Temple Sword

Chapter 21 After the Crown
1301, No.9 day of St. Michael's month (September)

Slavonia, Dubica, the estate of William Barto
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"In the end, there was no siege and Buda was taken without bloodshed, but by then Kamokhov was empty."

"Are you sure?" William asked, pacing around the table with a half-empty wine glass in his hand.

"Of course," Umberto, who was sitting at the table, nodded, "When we left the city, I noticed a sedan chair, accompanied by a rider, heading east. The family is in there, I swear it."

"So the Przemysl son became king after all." William stared at the clearing. "Charles Robert became Karoly, Wenceslas became Wenzel. Italian And the Czechs are chasing each other in our kingdom like yard children. Ah, what am I talking about? They are all still hairy kids! Alien children left unattended, meanwhile the Hungarians who inherited the throne disappeared again Where is it?"

"The last one is resting in the Franciscan Monastery." Umberto looked at the bottom of his wine glass, "forgive me, my lord, but if I remember correctly, you were not very happy with him while he was alive .”

William grunted complainingly, pulled out an oak chair, and finally sat down.

"I'm not satisfied," he nodded slowly, "but at least he is working hard to govern his kingdom."

"Anjou may become a good king, you can wait and see."

A smile finally appeared on the knight's face, his wrinkles re-stretched by the gesture, and Umberto realized that his master had aged a lot over the years.He's still in shape, has the same voice, the same power in every move, it's just that his face has aged completely, and his once-flawless jet-black hair and beard are now all gray here and there.

"Forgive me, my friend!" He patted Umberto on the shoulder. "I completely forgot that you and the King of Anjou are fellow citizens."

"You have nothing to forgive, my lord."

"Where's Antal?" William leaned forward, "How did he survive?"

"You should have witnessed that scene, my lord," said Umberto excitedly. "When he faced the three highwaymen alone, I thought we were finished. I have to admit that I lost I am willing to pay no matter how much money I have, as long as they can let us go... However, Antal did not give in, he fought fearlessly, like a real knight!"

"He killed them?"

"He left them with all kinds of bad wounds but didn't kill them. He left them there and only God knows what happened to those people."

"What was the process like?" William asked with his mouth open, "Tell me everything, I want to know everything!"

Umberto filled his glass, took a sip, and related exactly what he had seen: how Antal, using a thick branch as a lance, jabbed the first man off his horse with a lunge, when he Dodging to the right, when to cut to the left, how to get hurt, and finally saying something beautiful to leave the opponent to God.

Umberto knew that William wanted to look stern in front of the boy, and with anger, so he couldn't ask Antal these things, and in the end, his face would still show pride, as he had heard The same when it came to the story the singer told.

"He's already a formidable fighter," William patted the table happily after Umberto finished his story, "just too careless and reckless, he must be more careful! But his wounds have healed, which is really a Miracle, Umberto, Holy Miracle of Jesus!" he exclaimed excitedly. "He may be a better knight than Master Hugo de Paying!"

Umberto's mind echoed Antal's words: what he had said to the innkeeper's daughter, his firm eyes on a rainy morning, how much he saw the boy in front of him wanted to turn back for her, and he was willing to do it for her accept any punishment.

"You can beat me until my head is bleeding, you can pick up a hundred sticks and whip me, it doesn't matter if you beat me until I'm bloody..."

He bit his lip, determined not to say a word about her.Everything would be better if William didn't know the girl existed.

"I wonder who they could be," William murmured. "I'm afraid they are not simple robbers. You said they demanded taxes in the name of the lord..."

"There are rumors that they may be people loyal to the Corsergi family."

"Rumors?" William stroked his mustache thoughtfully, "The Corsergi family? Who told the rumors?"

"A lot of people, too many. This rumor is widely spread in the village."

"The Corsergi are one of the richest noble families," William said, shaking his head. "They already have enough wealth, with dozens of castles and their own army. What could it matter?"

"I don't know," shrugged Umberto, "the number of these bandits is increasing anyway. We were lucky to only come across three, and people say that the raiding squads usually have more, at least Ten, sometimes as many as fifteen or twenty. They raided the marketplace, stole sheep and cattle, and in one village I heard they desecrated the altar of a church."

"This is the Corsage's house," William muttered. "Even if they really are playing tricks, what are they trying to achieve?"

"Anyway, under the current circumstances, no one will pay attention to these small disturbances."

"As you and I both know," William raised his index finger, "the Corsage family has never been a good deal, they never know what honor and decency are, who knows what they are going to do this time?" what..."

The Corsergis, of German descent, were already famous during the reign of Laszlo IV for their talent for rebellion: sometimes they reconciled with the royal family, sometimes wished the young king hell—they did five rebellions alone. Second-rate.

They chose Andre of the Arpads as king, supporting him against the house of Anjou.When Albrecht Habsburg II was defeated in Austria by Andre III and forced to renounce his propaganda for the Hungarian throne, the Korseggis rebelled again in support of Carlo Matt of Anjou Lo's claims also imprisoned the king for four months until his supporters took their own relatives as hostages to replace André.

They are the real leeches on the body of the kingdom, with only money, land and power in their eyes.

"I beg you not to spread this rumor for the time being," said William, "it is enough for us to know."

"Of course, my lord."

"I fought the Corsergi's brutes," he said, looking fiercely at Umberto, "and I sent many of their soldiers to another world, and I still have strength, Umberto! Not as much as before enough, but enough. I mean, if they nearly killed Antar, then..."

"Don't say anything you'll regret, my lord!" said Umberto hastily, "and especially don't swear!"

"You're right," William sighed, "impulsive, impulsive again! I've never been able to control my anger, and maybe I won't learn it in my life."

"People say a good priest learns to die."

"That's a pity, I'm not a priest."

(End of this chapter)