CHAPTER 54: DIVINE MIRACLE

Chapter 54: Divine Miracle

The brand-new grey wall bricks stood in stark contrast to the surrounding world, which had been eroded by yellow sand into an earthy yellow hue.

The black eagle banner fluttered atop the Lord’s Hall. Castellan Leonard knew this was his new lord’s personal coat of arms.

Sleepy-eyed soldiers emerged from the barracks, stretching and asking, "Old Leonard, what happened?"

"Is it time for morning drill already? I heard that officer named Moder is a very strict man. If we’re late, we’ll definitely get whipped."

"See for yourselves!" Leonard raised his hand, intending to point, but then, worried it might be offensive, quickly lowered it again.

Besides this renovated keep, which was now no less impressive than that of a great lord, a massive stone barracks had also been erected on an empty plot by the city wall. Two banners hung from the barracks tower: one was the familiar black eagle flag, and the other, with a red background, depicted a cavalryman with a lance in hand and wings on his back.

"Did any of you hear any commotion last night?"

"No! This magnificent structure couldn’t possibly have been built in one night!"

The main castle keep was one thing; from the outside, it merely looked renovated and new. But this stone barracks had clearly sprung up from nothing, an edifice erected overnight!

"A miracle!"

"This is a divine miracle!"

"It is the Heavenly Father’s will!"

Castellan Leonard subconsciously murmured, "Milord is favored by God!"

Lothar appeared behind Leonard at some unknown moment. He wore a silk shirt and made a sign of the cross before him.

"Indeed, this is the Heavenly Father’s will." His face was calm, unperturbed by favor or disgrace. "There is no need to make such a fuss about this. A divine miracle is not for people to worship, but a tool to aid us in protecting the Holy Land."

When the system constructed buildings, there was no great commotion of bricks and stones flying about and being stacked layer by layer. Instead, it renovated, processed, or directly created structures from nothing, based on the actual situation of the construction site.

"Yes, Milord, we understand!"

Soon, the dormant Jorgklusburg awakened. Voices buzzed as everyone looked at this divine miracle in utter shock.

Some even dropped everything they were doing and came to prostrate themselves in worship outside the Lord’s Hall, only to be testily driven away by Leonard.

"Such a miracle is not for you to worship! Milord said this is a tool bestowed upon us by the Heavenly Father to defend the Holy Land!"

***

"Hans, did you select any suitable cavalry candidates last night?" Lothar found Hans.

Hans felt no particular shock at the system’s creations; he was aware of everything that had happened last night.

However, a sense of urgency couldn’t help but arise within him. As a one-star retainer, he had no advantage over the Winged Hussars.

If these "newcomers" truly outshone him, it would be too humiliating!

Moreover, the Winged Hussars were the sworn enemies of his Teutonic Order.

Hans secretly resolved. ’I must work even harder to improve myself! Even if I can’t develop skills, I must at least raise my starts!’

"There is one. His name is Ulm. He used to herd livestock for the village chief’s family, and later became a messenger for Jorgklusburg, frequently traveling between here and Jerusalem. His horsemanship is quite proficient."

Lothar frowned. "Only one?"

Hans also looked helpless. "There are a few others who have ridden horses, but their riding skills are clearly inferior to Ulm’s. It would be too much of a stretch to train them as candy." In this era, apart from nomads and the knightly class, people skilled in horsemanship were truly rare.

Lothar knew this as well. He nodded and said, "Bring this Ulm over first. I’ve decided to promote him to be the first cavalryman."

In an army, besides clear rewards and punishments, promoting the capable was paramount. Even if it was picking the best from a mediocre lot, this Ulm was the most outstanding among the eighty-odd sergeants. He planned to test the waters with this man first.

Ulm was brought over quickly. He was a young man with a dark complexion but rather handsome features, a sparse beard on his chin, and wearing a chainmail shirt with holes in it.

"Ulm, are you a German?"

Ulm quickly replied, "Yes, Milord. My father came from Bavaria. He once participated in the Second Crusade. That’s when we settled in Sego."

"Good."

Ulm asked tentatively, "Milord, do you really want me to be a cavalryman?"

"Of course! You will be the first cavalryman under my command!"

His expression was so emotional that his speech became somewhat broken. "M-milord, I am greatly honored... I mean, I am greatly honored to become the first cavalryman of one favored by the Heavenly Father!"

The "divine miracle" Lothar had displayed had long since made this devout soldier regard Lothar as a new Son of God.

"Lead your mount and come with me." Lothar led the soldier to the gate of the Winged Hussar Barracks. This tall stone building was less like a barracks and more like a miniature fortress. Lothar was the first to enter. "From now on, this will be your barracks. You will become a glorious Winged Hussar and train here."

Ulm, without hesitation, led the warhorse that had been issued to him and followed him inside. There was a huge riding field here. On either side of the field were weapon racks holding armor and lances.

Lothar led him to a weapon rack. Ulm stared with some bewilderment at the slender lances, each four meters long. With Lothar’s help, he skillfully donned the pieces of armor.

Finally, Lothar took a broadsword in hand and said, "Kneel, cavalryman! As your lord, I shall bestow this sword upon you!"

Ulm immediately knelt on one knee, raised his hands, and received the broadsword. He said with some confusion, "I... my mind seems to be filled with many new memories, as if I was born knowing how to use these weapons... Milord, is this a boon granted to me by the Heavenly Father?"

"Indeed. This is a boon granted to you by the Heavenly Father through my hand. Use this power well, uphold your oath, protect the Holy City, and do not disappoint my favor towards you."

Lothar looked at Ulm, who seemed completely transformed after donning the new armor and the lobster-tailed pot helmet, and patted his shoulder.

The system’s notification sound chimed at this moment.

[Your soldier has undergone arduous training and has successfully been promoted to Winged Hussar. His loyalty to you will be permanently MAX.]

Though fifty Solidii was a steep price, compared to a Winged Hussar whose combat effectiveness was no less than, and perhaps even surpassed, that of a knight, it was undoubtedly excellent value for money.

More importantly, loyalty!

He silently revised his internal target of training ten cavalrymen up to twenty.

Twenty loyal and fearless Winged Hussars—he would possess an absolutely formidable core force. Even when he went to Jerusalem to take up a position, he would have more confidence.

He believed that the next time he returned to Jerusalem, he would truly command the attention of those Jerusalem nobles, rather than being, as he was now, merely a rising talent favored by Baldwin IV.

"Go, Ulm! Show everyone your weapons and armor! Tell them, all loyalty will be rewarded!"

"Yes!" Ulm, thrilled, mounted his horse and rode out of the barracks.

***

"Heavenly Father above, where did this knightly lord come from?"

"That face... it’s Ulm!"

"Ulm! Quick, let everyone have a look! Yesterday you were a post courier, and today you’re a noble knightly lord!" The soldiers exclaimed in amazement.

"A cavalryman, not a knight," Ulm emphasized.

Cavalry was a profession; knight was a class.

A soldier, his face full of envy, said, "Truly magnificent! If this suit of armor were sold at the market, it could buy a small manor at least—I’ve never seen such beautiful armor!"

"Don’t talk nonsense! This is armor bestowed upon me by Milord. I have already decided to dedicate everything to Milord. How could I possibly sell this precious armor?" A trace of anger flared on Ulm’s face.

"Just kidding, just kidding!" The soldier quickly explained. "We all know Milord is a favorite of the Heavenly Father, a divinely favored one destined to achieve great things. How could I possibly entertain such an ugly thought. You think we’re like Judas?"

Someone else smoothed things over, "Exactly, exactly! Ulm, don’t pay too much attention to this fool’s nonsense. We all know his mouth is like a male mule’s backside—you never know when a string of stinking dung will come out. But I guarantee, that load of crap didn’t pass through his brain!"

"Ulm, ask Milord for leave tonight. Let’s go back to the village, shall we? When those young lasses see you in this getup, their legs will surely go weak!"

"That’s right! Those who used to look down on you will now have to bow and call you ’Milord’! They can’t tell the difference between a knight and a cavalryman!"

Ulm’s face was resolute. He shook his head. "No. As a glorious Winged Hussar, serving Milord and defending the Holy City is my sacred mission. The things you speak of have lost all meaning for me."

He mounted his warhorse and galloped out of the castle like the wind.

"Heavenly Father above! Ulm is like a changed man... Could it be he received enlightenment from the Heavenly Father through our Lord?"

"Is this still the little Ulm we knew?"

"The way he looked at me just now actually made me feel fear!"

The soldiers who knew Ulm well looked at each other in dismay.

Lothar watched this scene, somewhat silent. He liked loyal soldiers, but he knew very well that this method, bordering on brainwashing, was definitely not the righteous path. But he would still do it.

Ulm, on his imposing mount, rode a circuit around the outside of the castle walls. He had never felt his riding skills to be so superb.

The armor, which he had expected to be quite heavy, actually wasn’t that burdensome.

When charging, he felt like a whistling wind. The sand and dust kicked up by his warhorse’s hooves swept past the wings on his back, emitting a rustling, whistling sound.

"This is a Winged Hussar!" Ulm shouted in excitement. He felt his previous life had been a joke. Only after meeting "His Lordship, the Son of God," had he attained true redemption!