Knight: Becoming King of the World

It was true he could fight and kill, but it was incredibly frustrating when you couldn’t even find an enemy. It was like having immense strength but only having cotton to punch—the pent-up feeling was infuriating.

"We need more intelligence. Get the Prince to send out more Scouts and conduct denser reconnaissance in the areas where those Inferior Horned Beasts are appearing."

Ratifa blinked and asked, "Will the Prince agree?"

Henry smiled. "This was the Prince’s war to begin with, wasn’t it? I am a Vassal to the great emperor, not to the Prince. The emperor never gave me a direct order to participate in the war in the Northern Lands."

Ratifa smiled too. ’This Henry is completely different from other nobles. It seems that in his heart, things like status and power don’t matter at all.’

"Alright, I’ll write the letter now."

Henry thought for a moment, then added, "While you’re at it, write about our two victories as well. Let that dear Prince know we’re not out here on a field trip."

Once Ratifa finished writing the letter, she rolled it up carefully, sealed it with wax, and handed it to a team of Grassland Warriors.

They were dressed in light armor, with curved swords at their waists and bows slung over their backs. The Captain of the Grassland Warriors took the letter, secured it carefully to his chest, and mounted his warhorse.

At a word of command, the Grassland Warriors spurred their horses and galloped toward the border, their figures quickly vanishing over the horizon.

On the other side of the border, gloom filled the Prince’s command tent.

The Prince’s brow was deeply furrowed, his gaze drifting across the map as he tried to find a breakthrough in the war.

’He could feel that his father was... displeased with him, and he could also sense the rumors and undercurrents swirling within the empire.’

His army was bogged down in a stalemate in the Northern Lands. The front lines were overextended, supply lines were threatened, and the enemy always seemed to emerge from the most unexpected places to deliver devastating blows.

The immense drain on resources in the Northern Lands had already stirred widespread discontent.

When the Grassland Warriors reached the Prince’s camp, their arrival caused a minor stir.

Because they carried Henry’s family banner!

The Prince’s guards eyed the newcomers warily until their leader produced the letter from Ratifa.

The letter was swiftly passed into the Prince’s hands. He broke the seal and began to read.

Normally, the Prince was an incredibly busy man who handled countless matters daily. Any letter that wasn’t a battle report could sit on his desk for ages before he remembered to look at it.

But this was from Henry...

As the contents of the letter unfolded, the Prince’s face darkened, his expression growing exceedingly strange.

One moment he was smiling, the next a flash of anger glinted in his eyes.

The letter not only described in detail the two victories won by Henry and Ratifa but also laid out Henry’s "demand" of the Prince—to increase the number of Scouts and intensify reconnaissance in the regions where the Inferior Horned Beasts appeared.

The Prince put the letter down, his feelings a complex mixture.

He dismissed the team of Grassland Warriors, but out of courtesy, provided them with provisions for their journey, as well as a hot, fragrant, whole-roasted sheep.

The Grassland Warriors gathered around a campfire, enjoying the lavish meal.

The Prince’s generosity was well-known throughout the army. Even if he was calculating in his heart, he was always magnanimous toward his fighting men.

The Prince looked at the letter in his hand again, his heart twisting with conflict.

Henry’s military achievements were stunning. An army of five thousand winning two consecutive major battles and killing over seventy thousand enemies—it was the stuff of a War God.

His performance on the Half-Beastman battlefield had already become the stuff of legend, and now it seemed those rumors were no exaggeration.

For that, the Prince was filled with gratitude for Henry.

Just as Henry had said, this war was the Prince’s "mission." He needed a great victory to solidify his status and lay a firm foundation for his future—to inherit the throne and, eventually, be crowned emperor himself.

However, Henry’s letter had given him a task in a commanding tone, not as a request or suggestion, which left the Prince feeling a bit displeased.

As the heir to the empire, the Prince was accustomed to giving orders, not taking them.

His status was supreme, and he was seen as the empire’s next leader. Now, a mere imperial Vassal was giving him orders, and it felt like a challenge to his authority.

But he also understood that Henry’s military genius was crucial to this war. This tremendous victory was a massive morale boost for all the forces in the Northern Lands.

The Prince took a deep breath, deciding to set aside his displeasure for the time being.

’Pride and all that can wait. The most important thing now is winning this war!’

Henry’s victory gave him new hope. ’Bringing Henry to the Northern Lands was absolutely the right call.’

He grimaced and ground his teeth, but he decided to accept Henry’s "suggestion" and increase the number of Scouts, reinforcing reconnaissance in the areas where the Inferior Horned Beasts were appearing.

He now firmly believed that with Henry’s help, they would be able to find the source of the Inferior Horned Beasts, seal those spatial rifts, and finally win this war!

The Prince picked up a quill and began to write his reply to Henry.

In the letter, he congratulated Henry on his victory and promised to reinforce his reconnaissance efforts.

He chose his words carefully, expressing respect for Henry, the War God, while still maintaining his own royal dignity.

’This war requires the combined effort of everyone, and as the future emperor, I must learn how to unite people and make use of each person’s strengths. Perhaps...’

After finishing the letter, the Prince gave it to the Captain of the Grassland Warriors, ordering him to deliver it to Henry with the utmost speed.

The Grassland Warriors quickly finished their meal, accepted their orders, and, mounting their swift horses, disappeared from the main camp at the border.

The Prince stood outside his tent, gazing in the direction the Cavalry had ridden off, his heart filled with anticipation.

He was still reeling from the shock of that one line: "over seventy thousand enemies slain." ’It’s simply terrifying.’

’If only I were that powerful... how wonderful would that be? Father would surely be more loving toward me then, wouldn’t he?’

*Sigh...*

After indulging in the fantasy for a moment, the Prince returned to his command tent. He couldn’t place all his bets on Henry; he had other armies to command.

He was, after all, the commander-in-chief of this war.

During this time, Henry was in no hurry to act. He didn’t lead his army out on campaigns, nor did he take the initiative to attack the other large forces of Inferior Horned Beasts.

He was worried that his team of Grassland Warriors wouldn’t be able to find them, so he chose to make camp. This also gave his exhausted soldiers a chance to rest and recover.

The soldiers kept busy around the camp. Some mended their equipment, some tended to the wounded, and others prepared meals.

The atmosphere in the camp was relatively relaxed. Though the shadow of war still loomed, this brief respite was a precious comfort.

Exactly eleven days had passed when the Grassland Warriors tasked with delivering the letter returned to the army.

The Warriors were weary and dust-covered from their journey. The Captain of the Grassland Warriors immediately reported to Henry on how the Prince had treated them and handed over the Prince’s reply.

Henry opened the letter and began reading the Prince’s reply.

In the letter, the Prince congratulated Henry on his victory and promised to increase the number of Scouts and intensify reconnaissance in the areas where the Inferior Horned Beasts were appearing.

Henry was satisfied with the Prince’s response. He knew this meant they would receive more intelligence support, which was crucial for finding the source of the Inferior Horned Beasts.

He was also surprised by the Prince’s generosity. The Prince hadn’t just provided his Cavalry team with provisions for the road; he had also treated them to a hot, fragrant, whole-roasted sheep.

"Tsk. The Prince is certainly generous, offering a whole sheep right off the bat. As expected of the fourteenth imperial generation—their family has deep coffers."

Henry handed the letter to Ratifa so she could also read the Prince’s reply.

After Ratifa finished reading, a smile touched her eyes as well. It meant Henry’s suggestion had worked. At the very least, they were no longer just waiting passively...