Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

Having reached this point in his thinking, he no longer hesitated and ordered that Karila, who had just been taken away, be cleaned up and brought back up, so that his dust and fleas wouldn't get into his tent, and that he be given a good wash.

As the capital of the province, Periat also has a large bathhouse. Although it is somewhat shabby compared to the bustling central areas of the empire, it still provides hot water once a day, but only until curfew.

While waiting, Thesolius drew his sword from his waist and began sharpening the blade on a pebble in the corner of the tent.

This imperial sword, bestowed by the emperor, was forged from refined iron ore mined from the central mine. The craftsmen who served the emperor specially selected two slightly different types of steel and folded and forged them alternately. After the sword blank was soaked in acid, it developed a beautiful feather-like pattern. After fine grinding, the blade could cut through flowing silk simply by standing it upright. The unique structure of the blade angle also gave it excellent edge retention. Even when forcefully chopping through hard iron armor, it was not easy to create a nick. However, dulling was inevitable. Bladed weapons always require maintenance, unlike iron staffs and chain hammers, which can be used indefinitely once they are forged.

The fine stones soaked in water quickly turned into a delicate mud under the friction of the sword blade, and the dulled edges became sharp again. Tersolius's arms maintained a fixed angle like a stable machine, grinding with even force, while he was thinking about the situation he was facing.

The situation within the empire has become stagnant, and neither the emperor nor the Senate can make any breakthroughs... Of course, this is still thanks to him. After two consecutive great victories, the people of the honorable empire have spread his name to every corner, and the emperor who insists on employing him is also gaining increasing prestige. A new power group is growing to the point where it can rival the Senate.

Moreover, this was not achieved through intrigue or trickery, but rather through a situation created by the most glorious victory under the prevailing circumstances. Anyone who wanted to oppose it would have to pay a heavy price, which is why it was so successful.

But Tersolius was not pleased with this, nor were he, the emperor, his brother, or any of the many who stood by them. No one is willing to relinquish the throne, much less allow their enemies to occupy it, and Tersolius was able to maintain control over the entire country.

Therefore, they are destined to have a bloody struggle with the old interest groups... Considering the country's burgeoning martial spirit, such a struggle is bound to be bloody, and once bloodshed occurs, it will inevitably affect the entire country, and civil war is not out of the question.

This was precisely the situation that he and the emperor least wanted to see—although the empire seemed to be at its zenith, it was surrounded by enemies on all sides. The surrounding threats had never disappeared, and the endless blood feuds would not leave any chance for reconciliation. Once the empire was in turmoil, those wolves that were lurking around would definitely not let go of this golden opportunity.

By then, no one will have a chance to stop, the situation will definitely continue to deteriorate, the war will spread to every corner, and even a powerful empire will bleed itself dry in this war.

Therefore, they must prevent the situation from escalating to that point, and they must proceed gradually, dismantling the opponent's foundation of rule from the very root... The first step in achieving this is to liberate the entire country from slavery.

The nobles' power is deeply entrenched in this country, so we need to stir up the soil that their roots are connected to, and once the soil is soft, it will be very easy to pull out their roots.

………………

The sound of the blade rubbing against the stone was delicate and hoarse. From the guard to the tip of the sword, and then flipping it over to continue the process, this process took a long time because the sword had four blades, twice as many as a dagger, making it more troublesome to maintain and more expensive to forge. Therefore, swords were rarely included in the standard equipment of the Imperial Legion. The bladed short weapons used for combat were mostly long military sabers with slightly upturned tips.

However, nobles and military officers favored swords, making them a symbol of status. The state would issue them to officers as insignia, with strict rank restrictions; a magnificent sword like the one he carried was only befitting a general.

Finally, wipe the moisture off the blade with a fine cloth, fully exposing the gleaming sword. Then apply a layer of rust-preventive grease before sheathing it to await the next battle and bloodshed.

As if it were pre-arranged, just as his blade and guard collided, his personal guards were already standing outside the tent announcing that Karila, whom he had just beaten up, had been brought in.

After receiving his permission, the curtain of the main tent was lifted, and a tall figure walked in...

Thesolius had just sat down in his chair when he looked up—

He instinctively kicked his foot, sending a chair flying and creating a loud crash. This prompted the guards outside the door to rush in, swords in hand.

Tersolius waved slightly, signaling his guards to leave... but the shock in his eyes was unmistakable, tinged with an unspeakable embarrassment.

The figure that appeared before him was completely unrecognizable from his former disheveled appearance. His face, which had been covered in dust and grime, was surprisingly clean after being washed. His greasy, messy hair had become somewhat smooth after being carefully washed. It was still tied behind his head with a tattered leather rope, but it looked very different from before.

As for that face... if I had to use an accurate word to describe it, it would only be "handsome"—both the bright, sharply defined eyes and the long, sharp eyebrows complemented each other perfectly on this handsome and heroic face, but without any overly harsh angles. It had a touch of just the right amount of softness, making people realize that this face belonged to a woman, rather than mistaking it for a handsome man.

Although she was tall and her limbs and torso were still strong and powerful, without the cover of the tattered burlap and wolf skin (a wide, uncut burlap with only a few holes in the key areas), it was clear that her shoulders were not broad and her waist and hips had a full curve. Although her female characteristics were not well developed, they were still recognizable. She combined strength and softness in a just-right way, possessing a kind of vigorous beauty.

From any angle, she was a beauty with a strong wildness—but her overly rough personality and unkempt filth concealed these characteristics, and even Thesolius didn't recognize her... Just a moment ago, he firmly believed that she was a man, never expecting that reality would jump out and slap him in the face the next moment.

Carila had a noticeable bruise on her face, causing her forehead and one eye socket to swell. This was the mark left by Attorney Tess, who had knocked her unconscious with his helmet. It wasn't very noticeable when her face was covered in dust and grease, but it became quite glaring after she washed her face.

She wore a red, legion-style robe with an undershirt that reached mid-thigh. On her legs were black cotton trousers, and on her feet were newly taken-out shoes. Clothes make the man, and suddenly she looked like a respectable person.

…………

Silence enveloped Tersolius's central command tent; not only was he silent, but his opponents were as well.

Thesolius was silent because of embarrassment... Just moments ago, he had been absolutely certain that the other person was a man, and even thought that she had become delirious with fear and was talking nonsense.

Who knew that after cleaning her up, this person would become a completely different person! Like a sheep that has been skinned, it would be hard to recognize what she was at first glance... Moreover, she was able to grow up so well in that harsh and barren northern land. If she said that she was the daughter of a northern prince or nobleman, Tersolius would believe her to some extent.

After all, in harsh environments, a person's appearance will naturally become more rugged, and even the best genes will inevitably be affected. If one can still maintain an outstanding appearance in such an environment, it can only mean that genes play a very significant role.

Karila remained silent because of embarrassment... No matter how rough she was, she knew who she had just fought with—the loser had no right to resist, so she obediently followed the other party's orders, washed herself clean in the large pool, and changed into this outfit. But standing here, she still felt cramped and embarrassed, and even her toes kept moving around in her shoes, unaccustomed to it.

This silence lasted for quite some time before Thesolius finally spoke:

"I didn't expect you to actually be a woman..."

“I told you long ago, I didn’t make up any lies… so I’m not a coward, cowards don’t deserve to live in the North!”

Carila's tone was quite harsh, and the resentment it contained was completely undisguised, and it seemed to be escalating, indicating that she was still holding a grudge against Tersolius for what he had said earlier.

Tesolius hadn't expected that the two words he casually uttered would hurt her so much. It was as if he had been stabbed in the lungs with a knife, which was why she was so vulnerable. In fact, the difference in their status was so great. He was the commander of a legion, and she was just a lowly slave, yet she still dared to talk back to him... Ordinary slaves wouldn't even dare to speak to him.

Without much hesitation, Thesolius decided to keep his words simple and direct, otherwise he doubted the other party would understand at all:

"Would you dare to be a centurion with those ninety-odd men under your command?"

"What's there to be afraid of? They've always listened to me."

“And…” Tersolius’s expression turned serious. “If you become this centurion, you must abide by my rules and restrain your personality, otherwise you will be court-martialed if you cause any trouble.”

Carila's brow furrowed immediately. She seemed quite averse to the cumbersome rules, but after a moment's hesitation, she sighed.

"You beat me, so you're in charge of these things, and I'm supposed to follow your rules... But I'll keep challenging you! If I win, you won't be able to control me anymore."

Tersolius nodded slightly—just as he had expected, the other party's thinking was very simple and clear: overwhelming power was the best justification, and victory was the best rule. There weren't many twists and turns; it was simply the most basic law of the jungle.

Such a person is very easy to control. All you need is one thing – you must be stronger than him. As long as you are stronger than him, you can drive him with confidence.

As for the other party saying that they would continue to challenge him in the future... that's not a problem or a concern at all. Rather, he has the same idea—it's not easy to find an opponent with some skills, and he happens to be his subordinate, so of course he should make good use of him. Who will challenge whom in the future is still uncertain.

Although his elder brother was quite skilled, the two of them couldn't fight together every day because of their status, which made him feel that his martial arts skills were starting to stagnate. The other party's words were exactly what he wanted to hear.

So he immediately nodded in agreement:

"I can agree to that, but only when we're stationed in a city. When we're on the move, I won't let you do whatever you want..." At this point, he suddenly had a brilliant idea:

Do you know about the Grand Arena in the capital?

"I know, I've heard people mention it. It's that place where lots of people gather to fight, right? I've always wanted to go there, but I lost to you before I even set off."

“Then you have a chance this time.” Tersolius smiled from the bottom of his heart. “The triennial athletic competition in the capital is in two months, and you happen to be eligible to participate.”

Chapter 144 Hidden Clues (1)

Since the slaves' hundred-man units were difficult to assign to any one general, they were placed under the direct command of the legionary commander, Tersolius, and used as a supplementary force for the central army.

But this decision caused turmoil within the legion. The proud and powerful legion soldiers were puzzled as to why these slaves were given such honor, since the commander's direct troops should have been the elite of the legion...

However, due to Tersolius's powerful prestige, the soldiers, despite their doubts, did not voice any complaints... but they certainly could not help but harbor deep suspicions about these slaves who had risen to such heights overnight.

But the soldiers' idea of ​​instant advancement was a bit too exaggerated. These slaves had not performed any merits. They were only placed under Tersolius's command for ease of control. Apart from being provided with food, clothing, and equipment, they were not even paid military pay, and their treatment was far inferior to that of ordinary soldiers in the legion.

Of course, this was compared to the wealthy and powerful imperial legions; to these slaves, what they received was already unimaginable…

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

This is a flag as tall as two people, with a pole made of hard Andean oak, brass-wrapped edges, and a red silk banner hanging down from a small branch pole.

The flag had no superfluous symbols; it was just an ordinary identification flag, and the slaves were not entitled to add any marks of honor to it.

Tightly woven scale armor and sturdy chainmail have been delivered here, along with bright riveted helmets and slatted arm and leg guards... all of which the slaves earned through their own efforts.

In a sense, the military is a relatively simple place. As long as you have enough skills, it is easy to gain the respect of others and receive more supplies.

These trained slaves proved their worth yesterday. Although they were ultimately defeated, their performance was commendable, so Tersolius immediately granted them a quota of fine iron armor.

There was no shortage of other items such as robes, headscarves, shoes, socks, and leggings; everyone received their own share, and there were even clean, spacious, and bright barracks provided for them to live in.

Many slaves were constantly on edge, marveling at everything they saw, even wondering if they were dreaming. The sound of slapping themselves or others echoed intermittently for several days in a row.

The slaves, who were originally just used to being obedient, were immediately grateful to Tersolius and were flattered by the favor they had received. Although these slaves had been raised from childhood and had never lacked food, they had never been subjected to abuse and beatings, and had never experienced respect before...

Even though each of them could wield swords with great skill and pierce fluttering leaves with spears, no one would consider them warriors. From beginning to end, they were treated as useful tools, and when they were not needed, they had to stay in the cold and damp basement all day long.

In the process of raising children into slaves, at least half of them would die for various reasons—whether from the beatings of whips, from the terrible living conditions, or simply from being used to establish authority…

Everyone who has survived to this day has the blood of their former comrades on their hands. In the harsh environment, they have become increasingly taciturn, and even their emotional fluctuations are not very obvious, like a sculpture carved from wood.

This situation would have continued...until the arrival of a northern barbarian.

Karila's personality can be described as willful and capricious. No one knows what kind of environment would produce such a person. The slaves are completely under her control. Without their masters' knowledge, Karila has become the leader of everyone.

The other party's brutal and tyrannical nature subtly changed the slaves, making them no longer as lifeless as before. It was as if their previously suppressed emotions had rebounded violently.

Because of their simple minds, once they were truly respected and treated as soldiers, they immediately developed a strong sense of belonging to the army. The Sorelius who rescued them naturally gained their loyalty.

Whenever Tersolius came out to inspect the camp, the slaves would kneel down from a distance to greet him with the utmost deference—this was nothing new to Tersolius, as the slaves they had trained in Alpert in the south behaved the same way.

Now, those former slave soldiers have truly integrated into the Empire's legions. The preferential treatment their families received in the south made them fight even more bravely, becoming fearless and the most eager to fight among the legions.

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

He put on the greased chainmail, fastened the leather buckles at several key points, then put on the scale armor vest, bound his waist with the plate arm guards and leg guards, and finally put on the helmet decorated with black plumes.

Karila moved her arms and legs a little uncomfortably. In her hometown, she had never worn such fine armor. She felt as if she were encased in steel, giving her a strong sense of security that made her feel somewhat disoriented.

Back in my hometown, there were always people who advocated that warriors should fight shirtless to be considered brave, but most people actually understood that everyone would want to wear armor if it were available, it's just that most people were too poor to afford it.

Going into battle shirtless could mean being killed by a flying rock, so even those arrogant guys would at least get a leather armor to wear when they went to rob.

But precious iron armor is not something ordinary warriors can even dream of. Even princes and nobles would not equip their elite guards with iron armor. For an ordinary warrior to be able to get a helmet is considered to be from a wealthy family... But now, she can encase herself in steel.

She was once again awestruck by the wealth of this country... even someone like her could be allocated such excellent weaponry, and she couldn't help but imagine what a magnificent and resplendent sight the capital city, the center of the empire, must be...

Do the people there really use gold for their floors?

While praising the achievements, Carila was also very confident about her future. Now it seemed that leaving her hometown was indeed the right decision. Although her original idea was just to find a few strong opponents, she never expected to gain so much.

Not only have they found a formidable opponent, but it also looks like they can make a fortune.

Just as she was chuckling foolishly, the helmet's protective panel suddenly hit the bruised area on her face, and the pain made her frown slightly... Finding this opponent might be a bit too formidable.

She was able to put up a fight at first, but she was quickly defeated and even knocked unconscious by the other person's head. She had never lost so badly in her life.

From the age of 12, her father was no match for her... She beat up the entire tribe. Because she was bored and wanted to go out and see the world, she hitched a ride with a slave trader. Unexpectedly, she ran into a powerful guy.

Karila is actually quite arrogant and rarely respects anyone, but after this blow, she has gained another person she respects...

Thinking of this, she felt a little unwilling, but also a little eager to try—after all, the other party had agreed that she could challenge him at any time as long as the army was stationed there, and now was the perfect time to do so, right? Maybe she could get revenge.

Once the thought crossed her mind, she couldn't wait a moment longer. She picked up two axes from the box next to her—these were also standard equipment she had received from the armory. They were short-handled axes with armor-piercing spikes on their backs, and their quality was much better than her rough iron axes.

Amidst the astonished gazes of her subordinates, Karila used the blade of her axe to pry open the tent door and walked out, but she didn't forget to hang the axe on her waist. Otherwise, walking openly with a weapon in the army without orders would cause quite a bit of trouble.

As she excitedly headed towards the central camp, Tersolius was dealing with another matter.

………………

"So this is your result, Fitzgerald?"

A lean, middle-aged man bowed respectfully. He was Fitzgerald, who had not participated in the war, but was now in the tent, reporting his progress to Tersorius.