Chapter 12

The third update has arrived!

"Bad news, let's go, Cook, the empire has declared war!" Cook and Naris had just returned to the inn when they were stopped by Viscount Locke. They didn't even return to their room before rushing out of the inn, and the inn's waiter was already waiting for them. Viscount Locke said anxiously.

"War, my lord! With whom?" Naris was startled. After all, the empire's opponent would also be an empire, and the empire in this world was vast, with dozens of duchies and directly governed provinces, covering an enormous area.

"Ceylon Empire. Ceylon Empire has already breached two border towns of the Muny Duchy. This is the recently issued call to arms." Viscount Locke took out an exquisite scroll and handed it to Naris.

"What, they're actually mobilizing the magic corps? Is it that serious?" Naris looked at the scroll and exclaimed in surprise.

"Of course. The Muny Duchy is the main grain-producing region of the empire, and the harvest is almost ready. This time, the Ceylon Empire is attacking due to widespread drought in the empire, forcing them into this battle." Viscount Locke seemed to know a lot.

"But why are we being summoned?" Naris asked, puzzled.

"Because this year is the year of the major rotation every five years. There are no substantial knight orders around the empire, so all the nobles along the way, regardless of their size, have to send people. We, with our military titles, are specifically designated to go. However, the empire's mammoth corps has already set out and is expected to catch up with us when we meet the Ceylon Empire. Our main task is to escort the magic corps on the way." Viscount Locke explained while leading his horse.

But Cook spoke up: "My lord, what if we encounter the Ceylon Empire's army prematurely?"

"That won't happen. This is the result of multiple deliberations by the military staff." Viscount Locke answered confidently.

"Phew!" Cook had never heard of a staff that dared to make such a claim. After all, war is highly unpredictable and variable. However, seeing Viscount Locke's expression, Cook didn't say anything more, as it wouldn't be appropriate for his age.

"Mr. Cook, this is the mount and a gift from my lord." At this moment, a waiter led out a horse. The horse was brown and not as tall as Viscount Locke's mount.

"Yalan horse, with great endurance, very suitable for a hunter." Viscount Locke commented.

"Thank you!" Cook didn't say much, just took the reins and thanked him.

"You're welcome!" The man smiled and left.

"Let's go, Cook!" Viscount Locke looked at the Yalan horse next to Cook, nodded, and said that the Yalan horse was very hardy and had great endurance, making it ideal for various environments, especially for scouts.

"Ah! Buddy, what's your name?" Cook then asked in Beast Tongue, which sounded like a strange noise to others.

"Kid, who's your buddy? I'm a warhorse, do you understand?" The horse didn't buy it, growled, and showed its large teeth, clearly finding Cook very impolite.

"Really? What's so different about a warhorse?" Cook, realizing he couldn't ride it, had to lead it by the reins and asked as he walked.

"Warhorses undergo strict training and can perform at their maximum capacity." The horse huffed and reluctantly followed Cook.

"Alright, alright, do you want to eat something? Any preferences?" Cook had no choice but to use sweet talk.

"One egg and half a pound of ale every day, the rest is just okay." The horse said quite bluntly.

"Uh! Eggs, ale!" Cook muttered.

"Ha ha, it seems our little Cook is getting along well with his new partner. But the horse feed is provided by Viscount Locke, and during the call to arms, the empire provides it. During the war, there are not only eggs and ale but also meat powder!" Quev chuckled.

"Really?" Cook felt much more relaxed. Then he realized why knights were so rare; one egg and half a pound of ale were worth half a silver coin.

"Ha ha, that's just for horses. If you see the mammoth corps, you'll be even more surprised. Each mammoth consumes a gold coin a day." Viscount Locke also chuckled.

"A gold coin!" Cook was speechless. A gold coin was almost the annual expenditure of a family of four, and some even had money left over. It was unimaginable.

"Only the empire has such financial power, with a vast corps of five thousand mammoths." Viscount Locke sighed proudly.

"Ha ha!" Cook didn't understand the difference between the mammoths here and those in his world, so he just chuckled, sharing the pride of a great nation.

"So, we're partners from now on." Cook then said to the Yalan horse next to him.

"Partners, really partners, not just a mount?" The Yalan warhorse asked, tilting its head and looking at Cook, clearly puzzled.

"Of course, whether on the battlefield or in private, we are partners!" Cook answered firmly.

"Do you swear?" The Yalan warhorse followed up.

"I swear!" Cook answered solemnly, knowing the benefits of a good mount.

"I envy you having such a good owner!" Viscount Locke's mount looked at the Yalan warhorse and said.

"Indeed, once you've been on the battlefield, you'll know how important we mounts are."

"Indeed! But our treatment isn't as good, after all, we're pack horses."

"Pack horses are important too!"

...

Cook was dizzy from listening. He finally realized that some talents weren't always good. On the way, he heard the mounts talking to each other and greeting passing mounts, making him feel like he was in a dream.

"Uh, where's the little thing?" Cook easily mounted the Yalan warhorse. The warhorse was different, very stable to ride, but he noticed that the little thing that was on his collar was gone.

"You mean the spider? I saw it crawl in there!" A pack horse behind Cook pointed to a package on the Yalan warhorse and said to Cook.

"Uh! Thank you!" Cook was speechless. It turned out this talent had its benefits.

"You're welcome. See that small hole? It went in there." The pack horse said excitedly.

"Uh, the leather bag was actually bitten through." Cook quickly picked it up and found it was the bag that held the water rabbit. There was a small hole on the bag, as if it had been burned.

"Is it gone?" Cook opened the leather bag in confusion and found a hole in the water rabbit's head. The little thing was struggling to get out of the small hole but was clearly stuck, having eaten too much. Cook was amazed because he could see that the water rabbit's head was clearly empty inside.

"Come! Come! Come!" The little thing saw Cook and tried to make a sound.

"Are you going to act on your own again?" Cook lightly tapped the little thing's head with his finger, not in a good mood.

"No! Out! Out!" The little thing still spoke one word at a time.

"Since you know you were wrong, I'll help you." Cook took out a dagger and pried open the water rabbit's skull. The dagger was a gift from Jim.

"Hurry up, we need to speed up. Prepare immediately and wait on the road for the magic corps." Viscount Locke shouted loudly, then squeezed his horse's sides, and the speed increased significantly.

"Do I have to go too?" Cook asked Naris in surprise.

"Of course, everyone has to go in such times. Of course, necessary personnel will stay behind, but you, Cook, are definitely needed. Battle is the best way to improve your level and earn military merit!" Naris answered excitedly.