Knight: Becoming King of the World

If you wanted to save face, then I’d help you save face. In Henry’s eyes, "face" was like a shoe insole—it made things more comfortable, but he wouldn’t be any worse off without it.

A short while later, the soldier returned and told Henry the Third Prince invited him in.

Henry straightened his clothes and walked into the Third Prince’s office with a steady stride.

The Third Prince was sitting behind his desk. Seeing Henry enter, he offered a friendly smile. "Baron Henry, what brings you to me so early?"

"Your Highness, I’ve come today to speak with you about armor and weapons."

The Third Prince raised an eyebrow, gesturing for Henry to continue.

"Your Highness, my soldiers are brave Warriors, but their equipment has become somewhat ’outdated.’ I wish to replace it with better gear so they can be more effective on the battlefield."

The Third Prince looked at Henry and asked, "You mean... Legion Infantry?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

The Third Prince tsked, then thought for a moment before saying with some reluctance, "Baron Henry, as you know, the empire’s equipment supply is limited. This is very difficult to arrange."

Henry’s eyes lit up. ’Difficult, which means it’s possible!’

"Your Highness, I understand your position. I am willing to use the Dinars you promised me to pay for this equipment."

’Money is only money when it can buy things. Otherwise, it’s just worthless metal.’

The Third Prince’s brow twitched. He hadn’t expected Henry to make such a request.

He’d assumed Henry would use the money to expand his domain or recruit troops. He never imagined Henry would want to spend it on this kind of equipment.

Typically, only powerful regional lords, like major nobles or Counts, would even think of outfitting their Personal Guards with Legion Infantry equipment.

"Baron Henry, are you sure you want to use this money to buy equipment?" the Third Prince asked.

Henry nodded firmly. "Yes, Your Highness. I believe that with better equipment, my soldiers will have a much greater impact on the battlefield."

The Third Prince was silent for a moment. His Supervision Team and his spies among the officers had given him accurate reports on the performance of Henry’s soldiers on the battlefield.

Indeed, just as Henry said, if his army had better equipment, they would become a powerful force in the war.

"Alright, Baron Henry, I can agree to your request. However, this armor isn’t cheap. I can sell it to you for two thousand Dinars per set. For one hundred thousand Dinars, you can only get fifty sets. Are you sure you want to make the trade?"

Henry took a deep breath and said, "I am certain, Your Highness."

’This isn’t a game. You won’t see fully armored elites getting killed by clubs and pitchforks or easily cut down by swords.’

’Armored versus unarmored is a slaughter. Heavy armor versus light armor is also a slaughter. Are the Senior Infantry "heavy"? Yes, but not heavy enough!’

’If he could get fifty Legion Infantry, Henry couldn’t even begin to imagine how satisfying it would be to lead fifty fully armored soldiers onto the battlefield.’

Despite the heavy casualties in the defense of Hobia, most of the dead were Skilled Infantry, Senior Infantry, local Militia, and nobles’ Private Armies. The casualty rate for high-ranking soldiers like Legion Infantry and Crossbowman sergeants was extremely low.

"Good, then it’s settled. I’ll have my people handle it. You just need to be ready to receive the equipment."

Henry expressed his sincere gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness. Your kindness will make me and my soldiers even more valiant on the battlefield."

The Third Prince smiled. "Alright, Baron Henry. If there’s nothing else, you should head back and prepare."

"In that case, I will take my leave, Your Highness."

The Third Prince waved his hand, dismissing Henry.

Henry left the Third Prince’s office in high spirits. ’What a saint, that Third Prince! A man you can really do business with!’

After Henry left, a smile spread across the Third Prince’s face as well. In theory, the armor belonged to his father, but the hundred thousand Dinars were his and his alone!

’Trading fifty sets of Legion armor for a hundred thousand Dinars... He could use that money to prop up and win over another two to four Barons. It was a deal with no downside!’

’As for his father? Sorry, the Third Prince wasn’t familiar with the Emperor. Didn’t the Emperor only have one son, the First Prince?’

Henry left the city hall, returning to his camp in a cheerful mood.

Around noon, two wagons slowly rolled into Henry’s camp. They were covered with thick cloths, obscuring their contents.

The men delivering the wagons didn’t speak to Henry. They just silently parked them in a corner of the camp and then left.

Seeing this, Henry immediately walked over with the other Attendants and officers who had gathered to watch. This was, in all likelihood, the equipment sent by the Third Prince.

Henry eagerly pulled back the cloth on the wagon. Inside, he saw neat sets of armor and weapons, gleaming brightly.

Bain and the others who had crowded around to look, their eyes lit up when they saw the equipment. They were all men who made their living on the battlefield; who wouldn’t love better armor and weapons?

"Sir, is this..."

"That’s right. This is Legion Infantry equipment," Henry said with a smile.

Among them, the most excited was Vasco. As the commanding officer of the Personal Guard, he knew this top-tier gear would certainly go to his unit first.

’There isn’t much, but he’s the commanding officer of the Personal Guard! He’d get a set at the very least!’

Vasco rubbed his hands together excitedly and asked, "My Lord, this equipment is amazing! This must be for the Personal Guard, right? When do we start distributing it?"

Henry glanced at Vasco’s undignified display, then at the expectant eyes of the other Personal Guards, and said, "We start now. Vasco, you’ll be in charge of the distribution."

Vasco immediately accepted with excitement. ’This wasn’t just about distributing equipment; it was a sign of trust and recognition.’

The process of distributing the equipment went very smoothly. Each man’s military record noted how many enemies they had killed, and those who had killed more were given priority.

Furthermore, Henry’s army had a special "waist tag" system. A soldier’s name, rank, position, merits, service history, and pay were all recorded on both their military record and their waist tag.

This system ensured, to the greatest extent possible, that there were no oversights in food rations, salary, promotions, and other benefits.

Henry’s gaze swept over the Personal Guard, finally settling on the fifty most outstanding soldiers Vasco had selected.

The only downside was the increased demand for paper and parchment, which doubled the workload for the Record Keepers.

Henry looked at the roster Vasco brought over. Reading the records, he nodded in satisfaction. These soldiers had all performed exceptionally in past battles.

Their courage, skill, and loyalty were all impeccable, and the desire for the new equipment in their eyes was unmistakable.

"You fifty, step forward!"

The soldiers stepped forward quickly. Their steps were firm, their postures erect, as if they could already feel the glory the new equipment would bring.

As they donned the armor, the soldiers’ entire aura changed. Their original gear was certainly of good quality, but compared to this Legion Infantry armor, it seemed second-rate.

The new armor was not only more imposing visually, but its defensive capabilities were also greatly enhanced.

Henry clapped his hands. "Now, let’s see the true power of this new equipment. Senior Infantry, prepare for sparring!"

The Senior Infantry in the Personal Guard who weren’t chosen were also highly experienced, with polished combat techniques.

They were quite resentful of these lucky few, and upon hearing Henry’s command, they were all itching for a fight, ready to show Henry what they were made of.

However, when they faced their comrades equipped with Legion Infantry armor, they clearly felt the pressure.

In one-on-one combat, the soldiers in the new gear appeared much more composed, and their every attack seemed more powerful.

Protected by the armor, the Legion Infantry soldiers fought more daringly.

Henry observed the sparring and could clearly sense that the soldiers who had changed into the Legion Infantry equipment were fighting with much more confidence.

They no longer dodged every attack as cautiously as before, but dared to face the enemy’s blade head-on, using their sturdy armor to tank the blow.

’This is the power of equipment!’

’Good armor isn’t just for protection; it’s a source of confidence. With better gear, soldiers become braver, more willing to face the enemy.’

Henry understood this deeply.

’Moreover, it’s a symbol of dignity.’

’Anyone who has served in any military organization in the empire can feel the sense of honor that different levels of equipment bring to a soldier.’

After the sparring match, which left the Senior Infantry quite vexed, Henry was very satisfied with the performance of the soldiers who had been promoted to the rank of Legion Infantry.

"Well done! Your performance has proven your strength. In future battles, you will strike fear into the enemy. They will shrink back at the sight of you and tremble at the sound of your voices!"

After lunch, the afternoon sun was still scorching. Henry was inspecting the camp, where soldiers were sweating profusely on the training grounds.

The fifty Legion Infantry were grinning from ear to ear. Even though sweat streamed down their bodies in layers, they were unwilling to take off their new armor.

Just then, a guard at the camp gate hurried over to report that Claude had returned.

Henry was a little surprised. He had thought Claude wouldn’t be back until tomorrow at the earliest; he hadn’t expected him to complete his mission so quickly.

"Claude, you’re back."

"Yes, Sir." Claude gave a salute. He looked a bit travel-worn, but his spirits were high.

"As you commanded, I have sent your letter via expedited delivery."

Henry clapped Claude on the shoulder, praising his efficiency. "Well done, Claude. You’re back just in time."

Just then, Henry saw Roland and a few other soldiers preparing to take off their armor. He immediately stopped them. "Wait, Roland. You don’t need to take your armor off."

Roland looked at Henry, confused. "My Lord, we just wanted to take a break."

Henry shook his head. "No. Since you’re back early, we’re leaving immediately. I don’t want to spend another moment in this godforsaken desert."