Being a knight is not easy

Chapter 234 Reward
“Thirteen more to go.” Robin suddenly let go, the trajectory of the Power Fruit leaving a crimson afterimage in Ironjaw’s ​​pupils. “Next time I want to see the head of the Frost Wolf Knights of the Frost Tribe.”

The fruit landed precisely on top of the pile of copper coins, pressing the topmost coin, which bore the Crawford family crest, into a dent.

Iron Jaw's breathing suddenly became heavy, and his joints popped out with a crackling sound like popping beans.

The moment he grabbed the fruit, the number above his head froze at "97," and the comment after loyalty changed to "[Blood Oath Follower]."

"Issue the order to the entire army." Robin's voice, carrying the power of order, made the pillars tremble slightly. "From now on, battle merits will be divided into three ranks—"

He flicked his finger and pinned an anchor badge to the platform. "Slay ten knights for a fruit, slay fifty for a Great Knight fruit."

The badge suddenly split into ten illusory images: "Top ten performers of each month. Extra reward."

The entire camp erupted in cheers, and soon four knights rushed into Robin's tent.

Able to kill ten enemies of the same level, each one a genius, worthy of Robin's attention.

The bloodstains on the armor of the four knights still smelled of rust.

Robin's system screen flickered on his retina, projecting each person's loyalty score above their war-blackened visors—78, 82, 79, 81, four sets of numbers like swords hanging overhead.

"Blessed by the Lord!"

The four men simultaneously slammed one knee to the ground, causing the Bauhinia emblem on the table to tremble slightly.

Robin's fingertips touched their foreheads one by one, and the amethyst ring sparked as it touched their skin.

Each time a Power Fruit was bestowed, the numbers on the light screen changed once: 82, 85, 83, 86.
Tustin suddenly ripped open his breastplate, revealing a fresh slave brand on his collarbone, a brand that had been on him since birth, and whose name was given to him by Robin.

The man, a former slave soldier, swallowed hard. "I...I want to give the spoils to my younger brother." His voice trailed off, "He's still carrying stones in the slave camp."

The tent fell silent. Heavy breathing came from beneath the visors of the other three knights, their grips on their swords tightening involuntarily.

Robin noticed that the numbers above Tustin's head began to fluctuate wildly, swinging between "85" and "70".

“Alright.” Robin suddenly spoke, the amethyst ring drawing a burning trail on the parchment. “But it must be swallowed in my presence. Go and fetch the person now.”

Tustin's number instantly soared to "90".

His charge was like a hound breaking free of its chains, the clanging of armor startling a flock of crows outside the tent.

When the emaciated boy was dragged in, Robin's system screen suddenly popped up a red warning: [Blood ties detected].

The number "65" that appeared above the younger brother's head changed to "75" the moment it touched the older brother.

"Refine it!" Robin sat to the side watching the skinny boy refine the Power Fruit.

The moment the boy swallowed the power fruit, a beast-like howl escaped his throat.

His ribs heaved violently beneath his skin, as if trying to pierce through the pale skin.

Robin's amethyst ring reflected the chaotic flow of energy within his body.

This chronically malnourished body is being forcibly transformed.

Tustin's steel gloves creaked as he squeezed them.

He stared at his brother's contorted face, then suddenly ripped off the cotton lining of his breastplate, revealing crooked accounting symbols drawn in blood.

This is a ledger unique to slave knights, recording every silver coin that was withheld.

“Just bear with it a little longer,” Tustin’s voice seemed to squeeze out from behind the iron mask, “until brother saves enough money to redeem Mother.” Robin’s system screen suddenly displayed detailed entries:
[Treatment of Slave Knights]

Xuntian's delayed payment: 60 months
Basic salary: 2 silver coins/month

Standard equipment: -1.5 silver coins/month (36-month installment plan)

Family member redemption price: 30 silver coins per person

Suddenly, a woman's wailing came from outside the tent.

Through the lifted tent flap, one could see the wives and children of several slave knights kneeling before the quartermaster, receiving their "preferential rations" for the day: black bread mixed with bran, but at least better than the swill of ordinary slaves.

The boy's spine suddenly made a popping sound like popping beans.

When he opened his eyes, his pupils shimmered with the purple light characteristic of a newly promoted knight.

Tustin's score jumped from "90" to "95" in an instant, while his brother's score remained at "88", higher than many Freeman Knights.

"Remember this!" Robin's dragon-slaying spear tip lifted the boy's tattered collar. "Your life is more valuable now. Work hard and become a true noble knight in the future."

The boy's knightly salute was as clumsy as a fawn standing on its hind legs for the first time, and the dull thud of his knees hitting the floor jolted Ironjaws awake from his reverie, opening one eye.

The great knight in the corner was surrounded by four-colored energy, among which the crimson of the bear had already devoured most of the blue-white, a sign that he was about to break through.

“It’s time to put etiquette lessons on the agenda.” Robin’s fingertip lightly touched the boy’s shoulder, and the amethyst ring flashed, immediately marking seventeen posture errors in the system. When he turned to look at Andisu, the temperature inside the tent suddenly dropped a few degrees.

"How's your Four Beasts Breathing Technique coming along? How many knights have you beheaded?"

The other knights left the tent as if granted a pardon, their clattering armor mingling with whispers about the "badge rewards."

Andy Sue's kneeling posture is textbook perfect. This knight, who came from humble origins, now exudes the standard knightly demeanor even in his hair.

“The Four Beasts Breathing Technique has been fully mastered in three meridians.” A three-colored vortex appeared in Andisu’s palm, but it lacked the sharp white that represented the eagle. “But the Great Knight Badge…” The leather pouch at his waist suddenly made an awkward clinking sound, and three silver badges engraved with wolf heads jingled inside.

Robin's dragon-slaying spear suddenly propelled the teaching aid box.

The moment the lid popped open, twenty-four bronze knight badges and three silver grand knight badges were arranged in a cruel equation on the velvet cloth.

"One Grand Knight Badge is equal to five Knight Badges, we still need eleven more!"

“The knees of slave knights always tremble.” Robin’s spear tip traced a standard salute trajectory in the air. “Teach one, and you’ll get half a badge.”

The amethyst ring suddenly projected a list of sixty-seven slave knights, saying, "If you could get them to perform the kind of salute you're showing..."

Andy Sue's pupils suddenly contracted.

The number "100" on his head was slightly hot, as if he could already see himself with silver badges pinned to his waist.

In the corner, Ironjaw's fierce bear aura suddenly surged, turning the entire tent blood red.

This barbarian, who once despised etiquette, is now secretly imitating Andy Sue's kneeling posture.

"Ironjaw's refining speed is pretty fast!" Robin said with a smile as he looked at Ironjaw.

Ironjaw chuckled and scratched the back of his head, then asked with a grin, "My lord, if I learn well on my own, can you reward me with a knight's badge?"

"Dream on!" Robin said irritably. "Pass down the order: if any Grand Knight fails to demonstrate proper knightly etiquette, I will punish them personally."

(End of this chapter)