Medieval Gacha Lord-Chapter 78: Curfew

Chapter 78: Curfew

The scorching sun baked the earth. Viewed from a high vantage point, the long, narrow marching column resembled a cavalry spear, piercing through the entirety of Jerusalem.

On the viewing platforms, the noble families’ servants, holding golden trays laden with silver goblets, were already presenting ice-cold, sweet wine to their masters. Some nobles’ goblets were even inlaid with large rubies, flaunting their opulence.

Noblewomen ostentatiously discussed their newly acquired jewelry, casting disdainful, cold glances at the Saracen or Persian female slaves with their graceful figures. Maidservants trained in Eastern-style courts were far more beautiful and "skilled" at serving people than those in Western courts.

But a noblewoman was a noblewoman because of the dowry she could bring to her husband’s family and the powerful political assistance she represented, not merely how beautiful her appearance was.

Without noble status, no matter how beautiful a woman was, she was merely a plaything. And Princess Sibylla was, naturally, Jerusalem’s most beautiful pearl. The dowry she potentially represented—a crown—made her like a treasure exuding an alluring aura, attracting countless scions of noble families to pay her court.

But Princess Sibylla herself seemed rather disinterested. While politely acknowledging them, she was observing Lothar, who stood before the church, wearing a red cape emblazoned with a black eagle insignia.

It wasn’t just Princess Sibylla. Many noblewomen, like her, were focused on Lothar. In their eyes, Lothar was shrouded in far too many captivating and mysterious legends.

Slaying a werewolf as a mortal man at a knightly tournament. Gaining the favor of His Majesty the King, who rarely appeared in public, shortly after arriving in Jerusalem. Being successively promoted from knight to baron, then appointed Grand Master of the Royal Knights. Subsequently, with thunderbolt methods, ousting the former commander, Count Philip, who had the strongest faction within the Knightly Order.

Added to this were the tales many nobles delighted in retelling: the treasures he had seized from desert bandits, measured by the cartload, and the fine equipment of his cavalrymen.

Baron Lothar had long since become associated with all manner of positive attributes: handsome, wealthy, valiant, and wise.

Balian stood in the crowd, looking at the imposing Lothar with some envy. The scene of their first meeting at Jaffa port was still vivid in his mind. In the blink of an eye, this peer of his had transformed into Jerusalem’s foremost new nobleman. ’Isn’t this what I wanted?’

Count Raynald, with his full head of red hair, looked provocatively at Lothar who stood before the great church, sweating profusely under the sun. He raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp.

"Hoo—" He let out a satisfied, strange cry, then took another cup from a tray and, right before Lothar’s eyes, poured it onto the dirt at his feet.

His face was full of smugness, thinking to himself: ’This is the extravagance of the King of the Dead Sea, the Lord of Kerak. And you, an upstart-like character, can’t even get an iced drink in this hot weather.’

Lothar smiled back at him, a hint of pity in his smile. He pretended to whisper to Knight Hans von Sego, his standard-bearer beside him, "Poor Count Raynald. He was once imprisoned by Nur al-Din of Syria (as-Salih’s father) in a high tower for, it is said, a full eighteen years. He may have gone mad; otherwise, why would he spill sweet wine on the ground?"

Hans also timely put on an expression of pity. "May the Heavenly Father bless him and help him recover from his madness soon."

Count Raynald’s face instantly turned livid. He muttered under his breath, "It was fifteen years, not eighteen! This foolish brat is just as annoying as his father."

Remembering his past captivity, his joyful mood, initially due to the departure of his greatest political rival, Count Raymond, began to wane.

Lothar said to the Winged Hussars behind him, "Let’s go. We must follow the marching column and escort them out of the city. If you find the scorching heat unbearable, just endure it a little longer. I have already ordered the quartermaster to custom-make sun-shielding surcoats for you; they should be distributed to you in another two days."

The Winged Hussars didn’t inherently need surcoats; their half-plate armor wasn’t as prone to rusting as chainmail. But the high daytime temperatures in the Holy Land made it necessary for them to have a surcoat for sun protection.

Ulm said respectfully, "Milord, this is nothing. A noble person like yourself is also enduring the scorching heat."

They had already completed their task of guarding the King and the clergy and now began to advance, flanking the marching column. The Winged Hussars tightly gripped their ceremonial arming swords. Their upright posture and gleaming armor attracted numerous gazes from the young women watching from the sides.

Some proud knights jeered with envy and admiration, "Look! That’s the cavalry formed by that country baron! They’ve stuck feathers all over their backs, looking just like those male peacocks in the royal menagerie, eagerly courting females!"

Someone muttered, "I know that kind of Milanese-style bright armor. Under the scorching sun, it gets as hot as an iron plate used by Turkic barbarians for barbecue. It’s completely impractical!"

Ulm, as Lothar’s first Winged Hussar, couldn’t help but say loudly to his comrades, "Look! Their envious expressions! They wish they could glue their eyeballs to our armor! Everyone has seen it; even the knightly lords envy our armor! Milord has bestowed such precious items upon us, along with the honor of the Winged Hussar company! We too must exert all our strength and repay Milord with loyalty!"

"That’s right! We are valiant Winged Hussars!"

"When the Winged Hussars arrive, all infidels will tremble with fear!"

The Winged Hussars held their heads high. Their unique armor and decorations made them band together even more, and something called "collective honor" began to sprout among them.

Ahead, Lord Raymond, clad in a blue surcoat and cape, rode up on his horse. He called out loudly, "Baron Lothar!"

"Good morning, Lord of Tiberias," Lothar replied very respectfully. He was somewhat surprised that this leader of the Nobles’ Party, who could practically dominate the Holy Land with one hand, would actually speak to him.

Count Raymond, in appearance, was not as handsome as Count Raynald. His thin face bore the mottled marks of age. His expression was somewhat complex.

"Baron Lothar, your father and I once had a very close relationship. I used to worry greatly that you would become like him, obsessed with stirring up one war after another. But it’s good that you haven’t."

Lothar asked with some confusion, "Milord, I know very little about what my father did here. But if my father’s ideas were so radical, shouldn’t he have had a good relationship with Count Raynald?"

A rare smile touched Raymond’s serious face. "Your father once publicly declared that Raynald was a brainless, reckless fool."

Lothar was stunned. ’So, Count Werner was that fierce back then?’

Though only a few years had passed since Count Werner returned from the Holy Land, how did he feel that their descriptions of Count Werner were so vastly different from the man he knew?

"Alright, His Majesty has already informed me of what you have done. This counts as a meritorious service on your part. I am also very pleased that you realize there is a possibility of compromise and cooperation between us and the infidels. Henceforth, the safety of His Majesty and Jerusalem is entrusted to your and Godfrey’s hands. Remember to be careful that Raynald, that reckless fool, doesn’t do something stupid."

Lothar nodded. "I will, Milord."

Lothar figured that it was likely Baldwin IV had informed Regent Raymond about their pact with King as-Salih, which led to this conversation.

The Crusader army heading north finally left Jerusalem. The vast column kicked up clouds of yellow dust. Nobles and knights followed behind the Crusader army, seeing off Count Raymond and the other nobles heading north.

It wasn’t just nobles from the Nobles’ Party who departed. For instance, Count Joscelin, who leaned towards the Queen Mother’s Party, was also among them. He had dedicated his entire life to restoring the County of Edessa, which had been carved up by the Sasanian King and the Ayyubids. Having finally gotten such an opportunity, he naturally wouldn’t miss it.

One had to know, he wasn’t the only heir to the title of Count of Edessa. If he didn’t go, and his younger brother or sisters got there first, it would be disastrous.

Count Thierry of Flanders was also conspicuously present. Not long after arriving in the Holy Land, he had thrown in his lot with Count Raynald.

The vast majority of newly arrived knights and nobles in the Holy Land would make such a choice. Their style was more aggressive because only war and territorial expansion could allow them to gain merit and obtain fiefs.

Regent Raymond, on the other hand, was more like an alliance leader jointly put forward by the local nobles to resist these newcomers who wanted to steal their share of the pie. Their style naturally leaned towards preserving the status quo; even if it meant reaching agreements with infidels, they were unwilling for the flames of war to reach their own territories.

After all, once fighting broke out, trade routes would be severed, and a large amount of wealth would be lost every day. Even if they won, it would only end up in a complete mess.

***

After a whole day of bustle, Jerusalem gradually sank into darkness in the evening. Lothar led the Winged Hussars, galloping through the city.

He shouted orders, "Hans, you go check that side! Ulm, you take one man and go over there! A curfew has been imposed on the Zoroastrian quarter and the Jewish quarter! From now on, no one is allowed out!"

After the grand army’s departure, Jerusalem’s public security problems had become acute again. Before this, during the period when ruffians and hooligans were rounded up for military service, Jerusalem’s public order had seen a significant improvement.

But the departure of a large number of Christian sergeants and knights meant the city’s population ratio had shifted to a dangerous level. Today, Royal Knight contingents stationed at various royal estates had been trickling back.

With the Royal Knights’ strength replenished, Lothar was "conscripted" by Baron Godfrey to lead his cavalry on patrols within the city to maintain public order.

In the afternoon, some Zoroastrians had gathered beneath the Round Shrine to listen to a sage preach and had nearly started a riot.

They were now all hanging on the gallows, air-drying.

Furthermore, a mutilated corpse, as if gnawed by wild dogs, had been found in a drainage ditch. All sorts of rumors, such as divine revelations and divine punishments, were already spreading everywhere. freeweɓnøvel~com

Lothar didn’t believe for a moment that no one was stirring up trouble behind the scenes.

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