Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

Natamus sat in the camp, where ale from the city was stored in the cellar, its cool, comforting aroma perfectly complementing the freshly roasted lamb—enough to satisfy even the most discerning palate.

Add to that the freshly baked, soft bread, and even wealthy citizens wouldn't dare eat this every day.

But Natamus didn't rush to make a move. He watched as Talina used a slender bone needle to probe through the piles of grain and meat. Only after the blue light on the needle remained unchanged did he reach out and grab a tender lamb leg.

Food in the army is always strictly controlled. If a general loses his army's fighting ability due to food problems, then that negligent general is not qualified to lead an army into battle. Not to mention the potential sabotage that malicious individuals might cause.

The Legion has the strictest regulations when procuring food outside the Empire, precisely to prevent disgruntled locals from poisoning the grains and vegetables.

After Talina finished doing everything, she looked at Natamus with some hesitation and unease, unsure whether she should ask him a question... but she didn't want to give up easily.

"Girl, are you asking me where my brother went?"

Natamus suddenly spoke up, wiping the grease from the corner of his mouth. He had already gnawed the whole lamb leg down to the bone, then picked up the ice-cold ale next to him and took a big gulp. The ale would soon become warm, and then it would not taste and feel the same as before.

The girl nodded somewhat flusteredly; it was a completely subconscious action.

A slight smile appeared on Natamus's lips as he reached out and tore off a large piece of meat, simultaneously grabbing a nearby bottle and sprinkling it with freshly ground salt and pepper.

"No wonder you don't know. Apart from the advance troops, this news hasn't spread yet... no, I should say I deliberately prevented it from spreading."

“My brother has entered the city and is being entertained by the lord. If nothing unexpected happens, we should hear some commotion coming from the city soon.”

His glass was empty, so he reached out and picked up the huge barrel of wine from the side, as if he were carrying a sack of cotton, and poured himself another glass.

"You know, he's really good at these kinds of situations. If this kid wanted to, he could shut the whole city up and make them go crazy in the blink of an eye... That's about it."

Before Natamus could even suppress his smile, a tidal wave of cheers erupted from the city, sweeping across the army's camp in waves. Many soldiers eating their meals turned to look at the city in surprise, wondering what was happening inside.

The meat porridge was still bubbling away in the big pot, and the freshly baked bread still retained a slight warmth in the center. Icy beer was handed to every soldier, who were allowed to drink to their heart's content today, except for those who were to serve as sentries.

But everyone's attention was drawn to the enormous sound, and the cold ale lost its palatable temperature. Some even stood up curiously, tiptoeing to look around, even though they couldn't possibly see anything over the towering city walls.

Almost simultaneously, a strong sense of curiosity arose in the soldiers' hearts. The allure of this bustling city reached its peak in an instant, and everyone was wondering what kind of grand celebration was taking place inside to elicit such excited cheers.

Only Natamus laughed heartily, reached out and broke the lid of the barrel, then dipped his cup in and filled it to the brim.

"See, I told you so? So there's no need to worry about him, girl, you'll see him soon."

A blush crept onto Tarina's cheeks, and she quickly made an excuse to leave the tent, leaving Natamus, still wearing a strange smile, to continue tearing at the lamb in front of him with his wine glass.

"This kid..."

………………

The cheering imperial people were stopped at the bottom of the steps by the incorruptible cavalry, and Tersolius left at just the right moment, leaving behind a deafening roar of cheers and shouts, and entered the city lord's mansion.

This was the place where the banquet was being held. As he entered the beautiful courtyard paved with bluestone slabs, a large group of nobles and wealthy merchants stood up from their seats and rushed toward him.

The order to start cooking was immediately relayed, and the tender lambs that were still grazing were dragged out and had their throats slit. The chef quickly skinned and butchered them, and then began to cook the fresh food.

Plump fish from the river, vibrant peacocks, and large chunks of beef still twitching slightly… these fine ingredients, paired with fresh vegetables, are enough to constitute a high-class banquet. Cooked by a professional chef, they can satisfy even the most discerning nobleman.

Thesolius handled the crowds surging towards him with ease, calmly conversing with them, seemingly making promises or saying a few meaningless words, and in the blink of an eye, he had sent most of them away.

The marble tabletop was sturdy and durable, already piled high with seasonal fruits and fine dried fruits and candied fruits. Just as the last man left, heartbroken but satisfied, he arrived here and naturally sat down in the largest chair. Two cavalrymen stood silently behind him, their left hands resting on the swords at their waists.

The table at the very top had only three seats, and the city lord and his wife were already waiting there. Everyone wisely refrained from approaching, knowing that General Tersolius and the city's master had something to discuss.

Chapter 87 Night

Today, Tersolius realized that his alcohol tolerance was really not that high... He had thought that the wine produced in this day and age would not make him drunk, but it turned out that he had underestimated the people of this world.

A fountain in the courtyard leads to a cool stream that flows through rows of tables and chairs surrounded by bricks and stones. Wine in earthenware jars is kept at a refreshing temperature in this cool stream.

These fine wines have a blood-red color, and when you taste them, you can only feel the aroma that fills your mouth and nose. Before you know it, you've already drunk most of them. The mellow wines paired with freshly roasted tender lamb, various seasonal fruits and stews make for a feast that can be called a luxury in the world.

Meanwhile, Tersolius enjoyed the food and wine before him without a care in the world. The imperial cuisine was surprisingly to his liking, as if he had been eating it since childhood...

During this process, he would occasionally exchange a few words with the city's administrators and his wife. Although these exchanges sounded like trivial matters, an unspoken agreement had already been reached between them, or rather, this agreement had already been reached long ago, just as he was relaying his orders to the city.

He was a general who commanded an army and wielded immense authority, and was also the emperor's right-hand man. All of this meant that their relationship was inherently unequal. They could not risk disobeying his orders by siding with the Senate; they had only one option from the beginning.

Agreements reached under the influence of threats and power often collapse when power is compromised. Some appeasement is necessary, at least to reassure them temporarily and alleviate their fear of potential retaliation. Only in this way can they be truly bound to one's own side.

In this atmosphere and environment, Tersolius unexpectedly found his thinking becoming sluggish, and the city lord's wife immediately understood and announced the end of the banquet, politely seeing off all the guests and restoring the courtyard to quiet.

“Lord Tersolius, it seems you are a little drunk… If you don’t mind, there is a quiet and comfortable room here where you can rest for a while.”

Tersolius realized that he had become intoxicated while drinking wine, which surprised him with the world's fine wines... or perhaps it was just a matter of his constitution.

He slowly stood up from the stone chair, his steps slightly unsteady, and only then did he realize how much wine he had unknowingly drunk.

"I've really lost my composure. Please arrange a room for me; I need to clear my head."

………………

The soft velvet bed is large enough for five people to lie down on, and delicate white curtains hang from the ceiling to the floor, blocking out flying insects and sunlight.

The room's windows weren't large, but their excellent location still provided ample natural light. Three candles, held aloft by gilded bronze candlesticks, offered a soft glow, illuminating most of the room's corners.

Arka and another cavalryman personally removed his armor. They distrusted everyone there and refused to let any servants near Thesolius. After doing all this, Thesolius, wearing only a red jacket, washed his face and lay down on the bed.

The bed was so soft that Tersolius, who had spent most of his time sleeping in haystacks on the city walls, felt somewhat uncomfortable. But his dizzy drunkenness calmed him down completely, and he closed his eyes and began to breathe evenly.

The sunlight gradually turned reddish, dimmed, and finally disappeared completely. The moon's time quietly arrived, and soft moonlight shone through the window onto the ground. In this quiet moment, a small conversation suddenly broke the silence, causing Thesolius to immediately open his eyes.

He sat up a little wearily. The long hours of living outdoors had taken their toll, and even he couldn't ignore the effects, but now was not the time to rest.

After three knocks on the door, and receiving Claude's permission, Alka poked her head in:

"Sir, a servant has brought in some hot soup to help her sober up. May she come in?"

"Has it been checked?" Tersolius rubbed his temples.

"She has already tasted it herself, and there are no abnormalities so far."

"Let her in and put the soup down."

Thesolius was indeed thirsty. He took his chainmail from the nearby rack, put it on, and prepared to return to his army after finishing his soup.

A maid wearing a cloth skirt and a headscarf walked in with her head down, carrying a soup bowl on a tray, and immediately bowed to him.

"Put the soup on the table, and then you wait outside..."

Tersolius suddenly stopped, gave the maid a meaningful look, and at the same time subtly hung his long sword at his waist.

The maid, head bowed, carried a tray containing a bowl of soup towards the table. A strand of her neatly combed, bright yellow hair fell across her cheek from under her headscarf. The neckline of her dress was low, revealing a glimpse of her full, white skin, and her plump arms were as smooth as jade.

At first, her face wasn't visible, but judging from her voluptuous figure, she was a beauty. It wasn't surprising that such a pretty woman would be here as a maid, but Teresa noticed that she seemed quite nervous…

This tension may be understandable, but it was enough to put him on guard. Having just left the battlefield, his still-tense nerves prepared him for the worst.

The woman slowly placed the soup on the table, then clasped her hands together, bowed, and stepped back. As she retreated, she became increasingly nervous, her fingers trembling, which made Thesolius squint his eyes.

Nothing happened until the other person left through the door, and Tersolius realized that things might not be as he thought...

The door opened again, and Alka came in to help him put on his full suit of armor. Before picking up his helmet, he took a couple of sips of the hot soup on the table, then opened the door and walked out. The maid was still standing awkwardly in front of the door, seemingly waiting for something.

Thesolius found it somewhat amusing, but before leaving, he turned to look at her:

"Go and rest, servant, and tell your master that I am satisfied with everything."

The maid's tense shoulders relaxed instantly, and she quickly bowed her head in response, as if she had been granted a pardon.

………………

The warhorses galloping through the night caused a stir in the city streets. Some people got up and looked out the window, only to see wisps of dust being kicked into the air.

The garrison immediately opened the gates, allowing the cavalry to rush out of the city unimpeded, heading towards the military camp lit up with fire on the side of the city.

A quarter of an hour later, Tersolius appeared in his tent and then encountered Nathamus, who was still inside staring at the map.

"Looks like you've been treated very well, my brother. Look how red your face is."

Natamus chuckled, reached out and pulled over a wooden bucket from the side, opened the lid, poured out two glasses of ale, and placed one on the table, then slid it over.

Tersolius reached out and took the cup:

“I’ve had enough to drink at today’s banquet, and I even took a nap there.”

"It's perfect timing to have a drink with me. Drinking right now is a good way to stay alert. You should believe me, this is based on my experience."

Thesolius rolled his eyes, completely disbelieving his brother's nonsense. An instinctive feeling told him that the other man simply wanted to see him make a fool of himself.

But it's just one glass of wine, so there's no problem.

He brought the glass to his lips, took a sip, and his brow twitched slightly the moment the orange-yellow liquid entered his mouth.

"Something was added to this wine."

A cool sensation spread from his mouth, making the originally warm ale even more refreshing.

"The girl you met is a genius. This amazing plant is considered a weed here and grows everywhere, but who would have thought that putting it in wine would make it taste so good? I'm definitely not going to live without it from now on."

Knowing who his elder brother was referring to, Tersolius's face revealed a smug expression:

“I told you long ago that Talina is an extraordinary talent. If I hadn’t found her… no, I should say she found me, we might have lost twice as many people in the city. We wouldn’t even have enough space to bury the dead, let alone hold off those Hols who have gone mad.”

"You went out for a short while and found two pretty girls. What, are you finally thinking about settling down? You used to never let us urge you, but now you're taking action on your own?"

The topic shifted so abruptly that Tersolius nearly choked on his drink:

"Cough cough cough! What nonsense are you spouting?! How did you suddenly get onto that topic..."

Natamus shook his head helplessly and downed the rest of the wine in his glass in one gulp.

“If you don’t listen to your older brother, you’ll suffer sooner or later… Sometimes you need to be a little smarter.”

"Let's not talk about that. How is Christina? I heard she's newly pregnant. I hope nothing goes wrong."

An image flashed through Tersolius's mind: a woman with smooth, fluffy black curly hair, a fair and beautiful face, and a voluptuous figure.

That was his brother's wife, the daughter of Chief Elder Scripps, and his sister-in-law.

According to Captain Natamus, his wife was pregnant, but upon receiving the news, he immediately led his army to Alpert, traversing the central and southern parts of the empire in the shortest possible time to support him.

Nathamus was silent for a moment, and just as he was about to reach for the wine, Tersolius stopped his hand:

"Stop drinking! Has something happened?! Answer me first."

Nathamus released his grip, letting the glass fall into the bucket, and sighed deeply.

"It's nothing...nothing at all. The best doctors in the entire empire are taking care of her. No matter what the situation, there will be someone to handle it. After all, my wife is the daughter of the chief elder."

Tell me the truth.