I Reincarnated as a Prince Who Revolutionized the Kingdom-Chapter 109: No Turning Back

The time for diplomacy had passed. Elysea and Iberia were now locked in a conflict that would decide the fate of Pan-America. Marshal Armand Roux had no interest in waiting for the Iberians to make the next move. He would bring the fight to them.

Fort San Rafael, the largest Iberian outpost in the region, was the key. If Elysea took it, Iberia’s ability to reinforce its colonial holdings would be crippled. Their supply lines would be cut, and their influence in Pan-America would collapse.

This content is taken from freёnovelkiss.com.

Roux was not one for hesitation. He ordered his forces to prepare for war.

On April 15, 1697, the Elysean army departed Fort Saint-Louis. It was a force built for conquest—1,200 infantry, 300 cavalry, and six artillery pieces. Giraud led the cavalry, scouting ahead for enemy patrols, while Vasseur commanded the rear guard, ensuring that the supply wagons kept pace.

As they moved eastward, the terrain changed. The dense jungle gave way to rolling hills and open plains, ideal for a siege. Scouts had reported that Fort San Rafael was well-defended—high stone walls, a garrison of 800 men, and enough supplies to last for weeks. But Roux was not planning a long siege.

He intended to break them in days.

After four days of marching, the Elysean army reached the outskirts of the fort. Roux and his officers observed it from a ridge. The Iberians had positioned sentries along the walls, their banners fluttering in the wind. Smoke rose from within, signaling an active and prepared garrison.

"They know we’re coming," Giraud muttered.

"Let them prepare," Roux replied. "It won’t help them."

That night, Roux summoned his officers for a final strategy meeting.

"We strike at dawn," he announced. "Artillery will target the main gate and weaken their defenses. Infantry will attack from the west, while Giraud leads the cavalry around to cut off their escape. There will be no retreat for them."

Vasseur nodded. "And if they refuse to surrender?"

Roux’s expression was cold. "Then we kill them all."

As the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, the Elysean cannons roared.

The first volley smashed into the fort’s outer walls, sending stone and debris flying. The second volley struck the main gate, splintering its wooden frame. Inside, the Iberians scrambled to mount a defense, musketeers rushing to the parapets and returning fire.

Elysean soldiers advanced in disciplined formations, their muskets raised as they marched toward the weakened defenses. Drummers beat a steady rhythm, driving the troops forward.

From his position at the front, Roux watched as the Iberians struggled to contain the assault. Their walls were strong, but they were not indestructible. Another round of artillery fire hammered the gate, and with a final explosion, the structure collapsed inward.

"Charge!" Roux commanded.

The Elysean infantry surged forward, storming through the broken gates. Inside, the Iberians fought desperately, but they were outmatched. The disciplined volleys of the Elysean musketeers cut them down as they tried to rally.

Giraud’s cavalry had positioned themselves along the eastern road, waiting for any attempt to flee. When a group of Iberian soldiers tried to break out, they were met with sabers and gunfire. None escaped.

For hours, the battle raged. The Iberians fought fiercely, but one by one, their defensive positions crumbled. Blood stained the cobblestone streets as the fighting spread into the heart of the fort.

By midday, the Iberian garrison was in full retreat. Some barricaded themselves inside the central keep, hoping to hold out, but Roux had no patience for a prolonged fight.

Stay tuned to novelbuddy

He ordered the cannons to be brought forward. The first shot crashed into the keep’s outer wall, sending a section crumbling down. The second blew a hole large enough for men to enter.

The Elyseans stormed in.

The last remnants of Iberian resistance were wiped out in brutal close-quarters combat. Those who surrendered were executed.

By nightfall, Fort San Rafael belonged to Elysea.

Roux stood atop the fort’s walls, surveying the battlefield. Fires still burned where the fighting had been fiercest. The ground was littered with the dead—both Iberian and Elysean.

Vasseur approached, wiping blood from his uniform. "It’s done. The last of them have been dealt with."

Roux nodded. "Casualties?"

"Seventy dead, nearly two hundred wounded," Vasseur reported. "We won, but it wasn’t easy."

Roux turned his gaze toward the east, where the coastline lay beyond the hills. "We need to reinforce this position immediately. The Iberians will retaliate."

And he was right.

Over the next week, reports arrived that Iberian warships were moving along the coast. They would not let Fort San Rafael fall without a response. Roux ordered fortifications to be strengthened and artillery to be positioned along the walls. If the Iberians came, they would be ready.

The capture of Fort San Rafael had given Elysea control of the eastern frontier. But the war was far from over.

As Roux stood in the captured fort, he knew that the real battle was still ahead.

Elysea had won a major victory.

Now, they had to hold it.

The days following the capture of Fort San Rafael were spent fortifying the stronghold. Engineers reinforced the damaged walls, artillery was repositioned for optimal defense, and trenches were dug along the outer perimeter. Supplies from Fort Saint-Louis were brought in, and wounded soldiers were treated as best as the limited medical resources allowed.

Roux wasted no time in preparing for the inevitable Iberian counterattack. Scouts had already spotted enemy warships patrolling the coastline, and reports indicated that a relief force was being mustered inland. The Iberians would not let this loss go unanswered.

"We need more men," Vasseur said as he studied the defenses. "If they attack with full force, we’ll be outnumbered."

"We hold with what we have," Roux replied. "We have artillery, we have the high ground, and we have no intention of retreating."

Giraud, standing nearby, smirked. "Let them come. They’ll break against these walls like the others."

Still, Roux knew that numbers alone could turn the tide. If the Iberians launched a full-scale assault, Fort San Rafael would become a bloodbath. He needed reinforcements. He needed more supplies. And most of all, he needed to crush the Iberians before they could mount a proper retaliation.