciously turned to the King, Karl remained with his eyes narrowed, looking completely at ease.
Earl Randyll Tarly, who was woken from his wooden cell and brought here, learned of the situation and saw that Karl truly did not interfere at all, just as he had said.
For his own plans and original intentions, he, who had not intended to offer advice or speak, could not maintain his patience and finally spoke when the meeting was halfway through.
His opening words visibly relieved Jon.
Karl, who was nearby, merely lifted an eyelid to glance at him, then continued his silent observation.
And regarding the King's clear intention to cultivate Jon Snow, the White Wolf, those present were not stingy with their own thoughts.
A pre-battle meeting thus proceeded under Jon's nervous expression until nightfall.
He was so meticulous that he even had the maester record every single thing to be done as a memo to remind himself.
As for Karl, he had long since fallen asleep.
Time flew by, and the sky gradually brightened.
At this time, both armies had already gathered on the agreed battlefield, facing each other.
At a glance, the enemy's numbers were indeed vast; a force of over thirty thousand men stretched out in a long formation, their morale soaring.
As for Karl's side, even after incorporating Earl Randyll Tarly's army, their numbers only just reached around fifteen thousand.
They were more than half outnumbered by the enemy.
As the battle approached and tension mounted, Jon Snow, the White Wolf, still couldn't resist approaching Karl.
"Your Majesty…"
Karl, of course, knew what Jon had come for.
He didn't even look at him, just sat on a large rock with his arms crossed, gazing up at the sky.
At this moment, Karl was not only dressed in a brocade robe but also wasn't even riding a horse, as if his location wasn't a battlefield but an outing.
As for Jon's arrival, Karl still merely said calmly, "Your meeting agenda yesterday was very thorough.
Earl Randyll Tarly is very capable, and you can try listening to his advice."
"However, I must remind you that as a Commander, you must also have your own thoughts."
"Sitting in this position, you must always clearly understand that you are the decision-maker, so you must also be clear about your purpose and your will."
"Go on, relax.
This victory was destined from the start."
Karl had been looking at the sky above since he woke up, as if there was some beautiful scenery there.
Jon also subconsciously looked up at the sky but found nothing.
Only the blue sky and white clouds drifted leisurely.
Having come all this way only to receive such advice, Jon now completely abandoned his own plans.
He glanced at the King, who seemed to have specially changed into a teal brocade robe today, then bowed sullenly and turned to leave.
On his way back, he quickly composed himself, allowing his anxious expression to return to calm.
There was no turning back; the only thing he could do now was to continue.
"Commander!"
Seeing him arrive, Alex Oakhert, who had also been relegated by Karl to serve Jon, quickly greeted him.
The remaining few also quickly followed suit.
Even Sandor Clegane, the Hound, nodded in agreement.
Jon looked at them, then glanced at the King on a high point not far away, cleared his throat, tugged on his reins, and turned around.
"Charge!"
The order was given, and the army moved.
Although the man who was like a stabilizing force merely observed the battle from the side, the soldiers, who had personally witnessed miracles and clearly knew how easily the King had defeated famous generals renowned throughout the Seven Kingdoms, remained full of morale.
Banners fluttered in the wind; in addition to the Jewel River banner representing Karl and the Crowned Stag banner of House Baratheon, this war also saw the addition of the White Icewolf banner of the White Wolf family, a mighty procession moving across the flat ground with a rumbling sound.
Infantry advanced, while cavalry roamed constantly on both flanks and even the rear, awaiting their orders.
Seeing that Karl's side was truly fearless of war, House Tyrell and others from Highgarden also began to march simultaneously.
On the already cleared battlefield, a bitter wind blew, bringing a tense desolation.
"They're finally here."
Karl, who had been observing the sky since morning, suddenly curved his lips into a slight smile and murmured softly.
His voice was like an undeniable decree, dissipating with the wind as soon as it fell.
On the battlefield, soldiers from both sides, having reached their suitable positions, arrayed themselves into formations, their raised long spears immediately lowered and rested on the shoulders of their comrades in front.
Suddenly, an urgent horn blast sounded from within the military formation, and the slowly advancing formation immediately halted; the shield-bearers carrying shields in front quickly raised their shields, angling them towards the sky.
A few seconds later, a sudden, rapid "rain" sound echoed in the air, and the sky above them suddenly darkened.
"Defend!"
Swish swish swish... Arrows rained down like a downpour. Apart from those truly unlucky individuals who were hit by stray arrows through the not-so-tightly-blocked gaps, most of the feathered arrows were absorbed by shields and the surrounding earth.
As for the injured personnel, they were dragged out of the formation by pairs of hands grabbing their collars, and the logistics personnel quickly stepped forward to remove these "troublesome" individuals.
In the central army, seeing the formation withstand the enemy's attack as he had envisioned, Jon's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed a mouthful of saliva, feeling a slight relief.
Although hasty, he had never before encountered such a massive and formal war.
But fortunately, Earl Randyll Tarly's men were experienced, and after delegating these grassroots commands, they indeed yielded considerable benefits.
"There's more, but it's our turn to counterattack."
Garlan Tyrell, also by Jon's side, suddenly spoke at this moment.
The expression on his face was very strange, a mix of struggle and discomfort.
But he still stood there.
Jon subconsciously glanced at him, then quickly refocused his attention on the battle ahead.
As expected, during the lull after the arrow rain, two archer square formations on the flanks of the infantry army immediately moved forward.
After learning the attack positions of the enemy archer camp, they quickly occupied the unattacked open ground and swiftly drew their bows and nocked arrows.
Amidst the swishing sound of arrows, Karl's archers returned fire upon the enemy.
During this process, with the cover from the archers on the right, the infantry formation continued to advance with shields raised.
Thus, both sides exchanged blows, and after some "exchanges," the battle line had pushed to a sensitive position.
Battle flags waved, and horns blared.
In an instant, the infantrymen who had reached their designated positions all picked up their weapons, no longer maintaining formation, and charged forward with shouts. Identical to Karl's side, Highgarden also made the same arrangements.
If one could look down from high above at this moment, one would clearly see two torrents of different colors clashing, merging into a chaotic mass.
Blood bloomed wantonly at this moment, and screams, wails, and curses echoed back and forth.
Jon was not on the front line.
As the infantry of both sides clashed, his expression grew tense again.
No matter what, it was an undeniable fact that Karl's army had fewer numbers on the battlefield.
Although nothing was apparent at the current point of collision, from an overall perspective, the enemy even seemed to be forming a pincer movement.
"Right-wing cavalry, deploy into three detachments. Two will charge the enemy formation as planned to divide it, coordinating with the infantry attack."
"The remaining one will harass and roam, creating space for our army's right flank."
"If the enemy cavalry also deploys, the left-wing cavalry will immediately act, dividing into two detachments. One will resist the enemy's attacking cavalry but only to lure them, while the remaining one will slow its movement and fall back. The moment the enemy cavalry is successfully lured, the rear cavalry will separate from the vanguard, cutting them off at the waist."
"Once we gain an advantage, the rear-wing cavalry will simultaneously deploy to support the left wing. We must open up the situation from the left to gain a local advantage on the battlefield!"
Watching the development of the battle situation before him, Jon's expression was highly tense, while he also calmly issued corresponding commands.
Upon receiving his orders, Alex Oakhert, Garlan Tyrell, and Ser Balon Swann immediately responded and quickly rushed to their respective cavalry units.
Three of these cavalry units were to be led by them as planned.
As for the cavalry's rear wing, it was led by Sandor Clegane. He remained still for now; although Jon had given the order, the situation was not yet clear, and the rear-wing cavalry could not move yet.
On the high hill, Karl was no longer looking at the sky nor sitting on the stone.
He stood with his hands behind his back, quietly observing the battle below, commanded by Jon.
Although it was his first time commanding such a large battle involving around fifty thousand soldiers from both armies, it was evident that Jon truly had talent.
The more tense the moment, the better he performed.
Karl was not aware of the opposing tactics, but having overheard the meeting yesterday, he could see from the current battle situation on the field that Jon's responses were indeed steady and appropriate.
At least the envisioned tactics were executed, and the rhythm of command was also quite good.
Watching the battle below, the moment the central infantry seemed to be at a disadvantage, the left-wing cavalry immediately split into three detachments and deployed.
One roamed and harassed, preventing enemy cavalry attacks, while the remaining two quickly cut into Highgarden's infantry formation, without going deep, biting off a piece and then retreating swiftly.
The three cavalry detachments always maintained a sense of being neither too close nor too far.
Although the casualties inflicted were not significant, it did indeed curb the enemy's intentions and created space for the right-wing infantry's encirclement, allowing the infantry to catch their breath.
Of course, the enemy would not remain indifferent to the deployment of these three cavalry detachments.
Soon, they also dispatched cavalry in response, but in that instant, Jon's command objective had been achieved, and these three separate cavalry detachments instantly merged into one.
Instead of fighting, they instead led the enemy cavalry on a wild goose chase, giving them no chance to counterattack.
However, as soon as they showed signs of stopping, they would immediately close in and make threatening moves, forcing this cavalry unit to exchange blows with them, suffering a hidden loss.
But the most brilliant part was the left wing.
Seeing their own cavalry deploy, Highgarden's side immediately sent out all of their cavalry.
Observing this movement, the left-wing cavalry commanded by Jon immediately acted.
Two cavalry detachments: one as the enticing vanguard, and the other half a beat behind as the rearguard.
Then, just as the cavalry from both sides were about to collide, the vanguard cavalry immediately turned their horses and made a sharp turn, feigning an escape.
Instinctively, the opposing cavalry immediately spurred their horses in pursuit.
Unbeknownst to them, both cavalry detachments were drawn into an arc.
And at this moment, Karl's rearguard cavalry, having deliberately slowed down by half a beat and being concealed by the vanguard, was instantly given an open flank.
In that instant, such an advantage was gained.
The rearguard cavalry, which had deliberately slowed its pace, immediately charged at full speed, cutting into the enemy's exposed vital flank.
However, the battlefield changes in an instant. Jon's side, seeing the left-wing tactic succeed, the moment the vanguard had just lured the enemy into turning, he immediately pulled out the largest rear-wing cavalry regiment and charged forward at full speed, supporting the left-wing battle.
"Excellent. Randyll Tarly is indeed a famous marshal; he truly has a knack for warfare, and Jon is equally sharp and decisive in assessing the situation."
"In that case, I can rest assured."
As an observer and an insider, although the war had just begun and not yet ended, Karl already saw the outcome.
If all went as expected, once Jon's side truly opened up the situation on the left wing, this war would already be half won.
On a flat plain battlefield, with infantry charging and filling the lines, these knight lords were all like gods.
What did it matter if the enemy had more numbers? They would still be slaughtered like dogs.
And given the current situation, with Highgarden's cavalry responding hastily and lacking any defensive tactics, it was already a foregone conclusion that the left wing would gain an advantage.
"In that case, it's our turn to make an appearance."
"If I remember correctly, Velas Tyrell and the esteemed Lord Pufferfish invited me to be their guest, didn't they?!"
Karl said with a smile.
As soon as he finished speaking, in the sky, which had finally seen a clear day after many days of rain, a deafening dragon roar suddenly echoed. A dark silhouette slowly flew from the distant sky, radiating a faint golden light in the morning sun, and growing larger and larger.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)