Season 4: Chapter 157. Spoils of War (4)
The Peasant squad returned from the awards and giddily compared inventories.
“Wow... O-Obsidian?”
“This is insane. We all got full sets?”
The full Obsidian sets gleamed with a deep violet sheen.
— Wow lol
— Is this really the same Cheese Village that didn’t even have iron?
— Sick
— Now that’s a Knight Order~
Iron armor had once been rare in Cheese Village. Plenty of recruits had joined the Order just for a chance at iron. Now, they had received full Obsidian sets. This would turn the village upside down.
“If people see this, they’ll die of jealousy.” Meringue snickered, thrilled.
— For real lol
— Strut through town in full glam, go go
— “Girls stutter when they see me...”
— Everyone’s gonna apply to the Order lol
Many of the new Lackey and Peasant members weren’t famous streamers. Their friends were of a similar tier. If they went back and showed off Obsidian and bragged about fighting as Knights... Of course, there’d be envy.
‘Wow, you really made it after joining the Order!’
‘No way, you actually fought in the war? That’s huge.’
‘I’m jealous... Meringue.’
‘Meringue, you feel... different?’
Flowers naturally bloomed in the Peasant squad’s minds.
“Let’s take pictures for proof. Pictures!”
“Sis, me too, me too.”
— Order of Runestar vibes omg
— LMAO perfect for social media
— Free marketing machine
Almond had decided to give them Obsidian for exactly this reason.
‘They need to stand out from the townsfolk.’
Internal hierarchy mattered, but distinguishing the Order from everyone outside mattered more. Members already recognized each other’s faces and names. Ranks were clear within, but outside? Who would know their affiliation or elitism?
Even iron armor no longer impressed. Plenty in Cheese Village had it now, but Obsidian? Only the Order possessed it. This would set them apart and draw attention, essentially serving as a mobile advertisement for the Order.
“Next, the Lackey squad.”
The Order’s internal hierarchy would be established in this way.
“Among the Lackeys, some will receive special commendations for exceptional service.”
Thoom!
From the side, the bard beat the drum at just the right moment.
— Ooh
— Special awards, damn
— Huge lol
— Is this an actual army?
— LMAO nice
Starting with the Lackey squad, special merit meant bigger rewards. That wasn’t all.
“All Lackeys, step forward.”
“Yes, sir!”
Clack, clack, clack!
All seven Lackey members marched out.
“To the Lackeys, I grant full Obsidian sets and twenty tiles of low-grade Fertile Soil.”
— Gasp
— No way
— Wow
— For real???
— Fertile Soil omg
— Now we’re talking lol
— Wow
What was the true symbol of Almond’s Knight Order? Ruthlessness? Shining silver armor? A towering banner? No, it was Fertile Soil.
‘W-Wow...!’
ForeverAlone gaped at the black cube resting in his hands.
[Fertile Soil]
It wasn’t just any soil, but Fertile Soil.
The words slipped out of ForeverAlone’s mouth on their own. “T-This is the symbol of the Order!”
— I’m dying lol
— A knightly order whose emblem is dirt hahaha
— Are they the Agriculture Order at this point
— So who’s the real Nonghyup Union now?
— Soil as the symbol, I accept
“Well fought, Lackey ForeverAlone.” Potato Servant clapped his shoulder as he passed.
Choked up, Lackey ForeverAlone shouted with a tight throat, “Th-Thank youuu!”
— Finally!!
— ForeverAlone made it!!
— Keep climbing, king~
Almond’s chat looked very different.
— That was made by killing you...
— It was originally ForeverAlone’s soil lol they stole it and gave it back
— Not “awarded,” “re-awarded” after theft lol
— Demons lmao wow
— Soil forged from ForeverAlone’s flesh and blood...
They assumed that particular cube had been made from burning ForeverAlone alive.
Almond shook his head. “Not true.”
— ?
— ??
— How is it not? lol
It really wasn’t. They were handing out low-grade Fertile Soil, made from the burning monsters, which only doubled the yield. The one made from burning ForeverAlone was a tier higher.
“Got it? We’re not those kinds of people.”
The viewers groaned at Almond’s tidy explanation.
— LMAOOOO
— “Got it?” he says like it’s an achievement
— He gave them the trash version and calls it an award lol
— Stop sounding proud about it LOL
“I’m just setting the record straight...” Almond scratched his head.
Soon, every Lackey member received their reward.
“My lord,” Radish Servant whispered beside him.
Almond nodded and raised his voice. “Now, I will announce the Lackey members recognized for special merit.”
Dugudugudugu...
The bard rolled out a tense drumline.
“LackLackey!”
Thoom!
ForeverAlone’s face went rigid when LackLackey’s name was called, but he accepted it.
‘W-Well, fair enough.’
Considering that LackLackey had crafted the bow, one could call him the greatest contributor.
“Woooooo!”
Everyone clapped as LackLackey climbed the platform.
He scratched his head bashfully. “This feels like too much, hehe.”
“Next...”
ForeverAlone’s pupils widened.
‘Huh? There’s a next...?’
Dugudugu...
The drumbeat stretched out, thick with tension.
— Whoa
— O
— There’s still a chance
— Oooo
Thoom!
The drum echoed through the hall as Almond called the next name, “Lackey ForeverAlone!!”
“Wha, ha!” ForeverAlone practically leaped with joy, beaming from ear to ear. “Did you see that!? Guys! Did you see!? I got the special commendation! Me! I actually did something for the Order!” he shouted at his viewers as he bounded up to the stage.
— LMAO
— He’s so real for this LOL
— This is the purest, most chaotic joy
— Bro’s unhinged
— Certified dork energy
Lackey ForeverAlone and LackLackey, their names thundered across the plaza. They were the heroes who received the special commendations.
Almond presented them with scrolls of honor. “This knight is hereby recognized for his valor and decisive action in the war against Paprika, for his great contribution to the Order, and for enriching this land with his own blood and sweat.”
“Th-Thank youuu!!!”
Snap!
ForeverAlone saluted sharply and clutched the certificate to his chest.
— “For enriching the land” LMAOOOO
— Is he roasting him??
— What even is that last line??
— Lackey ForeverAlone’s blood and sweat...
“As a secondary reward, you will each receive twenty tiles of mid-grade Fertile Soil.”
Mid-grade Fertile Soil, crafted from human essence, yielded triple the production.
— ???
— So he does give it to him lol
— “We’re not that kind of people,” my ass
— He literally gave him soil made from himself
— Do you celebrate or cry at this point?
Whatever the chat said, Lackey ForeverAlone and LackLackey looked nothing but elated.
“Loyalty!” They saluted with near-military precision and returned to their ranks.
The awards continued.
The Servant squad was also recognized in full and given high-grade Fertile Soil, which was forged with Dragon’s Breath. Their pay increased considerably.
Radish Servant finally received the fifty-fifty share he had negotiated with Almond. Potato Servant’s salary was adjusted to something actually human. Maid Black Tea and Lemon Servant both received commendations.
“Thank you, my lord!!” Radish Servant saluted with a grin.
And so, the Order’s reward ceremony came to an end.
“With that, commendations are complete. However, our work isn’t done yet.”
The internal ceremony had ended, but Almond didn’t plan on stopping here. Winning the war wasn’t enough. True victory only came when it was recognized. He turned toward the window. The night was ending as dawn crept in.
“Everyone, change into your Obsidian gear. Now.”
Now? The Lackey and Peasant members exchanged nervous glances, but obeyed at once.
“Yes, sir!”
***
Moments later...
Boom, pop!
Fireworks streaked across the morning sky. Crowds of villagers gathered in the square.
“Whoa, what’s that? Fireworks?”
“They can make those?”
“Isn’t that... like a miner’s flare or something?”
The colorful explosions drew people in solely by curiosity.
“What’s going on?”
“Looks like they’re up to something.”
The murmurs grew louder until Bubbleum shouted from the front, “A victory parade! To celebrate the war against Paprika!”
“A parade?”
“You know, like when heroes return from battle!”
He wasn’t lying. The town bulletin already had an article posted.
[This Morning, The Knights of Victory Will Arrive.]
It announced the Order’s grand parade, but not for the players. It was meant for the NPCs.
[BigFarm: Is this the place where the Guardian of the village will march today?”]
[Gokang: Hehehe, the victorious knights are coming? Quite the sight!]
[GaalAbbat: I abandoned my fields to come see this. Has it begun?]
Bubblegum’s article had worked. The NPCs believed it completely. They revered the Order as protectors and would never miss this spectacle.
“I brought flower petals for everyone!” NPC Florara bustled in, handing out baskets of petals.
Even the townsfolk, unsure of what was happening, automatically took them.
‘Now’s the time,’ Bubblegum thought with a smirk.
Right on cue, the bard appeared at the front line.
Thoom! Thoom-thoom!
“Huh?”
“What’s that?”
“Eh?”
The bard stepped aside, revealing what everyone had been waiting for.
“Wait... no way...”
Their armor shone with a violet radiance.
“THE MARCH OF THE KNIGHTS!!”
Thoom! Thud! Thoom!
The bard moved aside.
The Knight Order, wearing all Obsidian, strode forward in perfect formation. Potato Servant swung the massive banner high.
“WAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” The crowd erupted.
At the very front...
“ALMOND!!!”
It was him.
“We love you, Almond!”
“Aruto[1]! You’re the hero of Cheese Village!!”
— Holy crap this is insane
— “Aruto,” lol stop
— He just wanted to fish LOL
Pop!
Flower petals filled the air and rained down everywhere.
Ba-bam! Ba-bam-bam!
NPC bards blew their trumpets as the Order’s bard beat the drums harder.
Thoom! Thud! Thoom!
With every beat, the Order advanced step by step toward the village center. At the plaza’s heart hung an enormous banner, three times larger than usual, with the headline from Bubblegum’s paper.
[The Village Abandoned Them, But They Never Abandoned the Village.]
The Order marched beneath it.
— Goddamn, chills
— Knights + media + money, the holy trinity
— Bubblegum went crazy with this one
— This hype is unreal lol
The Farmer’s Daily had already vanished from the square. A stage had been built at the center instead. Almond and the senior knights ascended. The Lackey and Peasant squads stood guard below, displaying flawless discipline.
Almond stepped to the front and gazed down. He didn’t need to say a word. His presence alone silenced the crowd.
“Whoa... Is that all Obsidian?”
“The entire Order? That’s insane.”
“Where did they even get that?”
“They say Paprika invaded wearing it. The Order beat them.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope, with half their numbers and weaker gear, they still won.”
Thoom!
Potato Servant slammed the flagpole into the ground for silence.
“Ahem!”
The crowd hushed instantly.
Then, Almond said, “As of today, we owe no tribute. Not one grain.”
“WAAAAAAHHHH!!!” The villagers roared.
Their victory was now indisputable. Rumors were one thing, but hearing it from the knight commander himself made it real.
“LONG LIVE THE ORDER!”
“LONG LIVE!!” Bubblegum joined in, shouting louder than anyone.
— Bubblegum, lol
— The Goebbels of Cheese Village!
— He’s found his calling LOL
Riding the momentum, Almond raised his voice again. “As of today! Cheese Village is henceforth! Entirely! Independent!”
It was nothing short of a declaration of independence.
“WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!”
Bubblegum yelled again, grinning from ear to ear.
“Long live independence!!!”
The plaza shook with deafening cheers.
“LONG LIVE!!!”
— LMAO this is basically a presidential inauguration
— True independence day vibes
— Almond, ruler of Cheese Village
— How do you even top this??
From a distance, the Nonghyup Union could only watch in silence.
Potato Servant stepped forward and raised the banner high. “LONG LIVE OUR LORD’S INDEPENDENCE!!!”
Fwoooosh!
The banner unfurled and snapped in the wind. Thus, a new era began... The Age of the Knight Order.
— “Lord” Almond now
— Potato Servant, the ceremonial genius
— LMAOO “Lord’s independence”
1. Reference to Naruto saving the Hidden Leaf Village. ☜