The war was in full swing, but Kayal wasn't worried at all. The Celtic people were very warlike; they would always accept a challenge. The only reason they had been losing before was because they lacked a central leader, with local lords fighting independently. Now, with King Uther as their core, the Celtic people were actually delighted by the war. Only the uninformed Gauls would invade the Celtic people; haven't the Romans been much quieter lately?
Amidst the excitement of national war preparations, Kayal's manor had become quiet. Everyone had been sleepless with excitement since the young master brought back a legendary Unicorn yesterday. There was even an unlucky fellow who tried to pet or steal the horse in the middle of the night. The little Unicorn, sleeping under the grape arbor outside Kayal's courtyard, kicked him, causing a collapsed chest, and it seemed he wouldn't survive.
Kayal shook his head and said nothing. Such servants were the worst; they could bring trouble to their master at any time. His death could only be attributed to his excessive curiosity, for curiosity killed the cat!
After the unlucky fellow was dragged away, Kayal couldn't sleep. Dressed in comfortable pajamas, he stroked the little Unicorn's mane and looked up at the unpolluted moon, which was incredibly beautiful. The little Unicorn wasn't sleepy at all; it simply craned its neck and started eating the unripe grapes on the arbor. The sour grapes were perfectly to its liking.
Lying on the Unicorn, grooming its mane, he unknowingly drifted off to sleep... Early in the morning.
Kayal rode the little Unicorn directly into town. Fortunately, it was summer; sleeping outside last night didn't give him a cold. Otherwise, today he wouldn't be seeing his father, but lying in bed with a runny nose.
Red Leaf Ridge had completely transformed. The outer circle was entirely urban, including markets and other amenities, managed by specialized Knight Marquises. A Knight Marquis was someone whose strength was sufficient to be promoted to Knight but lacked the necessary merits!
In recent years, Red Leaf Ridge had been thriving, and there hadn't been a war for a long time. The class below Knights was in an awkward position, neither high nor low. Employed by the Lord to guard the market, they earned one silver coin a month. However, today, not a single Knight Marquis was to be seen: after Red Leaf Ridge received the war mobilization order, all Knight Marquises had already prepared their swords, lances, armor, horses, and heads with eager anticipation, gathering at the military camp.
But the militiamen did a good job of quickly restoring order to the somewhat chaotic market.
Kayal was well-known to many in Red Leaf Ridge. According to the women's gossip, Red Leaf Ridge's prosperity was inseparable from the young lord. Exactly how, only the five major figures of Red Leaf Ridge knew.
Because he was recognized by so many, people along the way constantly doffed their hats in respect. The little Unicorn, however, couldn't understand their unusual behavior.
Kayal had long found a way to deal with the hat-doffing salute: his hand raised flat to his head, a gesture unique to Hitler during World War II. It was quite aggressive yet very concise, and for the common people, it had a special feeling.
As if feeling greatly respected, with Kayal's gesture, no matter who he saw, they would all excitedly puff out their chests. It was like a parade all the way; as Kayal walked by, even the women bargaining would straighten their chests. To be seen by the future Grand Duke was a matter of great prestige.
Amidst the continuous salutes, Kayal entered the inner city of Red Leaf Fortress. At this time, Red Leaf Fortress's inner city was no longer what it once was; it could be said to be a completely independent kingdom, a powerful fortress.
Besides the outer walls being reinforced with molten iron, there was also a row of buffer nets to block catapults. Of course, no one knew what this layer of netting on the rooftops was for. The houses were mostly concrete and iron, extraordinarily sturdy, impervious to arrows. The main road led directly to the city gate and inner fortress, allowing for troop deployment and support within minutes of danger. The entire Red Leaf Fortress was a highly efficient killing machine. It housed the families of Knights and nobles, and although they preferred to live outside, it was extremely safe inside. There were many empty houses within, so if invaders attacked, the outer residential areas could be abandoned, street battles fought, and then a retreat made to the inner fortress for defense. Kayal was currently applying to Grand Duke Andrei to establish an infantry program, a plan that Grand Duke Andrei, who valued Knights, was not very enthusiastic about.
Indeed, the entire Camelot Kingdom had always been a flat plain, with relatively few mountains or wetlands. On the plains, Knights had always held absolute dominance, and ordinary troop types had little combat power, always considered cannon fodder in the eyes of the lords.
Only Kayal knew that in a distant Eastern land, a country that had always been invaded relied on infantry-versus-cavalry tactics to preserve its culture for over five thousand years.
Although the situation was different, Kayal always believed that war was people-centric. Weapons, horses, and armor were no different from future firearms, cannons, and missiles; they all required people to use them. Without people, what was their meaning? Similarly, at their level, cavalry, infantry, or archers were no different from horses and weapons; the only thing was how to use them. If you don't use a jack properly, you can't blame the car for not cooperating!
Such things could only be gradually changed after he took power.
Kayal shook his head, finishing the juice in his cup in one gulp.
Alcohol and smoke damaged brain cells, and Kayal disliked them. Even the many red wines in his family's cellar were brewed to honor his parents, not for his own consumption.
Kayal, of course, didn't know that his earliest vintage red wine would later be sold for sixty million ounces a portion; he simply felt that alcohol damaged brain cells and hindered thought.
Just as Kayal was deep in thought, Grand Duke Andrei entered, smiling, with two children. Both had golden hair, but Kayal recognized one of them: his cousin Gawain.
Meeting Kayal's questioning gaze, Grand Duke Andrei said with a chuckle, "The new round of Knight squire selections is beginning, and these two children are among the elites. Your Uncle Birmingham also asked you to look after him."
Kayal naturally knew these things. Squires were actually chosen from the age of seven or eight. Children who aimed to be Knights strived for this goal, and the first step was to become a Knight squire. However, the problem was: he wasn't a Knight! Knight squires served Knights, learning Knight skills by their side. Through this mentor-like relationship, each Knight, acting as a teacher, could train more Knights, which was why the Knight as a military branch had endured.