Killing a Knight

Earl Lautz could be said to have won this battle in a haze of confusion.

Judging by actual combat strength, the Southern Knights were indeed somewhat weaker than the Northern Knights. Although they had thirty or forty fewer men, Earl William's knightly force would not necessarily have been at a disadvantage. At worst, the battle should have ended in a draw.

However, an entirely unforeseen variable had appeared in this war. That variable exhausted Earl William's dozen or so knights, allowing Earl Lautz to reap the benefits in the end. After being captured, Earl William could only bleed inwardly as he ceded three baronial fiefs near Rose Territory from his own lands, secretly swearing that he would one day reclaim them!

Earl Lautz laughed heartily. How many years had it been? The Southern Faction, which had always been at a disadvantage in terms of military strength, had utterly crushed those Northerners today. Satisfying—truly satisfying!

After gaining three more baronies at once, Earl Lautz swiftly awarded baronial titles to his two younger sons and one fiercely loyal subordinate after taking over the lands, then granted them these three new territories.

Naturally, Earl Lautz did not shortchange the twelve barons who had followed him into battle. He gave each of them a considerable reward and granted every baron fifteen knight slots. This allowed the barons, who had lost many knights in the war, not only to restore their knightly forces to full strength after returning home, but also to expand them further—as long as their territories could provide enough fiefs to grant out.

"Honorable Earl, I do not want a monetary reward. I want to become a noble knight!"

Inside the great tent, Zhou Ming knelt on one knee and looked eagerly at Earl Lautz, who sat above him.

Earl Lautz had been deeply impressed by this "farmer," who had performed exceptionally well on the battlefield. After summoning him and asking what reward he wanted, Zhou Ming gave this answer.

"Young man, your loyalty and courage greatly surprise me. But those alone are far from enough to become a knight. Can you pass the examinations required to become a knight and obtain a Knight Medal?"

Becoming a knight was not as simple as saying the words. Knights from any territory had to pass the martial examinations of the Royal Knight Academy before they could receive knight certification.

These examinations included horsemanship, swordsmanship, spear technique, archery, and more. After passing these martial tests, one still had to serve the King for two years as a knight apprentice. Only after completing that service could one be awarded a Knight Medal and become an official knight.

Of course, there was one crucial prerequisite: anyone wishing to become a knight had to be of noble descent.

That single requirement eliminated Zhou Ming, who bore the identity of the Son of a Farmer.

"Honorable Earl, through diligence and hard work, I will pass those examinations. Please give me such an opportunity!"

Zhou Ming knew there was another way to change his fate: the Earl's Letter of Recommendation. Such Letters of Recommendation were scarce; each earl only had ten every year. If Earl Lautz were willing to give him one recommendation slot, then even as the Son of a Farmer, the professors at the Royal Knight Academy would give him an opportunity to enroll out of respect for Earl Lautz.

"Child, you have great potential, but you are simply too old. You have already missed the best time to become a knight. Take this bag of gold coins and go home. Marry, have children, and live out your life in peace and prosperity. That is what you deserve most."

Earl Lautz shook his head and tossed a money pouch before Zhou Ming. Coins clinked crisply within it, yet Zhou Ming stared blankly ahead. Only after a long while did he pick up the pouch and leave the tent dejectedly.

Baron Connor, who had been saved by Zhou Ming and now lay heavily wounded in bed, learned of the matter from the talking knights and summoned Zhou Ming over to comfort him.

"Child, I have seen your talent and effort. If you are still willing to remain in Glan Territory in the future, I can entrust all the estates outside the castle to your management. If you wish to assist Donny and venture out into the world with him, then study well under Scholar Ellen. Perhaps someday, you may become a respected scholar as well."

Baron Connor gave Zhou Ming two choices, the best two choices he could offer him. He could give no more.

"Thank you, Baron. If it is still possible, I will continue to pursue my dream. If not, I will do the things I am good at."

Zhou Ming did not give a clear answer. Just like this war, even he had not expected that his somewhat crazy actions would bring him a reward of one hundred gold coins. What if, in some future war, he played an even greater role?

Fortune was found in danger. In this world plagued by constant war, perhaps many opportunities were waiting for him out in the wild?

Just as Zhou Ming began entertaining thoughts that made his blood stir, a challenging interrogation shattered them.

"Kid, with that chicken-like body of yours, you want to become a noble knight? Don't tell me you're still dreaming and haven't woken up yet?"

A scar-faced knight had appeared before him at some unknown point, reeking of alcohol. His face was ugly and hateful, and his mouth never stopped yapping.

Greed flashed in the scar-faced knight's eyes as he stared at the pouch tied to Zhou Ming's waist. "Kid, I heard you earned merit on the battlefield, and the Earl gave you quite a reward? Be smart and hand over that pouch! The little merit you earned is practically an insult to us knights. You want to stuff money gained by insulting knights into your own pocket?"

The scar-faced knight's words won the unanimous approval of several nearby knights, who all demanded that Zhou Ming hand over the money.

"Fernandi, teach this lowly brat a proper lesson. How can the dignity of us knights be defiled by such lowly trash?"

"Kid, hand over the money obediently. Once I've had enough to drink, maybe I won't bother you anymore."

"Ryan, you should take out the two hundred gold coins in your pocket and buy these knight lords a drink. Then they'll let you go!" At some unknown point, the fat Baum had appeared behind the group of knights and spoke in an inciting tone.

Two hundred gold coins? That's enough to consider killing this little brat... Someone's eyes lit up.

Watching the knights draw ever closer, Zhou Ming's heart sank. Money had brought trouble again. It seemed there would be no peaceful end to this matter today.

Still, his expression remained blank as he said, "So you intend to rob me, honorable knight?"

At the word "rob," Fernandi flared up. Breathing out a cloud of alcohol, he grabbed Zhou Ming by the collar. "Kid! Stop trying to talk your way out of this. Behave yourself! Hand over all the money you have!"

"And if I don't?" Zhou Ming asked.

"Hehe!"

Fernandi laughed furiously. He dearly wanted to draw his sword and chop the brat in front of him to death immediately, but with so many people watching... he barely suppressed his anger and said, "Kid, I'll give you a chance not to hand it over! We'll have a one-on-one match. If you win, the money is yours. If I win..."

"The money is yours?" Zhou Ming finished.

"Correct answer, kid."

"But you're a knight, and I'm only a farmer. Is that fair?"

"Hey! I want to have a match with this kid. Everyone, do you think it's fair?" Fernandi shouted at the people around him.

"Fair! Completely fair!" everyone answered in unison, with Baum's voice the loudest of all.

"Fine! I'll fight you."

Zhou Ming took off his coat and tossed the pouch at his waist onto an ox cart. The mouth of the pouch loosened, spilling a gleam of gold. The surrounding onlookers gasped. So many gold coins! Then fury rose in their hearts. This damned brat had hidden so much money on him, yet he had not even bought them a drink!

Before long, Zhou Ming brought over the spear that had once killed seventeen farmers and wiped away the dried bloodstains with rough cloth.

Knight Fernandi, meanwhile, had put on full heavy armor and brought over his warhorse.

"Fernandi, you're fighting just some kid. Was there really any need to bring your horse? You have no knightly grace at all!" An acquaintance of Fernandi's among the crowd cried out.

Mounted on his warhorse, Fernandi revealed a cruel smile and bared his teeth. "Stand aside and watch! Watch how I trample this brat into pulp and chop him into pieces! Today, I'll use this brat's death to prove just how formidable us knights are!"

"Well said!" "That's the spirit, Fernandi!" "Fernandi, for the glory of knights, crush this brat!"

Everyone cheered, eagerly anticipating the sight of how Fernandi would crush that irritating farmer brat.

A flat, open stretch of land.

Separated by around twenty meters, man and horse faced each other.

"Kid, die!"

The moment the match began, Fernandi could not wait to grind the farmer brat opposite him into minced meat. He spurred his warhorse onward, swung his longsword, and charged straight at Zhou Ming.

Watching the high-speed warhorse draw closer, feeling the force of its oncoming charge, Zhou Ming did not choose to resist it head-on. Instead, he set the spear in his hand aside, lowered his head, and rolled along the ground, evading the fatal strike that would surely have brought death.

One charge.

Two charges.

Many charges.

More than ten consecutive back-and-forth charges were all narrowly evaded by the careful and cautious Zhou Ming.

"Damned brat, if you've got guts, stop running and let me cut you with my sword!" Fernandi roared furiously, waving his blade.

Zhou Ming calmly dodged another strike with agility, sneering inwardly. Stand there and let you cut me? Do you take me for an idiot?

After more than thirty mounted charges, Fernandi still had not struck Zhou Ming even once. Instead, he had exhausted his warhorse until it panted heavily, while he himself was drenched in sweat and felt his armor growing heavier and heavier.

This should be enough...

Watching the warhorse slowly charge toward him and the knight whose alcohol-addled reactions had grown sluggish... Zhou Ming picked up the spear he had set on the ground earlier, adjusted his breathing, and fixed his gaze on Fernandi's unprotected eyes.

"Kid, you're finally not dodging this time. Die!"

Seeing Zhou Ming standing motionless with his body bent low, Fernandi was overjoyed. He excitedly raised the longsword in his hand and swung down with all his strength once more!

Yet before he could see the brat below split in two, a black shadow darted into his eye socket like a poisonous snake. Then came a burst of agonizing pain, and after that, he sank into profound darkness.

Boom!

As Fernandi's corpse crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact, the knights and every onlooker present were struck speechless, staring in stunned disbelief.