Knight: Becoming King of the World

Chapter 126: Chapter 105: Here I Fucking Come

Claude nodded in agreement, feeling a bit dazed.

’It’s all happening too fast.’ Since following Henry, Claude felt as though his world had been put on fast-forward.

In the blink of an eye, he was following Henry into a major battle. He went home and got the shell of a castle for free. He looked up, and he was following Henry into another major battle, and even got himself ennobled as a Baron.

’Just when I thought I could get some rest,’ Henry went and took out another Baron! And now, they were already starting a war with a Count.

As sunlight pierced the thin mist hanging over the Salt Stone Mountain Range, the soldiers emerged from their tents at the shouts of their officers.

In the camp, the soldiers moved in an orderly fashion. Warhorses were led aside to be groomed and fed by dedicated grooms, ensuring they would be in peak condition for the coming march.

As for heavy equipment and barding, that was naturally loaded onto wagons. You couldn’t expect the warhorses to remain armored and burdened all the time, could you?

Henry stood in the center of the camp, his gaze fixed firmly on the horizon. Today, he would embark on the campaign to the Odoche region—a war for honor and the accumulation of resources.

"Bain, Claude, prepare to move out."

Bain and Claude responded swiftly, turning to command their troops. The infantry quickly formed up, the Cavalry mounted their horses, and the archers and spearmen took their positions.

At Henry’s command, the army slowly began to move.

Henry sat atop his warhorse. On a wagon behind him rested his black armor and enormous battle-axe. Henry hadn’t given them any fancy names; he simply called them Black Helm and Black Axe.

Henry looked up at the azure sky, feeling he had likely guessed correctly—there was something wrong with this world. ’Overseas trade has existed for so many years, yet there’s been no word from beyond the sea. That isn’t normal.’

’The only answer is that there’s a partition, or rather... a barrier. A barrier in every sense of the word.’

When Henry had a series of strange dreams and guessed they were related to Slaanesh and Khorne, he had considered this very problem.

’What makes me worthy of their attention?’ After much thought, Henry concluded it could only be his patched-together "cheat."

’So why hasn’t my appearance been altered after being noticed by them?’ Henry’s guess was that, just like the overseas kingdoms, they were being blocked from getting in.

The continent of Caladia seemed to be protected by something, but this protective layer had developed holes, allowing all sorts of strange things to appear where they shouldn’t.

’So what is protecting it?’ Henry first ruled out the Emperor. ’If this were the world of 40k, it would be impossible for Caladia to be in such a state of peace and prosperity.’

It was well known that the Old World and 40k were two different things, with their various offshoots and concepts as numerous as the stars in the sky.

’So, there’s no Emperor, the Four Gods can’t enter Caladia, and I’m protected by a golden light.’

’Doesn’t that mean I can do whatever I want?’

As the army advanced, they gradually left the Salt Stone Mountain Range behind and set foot on the main road to the Odoche region. The road was flanked by vast grasslands and sparse forests, with distant hills and rivers occasionally visible.

Henry’s army maintained strict discipline on the march, making little noise. As the sun climbed higher, the soldiers began to feel the fatigue of the journey.

Autumn was approaching, but the high daytime temperatures tormented the soldiers. Fortunately, this wasn’t a desert; they often came across rivers or streams, giving the soldiers a chance to bathe.

During the march, Henry frequently consulted the map Bogdan had given him, which detailed the terrain and environment.

Count John’s army was not to be underestimated. Henry believed he would certainly win, but it would be best to minimize casualties.

He couldn’t just wipe out the entire enemy army by himself, could he? Without his army fighting alongside him, Henry couldn’t have been so efficient.

The army advanced slowly, finally arriving at the outskirts of Ximira Castle.

Ximira Castle was part of Count John’s domain, and its lord was a Baron under his command.

It was a sturdy fortress, surrounded by dense forests, towering mountains, and winding rivers. The castle’s high walls and towers looked particularly imposing in the light of the setting sun.

Henry’s army halted at a safe distance from the castle and began to make camp. The soldiers swiftly and orderly pitched tents, dug trenches, and set up cheval de frise, preparing for the battle to come.

Henry summoned his Attendants and officers, including Claude and the army’s Engineer, to discuss siege strategies.

The poor Engineer. After being "borrowed" by Henry from the imperial office, he had never been allowed to leave. Henry had even moved his family over.

"Ximira Castle’s defenses are formidable. We cannot act rashly," Henry said grimly, pointing to the castle’s location on the map.

Ximira Castle wasn’t an earthen fort like Baron Sura’s; it was a solid, ancient, battle-hardened stone castle, making it significantly more difficult to attack.

At first, Henry had considered simply bypassing it, but then he remembered this wasn’t a game, and other nobles weren’t mindless AIs who just wandered around with their Private Armies all day.

If Henry’s army were to bypass Ximira Castle, they would surely find themselves in a precarious position, facing threats from both front and rear.

Capturing Ximira Castle would not only secure their rear and avoid this risk, but also provide Henry with a natural geographical barrier.

If he could take Ximira Castle, it would be Henry who had John by the throat.

Claude mulled it over for a moment before offering his opinion: "We could send out the Cavalry to capture some bandits, have them build simple ladders, and then use them to exhaust the enemy."

"If we can cut their supply lines, the garrison will be in a tight spot. That would be very advantageous for our siege."

Henry nodded. "Bain is right. We need to cut off their supplies. They don’t have a shortage of food, and neither do we."

Henry decided to divide his forces into three groups. One, led by Selas and Roland, would use the forest for a concealed approach to observe Ximira Castle’s defenses.

Another, commanded by Bain, would consist of two companies of Skilled Infantry, one company of armored recruits, and one company of Grassland Warriors. Their mission was to cut the castle’s supply lines and divert the enemy’s attention.

The last group, led by Philip with the remaining Cavalry, would ride out to capture bandits or raid Ximira Castle’s satellite villages, turning those prisoners into expendable troops.

On the high walls of Ximira Castle, a sentry’s sharp gaze swept over the surrounding fields.

When an unfamiliar army appeared in his line of sight, its fluttering lion banner exceptionally striking under the sun, the sentry’s heart leaped. He immediately grabbed the horn beside him and sounded the alarm.

The alarm echoed throughout the castle, startling the entire garrison. They rushed to the walls, nervously watching the army making camp in the distance.

Among the garrison, some soldiers’ faces turned to horror. They recognized Henry’s banner—that of the Star of the Battle of Zhiluo, the Slayer of Half-Beastmen!

The news quickly spread to the depths of the castle, reaching the ears of the Baron who was currently lost in wine and song.

The Baron of Ximira Castle was obese, a self-satisfied smile always plastered on his face.

He was the son of Count John’s father’s brother. If not for complex family politics, the position would never have fallen to him.

When he heard the sentry’s report, his smile instantly froze.

"What? Henry’s army? How is that possible!" The Baron of Ximira Castle’s voice was filled with shock and disbelief. He shot up from his throne, and the wine goblet slipped from his hand, shattering on the floor.

His minister, a gaunt middle-aged man, hurried forward and said with a grave expression, "My lord, Baron Henry’s army is at our doorstep. Their appearance means..."

"Means what?" the Baron of Ximira Castle interrupted him, a flash of panic in his eyes.

The minister took a deep breath and said slowly, "It means Henry has already defeated those mercenary companies. We originally thought that even if they couldn’t defeat Henry, they could at least tie him down, but now..."

The Baron of Ximira Castle’s face turned pale. He collapsed back into his lavishly crafted chair and muttered, "This is impossible... The Shield Brotherhood has a huge reputation in the Northern Lands, the Green Forest Brotherhood are veteran mercenaries from the central region of the empire, and the Karakujit Mercenaries move like the wind on the grasslands. How could they..."

Suddenly, the Baron of Ximira Castle’s eyes lit up. "Did the garrison see any prisoners? That brute didn’t execute all the commanders, did he? We can send word to the Mercenary Clans and have them seek revenge!"

"My lord, now is not the time to be thinking about that. We must immediately reinforce the castle’s defenses and prepare for a possible attack," the minister’s voice was laced with urgency.

The Baron of Ximira Castle looked up. "Right, right, you’re right. Immediately summon all the officers. We need to discuss our strategy. If Henry wants to take Ximira Castle, it won’t be so easy!"

In the castle’s great hall, the commanders quickly assembled. Baron Edmund stood before the main seat, his face now devoid of its earlier drunken flush.

Although he tried to project an air of authority, his long years of debauchery had completely eroded any dignified presence he might have had.

"Gentlemen, Baron Henry’s army has arrived in my domain. We must unite to defend our home."

The officers exchanged glances, then nodded one after another, indicating their willingness to follow the Baron’s command.

Baron Edmund may have been corrupt, but he always paid his soldiers on time. On that account, the army had no reason to oppose him.

Due to Henry’s sudden arrival, coupled with the Baron of Ximira Castle’s neglect of military affairs, the defenses of Ximira Castle were exceptionally weak.

The farmlands and villages surrounding the castle lacked adequate protection. Serfs, tenant farmers, and self-employed farmers toiled in the fields, completely oblivious to the coming storm.

The Baron’s minister was well aware of the gravity of the situation. "My lord, the farms and villages can no longer be protected. We have lost a great deal of grain and our garrison Militia..."

The Baron of Ximira Castle’s brow furrowed. He finally recognized the severity of the situation and felt a sense of powerlessness.