Chapter 103: Skarsnik

(I have seen the issues raised by readers. This is my first time posting paid chapters, and I indeed did not grasp the situation well; I did not consider that readers who pay are already quite knowledgeable about Warhammer. Readers who feel this is inappropriate can join the group to claim a red envelope to compensate for the subscription fee. I have a small backlog of chapters. If a chapter in the backlog contains background information, I will point it out at this position at the beginning; those who already understand it can simply skip it. In future new chapters, I will place necessary long sections of background information outside the main text. This chapter is written regarding the advancement of Knights.)

By the time of the noon meal, Fatisi Qishi led his warhorse over to Sinuoli's side.

"What? With a great battle imminent, you still want to have a couple of drinks? If we drink up all the wine we brought, we'll only be able to drink Greenskin Mushroom Brew at the victory feast!" Sinuoli made a witty remark to liven up the atmosphere.

"Night Goblins prefer to launch attacks at night; we need to find a better place to set up camp for the night!" Fatisi Qishi said.

Sinuoli's expression was somewhat surprised. Such information was common knowledge to a Dwarf; even a young child still under the care of the Valaya Priests could perhaps talk about it on paper. He did not understand why this experienced Questing Knight chose to say this at this moment.

"Then do you have any relevant suggestions?" Sinuoli asked out of respect. Now that the caravan had a large proportion of Human adventurers, Fatisi's ability to organize them into a fighting force made his importance soar.

"Master Sinuoli, I do know of a good place!" Fatisi Qishi said, taking a sip of beer. Sinuoli sat up straight; he knew the meat of the matter was coming.

"Sanlak Castle. It is a remote little city in the middle of the Grey Mountains. I have studied the route; it is less than an hour's journey away from the Earth Vein Network built by your ancestors!" Fatisi Qishi began to sell it energetically.

"It is a sturdy stone castle. Its outer walls can allow you and your caravan to spend a safe night!" Fatisi Qishi said.

"Sounds good! Are you well-acquainted with the master of Sanlak Castle? It wouldn't be good for so many of us to pay a visit uninvited, would it?" Sinuoli began to fish for information.

"Quite well, actually. When I was young, I served as a Questing Knight alongside Viscount Akeman. We forged a deep friendship during a crusade!" Fatisi drank his wine and fell into memories. It seemed that was a precious time for this bitter and deep-seated Questing Knight.

"Questing Knight, does that count as a formal Knight?" Sinuoli asked the question he had been wanting to know.

"Every noble heir of Bretonnia is committed to embarking on the Knightly Vow from the moment they are born. Our status as Knights is almost innate!" Fatisi answered proudly.

"Although one's birth can guarantee a Knight's status, the vast majority of young nobles only obtain a formal fief after proving their worth." Fatisi chewed on his dry rations and continued to explain.

"Nobles with fiefs can be called Kingdom Knights, right?" Seeing that they were about to enter the territory of Bretonnia, Sinuoli wanted to learn as much as possible about this Knight Kingdom.

"Yes. Some of my friends who are not good at fighting obtain fiefs through loyal service to high-ranking nobles, and some incompetent ones try to obtain an estate through powerful connections and family relationships." It was clear that Fatisi Qishi held these two types of people in contempt.

"But if you ask me, for a young Knight, the most glorious and excellent way to prove one's ability is to compete with the enemy on the battlefield!" His voice rose.

"That is natural; true warriors are worthy of respect wherever they are!" Sinuoli echoed.

"Every ambitious adult male noble of Bretonnia will step out of his home as a Questing Knight to begin his first long-distance adventure. This adventure serves as a practical classroom for them to learn necessary knowledge. Of course, at this time they have no experience at all and rely entirely on passion and courage to roam around." Fatisi Qishi recalled his state back then.

Sinuoli knew that letting young, hot-blooded noble blood go out on adventures was already a tradition in Bretonnian society. At any given time, there were large numbers of young nobles traveling all over the country and even the entire Old World, looking for opportunities to prove themselves, though such behavior could also invite trouble.

"Bretonnia is full of dangers! Filthy Beastmen, ubiquitous Greenskins, Skaven in the gutters, and potential giant monsters!"

Saving people is like fighting a fire; the team had set off again after a short rest. Fatisi Qishi walked beside Sinuoli, leading his snow-white Half-Elf Warhorse named Emma.

"Even with my current strength, traveling alone in the wilderness is very dangerous! Therefore, most young Knights will look for traveling companions for themselves. Generally speaking, other Questing Knights are the most popular choice because we are of the same social class and have common goals and living habits."

Fatisi Qishi's words revealed the unique arrogance of Bretonnian nobles. In their eyes, whether the lower classes, represented by serfs, could even be considered the same kind was a question.

"However, that is about the same as letting a blind dog lead a blind man, so smarter young people will choose to join a group of adventurers. No team will refuse an excellent Knight!" Although his tone was proud, what he said was indeed the truth.

"From adventurers of different backgrounds and social classes, they can gain more experience and take fewer detours, though young Knights would prefer to become the leaders of such teams."

Sinuoli nodded; he understood the pride in the bones of these nobles.

"Is the crusade launched by that Knight King also dominated by them?" Sinuoli asked. He was very interested in the initiation mechanism of crusades. If there was a chance, the Mountain Kingdom was never short of shiny gold.

"Yes. Almost no Kingdom Knights participate in crusades. They are busy managing their own lands—generally one or two small villages crowded with serfs, the fields for them to labor in, and their own small castles."

Fatisi Qishi must have had relevant experience; the content he described was vivid.

"As lords, they must supervise the serfs' work to meet the tax requirements of the Duke and the King. They also have to protect their subjects from being plundered by Greenskins, Beastmen, and Norscans. Therefore, only during major wars will Kingdom Knights respond to the summons of high-ranking lords and join the war with their own armed squires."

Sinuoli nodded upon hearing this. It seemed that if he wanted to obtain the help of a high-level Knight legion, he would have to start with the upper-level nobles of Bretonnia.

He had plenty of time; the entire caravan would spend the New Year at Karak-Breeze Fort. This was to leave enough time for the merchants to travel all over Bretonnia.

At the same time, merchants from the Reikland of the Empire of Man would cross the Reik River to conduct trade.

Furthermore, although this information was kept strictly confidential by those in the know, there were High Elf colonies in the coastal areas of Bretonnia. Through this channel, one could trade with High Elves without traveling to Aosuan in the middle of the Vast Ocean.