"So have you figured out what to do afterward?" Simon looked up at Gabriel while cooking sausage.

"To be honest, I haven't thought about it yet," Gabriel wiped the beads of wine on his mouth and beard with his sleeve. "Maybe find a new mercenary group to start a new life of money and blood, and one day he is unlucky to die in an unknown small place. Maybe go to various territories to find local lords to try their luck, to see if they still need private soldiers, or a cavalry with their own equipment and horses."

After hearing Gabriel's words, Simon's mind became active. After the battle with the Vikings, Simon intended to buy a few new horses. In addition to assisting in production in the village on a daily basis, he could also train a small cavalry team in normal times and act as a scout and cavalry during wartime.

Now, in front of me is the best private and cavalry instructor candidate with many years of experience in fighting immediately and bringing armor and horses. If I miss him this time, I don’t know when it will be when I meet such a suitable candidate next time.

"If you want, you may be able to do things under my hands," Simon decided to put down the wooden spoon, smiled faintly, and threw an olive branch to Gabriel, "I am the lord of Foldburg, Hatuaria County, north."

"Sir, oh no, I mean lord," Gabriel looked a little excited, his cheeks were red in a slightly drunk state. "That's really great. It seems that my luck has begun to improve since I left the half-dead Free Mercenary Corps."

"Hahaha," Simon smiled happily, and took a big drink of the wooden wine glass. "But before we return to the territory, we will go to Cologne and then to Dresden. It's a very difficult journey."

"No, my master," Gabriel tidied up his clothes, looking like he was ready to go, "for those of us who have been mercenaries everywhere, this is a piece of cake."

………

After eating the delicious sausages and drinking the cool but not very delicious beer, Simon arranged accommodation for Fatty and Miller in the tavern, and then brought the two and a Gabriel to the lord's villa in Vitral village.

This mottled and old stone-wood structure house is simply too old, with all kinds of moss and lush ivy growing over the exposed walls of the house. Simon had already smelled the strong smell of rancid and musty before entering the house.

Standing next to the gate of the lord's villa was a guy with long hair and a unkempt beard, who looked extremely strong.

The elite soldier in the door guard may have a close relationship with the lord. He wore a ridge-shaped iron helmet, dirty and old chain mail, animal leather shoulder armor, and a pair of relatively new-looking fur boots. He was holding a large single-hooked and double-handed axe. The javelin and spear behind him were engraved with inscriptions that Simon could not understand.

"Who are you?" At this time, the guardian looked at Simon and others vigilantly, slowly took a step back quietly, and adjusted his axe-holding posture to a posture that could attack quickly at any time.

"This is the crusher of the Norman Pirates, Sir Simon of the Dorsten family in Hatuaria County, wants to visit Lord Wolf." The fat man walked forward as proudly as ever, and said loudly in a slightly exaggerated tone, and did not forget to give Simon the new title of Simon that was circulating in the market after the war with the Vikings.

"I'm very sorry, this lord, please wait a moment. We have to inform my master first." The guardian in the gate-guarding army waved to the straw hut next to him. Immediately, a young man with a runny nose and a animal leather jacket came out of the straw hut.

The soldier said something in his ear, and then the runny young man nodded, opened a small crack in the gate of the lord's villa, and slowly and carefully entered the lord's villa house.

"The Lord has agreed to meet you, please come in." After a while, the young man sniffed, opened the door of the Lord's villa, and lowered his head slightly and said to Simon and others.

As soon as he entered the Lord's villa, Simon smelled a strong smell of wine and meat and urine feces. What he saw was a rectangular fire pit, with many burnt embers and charcoal radiating red Mars.

What was roasted on the fire pit was a roe deer that had been roasted with yellow and oil dripping with thick branches. At this time, a servant was adding firewood to the fire pit below the roe deer, while another servant cut the roasted venison with a sharp and oil-filled dagger and placed it in a huge wooden dish.

The walls in the villa were covered with animal skins of various perfect appearances, but at this time the animal skins were emitting a disgusting smell of rottenness.

The meat-cut servant cut off a whole greasy grilled deer leg and placed it in a large wooden dining plate. Then he inserted the dagger into the red, white and black charcoal pile, brought the dish to the large dining table directly in front of the fire pit, and then stepped aside.

A pair of big hands covered with dirt and dirt grabbed the roasted deer leg and put it into their mouths. After biting a large piece of meat and chewing it in their mouths, the deer leg meat was put back on the plate with satisfaction. At the same time, the greasy hands grabbed the wooden cup full of fruit wine.

Baron Wolf enjoyed the delicious food, opened his eyes slightly to look at Simon and others coming in at the door, took a sip of the fruit wine slowly, and clapped his hands: "It seems that you are the son of old Coother. Although I have never seen you, I know your father. I once fought with him under the banner of Earl Berg, and he is a noble who deserves respect."

At this time, Simon began to carefully examine the Baron among the leader of Wolf, the tribal leader among the leader of the baron.

He wore a dark red slightly worn-out head cloth on his head, a string of silver pendants around his neck, a brown cotton robe, and an old fur coat with spot-like dry blood. In addition, a green plaid cloak was placed behind his seat.

"That's right, my father often mentions you in front of me, a warrior who is desperate and brave in battle." Simon saluted slightly to Baron Wolf.

"Hahahaha, young man, sit down," Baron Wolf laughed happily and said to the servant beside him. "In addition to me, the heroic warrior, there is also my loyal Vitral entourage soldier. Dugan, please give my friends a meat and wine."

………

The next day, Simon was riding on a war horse and felt dizzy.

The enthusiastic Baron Wolf was so excited that he kept drinking with Simon last night. Simon even suspected that they had finished drinking most of the wine in the entire Vitral village last night.

When Simon woke up in the morning, he found him lying on a hay bed with fur in the lord's villa, and the wooden barrels used for excretion were filled with his vomit.

"It's so uncomfortable." Simon shook his head, trying to make himself more awake.

Unlike other lords who were so stingy that even a son could not bear to let go, Baron Wolf was quite generous. Maybe it was because his father had a little friendship with him before, or maybe it was because he had made him recall his glorious past yesterday... In any case, before leaving, he gave Simon a brand new wolf-skin cloak. Although it had a strong tribal atmosphere and rancid smell, it did not prevent it from being warm and majestic.

"Master Simon," Gabriel, who was following behind Simon, grabbed the reins with one hand and the beer-filled kettle in the other, "I think we are almost near Cologne."

"Well, you've walked this road before?" Simon asked curiously.

"Yes, I've walked twice." Gabriel nodded, but just as he was trying to say something, a faint noise suddenly came from the front.

"Be careful." Simon put away his relaxed and exhausted, cheered up his energy, tied up the mail hanging on his chest to protect his neck, touched the hilt of his waist with his hands, and squinted his eyes carefully and looked forward.

"Master, you are a group of pilgrims, don't be nervous." Gabriel poked his head and looked around for a while, then relaxed, picked up his wine pot and continued to drink.

"Oh, is that?" Simon finally saw clearly the main road and next to the woods in the distance, and there were many simple people wearing simple clothes. Most of them were wearing scattered garments covered in mud, leaning on a wooden crutch, and carrying bags.

Some wealthier pilgrims wore hats decorated with St. Jacob's shells and had a wide hooded robe.

At this time, the pilgrims spoke different languages ​​and dialects from different places, chatting, eating, and packing things. Many pilgrims had more or less scars and dried blood on their bodies, and it seemed that they had experienced hardships along the way.

A light rain floated in the sky, and an elderly monk walked to the center of the crowd and cleared his throat: "Everyone, when we are preparing for the trip, we understand that under the protection of God, we will be safe all the way. Although there will be various unexpected accidents and hardships along the way, I always believe that these are God's arrangements and the test God has given us..."

Simon and others couldn't help but stop the horse's hooves and listened quietly to the old monk's speech like other pilgrims.

"Everyone is a deserving and responsible believer. We have walked through a long and sacred path, a holy man, and under the guidance of God, we are about to arrive at our destination, Cologne. At that time, in the holy church, the bishop will bless you and your souls will be washed."

The devout believers applauded, even if the rain was getting heavier and heavier, it would not destroy the excited and hot flames in their hearts.
Chapter completed!