We Need a Pioneering War to Make the Eastern Grasslands Great Again!

"Knight, your identification is in order. Do you require a guide?"

"No need."

Henry put away his identification and entered the city with his attendant. This was Odoh City, the territory of an Earl.

"Finally, free."

Bain, the attendant, led the warhorse and smiled, "Yes, Master. We'll be arriving at the fief soon. No more suffering in the Academy."

Henry smiled and shook his head, saying, "Haha, Academy life is tiring, but not suffering. We've been traveling for a month. Come on, I'll take you to a tavern to relax."

The two arrived at a decent-looking tavern, handed their horses to the stable boy, and went inside to ask the owner for two glasses of wine and a plate of smoked meat.

The owner saw the weapons, armor, and noble coat of arms on Henry and chose to serve Henry first, only able to apologize to the other customers.

Henry was a transmigrator, having transmigrated into the infant body of the second son of a lesser noble family in this world.

This world was very strange. It had a name he was familiar with—Calradia—but many things were not in his memory.

The 24-hour system, the 12-month year, similar yet different cultural customs, a hodgepodge of surnames and currency systems, various demihumans and other races...

Henry originally thought he would just finish elementary and middle school, return to the family fief to help with accounts, and live a stable and prosperous life.

But unexpectedly, on the day he came of age, he gained the Mount & Blade Overlord Panel!

Henry immediately found his biological father in this world and insisted on enrolling in the Royal Knight Academy.

His academic scores were sufficient, but the slightly expensive tuition required his father's support.

"Henry, the money for these three years at the Academy is not a small sum. The family's fief only has three villages and a fortified manor. If I give you this money, I won't be able to give you any help from now on... This will make your brother uncomfortable."

"I only need this one help. Please, Father."

Henry's biological father in this world was moved by the word "Father." He remembered Henry growing from babbling incoherently to becoming the most educated man in the family, and his tender feelings were touched. He secretly gave Henry the tuition.

From then on, Henry would send a family letter home every year, but he never returned home otherwise.

Henry often shed tears in his Academy dormitory. He had lived in his home in this world for eighteen years, a full eighteen years!

But he didn't regret it. With a cheat, he had to go out and explore! If he transmigrated without a cheat, what was the difference from wasting time in a different place?

[Overlord] (Panel appears only once in full)

[Owner]: Henry Burley

[Level]: 8 (76/12000)

[Free Attribute Points, Specialization Points]: 0

...

[LV.6 Vitality] (Attribute Points 6/10)

[One-Handed] (Specialization 4/10)

One-Handed Skill Bonuses: ① Efficient Training (Personal Experience × 120%), ② Exceptional Grip, ③ Iron Wrist (Control +1), ④ Innate Arm Strength (Endurance +1)

[Two-Handed] (Specialization 3/10)

Two-Handed Skill Bonuses: ① Powerful (Your upper body muscles are strengthened, Vitality +1), ② Meat Grinder (No one is willing to face your Battle Axe head-on), ③ Ripper (Enemy shields are no match for you)

[Polearms] (Specialization 4/10)

Polearm Skill Bonuses: ① Efficient Thrusts (Your spearhead is difficult for enemies to resist), ② Elite Infantry (In melee combat, troop morale +3), ③ Lancer, ④ Piercing Heart (No one can withstand your Lance charge)

[LV.5 Control] (Attribute Points 5/10)

[Bow] (Specialization 4/10)

Bow Skill Bonuses: ① Quick Shot (Faster bow reloading speed), ② Moving Shot (Improved muscle control), ③ Eagle Eye (You are always luckier at finding enemy weaknesses), ④ Horse Archer

[Crossbow] (Specialization 3/10)

Crossbow Skill Bonuses: ① Quick Shot (Faster crossbow reloading speed), ② Moving Shot (Improved muscle control), ③ Sudden Attack (Faster reloading speed)

[Throwing] (Specialization 3/10)

Throwing Skill Bonuses: ① Knife Thrower, ② Axe Throwing Expert, ③ Javelin Skirmishers

[LV.5 Endurance] (Attribute Points 5/10)

[Riding] (Specialization 5/10)

Riding Skill Bonuses: ① Gallop, ② Agile Warhorse, ③ Natural Cavalry (Polearm Skill +1), ④ Mounted Archery Talent (Bow Skill +1)

[Athletics] (Specialization 3/10)

Athletics Skill Bonuses: ① Steady Breathing (Enhanced lungs), ② Endurance Bonus, ③ Swift as the Wind

[Smithing] (Specialization 2/10)

Smithing Skill Bonuses: ① Strong and Healthy (Vitality +1), ② Muscle Growth (Control +1)

[LV.6 Cunning] (Attribute Points 6/10)

[Scouting] (Specialization 2/10)

Scouting Skill Bonuses: ① Wayfarer (Always finds shortcuts), ② Vision Correction

[Tactics] (Specialization 3/10)

Tactics Skill Bonuses: ① Fearless Encounter, ② Quick Formation, ③ Orderly Ranks

[Roguery] (Specialization 5/10)

Roguery Skill Bonuses: ① Feared by Enemies (Majesty +1), ② Befriended by Wanderers, ③ Master Chess Player, ④ Increased Spoils of War, ⑤ Social Expert (Charm +1)

[LV.4 Social] (Attribute Points 4/10)

[Charm] (Specialization 3/10)

Charm Skill Bonuses: ① Approachable, ② Favored by the Opposite Sex, ③ Favored by the Same Sex

[Leadership] (Specialization 1/10)

Command Skill Bonus: ① New Recruit Adoration (Morale +3)

[Trade] (Specialization 2/10)

Trade Skill Bonus: ① 20% off Food, ② Fair Trade (Merchants might not fleece you)

Overlord Novice Tutorial

① Gain 1 Attribute Point and 3 Specialization Points per Personal Level Up

② Learning and using specialized skills can increase personal experience

③ Skill Specialization cannot exceed Ability Level

These were the abilities Henry had gained over the past three years, which was why his academic performance always gave his teachers headaches.

In the graduation competition, Henry became the most dazzling student among his peers, earning the top spot and receiving a knighthood from the Academy Dean, who was also the King. He became a noble with real power, a Knight!

Using the excuse of unusual activity from the foreign tribes outside the Eastern Grasslands, the King granted Henry a border fiefdom. There was a village there, which would be the beginning of Henry's path to becoming an Overlord!

However...

"What?! You said West Lyme was destroyed!"

Henry had just taken a sip of delicious wine when he heard a guest in the tavern say that West Lyme had been destroyed.

That was the village on his fiefdom! His poor property on his fiefdom was this village!

The guest was startled and quickly explained to Henry.

It turned out that just over ten days ago, a group of Centaurs had raided the village, plundering all the grain and a large number of people. The entire village was destroyed.

Only a few people escaped, and they were all so scared that they fled overnight.

Revenge? Those who were scared out of their wits only wanted to run. You can never guess what a person will do next.

Henry was completely stunned at this moment. He had thought the fiefdom would be poor, he had thought the fiefdom would be bad, he had thought of all sorts of difficulties in development, but he had never thought of this situation.

Good news, arrived at the fiefdom. Bad news, the fiefdom is gone!

[Owner has arrived near the fiefdom area, Overlord Panel Stage Two is activating...]

Henry: ???

Huh? He thought being an Overlord was the limit, but there's still a higher level?

[Activation failed...]

[Issuing Novice Guidance Quest]

[Quest: Rebuild the Village]

Requirement: Over 300 Population, corresponding basic housing

[Friendly reminder, don't take shortcuts, strive for yourself, Overlord!]

Henry looked at the words "Novice Guidance" on the panel in front of him, his mouth twitching. So, he had worked hard for three years and was already level eight! In the end, he was still a newbie, right?

The guest saw Henry's noble coat of arms and, after a moment's thought, continued, "My lord, the Earl is mobilizing his army, seemingly planning a counterattack against the invading foreign races.

Recently, many villages have been destroyed, and even three Barons and seventeen Knights have died."

This made Henry feel more balanced. All he lost was his fief, while they lost their lives.

Henry paid for the guest who answered his questions. It wasn't much money, just a simple gesture.

"Bain, hurry up and finish eating and drinking. We need to visit the Earl here."

Bain quickly drank his wine and ate the meat on his plate, then went out, fetched the horses, and followed Henry as he left.

Bain had been with Henry for three years. Henry had found him as a beggar on the street back then. The Academy had a rule that if a student's grades were excellent, they could bring a squire to study with them.

The two traveled along the main road and arrived at the Earl's Mansion, the tallest and most solid building in Audoh.

"Halt! The Earl is holding a meeting," the guards at the gate immediately stepped forward to block Henry.

Henry showed his coat of arms, presented his identification, and said, "I am a Fief of the King, but my Territory has been destroyed by Centaurs. I need the Earl's help."

After checking, the guard immediately reported to the captain, then returned and said to Henry, "Knight, please wait here."

Henry nodded and waited outside. The guard brought Henry a chair. He was just a minor guard and didn't want to offend a Noble.

No matter how low a Knight's Peerage or how small their Fief, they were still Nobles.

After a while, the captain ran back and said to Henry, "Knight, please follow me. The Earl has asked you to join the meeting. Your squire can rest here."

Led by the captain, Henry arrived at a large hall to wait. The captain went in to announce him. Inside, a heated argument was taking place.

"Earl John! We've lost our Fiefs! We can't afford this money now!"

"Earl John, although I am only a Baron, we are all Fiefs of the King. You should send troops to help us rebuild our Fiefs!"

"Earl, we can pay for your army to march, but this money is too much. We don't have that many Denars right now!"

The more Henry listened, the more troubled he felt. It seemed the situation was not good.

"My lord, the Earl asks you to enter."

Henry entered and found a seat on the edge.

"Who is this newcomer?"

"Henry, Henry Burley, a graduate of the Royal Knight Academy. I am the Lord of West Lyme, a Fief of the King, with the Peerage of Knight."

The person next to Henry said happily, "I am Knight Boman, also from the Royal Knight Academy, a Fief of the King... It seems you are the most outstanding student of your class."

Henry was a little confused. "Why do you say that?"

Boman raised his head and said, "Because I was the most outstanding student of my class."

Henry chuckled twice. So he was praising himself.

"Yes, the most outstanding student of the past, Knight Boman. Your Fief was destroyed, and didn't you also run back?"

"You! Fas! Didn't you also run away!"

The Earl, sitting in the main seat, slapped the table, and the two immediately stopped arguing.

The Count rubbed his head. Boman and Fas, those two, had been arguing for four or five years in his memory.

He couldn't understand why two Knights, whose fiefs weren't even adjacent, argued every single day.

He had thought that after their fiefs were destroyed, they would quiet down for a while, but it turned out they were still the same.

"Knight Henry, I am Earl John Hoyland, the master of this city and a vassal of the King. Your territory was destroyed before you even arrived, and I am very sorry."

Henry nodded and said, "Thank you for your concern, Earl. May I ask if you can provide me with assistance?"

John shook his head and said, "Look around you. In this hall, there are five Barons, over twenty Knights, and now you. I apologize, but I cannot provide assistance to such a large number of Nobles."

So, everyone in this room had their fiefs destroyed...

Henry shook his head, stood up, and said, "I hope the Count can lead us in a joint petition to initiate a new round of pioneering! We need a Temporary Pioneer Act to attract those Mercenaries to fight for us!"

As soon as Henry said this, the people in the hall were somewhat moved. The Empire hadn't had a Pioneering War in decades.

"Knight Henry, tell us your thoughts."

Henry cleared his throat and said to everyone, "Even if we rebuild our territories, what good will it do? We'll still be threatened by those Demihumans!

If the King activates the Temporary Pioneer Act, a large number of ambitious people from all over the Empire will come to our Eastern Border with their substantial wealth.

These people can help us disperse a great many Demihuman armies.

Everyone must still have a lot of Gold Coins in their hands. The Mercenaries who come with them will be our ready-made Army!"

At this point, Henry excitedly waved his arms and asked, "Don't you want to gain more fiefs? Don't you want to raise your Peerage?

Let's petition together and activate the Pioneer Act! More land, higher Peerage, more Subjects, more Army, more wealth!"

Henry had been thinking about how to profit from this loss since he was at the tavern. The plan he finally came up with was to get everyone excited and then fight their way out!

The other Nobles all looked at John. They agreed with Henry's statement. It was time to launch a Pioneering War and make the Eastern Grasslands rise again.

The Count was also somewhat moved. If he could gain a small piece of new Fief in this Pioneering War, it would only take two years for him to turn the new Territory into fertile land.

"I agree with Knight Henry's opinion. I will immediately send someone to contact all the Nobles enfeoffed by the King in the surrounding areas and seek their opinions.

The meeting is now over. I will hold a banquet tonight to welcome Knight Henry's arrival."

The other Nobles left one after another, bidding farewell to Earl John.

"Knight Henry, you can stay temporarily in my mansion. All these temporarily exiled Nobles are here with me." John didn't mind providing Henry with food and drink; it was necessary to maintain good relations with the surrounding Nobles.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Earl. Will the King agree to our request?"

Earl John nodded and said, "The King is an ambitious and capable ruler. No one would refuse more achievements."

Henry and John chatted for a few more minutes about nothing in particular, then Henry stood up and took his leave. Led by the Count's servant, he found his attendant, Bain, who was squatting on the ground playing with ants.

"Bain, we will be staying here temporarily."

"Master, I will go and pack the luggage now."

Bain left with the servant, while Henry waited by the flowerbed in the small courtyard.

What exactly is Overlord Stage Two? Henry's mind wandered.

"Knight Henry, what are you thinking about?"

Henry turned his head and saw that it was Knight Boman who had walked over. He replied, "I'm thinking about the feasibility of my plan."

Boman nodded in agreement and said, "The King will agree. The Empire has been peaceful for too long and needs a war to eliminate the hidden dangers within the Empire."