"Since our Imperial detachment is here, how about we pick up the pace?"
Henry agreed. The situation had changed, so they needed to get back to Autongard as soon as possible.
With Henry's approval, Glen gave the order, and the army quickened its march.
It couldn't be helped. Without Henry's approval, Glen couldn't command the entire force, as half the troops now belonged to Henry.
Soon, the party of four arrived within the Empire's borders and began moving even faster. Glen and the others had promised that upon reaching Autongard, the men would get to rest for at least three days.
Riding his horse, Henry gazed at the massive city in the distance and said, "Finally, back to Autongard... I'm heading straight to the bathhouse for a proper wash."
[Personal Panel and Faction Panel update complete. View update details?]
'Open it, open it!'
[Campaign Summary
Campaign Rating: Valley Assault
Difficulty: Normal
Evaluation: Great Victory
Reward: 2 Overlord Training points]
Henry nodded to himself. 'If the rewards are this great, maybe I should always be fighting on the front lines,' he thought. 'The question is whether my army can still earn me rewards if I don't participate personally.'
'Hmm, I can test that later.'
[Overlord Personal Lv. 2 Tutorial
1. Leveling up grants 1 personal attribute point and 3 specialization points.
2. Personal experience is gained by studying and using specialized skills.
3. Skill activation depends on the relevant proficiency level.]
[Overlord]
[Owner]: Henry Bro
[Level]: 8 (2460/12000)
[Comprehensive Power]: 21 (Your Bravery ranks among the best in the eastern Empire.)
[Comprehensive Endurance]: 17 (Your Endurance would make the finest bed collapse.)
[Comprehensive Charm]: 24 (No one would refuse your request, unless he were Baron Nurulan.)
[Comprehensive Intelligence]: 19 (Your Wisdom is roughly equivalent to a scholar's.)
[personal attribute points, free attribute points]: None
[LV. 6 Vitality](attribute points 6/10)
[One-Handed](Proficiency: 129/330)
One-Handed Passive...
...................
Henry didn't bother reading the rest; he was very satisfied with the panel's update.
His Personal Panel was now more detailed. specialization points had been replaced with proficiency, and activating new skills was no longer restricted by his level.
At the very least, Henry could now see his abilities more clearly—his strengths and his weaknesses.
However, Henry strongly disagreed with the panel's evaluation of his Endurance and Intelligence.
'What's this about a bed collapsing? That's just sensationalism! Couldn't it have at least said I could ride a horse all day?'
'And what's this about being "roughly equivalent to a scholar"? What does that even mean? I was a university student both before and after I transmigrated, for crying out loud!'
Boman burst out laughing. "Of course, Henry! The four of us, together! We'll order a few jugs of wine, buy some desserts, and even hire some clowns to perform for us, HA HA HA!"
Fass, standing to the side, rolled his eyes. 'Such a nouveau riche,' he thought. 'Just throwing money around the second he has some.'
Glen looked at Henry with concern. "Henry, are you all right? I've noticed you've been zoning out a lot since the battle."
Henry smiled and shook his head. "I'm fine. I was just wondering what might have changed in Autongard."
"Don't worry about it. We're almost there. We'll find out once we ask Count Sebastian."
When the party of four and their troops arrived at Autongard, the Champion Banner Knight in charge of the camp garrison was completely dumbfounded.
He arranged for their encampment in a state of total bewilderment, his eyes taking in the massive number of Half-Beastman heads, the cartloads of armor and weapons, and... a group of fully armed serfs?
"Good heavens! Sir Glen, Sir Henry, you're not dead?"
The Champion Banner Knight slapped himself across the face. "Forgive me, my lords," he explained. "This is all just so shocking.
Baron Nurulan's party returned a long time ago. They were ambushed by a large force of Centaurs on the road; only a handful of nobles and their Attendants made it back.
Another unit was almost completely wiped out. They were lured into a trap by an army of goat-men. Out of a seven-hundred-man force, only twenty or so escaped.
The Half-Beastmen seem to have detected our movements and launched a major counteroffensive. We all thought you were..."
Glen nodded. Three contingents had been sent out. Two were routed, fleeing in disarray. It was only natural for everyone in Autongard to assume they were dead too.
Henry took a step forward. "You didn't report us as dead, did you?" he asked. "Wouldn't our fiefs have been reassigned?"
'Right, right, right. So while we're out here fighting a war and tracking Half-Beastmen, you're all back home telling everyone we're dead? Is that it?'
The other three grew tense as well and turned to look at the Champion Banner Knight.
"Rest assured, my lords. We didn't report you as dead, only as missing. After all, you are students of the King. Without bodies, we can't officially report a death."
"Good. We need to report to Count Sebastian."
"Of course. I'll take you to him. The Legion Commander has been planning the next phase of troop movements these past few days. The other Legions have already been mobilized."
Other nobles nearby came out to see what was happening. Upon discovering that Henry and his party had returned alive—and with a great deal of plunder—they immediately rushed off to spread the news.
Gossip and hot topics—the essential spices of human life.
"Claude, watch over our belongings. Philip, get the tents set up."
"Yes, Master."
"As you command, my lord."
Ignoring the other nobles, Henry and his party went to the town hall. A guard hurried inside to announce them, and a moment later, Count Sebastian himself actually came out to greet them.
"Oh, the King's blessing! I was starting to think you weren't coming back! Do you have any idea how worried I was?!" Count Sebastian exclaimed.
And Count Sebastian was indeed worried. Or rather, he was terrified.
Having relatives among the troops was a small matter. When is a battle ever without death?
Did he think just anyone could bob and weave their way out of an attack? That kind of skill was reserved for minstrels with their accordions.
The problem was that these four were all students of the King. As local nobles, these four young Knights were far more important than other Independent Nobles.
Four outstanding students from the Royal Capital Knight Academy dying under his command—that would be enough to destroy the rest of Count Sebastian's political career.
Glen recounted the events of their expedition to Count Sebastian in detail, making sure to emphasize Henry's Bravery.
"Sir Henry is truly mighty! HA HA HA! You've all done well. Those fools with Nurulan threw away all our morale. I've been utterly humiliated in front of the other Legion Commanders!
These Half-Beastman heads you've brought back are more than enough to rally the troops. Rest assured, your rewards will be handsome."
Henry listened with as much patience as he could muster before interrupting. "Count, what's the current situation? We need to know what's been happening."