Knight: Becoming King of the World

Henry found it hard to understand. On paper, His Majesty the Emperor, the most formidable man in the entire empire, was actually powerless to eliminate bandits?

’This... is rather intriguing, isn’t it? Why does the empire feel so precarious lately, as if it’s on the verge of collapse?’

Henry closed his eyes. After a moment of contemplation, he instantly knew who had sent this strange group of merchants to his fief.

’It has to be the Second Prince and John! Or rather, the Second Prince wants to make a move against me, and John is probably so deeply entangled in his affairs that he can’t get out.’

Henry surmised that the Second Prince must hate his guts. He believed that a child of the wise and mighty Emperor couldn’t possibly be an idiot. A Prince would have certainly received a fine education. Since he couldn’t command a Legion or build up a large military force, he would definitely find other ways to develop his own commercial empire and intelligence network.

The Second Prince must have learned through some channel about the dealings Henry had with his two other brothers and wanted to launch a preemptive strike.

This was the nature of power struggles. If the emperor wasn’t strong enough to suppress the various conflicts and discontent within the empire, other heirs or high-ranking nobles would inevitably test the waters.

’Can you really handle being emperor? If not, let me take over!’

"Tommy, have the Militia and the city garrison step up their patrols. If those merchants are just flooding the local market with low-priced goods, we don’t need to pay them too much mind. After all, I’m making a killing from this, so it works out for me. The local merchants will just have to suffer a bit."

Tommy gave a small smile. That was true. The merchants’ actions would only harm the interests of local traders; for Henry, it was actually a good thing.

He nodded, understanding Henry’s intent.

"That’s right, milord. These merchants may disrupt the local market, but for us, it’s an opportunity.

We can take this opportunity to acquire more supplies at low prices and bolster our own strength."

Tommy’s biggest worry was that these merchants would try to incite unrest in Westwood Laine Castle or send in disguised Mercenaries.

If major trouble really broke out, it was hard to say whether the few hundred men Henry had left him would be able to hold them off.

Once Henry returned with the main army, he could finally rest easy.

Tommy immediately sprang into action. He began arranging for the Militia and the city garrison to increase their patrols, while also keeping a close eye on the merchants’ every move.

Over the next few days, the merchants behaved exactly as Henry had predicted. They only dumped their goods at low prices and engaged in no other foul play.

Henry’s subjects also benefited, as they could buy more goods at lower prices, and their lives became more prosperous.

As a result, Henry’s fief, Westwood Laine, experienced an improbable, if brief, period of prosperity. The goods brought by the merchants not only met the needs of his people but also allowed Henry to accumulate a great deal of wealth.

A cunning smile played on Henry’s lips, and a calculating glint shone in his eyes.

He had now assembled the recruits for his new army. These men were all able-bodied and carefully selected from his territory; they were young and strong.

"Tommy, just you watch. Once this new batch of troops is fully trained, in about a month, those merchants will be scared into behaving with their tails between their legs."

Henry said softly, standing on the castle walls, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.

Tommy nodded. "Indeed, milord. Once the new army’s training is complete, your strength will be greatly enhanced. Those merchants, and the master behind them, will likely have to reconsider their plans."

Only a powerful military could guarantee the security of his domain and allow him to stand firm in the empire’s internal struggles.

When a man cannot prove his military prowess, his attempts to deploy troops for battle will be met with staunch opposition. But when a man is ever-victorious and skilled at training soldiers, others will wholeheartedly support his actions.

That was exactly how Tommy felt. He wished Henry would train even more new troops and leave larger garrisons for Westwood Laine Castle and Ximira Castle, lest his absence attract the covetous eyes of others.

[Current Recruitment and Training Queue]:

Lv. 1: Imperial New Recruit Team x15

Lv. 2: Imperial Grassland Warriors x6

Lv. 3: Imperial Citizen Cavalry Team x3

[Overlord Training Points]: 1

This was how Henry allocated the vast fortune he had recently acquired. The backbone of his army was still the infantry, who could both deal and take damage.

On the battlefields of the Caladia Empire, infantry was as indispensable as water is to life. A man could perhaps skip a meal or two and survive, but he could never go without water.

The core of any army relied on the solid support of its infantry.

Although the upkeep for infantry was relatively low, their role was irreplaceable.

Fifteen squads of Imperial new recruits—eighteen hundred fierce warriors ready to fight and kill! It was hard to imagine how delighted Henry would be once this new batch of troops was integrated into his army.

Of course, five of these new infantry squads were to be stationed at Ximira Castle as its garrison.

Besides the infantry, there were also six squads of Grassland Warriors.

The Grassland Warriors had good combat effectiveness and high mobility. Plus, the number of troops per squad was substantial, making them a staple unit for any army.

Whether it was harassing the enemy with mounted archery, pursuing a routed foe, or mopping up enemies in the wake of a Heavy Cavalry charge, they were up to the task.

They were even unparalleled when it came to delivering messages and relaying orders!