Knight: Becoming King of the World

John naturally had no objections and even urged the great hero to get some rest. The Baron, supported by the three members of his Personal Guard whom he had been given special permission to bring to the banquet, then left the council hall with two heavy chests of Dinars.

However, he did not head toward his own property in Odoche, but rather down a secluded path leading to the city gate.

He hurried along, celebrating privately in his heart. ’I can finally escape this phony celebration and endless conflict.’

’My so-called "heroic performance" was nothing but a clumsy act, and that battle standard was a complete fluke.’

’The fake can’t become real, and the real can’t be made fake. I might have been able to hide it for a day or two, but you can’t wrap fire in paper. The truth would have come out sooner or later.’

’Now I’ve received a handsome reward and managed to save my own skin. It’s time to leave this dangerous place and find some true peace and tranquility.’

"My lord, my lord, over here."

The Baron met up with his Personal Guard, preparing to flee Odoche under the cover of night.

It had to be said, the Baron treated his Personal Guard well.

He planned to run far away, go to other cities to withdraw the savings he had deposited in various branches, and live out his days as a major landowner. His Personal Guard could also become minor landowners, set for life.

’We’ll still be the big shots in town!’

The night grew deeper. On the walls of Odoche, a few guards were patrolling lazily.

Suddenly, they noticed some figures flashing quickly by the city gate, seemingly trying to sneak out of the city. The guards immediately grew alert and were about to go question them, but found the figures had already vanished into the darkness.

They exchanged glances. Although they were a little suspicious, they didn’t pay it much mind. After all, in such chaotic times, countless people came and went every day. It was a common sight.

But they had to follow procedure, so they reported the situation to their captain.

The captain, sipping juice with his eyes half-closed, drawled, "The less trouble, the better. So much happens in Odoche every day, why not just forget what you saw?"

The captain opened his eyes, looked at the guard, and asked, "What was it you were going to report to me?"

The guard immediately replied, "Nothing, sir!"

Meanwhile, the Baron had already mounted a swift horse that had been prepared in advance and was galloping down the road to faraway lands.

He glanced back at the receding silhouette of Odoche, his heart filled with both relief and reluctance.

He had lived here for too long. The people he knew, the things he’d done, the sights he’d seen... but he knew he had already made his choice.

’In life and in work, the worst thing is indecisiveness. As for my fief...’

Henry’s army was a plague of locusts, capable of devouring everyone. He didn’t think his Lord, Count John, could win, and his own fief would be impossible to hold.

「As the rising sun illuminated the world, an Attendant hurried into the Earl’s Mansion, a newly arrived letter in hand.」

The Attendant learned from a maid and the guards at the door that the Count was still asleep. Steeling himself, he pushed open the door, saw the dead-drunk Count, and mustered the courage to shake him awake.

"My Lord Count, this message just arrived from a small town near the battlefield." He handed the letter to John, his voice laced with nervousness.

A groggy and utterly bewildered John took the letter. He unfolded it reflexively, and as he read, his expression grew increasingly complex.

The letter stated that it was unknown how Henry’s battle standard had been obtained, but Henry’s army had suffered basically no casualties!

In the past two days, Henry’s army had been striking out everywhere. They had raided and plundered at least three villages, five farmsteads, and a horse farm!

John’s face went from flushed to pale, then to an ashen gray. He slammed the letter to the ground, shot up from his bed, and roared, "What is this! Is even the slightest advantage we thought we had to be snatched away?"

He paced back and forth in his bedroom furiously, as if trying to vent all the rage in his heart.

’I feel like I’m going to die from anger. I wish I could go back to the day I first met Henry and just strangle him to death!’

John’s head was spinning. He ordered someone to summon all the nobles to the council hall for a meeting.

"Go on, hurry!"

The Attendant left at once, going with others to notify the nobles from last night.

Upon receiving the summons, the nobles dared not delay. Though they didn’t know what had happened, they quickly washed their faces, rinsed their mouths, and got dressed to attend the meeting.

In the council hall, the nobles began whispering amongst themselves, wondering what on earth had happened.

Soon, a grim-faced John walked in. He scanned the room, and his expression grew even uglier.

The Baron who had thumped his chest and sworn allegiance to him yesterday was gone! Deceived and cheated by a subordinate noble, made to look like a complete fool—he was furious!

John angrily passed the message in his hand to the nobles. One by one, they fell silent as they read it.

’Seriously? This is how it’s going to be?’

Recalling yesterday’s celebration, their faces flushed red. They were so embarrassed they wished the ground would swallow them whole.

A noble Knight said cautiously, "Lord Count, perhaps we should re-evaluate the outcome of this battle. The Baron’s forces were at a disadvantage in both numbers and equipment. For them to have withdrawn in one piece is already a decent outcome."

John stopped pacing and stared at the noble for a long time before speaking slowly. "You’re right. We shouldn’t be deceived by superficial gains and losses. But the outcome of this battle has already been spread far and wide by those damned messengers. Now, all of Odoche, and even places farther away, are talking about our ’pyrrhic victory.’ We’ve been utterly disgraced in front of the other nobles."

’I ought to slap myself. How could I have been so rash?’ He had immediately spread the news of his "victory" over Henry!

’Great. Now I’m a laughingstock! A complete and utter laughingstock!’

John took a few deep breaths to compose himself and said to the nobles, "We cannot give up like this. We must show everyone that we are not weak."

"In the next battle, we will utterly defeat Henry’s army and show them what we’re made of!"

As soon as John’s voice fell, a chorus of agreement erupted in the council hall. The nobles all pledged their determination, vowing to prepare for the next battle and restore the honor they had lost.

John gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head, feeling a sense of sorrow as he looked down at the nobles below.

’It seems,’ he thought, ’that this time, I’m most likely going to die.’

He glanced back at his recently married son, who was still without an heir. His own posture, once ramrod straight, seemed to slump unconsciously.

’It was time to prepare an escape route for his family.’

John’s eldest son blinked, his thoughts unreadable.

Meanwhile, in the streets and alleyways of Odoche, the people were also hotly discussing the battle.

Some who supported Henry were smugly recounting the heroic performance of his army. They hoped Henry would become the master of this land, because they all knew how good life was on Henry’s lands, especially for ordinary Free People like them.

"Don’t be a fool. Whether Lord Henry can take the city is a problem for later. First, we need to survive."

"Yeah, yeah! A siege... what if they conscript us and send us to our deaths on the walls?"

"Who knows? None of these nobles are any good."

"Sigh. You can’t even leave the city now, and prices are getting higher and higher."

"I know, right? If I hadn’t panic-bought some snacks earlier, my family would be starving by now! I heard the Workshops and shops aren’t even providing meals anymore!"

"Hah, my neighbor was smart. He sold his house last month and took his family to Akakarat. If I’d known, I would’ve run off too."

"Alright, alright, that’s enough. The Security Team and the patrols will be by soon. If they hear us talking like this, they’ll probably try to extort us, or else arrest us as spies."

"Let’s go, let’s go. Time to head home."