Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World

Chapter 226: The Eagle

Henry took a large bite of the carrot in his hand. Even with his mana-reinforced teeth, it was like biting into solid stone.

"My lord—" Cautes, the scarred farmer, spoke hesitantly, his voice filled with concern. "That carrot... it needs to be boiled and cooked before it’s edible. If not, it’s as hard as the hardest stones of the North. Let me—"

However, before he could finish his sentence, Cautes found himself lost for words. His eyes widened in shock, nearly popping out of his skull. He had just witnessed something unbelievable, something even the strongest nobles he met before would be unable to accomplish.

The frozen grayish-orange carrot, as hard as stone, was effortlessly crushed between the king’s teeth. There was no strain, no hesitation, just a clean snap. As Henry chewed, the loud, crunching sound echoed in through the small food warehouse.

"I don’t think it tasted like this..." - Henry thought, trying to recall the flavor of Earth’s carrots. He was certain it wasn’t the same. This one was oddly salty, as if it had been soaked in seawater for days. He chewed thoughtfully before finally speaking - "It’s quite salty."

Cautes, still staring in wide-eyed disbelief at the king, blurted out reflexively - "Y-Yes... I apologize for not warning you sooner, Your Highness... We have to boil it for an entire day, changing the water at least six times before it’s edible." - His voice wavered as he fidgeted, his gaze darting between the king and the two woman beside him, especially the silver-haired one with that sharp blue eye.

Leier’s hand rested lightly on the hilt of her short sword, and the sight made Cautes swallow hard, his throat suddenly dry.

"It’s fine." -Henry’s voice was calm as he tossed the remainder of the carrot back onto the pile inside the warehouse - "It was not the taste I expected, but at least it is something different from the same fruits and meat we eat every day."

"T-Thank you, Your Highness." Cautes stammered, barely hiding his relief. Still, his eyes flicked nervously between Henry and Leier, unsure whether the danger had truly passed.

Without care, Henry shifted the conversation - "So all it takes is ashes to grow these crops?" - He glanced at the neat rows of stored vegetables before turning his attention back to the farmer - "Since we have increased blacksmith production and intensified weapon manufacturing, we have been burning through a lot of wood. As a result, we have mountains of ash that are simply being tossed away, buried beneath the snow in land that will never be able to grow life like this."

Henry’s words lingered in the air, and for a moment, Cautes was at a loss for words, unable to find the words to respond. The former queen and Leier stood in silence.

With that, Henry turned, exchanging a brief glance with Leier and Inacia before stepping out of the warehouse, leaving Cautes standing alone in stunned silence.

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The moment they stepped outside, Henry felt a slight tug on his coat. He turned his head, only to see Leier’s sword pressed lightly against Inacia’s throat. The former queen, however, seemed unfazed, simply raising a finger and pointing toward the sky.

Henry followed her gesture, his sharp gaze cutting through the gray clouds above.

"A bird?"- he muttered, spotting a white eagle soaring rapidly through the sky. His mind immediately recalled the letter Inacia had received just days ago - "Shoot it down."

At Henry’s command, Agusa, who had been standing guard by the warehouse door, instantly unslung his bow. Though he couldn’t see the bird as clearly as Henry, years of hunting had trained his instincts well. He nocked an arrow, steadying his breath as his sharp eyes locked onto his distant target, one that seemed like a speck to the naked eye

A heartbeat later, the arrow flew.

It whistled through the air, slicing through the wind with precision. The force of the shot snapped the bowstring against Agusa’s arm, but he didn’t even flinch, his eyes tracking the arrow’s path.

A faint cry echoed as the bird was struck, its wings faltering as it plummeted toward the ground.

"Good work," Henry said, watching the eagle disappear into the distance. "Bring it to me. If it’s still alive, keep it that way."

Then, his gaze flickered back to Leier - "Lower your sword."