Chapter 411 The Final Decision (Ⅱ)

"I received the information you sent back this morning. I should have given up Fort Nissei immediately and led the troops to retreat. Unfortunately, I failed to make the correct decision in time, which put the troops in a desperate situation. Now I can't leave even if I want to."

In the sigh of Lieutenant Colonel Vasa, there was a trace of regret.

"Mr. Vasa, it's not entirely your fault." Joan tried to comfort him, "We all don't know enough about the fire giants. Who would have thought that the destructive power of the stones they threw would be so terrifying before the battle started?"

"Based on the circumstances at the time, it is undoubtedly the safest decision to stick to the fortress. If we retreat without a fight and easily abandon the fortress we built at a huge cost, we will only be questioned and opposed by all officers and soldiers."

"It's meaningless to say this now."

Dismay could not be concealed in George Vassar's eyes.

"Facts have proved that my previous self-confidence is very ridiculous. Now the fortress can't be defended, and the breakout has failed. After two days of fighting, we have lost more than 200 people, and the remaining troops are less than half of the enemy. Continue to fight. It must be the end of annihilation."

He could only say these frustrating words to Qiao An, and he had to force himself to be calm in front of his subordinates.

"If we can persist until Lieutenant Colonel Anderson's reinforcements arrive, the battle may turn around." Joan whispered.

Lieutenant Colonel Vasa smiled wryly and shook his head: "Anderson's troops are still at least three days away from Fort Nissey, and even if the reinforcements arrive in time, it is impossible for them to command the sea blue cavalry, jackals and fire giant mercenaries. The opponent of Louis Jumonville, who came to die in vain."

Joan had to admit that Lieutenant Colonel Vassar's pessimistic tone was more realistic, but what should he do next?

"Joan, the reality is cruel, but we must face it. Under the current situation, it is meaningless to continue fighting." Lieutenant Colonel Vasa said with difficulty.

Joan heard what he meant, lowered his voice and asked tentatively, "You mean...surrender?"

George Vassar nodded sadly.

"I've talked to Nathaniel and Magny about this just now, and everyone agrees."

"As a soldier, it is heroic to fight to the last moment until you die for your country, but in a desperate situation where the enemy is outnumbered, choosing to surrender in order to save the lives of the officers and soldiers under your command is not detrimental to your chivalry. The key to the question is whether the enemy is equally Chivalrous, allowing us to surrender in a more dignified manner."

Joan was speechless.

When Lieutenant Colonel Vasa made the decision to surrender, he and all officers and soldiers could no longer control their own destiny, and could only pin their hope of survival on the benevolence of General Jumonville.

However, Joan did not forget that the main reason for General Jumonville to start this war was to avenge his brother.

Lieutenant Colonel Vassar and his officers and soldiers can be counted as the murderers of Sir Joseph Jumonville directly or indirectly. Once they fall into the hands of the vengeful General Jumonville, can they still be expected to treat the prisoners of war leniently?

"Mr. Vasa, I don't like your decision, but I have to admit that there is no better choice."

Joan truthfully expressed his thoughts.

George Vasa nodded with a wry smile, and said vigorously, "Do you still have a 'Messaging' scroll? Use this scroll to send a letter to His Excellency the Governor, telling him that Fort Nissei is about to fall. There is no choice but to surrender to the sea blue border guards in order to protect the troops, as for what will happen in the future... let the great goddess of fate decide."

From his emotion, Joan could hear the sadness of being outnumbered by manpower, so he suppressed his sadness and unfolded the spell scroll, and truthfully reported the situation on the front line to His Excellency the Governor who was far away in Leiden Port.

Lieutenant Colonel Vassar lit his pipe again, took two deep puffs, and paced back and forth in the rain-drenched room.

It wasn't until Joan finished casting the spell and sent out the last battle report that he stopped and turned around, smiling at the young mage.

"Thank you these days, Joan, and finally I have one more thing to ask you."

"Mr. Vasa..." Joan suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Lieutenant Colonel Anderson probably doesn't know anything about the changes that have happened here. If he leads troops to support us as planned, he will definitely run into a powerful enemy army head-on, and the consequences will be disastrous."

"In order to avoid such a tragedy, Joan, I need you to leave Fort Nissei immediately. Be sure to send my personal letter to Lieutenant Colonel Anderson as soon as possible, warning him not to come to rescue the garrison at Fort Nissey, and withdraw as soon as possible." Safe zone, avoid unnecessary sacrifices!"

Facing Lieutenant Colonel Vassar's solemn request, Joan could hardly hold back his tears.

"Now you are the only one who can leave the fortress without alarming the enemy army. The mission of delivering the letter can only be entrusted to you. Let's go!"

Lieutenant Colonel Vasa handed the letter to Joan, and impatiently urged him to leave quickly, but his eye circles couldn't help turning slightly red.

Joan is not a fool, of course he can tell that "delivering a letter" is just a high-sounding excuse.

The real purpose of Lieutenant Colonel Vasa is to send him away from the fortress that is about to fall, and avoid becoming a prisoner of the sea blue people.

"Mr. Vasa, I can actually take you out of here..."

"I know you can do it, but I can't go."

George Vasa turned his back, as if he didn't want the young mage to see the tears in his eyes.

"Indeed, it's not difficult to take me away with your magic, but what about Nathaniel and Magny, and what about your friend Brother Tyndale?"

"Even if you can take all these relatives and friends away, what about the other hundreds of officers and soldiers?"

"Of course, you don't know them well, you can't talk about a deep friendship, and you have no obligation to save each of them!"

"But I'm different, Joan. Every soldier here is my relatives and friends. They are comrades who accompany me through life and death. If you were me, would you have the heart to abandon them and escape alone?"

"If I go with you today, how will I face the remaining comrades-in-arms and their families for the rest of my life!"

"I see, Mr. Vassar."

Joan barely restrained the urge to cry, facing George Vassar's back, choked up and sent the last sentence of blessing.

"There will be a period later...May the gods bless you."

After that, he activated the "transformation technique", turned into a Jotunheim eagle and came out through the window, flapped his wings with difficulty in the rain, and flew towards the south.

The rain drenched the feathers, and the wings became extra heavy.

Joan flew higher and higher in the thunderstorm, and looked back at the dilapidated and desolate fortress in the rain. Two lines of hot tears finally couldn't help but welled up in his eyes, which were washed away by the cold rain in an instant.

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