Knight: Becoming King of the World

’All this verbal sparring, probing, and investigating... It’s too much trouble.’

If that certain someone really did rebel, Henry would be more than happy to put down the insurrection. The spoils would be immense.

The emperor raised his eyebrows, clearly curious about Henry’s answer, but he didn’t press the issue either.

People ought to have a sense of boundaries, or at least appear to. The same applied to the relationship between a ruler and his subject.

Besides, if he were truly curious, he could just deploy his intelligence agencies and spy network to keep tabs on Henry’s every move. Heh heh.

The emperor had full confidence in Henry’s abilities and loyalty, and in turn, Henry was deeply grateful for the emperor’s generous rewards.

"Headmaster, your rewards are simply too generous. I don’t even know how to express my gratitude."

Henry’s words were filled with sincere emotion. He wasn’t great with numbers, but he could still tell the difference between a lot and a little, good and bad, at a single glance.

The emperor smiled and waved his hand. "Henry, your ability and loyalty are plain for all to see. These rewards are well-deserved and a recognition of your contributions."

"Your generosity and Wisdom fill me with deep admiration. These resources will be an immense help in developing my fief, improving the lives of my people, and strengthening my military forces."

Henry immediately began praising the emperor every which way. ’You can never go wrong with flattery,’ he thought. The man gave him money, land, people, and military equipment. He deserved the praise!

The emperor, trying to keep a straight face, nodded and advised, "Henry, be careful. A bounty this rich will inevitably attract jealousy and greed from certain people. You must remain vigilant."

Henry nodded to show he understood, but inwardly, he was hoping some fool who was tired of living would come looking for trouble.

’This isn’t me starting trouble,’ he thought. ’It’s just a defensive counterattack.’

The emperor looked at Henry, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Henry, you don’t seem at all afraid of people plotting against you, do you?"

Henry chuckled. "If some fool really does try to rob me, they’ll be making a grave mistake. I’ll make them regret it."

"Oh, you... Still, I hope you stay out of trouble. After all, the empire needs talented people like you, and I need your strength."

Henry replied respectfully, "Headmaster, I will be careful. Your reward is a priceless treasure to me."

A look of satisfaction appeared in the emperor’s eyes. "Very good, Henry. The rewards are already on their way. Barring any mishaps, they should reach your fief in about half a month."

The preparations for Henry’s reward had begun long ago, and it had been dispatched in advance. The emperor was not only generous but also considerate in how he did things.

The two—teacher and student—chatted for a while longer before Henry bid the emperor farewell and returned to the military encampment.

Bain and Leon wanted to come over to shoot the bull and chat with Henry, but to their surprise, Henry made a beeline for his cot. The moment he hit the mattress, his body went limp, the exhaustion from the banquet finally washing over him.

His eyelids grew heavy, and he fell into a deep sleep almost instantly. It was good to be young; he was out the moment his head hit the pillow.

For Henry, even though the banquet was about feasting and making merry, the mental strain of constant socializing was more draining than a bloody battle.

He truly didn’t give a damn about any of those people and could have just ignored them. But he was a normal person, and possessed basic human courtesy and the ability to hold a conversation.

Bain scratched his head and looked at Leon. The two of them could only retreat, helpless. Who would be foolish enough to shake Henry awake? Wasn’t that just asking for a death wish?

Ailia sat quietly by Henry’s bedside, her gaze gentle.

She looked at the brand-new, luxurious, and stately robes of an Imperial Count that Henry wore, and an indescribable emotion welled up in her heart.

Her lord was now a Count. What a tremendous honor, what prestige. She was happy for Henry, proud of his accomplishments.

However, hidden beneath this pride was a current of sadness and melancholy.

As Henry’s status rose, the gap between them grew ever wider.

Back when Henry was just a Knight, the distance between them hadn’t seemed so vast; it was almost negligible. After all, it wasn’t unheard of for a Knight to marry his handmaiden and start a family.

But now, Henry was a Count. His world had become so much larger, while she remained just a humble attendant, a head maid.

Ailia sighed softly. ’I should be happy for Henry...’ She gently pulled the blanket over him, making sure he would be warm and comfortable as he slept.

Even though they had been away from the Northern Lands for some time, Ailia would occasionally feel a phantom chill, as if she were still there.

She sat by the cot, silently watching over Henry, until she too began to feel drowsy.

Ailia stood up and returned to her own small cot. She closed her eyes, her thoughts drifting back to the moment Henry had been promoted from a Knight to a Baron...

When Henry woke from his deep slumber, sunlight was already flooding the encampment.

He gave a lazy stretch and let out a strange, unintelligible groan, feeling every cell in his body spring back to life.

Refreshed and full of energy! He felt completely revitalized!

As Henry got up, he saw that Ailia had already prepared a basin of fresh water and a towel. Ailia always managed to wake up before him and have everything ready, no matter how early he rose.

He cupped his hands, splashing cool water onto his face. The cold shock washed away the last vestiges of sleep, and he felt instantly invigorated.

He picked up his toothbrush and cleaned his teeth meticulously. ’The bitter, cold days in the Northern Lands are long gone,’ he thought. ’I never want to live that kind of harsh life again. I’m done pretending. I’ve gone soft.’

’Anyone who likes hardship can have it.’

After he finished washing up, Ailia already had breakfast waiting for him.

Today’s meal featured Ailia’s classic specialties: pigeon pie, small lemon cakes, and a roasted steak.

The aroma of the pigeon pie was tantalizing. Its crust was baked to a golden, flaky perfection, while the meat inside was tender and juicy. The small lemon cakes were a perfect balance of sweet and tart, the fresh citrus cutting through the richness and leaving a delightful aftertaste.

As for the roasted steak, it was firm yet tender, with a perfect char on the outside.

’Perfect!’ he thought. ’If only I had a phone to watch some videos while I eat.’

Henry sat at the table, savoring the hearty breakfast.

It was all a testament to Ailia’s care. He chatted with her as he ate, talking about his thoughts and plans for the future.

Ailia listened quietly, her trust and reliance on Henry absolute. No matter where he went, she would follow, offering whatever support and help was within her power to give.

Breakfast ended amid pleasant conversation, leaving Henry feeling more content than ever. He felt unburdened, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The world was his oyster; he was free to do as he pleased. ’Perhaps this is the confidence that comes from having an abundance of Overlord Training points,’ he mused.

Henry took out his small notebook and, with a stroke of his pen, crossed off three items: "Journey to the Northern Lands," "Border War," and "Promotion in Rank."

His panel was a bare-bones interface; it had only given him a single quest right at the start. So, he had taken to creating his own so-called "main quests," "temporary quests," and "side quests."

’It’s a way to keep myself entertained, I suppose,’ he thought. ’Plus, it works well as a journal.’

Henry scanned his little notebook, looking for something else he could take care of.

’Hmm... I need to pay a visit to Daimon Horner. I can skip Yiduo Case for now.’

As for the emperor’s Imperial Guard, he had no plans to investigate it for the time being. He felt the emperor was a formidable man, so his Imperial Guard was bound to be problematic as well.

’The Mysterious Merchant of Lukaron... I have to investigate that, no matter what.’ Unfortunately, the merchant was so mysterious that Henry still didn’t have a single clue.

Yesterday, he had used the pretense of purchasing military equipment to subtly probe the other nobles. Whether they genuinely didn’t know or simply didn’t want to tell him, he couldn’t be sure. In any case, no one mentioned a particularly remarkable Mysterious Merchant in Lukaron.

"Bain, Bain... Bain! Where’d you run off to!"

"Coming!"

Bain came running in a hurry, and Leon, hearing the shout, tagged along uninvited.

"Get the horses ready. I’m going to the North City Public Security Bureau."