Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

"If children had to prepare their own armor, those from poor families who couldn't afford expensive armor would be eliminated from the start. So, by using the same armor and weapons for everyone, we ensured a certain degree of fairness..."

"You can choose any type of weapon you like. Any weapon that the Imperial Army uses regularly will be fine. We'll divide you into groups and teams based on the situation. Of course, they'll all be lightweight, blunt swords and hammers. You can just pick a couple of axes to use, since I don't think you're used to anything else anyway."

"Hahaha! You're pretty good at judging people. This is the only tool I'm good at using. The others are too complicated for me to use. As long as you know how to smash, you can use this kind of thing. Even old ladies who have lost half their teeth know how to use their axes. Otherwise, they really wouldn't be able to survive there."

Chapter 210 Competition (2)

The morning sunlight streamed through the windowpanes onto the soft bed. The down-filled mattress was so soft it was almost unsupporting. The blanket, sewn from wolf pelts I had hunted myself, kept the chill out of the air in this cold late autumn. Even though it was foggy outside, the bed was warm and dry when I woke up in the morning.

Thesolius, who had spent too much time at his desk yesterday, was still fast asleep. The sunlight outside the window had pierced through the morning mist, turning the thin veil of fog into a pale gold. A bird or two perched on a pomegranate tree branch, chirping sweetly. Dewdrops from the roses dripped from the petals onto the leaves.

The footsteps of the patrolling soldiers outside the wall were neat and steady, and the gleaming tips of their spears shone golden in the morning sunlight. Their finely crafted armor, maintained with oil, bent and clattered with each movement.

This is his residence, built to perfection in a relatively short period of time by order of the emperor himself, who mobilized the best craftsmen and scholars to complete it.

It could even be said that this was the safest place in the entire empire, apart from the royal palace... and perhaps also the Chegevne prison.

The deep sleep didn't last long. A small bird with crimson down hopped onto the windowsill. Its clear chirping echoed into the room, and Thales opened his eyes. After a short while, he threw off his wolf-skin blanket and sat up, wearing only a thin cotton shirt.

After taking a few minutes to calm himself down and clear his mind, he reached out and tugged at the rope beside him. A clear, crisp sound of a copper bell rang from outside the door. A servant, summoned, quickly entered carrying a basin of water and a clean towel.

He dismissed the servants who wanted to dress and wash for him—in this respect, he was still not used to having others do things for him, and continued to handle his own affairs as he had in the military camp.

After quickly washing up, he put on the black robe bestowed upon him by the emperor, fastened his belt, put on his boots, and then pushed open the door and went out... The noise in the distance was already clearly audible; he had woken up a little late and couldn't afford to delay any longer.

His guards had brought him a warhorse, and his old steed, which hadn't been in the midst of battle for months, was still full of energy. The moment it saw him, it excitedly pawed at his hooves, snorted, and thrashed its neck, trying to get closer.

He smiled as he took the reins from the warhorse, easily leaping onto the strong, sturdy back. With only a few attendants, he left the vast manor and headed towards the magnificent circular arena in the distance.

………………

A cacophony of voices, surging like a tidal wave...

This is a vivid description of the current situation: an endless sea of ​​people stretching from the buildings to the horizon. Everywhere you look, you see a dense mass of heads crammed together, their brightly colored clothes forming part of the chaotic tapestry of humanity. If it weren't for soldiers maintaining order, given the current situation and the level of congestion, it's highly likely that this place would soon become completely impassable.

Soldiers strictly enforced the city's regulations on the main roads, punishing anyone who caused congestion or chaos due to stupidity, rigidity, or malicious intent, ensuring that the people gathered in the imperial capital could reach their destinations relatively smoothly.

Although the magnificent arena had thousands of seats, it was a drop in the ocean compared to the enthusiastic crowd. Most people could only stay outside the arena and learn about the situation through the news that came out.

Only truly wealthy and respectable citizens have the opportunity to enter the arena, to witness up close the magnificent spectacle of warriors battling each other for honor, and to experience the captivating, fiery atmosphere and spirit of this nation.

Ordinary citizens could only get seats in the stone stands around the arena. If they were lucky or willing to pay, they could get the front seats, where they could clearly see the exciting scenes of javelins and arrows flying and swords and axes clashing. These seats were often reserved months before news of the competition even broke.

Those who are wealthier, more willing to spend money, and also hold a certain status can come to a more comfortable place with extra services. This place is not only closer and more spacious, but also offers fresh fruit and drinks at any time, allowing them to leisurely enjoy the exciting matches in the arena.

These are basically the seats that can be bought with money. The ones shaded by grapevines, with fine wines and food, and even the fruit that was just picked in the morning and still covered with frost and dew, are reserved for the truly distinguished. The seats with marble carvings and luxurious furs are places that ordinary people can hardly afford, no matter how much money they have.

Many high-ranking figures even have their own reserved spots here. Even if they don't attend, these spots are kept open and not allowed to be occupied by others, in order to demonstrate their status and authority.

The others could only look on with envy at those places with the best views and the most comfortable experiences, while secretly rejoicing that they had the right to enter, and inwardly mocking those unlucky souls outside who couldn't even get in.

Today marks the opening of a prestigious competition renowned throughout the empire and even the world. Those who aspire to gain glory and status at this grand event begin preparations months in advance, striving to reach the heart of the empire, its bustling capital, within the allotted time.

Although the competition was far from starting, the crowds had already gathered here impatiently. Some of them had even gotten up and set off at dawn, only to be blocked halfway by the throngs of people. They could only slowly move towards their destination with this terrifying tide until they finally saw the towering circular walls of the arena.

In any other country, such a large gathering of people would make the king and leaders sweat profusely, suspecting that a terrible rebellion and riot had been launched—which is highly likely, especially since such a large group of people gathered together are like dry tinder doused with oil in dry weather; with just a little instigation and an accident, they could turn the entire city upside down.

But for the Imperials, whose discipline is ingrained in their very bones, such large-scale public gatherings are commonplace. Even without any major events, they would gather every now and then for trivial matters, and then disperse once they were mostly satisfied. Everyone had become accustomed to it and knew it by heart.

Some shrewd small vendors who know how to seize opportunities will also take advantage of the crowds to sell their goods—of course, this is risky. In such a crowded and jostling situation, they can easily have their money stolen by those with ill intentions, or lose their goods in the blink of an eye.

In this vast crowd, the voices of people converged to form an incomparably wide wave. No one could clearly hear what such a grand voice was saying; they could only be deeply impressed by the characteristics of this voice, which rose higher and higher like a storm or a raging torrent.

In such circumstances, delivering orders would be quite difficult, so the well-prepared Imperials would deliberately create a passageway in the streets for messengers and soldiers to deliver orders, enabling them to deliver the information to the appropriate place in a short time without interference.

Just as people were getting impatient, the warm autumn sun had already made their foreheads sweat, and the billowing dust had settled on their faces, making the skin that many people had carefully cleaned before going out feel sticky.

The oppressive atmosphere was very unpleasant. Some people with weaker constitutions even felt like they couldn't breathe. The shouts of the garrison soldiers responsible for maintaining order rang out from time to time. After waiting all morning, people's emotions were becoming irritable.

The somber atmosphere suddenly changed when a grand bugle call sounded – a magnificent and indescribably large banner was moving towards them along the main road in the city center. Anyone who wasn't an idiot or a fool could recognize it as the emperor's banner, the symbol of the supreme empire.

Countless magnificent ceremonial guards held high, clearing a path for their master and allowing the ornately decorated carriage to pass unimpeded through the crowds to the arena.

But with shouts of men, neighing of horses, glints of cold light, and the clatter of armor, the crowd on the road quickly moved to both sides, making way for the carriage and the massive entourage. The garrison soldiers also began to do their utmost to maintain order among the large crowd and prevent any potential chaos from spreading.

It wasn't until the flag finally left the carriage and the emperor, dressed in magnificent robes, entered the arena surrounded by guards and courtiers, that the intense enthusiasm that had been building up all day was truly ignited.

A thunderous cheer began to spread from the arena outwards, with shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" almost reaching the heavens and penetrating the ground.

----------------------

The enthusiasm of the imperial people was almost unstoppable...

A man in a blue robe remarked, looking at the shops that were closing one after another—it was clearly not due to bankruptcy or any other reason, and with today's surging crowds, the shop owners would surely make a fortune if they opened their doors.

But in order to witness the exciting gladiatorial combat in the arena, these wealthy citizens were even willing to give up the opportunity to make money and rush to the capital's arena just to feast their eyes on the spectacle.

Countless imperial people could be seen on every street and alley. It was even more lively than a festival, and the people's emotions were far more high than during a festival. No matter how far away or how remote the town was, people would set off one or two months in advance, just to be able to participate in this grand event in time.

The man tugged at the collar of his silk robe—a finely crafted garment made by a skilled tailor, its tightness at the wrist easily adjustable via a small leather cord sewn into the fabric. This design was already quite popular in Western countries, found on the clothing of many, from laborers to high-ranking nobles.

It seems I chose a bad time; I'm afraid I won't be able to move an inch today...

The man smiled and shook his head, refusing the wine his servant offered. For some reason, he was unwilling to drink such a mind-altering beverage outside of his home.

The young man had a traditional Assel appearance—dark skin and deep-set eyes, while adult men were keen to grow thick beards to signify their status.

His Asherler-style robe and the Asherler-style curved sword at his waist undoubtedly proved his identity and showed that this wealthy Asherler merchant, who at least appeared to be quite rich, did not intend to conceal his identity and thus blended into this oppressive city as an Asherler.

After wandering around the streets and alleys for a while, he encountered no obstacles thanks to his strong bodyguards and loyal servants. Feeling bored, he returned directly to his current residence, walked up to the rooftop, and gazed at the increasingly lively arena from a pergola under the grape trellis. With an expression of great interest on his face, he picked up a thin-skinned, thick-fleshed pear from the fruit basket, put it in his mouth, and took a bite.

As the cool, sweet juice spread, a flippant voice suddenly rang out from behind my head:

"Given your status, even the emperor of this country could easily arrange the best seat for you. Why are you pitifully watching from afar? Or do you simply enjoy this?"

The man, expressionless, took another bite of the pear. This bite was significantly larger than the previous one, completely eliminating half of the fist-sized pear. As more and more juice was squeezed out of his mouth by his teeth, easing his dry cough, he said nonchalantly:

“If that were really what I wanted, I wouldn’t have just brought a ship full of people with me when I set off… But that’s not my goal. It’s not to be a prince of the Kingdom of Asel, receiving the best hospitality in this country, and then being sent back after I’ve had my fun. That’s not what I wanted in the first place.”

A man with an effeminate face walked from behind him to the front. The clothes he wore had a tightness that was extremely rare in this era. Apart from the wide trousers, the short shirt on his upper body was almost clinging to his body.

Chapter 211 Competition (3)

Such attire can be described as bizarre, since few people can tolerate such tight, form-fitting clothing. It looks like a hard iron shell is covering the entire upper body, making one wonder if one can still breathe smoothly.

At first glance, it was difficult to tell whether this person was male or female. Although he had a gentle face and delicate features, he did not have a female body curve. Instead, one could clearly see his lean muscles protruding from under his clothes. He was of medium height and looked like a cat, exuding agility and cunning.

Prince Asel, dressed in a long blue robe, turned his head expressionlessly to look at the other person, tossed the half-eaten pear he was holding onto the table beside him, a hint of displeasure hidden beneath his stiff expression:

"As for you, what are you doing following me? Or is it that Lord Ajalas can no longer allow me to be out of his sight for even a month? Even though I've come to the distant empire, you still send a castrated slave to accompany me?"

“You know very well, Your Highness, this is my duty…”

This effeminate-looking man… or to put it another way, a castrated man, was generally called a eunuch. In the vast land of Asel, they were usually the most loyal servants of royalty and nobility, their lives and fortunes inextricably linked to their masters.

They were often sent to medical officers when they were still young children, through buying, selling, or confiscating. Only at this age would the survival rate of castration be the highest. Moreover, because they were taken away from their parents at a young age, their entire mindset was shaped by a specialist, making them absolutely incapable of betrayal. They were the most trusted servants of all nobles.

Their status was both lowly and extremely noble; at least apart from their masters and beings of equal rank, few could make them bow their heads.

Because of his master's status and certain special factors, even though the young man in front of him was also of noble birth, he didn't need to care too much...

“This is not only the will of my master, but also the will of the noble Shah, and the will of Asel… Forgive my bluntness, but I have no right to do so, and neither do you.”

The young man reached out again and took a bunch of grapes from the silver tray held by the kneeling servant beside him. He raised it high above his head, then tilted his head back and ate the bottom few grapes, spitting out the hard, astringent seeds as he chewed.

"Then stop showing up in front of me all the time and ruining my good mood. You can go find something to do on your own. Anyway, I have no right to interfere with you... Maybe you can participate in a competition. You might even bring something back. Aren't you very good with knives?"

The effeminate man nodded expressionlessly, then turned and disappeared from the attic.

…………

After a long while, as the sky grew brighter and the sun outside became scorching, the grapes in his hand were reduced to green stems. The young Prince Aselle chuckled self-deprecatingly:

"It's just a goat whose throat will be slit sooner or later anyway, are you not even comfortable with that...?"

........................

As they proceeded along the wide, gilded portico, after the attendants bowed respectfully, Thesolius stood before a massive mahogany door adorned with gilded carvings. As the guards standing on either side also bowed, the heavy door was slowly pushed open, and the clamor outside surged out in an instant, the surging waves almost lifting the chandeliers in the corridor.

"You've finally arrived, my general."

Dressed in full regalia, the majestic and magnificent emperor rose from his throne with a smile to personally greet her. Her cloak, made of white lion fur, was adorned with golden chains hanging from it. At the intersections of the chains, which were as thick as grains of rice seedlings, various gemstones were inlaid and suspended, making it so dazzling and splendid that it seemed as if a rainbow was draped over her shoulders. It was hard to imagine how ingenious the production capacity of this era must have been to achieve such a feat.

“I’m late, Your Majesty… I hope I haven’t missed the most important thing today. This cloak is truly unexpected; it almost blinded me just now, and it perfectly complements your majesty.”

The emperor's smile grew even brighter. He reached out and grabbed his sleeve, then walked directly to a seat nearby—this was the emperor's greatest way of showing intimacy, and also an indescribable favor.

"This is the best sentence I've heard all day, and I hope to hear it here often in the future... Please sit here, my general, Lord Scripps has been waiting for you."

The chair, carved from the finest marble, has a high backrest. Although the various patterns carved on it are exquisite and beautiful, the hard material means that it cannot be very comfortable. Soft fur and cushions are used to try to compensate for this.

Moreover, due to certain limitations, even if the craftsmen of this era were highly skilled, there were still some shortcomings—this was also a sacrifice made for a certain kind of dignity.

The elderly man with a full head of white hair was already seated in the right-hand seat, nodding and smiling at him, to which he returned the smile.

"I should congratulate you, Lord Scripps. You seem to be in increasingly better spirits. May you enjoy good health."

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Tersolius. Perhaps it's because good things have been happening lately. The East also needs to establish a new province, and I've been busy with this matter these past two days. It's all thanks to you that we have this much time."

…………

After a few polite words, Tersolius settled into his seat, and the waiter immediately brought him fine wine and fresh fruit. The grapevines above them had clearly been carefully pruned and selected, with each leaf being whole and broad, revealing only dappled sunlight.

Glancing at the fruit still glistening with dew, Thesolius beckoned to his servant, gave him a few brief instructions, and then peeked out to survey the vast expanse of ground.

"I guess it should start soon. I wonder what they've prepared for this year..."

"It's the same old stuff, nothing new." Taking a sip of the crimson wine from the golden cup beside her, licking her lips, and adjusting the cloak on her shoulders, Clautina said softly:

"After all, the real highlight isn't there, you should know that, right? My championship...?"

“That’s true.” Tersolius chuckled softly. “What everyone wants to see is what’s truly important; after all, this is a place to display honor.”

"You were the star of the show back then. Everyone in the capital was fascinated by you. You were almost overwhelmed by the crowd when you left the arena. If it weren't for the soldiers maintaining order, you probably wouldn't have been able to get out."

"So the second time I was smarter and didn't go out through the main gate. Instead, I went through the hidden door that the arena had specially left open, and sure enough, I wasn't blocked."

"This is an honor that every warrior in the empire yearns for. You won too easily back then, and many people think you didn't even use your full strength... Is that true?"

Upon hearing the topic deliberately raised by the emperor, Tersolius pondered for a moment before speaking:

"I didn't use my full strength most of the time, but I took the fight with that young man seriously. He does have some skill, but unfortunately he was too impatient and too nervous."

"But you defeated him in just a few dozen moves, right? You weren't even hit once."