Knight: Becoming King of the World

Claude and the squad leader sent by Ratifa went directly to one of the Prince’s Knights. They stated that their lords had completed the combat mission issued by the Prince and had brought back enemy heads as proof.

They relayed that their lords were requesting more combat missions from the Prince to continue serving the Empire.

The Knight was stunned. Many people were aware of Henry’s arrival and deeply admired the renowned new noble.

Consequently, most people hadn’t been concerned about whether Henry would be victorious. They believed that while the enemy was strong, they weren’t strong enough to defeat Baron Henry.

To put it bluntly, they were fearless. To put it more crudely, they just had numbers and weren’t afraid to fight.

Although the Prince had been constantly mobilizing more reinforcements, they were all local troops, not elites.

The reason the war had dragged on for so long was that the Prince believed losing even one elite soldier was a net loss, no matter how many enemies were slain.

But no matter how you looked at it, Henry’s victory had come far too quickly, hadn’t it?

Not a single one of the other nobles who had set out on combat missions had returned!

The Knight quickly reported the news to the Prince. Upon hearing it, the Prince was also taken aback.

He had originally thought Henry would need at least some time to complete the mission; he hadn’t expected results this soon.

"Baron Henry and his ally, Countess Ratifa, have completed their mission. They’ve brought back spoils of war and the heads of the enemy," the Knight reported.

The Prince nodded blankly. He had a newfound appreciation for Henry’s capabilities.

He decided to grant a personal audience to the men Henry had sent to understand the details of the battle and assign them a new combat mission.

"Arrange a meeting at once. I want to hear their report myself," the Prince commanded.

Meanwhile, the armies of Henry and Ratifa, encamped where they were, continued their daily training.

The moment a new mission arrived, they would throw themselves back into fierce combat. Henry’s army had High Morale, and every soldier was preparing for the next battle.

In the border’s main camp, Claude and Ratifa’s squad leader were brought before the Prince.

They reported the course of the battle in detail, including Henry and Ratifa’s performance in combat.

The Prince listened with rapt attention, his eyes shining as he lavished praise on Henry’s Bravery.

"Excellent! Baron Henry’s performance has exceeded my expectations!" the Prince said, pleased.

The Prince glanced at the other man and continued, "Countess Ratifa has also done well. Since they have made a request, I will grant them a new combat mission. You may leave and wait outside for now."

The two men acknowledged the order and left. A Knight led them to a place to rest.

Inside the great tent, after Claude and Ratifa’s squad leader departed, the initial atmosphere of excitement and pleasure gradually dissipated, replaced by a profound silence.

The Prince’s expression slowly shifted from satisfaction and excitement to worry, apprehension, and even dread.

His brow furrowed, his eyes betraying his unease.

He didn’t question the truth of Claude’s claim about how many Inferior Horned Beasts Henry had single-handedly slain.

In his view, Henry didn’t seem like the type to lie about such matters.

Henry didn’t lack for fame; there was no need for him to fabricate his accomplishments.

Besides, this wasn’t the first time he had heard rumors of Henry’s Bravery.

’Can one man truly be this powerful?’ the Prince wondered.

’One man able to fight an entire army? This level of power, this level of Bravery... it defies my understanding of what an individual is capable of.’

’I must proceed with caution,’ the Prince told himself.

This war was not just a battle against a foreign enemy; it was also a test of the internal balance of power.

The fighting here might have seemed simpler and easier than fighting the Half-Beastmen and Lizardmen, but that was not the reality.

Because the war had dragged on, this place had long since transformed into a battlefield for the interests and power of the Empire’s northern nobility.

The rise of Henry and Ratifa had undoubtedly introduced a new variable into this "farce."

The Prince had to handle this carefully to ensure the Empire’s interests and security. Or rather, to ensure his own interests and the security of his future claim to the throne.

To him, Henry’s existence represented both a powerful ally and a potential threat.

’Will this man, Henry, truly become the asset my father said he would be?’

The Prince walked to a corner of the tent where a large map was hung, marked with the Empire’s borders and the current front lines.

His finger moved slowly across the map, finally stopping at the location of Henry and Ratifa’s recent victory.

"Can one man’s strength truly change the tide of battle?" the Prince murmured to himself, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Henry’s swift victory was not just a testament to his personal Bravery, but also a reflection of the formidable combat strength of the army under his command.

If such power could be properly utilized, it would be a huge advantage for the Empire.

But if such power were to spiral out of control, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The Prince felt a chill run down his spine as he recalled the recent war between a group of nobles led by Henry and another faction from the eastern grasslands.

’Has Henry’s prestige on the eastern grasslands grown so great? He can already raise an Alliance Army and wage a decisive battle?’

The Prince took a deep breath. He needed to find a balance in controlling Henry.

He returned to his desk, picked up a quill, and began to write new combat orders.

He decided to give Henry and Ratifa more missions, but he would also impose certain restrictions to ensure they did not slip from the Empire’s grasp.

’So, you’re a great fighter, are you? Incredibly brave? Your army is just that strong?’

’Fine!’

The Prince didn’t dare move against Henry openly, nor could he try to sabotage him. If his father found out, it would cause unnecessary trouble.

But this time, Henry had just handed him the knife himself!

’You wanted more combat missions, didn’t you? Then I’ll let you fight! I’ll let you fight until you’ve had your fill!’

He picked up the quill again, its tip dancing across the parchment, every stroke filled with calculation.

’You’re strong, are you? But you can still get tired.’

’Your army is powerful, is it? But it can still suffer casualties.’

The Prince refused to believe that sending Henry on so many combat missions wouldn’t be enough to weaken his strength!

The Prince wrote down nearly every large-scale enemy movement he could remember.

"Attendant!" the Prince suddenly shouted.

An Attendant quickly entered the tent, bowing his head to await orders.

"Deliver these orders to the men from Baron Henry and Countess Ratifa." The Prince handed the newly written orders to the Attendant, a smug smile gracing his face.

The Attendant took the orders and quickly left the tent, hurrying toward Henry and Ratifa’s encampment.

The Prince stood up, walked to the entrance of the tent, and gazed at the distant horizon.

These orders would plunge Henry and his army into a series of grueling battles, but that was precisely what he hoped to see.

"Henry, I hope you don’t disappoint me," the Prince murmured, a glint of coldness in his eyes.

For him, this scheme was beneficial no matter the outcome.

If Henry won, half his enemies would be eliminated for him. If Henry lost, it would mean the enemy had been heavily damaged, and a great worry would be resolved.

On the other side of the border, Henry and Ratifa were awaiting new orders, unaware of the Prince’s calculations.

Ratifa didn’t think the Prince was capable of plotting against them, whereas Henry wasn’t afraid of any plots the Prince might devise.

Upon receiving the new orders, Claude and the others departed immediately without lingering or even checking the contents.

When the Prince’s orders arrived, Henry and Ratifa quickly read through them.

Henry’s brow furrowed slightly. He sensed something unusual about the orders.

’I ask for missions, and you give me this many?’

’You’re not trying to screw me over, are you?’

’No way... right?’

"It seems the Prince has high hopes for us."