Nobles Were Always This Awful

Count Sebastian sighed and said gravely, "The situation does not look good. The Half-Orcs' attacks are growing fiercer, and our losses have been severe.

About half a month after you left, Baltahan's Third Army came under attack from the Half-Orcs. Their forces numbered in the tens of thousands, and every one of them was an armored warrior.

The Third Army lost many elites. The King was furious. He knew the Third Army's Legion Commander had suffered an undeserved disaster, so he ordered the other six armies to set out immediately. We must force those Half-Orcs to disperse."

After hearing this, Henry understood everything. No wonder the Half-Orcs they had encountered had been so weak. The truly elite Half-Orc warriors had all gone north, leaving only ordinary defensive forces behind.

Perhaps the Half-Orcs had never imagined that a small group of humans would be bold enough to venture deep into unknown territory.

Boman bared his teeth in a foolish grin and laughed. "Looks like we got lucky. We happened to avoid the Half-Orc troops."

Glen asked, "So those destitute, exiled noble parties and Mercenary Groups were all sent out by you to distract the Half-Orcs?"

"Of course. Since they came uninvited anyway, I might as well send them out to muddy the waters."

"By the way, Count, we also found a great deal of Parchment. Are there any scholars who study Half-Orc writing?"

Count Sebastian ecstatically accepted the stack of Parchment Glen handed over and said, "Your rewards will be even greater, I promise! Even if it turns out to be erotic fiction."

Everyone burst into laughter, even though the joke was not particularly funny.

"All right, summon all the nobles immediately. I'm holding a meeting."

Henry and the others naturally had no objection. They followed Count Sebastian into the Conference Room to wait.

Before long, they saw a large group of stern-faced officers in all kinds of armor enter the Conference Room and take seats at the back.

Everyone wore a grave expression. They knew what Count Sebastian's meeting meant today... the war had officially begun!

A while later, nobles wearing Imperial Robes arrived one after another. The first thing they noticed was Henry and the other four Knights.

Damn, these guys were seriously impressive! News that Henry's group of four had returned alive with plenty of spoils had already spread through the encampment.

Comparisons killed people, and comparisons made goods seem worthless!

With Baron Nurland and the others serving as a shining example of failure, Henry and his companions' reputation had risen another level instead.

What others could not do, you had done. That made you impressive.

"You actually didn't die?"

Baron Nurland, who had entered later, stared at Boman and the others as though he had seen ghosts. His expression was so comical that he could have become a circus clown.

"Oh? Does Baron Nurland want us to die at the hands of the Half-Orcs? How heartbreaking."

Boman knew Baron Nurland's personality very well. After all, he was practically Baron Nurland's rival in love, so he knew exactly how to anger him quickly.

"Hmph! Lucky bastards."

Boman shrugged. "Of course we're lucky. We're Academy students, after all. We have the Dean's protection!"

"You!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Count Sebastian slapped the table and stepped forward, signaling everyone to find a seat. They sat down one after another, and the Conference Room immediately fell silent.

"Everyone, we are now facing a grave situation," Count Sebastian said bluntly.

"The Half-Orcs have already approached the border. They are numerous, powerful in battle, and extremely bloodthirsty. The King is furious over what happened to the Third Army. We must take strong and effective measures to strike back."

Baron Nurland was in a foul mood and did not want to listen to the Count's nonsense. He asked, "Then, Legion Commander, what is your plan?"

"Take the initiative. Enter Half-Orc territory, find their weaknesses, and attack them."

Baron Nurland was deeply dissatisfied with Count Sebastian's answer. That was complete nonsense!

"Of course we must find the Half-Orcs' weaknesses and attack them, but we do not even know where their army's weak points are deployed!

During this hunt, more than four hundred of us died. Iva Roningen's entire force was slaughtered by the Half-Orcs!

Must we throw away our lives because of your command again? And your mission does not sound particularly effective."

Count Sebastian snorted coldly and rebuked him, "Baron Nurland! You failed in battle, and you still dare defy me!"

Court nobles ranked below Independent Nobles with actual power, but on the battlefield, they had to obey the Legion Commander!

Baron Nurland took a deep breath, rose reluctantly, and bowed to the Count in apology before continuing, "Legion Commander, I have no intention of defying you. You are the commander here. Even if a Duke came here, he would have to follow your command.

However, I cannot accept such unreasonable orders and missions. Are you trying to send me to my death?"

Glen stood up at those words and stared at Nurland. "Baron, you had better shut your mouth. Your failure came from your own incompetence, not from an error in the Legion Commander's orders.

Why did we succeed, then? We burned down a Half-Orc tribe and killed more than two hundred Half-Orcs.

Their heads were piled higher than the grain in your estate's granary!

Knight Henry alone killed one Centaur and three Minotaurs! Why couldn't you do the same?"

The people in the Conference Room began whispering among themselves. The harsh, noisy sound made Nurland's expression turn extremely ugly.

Henry sighed helplessly. Cliques really existed everywhere. He had never intended to provoke Nurland, yet because of Boman, Nurland now considered him one of Boman's people.

Now Glen had brought him up without even asking, clearly because he thought that since they were all from the Academy, they were on the same side.

Why were nobles always this awful?

"Oh? Is that so? Then you really are powerful! Since Knight Henry is so formidable, why did he lose to Earl John's second son from Audoh at the Arena Tournament?"

The others quietly moved away from Nurland, looking at him as though he were an idiot.

They felt that Glen would not lie. Half-Orc heads could not be faked, so Henry had to be genuinely strong.

Why would anyone provoke such a valiant Knight?

Henry gave a short laugh, walked over, and slapped Nurland across the face. He said sternly, "Nurland, you are insulting my noble honor! You are questioning my strength! You are provoking the Bro Family, ennobled by the Great King!"

Nurland took the slap squarely across the face. He raised his fist to strike back, but Henry kicked him to the ground.

Could you withstand a kick with twenty-one points of strength?

Nurland climbed back up, clutching his face, and screamed hysterically, "I challenge you—and Boman—to a Life-and-Death Duel!"

Boman: Huh? Me?