Reincarnate as the Villainess's Husband - Chapter 88

Chapter 88: Power of fear
Undoubtedly, one of the most powerful emotions, if not the most powerful, is fear. Especially for a ruler, fear can become the greatest weapon. But a weapon’s barrel can also turn against its wielder.

Neonidas knew this very well. That’s why, on his way to the capital, he had completely wiped out every town and village that resisted him. However, those who submitted to him were left untouched. In fact, he even engaged in trade with them.

The message was clear: the imperial army would hang those who opposed it but take good care of those who submitted. As a result, by the time Neonidas’ army reached the capital, almost all cities, fortresses, and even remote divisions of the imperial army had swiftly switched to his side.

Of course, there were still those loyal to their king, or those who believed that God would miraculously save them. But to Neonidas, such beliefs were nothing more than laughable foolishness.

In every possible way, fear had enslaved an entire kingdom in a short time. Neonidas had not only crushed and humiliated the most powerful army in Hindonpon’s history, but he had also mercilessly slaughtered the people of any place that refused to submit to him.

In fact, there was someone in Neonidas’ previous world who had used this tactic most effectively. That man had conquered a vast portion of the known world. His empire stretched from Korea all the way to Poland. And unlike the British or the Spanish, the enemies he faced weren’t centuries behind him in military capability. Of course, the European colonial empires had accomplished a lot, but only one or two individuals had ever come close to what he had achieved.

Without a doubt, I’m talking about Genghis Khan—one of history’s greatest conquerors—and his Mongol Empire. To rise from a small region and build an empire that made the world tremble in fear required nothing short of genius. And the greatest weapon that enabled Genghis Khan to expand his empire to such vast borders was none other than fear itself.

And now, by wielding this same weapon, Neonidas had easily conquered the Hindonpon Kingdom. He now stood outside the so-called “impenetrable” walls of its capital.

Seated upright on his horse, Neonidas gazed upon the magnificence of the capital’s walls. A condescending smile played on his lips. The walls that the people had believed to be impenetrable for centuries were, in his eyes, nothing more than a minor delay.

He could almost picture the nobles, generals, and perhaps a few fools determined to fight to the end, all paralyzed by fear, frantically trying to decide what to do.

Atop the walls, archers stood in formation, their hands trembling. Neonidas narrowed his eyes, studying them. He could see the hesitation among them. Most had heard the stories—the massacres committed by Neonidas’ army, the burning towns, the brutal assaults on cities, and the horrifying spectacles made even of those who had surrendered. They had heard it all. And now, seeing that same terrifying force at their gates was shaking their resolve.

Neonidas pulled on his reins and turned his horse, riding back toward the encampment. As he dismounted, the metallic clank of his heavy armor echoed through the silent camp.

Most of his army was resting, but those patrolling among the tents closely watched their leader’s every move. Even his shadow instilled either confidence or fear. Standing before him felt like walking a fine line between life and death.

He strode toward the grand tent where his commanders had gathered. As he entered, the officers immediately stood up, their expressions markedly different from before. Each of them bowed their heads in greeting. On the table before them lay a detailed map of the capital, spread out like the corpse of a fallen soldier on a battlefield.

Neonidas took his place at the head of the table and examined the map.

“What’s the morale inside the city?” he asked, his voice retaining its usual coldness.

General Kael stepped forward cautiously.

“Lord, panic has taken hold inside. Many nobles and merchants are trying to flee under the cover of darkness. Even the soldiers are divided. Some wish to surrender, but there are still those who believe they should resist.”

“Resist?” Neonidas scoffed. “Do they truly think they have any hope of winning, or are they simply trying to deceive themselves before they die?”

Kael lowered his head. “I believe it’s the latter, my lord.”

Neonidas returned his gaze to the map. The capital was large, and its walls were thick. But the ones who had built those walls were just as foolish as those who believed they were indestructible. No wall was unbreakable. History had proven this time and again.

“Have the catapults been positioned?” he asked.

One of the commanders immediately responded. “Yes, my lord. We can begin the assault at night.”

Neonidas shook his head. “No,” he said in a low voice. “We won’t use them yet.”

The commanders exchanged puzzled glances. Neonidas continued:

“To take a city, you don’t always need to break its walls. Sometimes, engraving fear into the enemy’s mind is enough.”

He ran his fingers over the map. “First, we must divide those inside. Open the roads for the fleeing nobles. When others see them leave, they will realize that resistance is futile. Then, at night… light massive fires in front of the walls. But do not attack.”

One commander, confused, asked, “My lord, why?”

Neonidas smiled. “Because the enemy knows death is coming sooner or later. But if they don’t know when it will strike, that terrifies them even more. We won’t let them sleep all night. They will believe we could attack at any moment—but we won’t. By morning, the soldiers standing atop the walls will be exhausted and demoralized.”

His eyes gleamed with a sharp light. “And that is when we will strike.”

The commanders exchanged glances. Most were already accustomed to Neonidas’ ruthless tactics, but at times, even his brilliance in the art of war astonished them.

As Neonidas stepped out of the tent, he noticed the darkness settling over the land. The capital, hidden behind its walls, trembled in silence. Tonight would be its last peaceful night.

And Neonidas was eagerly waiting for the dawn.

Meanwhile, Allea had finally arrived at the siege camp. A few weeks ago, after the decisive battle, Neonidas had given her twenty thousand soldiers and ordered her to capture several key ports. Surprisingly, she had accepted the task without hesitation. It seemed she had come to trust Neonidas’ intelligence.

However, the soldiers atop the walls, upon seeing yet another massive army joining the siege, panicked. Unable to gauge the exact size of the force from a distance, they mistakenly believed that an additional fifty thousand troops had reinforced the enemy lines. This misinformation quickly spread to the high-ranking officials inside the city.

Tension inside the capital was steadily rising. Misled about the size of Neonidas’s army, the defenders turned to their generals in despair. The city commanders had no idea how to respond to this new situation.

Many of them had heard of Neonidas’s war tactics—they knew he didn’t just defeat his enemies through sheer strength but also through cunning strategy. If he had managed to conceal such a massive army throughout the siege, then their chances were truly running out.

The effects of this misinformation were immediate. The morale of the city’s soldiers plummeted further, the nobles planning to escape were thrown into even greater panic, and some even began bribing the gate guards in hopes of having the doors opened for them.

Neonidas observed these developments from his camp with his usual cold composure. When he returned to his command tent, Allea was already there. As the commanders noticed her presence, they bowed their heads in greeting. With her striking red hair and piercing gaze, Allea looked like the most dangerous person in the room. Even Neonidas could feel the weight of her presence for a brief moment.

“Your Excellency, welcome back. You’ve likely been informed of my siege plan. Do you have any objections?”

Allea, as always, took a brief pause before speaking—a habit that had become part of her character.

She locked eyes with Neonidas. The flickering firelight from the camp outside cast sharp shadows across her face. There was no sign of excitement in her expression; it was as cold and unreadable as ever. She wielded silence like a weapon, and now was no different. The weight of the moment pressed down on everyone inside the tent.

Finally, she spoke:

“No. The plan is clever.”

Neonidas sensed the icy approval in her gaze. Allea was not someone who easily accepted another’s strategy. This was no compliment, but by her standards, it was a significant mark of approval. Neonidas gave a small nod.

“You arrived here faster than I expected after taking the ports,” Neonidas added, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.

Allea responded without a change in expression:

“Most of my targets surrendered. I burned the remaining resistance.”

Some of the commanders in the room, hearing how coldly she spoke, were once again reminded of how well-matched the princess and Neonidas were. It was as if they were soulmates in their ruthlessness.

Turning back to the map, Neonidas pointed to a key location.

“We’ve cut off the main supply routes leading to the capital. The city’s water sources are still active, but that won’t last long. Your capture of the ports strengthens our grip on them—we can now starve them out. It’s impossible for them to resupply by sea anymore. I even allowed a few merchants to bring goods into the city. Knowing the people turn on each other just to get their hands on those supplies was… Fun.”