I built a manor in the Middle Ages

Chapter 207 The Wandering Poet
“Yes, sir, I am indeed half Norman, but I have an even more important identity: a bard.”

Luke looked the man up and down, sizing him up.

The Normans were actually a branch of the Vikings, but since they occupied part of the Duchy of Brittany, they had gradually become Frankish over the past century through intermarriage with the local Celts. Although some conservative Christians still considered them descendants of pirates, the Norman nobles were highly favored by the Frankish nobles.

Although the man before them was dressed in thin clothes, his physique did indeed retain the robust build of a Viking.

"You must be Sir Luc? I heard about Brother Lynn's resurrection in Provence and made a special trip to Cluny. The humble monk said that you were also involved in that matter, so I made a special trip from Mâcon to find out that you were here and came to see what God's apostle looks like."

As he spoke, Raoul scrutinized Luke with the same gaze he had on Luke, then grinned and said, "It seems I didn't choose the wrong person. Your temperament is also quite unique."

Raoul's accent was mixed with Norman vocabulary, and a small Vieux made of gut strings hung on his right hip. Luc also noticed that he had a six-inch-long single-edged sword hanging on his left side.

What do you want to know from me?

Luc didn't show any joy. In fact, he would have welcomed the troubadour to spread his fame, but not now.

He now has more important and discreet things to do.

“Nothing much, just wanted to know more details about Brother Lynn’s resurrection. After all, I am also a singer of God, and such a miracle must be sung in a moving song that spreads to every inch of the land I have traversed.” Raoul shrugged.

"Phew~ Alright, now you should be able to read, right? I'll write down more details on paper in a few days and then give it to you so you can refer to it often."

"Oh, you can read? It would be even better if there were written records!"

Raoul beamed, his goodwill towards Luc much increased; a literate lord was rarer than a pig that could climb a tree.

"I'll be staying at the tavern in this village for a while, so feel free to come find me anytime."

Watching Raoul disappear, Luc decided to go back and carefully craft the specific details.

After waiting for two more days, when the foundation was almost finished, Luc asked David to protect the church's food and tools, leaving Ryan to supervise. He then took Miller and the other two who had recovered from their injuries, along with five carefully selected honest slaves and the dying prisoner, and pulled the church's empty mule cart into the deep mountains.

……

"Sir, weren't you going to the quarry? Why did you go all the way south to Baron Ponce?"

George looked at the map and asked, puzzled.

The group walked along a narrow mountain gully, with weeds growing on both sides. Upon hearing George's words, Luke pointed to a corner of the map.

"The quarry is located at the intersection of the Berg and Pons territories, and this is the shortest straight-line route we're taking! It really does exist!"

Luc was walking on the path that Hugo had mentioned.

If you want to buy limestone, especially as a contractor, you are very likely to meet with your old lord.

So Luc still doesn't plan to appear in person; instead, George will play the role, a guy who has a contractor's air about him.

As for the other man under Berry, Luc planned to present him as a bandit from Baron Berg's territory in order to use him in negotiations.

"This valley is so steep? How come there isn't a single person blocking the way? Could it be because it's too deserted? It seems very likely."

After all, the paths chosen as secret passages are usually very well hidden.

The next morning, as the mountain mist dissipated, Luke and his companions walked out of the valley, but before they reached the quarry, they suddenly stopped.

"Wait, what are they doing?" Luc gripped his riding crop, his eyes wide, staring intently at the Ale River plain outside the valley.

The Auvergne region is full of volcanoes. On the plains formed by volcanic deposits and alluvial deposits by the Alle River, two armies stand on the north and south sides respectively!

The troops were about a hundred meters apart; one group carried a black bear flag, while the other carried a sword and shield with blue and white stripes.

Luke clenched his fist to stop the group, telling George and the others to quickly hide in the nearby forest. He then exclaimed in surprise, "Berger and Pons?"

"Fighting again?"

……

Territorial wars between two barons of the same faction are all too common.

In Luc's view, the army of Baron Ponce with his blue and white coat of arms was much stronger than it had been three years ago. It not only had more than sixty peasant soldiers, but also six riders.

This was the largest army that Baron Ponce could bring.

After all, not all barons are as strong as Berry, who can arm-wrestle with an earl.

The two armies exchanged angry curses on the battlefield, and then the blue and white army, led by a very old-fashioned man wielding a sword, launched a charge.

It was obvious that apart from a few knights, the rest of Pons' army had little fighting ability and were far inferior to Berg, whose army was superior in both equipment and numbers. After the archers of both sides exchanged volleys, Berg, the burly fat man, personally led eight riders to flank and charge from behind. They quickly routed Pons' army. One of Pons' knights, who was clearly a knight's squire, was even impaled by an old farmer with a pitchfork and then stabbed to death by several peasant soldiers. His master was much luckier; after falling from his horse, he was dragged off and tied up, to be exchanged for ransom later.

With more and more peasant soldiers deserting, the defeat of Pons' army was inevitable.

Seeing that Pons was also retreating, Luke sighed. His original self was killed by Pons' knights, but to be honest, he hoped that the other party could regain the quarry.

"Still too weak. Huh?"

Berg did not let the defeated Pons army go, but instead relentlessly pursued them, trying to capture as many people as possible to exchange for ransom or to serve as miners. One of his well-equipped knights, along with his squire, gave chase. Just when Luc thought he was about to be caught, a knight in Pons's army wearing long-sleeved chainmail suddenly turned his horse around.

The knight tucked a lance tightly under his right arm, bent slightly, and crouched behind his kite shield, charging straight at the pursuers behind him.

This scene reminded Luc of Henry.

The sudden appearance of the knight startled the knights behind him as well, who hurriedly raised their shields to defend themselves. But even with their shields raised in time, the fierce lances still managed to knock the knights down!
Click!

"what--"

Screams mingled with the sound of shattering spears, and dust rose across the plain as horses struck with deadly accuracy. Without lingering, the knight turned and fled.

The entire set of movements was swift and clean.

The squire of the fallen rider tried to stop him, but unexpectedly, a chubby boy riding a short, blue mule and wearing tattered leather armor appeared out of nowhere. The chubby boy grabbed a chain mace, swung it twice, and swung it high into the air, smashing the sharp iron spikes into the squire's head, just grazing the edge of his round shield. With a thud, the squire fell from his horse and died instantly.

Seeing this, Berg quickly reined in his horse, gritting his teeth as he watched the master and servant, who had suddenly appeared from the side, cover Baron Pons as they disappeared into the distance.

A lord's war ended with Berg successfully defending the quarry, and after the battlefield was carefully cleaned up, the plains returned to silence.

Luke, who was hiding in the woods, stood up, stamped his legs which had gone numb from squatting for so long, and said:
"I've changed my mind. Let's go to Baron Ponce's Castle!"

(End of this chapter)