Knight: Becoming King of the World

A stable network of allies would allow Henry to govern vast swathes of land in the shortest possible time.

As for the nobles who had not arrived by the eve of the New Year’s Festival, Henry had already marked them in his mind.

In Henry’s eyes, their actions were a slight—a show of disrespect toward Westwood Laine and him personally.

Henry already had a plan. He decided that after the spring planting, he would "visit" these nobles one by one, according to the list he had.

The emperor’s mediation had only temporarily halted the conflict between him and Count John, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t take action against other nobles.

In this world where the strong devoured the weak, strength was the only currency that mattered.

Henry had decided to prove his status through strength. Anyone who dared to challenge his authority would pay the price!

Henry didn’t know if it was the power of the Lizardmen, the might of the Emperor’s Forbidden Army, or the sense of urgency instilled by the mysterious arms merchant in Lukaron. Whatever the reason, he could no longer hold back his desire to drop all pretense and make a move on his domestic rivals.

On the day of the New Year’s Festival, the streets were packed with nobles and subjects from all over, chatting in their finest clothes.

From the first rays of morning sun, the entire city was immersed in a sea of joy.

A parade procession of Minstrels and musicians set off from the square outside the castle, proceeding slowly along the main street.

Held high at the front of the procession was the banner of the Bro Clan, followed by a circus troupe and a band in festive attire, whose performances earned roaring applause from the onlookers.

Next came representatives from the various groups currently in Westwood Laine, showcasing the territory’s prosperity and diversity.

Bringing up the rear were Henry’s soldiers, clad in gleaming armor and holding spears and shields, displaying the territory’s military might.

As the parade moved on, residents and caravan merchants lining the streets stopped to watch, heaping praise upon the procession.

"Look at that banner! It’s the Lord’s banner! I take pride in it," an artisan said, pointing at the flag.

"Yeah, since I came here, my business has gotten better and better, and my savings are growing," a resident next to him chimed in.

"Look at those soldiers! Their equipment is top-notch. Lord Henry must have spent a fortune," a sharp-eyed blacksmith said with envy.

Having worked with weapons and armor often, he could tell at a glance that the equipment was incredibly valuable.

Especially the fifty Legion infantrymen. The blacksmith had never even seen armor like theirs before, let alone repaired it.

"I hear the Lord is incredibly valiant on the battlefield. No wonder he’s won so many victories," said the artisan’s apprentice, full of respect.

He had always wanted to join Henry’s army but had never succeeded.

Even though more than half of those who had followed Henry on the desert expedition hadn’t returned alive, it couldn’t dampen the fiery passion of these young men.

Many people didn’t understand why Henry had chosen to recruit and train new soldiers from among the serfs on the farms this time.

’Why didn’t he give this great opportunity to us?’

"This parade is magnificent! I’ve traveled to so many places, but I’ve never seen a Baron organize such a grand celebration," a traveling merchant exclaimed in admiration.

"The Baron is so generous."

"Indeed. I heard he also gives grain and clothes to the poor villagers. He’s truly a benevolent lord," another resident added.

The parade was not just a visual feast, but also a demonstration of the prosperity and stability of Westwood Laine under Henry’s rule.

The comments from the residents and caravan merchants were undoubtedly the highest praise for Henry.

"There are competitions this afternoon. They’re going to be intense. Wanna place a bet?" a group of gamblers gathered, buzzing with excitement.

These men had come to Westwood Laine to make a living after gambling away their family fortunes. Now that they had a little money in their pockets again, their hands were getting itchy.

"The Baron always knows how to make a festival so lively."

Edmund, Calvin, and the other Barons and Knights watched the procession, their attention fixed on Henry’s army.

They were shocked by how superb the soldiers’ equipment was, and the crowd’s lavish praise was almost uncomfortable to hear.

"Look at that equipment—the armor and weapons! It’s worth more than three years of my domain’s tax revenue," Edmund whispered, practically purple with envy.

"Baron Henry truly spared no expense. With equipment like that and an army like this, who could possibly stand against him?"

Calvin’s eyes burned with intensity. ’That’s right,’ he thought. ’If an army like that were used against me, I probably wouldn’t even be able to fight back.’

’Thankfully, I’m more or less an ally of Henry’s. Who knows, maybe in the future, I’ll be able to march into battle alongside an army like this.’

The two highest-ranking and most senior nobles present—a pair of Viscounts—were whispering to each other off to the side, a hint of nervousness in their voices as they discussed Henry’s military might.

Henry’s army was stronger than their own, which put them under pressure.

Sometimes, you don’t need a real battle to compare two armies. A simple side-by-side display is enough to see which is stronger.

"Baron Henry’s army is probably the strongest in this entire region. We need to find a way to forge a more lasting friendship with him to ensure the security of our own fiefdoms. As for that old coot John... I don’t think he’s all that much of a threat anymore."