Knight: Becoming King of the World

The other Viscount chimed in quietly, "That’s right. With an ally like this, any enemy would think twice."

Henry turned his head to look at the two whispering men and asked with a smile, "Gentlemen, what do you think? My army is presentable, wouldn’t you say?"

The two Viscounts felt a chill run down their spines as Henry’s gaze fell on them. They quickly praised Henry’s army for its High Morale, its invincibility, and so on.

Henry’s smile was clearly friendly, yet to them, it felt like a ferocious beast showing them a rare moment of kindness.

After the procession had made a circuit of the main streets, Henry hosted a banquet for all the nobles inside the castle.

The long tables were laden with all sorts of delicacies. Although the nobles’ Knights and Attendants were invited to the table, they couldn’t drink as freely as usual.

This was because they were required to participate in the afternoon’s competitions. As such, these Knights and Attendants would not drink alcohol, lest it affect their performance.

These Knights and Attendants were what you might call crowd-pleasers; the more people watched, the more they wanted to win and earn a name for themselves.

Not everyone had the status of a noble from the Imperial Capital Knight Academy, who might dare to throw matches for money.

The afternoon’s competitions were a test of their personal honor and a demonstration of the strength of the noble families they represented.

Moreover, despite facing such a feast, they couldn’t eat their fill. Eating too much could lead to discomfort or even vomiting during the bouts.

Although the atmosphere of the banquet was somewhat subdued by the upcoming competitions, the conversations among the nobles were more fervent than ever.

They discussed their respective domains and the political situation of the empire.

Edmund and his two companions took the opportunity to express their friendship with Henry, making sure the other nobles knew they were among the first to side with him.

The other nobles rose one after another to toast him, showering him with compliments in an attempt to leave a good impression.

As the banquet concluded, the nobles and their retinues left the castle and headed for the plaza outside the military barracks.

There, the wrestling, archery, and horsemanship competitions were about to begin. The townspeople, well-fed and content, were already waiting eagerly for the start.

Henry hadn’t just entertained the nobles while ignoring his own subjects. He had given special instructions to Claude to ensure that all his people could enjoy the festive joy of the day.

At Henry’s tavern, everything on the regular food and drink menu was half-price!

This allowed the normally frugal townspeople to splurge for a day and taste delicacies they rarely got to enjoy!

A townsman in the tavern raised his cup and said, "The Lord is so generous! This is one of the best days of the year for us! I can’t believe I’m actually drinking wine!"

In the tavern, the townspeople drank fine wine, feasted on various meats, and exchanged good wishes with one another.

’As for the cost? It’s a festival; being happy is what matters most. As long as everyone is having a good time, a little money is nothing.’

Afternoon sunlight bathed the streets as the well-fed townspeople poured out of the taverns and streamed toward the plaza outside the barracks.

In the plaza, the grounds for the wrestling, archery, and horsemanship competitions were already prepared. Spectators sat around the perimeter, excitedly discussing the upcoming events.

Bookies had also set up, taking bets from gamblers hoping to make a windfall.

Meanwhile, the participating Knights and Attendants were on the other side of the field making their final preparations.

Henry and the other nobles walked up to the viewing platform and waved to the townspeople.

His appearance immediately triggered a wave of cheers. Henry’s arrival meant the nobles’ "show" was finally about to begin!

’We love watching the nobles fight!’

After confirming the competition order for each group, the referee, Vasco, announced the official start of the games.

The competing Knights and Attendants shed their heavy armor, revealing their powerful physiques. They took their positions on the dirt ground in the center of the plaza for a contest of strength and skill.

A cold wind howled across the plaza, but for these Warriors about to grapple, their passion was enough to ward off any chill.

Every man’s heart was filled with fighting spirit. Their blood boiled in their veins as if a fire was burning within them.

"Begin!" At Vasco’s command, the wrestlers began their fierce struggle.

They tested each other, searching for an opponent’s weakness, then suddenly exploded with force, trying to throw the other to the ground.

Every impact and fall drew gasps from the crowd. The hearts of the gamblers who had placed bets were in their throats, nearly giving them a heart attack.

The townspeople and nobles sat around the plaza, cheering for the wrestlers’ power and skill. Children stood in the front row, their eyes wide, completely captivated by the display of strength.

’I want to be that tall and strong, too!’

The shouts of the crowd rose and fell in waves as they cheered on the wrestlers.

Seated on the viewing platform, Henry scanned the competition grounds, pleased to see his subjects all shouting for Roland.

’Unity. This is how you build it, one step at a time.’

"Baron Henry, your Attendant is truly strong."

Henry beamed as they spoke, all while watching the matches grow more intense with each round.

It was hard to say whether Roland was truly that powerful, or if the other nobles had given their Attendants and Knights a heads-up beforehand. In any case, Roland won the wrestling championship.

The townspeople cheered wildly. Although the glory of the championship belonged to Roland, they were still filled with pride.

The end of the wrestling competition did nothing to dampen the crowd’s excitement. They eagerly awaited the upcoming archery and horsemanship events, which promised to be even more spectacular performances.