The travel routes in this era were mainly driven or routed, while the roads were relatively safe on land and reversed.
However, there were some cases where the lord did not hesitate to rob them publicly, as the reality suggested, but that was the case yesterday.
The group finishes their breakfast and discusses whether to take the lead or take the morning walk.
“If you saw the Knight dance yesterday, why don't you just use the lead? It's not like there was a lot of that yesterday. ”
A mercenary proactively said. There were too many variables in the path.
Benzel thought a little and then told Albrecht.
Albrecht said Martina cleaned it, but the white one was completely covered in blood.
“Knight. May I lead the way? ”
They became too aware after yesterday's work.
“It doesn't matter.”
As Albrecht runs out of words, the group straightens up their luggage and heads back up the road to Lloybek.
Diego comes by Albrecht's side on his horse and hands him a coin. I saw some gold coins, silver coins, and fairy tales.
“Get your loot. ”
Albrecht smiles, accepting only coins.
“Black is for you. ”
“I can't write. ”
“Better than nothing. I'll teach you when it's time. ”
Diego sometimes felt that Albrecht was a completely different person. I still do. Skills such as swordsmanship, forge skills, and architecture were not taught carelessly to others. It was usually passed on to the family's vision or kept confidential through institutional methods. If someone tried to steal his or her technology, it was a society that was recognized as a legitimate defense against murder.
“You really…… don't know. ”
Albrecht just smiles and doesn't answer.
The group continues down the road. You make your way through two dark hills, then climb back up to the dark hills and the rest of the group is relaxed.
Earl Harkenburg doesn't need to worry about raiding again, but it's usually a troop of twenty to extract from the territory.
Perhaps the Harkenburg territory could once again squeeze the territory, or, through weakened fissures, the bandits could come and vanquish it, or, at worst, invade and destroy it from other lands.
It's noon and the group has lunch. Albrecht summoned Diego to teach swordsmanship at dinner. I corrected my posture and taught my manners without caring about the eyes of mercenaries or other people around me.
“It's best not to get too attached to the pose. It's a killing technique anyway. If you get stuck in a pose, you might get a movement that doesn't match the situation. ”
Albrecht continued to lecture on Diego resting.
“But that doesn't mean you have to be lazy. Usually when you're fighting for your life, you don't think about anything. This will bring out the postures that you've been practicing. What I taught you was to make effective moves when you do that. So the posture should not be remembered with your head, but with your body. I like to practice repetition on my body. ”
I not only listened to Diego, but also the men who were far away pretended not to listen.
The group unpacks and starts walking the road again.
I walked the road peacefully for a few days. Through the path to the forest, I also passed the road that shows the villagers far away. I ate and washed at an inn managed by the territory. Albrecht taught Diego how to use a sword at every turn.
The group continues on their way to Lloybek. In the afternoon, I saw a glittering river and a bridge that could cross it.
In the vicinity of the bridge, there was a small wooden condition for sleeping. I saw two soldiers, one sitting at the base of a tree, and the other standing and chatting. It was a picturesque scenery.
As the two soldiers chat, they see the group approaching, stopping, and raising their voices at once.
“I have to pay tolls and bridge fees. Three silver coins per head. ”
Ridiculous. The toll was generally two silver coins, and then one silver coin was paid for the bridge. A fairy tale is worth about a meal at the inn, and silver coins were ten times that. Perhaps they were trying to take care of what was left of the lord.
Albrecht, who was going behind the procession, comes forward. The soldiers look at Albrecht, grabbing his helmet and burying him. Then he looked back at Benzel and looked back at Albrecht in a surprised look.
“Ho, aren't you a vertical cutter? ”
Albrecht doubts what he's saying.
“Vertical cutter?”
After a closer look at Albrecht, the two soldiers realized that the circus that they thought was originally red brown was actually soaked in blood. I saw an axe hanging from the saddle.
The soldier said in a hurry, surprised.
“You may pass. I don't take tolls. ”
Benzel was delighted that the money was hard, but he was confused. Soldiers were never worthy opponents, but they didn't discount them or accept them at all.
The group is all confused, but they want to get over the bridge quickly. During the crossing, the soldiers stare at Albrecht in horror.
Along the way, Diego approaches Albrecht and says,
“It seems rumors spread by the soldiers who ran away. ”
Albrecht is a rumor, isn't he? A vertical cutter? I didn't like the title very much.
The title was for an individual's achievement or reputation, and the nickname was based on his/her appearance or his/her unique actions. They had overlapping meanings, but they were also different.
Often titles were accepted as highly honorable, with the exception of dishonorable titles. Due to a poorly recorded era, the title was often passed down as a legend in the region or throughout the continent.
“I think he's a vertical cutter. Really. ”
“Haha. Don't be so mean. Titles are convenient in many ways. There are times when a contract doesn't require a separate guarantor, and even a similar employment contract can be paid more. Some lords and nobles want to pay a lot of money to hire you. That's why a lot of people do everything they can to get a title. ”
It's not that I don't understand Diego, but I still didn't like him. Knight Slayer, Tiger in the North, there's a lot of cool stuff, but he's a vertical cutter.
The power of the title was great because I didn't like Albrecht and left with him. I let him go without toll at every gate that passes. My favorite was Benchel.
Benzel seemed to have crossed a line. As a result, there were not enough gold coins to hire two articles with titles, so there were no other businesses left.
Benzel, who feels good, sometimes comes to Albrecht and shudders.
However, they offered to use prostitutes for free, and Albrecht drank only liquor.
I liked the wine made from white grapes called Riesling sticking to my mouth. It was much better than the honeysuckle I drank in Calteren at the time of the mines. Benchel handled liquor from a specialized brewery.
Albrecht realized something while drinking that his body wasn't as strong as a monster's. I thought it was because I was young.
When the whore pours you a drink, Benchel shudders hard in front of you.
Diego looks at Albrecht with worried eyes.
In the evening, the group prepares for camp. That night, too, there was a drinking board. Benzel also drops his father and mother in front of Albrecht, then quietly raises his concerns.
“Knight. I know someone on the way to Lloybek. Would you like to meet him? ”
“Who is it?”
“I'm Rutger. He's one of the city's top players. You'll fit right in. ”
Albrecht was quite dizzy now, but he felt good. After sipping the glass of wine, the prostitute next to you fills her burinake glass.
What were you talking about? When I was drunk, the cold, intelligent Albrecht went out of business.
Benzel often dealt with the bad guys, and he was treated well among the bad guys. Then I was good at grilling them.
Diego interrupts, unwelcome to watch.
“Tell me that after you sober up. ”
Benchel smiled and said.
“Why do you do it? Am I hurting any knights? ”
“You get hacked when you get involved with people like you. ”
“No, who would dare harm our knight? Didn't you see the knight's dance that night? ”
Suddenly, I became a ‘we’ knight. Diego had nothing to say.
Albrecht closes his eyes and says hello, trying to sleep with his face buried in the prostitute's chest next to him. The whore actively hugs her arms and sweeps Albrecht's blonde hair gently.
Then Martina pushes the whore and tries to sit Albrecht straight down.
Without losing to a prostitute, she pushed Martina over the shoulder and said in disdain.
“What? Crazy bitch. ”
Martina pushes the whore again. Albrecht falls flat on the floor, trying to sleep. Martina said, defending Albrecht.
“Come on. You've got it all figured out. You whore.”
Then they started arguing. I was ready to grab my head. Elena and Anna join forces and the other whores.
Benzel instructed me to dry my hands because the merchandise should not be harmed. The male staff and mercenaries stood up and stopped him. Diego stepped up and stopped him. There is a line between the two forces.
They fought secretly during the trip. The disadvantaged Diego side was balanced by Albrecht. However, after Benchel's intoxication and hypocrisy caused Albrecht to appear to be placed in the Neutral Zone, a conflict broke out.
Benzel sees Albrecht fallen asleep and looks down at Diego.
“Hey, why can't I be like you? ”
Diego didn't know what Benzel was talking about. He said as if he was offended.
“Like me? What do you mean?”
Benzel gestures at the box.
“You didn't think I knew what was in that box? ”
Diego was surprised. Benchel smiles and looks back at Diego.
“Boy. You told me you were going to eat at the inn. But why can't you seduce the naive knight and eat him for me? ”
Diego bites his molars and grunts.
“Don't talk nonsense. It's not like that. You may not be convinced, but Albrecht and I are friends. ”
Benzel scowls and shoots you.
“Don't worry about the jewels. I don't want to take it. But if you want to go into the city and get rid of it all without a big hand, you know you're gonna have to pay for it in a month, right? What guarantee do you have that the bad guys won't get stabbed and taken away? Why, during that time, do you want me to ask your friend to escort you barefoot? Eventually, you're supposed to come to us. Don't flatter yourself.”
Diego was angry and unfair, but he had nothing to say. I've been praised around me since I was a merchant. I've never been stumped like today.
Benzel was a real treasure to himself, Albrecht. With Albrecht, you'll be able to take advantage of the upper arms battle. Then this door from there was nothing compared to jewelry.
Beautiful women paid good money, too. But Albrecht didn't seem to have much of an appetite for money. I've never seen anything like Albrecht, but I don't even have a water bath. This is not a treasure or something.
However, Albrecht's relationship with Diego seemed distinct, and Diego intervened in the matter to get the proper benefit. It was like a thorn in the eye. I needed to press it down. When I saw the opportunity, I thought I should leave it completely alone.
Albrecht was sleeping without knowing the world.
< 16 > End