Chapter 399 - 274: A Few Too Many Old Prairie Sayings

After the Viscount signed his contract with Claude and had just stepped out, the shrewd Baron squeezed in. He said impatiently, "Master Claude, regarding the deal I discussed with Count Henry yesterday—trading arms and grain for timber and stone—we can sign the contract for that today as well.

I've already prepared a detailed list. You can take a look." He pulled a piece of parchment covered in dense writing from his coat and handed it to Claude.

Claude was taken aback for a moment. 'I can't believe this Baron drank all night and was still clear-headed enough to go back to his room and draw up a plan.'

Claude took the list and examined it carefully, nodding as he read. "Baron, your preparations are quite thorough. However, we still need to verify the resource quantities and transportation routes to ensure this is beneficial for both sides."

The Baron nodded hastily. "No problem, no problem at all."

Next, a group of Knights pushed their way in, all speaking at once. "Master Claude, I want to buy horses and weapons from Count Henry! When can we sign the contract?"

"I've already prepared the resources for the exchange. When would be a good time?"

Claude, surrounded in the middle of the room, was completely swamped. He could only try to placate the crowd while recording each person's requests and terms of exchange one by one.

The elderly Knight arrived as well, saying with a hint of nervousness, "Master Claude, about the three hundred Dinars I'm borrowing from Count Henry... please have the contract signed as soon as possible.

I promise, as soon as I get through this rough patch, I will repay it on time."

Claude nodded. "Rest assured, I will see to it. However, it would be best if you also prepare a repayment plan to avoid any trouble down the line."

Finally, the young Knight entered the room and said shyly, "Master Claude, about the matter of purchasing serfs I discussed with Count Henry yesterday, you see..."

Claude sighed and said, "I understand. Go and prepare the funds first, and then we can discuss the number of serfs and the price in detail."

The entire room was in a constant state of clamor, with nobles coming and going.

Claude was so busy he didn't even have time for a sip of water, but he knew why these nobles were so desperate. Getting in with Count Henry meant that even if they profited a little less, it was far from a losing deal.

'If Count Henry refused to do business with them, they'd be ostracized by their peers later on, and that would be true suffering.'

'Everyone else has thrown their lot in with Count Henry, everyone else is doing business with him. If you're the only one who isn't, doesn't that just make you an outsider?'

Just as Claude was being completely mobbed by a crowd of nobles, Boman and Fass found Henry, who was drinking tea to sober up and eating breakfast.

An exquisite breakfast was laid out before Henry. He was taking small sips of hot tea while nibbling on a golden, crispy piece of toast, looking much more refreshed.

In truth, Henry wasn't drunk at all. With his constitution, it was impossible for him to get drunk. Even if he drank until his stomach burst, he wouldn't feel the slightest bit intoxicated. This was actually a drawback, as it robbed him of the chance to ever get drunk.

Boman approached Henry with a slightly stiff gait, his face showing a trace of hungover fatigue. He grinned. "Hey, Henry, this breakfast looks pretty good. Any left for me?"

Henry looked up, saw Boman and Fass, and smiled slightly. He gestured to the food on the table. "Help yourselves. I can't finish it all."

Fass walked over as well, rubbing his eyes. "Henry, your breakfast looks amazing. I drank too much last night, and now I'm a bit hungry. Boman was the smart one, eating so much."

"Hey!"

Henry chuckled and gestured for them to sit down, then continued sipping his tea. "You two really let loose last night, didn't you? I almost didn't recognize you. You nearly started groping the dancing girls. Pathetic."

Boman scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. "Heh, it's not often we have that much fun. How could we not drink?"

Henry set down his teacup, his expression turning serious. "Right, there's something I need you for. Go back to your fiefs, assemble your armies, and then head back here immediately."

Boman and Fass looked at each other, their faces showing a hint of confusion.

Fass frowned. "Henry, did you drink too much? Our armies are right here in Odoche. Did you forget?"

Boman chimed in, "Yeah, Henry. We might not have played a huge role in the battle for Odoche, but you can't just forget about us like that."

Hearing this, Henry abruptly slapped his forehead as realization dawned. "Ah, my brain! I really did forget! Your armies are right here in Odoche."

Boman and Fass glanced at each other and couldn't help but laugh. Fass teased, "Henry, your head must still be full of wine from last night."

Henry laughed awkwardly. 'It was just as Boman said. Their armies hadn't played any significant role; they were basically just doing grunt work.'

'On top of that, they had brought their own food and supplies, which was why Henry had completely forgotten their armies were even stationed outside the city.'

Henry quickly made an excuse. "What can I say, I had a bit too much to drink last night, and my head's still a little fuzzy. But speaking of which, their performance in Odoche wasn't bad. At least they kept things stable and prevented any chaos."

Boman waved his hand and said good-naturedly, "Nah, our armies were just lending a hand. Your troops are the really impressive ones.

The officers manage them well, and the soldiers are obedient. They do whatever they're told and don't cause any trouble. It's really something to be envious of."

Fass nodded. "Most lords are lucky to have a single unit of elites, but your whole army is like that. Seriously, congratulations."