Back in Iowa Town, the Gallop Academy students, who had been away from the plains for nearly a month, heaved long sighs of relief. Northwest Count Territory's niece Elinda Bristle-Wolf and Leimes Mormont, daughter of White Tree City's viscount, in particular, could hardly wait to return home.
Not long after they were dismissed, Elinda ran over and pleaded with Landen. "Lord Landen, don't you have a Teleportation Portal to Night-Kirin City? Could you open it for Leimes and me? Neither of us has ever been away from the Kingdom for this long!"
"I do, but you two will have to wait a moment." As he spoke, Landen pulled a noble insignia from his pocket and pinned it onto Elinda's clothes.
"This is..." Elinda stared at the insignia, her eyes shining.
"With my current authority, the highest rank I can grant you is Court Baron." Landen casually pinned another insignia onto Leimes. "You'll have the fief of hereditary knights—probably a knight's farm. Once you return, take your time marking it out on the map."
"You mean it, my lord?" Elinda's eyes went wide as she asked in disbelief. "We're really hereditary lords with fiefs now?"
"Why would I lie to you?" Landen took out more than a dozen noble insignias, pinning them not only on the two girls, but also on Dandelion, Wufi, and every Knight Apprentice who had taken part in the charge squad.
"You are the first Human Race army to wage prolonged battle deep in Beastman territory. Such merit would have been exceedingly rare even a thousand years ago."
Following the General Staff's recommendation, every knight who had distinguished themselves by killing Ratmen and Beastmen west of Iowa would be granted a knight's fief. Those who had entered the charge squad and pushed deep into the heart of