Drawing Cards in the Middle Ages to Rise in Ranks-Chapter 522 - 301: The Niflgaardians

On a highland a few kilometers away from Arishe.

Yasal raised an arm, and in the sky, a falcon descended swiftly like an arrow, landing on the bracer of his arm.

He overlooked below, where the Crusader Cavalry was setting up camp beside the ruins of the town, and couldn't help but admire, "Fully armored, horses equipped, the army's formation orderly, discipline strict. Those must be the Imperial Guard of that Losa, right?"

"Yes, sir."

The guard beside him respectfully replied.

Yasal's eyes were full of envy, "Seems even more elite than King Saladin's Kasaji Guard. If I had such a Mamluk Imperial Guard, would I still only be a guard dog at the gate?"

"Sir, your burning of Arishe this time has already proven your loyalty, and Governor Adil must see this as well. In the future, you are bound to oversee a region."

"I hope so."

Yasal was silent for a moment and then said, "Send the Mo'er Tribe out."

"But these Franks seem to be well-prepared."

"An excellent hunter can always find a flaw, no matter how prepared the prey is."

Yasal smiled and added, "I believe the excellent warriors of the Mo'er Tribe will definitely complete this arduous task—for the eternal sacred flame, for King Saladin, and for more fertile pastures."

He raised his wine cup, and a trace of gloom flashed across his smiling face.

"Send this Golden Wine Cup to the Mo'er Chief, and tell him if he burns the Franks' supply wagons, when we return to Cairo, I'll promise a lush pasture large enough to support a tribe of thirty thousand."

"Yes!"

...

Derum and his cavalry, somewhat tired, were traveling through the desert.

The cart behind them creaked as it moved, loaded with grain and water containers.

This was Derum's first task after joining the Heavy Cavalry battalion; it wasn't direct combat or a raid behind enemy lines, just the laborious work of escorting supplies.

But the laborious work doesn't mean it isn't important.

Derum knew better than anyone how crucial a supply convoy is during desert marches.

"Buddy, I heard you were knighted by the Marquis himself, right?"

A middle-aged knight approached to chat.

"Then you must have experienced the Miracle, right?"

"Miracle?"

"It's that knowledge which appears in your mind out of nowhere, as if you're already a battle-hardened soldier—but we know well enough what we were like before."

"You too?"

"Of course, it's the divine favor God bestowed upon us through the Marquis."

Derum smiled and made the sign of the cross in front of him.

At that moment.

A shadow passed overhead.

He instinctively looked up and immediately saw the silhouette of an eagle briefly flicker among the clouds.

"It's the heretics' falcon!"

He immediately reached for the lance hanging on his saddle.

"Take it easy, buddy."

The knight smiled, raising a wine pouch filled with liquor, "The innkeeper said it's fine wine from Provence, want some?"

Derum shook his head somewhat anxiously, "Didn't you see those falcons? The Saracens have already noticed us, and you still have the mood to drink? Don't you know how important the supplies we're escorting are?"

The knight burped, "Come on, if it were really important, would they only send new recruits like us to escort it?"

"Camel boy, don't think you're the only smart one around, the Marquis isn't a fool."

The middle-aged knight ran a hand through his oily beard, "Watch and see, if those heretic kids really think we're just a poorly defended supply team, they're in for a big surprise."

Derum's tense body gradually relaxed.

Like the middle-aged knight, he had a near divine level of unconditional trust in Losa, "I have to admit, you're right. But brother, haven't you had a bit too much to drink? This is against military discipline."

"Ha!"

The middle-aged knight tossed over the wine pouch, and Derum sniffed it, realizing there was no smell of alcohol at all—just a bag of clear water.

Facing Derum's puzzled gaze, he laughed and said, "You're right about one thing: escorting military supplies is indeed an important task. Luckily, you didn't try to sneak a taste, or else I would've reported you to the logistics officer for a whipping."

Derum muttered something in Kurdish, not expecting that he had almost fallen into the trap of this seemingly naive and straightforward fellow.

"Hey, I know you're cursing me, but this is my job." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

He patted his chest, where there was a special emblem: "See this? The insignia of an Inspector Knight—don't look at me like that, outsiders often misconstrue us as a bunch of snitches who betray their friends. It was us who dealt with the captain of the Fifth Infantry Brigade for embezzling soldiers' rations. We maintain military discipline and protect you big-headed soldiers from being arbitrarily beaten or having your pay docked by your superiors."

Derum paused in silence and then nodded, "I understand, don't forget, I was also once an Imperial Knight, though still a rookie, I know no less than you."

"Ha, now that's the spirit."

By this time, the sky began to darken, no longer as scorching as at noon. Riding on horseback, Derum couldn't help but feel a drowsy fatigue—the long, monotonous march often elicits such sleepiness.

"Wake up!"

This voice startled Derum, nearly causing him to fall off his horse.

"Don't make a sound. Do you see that mountain hollow up ahead? If the enemy wanted to ambush us, that would be the best spot."

"Why?"

"Because we're about to reach the vicinity of Arishe, where the main army is stationed. There are scouts everywhere, and our hawks are often circling; the enemy won't have a chance to strike."

Derum grew excited, "Alright, I understand. I'll put on my armor immediately."

Soon, the entire supply convoy was armored up.

"Derum, you and I will go ahead to take a look!"

The Inspector Knight gazed at the silent mountain hollow with a frown.

At this moment.

A sharp eagle cry echoed through the skies—unexpectedly, a falcon, larger than any Derum had seen before, dove from the clouds down towards the hollow.

In the next moment.

The shout of battle cries shook the heavens.

Countless Bedouin cavalry surged forth like a white tide towards the swaying convoy, both on horses and camels, some without armor, others wielding javelins, some in heavy armor, and wielding riding spears...

"God above!"

Derum's eyes widened, "How did the enemy manage to hide such a large cavalry force right under our noses?"

The Inspector Knight laughed heartily, "What else could it be, but the hawk above us?"

Derum retorted angrily, "Even at this moment, you can still laugh."

The Knight said with a strange expression, "Did you forget what I told you earlier?"

"Where are our reinforcements?"

Derum looked around, but aside from the direction the enemy came from, it was open plains on three sides. Where could reinforcements be hiding?

"Lord Iron Knight!"

A sudden hint of excitement appeared on the Inspector Knight's face.

A woman in snow-white garments, as if stepping out of a painting, slowly descended from a carriage. She frowned at the Bedouin cavalry, which roughly numbered in the hundreds, with a flash of impatience in her eyes.

These people took the bait?

If there were fewer, she wouldn't need to act.

If there were more, she wouldn't feel it unworthy to act.

But, as it stands, they are just some insignificant Bedouins.

However, what's done is done, and being annoyed is of no use.

Prajna took out a quill pen and with a flourish, wrote a series of Latin letters in the air. In the next moment, hundreds of black-armored, winged-helmeted cavalry from the Demon Hunter World surged forth like a flood towards the Bedouin cavalry.

They were sheathed in black plate armor, leveling lances, and raising black flags with yellow sun emblems, silently crashing into the enemy lines like an emotionless iron cavalry.

Derum stammered while pointing at the black cavalry before him, looking at his companion for answers, only to find his gaze even more astounded.

"How does the Marquis have such an elite cavalry under his command?"

"And how did they appear out of nowhere?"

"Is it the Invisibility Technique? But I didn't hear any noise at all?"

Looking at the familiar attire of these black-armored cavalrymen, Derum suddenly recalled something and exclaimed in disbelief, "Niflgaardians, the Niflgaardians described in the Demon Hunter lore! They actually exist and serve the Marquis?!"