Chapter 376 - 262: Bain is a Man of Substance (2)

Chapter 376: Chapter 262: Bain is a Man of Substance (2)

Leon nodded and turned to the burly soldier. "Is there something you wanted to say?"

The burly soldier lowered his head, his voice much quieter. "I just... I just feel it’s unfair. I’ve been fighting my heart out on the battlefield, so why should a mission be taken from me for something so minor?"

Leon sighed. "Performance on the battlefield is certainly important, but so is military discipline.

Everyone has seen your performance. If you don’t accept this, you can go and appeal to Lord Claude. But making a scene here won’t solve anything."

Bain also stepped forward and patted the burly soldier’s shoulder. "Listen to Leon. Go talk to Lord Claude. If you truly feel it’s unfair, he’ll give you a fair answer."

The burly soldier nodded and turned to leave.

Leon watched him leave and shook his head. "The atmosphere in the camp has been a bit off lately. Everyone’s on edge."

Besides, a soldier proactively asking for more missions... it was just bizarre. He’d never seen or heard of such a thing.

But Leon was already used to it. ’This is Lord Henry’s army, after all; nothing is too strange to happen here.’

If someone stood up right now and told him they could breathe fire, he’d calmly applaud them.

Bain nodded. "Yeah, the constant fighting has worn everyone out. No matter how loyal everyone is to the Lord, physical exhaustion is inevitable. Plus, the Lord has been busy training the new recruits lately, so things in the camp have been piling up."

Leon sighed. "All we can do now is try our best to soothe everyone’s nerves and keep them from getting too anxious.

We can’t just rely on Lord Claude and that guy Selas. And Roland is a complete idiot.

The Lord just conquered Odoche, and he’s already eagerly recruiting and training new soldiers. He didn’t even draw on subjects from our original territory. It looks like the Lord plans to continue waging war."

The two of them patrolled the camp once more, calming down some of the on-edge soldiers. They didn’t return to their rooms until dusk.

Bain sat on his bed, watching the sky darken outside as his mind began to churn with plans again.

「Early the next morning」, Bain arrived outside Henry’s study. He was in no mood to observe the furnishings and decor, which were clearly more magnificent than those in Westwood Laine Keep. He took a breath, adjusted his armor, and then knocked on the door.

"Come in." Henry’s voice came from inside.

Bain lifted the curtain and walked into the study. Henry was sitting at his desk, eating a delicious breakfast. Seeing Bain enter, he looked up and asked, "Bain, is something the matter?"

Bain was a little nervous, but he quickly composed himself. "My Lord, I... I wish to speak with you about military merits and promotions."

Henry put down his chopsticks, leaned back in his chair, and said with a hint of curiosity, "Go on."

Bain braced himself and began to explain his thoughts. "My Lord, I know you are very busy right now and that there’s much to be done for the army.

But I’ve been wondering... with all the fighting we’ve done, how much more merit must I accumulate before I can become a noble?"

Bain paused for a moment before continuing, "With the military merits I’ve earned, it should be enough to become a noble Knight with a manor and a village.

My Lord, I am not a man who covets fame and fortune. I just want to know how far I have to go, and what I need to do, to become one of your noble Vassals."

After Henry had listened, he was silent for a long while before he finally spoke. "Bain, I know you’re an ambitious man. I’ve seen your capabilities for myself, and I have taken note of your performance in this campaign."

Henry stood up, walked over to Bain, and patted his shoulder. "Rest assured, I won’t let you down. I will handle the matter of military merits and promotions as soon as possible. It’s just that there are too many military affairs at the moment, and I need time to make the arrangements."

Hearing this, Bain’s heart leaped with joy. ’My efforts haven’t been ignored.’

’Whether he became a Vassal or not wasn’t truly important to Bain. He already lived a life free from want, where everyone respected him. He just wanted to prove that, after being "picked up" by Henry in that alley, he hadn’t become a burden!’

Bain quickly regained his composure. "My Lord, I understand. I just..."

Henry smiled. "I know you aren’t a man driven by vanity. You are my most trusted Attendant. How could I ever misunderstand you, Bain?"

Bain nodded emphatically, his heart filled with gratitude. ’He had bravely taken this step, daring to ask Henry, and Henry had given him a clear answer—an answer he believed in.’

After Bain left, Henry quickly finished his breakfast. Just as Ailia cleared away the plates, Claude and Tommy walked in together.

"My Lord, good day."

Henry nodded and gestured for them to sit.

He leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowed slightly, as he pondered some important matter.

After a moment, he spoke. "Tommy, I’d like to hear your thoughts on the matter of transferring some officials and Civil Servants over from Westwood Laine Keep."

Tommy was taken aback for a second but quickly recovered. He nodded and said, "My Lord, I already have a preliminary plan.

Among the officials and Civil Servants in Westwood Laine Keep, there are many trustworthy individuals. They have stood the test of time; their loyalty to you is high, and they also have a certain amount of administrative experience."

Henry nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

"I recommend we transfer a group of personnel from each department in Westwood Laine Keep. This way, we can ensure that the operations of each department there won’t be too greatly affected.

At the same time, I will select the most outstanding candidates based on their abilities and performance, and have them come over to assist with matters in Odoche as soon as possible."

As Tommy spoke, he pulled a list from his tunic and handed it to Henry. "This is the preliminary list of candidates. You can take a look."

Henry took the list, looked it over carefully, and nodded in satisfaction. "This list looks good. You have a good eye. Let’s do it this way. We can’t delay the transfer of personnel. Matters here in Odoche are piling up, and we need people to take over as soon as possible."

Tommy nodded. "I understand. I’ll return to Westwood Laine Keep immediately to oversee this task. I will personally supervise the selection process to ensure the chosen candidates are up to the job."

This was no simple matter. With all the high-ranking official positions in Odoche now vacant, anyone transferred over would effectively be getting a promotion.

Once things stabilized, their transition from "Acting Official" to "Official" would be just around the corner.

"Good, I trust you. The affairs in Westwood Laine Keep are also important. After you go back, you must also quickly select a new batch of officials and Civil Servants to fill the vacancies. We can’t let operations there be affected."

Tommy nodded, glanced at Claude, and then turned to leave.

Claude, who had been standing to the side, spoke up. "My Lord, do you have any new arrangements for the military and political affairs here in Odoche?"

Henry said in a deep voice, "The situation in Odoche is still unstable. You cannot let your guard down. On the military front, Leon and Bain will assist you. On the political front, the personnel Tommy is transferring will arrive soon.

You must stabilize the situation as quickly as possible to prepare for our next move."

Claude nodded. "Understood. I will reinforce military discipline to ensure stability in the barracks. At the same time, I will help Tommy’s people familiarize themselves with the political affairs quickly.

Hm? My Lord, the next move? What... what are you referring to?"

Henry gestured vaguely at a map on the wall. "To continue expanding our sphere of influence, of course. Odoche is just the first step. Next, we will face an even greater challenge."