Nolan gave him a light pat on the shoulder, then looked toward the female warrior nearby.
"Nepheli, bring the others and follow behind."
Not just Vyke, even Dolores and Nepheli were momentarily stunned.
A cavalry charge against a fortress? What kind of tactic was that?
Even heavy cavalry could not withstand rolling boulders and boiling oil.
"Did you not hear me?"
"I'll make the arrangements right away."
Vyke snapped out of it. Though his doubts had not faded, he chose to trust Nolan.
If this were truly a suicide charge, why would Nolan be the first to throw his own life away?
He must have a way to get past the walls.
With that conviction firm in his mind, Vyke turned and strode off without looking back.
"With a plan like yours, defeating the enemy is nothing but a fantasy. You won't kill Count Luke, and you certainly won't defeat Godrick."
Dolores frowned deeply, suspicion written all over her face.
Could someone favored by both the Roundtable Hold and Her Highness the Saintess really be this reckless?
"I really don't have much of a strategy."
Nolan took a casual sip from his flask, a faint smile on his lips.
"But if I say I can kill Count Luke, would you believe me?"
"No."
Dolores did not hesitate in the slightest, shaking her head outright.
"I honestly don't know where your confidence comes from."
Nolan smiled.
In this age, war ultimately came down to the strength of individuals.
Trying to take a count's fortress with such a small force was pure nonsense.
"Since you don't believe me, how about we make a bet?"
"Oh? What kind of bet?"
Dolores raised a brow, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
"I believe I can kill Luke and Godrick. If I fail, I'll give up my path to becoming a Lord and take you to meet the Saintess."
"Are you serious?"
At the mention of the Saintess, Dolores's eyes immediately lit up.
Fortunately, the Golden Order did not forbid other beliefs. Otherwise, someone like her would never have survived in the Royal Capital.
"I never break my vows."
Nolan spoke calmly.
"But if I do kill Luke and Godrick, then you'll follow me from now on."
Dolores hesitated, then said with a hint of confusion,
"We're both Tarnished. We're already on the same side."
"But I never said I'd join the Roundtable Hold, did I?"
Nolan shot back.
"Whether it's Sir All-Knowing or the Raging Wolf, I have no interest in being ordered around by them."
Standing with the Saintess was his own choice. What right did the Roundtable Hold have to command him?
Dolores nodded slightly and did not argue from the Roundtable Hold's standpoint.
There were plenty of unruly Tarnished. Everyone sought to become a Lord.
And a Lord commands others, not the other way around.
"But I don't know if you'll be stronger than me in the future."
Dolores fixed him with a sharp gaze, making her stance clear.
She was a hero too, with her own pride. There was no way she would submit to someone weaker than herself.
"There's no need to wait for the future. Once this battle is over, everything will be clear."
"If you're still not convinced, you can challenge me after the fight."
Nolan replied with easy confidence, slipping the badge of the Saintess back into his spirit ring.
He raised the Spectral Steed Whistle. With a crisp sound, the steed appeared beneath him at once, lifting him into the saddle.
If he lost the wager, he would likely die in the struggle for the throne, making the bet meaningless. If he won, he would gain a hero for nothing.
Either way, he did not lose.
Dolores, standing nearby, quickly weighed it over in her mind.
Who she followed did not matter all that much.
If he was stronger, following Nolan was not a loss. And if she won, she would get a chance to meet the Saintess.
With that thought, she made up her mind and nodded decisively.
"Fine. I accept."
The moment he heard her answer, Nolan leaned forward slightly.
Torrent surged ahead at once, giving Dolores no chance to reconsider.
The cavalry followed close behind, charging straight for the fortress gates.
The soldiers on the walls spotted them immediately.
Their expressions tightened as the alarm horn rang out, sharp and urgent, echoing across the fortress.
In an instant, the entire wall sprang into action.
Archers drew their bows and set arrows to string, while others rushed to ready massive ballistae and heavy catapults.
But just as they finished taking aim, something changed.
A heavy shadow fell across them without warning.
The cavalry behind stared in shock as a flash of blue light appeared. A Glintstone staff had formed in Nolan's hand.
When they looked up, they saw countless blue motes gathering together, forming a vast, swirling nebula.
It churned and expanded, flickering with cold blue light, like a river of stars pouring down from the heavens.
Primeval Sorcery, the legendary Founding Rain of Stars!
The origin of Glintstone sorcery, and the highest art Sellen had mastered.
Would such a teacher hold anything back from her student?
Of course not.
And so, starlight bloomed in his hands as well.
The nebula descended like a dark curtain, pressing down on the fortress like an inescapable cage.
The soldiers looked up as it drew closer, their throats tightening. Some could not even swallow.
Then the stars fell.
What descended was not mere magic, but streaks of light, like countless falling stars.
Armor shattered under the impact. Buildings collapsed, unable to withstand the force.
The heat of the stardust spread like hellfire, igniting everything it touched.
Flames roared upward, dyeing the world in red.
And those living within it were drawn in, one after another, their lives pouring into Nolan like moths to a flame.
Under such overwhelming force, Miro Fortress never even mounted a real defense before it was already finished.
Vyke, watching from behind, swallowed hard and muttered,
"So this… this is Lord Nolan's true strength… It's terrifying."
Even though the nebula had only covered about half the fortress, the destruction it brought was enough to chill anyone to the bone.
Its power was no different from a natural disaster.
His instincts had been right. Only the very strongest could hope to stand on equal footing with this man.