Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

The surrounding buildings are mostly made of stone, with some other materials mixed in. The style is as majestic and grand as ever, characteristic of the empire. Due to the limitations of materials, they are not built very tall, but they are sturdy, comfortable, and well-lit.

This was Tersolius's residence. In the past, despite his considerable honor and status, he was accustomed to living in the military. But now, as the commander of the Imperial Legion, it was essential to find him a suitable and respectable place to live in the city.

Construction on this residence began more than half a year ago. The capital's best craftsmen worked in groups to plan and design the site, while slaves and workers brought in building materials and began leveling the land and digging the foundation. Until yesterday, the last stone brick was finally polished and inlaid into the ground, and the craftsmen completed their final work.

A wide variety of precious plants were transplanted here, with dedicated gardeners ensuring their survival. The finest grape varieties were also transplanted, and to this day they bear abundant fruit, beautifully adorning this residential area.

Tersolius was quite satisfied after walking around for a short while and could not make any further demands. After all, the design made by the empire's best craftsmen was impeccable in his eyes, and he was happy to live in this dry and comfortable residence.

This place also has a huge number of rooms, with one exquisite and magnificent building after another rising from the ground. Managing this place is definitely not something that can be done by just a few people. At least a hundred servants and a hundred guards are needed to manage it effectively.

“We can set up that place as your laboratory, Doctor; I’ve also made sure they’ve set aside a spacious training ground. I don’t want living in the comfort of the city to make me rusty in my martial arts. The stables here are also very well-maintained, with many structural improvements. They’re more ventilated than the old ones and easier to manage, preventing the spread of disease.”

"Everything you need has been prepared. To be honest, I never imagined that making those transparent and sturdy glasswares would be so difficult. I heard that the number of failed attempts was 20 times more than the number of successful ones. The scholars of the Imperial Library and the Academy will also provide full assistance, and the Hounds and Black Crows are on standby at any time."

"The personnel here will undergo the most rigorous screening, and the soldiers will protect this place with impenetrable security. All the buildings are actually designed according to the requirements of a fortress, and the layout is also ingenious. The emperor's henchmen will not allow any treacherous insects to touch this place. This place can be called the safest place in the entire empire..."

At this point, Tersolius reached out and picked a bunch of firm, juicy grapes. He shook off the dust slightly, then picked the lowest one and threw it into his mouth, taking a big bite.

The sweet and slightly sour juice bursts in your mouth, the soft and juicy flesh crumbles between your teeth, and the delightful sweetness travels from the tip of your tongue all the way to your brain, while the hard and bitter seeds and skin are spat out to the roots of the vine.

He turned and handed the grapes in his hand to Talina, who was following behind him, then picked a bunch for himself from the vine.

"Even if I wanted to take this place, I would need at least three hundred elite legionary soldiers, and it would require a meticulous plan, with no one interfering during the process."

"If so many elite troops could attack this city, I can't think of any other possibility besides a massive rebellion that would engulf the entire country. At least for now, I can't think of any other country's army with such strength, except for the Empire's elite legions."

The servants were busy in the newly built manor. They swept the ground, trimmed the trees and flowers, and bowed when the ruler of the place came by.

These are all servants trained by the royal family. They were sent here by their parents, who were unable to support them, when they were still children. They received training and education from a young age, growing up through instruction and learning to ensure their purity and safety.

Elite legionary soldiers have been deployed here, and they now have a new duty: to rigorously protect this building and prevent any malicious individuals from approaching.

The room had been newly decorated, with mosaic tiles and oak wall panels giving it an elegant and grand feel. All the furniture was made of precious Astrid wood, a type of wood that is sturdy, stable, and very oily. It is difficult to crack even without paint or oiling, making it extremely durable. It also has beautiful patterns like purple Astrid flowers.

The empire's artisans have learned to stuff leather with soft materials such as wool to create comfortable and sturdy chairs, and they also make heavy silk curtains to shield their owners from the harsh sunlight.

With that, everything was in order, and this area, located at the corner of the mountain and adjacent to the palace, began to serve its true purpose.

Next, Tarina began to report on other matters. As his chief of staff, she was responsible for organizing and classifying many reports and intelligence. The girl proved her ability by handling these tasks in an orderly manner.

His legion was resting. After six months of fighting, the soldiers returned home laden with honor and wealth, but they were all exhausted and their spirits were high. They needed to rest for a while.

During this period, each soldier will have the opportunity to take turns returning to their hometown to reunite with their family, hand over their savings to their wife or mother, and settle things at home.

Such a large-scale mobilization was bound to be a major undertaking, requiring meticulous planning and orderly coordination. The officers in the corps worked continuously for a week to complete the task, allowing the vast majority of soldiers to return home and relieve their tension.

Servants had already brought in washed grapes and chilled wine. Thesolius and his chief advisor ate and chatted, finalizing solutions to certain matters. Time passed by, minute by minute, until a panicked shout from outside drew their attention.

A moment later, the guards brought in a man, whom Tersolius recognized.

Before he could ask, the anxious-looking man immediately bowed and said:

"Lord Tersolius, I have come here to ask Dr. Tarina to come over. My mistress is suffering greatly, and we do not know what to do!"

………………

Natamus's heavy footsteps echoed up the stairs, while his wife's faint screams and moans filled the room, making him anxious and wanting to kick the door open and rush in to do something...

But there was nothing he could do... Even when facing an enemy several times his size, he would not be afraid in the slightest and could throw himself into the forest of sharp spears without hesitation to tear open an opening for the cavalry.

But the problem he is facing now cannot be solved with swords and spears—generally speaking, a woman who is healthy enough can give birth to a healthy child smoothly, but if there is pain and spasms in the abdomen and no result for a long time, the possibility of dystocia should be considered.

The servants went to find Dr. Talina immediately, but it would take time to get here from near the palace, and the incident happened too suddenly, especially at this time... As the commander's advisor, Dr. Talina also had her own important work to do and could not spend all her time here.

There were no enemies here for him to fight against, only a groaning voice that constantly tugged at his heartstrings. No matter how strong or brave he was, it was of no use. He could only stay outside and occasionally comfort his wife in the room with his own words.

Upon hearing the rapid, hurried sound of horses' hooves coming from the street, he decided not to waste any more time going down the stairs. Instead, he flipped over and leaped down from the second floor in his heavy armor, his feet sinking deep into the grass. When he pulled them out, he pulled up a large pile of mud with him, and then charged swiftly and fiercely toward the gate.

The heavy door was pushed open, and Tersolius stepped in first, followed closely by Talina, who had a lion-skin pouch hanging from her waist. Both hurried along, bumping into Nathamus.

Without any unnecessary words, the two brothers exchanged a glance, and Natamus immediately turned around and led the two towards the beautiful white building. Their faces were tense, as stiff as stone and as sharp as steel.

Ascending the stairs, servants were moving back and forth, carrying anything that might be useful, but they dared not make a sound. Under the direction of the lady-in-waiting, they were busy in an orderly manner.

Upon arriving here, Tarina was immediately regarded as a savior. Several female officials greeted her with eager expressions, chattering about the current situation, and hurriedly ushered her into the room.

The brothers stopped again, but their expressions were no longer anxious; instead, they were much more relaxed. After spending time together, Tarina's exquisite medical skills had earned everyone's trust, and seeing the girl arrive here made them feel at ease.

As a clear, melodious voice chanted softly, a visible cyan light shone through the window. The painful groans subsided considerably, allowing Natamus to let out a long sigh of relief, and he loosened his grip on the heavy sword at his waist.

Tersolius waved his hand to the side, and the servants brought over a wooden round table and placed it there, along with two chairs, on which they placed wine and food.

"Sit down and have a drink. Talina is the best doctor I've ever met. We don't have anything to worry about now. We just need to wait a little while."

Natamus lifted the skirt armor on his legs and sat down in the chair. The gleaming iron scales rubbed against each other, making a soft and crisp sound. The silver cup on the table was already filled with a cold, bright red liquid. He picked it up and drank it all in one gulp. Then he poured himself another cup and drank it all in one go. He didn't stop until he had drunk three cups, still feeling unsatisfied.

“I must say, you always have a good idea, my brother… If you guys hadn’t come soon, I probably would have broken the stairs by now. In just a short while, I’ve run up and down the stairs more than 20 times, like a blindfolded donkey, not knowing what to do.”

"Okay, don't worry anymore. How about thinking of something good? -- Like giving your soon-to-be-born child a good name."

“Oh, you’re right, I’ve been thinking about that too… but my adjutant and staff insisted that the name I came up with was terrible. At first, I thought it was just their preconceived notions and prejudices… but they eventually found a way to make me realize the truth.”

So you mean you still haven't made up your mind?

"That's right... Why don't you help me with this? Give my soon-to-be-born nephew or niece a good name. With your smart brain, this should be easy for you. Okay, don't hesitate, think about it quickly."

“I think you’d better not get your hopes up. I don’t have much talent for naming things either, just look at Moss. But if you insist on letting me do it… how about ‘Ikosoya’ if it’s a boy? Ruthless Courage.”

Natamus was overjoyed and repeatedly clapped his hands in admiration:

"See, I knew you'd be fine. Isn't this a great name? It sounds so powerful, even I'd like to use it. Let's think of another one for the girl!"

Thesolius frowned and pondered for a moment:

"As for girls... how about 'Fercitala'? — Blessed from birth."

"That's it! It's decided. I don't think there could be a better name. We'll see which one my future child gets."

The pot of wine was quickly finished, and the bedroom door opened at that moment. The servants rushed out and immediately scattered to search for what they needed, while also carrying back some useless items that they had brought in in their haste and chaos.

Tarina's expression was very serious as she quickly approached them, causing both of their hearts to sink simultaneously...

Chapter 200 Heirs (2)

Words can convey far more than just information; just seeing their serious and somber expressions, the two realized something was wrong. They stood up at the same time, and Natamus even trembled, feeling as if he were falling into an abyss, terrified that he would learn terrible news from Talina...

"What's wrong, doctor?"

Tesorus managed to remain calm, forcing himself not to let his thoughts wander, and asked:

Is Christina's condition not good? Or is it a problem with the fetus?

Tarina shook her head, her face showing hesitation and doubt.

"The lady is in good health and has plenty of energy. The baby is in the correct position and there are no signs of umbilical cord entanglement... and it is indeed time for delivery. All signs are normal."

"But the problem is that although everything seems normal, the production process hasn't progressed at all. It's stuck at this step with no new signs, and the intense pain has been going on for far too long... it's almost like..."

"Like what?"

"Like a fetus tearing at the mother's belly...like this new life refusing to leave, tearing and scratching at the abdomen..."

Tersolius frowned slightly. Even he felt a chill run down his spine at Talina's analogy, as if what was inside Stella's belly was not a soft, tender fetus, but some kind of bloodthirsty parasite.

"What exactly happened?"

Nathamus fell into a heavy silence from the very beginning, his face as hard as iron, his left hand unconsciously gripping the hilt of the greatsword at his waist. The immense grip caused the tough leather to creak softly.

"In fact, sir, I have a suspicion now..."

Talina's expression became even more serious:

"This is very likely a curse."

"curse?……"

“That’s right. I’ve ruled out all other possibilities, and even if the probability is small, this is the most likely one.”

“A healthy woman like this should have an easy time giving birth to a baby in the correct position. If this happens, it can only mean that there is some kind of ‘abnormality’... We have to consider this possibility.”

"If the situation continues to deteriorate like this, I fear the worst may happen."

Talina didn't continue, but they both knew exactly what the worst possible outcome would be.

"Do you have any ideas? We can only rely on you now."

Tresolus tapped his fingers on the railing, gazing thoughtfully at the busy servants below. Large buckets of hot water were being moved back and forth by them, and freshly washed clean cotton cloths were being boiled in the hot water. The entire mansion was bustling with activity, and hundreds of servants were working tirelessly.

They all looked flustered, and whenever they had the chance, they couldn't help but want to run. They would only slow down when the female officials scolded them to avoid colliding and falling, but they were still a bit flustered.

In this era, childbirth for women was inherently risky. Even nobles who lived comfortably and controlled abundant resources could experience difficult childbirth. It was not uncommon for women to die in childbirth, often resulting in the death of both mother and child. In particular, when a child could not be born for an extended period of time, it was practically a sign of impending tragedy.

This terrifying possibility threw everyone here into a panic, no matter how well-trained they were usually. At this moment, they lost their composure and calm, desperately searching for something to do, oblivious to everything else, completely absorbed in their work.

Almost everyone could temporarily stop thinking, but the two brothers couldn't, especially Tersolius; everyone was waiting for his instructions...

But this was outside his area of ​​expertise, so he had to seek Talina's advice:

"None of us know anything about these so-called curses, Doctor. Do you have a solution?"

Tarina shook her head with difficulty:

"I'm afraid I'm afraid I can't help you for the time being, sir..."

"...Even you can't do anything about it? What does 'temporarily' mean?"

Tersolius was rarely moved, but at the same time, he also noticed the key point in the other person's words—things didn't seem to have gotten to the worst point yet.

"Yes, my lord."

Talina nodded immediately:

“If it’s just about lifting the curse, it’s not that I can’t do it, and that’s the simplest part… But all of this depends on me knowing the location of the key ‘curse eye’ and the specific type of curse. Otherwise, it’ll be a waste of time and won’t do anything.”

"Please forgive my lack of expertise—I know very little in this area. Apart from some extremely knowledgeable masters, I'm afraid only the one who set up the curse could know so clearly. All I can do now is stabilize the lady's condition and try to delay the rate of deterioration."

“For a curse to take effect, it must be close to the victim, but we don’t know what those things that act as ‘curse eyes’ are. It could be a leaf, a brick, or even a small piece of stone. Until this is resolved, it is difficult for the victim to get rid of the curse, no matter where he goes… I really don’t know how to find these things.”

"Then let's go find them!"

Natamus was panting heavily, his extreme rage almost bursting from his eyes, his menacing aura enough to make even a lion retreat.

"I'll send people over right now to search this place from top to bottom, and destroy everything suspicious! I'll even tear this place down if necessary."

"I refuse to believe that this despicable, damned rat can hide so well!"