The New Recruit Team immediately broke their Shield Array, gripping their shields as they fanned out to hunt down the brigands. With nearly three men chasing and hacking at a single target, the sight left the caravan guards dumbfounded.
'Seriously, what's with this insane morale? Just how much is Knight Henry paying you?'
The Bandits scattered and fled quickly, and Henry was only able to take down four more of the wretches. Notably, Bain had actually managed to skewer a Bandit leader from a distance with a short javelin—one who was wearing hardened leather armor sewn with iron plates.
"Not bad, Bain. You're improving. I'd been eyeing that Bandit leader for a while, but I didn't expect you to be the one to get him."
"I only killed two brigands and two Bandits. You, sir, are the true Knight."
Henry laughed heartily. This time, he had gained a whopping six hundred-plus experience points. 'Experience points sure come fast on the battlefield!'
The battle ended quickly. The brigands, who moments before had been an imposing mob, were now all silenced.
Henry looked at the corpses littering the ground and turned to the new recruits. "Clean up the battlefield. Whatever you find, collect it and bring it to the barracks."
The new recruits moved quickly, gathering the bodies of the dead brigands, construction workers, and caravan guards and stripping them clean.
The surviving caravan guards were furious but dared not voice their anger. They had failed in their duty and would now likely lose their jobs. How could they possibly have the mind to care about anything else?
Henry and Bain went to round up the uninjured horses left behind by the Bandits. These horses were the real prize.
In the end, Henry rounded up a total of eleven Traveling Horses. Whether for marching or plowing, they would be excellent draft animals.
Henry returned to the castle, found Claude guarding the warehouse, and said with a smile, "Claude, why are you so scared hiding in here? Your chest is soaked with sweat."
"Thank heavens, my lord, you're all right. I'm just an administrator who handles paperwork, population counts, and taxes... I've never killed anyone."
Henry waved his hand dismissively, telling Claude to take some men and tally the casualties and gains. He needed to drink some honey water to calm his nerves.
...
"My lord, we killed twenty-three Bandits and sixty-seven brigands. Thirty-two serfs were injured—they were either stabbed with the brigands' daggers or hit by rocks. Two serfs died."
Henry raised a hand, interrupting Claude. "They aren't serfs. They are the New Recruit Team. They are qualified Warriors."
Claude paused, taken aback, then nodded. "Of course, my lord. They are your serfs. Whatever you say they are, that is what they are."
"Since they are now your Lordship's Private Army, should I tear up their slave contracts and make them Free People of Westwood Laine?"
In the empire, only nobles and landowners could own serfs. The process for a serf to become one of the Free People or a tenant farmer depended on the laws established by their individual noble. The King had no unified regulation on the matter.
"You may. Continue your report. What were our gains?"
"My lord, from the bodies we collected a total of seven Dinars, three silvers, and six Su; six iron swords, twelve iron sabers, two shields, eleven hunting bows, and over four hundred arrows. One set of damaged leather armor, three sets of Cotton Armor, and one set of sewn hardened leather armor."
"Thirty-three hoes, fifteen pitchforks, seven axes, and sixteen sickles. Also, eleven Traveling Horses, all in usable condition."
Henry nodded and gave his orders, "Send the farm tools and horses to the subordinate villages. Repair the armaments and then move them to the armory."
"As for the money, award it to the new recruits. They've become qualified Warriors. Don't forget to pay them their wages at the end of the month—thirty Su each."
Claude nodded, memorized all of Henry's orders, and then asked, "My lord, if we give these new recruits money, where will they spend it?"
Henry stroked his chin. That was indeed a problem.
However, Henry didn't dwell on the issue for long. He would pay their wages as promised; the soldiers would find a use for the money sooner or later. Besides, it would all find its way back into his own hands eventually.
「In the days that followed.」
Henry became busy again. First, Baron Pedro sent a letter expressing his concern for Henry's safety and assuring him that the construction schedule would not be delayed.
He also mentioned Henry's Private Army. According to the intelligence he received from his caravan guards, Henry's Private Army already numbered over a hundred men and possessed great combat strength.
As for Henry himself? In the words of those caravan guards, he was a terrifying figure who killed without batting an eye.
Baron Pedro hoped that Henry would train his army diligently to help his son acquire enough land to fulfill their wager.
Henry naturally replied with a letter of his own, stating that he was fine and that he would not forget their agreement.
Following that came a second letter—or rather, two letters from Count John.
The first letter described the terrible state of security along the border, stating that many villages had been pillaged. It warned Henry not to let his guard down and to be wary of other desperadoes around his domain.
It also subtly mentioned that he would not widely publicize the fact that his son had won the tournament championship, so as not to cause Henry too much trouble.
The second letter spoke of a major event! A border Viscount had been stripped of his title by the King, his territory reclaimed, and all of the Viscount's Vassals had lost their noble status.
The King took direct control of one city and its subordinate villages within the former Viscount's Domain. The remaining lands were enfeoffed to three new Barons and seven Knights, all of whom were formerly members of the King's court Sword Nobility.
Henry pursed his lips as he read this. 'The King's authority is terrifying.' In the Caladia Empire, the phrase "my Vassal's Vassal is not my Vassal" also applied.
However, it wasn't a matter of them being mutually independent. Instead, it meant that the Vassals of the King's Vassals were simply not considered nobles in the King's eyes.
There was once a case where after a Count was eliminated, his Vassals rebelled. In the end, their entire families were slaughtered by the royal family, and their heads were displayed on the gates of the Royal Capital for a full two months.
This act served as a harsh deterrent to the nobles within the empire who sought to weaken the monarch's power.
After that, the King issued a new decree. Only direct Vassals of the King were considered Independent Nobles. The Vassals of these Independent Nobles only held true noble authority within the territory of their own Lord. Before any other direct Vassal of the King, they held merely an honorary noble status.
As for this Viscount's downfall, the reason was his failure to promptly report an invasion by the Alien Race, and his selling of slaves to the Alien Race in exchange for minerals.
These were terrifying charges, enough to cost him both his political career and his life.
Henry wrote a letter back to Count John, thanking him for his concern and the information.
But the third letter was the most important of all! It was an invitation from the Legion Commander of the King's Seventh Standing Legion!
'Esteemed Lord of Westwood Laine, Knight Henry Bro, greetings. I am Count Sebastian Solza, Legion Commander of the Empire's Seventh Standing Legion and a member of the King's court Sword Nobility.
My legion has arrived at Autongard. I hope you will be able to lead your forces and join us. You will receive a fair share of the spoils and compensation.'