I built a manor in the Middle Ages

Chapter 229 Baron or Knight?

"I wonder how Knight's Castle is doing."

Next to St. Vincent's Church, in a simple house, Duss touched her not-so-protruding belly and sighed deeply.

According to an experienced midwife in Makonshire, most first-time pregnancies don't show much.

“The Earl of Macon has sent people to keep a close eye on things, and any news will come immediately, so you don’t need to worry too much, Madam.”

Lisa helped Duss straighten her skirt, then helped her to the bedside and comforted her, "Besides, George has also rushed back to Knightsburg. You know his tracking skills. If the master really loses the battle, with him there, he can definitely help the master escape."

“War is never that simple,” Duss frowned, her delicate eyebrows furrowing. “Arrows and spears are like flies that have no eyes.”

His father was brave enough, but he was still wounded by an arrow in the war and eventually died from the attack of the arrow wound.

Seeing Lisa remain silent, and knowing that the maid couldn't answer either, Duss pointed to a piece of honey and said, "Have the Thorne Brotherhood come to deliver something again?"

Since arriving in Marconshire, Duss has found that the local fraternity treats her very well, not only finding her a house but also sending her free food every now and then.

Knowing that the Brotherhood was controlled by the church, Duss understood that these things were actually sent by Hugo through intermediaries.

"You mean this honey?" Lisa smiled as she picked up the yellowish-red honey block. "This wasn't sent by the Brotherhood, but by the squire of the recent tournament champion in Makon County!"

"The champion of the martial arts tournament?" Du Si asked in confusion. Why would he give her honey?
"Yes, I heard his name is Byrne?"

“Byrne.” Duss was thinking when she suddenly saw Julie rush into the room.

"Madam, Madam! Master has won!"

……

"Finally, we've won! Look at the mess these damned beasts have made of our valley! Damn it, there's even a pile of shit here!"

Outside Knightsburg, he personally guarded key points in the valley, while Luke led his people to begin cleaning up the battlefield.

Ryan wrinkled his nose in disgust and directed people to clean up the excrement and garbage scattered all over the ground. Then he looked at the nearby woods with some heartache—a lot of which Berry had cut down.

"There's nothing left to clean up. We've already stripped all the equipment we needed to. Let's just tidy up a bit and then hurry up and collect the sap from the white maple trees. We can't miss this opportunity again!"

The clothes of the soldiers who died in Berry's army were stripped off by Luke, and their bodies were returned to them. Even though it was winter, they wanted to avoid an outbreak of disease as much as possible.

Torn linen Brück is no longer a rare find.

Only the leather armor of two private soldiers could be considered a treasure.

Of course, there's also the full set of Clovis Knight's equipment.

That was a decent set of chainmail, helmet, and knight's sword.

"Is Clovie keeping up with his behavior in the warehouse?"

"Of course, he was also a smart man, but he kept insisting that the food be more palatable, saying that this was the treatment a nobleman should receive."

Clovis was rescued by his loyal squire and was mostly unharmed.

Luc thought for a moment and agreed, "Give him his wish."

After all, this guy can be exchanged for ransom.

Killing noble prisoners rashly is something most lords nowadays dislike. No one believes they can win every battle, and everyone hopes to gain the right to live in some unfortunate defeat.

The battlefield was quickly cleaned up and left for continued monitoring. In the evening, Luke led all the people to the open space next to the church, where a wooden cross tombstone was erected.

The tombstone lay forlornly on the thin snow, and a pine coffin lay in the deep grave.

As Peter prayed aloud, Luc led the drawing of the Holy Cross.

Behind them, a dense crowd of heads, some grieving, some sympathetic, some indifferent, chanted in unison, "Amen!"

……

The simple funeral ended with Luc announcing a tax exemption. Upon returning to the Deer Hall, which was still under martial law, Luc quickly opened Hugo's letter and began to read it carefully.

George, who had rushed back weary from his journey, sat below with all the core members of Knightsburg, anxiously waiting for Luc to speak. They all knew that the letter contained information about the future of the entire valley.

After a long while, Luke finally slowly raised his head.

"The letter said that Kahn wanted to promote me to baron and grant me the entire valley as a fief."

"A baron?!" Before Luc could finish speaking, Ryan, sitting to his left, jumped up from his seat, his turquoise eyes wide with surprise, and exclaimed, "Master, what did you just say? You're going to become a baron!"

"My God, did I hear that right?"

"No, you heard me right, Count Macon is going to personally confer upon me the title of Baron!"

Upon hearing Luc's affirmative answer, old Eck's hand, which was stroking his beard, suddenly stopped. Gil's one eye widened like an egg, and Miller's face turned red. The next moment, the crowd immediately erupted in commotion.

“Incredible. Oh no, I mean, sir, you have finally become a baron, which is even more prestigious than your family was in the Duchy of Upper Lorraine.”

"It's certain that you'll become a baron, sir. How could an apostle of God not become a baron? Didn't you hear George say that the story of the Holy Knight is becoming popular in the taverns of Maconshire?"

"No, no, no, I think the most important thing is that I finally don't have to put up with that damn Berry's whims anymore!"

“That’s right. With Count Macon’s protection, that old fellow Berry will have no reason to invade Knights’ Castle again!”

Listening to the excited conversation in the Deer Hall, the silent man tried to calm the turmoil in his chest, and his gaze toward Luc revealed a deep shock.

Lord Luc, who once had to marry into the Burgundy family to obtain a knighthood, is now about to become a baron?
Knight Baldwin spent his entire life without ever having this opportunity.
The class stratification in the Middle Ages was extremely severe. Countless people tried their best but could not even touch a hair on the noble class. The vast majority of people were born serfs and remained serfs for life.

"Don't be too happy yet. This is just a proposal. Granting a baronship is not the same as granting a knightship. It needs to be reported to the Dijon court. However, Hugo and Count Kahn have already submitted the documents."

Luc was equally overjoyed, but his remaining rationality made him quickly pour cold water on everyone's enthusiasm to prevent them from getting carried away.

"George, you and Jean will return to Marcon County together. Keep a close eye on news from Dijon, and also protect Duce. She's more advanced in her pregnancy and can't travel back and forth anymore, so she should stay at the church. I'll visit her in a while."

“Yes, sir!” Jean and George stood up and bowed slightly.

“Berry won’t make a comeback anytime soon, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Miller, you’re back in the watchtower to keep watch, so don’t let any clue slip by.”

"Old Ek, based on the performance during the defense phase, draft a reasonable list of rewards and punishments and give it to me."

"Ryan, take your men and settle the people in peace. We'll resume production tomorrow!"

One order after another was given, and after everyone had left, Luke called Jason back into the Deer Hall.

He wanted to build a real red brick iron furnace!
If he truly became a baron and possessed the entire valley, he would no longer need to hide it, or rather, he could disguise the iron ore's appearance and openly connect it to Knightsburg.

After all, it was his fief, and he could do whatever he wanted with it.

Luke pondered the study of iron for a long time, and after Jason verified his findings, a bold idea sprouted in his mind:

Since the strange iron block can be burned twice without carburizing, could we directly refine the iron ore using even stronger high temperatures?
Perhaps the carburizing step can be omitted.

"Refining it first, then cooling and hammering it? That's too troublesome."

Luke touched the wooden handle and muttered, "...cast iron, smelting iron, casting iron, smelting iron, casting iron."

Luke's eyes suddenly lit up: "I think I understand."

After being shut down for more than half a month, the entire Knights Castle has finally regained its vitality.

As the thin snow gradually melts, green grass sprouts in the mountains, and dirt roads are traversed by pedestrians. Under the blue sky and white clouds, this peaceful land seems as if war has never occurred.

Luke fired a kiln full of red bricks, which were then transported to Black Ridge Valley by cartload of blue mules. Once all the red bricks had been moved, ochre smoke suddenly rose from the watchtower.

"Sir, please don't fire the arrows, it's us!"

Two figures ran out from the southeast alley as Luc and the others stood ready. Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be Berry and Andrew, who had been captured by Berry.

"Berry released you?" Luke asked, gripping his cross sword, looking at the two citizens with bruises on their faces.

Yes. And he also asked us to bring you a letter.

"Wait a moment!"

He walked slowly by and reached out to stop the letter.

He held the letter between two twigs, examined it closely, and then handed it to Luc, saying, "There's no poison."

Both of them turned deathly pale in an instant.

Ignoring the two of them, Luke opened the letter and skimmed through it. After a while, he said to his trusted confidant:
“Berry will grant me the valley, the Tref Bridge, and half of Tiha, on the condition that I remain his vassal!”

(End of this chapter)