Krafft's Anomaly Notes

Chapter 332: Meeting in the Countryside
After several days of trekking, the team stopped at a narrow pass to rest.

The young men from the church had hardly any rest. They couldn't wait to take off their brand new armor from the backs of mules and horses, and with the help of their servants, they dressed themselves up and packed themselves into a large, shiny can.

More than a dozen pieces of the latest style full body armor cannot be purchased with money alone, not to mention that some of them include custom components, using a relatively rare bird-beak visor inspired by the well-known doctor's mask.

The initial investment out of practical needs effectively won wide support for the new leader, and the new members soon found that their boss was an easy-going and generous person.

They received this expensive gift in Dunling, but unfortunately the difficult mountain march was not suitable for adding more weight, and no sensible bandit was willing to come forward and offer them the opportunity to use it.

Until now, the caravan finally arrived at its destination, and needed a set of distinctive and ostentatious attire to demonstrate the spirit of the Knights, show respect for the owners of this land, and if necessary, serve as a deterrent to those who have evil intentions in mind.

Of course, they can't just run to someone's doorstep, as that would cause a lot of unnecessary misunderstandings and scares.

The correct operating procedure is to send the most stable and reliable one among them first, with the letter delivered by the church, to inform the visitor of his identity and purpose, and to leave enough time for the host to prepare.

Since both parties theoretically belong to the church system, some of the unnecessary cumbersome steps can be reduced, but a courteous welcome ceremony and subsequent banquet are still required.

Brother Raymond took over the task of delivering the letter. While waiting bored, Kraft began to look around the unfamiliar territory in front of him and prepare for the upcoming meeting.

This is a long and narrow mountain plain, which is divided into three parts by a forked stream, making the place, which is not visually spacious, appear even more limited.

The flat area within sight was almost entirely occupied by wheat fields, and there was not much space left around the small castle at the confluence of water flows.

The low castle tower looks even more financially troubled than the Wood family, and even the fence has not been replaced by a stone wall, but it has a building that looks like a small church, showing the builder's determination to believe that God will bless him during the siege.

There are several old-looking trees dotting the fields. Perhaps they were left because of their wide crowns. They are suitable for providing shade for daily gatherings, and are also suitable for providing local materials for the attacking side's siege equipment during war.

The reflective figure of the messenger gradually moved away, like a silver coin rolling on yellow-green silk, and had already run half the distance.

Kraft still didn't see the sentry on the tower.

Perhaps there could be another way to say hello: take these eager newcomers directly on horseback, speed up the charge halfway, and within ten minutes they can pull the castle owner's ear and ask his dear Heavenly Father why he didn't help keep an eye on it.

This rude thought only stayed in my mind for a moment, really just a moment.

As the head of the Knights Templar and a compassionate and devout man, it is certainly impossible for him to do such a thing to the Lord's believers, but it did not prevent him from revealing a relaxed smile that came from the heart.

The plump and defenseless flock of sheep indicates that there are no wild beasts around that pose a constant threat, at least not on the surface.

Tall and steep mountains surrounded this outdoor paradise. The pass where they were currently located was actually more suitable for building a castle. It would take only half the work to easily isolate the inside and the outside. The only price was that the mountains would prevent the castle owner from enjoying most of the day's sunshine.

The twelve knights were already armed and lined up on horseback. Kraft thought their riding skills still needed to be improved, but compared to when they set out, the rough road had clearly helped them improve their riding skills, and at least they didn't have to worry about falling off the saddle when accelerating.

The riders were even more agitated than the horses they rode on. Their occasional small movements revealed that they were not as calm as they looked. It was only the discipline they received from church education that kept the team in order.

Never doubt the desire of a young man who is just starting out to perform when he rides a horse and draws a sword.

They didn't have to wait long, as Redmond soon returned with the Priyère family's butler and a formal invitation.

"The newbie who accidentally steps into the wheat field will be responsible for paying the bill for the next team dinner." Kraft shouted behind him and rushed through the pass surrounded by the cheering team.

They encountered nothing to show off to. Only occasionally a farmer would look up from the wheat waves and stare in amazement at the strange team passing by and their winged Ouroboros emblem.

The heavy metal torrent that seemed to be able to destroy the castle slowly stopped in front of the fence, causing the castle owner who came to greet him to break out in a cold sweat.

Kraft could see traces of past exercise on him, but most of them had been buried under his slightly plump figure due to too long a period of comfort. The patterns of his loose clothes were woven with wings and angel designs with religious elements, and his movements showed an enviable casualness.

"Welcome, distinguished guest brought by Heavenly Father." Baron Priyère's attitude was better than expected. It was the typical kind of familiarity that occurs when fellow church members meet and are bonded by a sense of identity, as if they were meeting a distant relative whose name they couldn't remember during the Chinese New Year.

"I never thought that this place would be remembered by the Holy See one day. Please come in."

The rear convoy personnel were settled in the castle courtyard. The servants carried the long table that had been unused for a long time out to the open air, and after a simple rinse, they served the food directly.

The official members of the Knights followed them into the room, chatting with their host about the bad road conditions and the unpredictable weather in the mountains. The baron cordially invited the young leader to sit with him and share his favorite main course - several meat dishes made from unidentified small animals, seasoned with spices, and not looking like they were domesticated.

The rest of the food was essentially the same as what was available outside: some bread that was slightly better made but not much better, hastily prepared vegetable stews, pickled meats, and a small amount of dairy products with a fishy smell.

Kraft tasted a little out of courtesy, praising the local cuisine for its return to nature and use of natural ingredients. He also cleverly brought up a new topic before the mushroom dishes were served, shifting the focus away from the food.

The Baron did not show any displeasure about the change of hands of the monastery and surrounding properties. Instead, he was somewhat looking forward to it, even though these things had been managed by the Priyère family for most of his life.

"When I was a child, the territory was much more lively than it is now. The monastery would purchase daily consumables, fruits and vegetables that they could not grow on their own, and wheat for storage and brewing from us."

"There are priests and monks coming and going, all kinds of caravans, and even traveling merchants who are attracted here specifically. Every year, there is a market organized by the church nearby."

The slightly plump baron was very restrained in drinking. Out of his family's religious atmosphere, he only took a few sips of the light homemade wheat wine, but his complaints soon went back to the distant past that most people would only talk about after drinking Father Adrian's special brew in Port of Consolation.

Perhaps because he hadn't seen any outsiders to talk to for too long, he talked about the prosperity brought by the church in the past. Those memories of the past became more vivid as time passed.

It can be heard that the deepening of the relationship between Priyer Territory and the church is a long process.

"And then, suddenly, there was a year." He clapped his hands and spread them out helplessly, like a burst bubble. "Everything was gone. The head of the monastery told my father that they were leaving this place."

Even though more than 20 years had passed, he could still see genuine disbelief in his expression. "They just left like that, leaving the monastery, the surrounding land, and even the unharvested half-ripe wheat in our hands, without doing any regular cleaning. They were probably worried that some dishonest guys would steal something."

"You know, our family is a devout believer in God, so we have always sent people to watch over it and never let anyone in. We thought it would be back to normal in a few months at most."

"and after?"

"Later, this matter came to me along with the title."

Fortunately, this generation of Baron Priyère is really pious and has persisted in this as a test. He was curious, but he didn't need to guard it personally, so there was no need to find out the truth.

"It seems that God has not forgotten his loyal servants. The Holy See has finally sent you here." The arrival of the Knights rekindled the Baron's hope for the future of the territory. In his opinion, this was undoubtedly a turning point.

Never mind anything else, these dozen or so sets of armor obviously were here to do something big, and they also brought handwritten letters signed by the archbishop and several bishops.

In fact, it is not wrong. The Knights also need to purchase supplies locally, hire locals to repair buildings, cultivate the attached land, and build a large number of facilities. This means considerable tax revenue and a series of related benefits for the local area.

Feeling that the Baron's emotions were genuine, Kraft was glad that his new neighbor wasn't difficult to get along with, but he wanted to know more than that.

While the guests and hosts were having a great time, the new owner of the monastery asked about the status of his own property: "Thank you for the hospitality. Speaking of which, we will soon have to start taking care of this old building that has not been open for more than 20 years. I don't think it will be easy. Do you have any suggestions?"

"I'm afraid it will take some time." The baron put down his wine glass and put the last piece of marinated meat into his mouth with bread. "If you don't mind the simple conditions, I will be happy to invite you to stay in the castle temporarily."

"I will tell the people in charge of the garrison to go with you. No one knows that place better than them. You can ask anything you want to know."

"Thank you for your help." Kraft silently pushed the dish further away from him and casually asked, "By the way, do you know why the monastery was closed?"

"Well... I hadn't started to take over the family work at that time, so I'm not very clear." A trace of embarrassment at not knowing much about his own territory flashed across the baron's face. He searched through his rare memories to find some content to continue the topic.

"I just remember hearing about a few minor accidents at the monastery before that period, but they shouldn't be anything serious."

"Small accident?"

"It seems that the spire collapsed, and someone unfortunately passed away early because of it. A monk suddenly fell seriously ill and passed away. There was also a traveling merchant who lost his footing on the road he had walked countless times, and his body was never found at the foot of the mountain..."

"I know of only three or four cases, but similar accidents happen every year. It's just a little too frequent at best." The baron shook his head helplessly. These things were far from enough to be the reason for the church to abandon the monastery.

"Perhaps there is always a price to pay for building a monastery higher up, closer to the Father. You should also be careful when you go up the mountain and be careful of the aging parts of the building. It is best to wait until the repairs are completed before moving in."

"Okay, thanks for the reminder."