n

n

n

n

n?In the course of a year, the Westia Kingdom engaged in wars with several countries and, with minimal losses, gained vast tracts of land.

nIt became the nation with the largest territorial expansion within the year.

nMeanwhile, a region known as Carabby began to witness the emergence of pirates.

nThese Carabby pirates were ideologists, not aligning themselves with any country.

nRegardless of the favorable conditions offered by various nations, they had no intention of joining forces, retaining their ships and crews for piracy.

nNo matter how stern the warnings from the Fran Kingdom and Porlia Kingdom were, these pirates showed no signs of abandoning their marauding ways.

nThe Carabby region was affluent, attracting adventurous immigrants from various countries.

nGradually, they were blinded by the allure of wealth, their eyes seeing only gold, devoid of basic respect for life.

nTheir vessels, originally meant for trade, were all repurposed as pirate ships. .

nTheir storage spaces, initially used for goods, were now filled with gunpowder and cannonballs.

nPorlia Kingdom once held one or two islands in the Carabby region, but these were soon destroyed by the pirates, who established their strongholds there.

nThese pirates were formidable fighters, hardened by a life on the edge, valuing money over their lives.

nTheir strength, coupled with the distance from the mainland, made every journey time-consuming.

nWhether it was the transmission of intelligence or the dispatch of fleets to quell the pirates, there was significant delay, adding to the complexity of dealing with the pirate menace in Carabby.

nThe Empire granted Oungria Kingdom a unique status of protected independence, meaning if Oungria was attacked, the Empire would directly intervene in the conflict.

nHowever, Howard, now King of Oungria Kingdom, harbored reservations about trusting Nora, given the Empire’s performance in the previous war.

nCatherine suggested that Howard should personally meet Nora to bridge the gap.

nDespite his new responsibilities as king and reluctance to leave the capital Pist, Howard instead embarked on an innovative project in Pist.

nHe established a grand hotel named Budopist Hotel.

nThis establishment was a novel concept; many had never seen a state-commissioned hotel, let alone one offering lodging services.

nHoward, attentive to his people’s needs, assumed the honorary role of Budopist Hotel’s manager, significantly boosting its reputation.

nWhile Howard insisted on keeping the prices affordable to avoid financial barriers for the common folk, his foreign minister and Catherine argued for maintaining higher rates.

nThey reasoned that the hotel should not become a laughingstock across the continent.

nIt needed to attract upscale clientele initially to establish a perception of luxury, even if there were some initial issues.

nAfter some discussion, Howard made a few concessions.

nHowever, he firmly maintained one principle: regardless of social status, anyone who visited the hotel would receive equal treatment.

nWhether noble or commoner, everyone at Budopist Hotel would enjoy services and experiences befitting royalty.

nHoward personally selected the first batch of employees for Budopist Hotel, imparting to them the philosophy that every guest is of utmost importance.

nHe emphasized that at Budopist, ‘noble’ was not a term reserved for aristocracy, but a quality inherent in each patron of the hotel.

nHe instructed the staff to always wear a smile, ensuring that guests felt warmly welcomed, as if they were returning home.

nUnder Howard’s guidance, the hotel developed the first set of comprehensive rules for establishments of its kind on the continent.

nHis regulations refined the hotel’s policies.

nHe was the first to advocate the principle that “the customer is always right,” which attracted considerable positive attention and admiration.

nHe further established behavioral standards such as “avoid direct eye contact with guests, but be attentive to all other details,” “serve with humility but without subservience,” and “strive for profitability while respecting guests’ feelings and not being overbearing.”

nAt Budopist Hotel, if a guest complained about the food or the wine, it was replaced unconditionally.

nThanks to suggestions from the foreign minister and Catherine, the hotel’s clientele consisted of well-mannered and cultured individuals.

nElegance and politeness became synonymous with the guests of Budopist.

nYet, in line with Howard’s firm insistence, the hotel’s patrons spanned all classes.

nMen and women, young and old, nobles and commoners, all dined side by side.

nThey tasted exquisite dishes, exchanged smiles, and transcended social barriers within the hospitable ambiance of Budopist Hotel.

nThe Budopist Hotel captured the attention of the entire continent and brought significant profits to Howard, who gradually came to be known as the pioneer of the hospitality industry.

nWith its rising fame, countless people from Oungria Kingdom flocked to the hotel daily, finding dining there a matter of prestige.

nInternational visitors, including nobles, businessmen, and educators, traveled through land and sea routes, docking at Lagusa’s port before heading to Pist, all eager to experience a meal at the Budopist Hotel.

nDuring this venture, Howard met a diverse array of individuals.

nOn one occasion, a teacher approached Howard with a proposition: “I wish to make this place the learning center for our study group. As the King of Oungria, you can’t refuse. If you do, it would be disrespectful, and I will organize our group members to rebel against you.”

nHoward found himself in a difficult position.

nThe group had significant influence on the continent.

nMishandling the situation could lead to substantial future troubles, as one should never underestimate the power of scholars.

nHowever, agreeing to the request could adversely affect the hotel’s business.

nThe content advocated by the study group might not be universally appreciated and could even be disliked by some.

nSuch a scenario could have severe repercussions, especially considering Howard’s substantial investment in the hotel and his principle of welcoming all guests without discrimination.

nPondering over the situation, Howard was pressed by the teacher: “Have you made up your mind, Your Majesty? Our group is now a sought-after entity across the continent. I advise you to comply soon. Otherwise, an angry populace might rise in rebellion against you.”

nThe waitstaff at the hotel, already displaying signs of anger, stood beside Howard, subtly surrounding the teacher.

nHoward gestured to his employees to maintain respect towards the teacher, believing that as long as the study group wasn’t overtly problematic or obviously wrong, their educators deserved respect and courteous treatment.

nHoward managed a wry smile and said, “Please allow me some time to consider this matter. For now, I invite you, teacher, to dine with us. To show my respect for you, today’s meal and drinks are on the house. Please enjoy the services of Budopist Hotel to the fullest.”

nAs the teacher dined, other regular patrons entered the hotel.

nObserving the vibrancy of the establishment, the teacher felt pleased with Howard’s respect towards him.

nBefore leaving, he reassured Howard, “There’s no rush on this matter.”

nInitially intending to leave, the teacher was requested by Howard to leave his name and contact information.

nWith a smile, the teacher introduced himself, “I am Martin, the organizer of this new study group. They call me the founder, but I don’t like it. I believe our study group is driven by a love for learning. It wasn’t created by me alone, but by the countless individuals who share this passion. Learning is our true purpose.”

nThe patrons of the hotel paused, putting down their cutlery.

nSome stared at Martin in amazement, others with skepticism, and some with joy.

nHoward inquired, “Mr. Martin, how might I contact you again in the future?”

nAs Martin left the hotel, he mentioned that he would contact Howard when the time was right.

nOn another occasion, Charles, the King of Fran Kingdom, visited Pist.

nHoward sent people to welcome him along the way.

nOn the Royal Road, a procession of luxurious and extravagant carriages progressed slowly.

nThe convoy, comprising seven carriages, was adorned with purple sandalwood and blue-violet floral decorations.

nThe coachmen were dignified and robust.

nThe curtains in the carriages, or rather the window drapes, were all embellished with the Capet family’s coat of arms.

nAgainst the blue background of the Capet family’s colors, they exuded nobility and a clear, distinct aura.

nIt was an elegance that set them apart from other nobility. 𝑖𝘦.𝑐ℴ𝘮

nThe territorial changes in the Fran Kingdom had been many, largely due to the machinations of the Ing Empire.

nFran Kingdom and Ing Empire were historical adversaries.

nRecently, the relationship between Fran Kingdom and the Empire had also deteriorated significantly.

nWhen Howard met Charles, he greeted him with a hug, saying, “Charles, you really are something. When you came to help me that day, I knew you were extraordinary, full of the spirit to aid others. I just didn’t expect you to become the King of Fran Kingdom so quickly.”

nThere was a hint of melancholy in Charles’s eyes as he replied, “I didn’t want this either, but my father’s health is failing.”

nHoward patted Charles’s shoulder in consolation.

nOpting to walk, Howard was joined by Charles, who also chose to proceed on foot.

nFollow current novels on .𝒎

n