Once again, Leon carefully thought about what he had done. He probably hadn't touched on the most sensitive areas of the nobles. Many of his actions could have been covered up with excuses, such as the fact that he was new to the territory and was eager to serve the nobles.
It could only be said that there were few idiots among the nobles. He only showed some signs of this, and the king's order came to him. This was both a warning and a warning. At the same time, it was also the king's invitation.
Leon knew that he had to personally lead his men to participate in this battle. At this time, he had to maintain the same pace as everyone else and ensure that he did not incur the collective disgust of the nobles before he gained a firm foothold. He also had to show some performance to prove his strength.
"In that case, I will personally lead the baron's army to Valémi's camp near Arden Forest and join the knight's army." Laing made up his mind. What was to come would come. In the face of all kinds of troubles, he had to face them head-on instead of running away.
"I will also go with you." Suria suddenly said, "It's Marquis Connelly's turn to serve in the knight's war this year. He is not a noble who is good at military affairs. Father wants you to command Winford's army."
"Then Miss Suria, you don't have to …" Laing seemed to want to persuade her, but the female knight's attitude was very firm. "I will definitely participate in the knight's war. I am the Grail Knight, the daughter of Duke Winford!"
"Then I can only say, please take care of me this summer, dear Miss Suria." Laing knew that she had made up her mind, so he did not say anything more.
The female knight did not stay long in Laing's place. She was still unmarried, and it was not suitable for her to spend the night in a man's house. After a few more words, Suria rode away on her pegasus.
"Mr. Laing … Are you going to war again?" Emilia said worriedly. The little maid walked to Laing's side, her big eyes shining.
"The only thing that can ensure our survival in this dark world is war." Laing looked at the moonlight and the bonfire party outside the window and shook his head slightly.
In order to protect this prosperity, in order to obtain peace and tranquility, war was the only way. War was the only way to constantly declare war on the darkness.
"You must come back victorious, Mr. Laing." Emilia knew that there was nothing she could do. The girl could only stand beside Laing and give her blessings in a low voice.
"Emilia, it's not like I'm leaving tomorrow." Laing smiled bitterly. He touched the little maid's head and said, "Study hard. No one bullied you at school, right?"
"No, President Suria always brings me along. My classmates all think that I'm President Suria's maid, so no one bullies me." Emilia nodded repeatedly. The girl's face was filled with satisfaction. "Miss Suria is the president of the academy's council. She's really gentle and treats me very well."
"That's good." Laing didn't say anything else. He obviously had something on his mind.
Emilia had a feeling that the man in front of her was gradually distancing himself from her.
When they were in Marlin Castle, there were only her and Laing in the house. They got along very easily. He often chatted with her and joked with her when he was free. Even when there were other maids in the house, it didn't affect the relaxed atmosphere.
But now …
The girl looked at Laing's back and sighed secretly. She really hoped that she could help Mr. Laing.
She made up her mind that she must study hard and strive to help him in the future.
… …
During Midsummer, Laing and his retainers recruited about two hundred infantrymen.
A week later.
Katzenberg stood beside Laing with his hands behind his back. "My Baron, we recruited 207 infantrymen. Among them, 102 are pikemen, 41 are sword-and-shield soldiers, and 64 are archers."
The newly recruited troops stood on a flat ground and were inspected by the lord. They received new weapons and armor.
In fact, the baron was not very satisfied with these newly recruited soldiers. Most of them were too thin and weak, or too ignorant. There were very few qualified recruits that met the baron's real needs. However, the baron knew that in this world, the serfs lacked nutrition and basic training since they were young. They were naturally short and thin. The only thing the nobles could do was to pick the big ones from the small ones and select those who were as strong as possible and knew how to use weapons.
So Laing changed his mind at the last minute and only recruited about two hundred people. This way, he could ensure that the land was cultivated and the labor force was maintained.
He was also not afraid of people bursting into his house.
"The king has issued a conscription order. In August, I will take people to Valémi Camp to report to Marquis Anshe." Laing turned around and looked at his two rangers. "My knights, tell me, how can you train these soldiers in a month?"
"It will be difficult to train them in a month, my Baron," Olivier said. Olivier spoke up. The handsome ranger stroked the beard on his chin. "We can only do our best."
Ryan had no choice but to look at his elder brother, Angelo.
"Do not look at me, brother," Angelo said with disdain. "These kids will not be able to withstand my training. All I can say is that they are trash." The World Eater geno prototype looked down on the new recruits. "Brother, if you want me to help you train soldiers, you better send me someone who is stronger. Someone like you who can take a beating."
"Forget it …" Ryan thought to himself, 'I'm the only one who can withstand your beating.'
After reviving, Angelo was very weak. He did not have a power armor or a power axe. The disappearance of the Butcher Nail had affected his fighting power. According to his big brother, his power was only 50% of what it was when he was at his peak. In two or three years, he could recover 70% to 80%. Regarding the power armor and the power axe, there was no way.
A month's time wasn't too long, but it wasn't too short either. If they focused on training, there would at least be some results. But what made Leon unhappy was that his two knights weren't good at training troops. Lopes and Olivier were both wandering knights, and their ability to train new recruits wasn't very strong.
It was okay. Laing turned around and spoke to the last person standing in the crowd. "In that case, I will have to trouble you, Xavier."
A young knight with bright eyes and bright eyebrows stood behind the crowd. His face had a thin scar that went from his left eye to the tip of his right nose. It made his face look fierce.
This ranger knight was Laing's newly appointed ranger knight. He came from the Dukedom of Le-Angoulan in Brittany. He was the second son of the Heath family. Because of an inheritance dispute, he was sent to the Empire's capital, Brunswick, to study at the Army Academy.
When the knight finished his studies and returned, his family's territory had been destroyed by the Orcs. Countless people and his family had been turned into dust. When he went to the king, he received shocking news. Because his family had not been able to defend their territory, his family's title had been revoked.
Xavier knew that he was unable to restore his territory, so he wore his family's coat of arms and became a ranger knight again. After hearing that Laing, the Knight of the Holy Grail, had been appointed, he came to Baron Zeon to recommend himself.
Xavier's martial arts were excellent, and he was good at training soldiers and setting up formations. After studying in the Empire for a few years, he was proficient in infantry training and tactical command. After an inspection, Laing took a fancy to him, and he immediately pledged his loyalty to the new Knight of the Holy Grail.
"Okay, my Baron." The ranger knight's face was gloomy. He rarely smiled, and when he heard Laing's orders, he only obeyed.
The Knight's War was about to begin, and Laing had many things to do. After arranging for Olivier and Xavier to follow him, and Lopes and Anglo to stay behind, Laing called for his butler, Katzenberg, and said, "Is the rations in the warehouse enough for the army to last 40 days?"
To participate in the Knight's War, the Dungeon Lord had to provide his own rations for his army. This was the custom. Every year, the Dungeon Lord would serve the King for 40 days, so his army had to provide his own rations for the King. After 40 days, the King would have to provide the Dungeon Lord with rations and rations.
"If Lord Baron intends to use Baron Zeon's army standard, then it's barely enough." Katzenberg did some mental calculations and came up with a figure. "It might be a little tight, but we only have to reduce unnecessary rations …"
"I'll look for the merchants to purchase more rations." Laing nodded and said, "We can't let the warehouse be empty."
"That's the best choice, my Baron." Katzenberg felt that this was the best choice. The Baron's ability to handle internal affairs was admirable.
Laing then called for Gasparton and told his tax collector to prepare for the collection of taxes. He also told him to bring the church's members and soldiers with him when collecting taxes. The violent resistance of the serfs was no longer news.
This situation was very serious everywhere, especially for the tax collector. This position was truly a high-risk job. It was said that if a tax collector could live for two years, he or she would be considered a "long-lived person".
After everything was arranged, Laing received news that the merchant, Olivier, had come to visit. He immediately said, "Bring Olivier in."
The big-bellied merchant from the Empire walked in with a smile. When he saw Laing, he immediately bowed respectfully. "Good morning, Lord Baron."
"Hello, Olivier. I happen to have something to talk to you about." Laing stood up to show his enthusiasm. He then gestured for Olivier to sit on the soft chair. "How's the reclamation and expansion of the town going?"
"That's what I wanted to report to you. We've already expanded the town by a third along the city wall. A lot of people are interested in the new land, including … elves." Olivier hesitated for a moment and then said.
"Elves?" Laing was interested.
"Yes, they're from San Lorenzo, or Azoloren Forest. They seem to be looking for a stable trading partner and an observatory," Olivier said. "But they refused to negotiate with us. They said that they won't talk to the despicable and cunning humans. They're only willing to talk to the Grail Knight."
"Then why didn't you bring them to see me?"
"They … don't want to get close to crowded places. When they saw that the Grail Knight wasn't here, they said that they'd come back in a few months," Olivier said. "No matter how I tried to persuade them, they wouldn't listen. I even told them to wait here for a while while I went to look for the baron. They all suspected that I was going to look for the army, so …" Oliver shrugged. "They just disappeared."
"Well, what a bunch of cautious fellows. Let's wait for the next time. I don't think those pointy-eared fellows came here with a plan. They're just here to test the waters," Laing said with a smile.
The wood elves were secretive and absolutely isolated. They lived in the Azoloren Forest in the south of Brittany. Although they had signed a treaty with the Brittany, it was only a loose agreement of mutual recognition and mutual help.
The wood elves would trade with the knights, but after being deceived by the "despicable" and "cunning" humans for countless years, the wood elves learned to be smart. They only traded with the Grail Knight.
In other words, they only trusted the Grail Knight.
In any case, these things had to wait until Laing came back from his expedition. "Let's not talk about this for now. Olivier, I need you to help me purchase some food."
"That's easy, my baron," Olivier said with a serious face. "I've already established a business relationship with the merchants in Winford and Bordero. As long as the quantity is not too large, I can buy it."
"Very good!" Laing felt relieved. The problem in his heart had been solved.
Then, the baron called for Hadrian. This rich merchant from the south was building many workshops along the river. He was the slowest, because most of the workers were building the castle and reclaiming the farmland. He also needed to transport many tools and equipment from Marlinburg. Laing needed to be patient.
"Arrange it as soon as possible, Mr. Hadrian," Laing said softly. As the baron grew longer, this Grail Knight's power grew stronger day by day.
"Yes, Mr. Laing."
The rest of the time was spent dealing with government affairs and patrolling the territory. Laing also took the time to go to his elder brother's place to "ask for a beating". Anglo was very willing to teach his younger brother. Laing learned a lot during this period. He could feel that he was about to break through the middle legendary level again.
… …
It was the beginning of August. It was the season of fire and gold. The sky was clear in midsummer, and the sun was scorching the earth.
The army was ready to go.
Laing's army was made up of three knights, Hex, Olivier, five squires, and fifty-three infantrymen. Because the number of soldiers was small, Laing did not recruit or receive any followers.
Laing was wearing a gray knight psionic power armor, holding a griffin warhammer, and a Grail Knight badge on his chest. He was riding on the pure-blooded elf warhorse, Grape. He shouted to his soldiers, "Are you ready? My soldiers? "
"My baron! We're ready! " After a month of training, the infantrymen in front of him looked more or less like an army. At least they could stand in order and wait for orders.
More than that, they could only rely on the baptism of blood and fire.
"Let's go!" The gate of the town opened, and the new baron led his army out of the town. He was ready to go to the Valmi camp near Arden Forest.
On the city tower, Dark Elf Olica was watching Laing leave with his army alone.
"Master …" A silver pendant was hanging on Olica's full chest. It was something that Laing specially made for her to protect her.
Olica held the necklace tightly with both hands and pressed the pendant against her chest.
"Master …"
"Master?" A dazzling white light appeared behind her. The dark elf turned around subconsciously, and a white hand touched her forehead.
Olica struggled for a while in vain, and then her body went limp. Facing the terrifying power of the person who came, she could not resist at all. She could only struggle and say, "The … Lady of the Lake?"
"Olica, Olica Lendia?" The Lady of the Lake had a faint smile on her face, but it was indescribably dangerous.
"You really recognized me! Lilith! "
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
