Chapter 442: The Burning Crusade

In the stable at Antioch,

“My lord, please forgive him. You don’t know what he’s been through. A year ago, in this wretched place, he lost his fiancée forever. She was one of you Franks—the daughter of the Duke of Burgundy,” a German noble who knew Sven well explained to Eric.

“Is she still alive?” Eric asked.

“Perhaps she died under the blades of the Turkic People. Or perhaps she’s still alive, forced to wander somewhere as a slave to Heretics just to survive. Either outcome is heartbreaking. It’s a sad story.” The German noble sighed.

“It’s not the story that’s sad, but the man. This tragedy is of his own making. If he had been rational enough, he would have refused to bring his fanatical wife along.”

Eric ended the topic, swung himself onto his horse, and scanned his surroundings, confirming that all the Frank and German nobles were mounted.

Suleiman Shah had shown his generosity, not only returning their equipment but also gifting them horses—though they were merely packhorses, completely unsuitable for a battlefield charge. Unlike the other nobles, however, Eric was presented with a magnificent and powerful Arabian Warhorse. The groom who led the horse over told Eric that the Sultan himself had named it ‘Dost’ (Dost, meaning ‘friend’ in Turkic).

Dost was half a head taller than Eric’s previous mount, a Norman Warhorse, and possessed strikingly defined muscles.

Eric liked Dost from the moment he saw him. The only flaw was that Dost had a terrible temper.

Eric even opened the system to check Dost’s stats.

[First-class Arabian Warhorse Dost, Speed: 42, Power: 43, Endurance: 39, Courage: 39, Weight Carrying: 350 lbs]

(Note: Speed, Power, Endurance, and Courage have a max of 50. A normal horse is around 15.)

Eric opened the Riding Skill tab for the first time in a while. He had been accumulating Riding Skill Points but hadn’t spent them. Since becoming a Count, he found himself charging on horseback less and less, so he hadn’t been paying much attention to his Riding Skill.

He had only managed to scrape together a meager amount of experience from his fixed monthly horseback journeys, barely reaching Level 7 in Riding Skill.

Eric looked at the Riding Skill tab. There were eight Riding Skills in total.

[Fast Horse (Learned): Your horse is faster, but its weight carrying capacity is reduced. Requires Riding Skill Level 4.

Durable Foal: Your horse can carry more, but its speed is reduced. Requires Riding Skill Level 4.

Fearful Warhorse: If your horse is injured, its speed will increase. Requires Riding Skill Level 7.

Stable as Mount Tai: Reduces the probability of being knocked off your warhorse by an enemy. Requires Riding Skill Level 7.

Storm Knight: During a storm, your mount becomes extremely difficult to control, but in all other weather, it becomes extremely affectionate and is not easily spooked. Requires Riding Skill Level 7.

Warhorse: Your mount will not fear surrounding enemies unless someone physically touches it. Requires Riding Skill Level 10.

Knight: Gain a 15% damage bonus in mounted combat, applicable to both melee and ranged weapons. Requires Riding Skill Level 10.

Rider: Your warhorse will never throw you in battle. Requires Riding Skill Level 14.

(Note: For every level gained in Riding Skill, you receive 1 Skill Point, which can be used to learn 1 Riding Skill.)]

So far, Eric had only learned one Riding Skill: Fast Horse. He had learned it during his first year at King’s Bridge Monastery and used it on his little donkey, JOJO. His JOJO was the fastest little donkey in Wang Bridge.

Eric scanned the list and ultimately chose to learn ‘Storm Knight’. It was the only one he could learn, and although it had a side effect, it was barely acceptable.

[Learned Skill – Storm Knight: During a storm, your mount becomes extremely difficult to control, but in all other weather, it becomes extremely affectionate and is not easily spooked.]

Almost as soon as the system’s notification sound faded, the warhorse beneath him stopped its fussing and became visibly docile.

Eric glanced at the nobles. They had now changed into clothing that truly befitted their status, regaining the dignified air they once had as nobility. Perhaps their aristocratic arrogance had returned along with it, but one thing was certain: they would not show that arrogance to Eric, at least not before leaving Antioch City.

The nobles, including Sven, pulled on their reins, holding their horses still as they waited in unison for Eric’s command.

Eric cracked his whip in the air, flicked the reins, and spurred his warhorse out of the stable.

Turandot, also on horseback, was waiting for Eric’s party at the stable entrance. Behind him were ten Turkic Cavalry Archers and three Guram Cavalry.

Turandot was to travel with Eric as an emissary of Suleiman Shah, in order to deliver the Sultan’s latest decree to the castles loyal to Suleiman Shah, urging them to yield their castles.

Eric nodded to Turandot, and the group proceeded toward the Antioch Gate.

Before they reached the city gate, Turandot once again began boasting to Eric about some of Suleiman Shah’s precious qualities, to which Eric just replied with a perfunctory, “Yes, yes, of course.”

“You are now a friend of Suleiman Shah! Even though you are a Heretic, two entirely different hands have been joined, thanks to fairness, reason, and unquestionable goodwill.”

“Don’t be so dramatic, Turandot. Your just and merciful master is willing to be friends with anyone,” Eric replied with a token compliment.