Knight: Becoming King of the World

"Besides, I have many loyal noble supporters who will help me overcome this crisis.

Your mission is to carry the hope of our clan, reach Rovar safely, and preserve a future for the John Clan."

Tears welled in Alex’s eyes. "Father, I understand. I will carry out your wishes and reach Rovar safely, bearing the hopes of our clan. But please, you must take care of yourself. I await the day our clan rises to glory once more!"

A flicker of relief crossed Count John’s eyes. He gripped Alex’s hand tightly and said, "Good lad. I will be waiting for good news from you. Remember, the honor of the John Clan must never be forsaken. Once you reach Rovar, keep a low profile, but also keep a close eye on the situation here!

If the news that reaches you is not of my exile, but of my death, remember this: do not seek revenge. And don’t even think about joining forces with Henry’s enemies!

Just live your lives. That will be enough."

Alex nodded solemnly. ’I carry the future of the clan on my shoulders; I can’t let my personal feelings sway my decisions in the slightest.’

"Oh, and Father, what about my brother? Let me take him with me. We can look out for each other on the road."

John considered it for a moment, then agreed. ’My younger son is capable, too,’ he thought. ’It’s just that his brother is so brilliant that people tend to overlook him.’

"Once you two are settled in Rovar, have your brother form a company of Mercenaries. Build up our military strength. We can’t let the Personal Guards you both have become mere farmers."

"Yes, Father. I’ll go find my brother now."

Count John watched his son’s departing back, a storm of emotions churning within him. He knew this decision meant a long separation, and that he might never see his son again.

But he understood even more clearly that this was for the continuation of the family, so that the John Clan could still stand tall in the days to come.

For the nobility, family lineage and honor are paramount.

He turned back to his desk and began preparing a list of valuables to take with them, selecting each item with care. He had to ensure they would provide for the family in exile without slowing the evacuation party’s pace.

He prayed silently, ’I hope Henry’s army doesn’t arrive too soon. I hope I have enough time to get everything in order.’

Meanwhile, Alex returned to his room and began selecting loyal members of his Personal Guard to accompany him on the unknown journey. It would be a path fraught with challenges and dangers, and he had to ensure his contingent was completely loyal.

’Although Father has been helping that relative for years, I’ve never even met him. He’s a complete stranger. Who knows what kind of person he really is?’

’What if he sees that we’re militarily weak but carrying great wealth? What if he decides to turn on us?’

He would not shrink back, because he was not only Count John’s son, but also the future hope of the Hoyland Clan.

In the turbulent city of Odoche, father and son each busied themselves, fighting for their family’s future.

They both shared a common conviction: no matter the hardship, the John Clan would never fall. One day, they would rise again and reclaim their place as one of the empire’s most respected and feared noble families.

In the following days, the nobles of Odoche felt as if they were trapped in a giant vortex, each day passing like a year.

The atmosphere in the city grew incredibly tense, and every whisper of the wind seemed to carry an ill omen.

The war outside the city was like a relentless storm, sweeping in at an astonishing speed, devouring their territories, wealth, and glory piece by piece.

Bad news arrived almost every hour. The villages, farms, pastures, and horse ranches that once belonged to them, even their sturdy earthen forts, were now falling one after another.

The reports struck like lightning, piercing the gloom over Odoche and stabbing at the hearts of the nobles like daggers.

At this rate, in another four days, Henry’s forces would arrive at Odoche from three directions simultaneously, completely surrounding it.

By then, Odoche would become an isolated city. All contact with the outside world would be severed, and the nobles within would be trapped in a desperate situation.

They... were "second-class nobles," Vassals of the emperor’s Vassals, unprotected by the laws of nobility.

They now dreamed of returning to the era of two hundred years ago, the time of "my Vassal’s Vassal is not my Vassal, and my Lord’s Lord is not my Lord."

In those days, every noble was a king in their own right! A pity that now, they were merely nobles within their Lord’s territory.

The nobles were on pins and needles, pacing restlessly through their luxurious mansions, completely unable to sit still.

The moment they sat down, their whole bodies would feel ill at ease. They’d struggle to breathe, as if countless insects were crawling all over their skin.

Those nobles whose fiefs had suffered severe losses were especially distraught, their years of hard work and accumulation turning to dust in this sudden war.

Even if they did manage to repel Henry and hold onto their power and status, restoring their fiefs would require a huge amount of time and energy—time that... would likely be the rest of their lives.

Not every "do-over" is fun; a do-over in life, at least, is pure torture.

Thinking of their once-fertile lands now devastated, their hearts filled with pain. If hatred could kill, Henry would have died at least a hundred times by now.

The Earl’s Mansion was no exception. Its former liveliness and splendor had vanished, replaced by a dead silence.

Under his father’s arrangements, Alex had already prepared everything for the journey to Rovar.

He led his guards through every corner of the castle-like Earl’s Mansion. These men were from the Heart Guard, personally trained by him and his brother. Given how well they’d been treated, it was only right that they be willing to go through hell and high water for the Hoyland Clan’s honor and future.

Meanwhile, Count John was also busy in his study. He sat at his desk, which was piled high with various documents and lists.

His brow was furrowed, a trace of anxiety in his eyes. Time was running out. He had to get everything in order before the enemy arrived.

The evacuation party had to leave tonight.

While selecting the valuables, Count John couldn’t help but reflect on his life, most of which was now behind him.

This wealth had once been his pride and joy, a symbol of his station as a Count.

Now, however, this wealth had become a burden.

If Henry’s army truly breached Odoche, this fortune would almost certainly be plundered. The gleaming gold Dinars and shimmering silver would all fall into enemy hands.

What a damned waste!

On the streets of Odoche, the former hustle and bustle had long since vanished.

Shopkeepers had closed their doors one after another, and the great merchants had ceased all trade.

The entire city was shrouded in a gloomy haze, and people’s hearts were filled with unease. The shady characters and gang members had also lost their former swagger in the chaos of war. They could only hide in dark corners, praying to survive the disaster.

Most of them were thugs on John’s payroll. If John fell, their lives would be forfeit.

Everyone knew Henry had zero tolerance for gangs. And for a gang that worked for an enemy noble? He had even less than zero tolerance.

The situation in Odoche was growing more critical. The nobles had no path of retreat; their only choice was to fight with their backs against the wall.

At this life-or-death moment, the John family gathered for what might be their last meal together.

No one had an appetite. No one spoke. They just looked at each other, trying to commit their loved ones’ faces to memory.

That very night, Alex, his brother, a guard of fifteen hundred men, and five hundred serfs for labor formed a caravan and embarked on the journey to Rovar.