Gentleman's Wars: The Rules of Engagement: A Tower Defense LitRPG Series (The Great Game Book 1)

by Andrew Karevik

  My eyes turned towards the Phlogiston Cannons. They were powerful and did a lot of damage. Plus they exploded when destroyed. If I put three cannons at the end of the maze, to strike the enemy as they passed by to the final exit, it would be a perfect way to ensure maximum damage. Plus a Siege Golem would try and obliterate them, leading to a fiery finish. Hell, if I could destroy Efera’s siege engines here and now, it would devastate her.

  With the cannons and Karracks placed, all that was left was to dump a large group of golems down. Thirty Stone Golems set in the squares at the entrance would do a magnificent job of just dealing as much damage as possible. Ten Karrack Golems on the other side of the first set of barricades would have plenty of cover to blast away at whoever was incoming.

  Wiping the sweat from my brow as I worked, I glanced at the defense rating. 6! That was pretty damn good! Enough to certainly hurt my foe…but…could it be better?

  I frowned as I looked at the tight corridors. Such small amount of space. The enemy forces would be packed together tightly. The trebuchets needed a minimum range of at least 10 to be able to fire at the enemy, which was longer than the actual battlefield itself. But…the Gorn didn’t need any range. With the Scatter Shot ability, my unique golem could wreak havoc on the field.

  Revealing the Gorn had two disadvantages. The first was that it was certainly in the line of fire. But I had checked with Eustace to ensure Treasure Golems could be repaired. Thankfully, the answer to that question was yes. It cost quite a bit of Fire Spice, but a Treasure Golem could be brought back from a pile of rubble easily and instantly with a hefty amount of the stuff. So, the Gorn would undoubtedly be pounded into dust in the fight. But I could fix it.

  The second disadvantage was that I’d be playing my hand early. By showing Lady Efera I had a high-powered golem, she would learn its strength and weakness rather quickly. This meant when my defense failed and she pressed on, she’d know what would be waiting for her at the next fight.

  However, these disadvantages were limited compared to what the Gorn could actually do. The damage output, the strength and even the shock factor were all at play. What if Efera saw such a unit, watched it mow her forces down with ease and then panicked? What if she thought I had more of such units back home? She might just give up early.

  Of course, wishful thinking was never a good way to build a strategy. But…I had a new toy and damn it, I wanted to play with it. We had plenty of Fire Spice. I could afford the rebuild cost.

  I placed the Gorn unit at the back of the map and set the initial attack mode to Barrage. The long bronze cannon began to hiss, and I could see puffs of smoke billowing out of the construct’s back. It looked mean and ready to fight at a moment’s notice. I couldn’t wait to see it in action.

  As a result of placing the Gorn down, the defense rating immediately doubled. My eyes went wide at that. We were now sitting at a security level of 12! I had not been expecting a single unit to be so damn powerful. No wonder they were so expensive. Well, there were many things I could say about Eustace. He was crotchety, he was an ass, and he was rude, but he sure knew how to take care of his family. I’d have to find some way to repay him for the gift he had given me. It might be the single thing that could save us from this invasion!

  Chapter 39

  A desperate call snapped me out of my Grid-trance. It was a feminine voice, far off, hoarse and pained.

  “Help! Over here!” came the call. I immediately turned off my access to the Grid and glanced out the window. We were just about to the main road that led to the Manor and across the road was none other than Lily! My heart leapt at the sight of her. At first, relief surged through me to see that she was okay, but upon closer inspection, I felt a great dread rise through me.

  The poor maid was limping along the side of the road, using the Karrack rifle as a makeshift crutch. Her clothes were rumpled and filthy, her face was cut, and she looked as if she barely had survived the trip here.

  I halted the carriage and jumped out, racing to see her. “Lily! Lily, are you okay? “I called as I rushed up to the woman.

  “Thank the Stars, I couldn’t walk another mile,” Lily said. She collapsed into my arms as soon as I arrived to her, dropping the rifle to the side. I held her tightly, propping her up to keep her from falling. I could feel her head against my chest as she nuzzled against me. “I didn’t think I’d make it,” she whispered.

  “Shhhh, rest, rest,” I said. Without a second thought, I scooped my head maid up and carried her to the carriage. She did not resist my efforts and instead lay in my arms, looking up at me weakly. She was smiling, despite the injuries. I carried her to the carriage and placed her inside, laying her down on the seats. I knelt next to her in the cramped quarters, holding her hand tightly.

  “I’m fine,” Lily muttered, sliding up to make room for me to sit. “Just exhausted. It’s been…a hard week.”

  “You don’t need to talk,” I said. “We’ll be home soon.” I didn’t have any water with me, but I did have a small bottle of herbal tea. I offered it to her, and the maid drank it down without any hesitation, emptying the container in a matter of seconds.

  “That’s better,” Lily said. She sat up a little more. “Master, I need to inform you that the Lady Efera is heading your way. She is in a blind panic due to the major loss of an ally.”

  So it was desperation. A cold sweat formed on my brow at those words. “Did she hurt you?”

  Lily shook her head weakly. “No. But she did sabotage us. I had arrived at her manor, just as you instructed, but found her to be in a heated argument on the front lawn. Her biggest ally, a Duke Fernan, was standing there, shouting about how the marriage was off and the alliance was over. I witnessed the Lady Efera in a state of disgrace, literally getting on her knees to beg the Duke not to break off the betrothal of his son to her cousin. But he was in a fury over something and told her that he was not only rescinding his protection but would be moving on her territory immediately.”

  A duke invading a gentry? That was indeed a rare thing to happen but, considering the fact that Lady Efera made many enemies, I doubt it would be seen as a scandal in the eyes of the rest of the upper class.

  “Then what?”

  Lily sighed. “Chaos broke out in the entire estate. Maids began packing up in a frenzy, grabbing everything they could, even things that weren’t theirs. Guards assisted the ladies, loading up caravan after caravan before taking just about everything from the place. It was a madhouse. Even the Lady’s cousin took command of a small group and fled to the south.”

  “And you just watched all this?”

  The maid shrugged. “I had no idea what to do, sir. It’s not every day you watch an entire gentry fall apart. I had decided to simply turn the wagon around and go home, figuring that she wouldn’t make any kind of deal right now only to find something greatly disturbing. As if by magic, well I suppose it was indeed magic, a great host of caravans with large crates appeared on the road. And they began heading in the exact same direction as our wagon, towards your home.”

  “So you figured she was invading us?” I asked. Our carriage hit a hard bump and Lily let out a gasp in pain. Clearly, she was hiding how injured she truly was. I wanted her to rest but at the same time, she seemed determined to get this story out.

  “Not right away. I thought it was odd, but the continent isn’t small, and that road connects to many territories. It was the Lady’s behavior when she noticed me. At first, she thought I was simply the help due to my uniform. She had approached and was trying to convince me to stay, but when I revealed my allegiance to you…she became anxious. Anxious and agreeable. Said anything and everything to get me to stop heading back home. I should have seen through that, Master. I should have assumed it was a trap but…in my foolishness I thought that maybe I could cut a better deal for us. To get those crystals we so desperately needed.”

  “I see. But it was a trap, wasn’t it?”

  “M
ore of a trick than anything,” she replied. “The Lady took us to the teahouse in her garden, agreed to my terms instantly, but before the papers could be signed, she had to be excused for business. She never returned. When my retinue made it to the front gates, we discovered our wagon had been destroyed and the manor more or less deserted.”

  “They destroyed your wagon? But Efera’s property is at least thirty miles from civilization. She stranded you!”

  “Someone stranded us. But we have no proof it was her,” Lily replied. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “By the time our driver, Kiefe, ascertained there was no way to repair the wagon, a huge military force arrived to lay siege to the manor. Golems don’t frighten me, Master, but there were a lot of armed men there too. Rather than ask for help, we…fled. In a panic. Worried that they might assume we were allied with their enemy. And worried even more that they wouldn’t care whose side we’re on.”

  “So you walked all the way here? Where is the rest of the convoy?”

  “We found a solitary farm not too far, in need of some extra hands to help with the harvest,” Lily continued. “I traded the team’s work in exchange for a horse. They stayed behind to work while I rode ahead, past the enemy caravan,” Lily explained. “It wasn’t hard to bypass them, such large wagons moved terribly slowly. Efera didn’t try to stop me either. I guess she was just hoping to get a head start. Things were going well until…” Lily paused and dropped her head low, covering her face. “Until a group of bandits attacked me.

  “They dropped along on the road, forcing my horse to skid to a halt. But I knew there was a chance for danger on the road, so I had that rifle you gave me. I took aim at one of the bandits and fired off a warning shot. They ran instantly, didn’t put up a fight, terrified at being shot at with a high powered mana rifle. But…the horse was a work horse, not a combat stallion. It panicked as soon as I pulled the trigger and threw me off.”

  Goodness. The poor woman. “So you had to make it the rest of the way on foot?”

  “Indeed, I’m used to being on my feet all day, but for nearly a week? Miserable in every way. But…I made it. I made it.”

  She smiled faintly at that and slowly drifted off to sleep. I felt so relieved to know that nothing terrible had happened, though she had been in the line of danger all for the sake of warning us early. I hoped she wouldn’t be upset when she learned of our Watchtower. In fact, maybe it would be best if I never mentioned it to her.

  Chapter 40

  Lily’s return was good news for me on a personal level because I had been dearly afraid for her life. But overall, she didn’t have much to tell us other than what we already knew. She did fill in an important gap about why Efera was coming after us, but all in all, there was little benefit to Lilly’s expedition. The Watchtower had alerted me to the attack well before it was on its way, and I had enough time to prepare. Well…enough time to prepare with what I had.

  I had returned home for only a short time, time enough to drop off Lily and to gather Sigmund as well as a few “guards.” In truth, these guards were just day laborers from the vineyard, handed old rusty sabers and a few overcoats that looked somewhat professional. Still, if I was about to face a woman desperate enough to pack up everything and attack me in the hopes of being able to gain a foothold away from her enemies, I should have security.

  Three days later, I was standing before the road battlefield, waiting eagerly for my opponent to arrive. It was a cool morning, the breeze blowing ever so gently. Behind us, I could hear the incessant churning of the Gorn. While most golems were quiet, the Gorn unit rumbled greatly and every so often released a great burst of explosive steam from its cannon. Sometimes it would pace as well.

  “That damn thing makes me nervous, sir,” Sigmund said. “You can hear it walking around, right? I’ve never known a golem to do anything other than take orders.”

  “Treasure Golems are different. Maybe this was designed to idly move to avoid being hit by long distance artillery,” I said, ignoring the skittering of the Gorn’s centipede legs.

  “If I turn around and see it behind us, I’m running. And quitting. In that order,” Sigmund said.

  The thundering sounds of the enemy caravan rolling up drowned out Gorn’s noises and Sigmund’s words. Side by side, two long rows of carriages were pulling massive crates along with them. There was no professional driver attending these carts, however. Only Lady Efera sat at the helm, guiding the horses forward.

  The woman looked to be quite a mess. She hadn’t slept in days, it was clear, and her usual kempt and wicked sense of fashion was all but gone. Instead she wore just a plain black cloak over her red coat. I could see mud stains all over her clothing. She must have not stopped on her way over here. Part of me felt bad for the woman, but that was probably just a reaction to seeing someone in such a pitiful state.

  The carts rolled to a halt and Lady Efera climbed down, staggering towards me. “I thought I’d have the jump on you. Thought I could get here before you got a tower up,” she mumbled, looking towards the Meadowlands. The Watchtower wasn’t especially hidden from the world.

  “We put it up two weeks ago,” I replied. “And we know full well you’re coming here to seize my Manor before your own is taken.”

  Efera straightened up and smoothed out her rumpled coat. She looked at me with narrow eyes, putting her hands on her hips. “In life, you have to make do with what you have. My father left me an estate in chaos, and I have spent the better part of my adulthood trying to contain that chaos. I thought a firm hand would stop my enemies and secure my allies. But it turns out that you can only shove people down so far before they spring back up, like a coil. I’m not going to stand here and pretend like I didn’t make fatal mistakes. But…I have a proposition for you.”

  I shifted a little. “Is that so?” What could she possibly want? Maybe just the empty lots? No that wouldn’t make sense.

  “I have brought every last golem in my possession with me. An entire force that will annihilate your Manor,” she said. Despite her exhaustion and disconcerted state, she sounded perfectly confident here. “We will pass through this pitiful roadblock and take your home. It will be a long, drawn out fight, but I am certain I will win. But in doing so, it will cost me a great deal of resources. Resources I honestly don’t have anymore.” She paused and grinned at me. “And no doubt you don’t want to be homeless. So, my term is simple. Take my hand in marriage and sit at my side while I run the show. With my forces and your remote location and newfound alliance with the Frankinsons, we should be able to discourage my enemies from striking at us. They already have what they want. They won’t bother with such a small gentry.”

  Her words hung in the air, dead serious. Her expression was intense, and nothing indicated that this was a joke. Yet, in spite of her stern offer, I could not help but find myself laughing. “Are you kidding me? Is this some sort of joke?” I asked. “You made a feeble attempt to grab my mines once before, only to be repelled brutally. Now, when you are facing the ultimate consequences of your actions and policies, no doubt treating allies just as well as you treat your trade partners, you make a play for my estate? And you act like you’re doing me a favor, by showing up at my door, heavily armed and demanding a marriage? Are you insane?”

  Lady Efera scowled at me. “You don’t have to dig a knife into an already wounded woman. I’m just trying to stay alive, same as any noble house would.”

  I shook my head. “I’ve got a better offer for you. How about you come at me full force and watch as I decimate everything you have left?”

  “Is it wise to taunt her?” Sigmund hissed through his teeth.

  It was most likely not a wise choice, but the egregiousness of such an offer was just too much. Not only was she trying to take what did not belong to her, the Lady Efera had also sabotaged Lily’s wagon, forcing the poor woman to risk everything by returning home on foot. I would not entertain such a foolish notion as marrying t
his madwoman in the least.

  “Come, I have things you need!” Efera pushed. “Our ranks merge when we marry, so you’ll gain access to new license levels! And…and…I can fight well, truly. I can manage our defenses, teach you many different—”

  “Enough,” I said, cutting off her pleas. “Let us not be undignified here. If shelter is all you ask, I will be happy to provide it while you sort through these difficulties that have come your way. But I will not entertain an alliance with you, nor will I allow those golems to move one step closer to my Manor. Choose now, Miss Efera. Keep your dignity and move on? Or lose everything right here and now.”

  Those words were like a cold glass of water dumped atop her head. Lady Efera straightened her back and smoothed her coat once more, trying to play it cool. The fearful, wild eyes faded, being replaced with a calculated and calm demeanor. “You very well know that I won’t be the one to lose today. Last chance, Richard.”

  “Summon the Judge,” I replied, motioning towards the battlefield behind us. “Let’s begin this fight.”

  Efera frowned. “Surely you don’t think a road block will stop me? You can’t be that naive.”

  I said nothing more. I merely turned my back and prepared to activate the Grid, hoping to avoid giving away my foolish grin. A familiar crack of lightning greeted me as the Judge appeared in his usual spot.

  “Have the parties reached an agreement?” he asked, knowing full well we had not.

  “There is only one way to settle these things,” I replied. “And that is with war. Let us begin.”

  Chapter 41

  Upon entering the Grid, I was greeted by a synopsis of the battle—one that had been greatly enhanced by the fact that I now owned a Watchtower.

  Enemy Invasion

  Wave 1/7

  Enemies Remaining: 25

  Total Enemies: 150

  Invasion Strength Rating: 30