Chapter 36: The Winged Hussar's Swallowtail Banner
Constance Manor was located in the western district of Jerusalem. It was a three-story villa-like building, enclosed by a red-lacquered wall with a watchtower for guards. Within the manor grounds, numerous servant quarters were built against the wall, along with stables, a smithy, a prayer room, storage rooms, and other facilities. The manor was cultivated with abundant greenery, providing patches of cool shade, and a small fountain continuously sprayed cool groundwater.
Lothar, holding his riding crop, pointed at the manor and asked, "How many people do you think this place can accommodate?"
"If we squeeze in, a hundred people should be no problem," replied Ryan, who had experience with "collective dormitories."
Moder added, "Milord, that's not including the main building, which is reserved for you, your family, guests, and personal maidservants."
"Not bad." Lothar nodded. "Let's go in. We can rest after quickly completing the handover procedures."
Guarding the manor were an old manservant and two Jerusalem sergeants clad in blue surcoats. After verifying Baldwin IV's seal, the old manservant briefly explained the manor's situation to Lothar and then departed decisively with the two sergeants. Things went much more smoothly than Lothar had imagined; he had half-expected some sort of trouble, like finding squatters.
"I must say, this style of manor is much more comfortable than those on the Continent," Lothar remarked as he, Fringilla, and Banu ascended the manor's staircase. The first floor was open-plan, originally intended as a stable, but the previous owner must have been unable to tolerate living above a reeking stable. Thus, the first floor was left vacant, and a new stable was built elsewhere.
Ascending the wooden staircase, they reached the second floor of the small building. The rooms here were extremely spacious, with an inner and outer chamber flowing into one another. From the balcony, one could even glimpse the distant Temple Mount. Unlike the glaring brightness outside, it was much dimmer here, but not damp like manors on the Continent. Here, the dimness, compared to the scorching heat outside, was entirely a positive attribute.
"Come with me," Lothar said, turning back.
Fringilla asked, puzzled, "What are you going to do?"
"Perhaps witness the birth of a new companion." Lothar intended to make his draw immediately.
He opened the system and selected "Draw Card." A hazy purple light flashed. 'Another five-star?' Lothar's heart leaped with a mix of joy and surprise! But then, it turned to confusion.
[You have obtained an Epic-grade item: The Winged Hussar's Swallowtail Banner.]
'An item? How could it be an item?' Lothar frowned. He didn't remember designing such content. Either the system had "mutated," much like the gold-spending system which had clearly become more expensive, or the development team members had updated it with new content after his death.
If it was the former, well, he'd leave it to fate. If it was the latter... 'I advise you all to be kind, don't be like unscrupulous merchants constantly coming up with new ways to scam players out of their money!' As Lothar thought this, he completely forgot that within that original team, he himself had been the unscrupulous merchant constantly thinking of ways to "milk players" and force them to spend money.
"Looks like there won't be a new member after all." Lothar took out the swallowtail banner. It was a red and white flag, but after he waved his hand, it transformed into a brand-new banner emblazoned with a lion rampant emblem. Strictly speaking, Lothar shouldn't actually use the lion rampant emblem; this emblem represented the County of Aargau, and he had no inheritance rights to it. Emblems represented titles and territories. For example, the Babenberg family of the March of Austria used a red and white striped shield emblem; later, when the Habsburg family inherited Austria, they also used this emblem. Lothar currently had no fief and no need to design his own exclusive emblem.
Swallowtail banners varied in size. The one drawn was relatively small, perfectly suited for being attached to a lance during a charge. Lothar held the swallowtail banner, and its attribute panel slowly materialized.
[The Winged Hussar's Swallowtail Banner: When attached to a lance, increases the lance's penetration power and makes it indestructible. As a flag, increases the charge speed of cavalry units under one's command by twenty percent.]
The item's effect was significant. If Lothar were a king capable of summoning hundreds or thousands of cavalry, this banner would be practically a divine artifact. Used properly, it could completely reverse the tide of battle. Imagine, a group of armored cavalry suddenly able to catch up to a group of light cavalry—wouldn't that be a massacre?
Unfortunately, Lothar was not such a king. He currently had only one cavalryman under his command, namely Hans. Including himself, that made two. Though the item was good, he still hoped more for retainers at present. Talent was simply too rare, even a one-star retainer like Hans. After all, retainers produced by the system, regardless of their affinity level, guaranteed one hundred percent loyalty. This point was truly invaluable. He wasn't a leadership type skilled in the art of managing people; his greatest skill was making grand promises... but Lothar's grand promises were ones he genuinely intended for his subordinates to realize in the future. Whether they could be achieved or not, well, that depended on fate.
***
After a brief rest, Lothar took Banu, Fringilla, and Hans to Baron Godfrey's manor. Baron Godfrey had been waiting for some time. After treating them to lunch, he took the group, along with Balian, Knight Kevin, and others, on a tour of the Holy City.
They first went to the Temple Mount, also known as Mount Moriah, located in the southeastern corner of Jerusalem. This place was considered the closest to the Heavenly Father. It was said that the First Temple, built in Solomon's era, once housed the Ark of the Covenant, which contained two of the Ten Commandments tablets. Unfortunately, the First Temple had been destroyed, and the Ark of the Covenant, with its supreme power, had disappeared.
On the Temple Mount, there was also a huge, Zoroastrian Shrine. This was also a holy site for Zoroastrians; after Saladin and Baldwin IV reached an agreement, Zoroastrians were no longer forbidden to worship there.
Next was the Western Wall. It was a wall constructed of giant rectangular stone blocks. Jews, driven out by an ancient Imperial emperor and forced to wander far from their homeland, gathered here to weep, hence it was also known as the Wailing Wall.
Along the way, Lothar saw many devout believers praying with utmost reverence: Zoroastrians, Jews, Armenians of the Apostolic Church (a branch of Orthodoxy), and Orthodox remnants left behind from the Eastern Empire's rule in Syria. The fervor and piety of these "heretics" and "infidels" were in no way less than that of the Catholics. This era belonged to religion.
"Some say Jerusalem is a great tomb," Balian remarked with emotion. "Too many people have been buried here. I simply cannot imagine what kind of bloody revenge those Zoroastrians will exact if Jerusalem falls."
Godfrey clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Then work hard to protect this place. Train diligently in martial skills with Knight Kevin. I will grant you the title of knight as soon as possible."
Balian nodded in acknowledgment. "I will, Father."
Lothar exchanged a glance with Godfrey and smiled inscrutably.
Afterward, they went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; Jesus had once carried the heavy cross along this path, step by step, to his place of execution. Countless devout believers prostrated themselves in worship along this road. They also visited the Church of the Agony on the Mount of Olives, an Orthodox church built by the Eastern Empire, where Jesus had prayed before his arrest.
Lothar prayed with a kind of sacred emotion, though he was still not very devout. But everyone else approached these ancient buildings with extreme piety; they didn't even dare to speak loudly, fearing they might offend the deity who was so near. This atmosphere affected him. And this city full of believers made him realize even more profoundly the power of faith. If guided properly, this power was undoubtedly terrifying.
"Lord Godfrey, there is a matter in which I need your help." Lothar found an opportunity and led Baron Godfrey to a deserted spot, getting straight to the point.
"Is it related to the mission His Majesty entrusted to you?" Baron Godfrey asked in return.
Lothar nodded. He glanced around and, seeing no one approaching, said in a low voice, "Let's talk here. No one can hear our conversation."
*****
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