King

Although it was a ragtag force, the impact it made was nonetheless significant. Every place they passed through seemed cursed.

In all fairness, Hudson did emphasize military discipline, no one would dare to break away from the main forces without his command, let alone cause local chaos.

But none of that mattered; local people would run at the sight of the army, not even giving Hudson a chance to explain.

Occasionally, he could communicate with a few noble lords, but they treated him like the Plague God. If it wasn't for Earl Piers' conscription, these clans might have sent their own troops to drive them away.

After three days of travel, Hudson noticed that they were moving too fast.

The conscription wasn't just for his family, all the nobles in the Southeastern Province were within its scope, and judging by the reactions of the nobles along the way, they were all preparing.

Being the first to reach the battlefield does increase one's reputation, but it also risks being sent to the front line as cannon fodder.

Being fully aware of his "well-trained" army, Hudson didn't hold much hope.

Realizing this, Hudson again slowed down their march. They would travel in the morning and set up camp in the afternoon, improving their meals with some wild game in the meantime.

Fat porcupines, robust deer, cheerful rabbits, and agile wild chickens...all became regular guests on Hudson's dining table.

Even the common soldiers could often get a bowl of meat soup.

The generous gifts from nature made Hudson understand why there were so many wandering knights on the Continent of Aslante.

The lands, forests, rivers, and prairies...all belonged to the nobles privately, and without their permission, the commoners couldn't hunt or fish.

With only the nobles occasionally hunting, it was not enough to keep up with the rate of animal reproduction, hence the current abundance of game.

The rules were to restrain the common people. They were not applicable to the nobles. Even the most wretched wandering knights were able to hunt freely. If found by the lord, the worst punishment would be getting driven away.

Just as Hudson was in high spirits after getting rid of a hefty porcupine, he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Young Master, Knight Charles invites you to join his banquet."

Preparing to mingle with the noble circle, Hudson had also mastered a lot of knowledge about these circles in order to be more astute.

"Is it the Knight Charles of the Haklian Family?"

Hudson asked.

There was no choice. The names of the nobles on the Continent of Aslante overlap too often. If the family name isn't added, it simply isn't possible to differentiate them.

If he didn't clarify these things and impulsively went over as a guest, he could very easily create an awkward situation.

"Yes, Young Master."

The guard's answer gave Hudson peace of mind. Without hesitation, he responded: "Tell them that I'll be there after settling this."

"Banquets" are a key characteristic of the noble community. Whether it's networking, leisure, or discussing business, all can be done at the banquet.

To judge the connections of a family, one merely needs to look at how many guests they have at their banquets.

Along the way, Hudson received countless banquet invitations, not for building relationships, but just to get him and his troops moving along sooner.

Of course, this type of thing that hurts feelings can't be spoken directly, a hint is enough.

Nobles are the most concerned about respect. Unless it is necessary, they won't break off relations publicly.

In most situations, even if deep down they hate each other and want each other dead, they must still superficially display the demeanor of a noble.

If relations do break down publicly, it usually means the situation has become irreconcilable.

That's exactly why playboys can't make it past the third season - once they offend too many people, they're bound to hit a snag sooner or later.

As a smart man, Hudson, of course, won't risk offending people. He always respects others.

As long as the hosts made a statement, after purchasing supplies, he would be sure to pack up and leave. If the hosts didn't appear, he would set up camp and train his soldiers.

Perhaps because Hudson had strictly maintained discipline in his army and caused no chaos, they were able to communicate fairly amicably with everyone and extend their network of connections.

After multiple experiences, Hudson slowly became accustomed to the way the nobles interacted.

After arranging camp affairs, he brought several attendants to the castle. The sight that greeted him left him speechless. It was probably the worst castle he had ever seen.

Then, he remembered the notorious rumors about Knight Charles and he no longer found it strange.

"The knight consumed by magic" was putting it politely. Behind his back, he had another nickname - "the prodigal son."

Even though he didn't have a magical talent, he fantasized about becoming a magician and spent his time doing all sorts of nonsensical research until he was penniless.

If it were only this, everyone would end it with just laughing. The prodigal nobles weren't few and if it decreased one competitor, it would be a good thing.

Loving to cause a fuss was one thing, but it so happened that Charles had great knight cultivation talent. He was a rare Great Knight in Sack County, even possibly a future Silver Knight.

In normal circumstances, with his strength, a little effort would bring about further prosperity to his family property. However, Knight Charles refused. Even when he achieved military feats, he chose to exchange them for money rewards.

Without a doubt, all this money was invested in magic research. Sometimes, to obtain magical materials, he could even work as a mercenary for the Wizard's Association.

His strong strength, combined with his unconventional experiences, made Knight Charles a "legendary" figure.

Although the castle was in ruins, Hudson believed it was still very safe. The lords around the area wouldn't dare to provoke a Great Knight unless they were crazy.

More importantly, it was because they were poor. Encountering a poor and strong ghost like Charles, even if you win the war, you couldn't squeeze out any benefits.

"Little Redman, long time no see!"

A hearty voice sounded, deflating Hudson's high spirits. He explained helplessly: "Uncle Charles, I am Hudson. Little Redman is my elder brother."

This was what annoyed Hudson the most - he couldn't understand why they shared names with their fathers. This was, however, quite common in the noble circles, especially in families with five generations living together. Imagine a family gathering - just distinguishing the names could make you go crazy.

He really didn't know how his family got connected with Charles. However, he did guess that even if they had a relationship, his father wouldn't speak about it.

After all, Charles didn't have a good reputation in the noble circles. Although the friendship of a Great Knight was definitely important, the problem was he always asked to borrow money – with no intention of paying it back.

For the sake of their wallets, everyone kept a polite but cautious distance from this generous knight.