Knight: Becoming King of the World

Count John, a noble with immense local power, was someone the Second Prince had spent over three years trying to win over.

However, Henry’s actions directly threatened Count John’s interests. He not only seized one of the Count’s castles but also killed a number of his Knights, Attendants, and soldiers.

This was undoubtedly a hard slap across the Second Prince’s face!

Henry didn’t know the extent of the Second Prince’s resolve at that moment, but he could sense that the internal power struggles within the empire were growing increasingly fierce.

Perhaps his actions had already stepped on some people’s toes, but he wasn’t worried.

If the Second Prince couldn’t accept his own failure and weakness and decided to fight Henry to the bitter end, then Henry would show him what it meant to play dirty!

If the Second Prince thought Henry was only targeting him, he was wrong. Dead wrong. Henry’s current target was the entire empire!

Henry walked out of his study and made his way to the training grounds of the castle’s barracks.

The new recruits were undergoing rigorous training under the command of their instructors. Their movements grew more practiced, and their morale soared ever higher.

"My lord!" Selas and Roland immediately came forward to salute when they saw Henry.

"How is the training progressing?" Henry asked, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers on the training grounds.

"Everything is proceeding according to plan, my lord," Selas replied.

"The new recruits are improving very quickly. They’ll soon become the backbone of our army."

Selas was astonished by this batch of serfs’ talent. They learned how to use weapons and maneuver in tactical formations so quickly!

’Are these really serfs?’

"My lord, the Grassland Warriors can now hit targets with their bows while in a Rapid Charge and can slice through sturdy straw men with their scimitars.

Those sixty men of the Citizen Cavalry are simply born horsemen! They’re learning how to use lances and charge on horseback exceptionally fast!"

"Excellent," Henry nodded.

"Keep up the momentum."

Henry turned away. As his own power continued to grow, a conflict with the Second Prince would be inevitable.

But he was prepared. Whether on the battlefield or in this childish game of power, he would give it his all.

’Second Prince, if you want to fight me, then bring it on.’

’If you’re not convinced, let’s see who’s tougher.’

’As for whether the Emperor would be displeased or angry that Henry was moving against his son?’

Henry didn’t care!

Henry’s gaze was like a torch; his confidence was not unfounded.

He was well aware of his own strength. The Emperor’s mysterious Forbidden Army was powerful, but not invincible.

They might have the advantage in numbers, but in terms of quality, Henry was confident he alone could match them.

’That’s right, just me! I’ll take on all of you by myself!’

Spring in the snowfields of the Northern Lands always arrived late. Although signs of the season were already blooming quietly in the fields south of the snowplains, the wind on the plains themselves remained bone-chilling.

The sun, though bright, could hardly penetrate the thick layer of ice and snow. People still bundled themselves in heavy cotton robes or animal skins to fend off the spring chill.

Ratifa stood in a room with a roaring fireplace, wearing a lady’s imperial robe in the warm style of the Northern Lands. In her hand, she held a detailed report.

Before her stood a handsome young man, skilled in both scholarly and martial arts. He was none other than the Emperor’s eldest son, the future heir to the throne.

"Your Highness, I have completed the task you assigned me." Ratifa’s voice was clear and strong as she handed the report to the First Prince.

"This is a detailed record of all of Henry’s recent procurement activities that I could trace, including grain, weapons, and various strategic materials, as well as a list of my own transactions with him."

The First Prince took the report. His eyes scanned the document quickly, and he nodded from time to time, showing his approval of Ratifa’s work.

The First Prince’s voice was pleasant, possessing an indescribable elegance and a composure that belied his age.

"Henry... this young man seems even more interesting than I imagined."

The First Prince’s gaze held both curiosity and admiration. "Not only does he possess extraordinary military talent, but he has also made considerable achievements in economics and politics... A man like that is indeed worthy of my attention."

Ratifa nodded. Her understanding of Henry was much deeper than the First Prince’s.

She had personally witnessed his ability and his Charm—those three skull towers, the submission of those nobles to Henry...

"Your Highness, Henry not only has formidable military strength, but his people are also extremely loyal to him. According to my intelligence, his soldiers are all willing to die for him. Most of his subjects are willing to take up arms to defend his fief."

The First Prince’s eyebrow twitched slightly. This information only served to deepen his interest in Henry.

"Loyalty... that is a leader’s most precious asset. Is this ability of his innate, or was it cultivated at an academy?"

Ratifa thought for a moment before replying, "I believe it’s a bit of both. Henry himself possesses an indescribable... hmm... Charm."

The First Prince, warming himself by the fire, noticed Ratifa’s somewhat strange expression and said, "For such a man to be of use to me would be a great fortune for the empire.

But if he were to become my enemy..."

His voice grew low and threatening.

Ratifa understood the First Prince’s meaning. He was considering how to bring Henry into his sphere of influence, or how to guard against him becoming a potential threat.

Some might wonder, isn’t Henry a natural supporter of the First Prince? Why would the First Prince still need to find a way to bring Henry into his sphere of influence?

The reason is that Henry’s Lord is still the Emperor, not the First Prince.

Furthermore, the turnover rate among the nobility has been a bit too fast in recent years, and the bond between a Lord and his Vassal is no longer as strong as it once was.

Adding to that, Henry had fought side-by-side with the Third Prince before. Could the two of them have made some sort of deal?

This wasn’t just the First Prince’s idle speculation; he knew his brothers all too well.

"Your Highness, I will continue to monitor Henry’s movements and report back to you."

"Very good, Countess Ratifa. To have your support is my good fortune and my honor."

In this season of blossoming spring warmth, the chill of the Northern Lands also seemed to herald an approaching storm.

Both the First Prince and Ratifa knew that the name Henry would play a significant role in the empire’s future.

And now, they had to begin preparing for that possible storm.

The First Prince’s gaze lifted from the report to Ratifa. He noticed that she seemed to have something more to say.

"Countess Ratifa, is there some other thought or piece of intelligence you haven’t told me?"

Ratifa nodded, her expression serious. "Your Highness, there is indeed something else I need to tell you. Regarding those strange enemies beyond the border of the Northern Lands, Henry seems to know something about them. Moreover, his descriptions of many situations have been correct, which I find very surprising."

The First Prince’s brow furrowed slightly. ’How is that possible? Our security measures should have been airtight.’

Countess Ratifa added, "According to Henry, he heard all of this from some church personnel on the streets."

Hearing this, the First Prince was both shocked and suspicious. He had some understanding of the church’s methods but had never imagined they could have such a deep knowledge of the situation beyond the border.

"The church has that kind of capability? They know about this? Then how are they getting slaughtered by my father for sport?" His words were laced with sarcasm and bewilderment.

Ratifa knew the royal family’s attitude toward the church. She didn’t respond to his question directly, instead continuing, "I believe we should consider having Henry bring his army to the Northern Lands to provide support.

His strength and his knowledge of the border enemies could be of great help to us."

’Have Henry come over?’

He always felt that wherever Henry appeared, a storm of blood and gore was sure to follow.