Revenge

[Quest complete. Reward: 2000 EXP. Level up to 8. Random item reward.]

[Item reward received: Muscles and Strength. Requires 6 Intelligence to read.]

Harrot now needed a lot of experience to level up. He had gained over a thousand experience points from killing nearly ten enemies before, and with the 2000 experience from the quest, he finally managed to level up.

The difficulty of leveling up was increasing rapidly. He might only reach level 20 at most in his lifetime, and his attribute and skill points were quite limited!

In a game, enemies would refresh out of nowhere, and players could become a "ten thousand slayer" and grind to level 40. But in reality, where would he find so many enemies to kill?

Compared to leveling up, the book reward was an even bigger surprise. The previous Sword Fighting Manual had allowed him to learn three skills: Light Strike, Heavy Strike, and Dragon Slaying Sword Qi, and also increased his Weapon Mastery skill by one point.

In a game, Muscles and Strength could increase a player's Strength attribute by one point. He wondered what additional effects reading this book would have in reality.

However, now wasn't the time for reading. Hundreds of soldiers and nearly a thousand commoners needed his management. From arranging scouts to reconnoiter the road to choosing a campsite for cooking and resting, there was a heap of things to do even if nothing unexpected happened.

When Harrot finally had a moment to spare, he still had to comfort Sihrulu, who had lost her home and family. Don't get the wrong idea, it was genuine comfort; he simply couldn't spare the time to read.

After a few days, Sihrulu had become completely dependent on Harrot, no longer calling him "Sir" but "Brother Harrot."

This filled Harrot with emotion. His three life dreams were to own his own territory, become a household name as a hero, and marry eight beautiful wives.

One of his life dreams was basically one-eighth fulfilled! No, with that beautiful maid, it was two-eighths!

Harrot frequently visited Sihrulu, and food and daily necessities were also arranged for her. His intentions were clear, but no one said anything about it.

Strength determined status, and status determined treatment. Harrot was Marcus's chief Knight, and his strength far surpassed that of other Knights. Besides The Bald Man, no one could contend with Harrot.

Even The Bald Man couldn't guarantee victory against Harrot. The two frequently sparred after both became extraordinary Knights, with wins and losses on both sides, though The Bald Man won a bit more often.

However, The Bald Man had already reached his peak strength and would find it difficult to continue improving, while Harrot wasn't yet 20, and had significant room for improvement in both technique and physical ability.

Therefore, it was completely fair to say that Harrot was the strongest under Marcus. For such a powerful person, beauty and wealth were simply what he deserved.

Finally, the group arrived at Marquis Prague's direct territory. Even the greedier Nobles wouldn't dare seek death by causing trouble here. Marcus's troops also converged, having eliminated a total of seven or eight "bandit" groups, roughly 300 people.

They captured six Knights, from three different families. Marcus had already sent envoys to contact Marquis Prague. After settling the common soldiers and civilians, he took Harrot and the other Knights to meet Marquis Prague.

Marcus himself was very strong, having participated in wars against the Orcs, and was considered a renowned and powerful Noble within the country. Marquis Prague had just returned from a distant expedition, so he simply gathered all the Nobles for a banquet to welcome Marcus.

Harrot finally saw the legendary Marquis Prague with his own eyes.

Marquis Prague had a rugged appearance, with a large beard, and was even bigger than Harrot and The Bald Man, those two muscular men. His hands, in particular, were extraordinarily large, not much smaller than an Ogre's palms.

At close range, Harrot could feel Marquis Prague's terrifying strength even more acutely. Just one glance from him made Harrot's breathing become somewhat constricted.

It was as if the person before him wasn't a human, but a tens-of-meters-long Dragon!

"Legendary level! Do I have any hope of becoming that strong in this lifetime?" Harrot didn't remember how he got to his seat, Marquis Prague's imposing figure lingering in his mind.

"Well, are you shocked? To be honest, the first time I saw a legendary expert, I was just like you two!"

Marcus patted Harrot and The Bald Man's shoulders. The Bald Man was just as struck as Harrot, his previously proud strength suddenly seeming so insignificant.

"The first legendary expert I saw was on the battlefield. Grand Duke Lance of the Kingdom of Qiat single-handedly charged into the Orc army and wreaked havoc!"

"Meanwhile, I was in a sorry state just encountering a random elite Orc squad. After that battle, I was depressed for half a month before I pulled myself together!"

Marcus poured himself a drink and downed it, saying with renewed vigor, "Marquis Prague back then wasn't much stronger than I am now! If he can become a legendary expert, I have a chance too!"

"And with such a powerful person leading the way to reclaim the east, don't you feel much more confident?"

Harrot and The Bald Man's emotions eased after hearing Marcus's words. They poured themselves drinks and began to eat, drink, and relax.

Soon, a few more Nobles joined the banquet. Seeing that most people had arrived, Prague lightly coughed a few times, drawing everyone's attention.

"After I formally decided to begin reclaiming the land, I took my elite troops to scout the situation in the east!"

"Beyond the swamps and wilderness, there's an endless plain! I haven't explored it precisely, but I can guarantee that area is larger than our Kingdom of Lucanir and the two other human countries around us!"

"No, it's larger than all three countries combined! Since the Orcs drove us humans south, we've been confined to this land, surviving under the protection of the Elves!"

"It's time to venture out into the world! To establish new homes and open up new territories!"

Marquis Prague's tone was high-spirited, and everyone applauded and cheered in response.

Prague continued, "Today, new companions have joined our alliance. He is Viscount Marcus of the Northern Province!"

Marcus stood up and raised his wine glass. The Nobles all followed suit, and everyone drank together, completing their initial introductions.

Prague excitedly announced the progress of the reclamation: "Now, our Eastern Pioneering Alliance has been joined by 27 families!"

"Through our efforts over the past few months, the swamps and wilderness leading to the eastern lands have been completely conquered!"

"Whether it was the multi-headed lizards that gathered in the swamps or the Ogres that moved in hordes in the wilderness, we have completely cleared them out!"

"We have taken a huge step! The next step is to advance into the eastern lands, open up our territories there, and bring our people to establish new homes!"

To the south of the Kingdom of Lucanir was the Elf Forest, to the north was Orc territory, and to the west were two allied human nations.

The swamps and wilderness to the east weren't too vast, but they were home to various powerful creatures, and the environment was harsh. It would be difficult for a large number of commoners to pass through without clearing them out.

Marquis Prague and the other Nobles had focused their main efforts on this during this period, which was why they hadn't had time to deal with the widespread invasions in the outlying territories.

The atmosphere of the banquet was high, and everyone was immersed in joy, dreaming of reclaiming land and achieving their dreams.

Marcus didn't want to spoil the mood, so he didn't bring up the "bandit" problem they encountered on the road. After the banquet, he took Harrot and the others, escorting the captured Knights to meet Marquis Prague.

Marquis Prague was furious after hearing Marcus's report, especially when he heard that a large number of villages on the outskirts of the Eastern Province had become ruins and their villagers wantonly massacred. He directly slammed his hand down, shattering the table in front of him.

"Marcus, thank you for doing the right thing. Eustace, Leon, and Creno, right? Those three families are notoriously greedy and cruel; their people often flee their lands!"

"I don't care about their caravans plundering goods from outside the border, but they dared to cause trouble on my territory! This isn't over. Hode, gather the troops. We're going to pay a visit to their lands!"

Marcus thought Marquis Prague intended to loot villages and quickly advised, "Marquis Prague, we'll need a large population after we conquer the eastern territories. Please don't harm civilians! If we ruin our reputation, it will be hard to attract people to migrate!"

Marquis Prague's eyes widened. "Who said I'm going to raid villages? I'm going to attack their castles! I'll make them pay for their sins with blood!"

"From now on, the names of these three families will disappear from the Kingdom!"

Marcus, Harrot, and the others were stunned. Attack the nobles' strongholds directly?

Every noble family was a cornerstone of the Kingdom. To avoid weakening the nation's power, armies rarely attacked noble castles. Even if war broke out, it usually only resulted in knights dying and villages being destroyed.

Nobles typically only died on the battlefield against Orcs. Judging by Marquis Prague's furious reaction, he was truly going to wipe out those three families!

Marcus no longer tried to stop Marquis Prague; he secretly agreed with him.

The pioneering effort in the East wouldn't be a one or two-day affair. The army's supplies would still need to be provided by the Eastern Province, and most of the people in the new territories would rely on civilians migrating from the Eastern Province.

If they couldn't thoroughly deter the nobles within the country, the pioneering effort would be doomed to fail without a stable rear.

Anyway, they were about to establish a new country. After breaking away from the Kingdom of Lucanir, who cared if the nation's strength was weakened or not? Of course, they had to strike with thunderous force to prevent those nobles from causing trouble again!

Early the next morning, Marquis Prague set off with his troops. Marcus took the Knight to register with the alliance leader.

The army's first expedition to the East was scheduled for half a month later. Marcus used this time to visit various nobles, and Harrot also found time to read.

Marquis Prague's efficiency was astonishing. In just 10 days, he completely wiped out those three families. The nobles of the entire Kingdom of Lucanir were terrified by Marquis Prague's actions and no longer dared to intrude or harass. Even caravans from outside the border didn't dare to cause trouble.

Marcus told Harrot that the extraordinary knights under a legendary grand noble were much stronger than ordinary extraordinary knights. Even Harrot and The Bald Man might not be able to defeat them.

More importantly, there were many of them. Ordinary nobles could only share their power with fewer than 10 people, but Marquis Prague had more than 30 knights!

Just as the army finished resting, and the entire Pioneering Alliance was ready to depart, the King arrived!

The King, accompanied by many nobles and large groups of soldiers, came to Marquis Prague's territory!