Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World - Chapter 111

Chapter 111: Iosif greets his majesty
The gates of Eisenburg opened before Iosif and his troops, allowing them to step forward. They were welcomed by a laid-back but confident man with shoulder-length black hair that gently swayed with the wind as the shadows of the castle rose behind him. He was wearing a long black coat adorned with small golden chains, and a simple silver sword hung from his waist, partly covered by the coat. Yet, what caught everyone’s attention were those striking grey eyes, which seemed to be hiding a light shade of purple that flickered like a living entity.

Iosif’s eyes lingered on the figure for a moment before he sank to his knees, and the hundreds of soldiers behind him followed suit – “Iosif greets your majesty!” – he shouted, his hands pounding his chest, causing the sound to reverberate through the walls.

“Hmm, looks like these past years have been tough on you” – Henry remarked sympathetically, looking at the disheveled beard of the man.

The general was someone who took great pride in his appearance, the job sure wasn’t easy for him to be this messy.

“It wasn’t too difficult, your majesty.” – Iosif hastily responded, bowing his head, and fixing his gaze on the pavement beneath him, made from wood chips and rocks, now lightly covered by the falling snow.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off with the king; his voice seemed gentle and oddly close, like a bosom friend. This image sharply contrasted with the training madman who drove him and the others to the edge every day, forcing them to scrawl and listen until their ears and hands bled. It was strange, but he didn’t dare to raise his voice to ask.

Henry approached the general and lightly tapped him twice on the shoulder, saying – “You did a great job, General. Later, I’ll need a report on my desk, but right now, there are more pressing matters.”

The general’s eyes flickered with annoyance as he inwardly grumbled – “There it is, the madman. I’ve just returned, and he’s already on about the report. Damn!”

Unaware of Iosif’s thoughts and cursing, Henry’s eyes swept across the entire platoon behind the General, a smile plastered on his lips – “Great job, you can rise!” – he said, motioning them to rise.

“You’ve been away for a whole year, go embrace your parents, wives, and children. You deserve it! As an additional reward, everyone will receive a month’s worth of food and logs to heat your homes.” – Henry’s words sounded like water to a man dying of thirst, some soldiers wanted to jump and scream, but managed to hold it.

The once weary and almost lifeless eyes of the soldiers, a result of the arduous journey and the year away from their loved ones, immediately sparkled with renewed light. These rewards would allow them to feed their families and fill their mouths with meat and booze, something the East greatly lacked. These rewards alone made it worth going through those hellish times.

“Great!” – Henry thought with a genuine smile on his lips. It was great to give these soldiers enough morale and rewards, ensuring more loyalty.

The king’s eyes fell on Iosif, who was already standing on his feet, his eyes gleaming with an excited light. He also seemed to be immersed in the happiness shared by those under his command.

The General was ready to lead his troops and head to the nearest tavern, desiring to lose himself. Unfortunately, Henry’s voice dashed his hopes, swallowing the happiness in a single instant.

“You guys are free to go. The General and I have some things to discuss. However, beware, I want everyone in front of my palace tomorrow morning!” – The king declared decisively, hammering down the soldier’s excitement, but they were still happy and determined to drink to their hearts content.

Henry clapped his hands loudly and turned to walk towards his castle, his royal voice resonating in Iosif’s ears – “General, follow me.” – There was no margin to decline.

The General could only turn his eyes helplessly toward his soldiers, catching glimpses of happy faces. He unconsciously promised himself to make their lives a bit tad difficult in the next training.

With no other option, Iosif followed right behind his king as they walked along the cleared path of the East Avenue, making their way easily to the castle. The citizens, who would typically fill the avenue with their bustling steps, now lined up next to the stores, gazing at the king with loyal and worshipful eyes. It seemed as though they were beholding a god in their midst.

As he walked, the General couldn’t resist occasionally glancing to the sides. His steps nearly halted when he spotted a crude yet flashy sign that read ‘Blue Snow Tavern’. It was one of the four renowned taverns in the capital, it was famous for a specific drink made from Moonberry, a fruit grown near the Torch Trees, absorbing their gentle light to produce a beautiful blue fruit.

Iosif found himself salivating with desire. It had been a whole year since he last tasted the sweet but robust flavor of the Moonberry drink.

“I will ask someone to fetch some for you, don’t worry” – Henry’s voice reassured him, allowing Iosif to resume his steps.

-x-

Inside a room of the Royal Castle, a map of the capital and its surroundings sprawled across the floor.

“Luther and Olaro will handle Aritreia’s army. However, I still don’t understand why we don’t launch a preemptive attack on Luak’s forces before they reach us. According to your teachings, it’s not wise to be under siege” – Iosif questioned, happily munching on a large piece of meat and washing it down with huge gulps of a blue liquid, the Moonberry drink. His eyes were fixed on the map, wood pieces strategically placed to identify the enemy’s positions.

“We do have the power to overwhelm them with our current strength” – Henry confidently responded, crossing his arms with a thoughtful expression – “However, based on my predictions, we would lose about a fourth of our army. I don’t want to dwindle the numbers of our troops. We raised them for the last three years. There are smarter ways to win this war without incurring in such great losses.”

Henry then gestured towards Orsus, the Barbarian Village inside the Outer Layer of the Frozen Forest – “I need you to stay within the walls and protect the capital while I lead a group of barbarians to attack them here. We’ll force them to fight on multiple fronts, and since they lack advanced warfare tactics, it should be much easier to win this war.”

Luther nodded his head, understanding the plan.