Chapter 73: Chapter 64: Departing for the Royal Capital
The letter arrived at Baltahan today. After the Legion Commanders read it, they convened a meeting of their officers, who then relayed the message to the various barracks.
Their great King was deeply gratified by the Legions’ outstanding performance on the battlefield and had decided to hold a grand victory banquet for them.
Additionally, the King gave special mention to several nobles who had displayed extraordinary courage and leadership in battle, making immense contributions to the nation.
They were Knight Henry Bro, Baron Gonzalo Jonson, and Knight Shevar Sayfi.
The news spread rapidly throughout the camp, and the soldiers cheered wildly, proud that their efforts had been recognized.
The soldiers chosen to travel to the Royal Capital for the review were especially thrilled.
Not only had they survived the battle and received a hefty bonus, but they also had the honor of traveling to the Royal Capital to see the King from afar.
What a tremendous honor! It was a glory they could boast about until the day they died!
They imagined returning to their hometowns, buying a few acres of land, renting another field, marrying and having children, and telling their kids stories of their military careers every day.
’Ah, what a beautiful life!’
Henry and the other two nobles also felt incredibly honored. This was high praise from the King. Although the other two had long been prepared for this, they were still quite excited.
Henry, however, wasn’t as thrilled. He had lived in the Royal Capital for three years and was a first-generation noble personally enfeoffed by the King, so there was no mystery or great anticipation for him when it came to His Majesty.
"Knight Henry, Legion Commander Soslan wishes to see you." The one-armed Square Banner Knight had come for Henry again, this time to take him to the Legion Commander.
"Of course."
Most of the nobles’ private armies had already departed. With the battle over, the Legions would no longer provide them with rations. Lingering would only force the nobles to spend more money feeding their soldiers and serfs, so it was only natural for them to return to their respective domains.
The two of them walked through the now much emptier garrison camp, arriving before the great tent of the Legion Commanders. The three Legion Commanders stood outside, dressed in imperial robes and draped in thick furs, enjoying the sun and chatting idly.
"Good day, my lord Counts."
"And look who it is! Our very own Knight Henry, the Star of the Battle of Zhiluo and the Hero of the Battle of Tianyin!"
Soslan stepped forward and gave Henry a huge hug, his demeanor even more amicable.
Caught off guard by Soslan’s embrace, Henry could only state that he was simply fulfilling his duty to the King.
Sebastian handed the King’s letter to Henry. After Henry read it for himself, Sebastian instructed, "You will travel with the delegation from our Seventh Legion. I will provide for the meals of your attendants and Personal Guard."
The unselected troops from the three Legions were led back to their original garrisons by newly-appointed deputy legion commanders.
The delegation, composed of several thousand elite soldiers, set off for the Royal Capital. They crossed vast grasslands, traversed frozen rivers, and marched through woodlands.
The snowy landscape of the grasslands was picturesque, laying a thick, velvety blanket over the earth. The distant mountains were also covered in snow, looking to Henry like giant scoops of ice cream.
While the logistics corps found that the snow greatly increased their workload, Henry and the others, sightseeing on horseback, simply marveled at the empire’s magnificent scenery.
’As expected, only people who don’t have to work get to appreciate the beauty in the world.’
As the column ventured deeper into the empire’s central regions, the snowy vistas grew even more magnificent. Cities and villages were blanketed in white, with thick snow piled high on rooftops and streets.
Adults bustled through the snow, while children played happily in small groups.
After passing through the dense forest between Amperela and Mizea, the delegation arrived in Xilonia to rest.
The Quartermaster haggled with the local imperial office to purchase grain and other supplies at a reduced price, while the soldiers were given a day of leave to spend their money in the city.
Henry went to the riverbank to take in the scenery. The river here was the natural dividing line between the empire’s central regions and the grasslands. The wide waterway was frozen solid, its surface covered with a thin layer of snowflakes, resembling a giant mirror.
Bain pulled his greatcoat tighter and looked at Henry, asking, "My lord, it’s too cold out here. We shouldn’t risk catching a chill."
Henry nodded and led Bain and the others back.
On the way, Henry asked Bain, "Do you prefer Cloak Armor or imperial Scale Armor?"
Bain was currently wearing Emblem Chain Armor over thick Cloth Armor. Henry planned to gift him a new set of equipment as a reward for his fine performance on the battlefield.
"I prefer the Cloak Armor from the western regions. It makes you look more like a Knight, not a Heavy Cavalryman."
The way the Square Banner Knights charged with their lances couched during the last battle had left a deep impression on Bain; he felt it was more thrilling than the meat-grinder combat of the Armored Cavalry.
Henry nodded. The Valandian-style armor from the western coastal regions did indeed better fit the image of a Knight.
"Just for the looks?"
"Not entirely. I can just wear an extra padded robe."
Henry shook his head and smiled. ’He’ll compromise on anything for the sake of appearances.’
"I hope you don’t regret saying that come summer."
Bain blinked, gesturing that in the summer he could just swap the padded robe for thick Linen Clothing. In short, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Henry didn’t immediately buy the Cloak Armor for Bain. That style of equipment was only available in the Royal Capital, Lukaron; even a city like Feikawen wouldn’t carry it.
"Let’s go. Tonight, as you wished, we’ll be having steamed fish with lemon and roasted suckling pig."
"Thank you, my lord! Are we celebrating the New Year’s festival early?"
On that cold night, Xilonia was brightly lit. The city hadn’t seen battle or turmoil for over a hundred years, so the nightlife for its Free People offered a wider array of entertainment.
Provided you had the money, of course.
With the exception of the border cities, most cities in the empire’s interior had gradually lifted their curfews for the express purpose of collecting money from the Free People and putting it back into circulation.
Henry, Bain, Claude, Ailia, and Orianna gathered together to enjoy a delicious dinner.
They sat around a large table in a room kept warm and cozy by a burning stove.
The steamed fish with lemon gave off a fresh citrus scent; its flesh was tender, juicy, and melted in the mouth. The roasted suckling pig had crispy, golden-brown skin, and the meat inside was succulent, releasing an enticing roasted aroma.
"The cuisine of the central regions is still more to my liking." After he finished eating, Claude suddenly felt as if he had been transported back to his days with Henry’s original family.
’Memory has a sound and a taste.’
"If you like it, then eat your fill. We’re all in this together. When we get to the Royal Capital, we can attend the banquet as a group. You have no idea how extravagant the court banquet was when I was knighted."
Claude and Bain listened with rapt attention to Henry’s description of the court banquet, their eyes gradually glazing over as they became lost in the fantasy.
Carpets covering the entire banquet hall, all sorts of precious delicacies, exquisitely prepared desserts, gold and silver tableware...
’What must that scene have been like?’
