The Children of the Knights

Around the imperial capital, the soldiers continued their daily training. Even sharpening their weapons at the last moment was better than nothing, and Reiner spared no effort when it came to anything that might increase their chances of victory.

More than eighteen hundred Prairie Light Cavalrymen roamed west of the imperial capital, with an area stretching eighty kilometers in every direction within their range of reconnaissance.

Eighty kilometers was an enormous radius of operation. Even these light cavalrymen needed an entire day to return to the imperial capital and deliver their reports to Reiner.

The Prairie Light Cavalrymen had more than one warhorse. Each of them had two horses to alternate between, as well as another horse kept in reserve. Otherwise, their mounts would have long since dropped dead from traveling such long distances.

As Reiner's vassal and trusted direct subordinate, Tirihan personally led the other Prairie Lords in patrolling the west.

During these nearly two months, Reiner had not been idle either. Most of the residents west of the imperial capital had been relocated under Reiner's orders.

Although the elders of those villages were not Reiner's direct subordinates, no one dared disobey his orders as the emperor of the empire.

The area around the imperial capital was densely populated. Although wars had broken out frequently over the years, more than three hundred thousand people still lived within fifty kilometers of the imperial capital. The population density was nowhere near comparable to that of the Northern Frontier.

Such a huge population could easily provide logistical supplies to the enemy forces. Besides, Reiner had grown terrified of living through hard times. He could not bear to sacrifice so many people. They were future labor and recruits, and he simply could not stand by while they were handed over to the enemy