Knight: Becoming King of the World

Blood filled Henry’s armor, making him feel as if he had taken a bath in it. But Henry paid it no mind; his eyes saw only the heads waiting for him to reap.

At the same time, the entire Half-Beastman formation began to waver, and some of the Half-Beastmen at the rear had already started to retreat.

The Half-Beastmen’s defeat today was sealed!

WOOO~ WOOO~ WOOO~

WOOO~ WOOO~ WOOO~

Henry looked to his rear and yelled, "These man-shaped beasts are routing! Charge with me!"

Philip followed with a loud shout, "For the Empire! For our lord! For Dinars!"

Bain swung his sword, cutting down a sheep-man, and roared, "Skilled Infantry Team! Charge with me!"

Henry glanced at Bain. ’How has the New Recruit Team’s rank gotten higher and higher under Bain?’ he thought.

Led by the officers of each battalion, the human army gave chase for a short while before stopping.

The spoils of this battle were great. If they pushed the Half-Beastmen too hard, they might not live to enjoy the good life that followed.

"Henry, your Bravery has earned my submission."

Boman and Fass bowed deeply to Henry. Afterward, many other nobles came over to... pay their respects?

Even a few Viscounts and some Barons set aside their factional and power-related prejudices, greeting Henry with smiling faces.

No one could... or rather, no one dared to have too hostile a relationship with a man who killed without batting an eye.

"Philip, take our men and go claim our share of the Half-Beastman heads. Their weapons, their armor—bring it all back. I imagine... no one will dare to stop you."

Philip sheathed his sword, bowed, and said, "As you command, my lord!"

Philip, a man of mercenary origins, had followed Henry ever since being repeatedly defeated by him in the grand tournament, which had left him deeply impressed.

Now, Henry had his own fief, family, and army, and his Martial Arts had grown even stronger. This excited Philip beyond words.

"Bain, take the New Recruit Team and the soldiers from the Seventh Legion to clean the battlefield. Don’t miss anything. Bring back as much as you can. Do it under my authority as the Quartermaster of the right-wing baggage train."

"Yes, my lord. I’ll go at once."

The other nobles also rushed back to organize their men to collect the spoils of war. This was income that could make one’s fortune overnight!

When it came to looting after a battle, none of the nobles would take less than their share, but they didn’t dare take too much more, either.

As long as they weren’t excessive, it was fine. But if it was obvious at a glance, they’d be in for a world of hurt!

Henry rode his horse to a small hill, gazing from afar at the plain that now flowed with rivers of blood. He didn’t know how many had died, nor how many would make their fortunes!

Droves of surrendered Half-Beastmen, their hands and mouths bound, were being escorted away by the Legion’s elite troops.

These captives had nothing to do with any of the nobles; they were the Imperial Legion’s income.

Henry returned to his tent alone. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes bloodshot and his face haggard, as if submerged in an invisible wave of exhaustion.

He had no interest in the looting now. He trusted in Philip and Bain’s abilities; they could certainly handle such a minor task smoothly.

At this moment, Henry’s mind was filled with only the allure of fine food and wine.

Slaughtering Half-Beastmen had made him hungry!

Claude rushed in, grabbing and patting Henry all over, only relaxing after a thorough inspection.

"My lord, do you have any idea what you look like right now? Your armor is in tatters, you’re covered in blood, and look at your hair! It’s like you washed it with blood... Stop smiling! Your teeth are bloody!"

Henry immediately snapped his bloody grin shut and said, "Claude, don’t be so tense. The most important thing for you right now is to prepare. Calculating the spoils is going to be complicated..."

Henry cleared his throat and said in a low voice, "That deputy... find a way to send him off for a bit. Let the serfs and new recruits under you skim a little."

Claude tilted his head and said, "My lord, are you serious?"

"Of course. Why not make money when we can? It’s that bastard Sebastian’s fault for trying to screw me over before. What good was the pittance he paid in compensation?"

If they skimmed a cartful of military equipment, that would be thousands of Dinars! If they skimmed a cartful of Half-Beastman heads, that would be several years’ worth of military pay!

’Since I’m the Quartermaster this one time, if I don’t experience it to the fullest, wouldn’t it be a waste?’

Claude nodded seriously and said, "My lord, even if you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have done it anyway. I was just afraid you were too righteous!"

"Haha, you old rascal!"

After Claude left, Ailia and Orianna bustled about like butterflies, going back and forth to fetch fresh water.

Ailia meticulously washed Henry’s body, and soon she too was tinged with the smell of blood.

"My lord, now that your armor is ruined, you won’t have to go to the battlefield again, right?"

"Mm... I won’t be fighting like this for a while. This time was very satisfying."

Ailia sighed in relief. It wasn’t that she worried for Henry’s safety; it was just that wiping and cleaning him up was so time-consuming and exhausting every time. It was just too tiring!

Orianna soon came in carrying a meal: quince jelly, pork chops stewed with pearl rice, and stir-fried pork.

Only the truly wealthy could afford such stews and stir-fries, because the necessary pots, spatulas, seasonings, side ingredients, and oil were things ordinary people could never afford.

As for Henry, he was, of course, using ingredients from the Legion’s logistics!

A sumptuous meal was laid out before him, emitting a tantalizing aroma, along with a glass of crystal-clear wine. As was his habit, Henry took a sip first.

Rich and sweet!

This time, no one disturbed him, allowing Henry to enjoy a peaceful dinner.

"Orianna, your cooking is getting better and better. I can’t imagine, if you and Bain were to marry, where I would ever find a cook as good as you."

Orianna smiled shyly. Her relationship with Bain was an open secret throughout Henry’s household.

"Go on, see how Bain and the others are doing. I was very satisfied with Bain’s performance on the battlefield this time. His Bravery and command ability are those of a qualified Knight."

"Thank you, my lord. My lord, Bain and I are both partner members of your house. I will continue to cook for you until my skills decline."

Orianna left with a smile, but soon came running back in a panic.

"My lord! Bain is injured!"

"What? Quickly, go get some well-trained physicians!"

"Captain Philip has already called for physicians, and Butler Claude also came over after he heard."

Henry breathed a sigh of relief, but he still couldn’t sit still. The boy had been with him for three years now; how could he not have developed an attachment? A man with a heart of stone would never have people truly willing to work for him.

Soon, Henry found Bain in a tent. Two physicians were treating him, and Claude was there as well.

Bain was covered in sweat. He looked up and saw Henry, and quickly said, "My lord, what are you doing here? It’s just a scratch, just a scratch."