Knight: Becoming King of the World

Chapter 110: Chapter 94: Conquest and Cultivation, I Want It All

Calvin’s words left Edmund a little embarrassed. He had been the one constantly asking questions, which made it seem as if he feared battle.

Henry noticed Edmund’s discomfort and reached out his hand. "Prepare our grain and train our soldiers. We will make a name for ourselves in this battle."

Boras reached out, finally offering his opinion. "From what I understand, Count John is indeed threatened by your rapid rise. However, it wouldn’t make sense for him to attack you. Hiring these three mercenary companies is likely just a show for the Second Prince."

Henry considered this. ’It’s very possible,’ he thought. ’John dotes on his younger son; he would never declare war on me without getting the boy to safety first.’

"In any case, await my banner!"

After they finished discussing their military preparations, the conversation naturally drifted to the everyday affairs of their respective fiefs.

The four of them sat around the wooden table, the atmosphere gradually growing more relaxed.

Baron Edmund was the first to break the silence. He cleared his throat and began to describe the situation in his new fief.

"The land I recently acquired is incredibly fertile," Edmund said, a flicker of pride in his eyes.

"The wheat and barley I had the tenant farmers and serfs plant yielded a fine harvest. And the more prosperous self-employed farmers even have surplus grain to sell for coin."

Calvin picked up where Edmund left off. "My land isn’t as fertile as yours, but I do my best to ensure my people can raise their children and live a little more easily. At the very least, it keeps them from leading the serfs in a rebellion.

I’ve reduced some taxes to give indebted tenants a better chance to improve their lives. That way, when I call them to battle, they fight with more heart and fight harder."

Listening to the two barons, Henry couldn’t help but blame himself. He realized he had been so focused on military affairs that he had neglected the well-being of his subjects.

Lord Henry’s daily self-reflection always came down to three questions: ’Are the troops fed? Is there enough grain? Are there any new targets to attack?’

"I’ve always believed that a strong army and full granaries were all it took to ensure the stability of my domain. But now I see that I need to understand the lives of my subjects."

Baron Boras, who had been listening in silence, now spoke up. "Baron Henry, your army and your grain are certainly important, but the productivity of your subjects is the true cornerstone of a domain."

Henry nodded. "I’ll tour my domain tomorrow and see their living conditions for myself. With tensions this high, I need them to know that I will protect them."

The four men talked until the sunlight faded, and they decided to stay the night in the new military camp in Chaimudi Village.

The four of them sat around a flickering bonfire. After careful consideration, Henry selected one "lucky" sheep for roasting from the pen of a self-employed farmer.

Outside of famine years, a couple of pounds of mutton typically went for around sixty-three Su on the market. This sheep, once sheared and gutted, would yield a little over twenty pounds of meat.

The self-employed farmer, beaming with joy, slaughtered the sheep and received seven Dinars from Henry.

’To think his own lord paid more than the market price—a whole silver coin more! Unbelievable!’

The aroma of the roast sheep and the crackle of the firewood—what a delightful symphony. And when you’re famished, that first mouthful of steaming hot mutton...

Heavenly!

As Henry savored the delicious mutton, he listened to the other three barons share secrets of the eastern border.

Although Henry’s reputation was widespread along the eastern border, his roots there were still shallow, and he remained ignorant of many things.

Baron Edmund’s voice took on a conspiratorial tone. "Did you know that Count John has a rather shady past from his youth? Before he inherited his title, he was a smuggler on the border, and he dealt with some rather unsavory characters."

Calvin sliced off a piece of sizzling, fatty mutton, making sure to get some of the crispy skin. He popped it into his mouth and shook his head in satisfaction before speaking. "That’s hardly surprising. Count John’s family has always had deep ties to the gangs and black markets in the cities. They’ve used those connections to amass a fortune in the borderlands."

Henry blinked. ’No wonder the gang members in the Odoche region called Count John "Boss,"’ he thought. ’So he’s been in the game since he was young.’

Boras disliked war, but when it came to information of any kind, he spoke with great authority.

"I heard that before he became a Count, John had a strange encounter with a mysterious witch during his travels in the desert. They say she had the power to see the future."

"Witches? Ha! We’ve killed so many of them they can’t even form a proper coven. They’re just a bunch of charlatans who trick the poor out of their bread."

The four men continued to talk, sharing more anecdotes. After dinner, they each retired to their assigned rooms for the night.

Henry lay in bed, his mind racing. As night descended, the camp once again grew quiet.

「The next morning.」

Henry set out with his Personal Guard cavalry, the Prairie Riders, to begin his tour of the domain.

Henry found some self-employed farmers and observed them from a "discreet" distance. Anyone who conducted regular inspections knew that asking questions without observing first would only yield false answers.

Henry had changed into a thick, prairie-style cotton robe worn by soldiers, allowing him to observe a few of the self-employed farmers from a distance.

They wore simple but clean linen shirts and trousers, with sturdy leather boots on their feet. They were eating grains and vegetables they had grown themselves, and perhaps they would even get to enjoy the poultry they raised.