"Excellent!" said the admiral while giving a satisfied nod. "Now, we had to fake our attack to take the supplies. I think midnight would be the best time to execute the attack."


    Lord Hugo frowned, his brow furrowing with concern. "Faking an attack? How''s that will help? It could escte tensions and cause further damage."


    Jareth''s gaze narrowed, his voice firm. "We need to create the appearance of an attack in order to maintain the image of your loyalty to nde. It will provide you with the necessary justification for losing the supplies. This way, you can save yourself from being suspected of working with the enemy."


    Hugo realises the rationale behind Jareth''s n. Reluctantly, he nodded in agreement. "Very well, but ensure that the attack is controlled and doesn''t cause too much damage to the port."


    "Sure, you have my word."


    As Lord Hugo stepped off the ship, the onlookers'' curious gazes fixated on him. Whispers and rumours about the enemy''s presence began to circte among the crowd, fueling anxiety and uncertainty. Hugo could feel the tension rising, and he knew he had to move quickly to alleviate their worries.


    With amanding presence, he raised his voice to address the gathered crowd. "People of Hagen, I stand before you today to deliver an important news. As you all know, there is a presence of the warship in our port. Rest assured, we''re not getting attacked. This ind remains free from the ravages of war."


    The Head of Hagen''s gaze swept across the faces before him, looking at their facial expressions. He continued, "I have just concluded a discussion with Admiral Jareth of Ryntum. We have engaged in peaceful dialogue and reached a mutual understanding between the two of us."


    Sigh-


    A collective sigh of relief rippled through the crowd. Their tension is easing. His words assuaged their fears and instilled a sense of calm in their heart.


    "Worry not, people of Hagen Ind, there will be no war between Hagen and Ryntum." Lord Hugo dered.


    A wave of apuse erupted and the sound of hands pping echoed through the air. The furrowed brows of worry were reced by smiles.


    The crowd''s enthusiastic response punctuated the air and made its way far above, to the deck of the Ryntum warship. A sly smirk formed on his lips as he nced at Lord Hugo who stood amidst the cheering people.


    "Look at him," Jareth chuckled. His voice wasced with a hint of derision. "ying with his words like a snake. When the timees for our attack, the people will me us for breaking the deal."


    His subordinate understands the implications. "Indeed, Admiral. They will assume us as untrustworthy because of this incident. Words would spread and our reputation would plummet."


    Jareth turned to his subordinates, "Let them be. For now, let''s get out of this port."


    The subordinate nodded, acknowledging the order. He swiftly ryed themand to the crew to prepare for their departure. The crew members sprang into action, raising the anchor and unfurling the sails. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The ships slowly started to drift away from the shore, leaving the port behind.


    ....


    At the stroke of midnight, multiple warships stealthily returned to the ind''s shores. Its ckened hull blended with the shadows of the night. The only indication of its presence was the faint creaking of the wooden nks as it anchored near the port.


    The silence that enveloped the sleeping ind was shattered by a single cannon shot. Its thunderous boom echoed through the air.


    The sudden explosion jolted the ind''s inhabitants from their slumber. Their hearts pounding with fear and confusion for the sudden disruption. People hastily dressed and stumbled out of their homes, drawn to themotion.


    Within moments, another cannonball followed, smashing into a distant structure. Panic and rm begin to spread like wildfire. The ind''s residents, still groggy with sleep, found themselves amidst Ryntum''s sudden attack.


    The sound of hurried footsteps and anguished cries filled the night as they raced to safety. Anguished cries pierced the air, their voices echoing the betrayal they felt. "They lied! They said they wouldn''t attack us! They lied!"


    Amidst the turmoil, the admiral''s n unfolded. His subordinates, guided by Hugo''s earlier disclosure, swiftly converged on the designated warehouses. The warehouses which had an abundance of valuable supplies for the military were their coveted targets.


    Under the relentless assault of Jareth''s troops, the doors of the first warehouse creaked open. In a synchronized motion, they spread throughout the building, searching for supplies such as food, medicine, weapon and armour. Crates and barrels were hastily opened and their contents inspected. The once meticulously organized warehouse was now in disorder.


    In the midst of the turmoil, Lord Hugo stood at a distance, watching the raid unfold. His face was twisted with a mixture of anger, helplessness, and resignation. Although he had expected the attack, it still cause a bitter taste of defeat to witness it firsthand.


    "I think we already give them enough time. Should we go and repel them, my lord? The people would be suspicious if we take too long to arrive at the scene." the middle-aged man asked.


    "Give them some time," Lord Hugo rejected the idea. "As you can see, they have no intention of conquering this ind. Let them raid the warehouses."


    Meanwhile, the people of the ind watched in disbelief as the enemy ransacked the warehouses. The Ryntum soldiers swiftly loaded the precious supplies onto the ships. The captured resources, meant to sustain nde''s armies, would now bolster Ryntum''s forces.


    With the plunderplete, Admiral Jareth signalled for his men to return to the ship. The warship''s anchor was raised, and one by one, the ships turned away from the deste ind. As they sailed into the night, their hulls heavy with stolen provisions, the ind''s residents were left to grapple with the devastating aftermath of their invasion.


    Only when the warship had faded into the distance, the guards from Hagen arrived, feigning concern as they scattered throughout the ind. The guards act as if they care about their well-being, pretending to offer assistance to the distressed residents.


    Luckily, only several people were injured but no one died from the attack. At least, Jareth kept his promise of minimizing the damage.