A Crusader with System in the Middle Ages

The truth is, just a few generations ago, we were commoners. Obscure merchants who constantly complained about the stupidity and tyranny of the nobility.

But now we flaunt our nobility in every way, even trying to be more aristocratic than the aristocrats themselves. Is that really a good thing?”

The moment Rolando finished speaking, his friends burst out laughing.

”Imitating the nobility makes it easier for us to manage and rule. Most commoners’ heads are full of mush, or maybe cattail fluff. They can only understand the ways of the nobility, so we imitate them.”

”Those commoners, what else can they do besides shout, ’My lord, my lord, spare some coin!’ all day? Besides, you Lanfranchis have already given them something. That’s enough. To be honest, any more would be overdoing it.

Many of them don’t even know where Pisa is. They probably think Italy is something you can eat, and that the Empire is just a league of cities near Pisa.

Hand Pisa over to them? Heh. Just have them cheer and shout a few slogans when needed. That’s all they’re good for.”

”Speaking of things worth pursuing, there are so many. Money, power, women... the thing you’re talking about is the least valuable of all. Alright, alright. We all know you have lofty ideals.”

”Ha, though we know that’s just on the surface. In reality, it’s all for a certain girl. His father drove his commoner girl away. A shepherdess, if I recall correctly.”

”Oh, I remember her. She was a commoner, but she was certainly beautiful. A real pity.”

”Hey, don’t rub it in.”

”It’s a sad story. Not something to joke about.”

”Alright, I apologize.” The friend raised his hands in a gesture of apology.

”Alright, alright, quiet down, everyone. Let me have a word with Rolando.” The short friend waved his hand at the others, then looked at Rolando and said, ”We don’t want to argue with you about this.

We just want to remind you that your brother, Giacomo, might not be... well, he might not be quite what you think he is. As your friends, that’s all we can say.”

”How is he now?” Rolando asked his friends.

”He’s doing well. He took an arrow to the abdomen, but it’s been removed. The wound is large, but there are no signs of gangrene. He should be fine with some proper rest.”

”I’ll go see him. Don’t you all leave yet, stay for a meal later…” With that, Rolando eagerly turned to go see his brother, Giacomo.

But the short friend’s voice rang out again.

”Wait, Rolando. There’s something more important than that.” The short friend stepped in front of Rolando, blocking his path.

”What is it?”

”You don’t actually think we’d skip lunch at home and come all the way to your courtyard in the middle of the day just to visit the bedridden Giacomo, do you?” the short friend said with a smile.

”Did something happen?” Rolando asked.

”News of the attack during your procession has spread throughout Pisa City. Your Lanfranchi family’s arch-rival, Simone Scalas, has called an emergency meeting at his residence. He’s gathered all the members of the Governance Council still in Pisa, and he’s using this incident to his advantage.” The short friend clapped Rolando on the shoulder.

”At his residence?” Rolando was somewhat surprised.

Any meeting of the Governance Council was supposed to be held in the Pisa Assembly Hall, not at the private residence of one of its members.

Furthermore, any meeting of the Governance Council should be presided over by the Administrative Officer.

”Probably a closed-door power grab,” one of his friends remarked coolly.

”Oh, God. Caesar is in Lucca now,” another friend said with a shrug.

”If Simone is Caesar, then who are we? Pompey? That’s not a good omen,” a friend said with a laugh.

”Close enough. Think about what our Rolando was just talking about. The Republic.”

”Not everyone can play the part of Pompey. Believe me, Simone fully intends to make himself Caesar.”

The short friend cut off his friends’ jokes and turned to Rolando.

”Giacomo is bedridden, so he can’t go for now. Your father is in Canossa, which means you’re the only one from the Lanfranchi family who can attend. Otherwise, Simone will be free to twist the truth as he pleases.

Simone is using this as a pretext, and he’s recently found a new patron.”

”A patron? Who?”

”The Marquis of Canossa.”

...

After bidding farewell to his friends, Rolando planned to check on his brother Giacomo first, but the butler informed him that he had already fallen asleep.

So, Rolando decided to change his clothes first.

It had rained on the road the previous night, and all his clothes were soaked. He took the garments handed to him by a maid and was about to change.

Then he remembered something. He quickly picked up the clothes he had just taken off and retrieved a small package from within. Inside the package were two small wooden boards tied tightly together with a thin string. Sandwiched between the boards were two slips of paper. Rolando wiped his fingers on a piece of clean clothing, making sure they were dry, before untying the string and sliding the two slips of paper out from between the boards.

Both slips of paper were adorned with exquisite illustrations depicting Jacob and Rachel from the Bible. One showed Jacob holding a jug, the other Rachel as a shepherdess. The images were rendered in multiple colors, and the borders were dusted with gold powder, giving them a rather splendid appearance.