Knight: Becoming King of the World

The figures weren’t exact, but the margin of error wouldn’t be too large.

The First Prince still had his doubts, but he decided to let Henry join the war anyway. Henry was undoubtedly a double-edged sword, but the Prince was willing to take the risk.

He stood up, walked to his desk, picked up a quill, and began to draft a formal invitation.

He needed to ensure every word conveyed the importance he placed on Henry while also hinting that his arrival would be a major boon to his personal faction.

The First Prince spoke as he wrote, "Countess Ratifa, deliver this letter to Henry personally. Tell him I have the highest expectations for his army and his talents. I need his strength, and I need his loyalty."

Ratifa accepted the letter, a flicker of joy in her eyes.

"Your Highness, I will personally convey your wishes to Henry."

The First Prince nodded. The countess was not only brave and wise, but also fiercely loyal to the royal family. ’Since they’ve already been in contact, she can serve as the bridge between Henry and me.’

"Go, Countess Ratifa. The future of the empire may very well rest in your hands."

Ratifa bowed, then turned and left the study.

The First Prince remained alone in the study, his gaze fixed on the logs burning in the fireplace.

The decision he had made would have massive repercussions, but he believed it was the right one.

’I must display the bearing and decisiveness of a future monarch. Surely I can handle a mere baron who just suffered heavy losses.’

’Don’t underestimate me!’

He returned to his desk and began planning the next phase of military operations and supply lines. He had to ensure Henry’s arrival wouldn’t disrupt his own plans and that his personal forces could maintain complete control of the situation.

"Come then, Henry."

He murmured, "Let’s see if you are truly worthy of my trust."

On a corner of the desk lay a casually tossed letter. The signature belonged to Count Akakarat.

The First Prince was deeply displeased with Count Akakarat. A nobleman of the steppes, a man of the horse, now reduced to a merchant. Truly a fall from grace.

Worse, the Count only remembered him now that he was in trouble. The First Prince had previously tried to get Count Akakarat to pledge allegiance, which would have opened up the eastern steppes as a sphere of influence. He had been refused, a slight that still angered the Prince.

「Far to the southeast, on the border of the eastern steppes.」 In Westwood Laine, the scent of spring filled the air. As nature revived, Henry’s domain showed signs of renewed prosperity.

Those foolish merchants who had been frequenting his territory had recently, and mysteriously, disappeared.

Henry frowned. The disappearance of these merchants meant he had lost an important source of income.

They had sold raw materials at low prices, bringing him substantial tax revenue.

But now, it was as if they had vanished overnight, leaving no word behind.

"My lord, you seem troubled?" a voice interrupted Henry’s brooding.

Henry turned to Tommy. "The disappearance of those merchants is disappointing. I thought their business would continue for a while longer."

Henry sighed. "Their departure means a significant loss of income for me."

Tommy nodded. The recent period of frantic dumping had driven many local small-time merchants into bankruptcy.

But it had allowed Henry to line his own pockets and fill several of his warehouses.

Henry immediately launched a series of infrastructure projects. This included building and maintaining roads in Westwood Laine, Ximira Castle, and the newly pioneered lands beyond the border.

He was clearing land, establishing villages and farms, and expanding urban districts. Not only would this provide jobs, but it would also promote the territory’s development.

Henry really had to thank the Second Prince. His "benevolence" had provided Henry with the raw materials needed to launch another major infrastructure push.

’Yes, materials, not money.’

Henry had benefited so much from the Second Prince’s "good deed" that he was tempted to burn paper money for him every year after his death to honor his memory.

’I just don’t know if burning Punched Money would even work in Caladia. If the Second Prince’s spirit is watching from the great beyond, he’d probably be touched by my ’generosity’.’

Henry sat behind his desk, his gaze on Tommy warm.

As his Civil Servant, Tommy was responsible not only for managing Westwood Laine but also for overseeing Ximira Castle. He shouldered an immense burden, especially when Henry was away on frequent military campaigns.

To lighten Tommy’s burden, Henry had recently been looking for suitable candidates to share the administrative duties.

"Tommy, I’ve recently interviewed more than ten Civil Servants. They’ve performed exceptionally well, and I believe we can promote them to official positions to help you with the administration."

Henry’s voice was light, hoping the news would please Tommy. Tommy’s eyes lit up. He was indeed delighted.

Every new assistant meant a little less pressure on him.

"This is wonderful, my lord! When will they be officially appointed?"

Henry smiled and nodded. "Very soon. I’ve already told them to get ready. They’ll start next Monday."

Tommy’s joy was short-lived, however. He quickly realized something was amiss.

He frowned at Henry. "My lord, you’re appointing so many new people... Are you planning to take the army out to war again?"

The plaintive note in Tommy’s voice made Henry’s expression turn a little awkward.

He stood up, avoiding Tommy’s gaze.

"Tommy, I’m not certain. I just have a feeling... that a new war might be waiting for me."

Tommy sighed. His worst fears were coming true.

"Then what about Claude and Bain? Why haven’t they returned yet?"

"I don’t know either, Tommy. The last letter I received from Claude estimated our share of the spoils was worth about seven hundred seventy thousand Dinars. There’s been no news since."

Tommy was exasperated, even a little resentful.

’War, war, war! All he does is fight! Whose fief is this, anyway? Why is he constantly running off?’

’This lord-is-never-here system of governance was Tommy’s nightmare! He felt like if this kept up, it would shave ten years off his life!’

Seeing Tommy’s expression, Henry walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

"Tommy, I know this is difficult for you, but I promise I’ll resolve this issue as soon as I can.

I’ll ensure the domain’s security, and I’ll make sure you have enough people to manage its affairs."

"Very well, my lord. I’ll do my job, whether you’re here or not."

’What else could I do? Refuse? How could I possibly refuse?’

"Thank you, Tommy. I won’t forget your hard work."

Tommy left the study, and Henry sat back down at his desk.

Tommy’s earlier expression made Henry feel a pang of guilt. He had to solve this problem quickly.

Henry’s fingers tapped lightly on the desk. He was in a difficult position. It was true he had recently promoted some outstanding Civil Servants to alleviate Tommy’s pressure, but deep down, he didn’t fully trust them.

Trust was a scarce resource, and Henry only fully trusted a handful of people, such as Claude and Tommy.

Although his power largely stemmed from his military achievements and the might of his army, a stable home front was just as important.

The stability and loyalty of his civil administration were crucial for maintaining long-term peace and order in his domain.

He didn’t want to be fighting on the front lines while worrying about his administrators causing trouble back home. That was a headache he didn’t need.

Taxation, justice, infrastructure—these crucial affairs were the cornerstones that allowed his domain to function.

’If I really work Tommy to the bone, I’ll be screwed.’

Henry decided to once again carefully review the backgrounds and past performance of his other officials. He began flipping through their personnel files, scrutinizing every record.

He needed to find people who were both capable and loyal. Only that kind of talent could become a trusted administrator, someone he could put in charge of Ximira Castle to further lighten Tommy’s burden.