Chapter 63: The Withdrawal

　　On the fifth day after the commander was wounded, Samoris finally received confirmed news of reinforcements, which served to somewhat steady the rising unease within the camp. Simultaneously, an envoy from Suvillus appeared at the Willemsburg front, extending an olive branch to Kamotes, who led the besieging forces.　　Kamotes, however, deliberately delayed his response for two days. He waited until the newly constructed battering rams finally splintered the gates of the inner keep before dispatching his herald to Hedlim with the vital news. By the time his troops entered, the Great Hall of the keep was a hollow shell; the remaining defenders had retreated to the upper levels, barricading themselves behind a single iron gate.　　Nor proposed a deal to the Duke in Hedlim: they would pull their defensive lines back if Worksmile agreed to a full withdrawal. In the Hall of the Golden Halberd, Dirmor listened to two conflicting voices, and to a Sovereign sheltered within his palace, both seemed to carry weight.　　The region in question was a rugged terrain of ridges and valleys, bristling with Nor camps and forts. If Nor were to vacate this area, the path ahead would become a defenseless plain where Worksmile’s cavalry could be unleashed—an objective sought through many previous campaigns. To some, this was nothing short of total victory.　　Critics, however, accused Nor of insincerity. They argued that for true peace talks, high-ranking officials or members of the royal blood should hav