Knight: Becoming King of the World

That afternoon, after Boman and Fass had left, the sun was shining and the breeze was mild. The gates of Westwood Laine Castle were once again a scene of bustling activity.

A long convoy of wagons slowly rolled out, their wheels rumbling and kicking up clouds of dust. Within the procession, carts laden with military supplies formed a continuous line.

The shepherd slaves, serving as temporary Auxiliary Soldiers, held the reins and skillfully drove the horses, their hooves clopping rhythmically.

These shepherd slaves were on the verge of becoming free herdsmen, and each one was eager to prove himself. They were all dying to become Grassland Warriors and remain in the army!

My lord, I can ride, and I can draw a bow!

The convoys were loaded with military supplies for the second batch of new recruits. They had everything they needed—ample provisions, essential medicines, and more. Every wagon was packed to the brim, with enough supplies to last until the conquest of Odoche.

As the convoy departed, Henry stood atop the gatehouse, his eyes following the procession intently until it vanished from sight.

These supplies were sent ahead to ensure they would arrive at Ximira Castle on time and not slow the pace of the main army’s march.

The journey from Westwood Laine Castle to Ximira Castle wasn’t long; one or two days’ worth of rations would be enough for the army.

Besides, it was a warm spring. The weather was mild, and the sun felt pleasant and warm on the skin.

With Henry about to depart on his campaign, Tommy, who had been coordinating infrastructure projects for twelve new villages, hurried back as well.

Tommy looked travel-worn, his face etched with fatigue. The moment he dismounted, he rushed toward Henry’s study.

’Damn it, how long has it been since I was last back, and now there’s another war! I thought you were training this army to garrison our territories, not to launch another offensive!’

Even though Tommy wasn’t physically in Westwood Laine Castle, as the Governor, he received a report on its affairs every two days.

Initially, when Tommy saw the large-scale mobilization of people, he didn’t think much of it. Training an army was normal, after all. The emperor had provided so much money, equipment, and manpower; training an army was perfectly reasonable.

The sudden influx of a hundred thousand serfs had to be managed carefully; a riot would be a huge problem.

But what happened instead? Over ten days ago, a batch of newly trained troops, along with the veteran ones, were all dispatched to assemble at Ximira Castle!

Tommy understood immediately. They were going to make a move on that old bastard John!

Henry was sipping his tea when he saw Tommy barge in without knocking. A sheepish smile touched his lips, but he wasn’t as flustered as he used to be in these situations.

’After all... hehe, I’m used to it.’

"Amynos!"

Upon seeing Henry, Tommy shot him a reproachful glare, as if silently accusing him of always keeping him swamped with work while he, the actual lord of the fiefdom, was off gallivanting.

Then, he said bluntly, "My lord, before you leave this time, you’d better clear out this pile of paperwork and sign all the necessary documents." His tone held a hint of resignation, but it was mostly driven by his sense of responsibility for Henry’s duties.

’There’s nothing for it. I’m used to it, too... *sob*.’

’Go to war all you want, but don’t even think about escaping your duties! If he doesn’t approve the paperwork and sign the documents, I, Tommy, will physically cling to his leg and not let him take a single step out of this castle!’

Henry shrugged helplessly. He knew Tommy was right. As the lord, he had many responsibilities and matters to attend to. Even with a military campaign imminent, this work couldn’t be delayed.

Otherwise, it would just become another huge mess.

And so, during the final days of the recruits’ training, Henry transformed into a human signing-and-stamping machine.

He sat at his desk as stacks of official documents and files were placed before him. He reviewed each one carefully before signing his name and affixing his noble seal.

His signing process grew more practiced and efficient, but his eyes never lost their focused and serious expression.

’It’s best not to make any mistakes with this stuff. It all relates to commercial policies, household registration, and so on. Of course, if I really screwed up, I could just play dumb and deny everything, but it would still be a loss of face.’

The officials and clerks around him bustled about, filing away processed documents and presenting him with the ones that still needed his attention.

The only sounds in the entire office were the rustle of turning pages and the faint scratching of a pen on paper.

Behind these documents lay the stability and development of his domain, the welfare and future of countless subjects. He had to take it seriously, even in these busy moments before his departure for war.

When Claude saw Tommy cornering Henry and assigning him tasks—a flagrant act of insubordination—he couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

He and Tommy had been old friends for over a decade. All barriers between them had long since vanished, replaced by a deep friendship and mutual understanding.

The two old friends decided to meet at the bathhouse to relax. As they stepped inside, a wave of hot steam washed over them, instantly melting away their fatigue.

They found a quiet corner, sank into the warm water, and leaned comfortably against the edge of the pool.

Tommy was the first to speak. "The way I’m living, I’m turning into a civil minister. Every day, it’s just handling documents and paperwork, arranging construction projects, managing the fief’s affairs... I’m swamped."

His tone was laced with resignation; he was clearly getting frustrated.

Claude laughed and replied, "You were born to be a minister. Me? I’m practically a military man now. A few more wars with the lord, and I’ll be able to command small units in battle myself."