Chapter 385 - 267: Henry’s First Noble

Chapter 385: Chapter 267: Henry’s First Noble

"Have all the troops returned?"

"My lord, not yet. There are still a dozen or so infantry units that won’t be back until tomorrow."

"Hmm... in that case, prepare plenty of food and wine. Tomorrow is a grand victory banquet. It’s been a month. It’s time to promote those who’ve earned it."

Henry paused, his gaze shifting to Bain in the distance, who was directing the Grassland Warriors as they corralled the horses. He chuckled. "Some of our boys are due for a step up, too. Staying an Attendant forever isn’t the way to go, is it? Haha."

The new recruits’ parade and drill was over. Next would be a grand promotion ceremony for the veterans.

After conquering Odoche, they were flush with funds and military equipment—so much so that they could be considered "over-armed."

Claude nodded and said with a sigh, "Yes, my lord. It’s time to promote the first batch of Cavalry under your command. And the recruits from not long ago are now veterans themselves. Quite a few of them meet the requirements for promotion."

"Go make the preparations."

As night fell, the stars began to glitter over the grasslands, like countless brilliant gems set in a deep blue canopy.

Henry sat in his tent. The spacious interior was furnished with a simple wooden table, laden with a spread of food and wine.

He had summoned Bain, and the two sat facing each other.

"Bain, come on, have another!" Henry raised his cup, which was filled with amber ale. Its rich aroma wafted through the air.

Henry offered the cup to Bain, a rare, relaxed smile on his face.

Bain took the cup with a hearty laugh. "My lord, you seem to be in a good mood today. This is quite a lavish spread of food and wine."

He tipped his head back and took a long swallow. The ale slid down his throat, bringing with it a pleasant, soothing warmth.

"This is good ale. Sweet, yet with a kick. It really perks you up."

Henry took a sip as well, his eyes narrowing slightly as he savored the sensation of the ale on his tongue. He leaned back in his chair, stretched, and said, "How could I not be in a good mood? The entire army will be back soon, and tomorrow we have the grand victory banquet and promotion ceremony. After all the hard work this past month, it’s time to properly reward myself and the men."

Bain nodded. He set down his cup, picked up a golden-brown roasted lamb chop, and took a huge bite with a satisfying CRUNCH.

He mumbled through a mouthful of food, "Yeah, everyone’s been exhausted lately. We can finally relax for a bit."

The two men ate, drank, and chatted, their conversation drifting from the victory in the war to the soldiers’ heroic performance, and on to their plans for the future.

Henry would burst into laughter from time to time, with Bain joining in.

A gentle summer night’s breeze drifted by, carrying a hint of coolness and the scent of the plains.

The tent flap fluttered in the wind. Both Henry and Bain had unbuttoned their shirts, enjoying the pleasant moment.

A sip of ale, a gust of wind—it felt as if they were melting into the tranquil prairie night.

"Bain," Henry said, lightly tapping his cup with a finger and producing a clear ring, "wouldn’t you say the spoils from this campaign are greater than any we’ve had before?"

Bain nodded, his words muffled by the food he was chewing. "Of course. Conquering Odoche didn’t just net us a huge amount of money and equipment. This is a massive haul. Our army’s strength will definitely reach a whole new level after this."

Hearing this, Henry refilled both his and Bain’s cups. "At the banquet tomorrow, we have to make sure everyone has a great time. And let the soldiers who distinguished themselves really enjoy it.

As for those due for promotion, it’s time we gave them what they’ve earned."

Bain paused. He set down the lamb chop, picked up his cup, and clinked it against Henry’s, his eyes shining. "Those boys are good men. They’ve been through hell and back for us. It’s high time they moved up."

Henry let out a booming laugh and clapped Bain on the shoulder. "You’re damn right! All of us, we fought our way up from the battlefield. Who doesn’t want to climb the ladder? As long as they’ve got the skills, I’ll give them the chance."

They drank a few more cups, the conversation flowing even more easily between them.

Outside, the campfire flames danced in the night wind, casting warm, flickering shadows on the tent’s canvas.

Amidst the scent of ale and the caress of the breeze, Henry and Bain savored this moment of leisure. All their troubles seemed to be carried away by the drink and the night wind, leaving only a feeling of pure, contented ease.

"Bain."

"Yes, my lord?"

"There are two things I need to tell you."

Bain sat up straight, ready to listen intently to what Henry had to say.

"Our peaceful days are over. We used to fight the Alien Race and Barons. Then we fought a Count. In the future, we’ll be fighting Princes and emperors... There was a time when no one paid us any mind. We could afford to spend a year on this border handling internal affairs, repairing roads, and cultivating land...

Not anymore. The whole empire is watching us now. The moment I slow down, they’ll all swarm in and tear me to pieces.

We don’t have the luxury of taking it slow. Only by killing off all the enemies who covet what we have can we buy ourselves more time to focus our energy on our domain."

A note of resignation crept into Henry’s voice. He set down his cup and gazed out at the starry sky, as if searching for an answer.

"To be honest, Bain, I never wanted to be in the public eye like this. And I don’t want to be forced to rush forward, like a cornered animal."

’Who wouldn’t want to just quietly develop their own fief, repair some roads, plant some crops, and live a peaceful life?’