A Crusader with System in the Middle Ages

Eric didn’t plan on traveling overland directly to Canossa. He would have to cross far too many territories. Never mind the various lords who randomly imposed tolls—the real problem was the sporadic fighting between them. Besides, it was best to save money wherever possible.

So, Eric took a ship from Rouen and sailed around Normandy, heading first to Outville Town in Cotentin to pick up Eleanor, who was about to lose her mind.

His uncle Ambel had four sons and seven daughters. And then there was Helia to add to the mix.

Eleanor had never in her life had to live with so many people at once. And because Eric was her husband, she had no way of avoiding them.

And Ambel’s family loved a boisterous household, meaning she could only stay in her room when it was time to sleep.

When Eric saw her, it looked as if her soul were about to float right out of her mouth.

From Cotentin, they sailed around Brittany to reach Nantes.

Annie, the eldest daughter of the Count of Nantes, was Eleanor’s close friend. Eric planned to ask her to help get Eleanor home.

Nantes was quite close to Fougeres Castle, less than a day’s journey away.

Annie was three years older than Eleanor. Her husband, a Baron from Aquitaine, had been killed in battle a few years ago, after which she returned to Nantes. Her doting father, the Count of Nantes, hadn’t made her remarry.

”I don’t want to go out for the next three years,” Eleanor said, standing by the docks and watching the bustling port of Nantes. ”Humanity... it would be better if it were all destroyed.”

”What?” Eric felt like he had heard something odd.

”I said, may God bless humanity.” Eleanor clasped her hands under her chin, closed her eyes, and put on a look of pure Devotion.

”Right, may God bless humanity,” Eric said with a shrug.

”Do you really have to go so far away? To Italy?” Eleanor changed the subject. ”Didn’t you say you hate your father?”

”It’s not about him.”

”Then who is it about?”

”I’m not entirely sure myself. It might be... about the Holy See, or the Emperor, or perhaps both. It doesn’t depend on me, but on that Emperor.”

”Will there be a war? You look like you’re marching off to one.”

”I hope not. I’m hoping that a show of force alone will be enough to solve the problem.”

”That doesn’t sound very reliable.”

”Actually, I agree. A mere eight hundred Knights would have a hard time...”

”I was talking about you.”

”What?”

”You’re a bit far away.”

”How about now?” Eric walked toward Eleanor and lifted her veil.

”It seems that depends on you.” Eleanor pulled his hand down and lowered her veil again.

”At least, I hope it depends on you.” Eric reached out, his fingers tracing her lips through the veil.

”Hope?” This time, Eleanor didn’t push his hand away.

”Hope.”

”Fine.” Eleanor looked back at the docks. ”Though I don’t like it when you use so many qualifiers.”

”That’s because I didn’t want to make a certain lady angry. Did I succeed?” Eric asked with a smile.

”More or less,” Eleanor replied, her gaze on the people at the port.

”Then it seems I still have room for improvement.”

”I feel like one day I won’t be able to understand you at all.”

”Then I’ll do my best to make sure that day comes as late as possible,” Eric said, sweeping Eleanor up into his arms.

Eleanor pounded on Eric’s shoulder, trying to get him to put her down, but to no avail. ”Wait, we still have to see Annie!”

”I said I would make it happen later.”

...

Rain fell from the sky. Some of it pattered against the leaves and branches, while the rest trickled through the gaps in the canopy.

Cool raindrops struck Matilda’s upturned face. A few drops weren’t enough to wash away the dirt on her cheeks, only tracing muddy rivulets down her jawline.

It wasn’t a downpour, but the rain was steady.

Matilda was in a sorry state. Half an hour earlier, she had been thrown from her horse when her beloved Morrello slipped on the muddy ground, just as she was about to urge him into a sprint.

Thanks to the soft earth—or rather, the thick mud—she wasn’t injured. Her right foot felt a little stiff, but Matilda considered herself merely disheveled.

The rain-soaked mud had stained her red cloak, turning it a filthy brown.

She now stood alone in the Forest, leading Morrello by the reins. The horse’s foreleg was injured, so she couldn’t ride him.

But Matilda was in no hurry to leave. She had little desire to return to Canossa Castle at the moment.

A pile of terrible problems awaited her there, many of which she couldn’t solve. They would only serve to worsen her already foul mood.

”Are you ready?” Matilda shouted towards another part of the woods.

But there was no reply from the woods.

Matilda sighed helplessly, tossed the reins over the horse’s back, and walked into the woods.

A few steps into the trees, she found her ’target’.

A little girl of about four was squatting next to a rock, hands clutching her little skirt, staring intently at something.

Matilda called her name several times, but she didn’t turn around.

”Julie?”

A flash of annoyance went through Matilda, and she walked over to the little girl.

”What are you doing? Why aren’t you looking at me?”

”I can’t.”

”Why not?” Matilda noticed that Vagina’s pink dress was wrinkled where she was clutching it.

Then she saw what Vagina was focused on: a bee buzzing its wings. It had probably been struck by a raindrop and was temporarily unable to fly.

”I have to watch this bee,” Vagina answered. ”It wants to bite me. I have to be ready to chase it away.”

Matilda moved closer and saw the bee hovering near the girl’s left foot. ”Why don’t you shoo it away now?” she whispered.

”I’m scared,” Vagina answered, looking up at Matilda innocently. ”What if I miss? It will definitely bite me.”

”It’s fine. It can’t fly anymore, so it won’t bite you.”

”Really?”

”Of course.”

”Will it die, then?”

”Probably. If it can’t get back to its hive.”

”Why don’t its friends come to help it? I remember bees always have lots of friends.”

”The hive has no need for a broken bee.”

”But it’s not broken, just a little flawed,” Vagina said, watching the bee still hovering close to the ground.

”It doesn’t matter. It’s just one of countless bees in the hive, born to die for the Queen Bee. As long as the Queen Bee survives, so does the swarm.”

”Is the Queen Bee very powerful, then?” Vagina asked, tilting her head back to look at Matilda.

”A high-class tool, that’s all. They’re just using each other.” Matilda patted Vagina’s head and started walking out of the Forest. ”We need to leave now. It’ll be dark soon.”

Vagina didn’t follow right away. She waited until Matilda was almost out of the trees before running to catch up.

Vagina had fashioned a small shelter from mud, using a leaf for a roof. Perhaps she hoped the bee would understand that it could survive if it took refuge inside.

She then scurried to catch up with Matilda, her hurried steps splashing muddy water onto her dress.

Holding Vagina’s hand in one hand and Morrello’s reins in the other, Matilda led them toward Canossa City.

”By the way, why did your mother give you the name Vagina?” Matilda asked suddenly.

Vagina’s mother, Venicia, had been one of Matilda’s maids.

Though Matilda’s memories of her were frozen four years in the past.

Matilda had promised her that she would take good care of her child, Vagina.

”My mother was Venicia. She died when I was born. My grandmother was Julia, and she died in childbirth too.

”The Church said they were unclean and wouldn’t let them be buried in the ancestral cemetery. My father wants me to be a good girl so I can go to Heaven, and he hopes that when God hears my name, He’ll remember my mother and grandmother.”

”Why did the Church say they were unclean?”

”Because they were giving birth when they died,” Vagina explained. ”Don’t you know anything?”

”That’s right, I know nothing. That’s why I’m asking for your expertise,” Matilda said, patting Vagina’s head with the tone one uses to humor a child.

”I know just about everything,” Vagina boasted. ”At least, I really think I understand what my father says. I even know how babies get into their mothers’ tummies. Want to hear?”

”Please, enlighten me.” Matilda stroked Vagina’s hair again. The girl had the same reddish-gold hair as her.

That was probably one of the reasons she was so fond of Vagina.

”After a boy and girl get married, the father spits in his wine and makes the mother drink it. After she drinks it, a baby appears in her tummy.”

”Oh, so that’s how it works.” Matilda put on a look of sudden enlightenment.

”I know everything,” Vagina said, crossing her arms and tilting up her small, freckled face, looking quite smug.

Just then, Matilda heard something—the thundering of many hoofbeats.

’Have the Knights from Canossa Castle come to find me?’

’They can’t even give me a moment’s peace.’

Matilda pulled Vagina to the side. She ran her fingers over her cheeks, smearing the mud more evenly, then tossed her cloak into a nearby bush.

It probably wouldn’t do much, but Matilda enjoyed the act.

As for why, perhaps she just found it amusing.

Sure enough, a moment later, a troop of knights on horseback rode in her direction. Their numbers far exceeded those of Canossa Castle’s own knights; there was no way they were from there.

’And... they’re clearly not Italians. They’re... Normans?’

’Giscard’s army?’

Matilda furrowed her brow.

She hadn’t received any news regarding Giscard.

’Could Giscard be planning to...’

However, the expected banner of the Outville family was nowhere to be seen. In its place flew a completely different flag: a golden Double Lion Flag.

That was the banner of the Normandy Clan—an army from Normandy.

Yet the man leading this considerable force wore no armor. Instead, he was dressed as a Monk.

It was an exceedingly strange sight.

But for some reason, the sight brought Matilda an inexplicable sense of relief. She averted her gaze and, pulling Vagina by the hand, prepared to leave.

However, someone called out to her.

It was the Monk who had stopped her.

”Miss, do you need some help?” Eric pulled on his reins, turning his horse’s head to face Matilda. He waved a hand at the Knights behind him, signaling for them to slow their pace.

Matilda didn’t answer. As if she hadn’t even noticed Eric, she kept walking.

She had no intention of engaging with him.

”We are heading to the nearby Canossa City. If we share a destination, I can offer you a ride.” Eric motioned for a Knight behind him to lead a light horse over to Matilda.

Still, Matilda did not stop. She seemed to have no interest in speaking with Eric.

”Your Warhorse’s foreleg is severely injured. If you force it to walk to Canossa City, the animal will be ruined. A pity for such a fine Andalusian Warhorse. Its build and physique are the most outstanding I have ever seen in an Andalusian Horse.

”We have a cart that can make the journey easier for your horse, so it won’t have to use its injured leg,” Eric continued. ”I offer this in the name of God’s love.”

Eric waved his hand again, and the Knight once more led the light horse in front of Matilda.

This time, Matilda glanced back at Eric. She didn’t refuse. She mounted the horse, and the Knight promptly lifted Vagina up to her.