"Wait, isn't there any other way to get a knighthood than a nobleman's recommendation?" Ral interrupted.

"Naturally, there are, like you. However, you must know that now that the empire and the surrounding countries are in a relatively peaceful stage, there is naturally no war, and there can be no military merits. And there is a point that military merit is not so easy to obtain. It's good to survive a war, but the chances of getting military merit and being big enough to get a knighthood are too slim. I don't think I've got that luck, a fourth-level warrior like me is a cannon fodder character in a war. Horn said with a self-deprecating voice.

"You're right, military merit is indeed not so easy to obtain, and the knights who participated in the border battle with Andrew's empire with me are not bad if they can survive five out of ten. Lal said with emotion.

"Okay, let's talk about my situation. Now let's talk about you, I have received very definite news that His Majesty the Emperor wants to canonize you as a viscount, and reward a fief of about 20,000 acres, plus 5,000 gold coins, which is really rich and heartwarming. Horn said.

Lal was stunned, the reward was too rich, and he thought that it would be good to give a baron and a manor of three or four thousand acres at most. I didn't expect the emperor's majesty to be unexpectedly generous.

Horn looked at Ral's stunned expression, smiled knowingly, and continued: "The reward is too rich, isn't it! There are only a few nobles above the baron level in the whole empire, no more than a hundred, and they are basically old nobles who have been inherited for more than three generations in the empire for hundreds of years. In fact, the most recent baron who was promoted not by inheritance appeared thirty years ago, when the greatest contributor to the war against the Inadua-Commonwealth was made Baron Homaid Ndusharong. You have surpassed Hommid in one fell swoop, and the entire aristocracy has become very angry, and now some of the nobles have united and threatened to stop you in the noble council. You must know that becoming a nobleman not only requires the canonization of His Majesty the Emperor, but also the recognition of more than half of the members of the noble council in order to have the status of a nobleman and have the family coat of arms of his own family. ”

"Why? I didn't have any trouble with them, so why should they target me?" said Ral, jumping to his feet.

Horn shrugged his shoulders helplessly and said helplessly, "Who knows? Sometimes jealousy doesn't need a reason. ”

Ral slumped down, unable to sit in his chair. After a long time, he said, "What are I going to do? I'm going to beg those vampires to let me go." ”

The point is, Horn saw Ral's dejected appearance and knew that the time was ripe, and continued: "Actually, there is a very simple solution to your difficulties. ”

Ral perked up and hurriedly said, "What's the solution?"

"It's simple, bribes". Horn said with a relaxed face: "If you think about it, why should those nobles be jealous of you, it's just because you are about to get a lot of benefits. As long as you can come up with conditions that make them happy, I promise they won't stop you. ”

"Bribery" is a companion that has been born since the birth of human class. You can feel it shameful, pathetic, and even disgusting. But one thing that cannot be denied is that it is indeed very effective, simple and sharp. It can be said to be a distorted and deformed form of trading.

After thinking about it, Ral agreed with Horn's method and said, "This method is very feasible, but there is a little problem...... I don't think there's anything of value that can be seen by the wealthy upper-class aristocracy. I don't think the nobles who are insatiable and cunning enough to squeeze the oil out of the dead can be disposed of with a few gold coins. Obviously it's a good idea, but I don't impress the aristocracy with anything, unless there's a big pie in the sky right now. ”

"Hey," Horn chuckled and looked at Ral, the expression of a profiteer looking at a treasure of curiosity.

Ral was horrified by that strange look in his eyes.

"You really don't have anything of value to impress those nobles, but the world really drops a big pie for you. Horn said.

"Oh? I don't know. Ral wondered.

Horn felt that the time was ripe to negotiate terms with Ral. Then he said, "I have a way of obtaining some very valuable treasures, which I believe will be enough to impress the nobles who have put obstacles in your way. But there is a problem...... "

Horn sells off.

Lal asked eagerly, "What's the problem, you hurry up!"

"Haha...... Actually, this question is about me. Let's be straight, if I help you clear the way, in exchange, or my reward, I want you to nominate me with the only noble nomination after you become a viscount. What do you think?"

Horn was so sure that he would be able to solve Lal's problem because of the merchant he met in the hotel from the endless sea, Abkhaz Mohammud Abraham. After talking to him a few times in his spare time, I learned that Abkhazia had brought many treasures from the endless sea, and that the main purpose of his visit was to see if he could open a trade route. Transporting some of the specialties in the endless sea and bringing back what is not in the sea. However, the opening of trade routes was not only dangerous, but also required the permission of the Sunderland Empire, and if the normal customs clearance taxes were followed, then Abkhazia would not be profitable. He now wanted to find a nobleman who had a territory close to the Empire's borders to act as their agent in the Sunderland Empire, so that he could directly avoid the Empire's onerous customs clearance taxes. In order to find such a surrogate, Abkhazia was willing to pay a large price, and in fact a large part of the treasures he brought with him were prepared for this. It just so happened that the fief that His Majesty the Emperor was going to reward Lal was on the border of the empire near the endless sea, barren and desolate. During a casual conversation with Horn, Abkhazia somehow expressed his intention to ask him to help find a suitable agent. Now all Horn had to do was convince Abkhazia to take out his treasure and fund Lal to clear the way and make Lal an Abkhaz agent in the Sunderland Empire.

After thinking about it, Ral said, "Yes, if you really have a way to help me clear the way and make me a nobleman." Then I should pay you accordingly, which is obviously a mutually beneficial thing, I get what I want, and you get what you want. ”

"Haha, then this matter is settled. Horn reached out and shook Ral tightly.

Seeing that his long-awaited wish was only one step away from being fulfilled, Horn felt that the originally dim tavern became bright, as if his future was bright.

The pleasant mood increased Horn's alcohol consumption so much that he felt dizzy in front of his eyes as he stepped out of the tavern.

After saying goodbye to Ral, Horn walked in the direction of the hotel. Too much alcohol made him much less vigilant. So much so that the two people who were sitting in the tavern drinking together followed them after they left without noticing.

The fragrant avenue was full of people, and Horn walked in a very happy mood, thinking about how to convince Abkhazia, a merchant from the endless sea.

Fragrant Avenue is right next to Horn's hotel, and you only need to turn down an alley to get to the back door of the hotel.

The alley is paved with small patches of bluestone, and the width of less than two meters means that the sun only shines in at noon. The perennial dark alleys are covered with moss, and the darkness is also a breeding ground for many creatures, such as rats and cockroaches. Even the great and glorious place of the imperial capital inevitably breeds gloom.

Horn carefully avoided a foul of water and was confronted by two men in hooded robes. The gloomy light in the alley obscured their faces, and only the lower part of their faces could be roughly seen. But the faint bulge in the robe alerted Horn.

The two hooded grey-robed men drew closer, Horn clutching the dagger he had given from the weapons shop. The man leaned against the wall, making way for the two hooded grey-robed men. In fact, Horn's muscles were tense, and as soon as the two hooded gray-robed men moved, they would immediately fight back.

Step by step, Horn had a vague smile on his face, like one person was making a gesture of kindness to another.

Two hooded gray-robed men walked in front of Horn, and there was nothing out of the ordinary, just like the ordinary people passing by on the street.

Horn breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and walked on, laughing at himself for being suspicious.

With a "bang", Horn only felt a powerful force hit his back. The force was so strong that he fell to the ground, and it took several rolls before stopping.

"Oh" Horn groaned, the impact was so unsuspecting that Horn could even hear bones breaking.

Now was not the time to lie down and moan, and Horn stood up with the pain of cracking his bones. He flashed his dagger and said, "What do you want to do, if you want money, I have fifteen gold coins here, enough for you to spend for a while." ”

"Hehe, you can keep the fifteen gold coins for your own use, and I want you to go to a place with us today. One of the fatter hooded gray-robed men said emotionlessly.

Horn's mind flashed through a series of people who had a grudge against him, but all of them were in his hometown of Dauphin. There is no one in the emperor, and Horn racks his brains as if he doesn't understand. However, there is one thing, the two people in front of him who have the strength of a fifth-level warrior are not something they can deal with.

"Ral, it's really time for you to come, these two people want to kill me. Horn's eyes lit up, and he shouted behind the hooded gray-robed man with a look of surprise.

The faces of the two hooded gray-robed men changed, they had been following Horn for a long time, but they had been worried about the Lal who had the strength of a sixth-level warrior beside him, although the two of them might not be able to defeat Lal when they joined forces, but if they added a fourth-level warrior strength, it would be difficult to say which side the balance of victory would be inclined towards.