Departure

Early the next morning, Lothar rode a warhorse that the squires had carefully tended.

With Prajna, Fringilla, and Hans, he arrived at the city gates to join Baron Godfrey's party.

It was still early.

In the hazy morning light, Jerusalem's beacon tower sent up thin wisps of bluish smoke.

Across the endless, dusky-yellow Gobi Desert, a column of riders resembled a winding trail of marching ants, with low shrubs scattered throughout.

It made one marvel at how vast heaven and earth truly were.

Sir Kevin peeled a pomegranate as he chatted with Hans. "Squire... forgive my bluntness, but you don't look much like a squire. Your heraldry resembles that of the knightly order those Germans formed."

The Teutonic Knights had been established in imitation of the Knights Hospitaller, and in their early days had likewise been an organization dedicated to providing medical aid to pilgrims and Crusaders.

They later gradually transformed into a military order, with their medical aid functions transferred to subordinate organizations.

Since they had been founded relatively late, the Teutonic Knights' influence in Jerusalem was nowhere near that of the Knights Templar. Their power was concentrated in their fiefs, such as Acre and other northern territories of Jerusalem.

At present, the Teutonic Knights were close allies—or rather, "vassals"—of the Knights Hospitaller. Together, they checked the powerful and aggressive Knights Templar.

"They do resemble each other, but that is merely a coincidence. I am not a member of the Teutonic Knights."

Hans smiled politely. "Sir Kevin, are you from Albion?"

"That's right. I was once the personal knight of Henry II, King of Anjou and Albion. Five years ago, I came to the Holy Land alone. I was still quite young then."

Kevin smiled. "There are many people named Hans in Germany. It really is far too common a name."

Hans answered neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Kevin is also a very common name in Albion."

"That's right, so I gave myself an imperial name: Uranus. What do you think?"

"It sounds pretty good."

"Hans, could you tell me about your lord? I heard some pilgrims say that he once killed a werewolf knight in single combat during a knightly tournament."

"That is true."

Hans's face filled with boundless reverence. "Though my lord is always sending me on errands and making me do rough work, he is a great knight possessed of both courage and strategy."

Kevin found it rather hard to believe. He stared at Lothar's back.

"Squire, can you swear you aren't deceiving me?"

Hans grew somewhat angry. "Sir Kevin, are you accusing me of violating the knightly code?"

Lothar and Baron Godfrey rode at the very front of the party. Their mounts had been changed to Arabian horses, tall steeds better suited to the climate here.

The two chatted intermittently.

Baron Godfrey discreetly examined the two ladies following beside Lothar, his brow faintly furrowing.

"Lothar, you are not married yet, are you?"

Lothar nodded. "Not yet."

"Maria Komnenos, the late king's wife and a princess of the Komnenos family, asked me to sound you out. She intends to give Princess Isabella to you in marriage. If you marry her, you will become one of the Royal Family Members."

Lothar knew that the Komnenos family was the imperial house of the Eastern Empire. Maria Komnenos was the sister of Emperor Alexios II, the late husband of Empress Ragaia.

She was also the widow of Amalric, the previous King of Jerusalem.

Though both were dowager queens, Maria Komnenos was neither the birth mother of Baldwin IV nor Princess Sibylla. Moreover, as a Greek who followed Orthodox Christianity, her standing in Jerusalem was far less eminent than that of Dowager Queen Agnes.

Lothar shook his head in refusal. "Thank you for your kindness, my lord. But I have no intention of marrying a royal princess."

"I hope you will give it further thought."

Baron Godfrey did not press the matter further.

It was only an intention, after all. Even if Lothar was willing, it might not come to pass.

That would depend on how well Lothar completed this mission, and what title Baldwin IV chose to grant him.

"I understand."

The atmosphere grew somewhat heavy.

Balian was not among the returning party. Baron Godfrey had sent him to the Ibelin family's fief in Ramla to train his ability to handle administrative affairs.

Balian was Baron Godfrey's only remaining heir. His first two sons had both died in battle.

Baron Godfrey looked at Lothar several times. Words reached his lips, only for him to hesitate again.

Lothar said helplessly, "Whatever doubts you have, you may speak frankly."

Baron Godfrey sighed. "Lothar, it is no great matter for a young man to be a little amorous, but this journey of yours is fraught with danger. Must you bring two personal maidservants along as well?"

"Lord Godfrey, you misunderstand."

Lothar hesitated, but ultimately spoke frankly. "The two of them are not my maidservants, but my two witch advisers."

"Witches?"

Baron Godfrey's expression shifted.

Astonishment.

Fear.

Envy.

Awe.

Loathing.

For a moment, the expressions on everyone's faces were quite a spectacle.

To most people, supernatural beings in this world were nothing more than fabrications from novels.

But for a prominent noble like Godfrey, dealing with such beings was hardly a once-or-twice affair.

Baldwin IV had once sought treatment from a Witch as well.

If not for Jerusalem's excessively strong theological atmosphere, hiring a Witch as an adviser could easily damage the royal family's reputation.

Even the King of Jerusalem certainly would not refuse the allegiance of a Witch.

Not only did they wield extraordinary power, but they also possessed extensive knowledge.

Agriculture, iron casting, philosophy, history, languages, archaeology...

Even without supernatural powers, they would still be the finest advisers and assistants.

"My apologies. I misunderstood."

Baron Godfrey turned back and nodded apologetically to the two ladies.

Even a great lord would not lightly offend a Witch.

Lothar shook his head. "My lord, no one could have imagined that two Witches would serve an utterly unremarkable knight. This is not your fault."

"Heh, you are no ordinary knight. Since yesterday, you have become quite a known figure in Jerusalem. Many noble ladies and unmarried young noblewomen have taken an interest in you."

Godfrey smiled. "Otherwise, Queen Mother Maria would not have considered marrying Princess Isabella to you. You are not the least bit inferior to Guy of Lusignan, the man chosen by the Queen Mother's faction."

Lothar fell silent for a moment.

It seemed he had underestimated his own appeal.

Looking at it this way, he really was quite the catch. Not only was he handsome, but he was even more so than Guy of Lusignan.

Moreover, he was elegant in speech and possessed exceptional knowledge and eloquence.

He also bore the title of Champion Knight, and had publicly slain a renowned werewolf disguised as a knight during the knightly tournament of the Austrian March.

Furthermore, he was highly valued by Baldwin IV and had been entrusted with a secret mission. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, his Rapid Advancement was only a matter of time.

Godfrey smiled. "If you do not fancy a royal princess, I can arrange a noble marriage befitting your status. A generous dowry would make it easier for you to establish yourself in Jerusalem."

"That will not be necessary, Lord Godfrey. Earning the favor of Witches does not come without a price. It means that I may have to remain celibate for quite a long time."

Godfrey understood at once, but he still smiled. "That would be well worth it."

"If celibacy could earn one the favor of Witches, I imagine the knights under Gerard and Roger would be overjoyed."

The group rendezvoused with the Kurdish cavalry under Ibelin and Baron Godfrey.

It was not unusual for Crusader lords to have heathen cavalry in their service, but there were rather too many of these Kurdish horsemen.

A full forty heavily armored cavalrymen, clad in dark lamellar or scale armor and armed to the teeth, had assembled in a village.

"The Holy Fire burns eternal, my lord."

The lead cavalryman rode up to Lothar, covered his right shoulder with one hand, and lowered his head slightly.

"I am Abraham Abdullah. We can speak in Gaulish."

Gaulish and Latin were court languages widely used throughout Western Europe. Lothar knew only Gaulish and Germanic, while his brother Otto was cleverer and had also mastered Latin.

"The Holy Fire burns eternal."

Imitating the man, Lothar covered his shoulder as well and lowered his head. "Baron Godfrey of Ibelin should already have explained the details of the mission to you, correct?"

"Yes."

Abdullah waved a hand, and two cavalrymen immediately rode over, presenting Lothar with a neatly folded full suit of Zoroastrian-style armor.

Lothar and Hans removed their helmets and surcoats, changed into the new armor, secured their turbans and robes, and removed and packed away every Western-style decoration from their horses.

"The Holy Fire burns eternal."

Lothar repeated the shoulder-covering gesture, reciting the phrase in the other man's language.

Abdullah, the leader of the Kurdish cavalrymen, could not help but laugh. "Your hand is a little too high. It should be like this, and you should use your right hand rather than your left."

"In our customs, the left hand is used to wipe unclean places such as excrement. Greeting someone with that hand is arrogant and discourteous, and can easily provoke them."

Lothar repeated the gesture. "Thank you for your instruction."

"During this time, I would like to learn Arabic from you."

Abdullah shook his head. "I would be happy to assist, but I am sorry—Kurdish, Persian, Arabic, and the Turkic languages are all different. I only speak Kurdish and Gaulish."

"Then Kurdish it is."

The Kurdish people were likewise one of the more widespread peoples of West Asia, surpassed only by the Persians, Arabs, and Turkic people.

"Pack your belongings. We set sail at once!" Lothar ordered.