Chapter 312: The Proof of the Overlord and the Proof of the King

The nine Saint ranks dispersed in the sky, descending to the ground one after another with tacit understanding.

Charlot Mecklenburg immediately came forward, loudly exclaiming, “Congratulations, Clair! And congratulations to you too, Ebner! You’ve both finally become Knight Kings!”

Ebner Soumet smiled faintly and replied, “I haven’t become a Knight King.”

Charlot was slightly surprised, prompting Ebner to explain with a grin, “Clair condensed the eight Knight Proofs into the Proof of the Overlord, ascending to the rank of Knight King. As for me, I took a different path. I condensed the eight Knight Proofs into the Proof of the King.”

Charlot suddenly understood and exclaimed, “Ebner, you’re actually a Grand Knight Commander!”

Upon reaching the Saint rank, knights could earn the title of “Saint,” commonly referred to as Holy Knights. However, there were two distinct paths to follow. One led to becoming a Knight King, characterized by an indomitable and aggressive spirit. The other was the King’s path, which focused on uniting a knight order under one’s command. By harmonizing with the momentum of their subordinates, the Grand Knight Commander could exponentially increase their strength.

In individual combat, a Knight King was overwhelmingly powerful, but when it came to commanding knight orders, a Grand Knight Commander would undoubtedly secure victory in ten out of ten battles.

However, the Grand Knight Commander had a notable trait—they excelled in defense but were less adept at offense.

Knight orders, of course, could not move as freely as Saint ranks, with their ability to fly and maneuver at high speed. Yet, if a Grand Knight Commander were given a city to defend, even multiple Saint ranks combined might struggle to break through.

Clair patted Charlot on the shoulder with a friendly gesture and said, “During the Ferranden battlefield, we got separated from the main forces during a battle and were cornered by a Byron vampire Saint rank. You can’t imagine how brutal that fight was. All our subordinates were killed by that vampire, leaving only the two of us. He toyed with us like mice.”

“But that vampire didn’t expect that, in the face of desperation, both Ebner and I broke through one after the other. Together, we ended up slaying him. That battle was incredibly exhilarating.”

“It was also the closest we’ve ever been to death.”

“I almost thought we’d never return to Strasbourg.”

As Clair recounted the incident, he couldn’t help but sigh deeply, the memory still vivid in his mind.

Ebner smiled faintly and added, “At the time, Clair stood in front of me with a heroic expression and said, ‘Brother, I’ll go first!’”

“It was the first time I’d ever seen such a terrifying look on his face.”

Both of them shared the story with a sense of relief and gratitude for having survived.

Charlot was genuinely happy for them. After all, these two Saint ranks were his friends. Whether on the battlefield or in political arenas, they would undoubtedly become his most powerful allies in the future.

Clair Bretagne chatted with Charlot for a while before casually asking, “How did you find these two?”

The Leopardman had changed his appearance and refrained from using Bloodfire Combat Energy, making it hard for Clair to recognize him. As for Golden Ram Herolf, his intimidating reputation made people hesitant to guess his identity. Clair had just returned from Ferranden and hadn’t received the latest updates.

Charlot shrugged and said, “It’s a long story. Let’s grab a few cups of coffee and set the mood while I explain everything.”

Clair laughed heartily and followed Charlot into his military carriage.

Charlot instructed his people to prepare coffee. On his campaigns, his supplies had always been plentiful, unlike Clair and Ebner, who often faced shortages due to the overwhelming number of Ferranden troops and their lack of Charlot’s knack for resourcefulness.

Charlot then recounted in detail how Menielman Soumet had planned to attack Saint Michael Island and recruited him as an inside agent.

Of course, he left out parts that shouldn’t be revealed, omitting even a single word.

Clair and Ebner were both astonished. “So, it really was Golden Ram Herolf? That infamous pirate leader was actually tricked by you into signing a quasi-master-servant contract? What bad luck!”

The old Golden Ram and Tumisan were present as well. Although Herolf maintained a calm expression, he cursed internally, “Why are you bringing this up again?”

“Do I really have no dignity left?”

“I’m a Saint rank too, the Pirate King of the Aggras Sea.”

“The leader of the Golden Rams Fleet.”

“At my peak, I had an ancient magical warship, an alchemical warship, and even Saint Michael Island…”

“Damn it. Now it’s all gone.”

“Charlot is so despicable. How can someone as shameless and vile as him exist in this world?”

“The Nine Just Gods are unjust, allowing someone like him to survive.”

Charlot, with his ever-cheerful demeanor, didn’t care about Herolf’s silent complaints. A quasi-master-servant contract was signed—what harm could a little internal grumbling do?

Clair glanced at Tumisan. Charlot had only mentioned that Tumisan was a Saint rank recruited by Menielman to help. Clair didn’t probe further and remarked, “Menielman has finally caught a break. Truly something to celebrate.”

“I didn’t expect you to have a secret base on the three islands of Ingrima. Many thanks for your help this time.”

Charlot thought to himself, “Why so possessive? Senior Sister isn’t yours alone.”

However, such tactless thoughts were never spoken aloud by Charlot, whose social instincts were too sharp for that.

Clair soon steered the conversation back to more pressing matters. “This time, the Black Phoenix Dynasty caught us off guard. The military could only dispatch Ebner and me in time. For now, there’s no way to allocate more personnel.”

“But with Ebner here, their knight orders won’t stand a chance against ours.”

Charlot agreed wholeheartedly. As a Grand Knight Commander, Ebner Soumet, with his knight order, could withstand the assault of multiple Saint ranks of equal strength.

After some brief discussions, Clair and Ebner returned to their knight orders. Charlot, meanwhile, set up camp, engaging in a standoff with the Black Phoenix Dynasty’s forces.

Over the next half month, the two sides clashed seven or eight times, with victories and losses on both sides.

While reinforcements from the Black Phoenix Dynasty had yet to arrive, a new contingent from the Fars Empire arrived instead.

This force didn’t move to the front lines but instead set up camp behind Charlot’s position, blocking the retreat paths of the Purple Finch, Maple Leaf, and West Wind Knight Orders.

Charlot was extremely displeased. To make matters worse, another problem soon arose.

The leader of the newly arrived knight order sent an arrogant messenger. Though the messenger wasn’t explicitly rude, he delivered an oral message instead of formal documents, requesting Charlot to pay a visit.

Charlot didn’t act immediately. Instead, he sent someone to invite Clair and Ebner. However, the messenger returned, reporting that the two had already gone to meet the new knight order leader.

After pondering for a moment, Charlot brought Herolf and Tumisan along and set out as well.

The newly arrived knight order, named after its family, was called the Bohr Knight Order. Its commander, Krenlof Bohr, hailed from an impressive lineage. Though he was not yet forty years old, he had spent over a decade in officialdom, holding a position far above Charlot Mecklenburg and Clair Bretagne in rank.

Krenlof Bohr, with his imposing demeanor, wasted no time asserting his authority upon reaching the battlefield. He summoned the Purple Finch Knight Order, Maple Leaf Knight Order, and West Wind Knight Order, instructing their commanders to attend his meeting.

Charlot was indifferent to the summons but not particularly pleased. To make matters worse, the Bohr Knight Order’s encampment inconveniently blocked the retreat route, leaving Charlot slightly uneasy. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Krenlof Bohr was deliberately trying to assert dominance over them.

Clair and Ebner Soumet arrived early, while Charlot was the last to show up. Krenlof Bohr had constructed a temporary wooden house within the camp, though Charlot suspected it was an extraordinary artifact. Otherwise, he mused, the construction speed of this world’s laborers would be shockingly impressive.

After passing through three layers of security, Charlot finally entered the wooden house.

Inside, there were only three people, along with a few messengers and attendants. Clair Bretagne and Ebner Soumet sat with grim expressions, while Krenlof Bohr occupied the main seat, his face void of emotion. The room was steeped in an oppressive silence.

Krenlof Bohr’s features were handsome but marred by a prominent hooked nose and a pair of sharp, cold eyes, lending him a sinister air.

Charlot greeted everyone and was just about to find a seat when Krenlof Bohr’s icy voice rang out from the main seat:
“This is a meeting strictly for those of Saint rank. Those who do not qualify should leave.”

Charlot’s expression darkened. Without a word, he stood and walked out.

Herolf, the Golden Ram, followed him immediately. Though Herolf had no desire to leave, his contractual bond with Charlot compelled him to do so.

Tumisan, the Leopardman, chuckled lightly and turned to leave as well. Being of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, Tumisan had no intention of giving face to Farsian nobles, especially since he was currently disguising himself as a human. With a changeable visage, he cared little about Krenlof Bohr’s opinion.

Clair Bretagne, seeing Charlot leave and taking two Saint ranks with him, smiled faintly and exchanged a glance with Ebner Soumet before rising and leaving without so much as a farewell.

Ebner, naturally inclined to support Clair, called out, “Wait for me!” before following suit.

As the wooden house emptied, Krenlof Bohr’s expression turned livid. In a fit of rage, he slammed his fist into the table, shattering the solid wood into splinters.

However, no amount of anger could touch Charlot Mecklenburg, who had already exited the Bohr Knight Order’s camp. Glancing back, Charlot thought to himself,
“Tonight, I’ll uproot him completely.”

...

Just outside the camp, Clair called out teasingly, “Charlot, you’re in a foul mood today!”

Charlot, seeing both Clair and Ebner approaching, couldn’t help but smile.
“I didn’t flip the table or rip out his mustache. That’s me being civil.”

“What’s with his grandiose display?” Clair asked.

Ebner chuckled. “His rank is higher than ours. He’s angling to be the battlefield commander.”

Charlot cast a glance back at the Bohr camp. “A commander who sets up camp blocking his allies’ retreat route? No thanks.”

In Charlot’s experience, he had encountered both honorable nobles and despicable ones. However, someone like Krenlof Bohr was a first. In theory, Bohr exemplified the norm within the bureaucratic structures of major empires.

Clair spread his hands helplessly. “He might report us to the Central Government Office and the royal court. While we’ll likely be fine, you, Charlot, should be careful.”

“You lack a noble family’s backing.”

Clair’s words were pointed. Charlot did have a family, but the Mecklenburgs were merely ordinary merchants. His father and elder brother were nothing more than common businessmen.

When Charlot first transmigrated, he had naively thought he could sever ties with them after a few years, once his parents passed away. Yet now, with so many “flaws” exposed, it hardly mattered anymore. A humble merchant family offered him little to no support.

In politics, the absence of a family meant the difference between receiving casual aid and someone staking everything on your behalf. A powerful benefactor might help with trivial matters but would inevitably step aside when facing significant risks.

Charlot smiled faintly. “I trust Bohr won’t be so petty.”

Internally, however, he thought,
“This is war! Yet we’re embroiled in petty infighting. If he pushes me too far, I’ll make sure he regrets it.”

Charlot knew that Herolf, the Golden Ram, was a formidable Saint rank. He doubted Krenlof Bohr had anyone of comparable strength. With the right opportunity, Herolf could easily eliminate Bohr.

For now, though, Charlot had no intention of escalating matters over such a trivial issue. Returning to his camp, he focused on resolving the retreat issue.

Charlot didn’t act personally. With his accumulated battlefield experience, he instead ordered the West Wind Knight Order to shift forward slightly, repositioning them closer to the Black Phoenix Dynasty’s forces. This maneuver formed a triangular formation with Clair Bretagne’s group and the Bohr Knight Order, subtly isolating Bohr’s forces.

This repositioning rattled the Black Phoenix Dynasty’s army. After some deliberation, several Saint ranks concluded that Fars had received powerful reinforcements and was preparing for an aggressive assault.

Andreas, a military strategist for the Black Phoenix Dynasty, strongly recommended a night raid on one of Fars’ forces to break the perceived encirclement.

The direction of Charlot’s new camp heightened the enemy’s wariness, leading them to conclude that attacking the Bohr Knight Order first was their best course of action.

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