Knight: Becoming King of the World

He was exhausted, but he was unwilling to relinquish his official positions and the power in his hands.

Like Claude, he personally supervised the construction teams, strictly controlling quality from site selection and foundation digging to erecting building frames and laying down road networks and pipelines.

Twelve villages sprang up, artfully arranged across the vast wilderness. Farms, ranches, Forest Hunting Grounds, and other industrial facilities dotted the landscape, injecting powerful momentum into the domain’s economic development.

The establishment of a vegetable market brought even more joy to the surrounding residents and vendors. Fresh fruits and vegetables, lively chickens, ducks, and fish, along with various daily necessities—a dazzling array of goods gathered here. The bustling crowds flowed endlessly, bringing vibrant life to the domain.

And the newly discovered iron and coal mines were like a treasure trove to Tommy. He quickly organized men to begin prospecting and mining.

These precious mineral resources would become a crucial pillar for the domain’s industrial development, providing a continuous supply of raw materials for crafting fine weapons and sturdy defenses. No one knew better than him just how obsessed Henry was with these minerals.

’Resources over money, and money over honor.’ This was Henry’s attitude.

Through the combined efforts of Claude and Tommy, the Earl’s Domain of Westwood Laine took on a thriving and prosperous appearance.

The continuous improvement of infrastructure, the booming development of industry, and the gradual gathering of the population made the land radiate with unprecedented vitality. They used their Wisdom to lay a solid foundation for Henry’s return.

By the time Henry’s army arrived at Ximira Castle, the sun was already setting in the west. The golden afterglow bathed the castle’s stone walls, lending the ancient structure an air of solemnity.

After falling into Henry’s hands, the castle received the attention it deserved.

Henry briefly met with the village chief, the Militia Team captain, and the garrison commander. They all expressed a warm welcome and profound respect for his arrival.

Life was steadily improving, and the village chief, overcome with emotion, reported on the development within the domain to Henry.

’The former lord’s death was a great thing! A great thing!’

The Militia Team captain showed Henry the results of the Militia’s training, while the garrison commander reported on the castle’s defenses and the soldiers’ morale.

Henry was unenthusiastic but still acknowledged their work and offered a few suggestions.

...

After affirming their work and encouraging them to continue striving to make greater contributions to the domain’s security and development, Henry departed that very night.

He didn’t linger, leading his army onward toward Westwood Laine.

When Henry’s army reached Westwood Laine, the entire domain was already swept up in a frenzy of celebration.

The streets were packed with subjects waving colorful flags and cheering Henry’s name, their faces beaming with happy smiles.

Henry rode his horse through the streets, looking out at this vibrant land with a heart full of satisfaction. None of this would have been possible without his efforts and the contributions of his people.

Preparations for the celebration were complete. The castle was magnificently decorated with twinkling colored lights and blooming fresh flowers, creating a festive and peaceful atmosphere.

Claude was bustling about with the officials, arranging every part of the celebration to ensure it all went smoothly.

Henry had intended to keep things simple, but this celebration was unavoidable. In fact, it had to be grand and formal.

This celebration wasn’t just to commemorate his promotion from Baron to Count. It was also a display of the domain’s prosperity and strength, meant to bolster the unity and loyalty of his people.

’No matter how strong an army is, it still has to eat. You can plunder from others, but you have to develop your own granaries too.’

The other nobles couldn’t be left out either. The nobles who had previously fought alongside Henry all received his invitations.

On the day of the celebration, nobles from all over gathered at Westwood Laine. They were dressed in splendid attire, adorned with brilliant jewels, and came bearing gifts and blessings to congratulate Henry on his promotion.

’Holy cow, Henry’s a Count now! Legally, all nobles might have the same status, but being a Count carries a different weight. Baron Henry was strong, but as the master of an interest group, it always felt like something was missing. Count Henry is different. This is our dear leader!’

The subjects within the domain flocked to join the celebration, singing and dancing, freely unleashing their joy and passion.

Amid the festivities, the young people sought out their own romances. The earliest settlers, meanwhile, reminisced about the original Westwood Laine, marveling at the domain’s immense changes and prosperity and boasting wildly to the newcomers.

They were the ones who most wanted to see Westwood Laine flourish, for they had bet all their hopes on Henry.

"Let me tell you, back in my day..."

Henry stood on the stage in the celebration plaza and delivered a passionate speech to the subjects who had come to see him.

He briefly recounted his journey from Baron to Count, thanked everyone who had supported and helped him, and also laid out a grand, yet seemingly achievable, vision for the future.

After the standard, formulaic celebration ended, Henry didn’t relax in the slightest. He immediately threw himself into the domain’s construction and development.

Henry ordered all his existing troops to be dispatched across the domain to conduct patrols and maintain stability. These soldiers were assigned to every corner of the land, from the border outposts to the inland villages.

This was a common occurrence, a matter of path dependence.

This move not only effectively prevented incursions from external forces but also served as a deterrent within the domain, preventing any potential instability.

With the army dispatched, the military barracks at Westwood Laine were largely emptied.

Henry didn’t let this space sit idle. He quickly organized a large number of serfs and commoners to enter the castle for military recruitment screening.

His most important task upon returning was to expand the army! A massive expansion!

This action sent shockwaves through the nobility of the eastern grasslands. In all places, both seen and unseen, a massive amount of intelligence and news began to circulate frantically.

Henry was no longer just a nobleman who was tough within his own region; he was now a major noble who had truly stepped onto the grand stage.

His every move was watched and speculated upon by the other nobles. The Counts and Viscounts of the eastern grasslands all discussed Henry’s intentions, trying to glean his next move.

’What is Henry planning to do?’ This was the question all the nobles were secretly debating. ’Is he going to expand his sphere of influence? Who in the entire grassland can stop him?’

’Henry was already very strong, and now he’s starting a large-scale recruitment screening. If he really makes a big move, people like us will be in a difficult position.’

Count John of Odoche and Count Akakarat were especially nervous. Both were afraid Henry would come knocking on their doors.

Count John’s reaction was the most extreme. Forget Henry’s army expansion—the moment Henry was promoted to Count, he had already begun mobilizing for war and entering a state of emergency readiness!

Some were happy, some were worried. The grassland nobles who had just attended the celebration also, as if by unspoken agreement, began to increase the training frequency of their Private Armies, feed their soldiers better food, and replace their equipment with better weapons.

’We have to be ready! Always ready! The last Alliance Army campaign was amazing—we devoured a fat and lazy target! The spoils were equivalent to ten years of our hard work!’

People who have made easy money can never settle down to work hard again.

They hadn’t received any orders from Henry, but they proactively began preparing for war.

’This war is bound to be huge. I just wonder if the spoils this time will let us gain a few more earthen forts or towns. If we could annex a few Knight’s fiefs along the way, that would be even better!’

And just like that, a single small move by Henry put the entire eastern grassland on edge. Everyone was watching the southeastern border.

The grasslands’ trade economy also experienced a brief boom.

What came next would be either prosperity or ruin. It was all in Henry’s hands!