A Crusader with System in the Middle Ages

”I have one.”

”Then do you have children?”

”Of course.”

”What are their names?” the girl continued to ask.

”Boy and Girl,” Eric answered immediately.

”And how are they?”

”I string them up every day because they’re always asking all sorts of questions,” Eric said, trying to sound terrifying.

”You’re funny,” the girl giggled. Then she looked up at Matilda. ”I like him, sister.”

”Is that so? Maybe he just doesn’t understand you,” Matilda said, pushing the girl’s head back down.

As they neared Canossa City, they passed by a village.

They had no intention of entering, as the road to Canossa City didn’t go through the village.

But a strange sight caught their attention.

Someone had nailed a Dwarf to a Cross.

However, he was still alive.

As the carriage drew closer, they saw that he was tied to the Cross, not nailed. His feet rested on a small platform, and he wore a very realistic crown of thorns. A ladder lay on the grass, along with a bucket full of water with a long stick resting against it, a sponge tied to its end.

Matilda frowned. She didn’t much care for such a display, but that was all.

Vagina asked to be let down.

Matilda, naturally knowing what she was thinking, lifted her down.

Vagina walked over to the Dwarf, picked up the long stick from the bucket, soaked the sponge, and lifted it to the Dwarf’s mouth. He sucked on it gently, like a lamb.

”Do you want to come down?” she asked.

The Dwarf shook his head.

”Have you taken a vow of silence?” Eric asked.

”No,” the Dwarf said. ”They didn’t say anything about that.”

”’They?’ Who are ’they?’ Is someone forcing you to do something you don’t want to do?” Vagina asked.

”The penitents,” the Dwarf said.

”What?” Vagina didn’t quite understand.

”Never mind,” the Dwarf said, closing his eyes and praying silently.

”You should come down,” Vagina said. ”This isn’t good for you.”

”I have two days left. This is only my first day. Every town crucifies someone for three days. Didn’t you know?”

”I didn’t,” Vagina said, shaking her head. She then looked to Matilda, as if asking for an explanation.

”A plague has spread through the nearby villages. They think it’s the wrath of God,” Matilda said without looking at her, or at anyone, simply gazing into the distance.

”This is the only way to appease God. Pleased, He will take the sickness away,” the Dwarf said.

”Will He be pleased?” Vagina looked at Eric, the resident professional. ”Though since you’re a Norman, this question might be a bit out of place for you.”

’Hey!’ Since becoming a Cultivator, Eric had never felt such hostility.

’What’s wrong with being a Norman?’

”’No one ever hated their own body, but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church’—New Testament, Ephesians 5:28 and 29. I think that’s perfectly clear.

”When the Saints spoke of Christ’s suffering, it was to teach endurance, not to encourage self-mutilation. To put it bluntly, what you’re doing is imitating that Jewish mob.” Eric decided not to argue with the little one and looked at the Dwarf as he spoke.

The Dwarf seemed unmoved.

The Dwarf returned to his prayer, ”My God, I repent for all my sins with my whole heart. I detest them, not just because of the punishment I deserve...”

Vagina tugged on Matilda’s clothes, as if hoping she would do something.

”They need an outlet, even if it’s a painful one,” Matilda said, taking Vagina’s hand.

She had no desire to get involved.

”Who decides who goes on the Cross?” Eric asked, finding this interesting.

”The people of the town,” the Dwarf answered.

”Why you? Was it voluntary?” Vagina asked.

”The town chose. They voted. It’s a great honor. Even for someone like me,” the Dwarf stressed.

”Sounds like someone’s playing God,” Eric laughed.

”No, no, no, sir. We are all sinners, no matter what, are we not? This isn’t torture; it’s atonement.”

”What sin did you commit? You’re just a Dwarf,” Vagina said, staring at him.

”Original sin, child, original sin. Don’t you understand? Master Cultivator, you understand, don’t you? Original sin. Mankind is born into sin.

”It’s all because of Adam—no, mostly because of Eve! That’s what the Priest in our village told us,” the Dwarf said harshly.

The Dwarf’s tone startled Vagina.

”Perhaps,” Eric shrugged.

Matilda pulled Vagina closer. ”We are not needed here, Vagina. You should learn to let them be, even if they’re teetering on a cliff’s edge.”

”’Perhaps?’ Master Cultivator, you don’t agree?” the Dwarf asked, sounding rather desperate.

”She was tempted by something more powerful than herself, which is understandable. Adam, however, was tempted by a weaker being. Or so we are told.

”According to the Old Testament, Eve was made from Adam and was therefore subordinate to him. That makes Eve his subordinate. In that case, his sin is the greater one, is it not?

”Alright, alright, maybe this is a bit difficult for you. Let’s put it this way: if a powerful lord ordered someone like you to steal, you usually couldn’t refuse, could you?”

”Y-yes,” the Dwarf stammered, nodding.

”But you couldn’t order a lord to steal, right? Not unless that lord chose to do so of his own free will.”

”But...” The Dwarf was speechless.