The three of them went to the betting payout counter together and each collected one thousand five hundred Dinar.
That's right. They had all bet on Count John's second son to be the champion, and they had maxed out their bets in every round, wagering a full six hundred Dinar in total. The implications of this were obvious.
If they hadn't known the inside story, they would have never dared to place such a huge bet!
Luckily, this was the nobles-only line. If the commoners who had lost money saw this, they would definitely be crying, "Fix! An absolute fix!"
In theory, the tournament could indeed make a commoner rich overnight, but it was far more likely to leave them bankrupt. So, don't gamble.
Henry, Fass, and Boman exchanged glances. 'As expected of students from the Royal Capital Knight Academy,' they thought, 'they know how to be flexible.'
Boman flashed a healthy smile and said, "How about you two chat for a bit? I'll go congratulate Count John."
Fass looked at Henry and said, "Alright. We'll go one by one."
It was best not to speak of such deals openly, as it showed disrespect to the nobility. You could trade your honor for wealth, and others could learn of it and despise you for it, but they could never say so to your face.
This, after all, was a matter of noble decorum.
The three of them returned to the Earl's Mansion. Boman went to find Count John first, while Henry and Fass waited in the courtyard of the guest quarters.
Soon, Boman returned carrying a jingling bag.
"Well, I've offered my congratulations. You guys can go now." After saying this, Boman returned to his room.
Fass looked at Henry and said, "Shall I go first, then?"
"Of course. Go ahead, Knight Fass."
Soon, Fass returned with a bag, just as Boman had.
The two of them exchanged few words, and then Henry went to Count John to collect his reward.
Henry didn't know what kind of deals Count John had struck with Boman and Fass. He only cared whether he would receive what he had been promised.
Soon, Henry met with a beaming Count John.
After bowing to Count John, Henry said, "Count John, I have fulfilled your request."
Count John burst out laughing, clearly very satisfied with Henry's performance. "Knight Henry," he said, "you must have earned a lot this time, yes?"
"One thousand five hundred Dinar."
Count John smiled. "Good, Knight Henry. We'll no longer consider that six hundred Dinar a loan. The entire one thousand five hundred Dinar is yours to keep."
Henry breathed a sigh of relief. After all, Count John had lent him the money, and if the Count hadn't explicitly said otherwise, he would have been expected to repay it.
Count John tapped the table and said, "Knight Henry, you needn't worry about the Pedro matter. By the time your castle is built, I'll be mostly finished handing over my business here. When that time comes, he will disappear as if he had never existed."
Count John paused for a moment before asking, "Knight Henry, I've actually always been very curious. You have such a huge appetite, but can you really swallow it all? A castle the same size as my Earl's Mansion... can you even afford to maintain it?"
Henry frowned. 'What is Count John trying to say?'
"How about this, Henry. Perhaps we're... friends now? The royal decree activating the Pioneer Bill will reach the imperial office here soon, likely this very afternoon.
Once my second son becomes a member of the Pioneer Nobility, I hope you can lend him a hand. Nothing major—just help him out a bit if he finds himself in danger."
Count John had weighed his options carefully. He couldn't cooperate with those greedy Viscounts and Barons; the risks far outweighed the rewards. His partner had to be from the knightly nobility.
"Very well. That is a perfectly reasonable request. However, I hope your son does not obstruct my own pioneering path."
"Of course. I will tell him."
The two chatted for a long while and even had lunch together.
After returning to his guest room and mulling things over, Henry said to Bain, "Pack up our things. We're leaving today."
"Yes, milord. And where are you off to?"
Henry patted his money pouch and grinned. "I'm going to buy you a warhorse."
Henry went to the horse market. After presenting his noble crest, he carefully selected a fine steed. Commoners were not permitted to purchase warhorses or any kind of armor.
The horse was tall and powerful, its coat as soft and smooth as silk, and its eyes shone with intelligence and spirit.
"My lord, for only sixty-five Dinar, this warhorse can be yours. It's a prime steed from the southern deserts."
Henry stroked the warhorse with satisfaction. "Alright," he said. "Sixty-five Dinar. But you have to throw in an Armored Half-Vest."
The horse trader quickly shook his head, looking troubled. "No, no, my lord, please don't make things difficult for me. An Armored Half-Vest costs more than thirty Dinar."
"Tell you what, I'll give you eighty Dinar."
"Well... alright, my lord. We have a deal."
Satisfied, Henry paid the man and led the horse back to the Earl's Mansion. Bain was ecstatic when he saw the beautiful warhorse.
"Milord, is this warhorse really for me?" Bain asked, stroking the steed as if he were caressing a pile of gold.
"Of course. Take a look at the bundle on its back. There's another surprise inside."
Bain opened the bundle and found an Armored Half-Vest!
"Milord, does this mean I'm qualified to become a Heavy Cavalryman?"
"Of course, you're qualified. But you'll need to see the battlefield at least once. How can you call yourself a Heavy Cavalryman if you've never been blooded?"
Bain was moved beyond words. This kind of warhorse and Armored Half-Vest was equipment only an Imperial Heavy Cavalryman was worthy of. And he... he was just a Knight's Attendant.