Even if the python has been gone for a long time.

Lothar still felt her heart pounding.

With his experience in his past and present lives, combined with his experience as a human in two lives, he has never seen such a terrifying giant beast: "How can there be such a big monster in this world?" ”

"It's not just about being big."

Prajna said in a deep voice, "The most terrifying thing about it is that it contains an extremely powerful magical power in its body, which is somewhat similar to some of my fellow warlocks. ”

In the darkness, her eyes flashed with excitement: "Maybe it's a witch?" ”

"Witch..."

"Is it Transfiguration?"

Lothar guessed.

Although he had never actually seen witches, he had heard of it from legendary novels and rumors.

Prajna asked, "What is that?" ”

"It is said that witches can transform into various terrifying trolls by taking potions containing the blood of specific monsters to harness their powers, but at the same time, they will gradually be devoured by beasts through their transformation."

"Every once in a while, I can't help but change into a monster."

"According to fairy tales, the reason why Cinderella quickly left the prince's sight when she was close to twelve o'clock was because she was a transfiguration witch who was about to transform into a troll."

Lothar frowned, "Of course, I'm just guessing, this world is strange to you, and the same is true to me. ”

The original owner of this body was just a rich man in the countryside.

Prajna said softly, "The unknown is interesting enough, and that's a good thing." ”

Lothar sighed lightly: "I prefer that this world is the kind of low-level magic, and with you and I can easily dominate the king, rather than always being vigilant about whether I will be quietly cursed by the witch to die one day." ”

Prajna pursed her lips and gave advice: "Then you have to work hard to summon a medical servant, I can block physical damage for you, but I can't block the invisible and insubstantial curse." ”

Lothar said helplessly: "This is not for me to decide, although the system was created by me, but the rules are established, and I don't even have the authority to open a backdoor for myself." ”

He looked out the window.

The python's figure has long since disappeared, but the muddy marks left on the ground are still clear.

Smack.

There are droplets of water falling.

The air became moist, and the dripping raindrops soon fell.

Lothar was surprised: "It's raining? Could it be that the python used witchcraft to rain in order to cover up the traces of its passing? ”

Prajna shook his head: "I don't know, but it's possible." ”

...

The next day.

It's still rainy.

The whole world seemed to turn gray.

Due to the rain that had fallen all night, the traces left by the python on the streets of the town had long been washed away.

The group, six horses, left the inn early and walked down the dirt roads in the country, their burqas and clothes damp from the weather.

The knights under the countess were kind-hearted men.

The two horses she promised were Hungarian horses carefully selected by the knights from among ordinary horses, and were said to have been bred by native horse breeds and Arabian horses.

Although it is much shorter than Lothar's Nisaan war horse, it is also a good war horse, and it was directly divided by Lothar to Prajna and Hans.

Ryan and Morder were not resentful of the latecomer.

After all, they are not good at fighting on horses, and it is useless to ride war horses, and besides, the former is suspected of being a witch and has a close relationship with the lord; The latter are elite knights with their own equipment, and they don't have the guts to complain.

When Hans crossed over, he didn't carry a spear or a horse, but that was because there was no painting on the painting, which doesn't mean that he didn't know how to ride and spear as a knight's squire.

At this time, they saw a dense crowd in front of them moving forward.

They were dressed in tatters and dragged their families, and they were filled with rogue-ruffian figures and mercenaries in chain mail.

Three teachings and nine streams, the composition is complex.

Lothar casually stopped the person and asked, "Where are you from and what are you going to do?" ”

The man said with trepidation: "My lord, we are peasants who are going on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and my companions and I are from the Brandenburg Territory. ”

"I see."

Is this, the new version of the Poor Man's Crusade?

Lothar led the team and crowded the road.

The shabby, dirty, dusty civilians consciously got out of the way.

The muddy water splashed by the horses' hooves flew into the faces of the civilians on the side of the road, and they dared not speak in anger.

But Lothar immediately stopped this and motioned for the group to dismount and walk.

In this kind of congested road section, even if you ride a horse, you can't run fast, and ordinary civilians don't dare to collide when they see a group of people, and they consciously avoid it.

From time to time there was a gasp of men and women in a caravan with a carriage in front of them, and before long a mercenary with a languid and cheerful expression walked down with his pants in his hand.

Ryan laughed, "These are prostitutes who follow the procession, and it is best to describe them as wandering warblers, who follow the pilgrims to earn money for their journey, and may eventually settle down in the cities along the way, or they may follow them all the way to the Holy Land to wash away their sins." ”

Lothar subconsciously asked, "Aren't you afraid of getting sick?" ”

Ryan was overjoyed: "Hey, you can't do it in a big city, can you?" These wandering warblers follow the pilgrims, but they can be less taxed by those lords. ”

Lothar fell silent.

"Even the money earned from selling your body has to be taxed?"

"Of course, it's not low, and counting the eleventh tax, the labor and military service taxes, the new taxes invented by the lord for his own selfish desires..."

Ryan said this, and his tone was slight: "My lord, your father is a kind lord, but most lords don't treat commoners as human beings. ”

Lothar nodded, he glanced at Prajna and remembered the conversation he had with her that night.

Since he is a traverser, he has to do something in the face of this world.

Even if you can't change the world, at the very least, you must make your people happier in the future.

From time to time, people who were sick or too hungry to walk fell into the mud.

A man came to Lothar with a broken bowl and begged: "Noble lord, all right, my wife is about to starve to death, please give me some grain." ”

Others held their own sewn Crusader flags and shouted: "Knights, we are also Crusaders, please let us follow you, we can be squires, slaves, feed your cattle and cultivate the fields." ”

The old woman with tears on her face hugged her skinny daughter and pleaded, "Please take my daughter in, she will starve to death." ”

Lothar was a little moved.

But Morder immediately reminded in a whisper, "My lord, you can't help everyone. ”

Lothar nodded: "Indeed, even if I can help for a while, I can't help for a lifetime, giving a few silver coins and giving a few pieces of bread can't save my life." ”

I am afraid that this kind of crusade of the poor, led by poor priests, will not necessarily reach the Holy Land in the end, but not necessarily one-third.

"But something has to be done."

Lothar whispered, "Moder, you go and bring some food to the woman later, and the others can help if they can, and give half of the dry food we are carrying." ”

He advised: "Remember, don't be too conspicuous, if you attract other people to fight, you will not help but hurt others." ”

Someone pulled a white-faced young man to Nisaan Warhorse and flattered: "Master Knight, those little girls who are shriveled like matchsticks have nothing to play with, so you might as well try it." ”

"Get out of here!"

The knight with the horned helmet raised his horsewhip and rebuked angrily: "How dare you sell such an unclean thing to my noble lord, do you want my lord to commit an unpardonable sin?" ”

In Catholic doctrine, homosexuality is a great sin!

The salesman looked horrified, he had thought that the equally valiant knight should be Lothar's companion, but he had never thought that it was actually a squire.

In his eyes, Lothar's status was suddenly elevated from a knight to a high nobleman, after all, it was impossible for a knight to be loyal to a knight.

"Please forgive me for my sins, but he is not a man, but a eunuch who has been emasculated since childhood with the secret techniques of the Eastern Empire's court, not an unclean thing, and the emperors of the Eastern Empire like to appoint eunuchs as confidants to govern the country for them."

The merchant was genuinely afraid.

In many places, eunuchs were regarded as a third gender, and were loved by princes and nobles.

But there are still many people who think that eunuchs are nothing more than incomplete men, and they deeply despise and dislike them.

Lothar waved at him and motioned for him to leave.

"Hans, don't get too excited, eunuchs have existed for hundreds of years, and in the Eastern Empire, there were even eunuchs who served as the patriarch, which is a god rank equal to His Majesty the Pope."

He lowered his voice and said, "I wonder if you are a knight of the Heavenly Father, or if you are only a knight who serves me, even if I am committed to the pagan devil, you are still a loyal knight. ”

Lothar rolled over and jumped on his mount and ran forward.

Hans's face under his helmet changed dramatically.

His lips lost their bloodshot color, and he couldn't stop trembling.

After a few moments, he slowly turned his horse and said to Lothar, "My lord, I'm sorry, I may have blended too well with this world. If there really is a Father in this world, and you are still my Creator, the only one to worship, forgive me for taking the liberty of making a decision for you, and I will go to the merchant and buy the eunuch at once. ”

Lothar laughed and cried, "No, I don't like the eunuch, and I don't have such special hobbies, but I value your loyalty, Hans." ”

"A philosopher once said that loyalty is not absolute, that is, absolute disloyalty."

Lothar said solemnly.

If he becomes a lord, he will inevitably have a conflict with the church, and he will not be able to let the church share half of his authority, let alone accept that the lord is more loyal to the church than to him.

Hans hurriedly said: "Please believe in my loyalty, my sword and spear are made for you and for you." ”

Prajna's faint voice sounded: "He didn't lie... Lothar, you don't have to worry about our loyalty, we exist because of you, even if I hate you and hate you, I still have to obey you, and I can't do anything harmful to you. ”

"I see."

Lothar bowed slightly, and then asked tentatively, "Pranya, do you hate me?" ”

Praruo was stunned, tightened his brows, and said softly: "No." ”

A smile suddenly appeared on Lothar's face.

Hans followed behind him, his face full of chagrin and shame, even the general of Pranya looked at the adults differently, and it was really a great arrogance for a one-star servant of ours to dare to advocate for the adults.

Intimacy does not decrease but rises.

Lothar patted Hans on the shoulder with a strange expression, thinking that she might have mastered the essence of PUA.

The crowds are getting denser.

A sentry post with sergeants in front of him appeared, and a knight mounted on the back of a brown warhorse, with a sword at his waist, shouted loudly.

"Pilgrims from afar, ahead of you is the territory of Lord Leopold of Babenburg, Lienz. I have been commanded by my lord to give you grain, but you must not go any further into the depths, where a knightly tournament is being held, where many nobles and knights are gathered, and if you offend them, you will be severely punished. ”

"Everyone, get the grain and go south at once, for if our patrol encounters you again, they will be punished cruelly!"

Lothar let out a long sigh: "It's already in Lienz." ”

Here, it already belongs to the Austrian frontier district.

This is the domain of the Babenburg family.

The Earl of Leopold, who ruled here, was nominally only an earl, but his authority and military strength far exceeded the scope of ordinary earls.

The Austrian frontier territory, in terms of size, may not even be comparable to the average dukedom, but after all, it is located on the frontier, with many mountains and is still very barren.

Hans followed behind Lothar and whispered his loyalty, "My lord, this place should belong to your family." ”

Truly.

Historically, Austria has been the foundation of the Habsburgs.

Lothar shook his head and said: "I heard my father mention that this Count Leopold is not easy to mess with, and the reason why the Habsburg family can rise in history is not Austria, although it is a basic plate, but it is not irreplaceable." ”

Lothar had no idea of attacking Austria, and both the King of Bohemia and Henry the Lion had coveted it for a long time, and he would not rush to attack it even if he returned from the Holy Land.

If he had a choice, he would prefer to open up the situation in the lowlands, where the real wealth is.

Lienz is a city built around a castle.

The castle is in the very center of the city and has the tallest and strongest enclosure.

On the outskirts of the city, there is only a small wall and a messy arrangement of buildings, making it difficult to realize that this is already a city of considerable size.

Outside the city gate, there was a special servant registering, and after seeing Lothar, he hurriedly greeted: "This lord, you are also here to participate in the knight competition, if you want to register, please come with me, the deadline is coming soon." ”

Lothar asked, "What is the prize for the competition?" ”

The servant smiled, "The victor will be able to win the favor of my master, Lord Leopold, and may be given a fief and a title of honor, as well as a large glittering coin and a delicate maid." ”

The fiefdom is tempting, but he has already made up his mind, and naturally he will not waver.

As for the maid, it is even more unnecessary.

This is the only wealth he needs.

Lothar nodded and said, "Me and my attendants will participate, you can take me to sign up." ”

"Squire?"

The servant was a little disdainful: "Ha, my lord, don't underestimate this competition. There were quite a few knights of great repute, and the scale was no smaller than the last one held in Vienna, and if they were just squires, they would probably be overwhelmed and beaten to death. ”

Squires are generally unarmoured.

And the knightly competition has to bring its own armor.

"Don't underestimate my squire."

Lothar pointed at Hans, "He is well armed and skilled in martial arts, and even many official knights are no match for him. If it weren't for his exploits, I would have canonized him as a true knight. ”

As he signed up, he said to Ryan behind him, "Ryan, I need four riding spears made of white beech wood, two apple-wood riding spears, and a well-made iris shield for Hans. ”

The white beech riding spear is brittle and easy to break, so it is most suitable for use in martial arts.

The Applewood Riding Lance, on the other hand, is much tougher and suitable for use on the battlefield.

Ryan was instructed and immediately took the money bag and left.

Hans was a little excited, "My lord, I will not embarrass you. ”

The servant looked surprised: "He is actually a squire, and this armor looks more like a knight than a real knight." ”

He wrote down the names of the two men on the registered paper, and Hans did not have a surname, so he borrowed the Habsburg surname.

"Two, the competition starts on time in the afternoon, on the hunting ground outside the city, please prepare in advance."