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3 – The Knights Are Disappointed

3 – The Knights Are Disappointed

Ricain Bach

He is a veteran knight in his fifties, the commander of the Krone Knights, with a dignified physique and brown hair.

Although not an SSR character in the World Archive, he possesses decent performance as an SR character.

In terms of leadership, he has the abilities of an SSR-level character, and his combat power can also reach SSR levels depending on the synergy with magical tools and support characters.

He has served the Crones Family for nearly twenty years, starting from the previous lord.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that he has dedicated more than half of his life to protecting the Crones Family.

He has always remained unwaveringly loyal to the Crones Family, but lately, his heart has been troubled.

“Did it really have to come to this, Commander?”

“What are you talking about?”

Ricain quietly observed the soldiers who had finished their night shift, gathering to complain.

They spoke without hiding their discontent.

“I heard the wages of the salt workers have doubled?”

“That’s what they say.”

“But what about our salaries?”

The soldiers vented their frustrations.

After the news spread that the wages of the salt workers had doubled, dissatisfaction began to arise not only among the soldiers but also among the knights.

The soldiers trained all day and were responsible for protecting the territory.

Yet, the salt workers suddenly received double the pay.

Even though the knights were earning more than double the wages of the workers, the fact that their pay had not increased while the workers’ had did not sit well with them.

“Is it fair that we risk our lives for the territory while those people get paid double?”

Ricain understood the soldiers’ feelings.

However, he was the commander of the Krone Knights.

Even if they harbored grievances, he could not allow the discipline of the knights to crumble.

“Enough!”

He shouted in a heavy voice as the commander of the knights.

“The lord’s decisions must have their reasons. We knights fight for honor. Do not let a few silver coins breed discontent.”

The soldiers fell silent.

But Ricain himself felt shaken.

‘Isn’t it possible for our knights to receive better treatment?’

He harbored such bitter thoughts in his heart.

“My lord, how will you use the increased revenue?”

At Hart’s question, I scratched my head.

Due to the workers’ efforts, there was an excessive additional revenue.

If I didn’t spend this money quickly, it would eventually be plundered by other forces, benefiting only them.

How should I use this money…

How can I spend it to win the people’s favor without being rumored as incompetent?

While I was pondering, Hart cautiously suggested.

“My lord, how about using this opportunity to lavishly renovate the castle? The castle of the Crones Family is too old for you to reside in.”

Hart proposed the idea of a grand renovation of the castle.

I flatly rejected it.

“Luxury is not allowed.”

The moment I began to indulge in luxury, my reputation would diminish, and my chances of death would increase.

I needed a way to consume money while also raising public sentiment.

As I was deep in thought, I looked outside the castle.

I saw farmers, workers, merchants, and knights training.

‘Now that I think about it…’

Suddenly, I recalled something I learned in history class in my past life.

It was about how Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty stopped paying his officials, leading them to start accepting bribes, and I slapped my hand.

‘Right, let’s invest in the knights!’

After all, I am the lord.

I could not ignore that one of my power bases comes from the knights.

Moreover, I learned in history that if the knights do not receive adequate compensation, they start committing corruption, which ultimately leads to the suffering of the people.

By gaining the knights’ favor, the commoners would be freed from the knights’ corruption, and money would not be wasted.

It was truly a threefold benefit.

However, I felt that simply giving them money might lead to strange butterfly effects, so I decided to support the knights in another way.

“Hart.”

“Yes, my lord.”

I told Hart, my steward, about the method I had in mind to support the knights.

Go! Hart the steward!!

Not ‘headbutting’… but supporting the knights!!

With my orders, Hart began to implement reforms for the Krone Knights in earnest.

First, I replaced the knights’ equipment.

All the old swords and armor were replaced with new gear.

The rusty and worn-out equipment, which was indistinguishable as iron or copper, was sent to the blacksmith.

I provided shiny swords, spears, armor, and shields made from the finest iron ore.

I expanded the stables to provide the knights with dedicated warhorses.

According to Calix’s knowledge, it was said that the warhorses of this era were managed by the commanders of the knights at their own expense, which was burdensome.

I restructured this so that the territory would bear the cost.

Second, I improved the living conditions of the knights.

I renovated the accommodations used by the soldiers and knights to provide clean living spaces.

The lower-ranking soldiers and common knights had been living in dilapidated wooden houses that were over fifty years old.

At this rate, it seemed like the Black Death would break out, so I ordered immediate improvements.

Finally, I secured the future of the knights.

I granted the knights personal ownership of land that was unused and idle in the territory.

This part was Hart’s idea; if the knights could farm the land instead of idling, they could secure their future after retirement while also cultivating the idle land.

The ‘duncheon’ I saw in the Three Kingdoms in my past life came to mind, and I thought it was a good idea, so I stamped my seal immediately.

Thus, the ‘waste of money’ or rather ‘reform’ was progressing smoothly.

Instead of directly giving money to the knights, it was a way to change their lives.

I thought that this way, I could consume money while also winning the knights’ hearts.

As I thought this, I sipped tea while watching the sunset.

This time, it was a perfect plan.

Ricain and the other knights of the Crones Family were in disbelief.

After the sudden reforms of the lord, they were initially tense, but they truly tasted heaven.

“Commander! All the equipment has been replaced with new ones!”

“Commander!! From now on, the management of warhorses will be handled by the territory!”

“Commander!!! The accommodations have been repaired to look new!!! It won’t leak even if it rains!!!”

The grievances that the knights had harbored began to be resolved as if they were being uprooted.

And this was not the end.

“Is this really our land?”

“Yes, from here to there is the land that the lord has granted to the knights.”

They had been granted land.

Although it had not yet been cultivated, it was land close to the village with good soil, suitable for farming.

“My goodness, land for us…”

“I can’t believe it. Commander!”

Other knights also looked around their land in disbelief.

The profession of a knight, no matter how glamorous and romantic, ultimately involved life-threatening risks and early retirement.

Thus, everyone desired stable income after retirement, and land for farming was the best retirement plan for them.

Moreover, Ricain’s heart trembled at the lord’s consideration.

A knight should be a model of loyalty to their lord without being greedy.

Therefore, if they showed signs of greed, their honor would be greatly damaged, and they could not recklessly indulge in desires.

As if considering this, Calix had granted them everything they wanted while preserving their honor.

‘Ah… how could I have such a great person…’

Ricain felt ashamed.

The young lord who ascended the throne suddenly after the sudden death of the previous lord.

Everyone looked down on him, thinking only of how to take advantage of him rather than supporting him.

They did not consider the happiness of the commoners gained from the reforms he implemented, only thinking of what they had not received.

Even including himself.

Yet, the lord was clearly thinking of them.

He was even taking care of them, considering their honor.

Overwhelmed with emotion and shame, Ricain drew his sword and plunged it into the ground.

The sword cast a shadow of a cross in the light of the setting sun.

Ricain knelt on one knee and swore the ‘Oath of the Knight’ to Lord Calix.

“I swear to the god of knights and honor, ‘Ashron’. I, ‘Ricain Bach’, will be loyal to Lord Calix until my last breath is taken by the enemy’s sword.”

The ‘Oath of the Knight’ is an absolute vow made by knights to the god of knights and honor, ‘Ashron’.

Those who fail to uphold this oath are said to be pierced by Ashron’s spear after death, becoming a subject of ridicule until the end of the world.

It is a vow made only to the master chosen by the knight themselves, and Ricain swore this oath before everyone to Lord Calix, a vow he had not even made to the previous lord.

Seeing Ricain’s actions, one by one, other knights followed suit, pledging their loyalty to Lord Calix.

It was the moment when the ‘Krone Knights’, whose loyalty surpassed imagination, was born, instilling fear in other lords.

Thus, as I reformed the knights and consumed all the additional revenue gained from the saltworks, I was once again pondering how to waste money.

Just then, Hart rushed in urgently.

“My lord!!”

“What is it, Hart?”

Hart came running, looking extremely surprised.

Feeling an uneasy energy, I cautiously asked, and Hart handed me a report, saying,

“The territory’s revenue has increased again!!”

“………Again!?”

No, this time, where is it from!!?

A word from the author (author’s note)

Investing in the knights increases money.

What could be the reason?

It will be revealed in the next chapter!!