The temperature hadn’t cooled much with the arrival of autumn.
The scorching sun still baked the earth. Jeanne stood under the shade, holding a chilled glass of wine in one hand, watching the joust between the Iron Pagoda with a helt and the Armored Archers with face-covering helts. She occasionally waved her fists and cheered loudly.
Their uniformly black battle robes clashed with iron and shields, producing the crisp sound of tal.
The two passed by each other, then drew bows and arrows from their saddles, aiming at the straw targets.
But soon, Jeanne lost interest and returned to the tent.
Processing docunts, Losa asked without looking up, "Who won?"
"It was a draw, I suppose."
"After all, both hit all the stationary targets, and each thrust precisely struck the vital points of the straw targets. Neither side’s weapons could break the defense, unless they fought to the death with an iron mace and a wolf fang club, it’s really hard to tell who would co out on top."
Losa nodded.
The function of the Iron Pagoda and the Armored Cavalry is similar; both are skilled in archery and horsemanship, tasked with charging the enemy infantry phalanx as heavily armored cavalry.
Aside from the Iron Pagoda being equipped with Eastern-style Zha armor and the Armored Cavalry with a mix of Zha armor, scale armor, and chain armor, both are astonishingly similar in combat style and specialty.
As ti passed, the Iron Pagoda under Losa’s command gradually ford a squad, just like the Armored Cavalry. Both are Losa’s most expensive cavalry units. Many nobles privately agree that this is further evidence of the Empress’s favoritism towards him.
Because in their impression, other than the Empire and the Sassanid Dynasty, no other force could afford to organize such an expensive cavalry unit—if they could, it wouldn’t be worthwhile.
Losa put down the docunt in his hand, smiled, and said, "You don’t seem too happy?"
She said with a straight face, "Yeah, it’s all because you made the Holy Spear Guardian. Now, they look at like a clay idol in a shrine."
"To be adored by all, to receive their reverence and admiration, what’s wrong with that?"
"But I still prefer how it was before."
Losa teased, "Yeah, lately people often pat on the shoulder, thinking I have so gift of childbirth."
"It might not be false."
Jeanne threw the wine glass on the table and licked the wine stain on her lips.
Her posture remained lazy, her tight and well-shaped legs, full of power like a female leopard, vaguely visible beneath her skirt.
"So, want to experience my Holy Spear?"
"Here?"
Jeanne said disdainfully, "Forget it, aren’t you afraid Prajna might just walk in, last night, you obviously said you were staying with , yet in the middle you hurried back, and even took a bath before returning."
...
In high spirits, Losa drew close to Jeanne, blocked by her raised hand.
"Aren’t you disgusted?"
"Why would I be disgusted with my own?"
"It’s because it’s your own that it should feel awkward, don’t you think?"
Thinking carefully, it indeed made sense, a tiger wouldn’t hurt its own cubs.
So, he settled for the next best thing.
"Then just a kiss on the cheek."
Jeanne waved her hand, with rare blushes rising on her cheeks: "Go out quickly, Kurs has been waiting for you outside for a while, your face has gotten thicker over ti, you weren’t like this before."
What was it that made a work-focused roll onto the bed with Jeanne?
Oh, right, it was the "Holy Spear."
Outside the tent, Kurs looked at Losa as usual: "My lord, there’s a clergyman claiming to be Cardinal Sebastian outside, leading a team of rcenaries, claiming to join your Crusaders."
Sebastian...
"This na sounds sowhat familiar."
Kurs quietly reminded: "Previously, he was the one who sent people to find Andreas wanting to lease New Habsburg to establish a monastery."
"So it’s him."
Losa casually asked, "How many people did he bring?"
"More than two thousand infantry, with relatively fine equipnt. Over half are elite crossbown, with the remaining being well-armored long spearn and armored infantry, which should all be free rcenaries from the Apennines."
"Tsk, the profit-driven rcenaries are even raising the banner of the Crusaders to fight for God now."
Losa gave a cold laugh, his tone containing sarcasm.
Kurs smiled and said, "Just like vampire bats, even if miles away, they’ll swarm in once they catch a whiff of blood."
"I’d rather call them a pack of hyenas."
Losa gave a mocking smile: "Let this Cardinal Sebastian et at the tent next to the Knight’s Jousting Arena, place more guards around and give him a bit of a shock, maybe this will make His Eminence think twice before speaking with ."
...
Cardinal Sebastian had a prominent hook nose, making him look like soone not easy to deal with.
Yet, after the new Pope took power, he quickly ascended through the ranks in the Pope City to the Cardinal Corps.
He wasn’t too worried about this eting.
Because in his view, soone like Marquis Losa, who was shrouded in a sacred aura, was most aware of the terror of divine authority. Furthermore, if Marquis Losa coveted the king’s crown, it would be even less possible for him to offend the Pope’s representative.
Before approaching the camp, Sebastian and his servants already saw the Varangian Guard lined up in two columns, holding battle axes with both hands, placed against their chests, their entire bodies encased in iron armor.
These elite armored soldiers, staring straight ahead with murderous intent, swiftly kicked Sebastian’s originally arrogant deanor down a notch.
With a smile on his face, Kurs welcod, "Please, Your Excellency Sebastian, co inside to have an audience. My master has been waiting for quite so ti."
Sebastian mustered up his presence and said, "I’ve been the one waiting for quite so ti."
Kurs’s expression remained unchanged as he fibbed, "Oh, my master was just handling official business, so he couldn’t receive you imdiately, considering that my master is now the sole Commander-in-Chief of the Crusaders, with countless matters demanding his attention."
Sebastian gave Kurs a deep look.
"I hope that’s the case."
As soon as he entered the tent, Losa eagerly ca up to him, "Good day, Cardinal Sebastian, your leading the army to aid us is the best news I’ve heard in quite so ti."
Seeing Losa’s respectful attitude, Sebastian secretly thought he was soone who recognized the situation and gradually let down his guard, eagerly engaging with Losa, "Marquis, you are blessed by God, with the majestic image of slaying the dragon with the Holy Spear; every ti I hear about it, I deeply regret not having witnessed it myself."
After exchanging a few complints, Losa got to the point and asked about Sebastian’s intentions.
With a smile, Sebastian said, "His Holiness the Pope learned of your ambition to enter Egypt and reclaim the Alexandria District, so he imdiately sent to assist you, Marquis. Moreover, we believe that under your leadership as the Guardian of the Holy Spear, Egypt will once again bask in the Heavenly Lord’s glory, at which ti I shall take the position of Patriarch of the Alexandria District and personally crown you."
"Good!"
Losa was overjoyed.
Grasping Sebastian’s arm with delight, he said, "Having a clergyman of your profound theological knowledge beco the Patriarch of the Alexandria District is a blessing not just for but for all the Crusaders."
Losa’s face bead with a smile, but then he seed to rember sothing, and his expression suddenly changed.
"Oh no!"
Sebastian’s heart also skipped a beat, and he quickly asked what was wrong.
Losa, with a troubled look, said, "You must also be aware that when I was in Constantinople, I pledged my allegiance to Her Majesty the Empress. At that ti, I promised to reclaim the Alexandria tropolitan District for the Empire and convert all the Holy Fire Altars into orthodox churches, especially transforming the Aizhar Great Holy Fire Altar into an orthodox patriarchal church."
"And there are the righteous of the Coptic faction who tearfully complained to about their miserable plight under heretic rule. In a mont of vulnerability, I promised them they could retain all their churches."
"By this reckoning, I am genuinely worried about whether there are enough churches left to give to Your Excellency Sebastian as the cathedral for our Public Church."
Sebastian was dumbfounded, taking a mont to process such an unexpected turn in what he thought was a settled matter, "As a pious public church believer, Marquis, how can you disregard the public church’s interests even a little?"
Losa also looked regretful, "Indeed, it was my fault for being impulsive, being esteed by Her Majesty and moved by the plight of the Copts. Do you have any advice for , Your Excellency Sebastian, on how to redy this?"
After a mont of silence, Sebastian reluctantly suggested, "Perhaps, give half of the Coptic churches to the church."
This was already a considerable compromise, considering that the Orthodox Church had the Eastern Empire backing it. Though the Empire was in decline, its residual power remained, and it was now expanding into the Kingdom of Sicily, poised to neighbor His Holiness the Pope. Sebastian was also cautious not to offend them.
"No, no."
Losa shook his head quickly, "The Bishop is unaware that Egypt has a large population, and the Coptic Church is deeply rooted. Recklessly severing ties with the Coptic Church might push them into alliance with the heretics. Besides, I have always stood by my word; how can I easily go back on sothing I’ve said? It would not only damage my reputation but also the reputation of the Heavenly Father."
Sebastian proposed several more compromises, but Losa shook his head like a rattle-drum at each one, saying this wouldn’t work, that wouldn’t work.
He was acting so fervently that the playful glint in his eye was montarily not concealed, eventually angering Cardinal Sebastian.
"Are you toying with a devoted servant of the Heavenly Lord?"
Losa dropped the act and casually said, "You bring only two thousand rcenaries and expect a share of the spoils. Doesn’t this feel rather paltry to you, Your Excellency Sebastian? You think I’m toying with you, yet I feel you are wasting my ti."
Bang—
The cardinal slamd the table and rose, "Marquis Losa, with such impudence, are you not afraid of the sanctions from the Holy See?"
Losa put his legs up on the table, nonchalantly, "Then I shall have to ask Her Majesty the Empress to pardon ."
"I happen to find unleavened bread in Holy Communion a bit unpalatable."
The rage flushed Sebastian’s face, and after a while, he managed to sputter, "It’s simply... simply blasphemous! How can soone like you be fit to be the Guardian of the Holy Spear?"
Imdiately, Losa sat up piously, drew a cross over his chest, and said, "This is God’s will, Your Excellency. Otherwise, you should have been the one wielding the Holy Spear, slaying the Demon Dragon, and defeating Saladin."
"Good! Good! Good!"
Sebastian said good three tis in a row.
"You should know that God not only gives you the Holy Spear but can also take it away!"
Watching the furious cardinal leave.
Losa sneered.
"Perhaps he’s forgotten that here is the East, not Western Europe."
Indeed, the Divine Right of Kings can be sought from the Empress or from the Patriarch of the Coptic Church, with plenty of options to choose from.
"Kurs, shall we place a bet?"
"On what?"
"On whether he will co back."
Losa said with a smile.
Kurs ticulously took out a handkerchief and wiped the seat where Sebastian had been sitting, saying, "Honestly, I hope this spice-filled Bishop knows to retreat; but since you proposed a wager, he is bound to co back."
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