Knight: Becoming King of the World

Chapter 154: Chapter 133: Auspicious Land, Cradle of Talents

Henry was surprised to run into Boman and Fass here.

After negotiating with the garrison and receiving permission to camp outside the walls of Danustika, he spotted the noble banners of Boman and Fass.

"Hey! Henry!" Boman waved at Henry.

Henry urged his horse forward a few steps, dismounted, and asked, "What are you guys doing here?"

It turned out they had also received the King’s orders to take their armies to Hobia to support the Third Prince and await his command.

Boman and Fass had set out earlier than Henry, so even though their fiefs were farther away, they had actually arrived sooner.

The two of them had figured that if they received a summons, Henry must have as well, so they decided to wait for him here.

"Weren’t you afraid you’d guessed wrong? If you delayed the King’s orders, you’d have been in for it."

Boman gazed at the seemingly endless army behind Henry, his voice full of envy. "Henry, your army is incredible! How can you afford to maintain it? Just training these soldiers and outfitting them with armor and weapons must have taken years."

Boman stared at Henry’s massive army, at the elite Warriors and cavalry, practically drooling with envy. His eyes were shining.

"Spoils of war. All spoils of war."

Fass nodded, corroborating the story. "It’s true. Have you forgotten? He plundered a Baron around the New Year’s festival."

The three of them laughed and joked as they entered Boman’s tent, leaving Claude, Bain, Vasco, and the others to see to the encampment of Henry’s army.

After they sat down, Boman started a casual conversation, and they began to catch up.

They talked about things like Boman’s wife and child, Fass’s efforts to wipe out the bandits around his fief, and the new villages the two were developing.

Henry was happy to hear about his two friends’ progress.

When the conversation turned to Henry, he learned that Boman and Fass had been following his situation closely.

They had been extremely worried when they heard about his conflict and subsequent war with Count John.

They had wanted to help, but it would have been like an ant trying to take down an elephant. They were completely outmatched.

It was true they were wealthy for Knights, but they didn’t have Henry’s ability to train soldiers so quickly, so they couldn’t have helped. Most of their money had gone into developing new lands beyond the border.

"I’m just glad you were thinking of me. John is a Count, after all—a powerful regional noble. If I had dragged you into it, you might not have been much help, and it would have hurt your own development."

Boman chuckled and asked, "Henry, did Count John not make a move against you on your way here?"

Henry shook his head and sighed. "No. I marched my army right up to the vicinity of Odoche, and he still held back. I underestimated his self-control."

Hearing this, Boman immediately guessed Henry’s plan.

He didn’t want the King to think he was being reckless and starting another conflict. He wanted to look like he was just passing through, baiting John into making the first move.

Boman swallowed subconsciously and looked at Henry, at a loss for words. ’That’s a Count,’ he thought. ’And he actually wanted to provoke him?’

The three opened a bottle of wine and continued chatting as they drank.

This time, Boman had brought eight hundred men, and Fass seven hundred. Both were sizable forces. It seemed the two of them hoped to use this mission to earn more of the King’s favor.

It made sense. Their junior, Henry, had already become a Baron while they were still Knights. It was a bit embarrassing.

That evening, Henry, Boman, and Fass held a grand feast in the tent to celebrate their rare reunion.

For nobles, after all, entertainment, compared to commoners, was simply about eating, dressing, and living better.

Bain was also glad for the rare chance to see Boman again, and the two launched into their classic eating contest at the feast.

Selas, Roland, and the others were too weak; Bain had defeated them all at the dinner table before, and there was no sense of accomplishment in it.

It had to be Boman. Only he could be a worthy rival for Bain.

Piles of roasted meat, bread, and various vegetables were heaped in front of them. They stuffed their faces with meat while taunting each other to see who could eat more.

The three nobles’ Attendants also gathered in small groups, competing to see who could drink more or bragging about their respective exploits on the battlefield.

Watching the boisterous crowd, Henry and Fass discussed the empire’s political situation in low voices off to the side.

"The King is on edge right now. Any little disturbance could set him off. All the nobles have to tread carefully and not cause him any trouble at a critical time like this."

Fass nodded, a hint of worry in his eyes. "True. Remnants of our enemies to the north, a great foe from the Alien Races to the south, and a rebellion internally... None of it is good news."

"The King’s authority is built on his army and his control over the nobility. He won’t let anyone who challenges that authority off easily. The western region has been plagued by disasters these past two years."

Henry took a sip of wine. "Yeah. It’s hard to believe. My Westwood Laine is on the southeastern border of the empire, but most of my Record Keepers are exiled nobles who fled from the western coast."

During a time like this, anyone who disrespected the King would be met with an iron fist.

How do you think the King rules this vast empire? Through the legitimacy of the bloodline passed down from the first ten emperors and kings?

Wrong!

No one knows how many people are in the empire, but the nobles know how many troops the King can mobilize.

Dozens of elite Standing Legions, plus the Garrison Corps from the various Free Cities in the royal domain... This terrifying number of troops is equipped with the finest armor, weapons, and warhorses in the entire empire.

This is why most nobles keep their tails between their legs. No one knows when the King’s blade might fall on them.

"Henry, do you think the King... will he move against us?"

Henry blinked and said meaningfully, "The empire is small; there can only be one emperor. The empire is also vast; the emperor can’t manage it all himself. If the King’s blade does fall upon the nobility, we will be among the last."

Meanwhile, the eating contest between Bain and Boman was reaching its end. Empty plates were piled high in front of them. In the end, Bain won by a narrow margin.

Boman had lost again, and he once more promised to win next time.

Boman, seeing the two of them whispering, came over with a dissatisfied look. "What are you talking about? Not cool, you two, sharing secrets behind my back."

After they told him what they had been discussing, Boman’s expression turned serious.

"According to my intel, the top one hundred students from each class at the Academy go on to serve as mid-level officers in the various Legions and the city Garrison Corps, or they remain in the imperial court to become Palace Guards."

"Do you see the problem? There’s one group missing from that list."

Henry and Fass exchanged a look and shook their heads.

"What about the King’s Imperial Guard?"

Their eyes widened involuntarily, as if they had just thought of something terrifying.

Indeed. The overseas kingdoms were very mysterious, and the King’s Imperial Guard was just as enigmatic. That army hadn’t been seen in public for over a decade.

"You have news about the Imperial Guard?"

Hearing Henry’s question, Boman couldn’t suppress a grin. He said mysteriously, "My cousin’s fief is in the Lageta Region. He saw the King’s Imperial Guard moving toward the coastal area."

The three of them nodded to themselves. This was indeed interesting intel.

The rebellious nobles in the coastal region were like ants before the King. The moment his army arrived, heads would roll. After confiscating their fiefs, he could just ennoble a new batch of his own court nobles.

But that group wasn’t worthy of deploying the King’s Imperial Guard. Unless... there was another enemy, or he needed to guard against certain enemies...

After the party ended, the three returned to their own tents.

「The next morning」

The three woke early. After a simple breakfast, their armies merged into one massive column.

They set out together, passing through Housen Fulger, a large city on the empire’s border and one of its key defensive lines against foreign enemies.

The city’s residents were astonished to see such a huge army pass by and began to gossip about it.

They were people of the desert region. The Lizardmen’s attacks were already affecting their daily lives, causing prices to rise and banditry to become more common.

In the Housen Fulger region, Henry’s party didn’t enter the city but continued their long journey, eventually reaching the Razekh desert area.

The climate here was completely different from the places they had passed through before. It was dry and hot, and the wind carried grains of sand that stung their faces.

The people of the desert region wore special clothing; their long robes and headscarves were effective protection against the wind and sand.

Henry, Boman, and Fass found everything here novel. They saw the special attire of the desert people and also tasted local specialties like date flesh and camel milk.

The date flesh was sweet and delicious, while the camel milk had a unique flavor. These were delicacies unique to the desert region.

Marching in the desert, they were forced to slow their pace to adapt to the environment. The soldiers had to endure the heat and dryness.

It was as hot as a steamer at noon and as cold as an icebox at night. ’What prime real estate,’ Henry thought sarcastically.

Outside the city of Razekh, the armies of Henry, Boman, and Fass made camp. The Quartermasters went out in groups, needing to purchase large quantities of water and food for their reserves.

The three leaders also entered the city to look around, getting a more direct sense of the local customs and the impact of the war.

Due to the war, numerous gangs had sprung up. People carrying weapons could be seen on every street corner, either on patrol, making deals, or arguing.

The scene left Henry, Boman, and Fass bewildered. They couldn’t help but wonder, ’Is the situation in Hobia really this dire?’

Some of the local thugs saw how the three were dressed, tightened the scarves over their faces, and kept their distance.

’What the hell is the Sheriff of Razekh doing?’ Henry wondered. ’Or has it already descended into ungovernable chaos?’