Knight: Becoming King of the World

Chapter 152: Chapter 131: Don’t Come Over Here

A month passed in a flash. At the garrison camp of Westwood Laine Castle, the new recruits had completed their training.

They donned Cotton Armor and Chain Armor, wielding spears or swords, One-Handed Staffs or Nail Hammers, shields, Javelins, and other weapons. Fully armed, they looked formidable and majestic.

If Henry were to tell anyone that this was a group of new recruits, probably no one would believe him.

At this high standard of equipment, Henry’s reserve armory could only outfit a few hundred more men.

His reserves were still insufficient. He needed more battles, more victories, to rapidly expand his arsenal by capturing spoils from the enemy.

This was far faster than slowly forging weapons and armor himself.

On this day, the army assembled outside the barracks for inspection, drawing the attention of numerous Free People and merchants.

Watching Henry’s mighty army, their faces bloomed with smiles, their hearts filled with a sense of security. With such a powerful force, their lives and property would be much better protected.

If they couldn’t live in peace, what good would it be no matter how low Henry’s taxes were?

But as for those merchants with ulterior motives who had come to gather intelligence, the sight left them drenched in a cold sweat.

In just one month, Henry had gained over a thousand "Senior Infantry." Such a speed of training and expansion was truly shocking.

In the minds of most, only veterans with military honors and long service were qualified to wear better armor and wield superior weapons.

Henry stood on the inspection platform, his gaze sweeping over the orderly ranks. These soldiers would be his sharp sword, the cornerstone for defending his domain and expanding his power.

"Soldiers! You have completed your training and become true Warriors. From this day forward, you will bear the solemn duty of defending our home. I am proud of you!"

The soldiers roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens, their morale high.

As Henry’s words fell, thunderous applause and cheers erupted in the streets of Westwood Laine Castle.

The new army’s parade officially began. The sides of the streets were packed with Free People and merchants who had come to watch.

First came two hundred and eighty Grassland Warriors. They wore leather armor and thick, felted cotton hats, carried long spears, and had sabers hanging from their waists. Bows and quivers of arrows were slung on either side of their horses.

An intense, oppressive aura washed over the crowd as the Grassland Warriors rode past, the sound of their hooves like the stirring beat of war drums.

"This Cavalry could probably chase down a thousand men, right?"

"Yeah, I bet they’re all expert riders from all over. Each one could probably take on ten men."

Following them were seven hundred and twenty infantrymen wearing double-layered armor. Their steps were uniform, their spears a forest, their shields a wall. Their determined gazes revealed a dauntless spirit.

The appearance of these infantrymen allowed the Free People to feel the might of this army up close.

"Heavens, look at those infantry! Their equipment is better than any army we’ve ever seen!" an old man exclaimed in amazement.

"You say that like you’ve seen a lot of armies."

"Hmph! You...!"

"With an army like this, we won’t have to worry about being plundered anymore."

In the crowd, some spies disguised as merchants wore ugly expressions. They quietly took note of everything they saw.

These merchant spies had originally come to gather intelligence, but they never expected to witness such a spectacular scene.

"We must report back immediately. Henry’s army is far stronger than we imagined," one spy whispered to his companion.

"Yes, we need to leave quickly. The atmosphere here makes me uneasy," the other spy replied. They began to sneak toward the edge of the crowd, preparing to leave Westwood Laine Castle.

After the parade, Henry ordered a simple celebration, avoiding any extravagance. This was just an ordinary inspection of new recruits, not a triumphant return from a great victory.

Before the fervor of the parade celebration had faded, Henry received two special visitors in his castle: Nasu and Buer.

Now that Henry had firmly established himself, his fame had spread, and his military strength was growing, these two merchants intended to increase their investment.

Nasu planned to open a winery in Westwood Laine Castle, using the local grapes and water to produce high-quality wine.

What? The settlements under Westwood Laine Castle didn’t specialize in growing grapes? That was hardly a problem! He’d just slap his thigh and fund a manor himself!

Buer, on the other hand, intended to establish a wool mill to produce soft textiles.

During their meeting with Henry, Nasu and Buer presented their plans.

They planned to invest in establishing manors and pastures subordinate to their two factories to ensure a stable supply of raw materials.

The two made a preliminary estimate that they would invest at least thirty thousand Dinars. For Westwood Laine Castle, this was undoubtedly a massive investment.

Henry naturally welcomed this kind of investment, which would stimulate the local economy.

Such an investment would not only bring wealth to his domain but also provide employment opportunities for his people, improving their standard of living.

Henry wasn’t afraid of the merchants becoming too powerful or corrupting his subordinates. His power came from only two sources. One was his title as a baron, bestowed by the emperor—that was his legal authority. The other was his army—that was his physical authority.

As long as his army remained orderly, Westwood Laine Castle would not fall into chaos. And his army was the most loyal!

Henry expressed his full support for their plans and told them to discuss the specifics with Tommy.

Although Nasu and Buer showed no particular expression, they were inwardly overjoyed.

They knew that as long as they stayed on this nobleman’s good side, their businesses would grow by leaps and bounds. Moreover, the dream of transforming from merchants into landed nobles was no longer unattainable for them.

Before, they had only wanted to obtain an honorary noble title from Henry. Merchants, after all, often had several Lords and multiple honorary titles.

In the past, this situation would even occur with landed nobles. For example, a nobleman might be Henry’s Knight and John’s Baron simultaneously.

But this was becoming increasingly rare, to the point of being nonexistent. Having multiple Lords was a situation that now only applied to honorary nobles.

But now, their thinking had changed. They were going to latch onto Henry’s coattails for dear life!

After the meeting, Nasu and Buer left the castle and began to prepare their investment plans.

It would be a long and complex process, but they were not short on money and could afford to polish every detail. With Henry’s support, their plans were sure to succeed.

Over the next few days, Henry began preparing for his next military expedition.

In fact, Henry had underestimated Nasu and Buer’s efficiency. Right after speaking with him, they went to find Tommy to discuss the specific details of their proposal.

The land required, the scale of the factories to be built, the workers to be recruited and trained... Time was money, and they had to start their businesses as soon as possible.

Tommy hurried to find Henry to ask what to do. ’What else could be done? Give them the green light, of course.’

"Tommy, after I leave, have the soldiers keep a close eye on their factories, manors, and pastures."

"Yes, my lord."

Another busy day passed. Henry was getting ready to rest after dinner.

Ailia looked at Henry’s weary face and asked, "My lord, are we leaving again?"

Henry nodded. "Yes, Ailia. Let’s bring more supplies this time. We’re not familiar with the desert regions. We don’t want to get there and find we’re missing everything we need, haha."

The night was deep and quiet, and he fell into a peaceful sleep.

Meanwhile, in the villages and farmsteads surrounding Westwood Laine Castle, the stationed and patrolling soldiers all received orders to assemble at the Westwood Laine Castle barracks within three days.

Henry stood on the castle walls, his gaze fixed on the distance, watching troops of soldiers converge from all directions. As the last detachment returned, Henry gave the order to depart.

The army finished assembling before the gates of Westwood Laine Castle. Banners fluttered and warhorses neighed, filling the air with a grim, killing aura.

Mounted on his horse and clad in his newly repaired and enlarged battle armor, Henry led the army slowly out of the gates of Westwood Laine Castle, setting out on the road to Ximira Castle.

In the villages and towns along the way, residents came out of their homes to see the mighty army off.

And on a distant hill, a few merchant spies silently watched it all unfold.

Their expressions grew even uglier. They knew Henry’s actions would change the situation in the entire region.

They quickly recorded the army’s numbers and equipment, then slipped away quietly. They had to relay this information to their masters as soon as possible.

As the army disappeared into the distance, the gates of Westwood Laine Castle slowly closed. The guards on the walls gripped their weapons tightly, their gazes fixed firmly on the horizon.

Their mission was to protect Westwood Laine Castle and maintain order within its walls.

A day or two after Henry’s departure, Count John received news in his own castle that Henry had marched out of Westwood Laine Castle. His heart stopped for a few seconds.

Every day that followed, Count John received reports of Henry’s army’s advance. He used his intelligence network to closely monitor Henry’s every move.

When he learned that Henry’s army had reached Ximira Castle, John was too nervous to eat or sleep.

The image of Henry in black helmet and armor, wielding a great axe to slay seven Knights in a row, often appeared in his dreams, making him fear Henry even more.

He immediately ordered his own army to prepare to assemble. Although John’s forces had suffered a setback in the previous battle, their morale had recovered after a period of rest.

’I should be able to put up a fight against Henry!’

"My lord, Henry’s army has passed Taienlai Village!"

"My lord, Henry’s army has left Chaimudi Village!"

"My lord, Baron Henry’s army has reached Ximira Castle!"

John’s heart was in his throat. After two days passed with no new reports on Henry, he breathed a sigh of relief.

’Maybe I was overthinking things?’ Just as he was about to enjoy a good meal, his steward stumbled into the room.

"My lord! Baron Henry’s army is marching in our direction!"

’It’s over! He’s coming for me!’