Chapter 619: Learning Strong Nation

"I... I have never been on a battlefield."

Henrick's statement left Scholar Matus a bit embarrassed on the spot. He could only open and close his mouth, finally uttering this sentence in a very low voice.

"Huh?"

"A bald shithead who's never been on a battlefield is teaching us how to fight?"

Henrick, of course, heard Matus's words, and immediately repeated them with exaggerated expression and tone, before breaking into hearty laughter.

"Hahaha—"

His blatant mockery also amused the other kingdom army officers and soldiers in the classroom who had come for training.

Their faces all bore smiles, and they couldn't help but laugh together, patting the tables in approval, and then looked at their teacher, Scholar Matus, with keen interest.

They wanted to see how the heavily insulted scholar would retaliate. Would he use his so-called war studies? Would he use the tiny teaching whip in his hand to spank this guy's ass?

"I…"

The bald scholar in a gray robe, adorned with an iron chain, had fury written all over his face.

He had been greatly insulted, yet he couldn't express his indignation, which indeed was laughable. He had never been on a battlefield yet was teaching a bunch of officers who had walked off one.

He really wanted to rush up and have a fight with the man, but reason told him to stay calm; there was a high chance he couldn't beat the man, he might even be killed by him.

Scholar Matus's face turned red, and the scene became awkward.

Just at that moment, the dean of the military academy, Dr. Belton, along with Viserys and his entourage, walked in.

"Doctor!"

Seeing the leaders arrive, Scholar Matus, regardless of his fury, hurriedly spoke in a panicked tone.

And the officers below, who were receiving training, became even more fearful when they saw the arrivals. How many silver-haired, purple-eyed individuals were there in King's Landing? Moreover, many of them had had the opportunity to see Viserys up close.

"Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty."

All the officers and soldiers undergoing training stood up to salute, including Sir Henrick, whose face was the most nervous.

"Your clothes! Your clothes!"

"Quick!"

A companion handed over the clothes he had just taken off, and the Golden Company officer hurriedly draped them over himself, covering his bare upper body.

"Hmph."

A red-haired knight among Viserys's entourage looked at him and snorted coldly, but said nothing.

Viserys, on the other hand, seemed to ignore the previous scene entirely, still wearing a smile on his face.

He had heard everything that had just happened, although Dr. Belton beside him hadn't heard clearly; Viserys's senses were sharper.

He had somewhat anticipated this scene, yet it still occurred. One of the purposes of his visit was to address such situations.

However, being a king, he naturally wouldn't step down and reprimand soldiers and junior officers publicly; that would be a very disgraceful act.

He then whispered a few words to a knight beside him.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The knight glanced at Henrick, then turned and left.

On the other side, Henrick watched the departing knight with a slight trepidation in his heart, while his less honorable companions couldn't help but snicker, knowing he was in for trouble.

They were all drawn from various places across the lands, having never met before, so there was no camaraderie to speak of.

"What's the biggest difference between a peasant and a noble?"

Viserys rarely had heart-to-heart conversations with the most basic level of officers and soldiers; maybe he would have done so back in Andalos.

The reason wasn't complicated—it was to win hearts.

Robert had also once slept in a ditch with soldiers and got drunk with them.

However, that was during the conquest; when it came to ruling, maintaining such a close distance with the public was inappropriate. Viserys needed to maintain the mystique and authority of the royalty.

A king who mingles daily with the commoners in flea nests, where would his authority stand?

Now, Viserys had passed the stage of winning hearts, and he didn't have time for that.

Yet now, Viserys still brought a stool to sit on the podium to have a simple chat with these men.

He gestured for them to sit down, as the classroom was not the throne room, and there wasn't a strict etiquette of monarch and subjects here.

"What's the biggest difference between a peasant and a noble?"

"Bloodline?"

"Wealth?"

"Power?"

"Yes, all you've thought of is correct."

"But there's one more thing you've overlooked, and that is knowledge."

Viserys spoke, and the rough men below sat upright with serious faces. They respected Viserys not just because he was a king, but because Viserys had more blood on his hands than they did.

The scene where King Robert challenged King Viserys in the trial a half-year ago, and was easily killed, still vividly lingered in their minds. Many present had witnessed Viserys in person at that time.

When a tough person meets someone tougher, they become docile. None of the troublemakers dared to cause a scene, and the knights accompanying Viserys were all heavily armed, cold armor, pairs of eyes staring at these men.

"Most nobles have received the best education, at least most of them can read, and they have scholars to assist them in their castles."

"Why?"

"Because they know they need the help of scholars; they understand the importance of knowledge."

"A noble who is illiterate or lacks knowledge will be despised and looked down upon."

When Viserys said this, he turned his head to look at the instructor of this class, Scholar Matus, and the dean of the academy, Dr. Belton, as well as many other accompanying scholars.

They hurriedly smiled and nodded, also straightening their shoulders slightly.

Recently, due to the disintegration of the Scholar's city, the status of scholars had plummeted. However, Viserys's words bolstered the scholars; the workings of this world still needed the assistance of scholars.

"You all want to become nobles in the future."

Viserys turned his head back to look at the men in front of him.

"If you can't even recognize characters, how are you going to become nobles?"

Actually, Viserys was really looking out for them; in this world, being literate was a talent.

However, his words just now were a bit vague. In fact, quite a number of nobles were also illiterate, but mostly from the lowest knight families.

But being literate and then changing one's fate was still feasible.

"Once, you had no opportunity to learn, and now that I have given you the chance, you don't know how to cherish it."