'To the Lord of Westwood Laine, my Vassal Knight, my student.
I have received your letter, and it has brought me great relief. Your report was clear and articulate, and your writing elegant. It seems your academic studies were not as poor as your teachers claimed.
I received news a week ago that you and your seniors had gone missing in uncharted territory. I was deeply worried and wrote this letter immediately. I have also issued a secret order reprimanding Count Sebastian.
One more thing: muster your forces and prepare for war. The Third Legion was ambushed by a large Half-Beastman army, which has made me furious.
If you conquer enough land and earn sufficient military merit in this war of expansion, I will grant you more titles. You may consolidate them and petition me for a promotion in rank.
If you and your seniors have returned safely and are reading this letter, I hope you will write back to me to set my mind at ease.
If you have truly fallen at the hands of the Half-Beastmen, I will compensate your family with a large sum of money, though this would be of no meaning to you.
I hope with all my heart that you are reading this letter with your own eyes, rather than having it burned for you in the afterlife.'
Henry pursed his lips. He had no choice but to have Claude bring him a pen and paper to begin his reply to the King.
He had originally planned to see an evening opera. Autongard was, after all, the most prosperous Free City on the plains, and its songs and dances were said to be wild, unrestrained, and passionate—like fine steeds galloping across the grasslands.
He had intended to "critically appreciate" the opera tonight, to see if it was truly as stunning as the rumors claimed.
Unfortunately, he now had to write back to the King and had no time to buy a ticket. He had even used the excuse of needing to rest to turn down a trip to the bathhouse with Boman and the other two.
'To the great ruler of the Caladian Empire, master of the continent of Caladia, a King of unparalleled bravery, wisdom, and benevolence. You are my Lord, whom I serve with loyalty, and my Dean.
Your majesty is as imposing as a great mountain, inspiring awe in all; your concern is as warm as the sun, giving people hope and strength.
You are like a brilliant star in the sky, gracing every noble and commoner with your boundless compassion and wisdom, granting us all your protection.
Your Vassal and student, Henry Bro, offers you his loyalty and blessings. The four of us have returned safely, and our gains were plentiful. This time, we… those Centaurs and Minotaurs… Glen's command… the Bravery of Boman and Fass… under the radiance of your glory, the soldiers…
Upon our party's return to Autongard, Baron Nurulan of Hepburn Castle challenged me to a duel to the death. I was victorious. My King, another of your Vassals has died in a meaningless duel, and I grieve for your loss.
My Dean, I will wield my blade to expand your territory and spread your renown, and to win more land, titles, and Dinars for myself.
Please accept my highest respect and deepest devotion, great King! May your reign be long and stable, and may the Caladian Empire be prosperous and strong forever!
Your Vassal, the Lord of Westwood Laine, your student, Henry Bro, offers you respect as boundless as the sky.'
Flattery came easily to Henry. To him, as long as he lacked the power to overturn the world, it was best to maintain the proper respect for the ostensible supreme King.
"Claude, go send this letter. Have it sent express."
Claude took the letter and asked, "My lord, should we send a letter to Tommy as well? You've been away for nearly two months. The castle might be close to completion, and if you have further plans, you should inform him sooner rather than later."
Henry nodded. He had completely forgotten about that. "Claude, your reminder is important. For now, go and send the King's letter first. I need to think more about matters concerning the fief."
Claude bowed and said, "My lord, I am your Government Housekeeper. It is my duty."
"Mhm. Once I become a Baron, I expect you to call yourself the Minister of State Affairs."
After Claude left, Henry flopped directly onto the bed, not wanting to think about anything.
'Fief? Plans?' Henry had no enthusiasm for any of it right now. All he wanted was a good night's sleep.
***
Early the next morning, Henry was on his warhorse practicing his Riding Skill, swinging his long-handled Yanyue Saber. The sound of it slicing through the air made the watching soldiers gulp.
"No wonder Sir Knight was able to defeat Baron Nurulan. Turns out he trains his Martial Arts this hard every day."
"Shut up and get rid of the piss-pots. Careful or the captain will kick your ass."
Covered in sweat, Henry returned to his tent to wash up and eat before writing down the instructions he had for Tommy.
In truth, Henry didn't have many instructions. It all boiled down to three things.
First, buy more serfs, both men and women. Reclaim more land and build more housing.
Second, establish the Westwood Laine Forest Hunting Ground and the Westwood Laine Ranch. This could attract some Hunters to settle there. Also, purchase a small number of shepherd slaves.
Third, enact a new fief law: after two years of farming or herding without any legal infractions, a person can regain their free status. They can then rent land from Henry to become tenant farmers and can own their own house, family, and property.
Henry summoned Claude and instructed, "Claude, send all the money we have now back with the letter. Give the post office three Dinars, tell them who I am. I don't want any accidents causing me to lose my funds."
"Of course, my lord, I'll see to it at once. However… Captain Philip hopes you might be able to pay their wages. You understand, the soldiers need to spend money at the taverns and brothels to soothe their minds and bodies."
"Of course. These weapons, armor, and Half-Beastman heads will fetch a large sum of money. Not only will it be enough for our military expenses for a long time, but we'll have a large amount left over even after today's feast."
Henry took a sip of black tea and smiled. "And don't forget, Claude, we still have a huge bounty and reward that we haven't collected yet."
Soon, noon arrived. The soldiers, eagerly anticipating a great feast, gathered near Henry's camp.
Three whole carriages of beer, along with rice bread, cooked chicken, pork, and mutton that they would normally never dream of eating. It was as if it were the Empire's New Year Festival!
To the soldiers, this spread could only be described as a dazzling feast. With Henry's permission, they all found a spot and started eating.
They had no need for etiquette. The only real art was in how to eat faster and eat more.
Henry had prepared enough food for over two thousand soldiers to eat their fill. If there wasn't enough to go around, they could just fight for it. The winner gets to eat, and it would liven things up a bit.