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MTL - Mercenaries and Adventurers-v4 Chapter 128 , the interest of the knights - Operation Stealing the Magic Ballista
Keel looked for Knight Crowe, and first went to the opponent's camp to look for it.
However, where the knight's carriage and tent were parked, except for the knight's two bodyguards and Bloodfang Sitter sitting by the small fire, the Knight Crowe he was looking for was not here.
"Your Excellency hasn't come back, it should still be with Lord Baron. You can go there to find it."
The guard said so.
Keir nodded, looking for the past.
Near the baron's tent, several priests were giving final treatment to the soldiers who had lost their ears yesterday. This is the last group of people. The remaining soldiers are restless, while the priests are pale and their eyes are sunken. It is obvious that they have been using divine power for treatment continuously for the past two days, and their own spirits have also been greatly tested.
But none of the four flinched here.
Several people seem to be silently curing the deafness of the soldiers, without any communication with each other, but in fact they are silently competing with each other.
The few of them counted the number of people healed by each other. Although the two priests of the Saturnalia Church had the most number of people cured because they were two priests, they were not reconciled.
Because the soldiers are all peasant families from all over the county, and they are basically natural believers in Saturn.
But because of this incident, the other two churches healed the soldiers suffering from deafness, but they reaped benefits, and made the soldiers feel good about the Church of the Sun God and the Church of the God of Wealth.
It is hard to say what the future belief tendency of these people will be.
The Church of the God of Wealth is fine, because the God of Wealth does not take care of the poor, and the family has no property or business. It is not easy for the Church of the God of Wealth to cooperate with these soldiers.
But the Church of the Sun God is different.
As we all know, a large part of agriculture depends on light and heat, and the sun is the most important source of light and heat. Plants need to welcome the light and heat, so that they can finally grow gratifyingly and harvest a lot.
At this point, the Church of the Sun God still has some appeal to farmers.
Moreover, human beings are naturally afraid of the dark and love the light. The sparkling performances that the Church of the Sun God puts on every festival will make many people who are not worrying about life come closer to the belief of the Sun God with love.
This is something that the Saturnalia Church, which dresses more plainly, is not good at.
Although the Saturnalia Church in Kendall City is doing well, other places are very mediocre. Even in various places, the Saturnalia Church is the largest belief in human society.
But if you don't attack for a long time, you will definitely lose. The Church of the God of Saturn has always been wary of the Church of the Sun God.
Kiel passes through several priests who seem to be ordinary, but are actually fighting openly and secretly. When passing by, he also respectfully saluted every priest, which was regarded as respect for their healing, not for the status of the priests.
After asking the indifferent baron's personal guards, and knowing that Knight Crowe had indeed talked with Knight Rumi in the baron's camp, Kiel asked for a report.
"Knight Crowe specially sent a message for me to come and find him, please pass it on."
The baron's guard with a stern face standing guard was one of the guards who had a conflict with him yesterday, so naturally he would not give Kiel a good look.
But he kept his responsibilities firmly in mind. Although he was upset and wanted to find another opportunity to practice with Keir and get back his face, he would not delay anything in business.
Because compared to them, the baron's trusted personal guards, in fact, Keir, a young boy who just emerged in Kendall City last year, often did things for the baron and knights because of Knight Crowe.
Not to mention that Kiel at this time is essentially the knight apprentice of Knight Crow, and his identity is the knight squire of Knight Crow, and his status is higher than that of soldiers and guards in the army.
"You wait, I will report right away."
The personal guard said so indifferently, staring at Kiel, then turned and walked towards the baron's tent.
The other baron guards beside the fire were also talking in low voices, pointing their fingers at the man and Kiel just now.
The corner of Kiel's mouth curled up, but nothing happened.
These people want to save face. Usually, because they serve the baron himself, they don't have a good relationship with the town guards and militia led by Knight Crow, and they can only be said to be very average.
‘Still not convinced, find an opportunity to provoke them and knock down these personal guards one by one, and I guess they will be able to correctly understand the new relationship between the two parties. '
Kiel thought happily, this method is simple and direct. In the army, everyone relies on force for food. Defeating you, or even defeating you all, is the correct way to stop them from being hostile to Kiel.
Even if they are defeated once, they may still be unconvinced. If they are defeated again and again, these people can only "correctly" understand the relationship between the two parties.
Soon the man came back: "Keir, Knight Crowe let you in, the Baron and the others are eating, so move lightly."
"Heh, looking for a chance to practice? After leaving this strange wind grassland?"
Kiel rubbed his chin with his hands, the thick leather gloves scratching the fledgling beard on his chin, and asked the man with sideways eyes.
"If you wish, how many of us can you handle? Just how many of us were there yesterday?"
The corners of the baron's guard's mouth curved downward, and his eyes narrowed.
But Keir's reply made him very angry: "Why don't you let all of you come over and see? It's lively."
"The tone is not small. We have been practicing martial arts for many years. It is not comparable to those farmers who were still farming. Even the town guards are usually more concerned with maintaining order. Only the most skilled martial arts can join us. You have this Confidence?"
"I don't have confidence, but I can try it! You know, I like to challenge myself."
Keel was indifferent.
"You said it yourself, you crawled to find the priests for treatment with a broken leg and foot!"
"It's okay. Anyway, there are many of you, and none of you have broken legs. You can help those with broken legs to find priests."
"You're so tough, you kid."
Kiel chuckled: "It's not just the mouth that's hard, the fist is not bad either. I'll let you have a good taste. Let's go."
The two bickered a few times, and Kiel passed the baron's personal guard and walked away.
-
Although it was indoors, the interior where the carriages could be parked was spacious, so the tents of the barons and knights were all set up.
This is ostentation, representing status and power, and it cannot be less at any time.
Of course, there are some more practical reasons in it.
Soldiers must always have access to their superiors, even the highest.
When the tents with the badges of nobles can be seen at any time, not only will the soldiers not feel nervous, but if something big or small happens, they can also know that in addition to looking for their immediate superiors—the chief and deputy militia captains of the team, they can also help them out at the end. Find the actual master of the army, Lord Kendall, to deal with the problem.
There was also a baron guard standing guard at the entrance of the tent. When he saw Kiel approaching, the man announced to the tent in a moderate voice: "The servant of Knight Kiel has arrived, Lord Crow Knight."
"Let him in."
The voice of Knight Crowe came from the tent.
Kiel opened the curtain, and the baron and two knights were inside.
But the difference is that the Rumi knight is fighting against a huge wing that is blowing cold, and it looks like he is cutting something with a sharp dagger, while the baron is drawing something with a pen on a large piece of sheepskin that is spread out.
Knight Crowe was busy by the fire in the middle of the tent, and Keel felt bad when he smelled it.
"Kiel is here, come and eat this, the heart of an ordinary harpy!"
Knight Crowe turned around, and in his hand was a monster's heart worn on a thick iron sign. As soon as Kiel saw this, his feet were weak and his mouth was bitter, the way he was a moment ago, he flew away immediately at this moment.
These monster meats are all weird, looking like an inhuman who challenges the limits of conventional food.
The water ghost meat has a strange color and an indescribably wonderful taste.
At this moment, although the heart of the harpy in front of him looks similar to an ordinary pig's heart or a cow's heart, why is there a distorted smoke entrenched on the surface of the slightly burnt and yellowed heart?
These strange smokes emerged from the heart, like grasslands swaying with the wind in a strong wind, entrenched on the surface of the heart and swaying left and right, but did not fly away directly.
Knight Crowe also had an expression on his face that you earned it, put the thing on the fire again, and brushed the surface of the heart with a brush dipped in salt water.
Turn it around and brush with a layer of animal fat to prevent the monster's heart from burning.
"My lord, is this really edible?"
Keel asked.
As he spoke, the palm of this ordinary person was completely opened, and the palm-sized heart was like a steam boiler, with blood-red smoke gurgling from the broken blood vessels.
A broken blood vessel in the left atrium sucked in the high-temperature air around the fire, and another blood vessel cut next to it was continuously pumped out scalding blood-red smoke.
Not to be outdone, the right atrium sucked in the air, and then mixed it with the monster's blood in the atrium and spewed it out.
It was even more fun to play here, blood-red aerosol circles like smoke rings sprayed out from the neat incisions of the blood vessels.
Keir's face was ugly, and he kept asking questions while pointing at the thing.
"Is it really edible? It's still moving!"
Knight Crowe chuckled and shrugged: "How could it be alive? It's just the residual magic power and the monster's unwilling spirit. This is what you need instead. It's almost baked, eat it while it's hot. "
The knight put the heated and beating heart of the monster on the dinner plate next to it, and then withdrew the iron pick that passed through it.
He stretched out his hand to signal that Keir could start.
-
Although he was reluctant, he ate all the strangely colored water ghost meat. How could he not be able to eat the heart of the harpy he killed?
Anyway, looking left and right, this thing is similar to an animal's heart, except that it is still beating and the strange smoke is entangled on the surface.
Not liking it jumping, Keel took the iron fork next to the dinner plate and pierced the thing in one fell swoop, swung it left and right, and the thing was severely injured and stopped jumping.
Then Keir waved his hand, and then blew vigorously, blowing away the smoke that was entangled on the surface of the heart and refused to dissipate.
Smell it carefully, apart from the smell of blood, this thing also has a charming aroma.
"My lord, have you put any spices?"
Kiel asked Knight Crowe, who sat back on his chair, and Knight Crowe shook his head: "The best way to eat this kind of monster's organs is simply to heat it up, why put spices?"
"But it smells pretty good to me, doesn't it?"
Knight Crowe looked surprised, silently pointed to Kiel's tongue, then shook his head and said nothing.
Inserting a fork into the beating heart, Keel took out the dagger from his waist and cut it, sliced it into his mouth and chewed it.
The monster's heart in its mouth is still twitching barely, which is quite novel.
At the same time, a salty, fresh and hot feeling came from his mouth, and Kiel's eyes lit up, not to mention, it was quite delicious.
He moved quickly, constantly cutting pieces of meat from the monster's heart to eat.
Except for some fishy smell brought by the remaining monster blood in some ventricles, the taste of this thing is really not bad. It looks like the beating heart is very weird, but it brings a good smell when it is sent into the mouth. taste.
"My lord, this food is quite delicious. It's spicy and full of saltiness."
Knight Crowe exchanged glances with Baron Kendall, who was sitting at the head of the tent, and then said, "Is there no spicy seasoning? Could it be that the heart of the harpy is naturally spicy?"
Baron Kendall rubbed his beard cautiously, thought for a while and said, "Perhaps, the monster meat is eroding the mouth? I heard from some magic apprentices I know that the spicy taste in the mouth is actually pain. There is no spicy taste, not only humans, but also other races do not have the feeling of spicy taste."
But when these words came out, Kiel had quickly eaten up a plate of monster hearts.
He opened his mouth wide and breathed out continuously, looking like he was being burned.
"Why don't we try it tomorrow?"
Baron Kendall asked tentatively, and Knight Crowe nodded cautiously. The two of them were also curious, is this food really so delicious?
-
Letting Kiel eat monster meat was nothing more than a trivial matter, and the thing that really called him was only said after eating.
"Magic Ballista?"
Keir looked curious. He couldn't figure out how something like a ballista, which he considered 'primitive', could be connected with a mysterious thing like magic power, which is unique to other worlds.
"What is it like?" he continued.
"What kind?"
Crow Knight was questioned.
"I mean, what does it look like, what's its size? You said you're going to take it away tomorrow, and you can't use too many people. So, what I mean is, can it be carried by hand?"
Knight Crowe laughed after hearing this: "If it's an ordinary mechanical ballista, it won't work. The crossbow arm, main body, crossbow string, power storage mechanism, winding mechanism, and transmission mechanism of the catapult itself are included. Not to mention the weight, the volume and the number of parts alone cannot be easily transported by manpower."
"It must be disassembled by a specialized craftsman. Especially the fixed ballista installed on the top of the arrow tower has more complicated functions, volume, weight and more parts. Not to mention disassembly, even if it is used Their soldiers must be specially trained."
But Knight Crowe changed his tone: "But the magic ballista is different, it is more concise, and all the complicated mechanisms are replaced by the magic circle carved on the main cylinder of the ballista."
The knight looked at the baron, and the baron nodded, indicating that Crowe was right, and continued.
He stretched out his hand and gestured with three fingers: "There are only three main components, the half-cut cylinder for firing, the cannon base that tilts and rotates up and down, and the magic power source that continuously supplies energy."
Knight Crowe glanced at Baron Kendall, and then said: "In fact, we only need to take away two: the magic power source and the main body of the ballista. As for the gun mount, we are not a local army, so naturally this thing is used to move Use, not fixed use, no need for a gun mount."
"Kill, although stealing this thing is disgraceful, it can help our army win battles in the future! Think about it, we didn't come here for failure after we traveled so far."
Then Knight Crowe approached Kiel and whispered in Kiel's ear: "The baron is a little anxious about this. As a subject, I should share the worries of the monarch. I will take you out later, let's first investigate the tower where the magic ballista is. In fact , I just went over to look over it, and you have a look too, I have specified a plan, and we will do it tomorrow."
Kiel also asked in a low voice: "Wait until the army leaves tomorrow?"
The knight nodded, it was obvious, as long as he left and kept moving forward, most of the people in the town who were chasing from behind would not be able to catch up with them in time. Unless the other party dares to venture forward during the day when the wind is strong, or move on the grassland at night.
Keir did not refuse, he was very interested in this matter, not only the seemingly upright Baron Kendall suddenly said that he would send his men to steal important property and weapons in the passing town, but also Knight Crow's attitude towards this.
Feeling eager to try.
Usually, although Knight Crowe is not bitter or vengeful, he still behaves decently and old-fashioned. He always has a reliable and confident feeling that everything is under his control by force.
It was this feeling that made everyone in the army admire him very much.
Keir also sometimes imitated the appearance of Knight Crowe, and the effect was good on insignificant things.
He feels that people will always trust someone who looks confident, especially when the other person is far superior to others in a certain important ability and skill.
For those who use it ~www.novelbuddy.com~, this self-confidence will easily gain the trust and control of those around them. For those affected, it will make people feel at ease in unfamiliar places and times, and make everyone act more orderly.
It's like a backbone.
Of course, self-confidence does not come for nothing, you must really have the real strength to create and maintain self-confidence.
In particular, one cannot lose on the source of self-confidence.
You can be embarrassed, but you can't be embarrassed where others trust you.
But at this time, Knight Crowe gave off a kind of confidence that was not common. He seemed to be more active, more, and more interested.
Knight Crowe may not have noticed this interest, but at this time the other people in the camp, including Keel, all found it very interesting.
The old-fashioned and positive Crowe Knight was extra excited in such a dishonorable place.
Knight Rumi, who seems to be concentrating on dealing with the wings of the huge frozen monster, has actually been secretly listening to the conversation between Knight Crowe and Kiel. He is very curious about what Crowe did in the Knights of the Kingdom Guards what.
Baron Kendall carefully drew the terrain around the magic ballista tower. In order to avoid suspicion, he would not get involved in this matter in front of outsiders.
Even if the locals later guessed that he sent someone to steal the precious magic ballista, he would not admit it, unless the earl of the western provinces sent someone to ask for it, but according to the development time of the matter, it would be delayed until this year It's time for the Southern War to end.
By that time, he had led the team back, and he was still in the process of deciding whether to give it or not.
He might be able to escape the loss of the magic ballista in the flames of war, or maybe the owner of the western province had already forgotten about it, and the local town didn't have the guts to expose it.