Heretic! Inquisition

On the world map.

The markers for the Witch and Druid appeared.

Duncan rode forward on one of the three warhorses summoned by the Called Mounts, while the Witch seemed to know his approximate location and had actually stopped ahead to wait for him. Raven Queen Triss seemed to possess quite a few unfathomable methods, so Duncan was not surprised that she knew where he was.

In the battle just now, he had tried his best to avoid close combat.

Anyone who had played Mount & Blade-style games in one-life mode, where death meant facing reality, knew that before your character had been built up, it was best to use mounted archery whenever possible and avoid melee combat.

"With my current strength, I'm roughly equivalent to a high-ranking barbarian warrior."

"In melee, I can handle three enemies at most."

"Only a Three-Star unit like Witcher George could probably manage to fight more than ten enemies in close combat."

"But even a supernatural being that powerful would probably die for certain if surrounded by a cavalry unit."

Based on Duncan's understanding of this world, the pinnacle of mortal martial strength should currently be around Beowulf's level.

But if he wanted to reach that level of combat power, he would probably have to keep killing his way onward. After all, Beowulf's fighting ability was practically on the level of a mythological figure.

"Throwing Mastery: You are proficient in throwing weapons such as throwing axes, javelins, and throwing knives, greatly increasing the accuracy of thrown weapons."

"Parry Mastery: You excel at blocking and parrying with shields and weapons, and are familiar with the use of all kinds of shields. Additional combat skill: [Shield Bash]."

"Military Weapon Mastery: You are proficient in various one-handed, two-handed, and pole weapons. When using non-alien weapons, your lethality increases."

"Combat Technique—Sweep: The combat technique of a high-ranking barbarian warrior. You excel at using two-handed weapons to inflict fatal injuries on enemies within range, capable of cleaving a person in half with a single blow."

The gains from this battle were fairly decent.

But there had been no qualitative leap in strength, most likely because the combat techniques mastered by his enemies had not surpassed the limit of what he had acquired before. He would probably need to accumulate enough quantitative gains to trigger a qualitative change later. Duncan had only seized master-level archery when he killed Eagle Shooter; most of his other combat techniques had stopped at the mastery level.

That was quite normal. Warriors at Eagle Shooter's level were equally rare in an army.

There had probably been many true combat masters during the era of the Roman Colosseum, a little over a century ago. But after Catholicism became the state religion, gladiatorial combat had basically been banned. Perhaps the Champion Gladiators of Ancient Rome possessed master-level melee techniques.

Of course, real combat involved many factors, with armor and weapons being the most crucial. On the battlefield, unless one possessed martial strength on the level of Xiang Yu or Lu Bu, even an expert could still be surrounded and killed.

Lu Bu had to be mentioned here. Many stories about Lu Bu in Romance of the Three Kingdoms were false, yet the most unbelievable one, Shooting the Halberd at the Gate, was actually true.

Duncan knew he still could not do that. Even with cheats, he could only rely on luck.

"I wonder how many heads I'll have to harvest before I can raise my next combat technique to master level."

Master-level techniques were clearly where qualitative change began.

Duncan regrouped with the Witch and the others, then raced all the way toward Germania. Their destination was Gallia Belgica, where the Empire had established Belgica Province, though by now nearly half of it had become Frankish territory.

Later, the Frankish Foreign Legion would rebel and establish the earliest Frankish Kingdom on this land.

Britain was currently considered a relatively remote region.

There, they would mainly face Saxon invasions and would not be drawn into such enormous wars. Whether Duncan chose the path of a lord or a ranger in the future, he could catch his breath and build up his strength in the British Isles.

The British Isles had an excellent geographical position.

In the future, the entire European Continent would be reduced to chaos, while Britain would not be greatly affected. If he truly chose the road of kingship and conquest, then after unifying the British Isles, he could strike back at the European Continent whenever he wished.

"Let's stick to the original plan and go take a look at Britain first."

"The next step."

"The most important thing is the Trolls from Norse Mythology. Once I obtain the ability of [Regeneration], my safety will rise dramatically."

There were too few monsters.

Duncan had been transported here for so long, yet he had barely heard any rumors of supernatural monsters.

Perhaps there would be more in the still-uncivilized regions of Northern Europe.

Humanoid enemies provided combat techniques, while supernatural monsters provided special abilities. He needed both hands occupied and both hands strong.

A real man had to be hard.

The place Duncan and the others were heading to was roughly the area of modern-day Calais and Dunkirk in France. From there, they could travel to the British Isles. Geographically, it lay within Gallia Belgica. But Lesser Germania in that region was already in dire straits and could fall to barbarian attacks at any time.

Greater Germania still had no unified leader. The many barbarian tribes were collectively called the Germanic People, and their internal struggles were little more than you chop me today, I chop you tomorrow.

But the Saxons had already begun to rise.

Decades earlier, because Province of Britannia had suffered constant Saxon attacks, the Empire had been forced to withdraw its last Roman Legion.

In truth, it had already been unable to defend the province by then.

After that, the British Isles belonged to the Celts. The kingdom from King Arthur's legend should have been one of the local native states, roughly in the region of Wales.

According to legend, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table finally repelled the Saxon invasion through twelve battles, protecting the peace of the British Isles for a time. But in the end, the Anglo-Saxons still occupied Britain Island and later developed into England.

After crossing the war zone, the group entered Frankish territory. The Franks were a branch of the Germanic Barbarians and were currently divided into three tribes: the Salians, the Ripuarians, and the Chatti, or Hessians.

Among them, the Ripuarians had now been conquered by the Hunnic Empire.

"Parisii should be ahead," Severus said, turning around.

Parisii?

It should have been the ancient name for Paris. At present, it was still just a small settlement built around Île de la Cité, originally with only a few hundred residents. The old island town was less than half a square kilometer in size.

Later, the Roman Empire began urbanizing the territories it occupied, and the population around Parisii gradually grew to more than ten thousand.

Britain Island had also begun urban development during that period. The concept of provincial capitals first appeared then, but those cities were later destroyed by Saxon invasions.

Many barbarian peoples wished to preserve and inherit the civilization of the Roman Empire, but in the end, civilization still regressed on a massive scale amid the wars.

"It looks like productivity in this era really is low."

Along the way, Duncan had seen nothing but desolation. The Romans had developed sophisticated urban water supply systems even before the Common Era, yet now the towns along the road did not even have proper drainage ditches. Among the many barbarian peoples, the Franks were considered among the more advanced in learning from Roman civilization, but their farming methods were still rather backward.

However, early feudal manors had already begun to appear.

The Empire had basically lost control of this land, and most of the residents in the towns along the way were barbarians. But the road was far from peaceful. Their group encountered other barbarian bands raiding deep into the interior several times. It seemed that under pressure from the Hunnic Empire and population growth, more barbarian tribes had poured into imperial territory.

Parisii was a very typical medieval town.

It was clear that the Franks of this era were exceptionally martial, truly the roosters of Gaul. Some of their wealthier freemen dressed much like the characters in the American series Vikings. But there were also many tenant farmers and slaves along the road who lacked sufficient clothing. The barbarian warrior class was transforming into the early feudal nobility. They won merit through war and annexed land through legal means.

"Is that a vineyard?"

Duncan and his group rode into town. The guards stopped them for questioning, but because of Severus, they encountered no trouble.

The Franks had learned canal irrigation, grape cultivation, horticultural techniques, and more from Roman civilization. Compared to other barbarian tribes, they had transformed at an astonishing pace. They stood between civilization and barbarism, and this laid the foundation for the later rise of the Frankish Kingdom.

Among the barbarians, they were considered one of the less wine-obsessed branches. After the entire nation was Christianized in the future, they quickly gained support from The Church.

Parisii had drainage channels dug throughout the town. It looked relatively orderly and clean, far cleaner than Paris in the Middle Ages. At the very least, it did not reek to high heaven.

The one currently leading the Salian Franks was Childeric I. He was the father of Clovis I, the founder of the Frankish Kingdom. After that came Pepin the Short's usurpation, and then Charlemagne's rise during the Carolingian Dynasty, which marked the beginning of medieval history.

Charlemagne was the King of Hearts in a deck of playing cards.

The town guard's gaze lingered for a moment on the Witch's impossible-to-conceal figure. He swallowed involuntarily, then let them enter.

He could not afford to offend Severus. One look at his clothing was enough to tell that he was no ordinary man.

The inn.

Germanic inns were exceptionally conspicuous buildings. They occupied a considerable area and had two stories. They were wooden structures, with their walls plastered in mud. The Franks had also retained some Germanic Barbarian customs: drinking, horse racing, and gambling.

The Germanic People drank heavily. Their main alcoholic beverages were Mead and beer. Give these barbarians enough alcohol, and they could drink themselves to death.

The inn hall was a mess. A drunkard was boasting that he had once split a Hun cavalryman's head open with a Farron Throwing Axe.

Severus walked ahead and exchanged a few words with the innkeeper. The group found seats in a corner, while the Witch deliberately sat deepest inside to avoid attracting the men's attention.

She had actually bound her chest somewhat, but there was no way to conceal it completely.

To those barbarians, a woman with her curves was irresistibly alluring. Even with a veil over her face, she still drew their stares.

Soon.

Slaves brought food and drink into the inn hall. One of them was a dark-skinned female slave who looked somewhat Egyptian. Duncan did not know whether she was a descendant of mixed-blood slaves brought from Egypt by the Empire.

The Empire had always possessed many slaves. A few years earlier, Burgundy had even seen a revolt by slaves and tenant farmers, but it was swiftly and ruthlessly suppressed.

The architectural style of this era was terribly backward. In all of Europe, only the regions around Italy and Greece were relatively civilized. After entering Gaul, most buildings were crude wooden houses. The inn resembled the Nord taverns from the Skyrim game Duncan had played before, perhaps even worse.

Even the stools at the inn pinched his ass.

Duncan glanced at the Witch beside him, swept his gaze over the other people in the inn, and asked quietly, "Has the person you're waiting for arrived?"

Raven Queen Triss shook her head slightly. "Not yet."

"But my messenger has already informed Anya. She should be arriving nearby soon."

Anya of Cologne, Thorn Rose, was one of the founders of the Witch Coven. Unlike Raven Queen Triss, she had not been a Priest from the era of Polytheism. In her early years, she had married one of the Empire's generals. That general had also been a follower of Polytheism, and his family could be traced back to the reign of Emperor of the Empire Renegade Julian.

Later, her husband suddenly died, and Anya feared persecution by The Church. She joined forces with other Witches to protect themselves, and the Witch Coven was born.

Severus had a similar background. His ancestor had once been a general under Renegade Julian.

To some extent, Emperor of the Empire Renegade Julian had been the final counterattack launched by the surviving forces of Polytheism. This emperor had actually been a wise man, as could be seen from the final words he left behind.

(If any generous readers have time, please copy his final words into the chapter comments so they do not take up word count. He was the last wise emperor under the influence of Polytheism.)

This Emperor of the Empire loved only one woman in his life. He treated his people well, promoted commoners, lived simply, and was humble and benevolent. He was truly remarkable. During his expedition against Persia, he fought with his back to the river and burned his transport ships. When his army fell into difficulty, he mounted his horse without armor to aid his own rear guard. Unfortunately, he was ultimately suspected to have died from a Christian betrayal, stabbed to death by a javelin.

Across the European Continent, only the Romans were the most skilled in using javelins.

Yet he still dealt the Persian army a heavy blow before his death, killing two generals and more than fifty nobles, leaving Sassanid Persia badly weakened and temporarily unable to contend with the Roman army.

This emperor had suddenly died while under the protection of many Priests of Polytheism. His death signified the complete failure of Polytheism.

Duncan nodded slightly and focused his mind, entering God's Eye View.

--Frankish Elite Axeman (One-Star).

--Saxon Forest Hunter.

--Goth Caravan Guard.

--Visigoth Mercenary Sergeant (One-Star).

Under God's Eye View, the units around the inn all belonged to neutral factions. He found no hostile red markers. Those with additional labels were people who possessed combat strength, while most others were labeled as farmers, slaves, militia, and so on.

These people were not much of a threat. A well-trained soldier could handle quite a few of them.

The Hunnic Empire claimed to have an army of five hundred thousand, but only around one hundred thousand were real combat troops, most of them low- to mid-ranking soldiers. The majority were conquered slaves and auxiliary troops, given a few weapons and driven onto the battlefield without armor.

Since there was nothing else to do, Duncan simply expanded his view and observed all of Parisii.

Blacksmith shops, quarries, inns, residences, commercial districts, the Governor's Mansion, vineyards, and all kinds of other buildings were marked out clearly. Like a detailed map, it allowed Duncan to understand the entire layout of Parisii at a glance.

"The garrison only has a little over a hundred men. Looks like they've all been transferred away."

Nominally, this land still belonged to the Empire, but it could no longer govern it. The lords and generals within the Empire had long become little more than warlords. The Franks were still the Empire's Foreign Mercenary Legion, joining the cavalry of the Visigoth Kingdom and imperial forces against the massive Hun invasion.

Duncan disliked the food of this era. He found it difficult to swallow. Only Roman Italian cuisine suited his taste, so he simply controlled his character through God's Eye View and wolfed down food, activating the passive ability of the Power of Gluttony.

Eating a little to fill his stomach was no problem, but trying to indulge in Gluttony was torture for him.

By now, everyone else in the inn had quietly noticed him, because he had apparently eaten enough food for an ordinary person to last two full days in one sitting.

The Witch's expression was rather subtle. She was astonished by Duncan's appetite, yet calmly poured him water and cut his meat, as considerate and charming as a maid. Raven Queen Triss had always concealed her beauty, fully aware that beauty could bring many unnecessary troubles during troubled times.

After an unknown amount of time.

A marked unit suddenly appeared in Duncan's God's Eye View.

--Witch Anya (Two-Star) [Neutral].

After so long, Duncan had once again seen a supernatural unit marked as a Witch.

Hm?

A Two-Star Blank?

It seemed that not every Witch had a skull marker.

Duncan shifted God's Eye View and looked toward the gates of Parisii. A woman wearing a hooded cloak was riding over, followed by three mounted guards.

--Sarmatian Foreign Rider.

--Private Mercenary Rider.

--Retired Imperial Guard Knight (One-Star).

This should be the person Raven Queen Triss had been waiting for.

This Witch was quite wealthy, born into an old imperial noble family. Her ancestors had once conquered Cologne. If they wanted to cross the sea to Britain Island this time, they could not do without this Witch's help.

However, after Emperor of the Empire Renegade Julian died, the power of nobles like them who believed in Polytheism had declined. Anya was fortunate that one of her ancestors had been a commander of the Imperial Field Army. The later French noble title of count was derived from this position.

According to the noble ranks of the Middle Ages, she was a descendant of a Roman count.

Witches had not yet been slandered in all the ways they would be during the Middle Ages. Most Witches inherited the traditions of Priests from the era of Polytheism, when only nobles were qualified to become Priests who served Deities.

Many Roman emperors were High Priests, and Julius Caesar himself served as High Priest for life.

Duncan suddenly put down his wine cup.

Just after Anya and her group entered Parisii, a small squad of red-marked units soon appeared and entered the town.

--Witch Hunter (One-Star).

--Heretic Inquisitor (Two-Star).

--Stealth Assault Assassin (One-Star, silver-gray).

--Monk of the Hidden Order (One-Star, silver-gray).

--Temple Guard of the Hidden Order [Blood of the Holy Grail] (Two-Star, silver-gray).

Fuck!

Under God's Eye View, Duncan could not help blurting out a curse. Yet outwardly, he remained calm, merely picking up his weapons and signaling the two beside him to leave first.

If they were trapped inside the inn, they would probably be hacked to death by the Inquisition.