On the Seven Towers

Torches were lit around the small school grounds of the castle, reflecting the castle in red and blue at night. The red firelight and blue skylight, coupled with the rough texture of the rocks, add a chilling air to the world.

Li Jia, Shi Hao and Du Mei stood on a half-height wooden platform in front of the school field. Next to them were Viscount Ruiz Bedingyani, the old knight Alfonso and the mysterious female knight Arias wearing a mask. Jazz.

Li Jia's heart was beating hotly, not only because today was the day of the expedition, but also because just this afternoon, he learned the first magic, Wind Blade Technique, from Sir Arias.

Perceiving the power of the elements during meditation is extremely monotonous and boring. However, patience has always been Li Jia's strength. He followed Sir Arias's guidance, calmed his consciousness, and slowly released the power hidden in his heart, and finally combined them with the wind.

This is an indescribable and strange feeling, as if one's thoughts have been integrated into the world around him, and he has controlled part of the world in his hands. Although it still takes half a minute to prepare for him to condense a wind blade that can cut pencils, it is enough to excite any boy who has had fantasy dreams. Although he hasn't concentrated yet, he can be regarded as a magic apprentice if he can release magic.

Li Jia didn't even pay much attention to what Viscount Ruiz was saying. He was meditating when he closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he looked at the female knight eagerly and timidly. He couldn't explain how he felt about the female knight... If Selinda was a lily in a dream, then the female knight was a rose in front of her.

Roses have thorns, which deter people. But at least the thought of gaining more magical knowledge from her was always lingering in his mind. Occasionally, he would come up with the idea: Can he lift off her mask with a wind blade?

Li Jia felt that he had been hit, and then he came back to his senses. Everyone around was looking at him, Shi Hao looked puzzled, and Du Mei said strangely: "Li Jia, the Viscount just talked to you."

"Ah? I'm sorry... Lord Ruiz, I was worried about the horse thief's movements, and I was a little distracted." Li Jia said awkwardly.

"It's okay, Mr. Messenger, I just want to tell you that most of my soldiers have arrived and they can be summoned now." Viscount Ruiz said calmly.

Li Jia's face was a little red. He couldn't help but glance at the female knight. She was also looking at him like everyone else, but her expression was completely obscured by the damn mask, so Li Jia couldn't guess what she was thinking. Li Jia worried about whether he had shown his ugliness in front of her, which made his face even hotter.

Knight Alfonso rang a bell on the wooden platform, and soon the door of a podium in the castle burst open. Noisy sounds came from inside, and the originally quiet school grounds at night suddenly turned into a bustling square. One after another, figures came out of the door. They were all vassals and warriors of the Jazz, wearing different clothes and helmets and holding various weapons. Some wore plate armor and were surrounded by people; some wore leather armor and were in groups; some were dressed in cloth and looked a little shabby.

Shi Hao watched these people swaggering to the front of the stage, and his eyebrows twisted involuntarily: "Li Jia, look what they have given us. This is not an army, it is just a bunch of rabble. You Look at the man with the pitchfork."

Li Jia also noticed that there were clearly a few guys wearing simple clothes, holding farm tools in their hands. They were thin and had dull eyesight. They could not be called soldiers at all. He whispered: "They are probably farmers nearby." Right? I heard that feudal lords always use peasants as cannon fodder in wars, and Viscount Ruiz is probably looking for such people just to increase the number of people."

More than forty people came out one after another and stood in front of the stage. Viscount Ruiz nodded to them and said: "Dear warriors of the Phoenix Territory, everyone knows that the greedy horse thieves have recently invaded the Montenegro area. Several villages have suffered disaster on the land of Nicaea, including the territory of some of you. This group of horse thieves is powerful and will not retreat on its own after receiving the benefits of robbery. Therefore, I called everyone here. , just to chase them away.”

The people below showed no signs of excitement, and it seemed that everyone knew the purpose of the gathering. On the other hand, the commoner farmer who Li Jia was paying attention to came forward with a pitchfork in his hand and said with a hand on his chest: "My lord, Fernando Adelaida salutes you. The direction your sword points is the direction I am heading in."

This man's age is engraved on his face, his skin is dark and his temples are gray. At first glance, he looks like someone who has been working hard all year round. But although he looked embarrassed, he spoke clearly and forcefully, not at all like the ordinary farmers Li Jia had seen before. When other people present saw such a farmer standing up to speak for everyone, except for a few chuckles with unknown meaning, no one paid any attention.

"Baron Fernando, I am very relieved by your loyalty." Viscount Ruiz responded.

baron? Li Jia was surprised. How could this man look like a baron in his shabby appearance? Sir Arias seemed to see Li Jia's confusion, and she explained gently beside Li Jia: "No need to be surprised, Baron Fernando is a genuine hereditary noble, and his territory was originally one of the best among the viscount's vassals. But in the last war against the empire, all his territory was occupied and all his family members were killed. He was the only one to break out of the siege, and then escaped from the territory in disguise. It can be said that except for the title of noble, he has nothing at present. there is none left."

"Won't the viscount and other nobles help him?" Li Jia asked.

"Baron Fernando is a very stubborn person. He spent the money donated by others and the savings he finally brought out on hiring people to assassinate imperial officials on the border. I heard that he sold all his ancestral armor and swords and spent them all. After receiving the money, he could only ask the viscount to rent a piece of land and start farming by himself. Most of the farmers you see are landless knights under the baron. "

This man is also a persistent guy, but there seems to be something wrong with his way of doing things, Li Jia thought to himself. Viscount Ruiz said some encouraging words to Baron Fernando, and finally gave instructions: "Alfonso, take Baron Fernando and his knights to my arsenal. Each of them can choose a good weapon and a set of full-body armor. Our warriors cannot fight like poor peasants."

"Sir, you are so generous!" Fernando said this, but there was some hesitation between him and the several dilapidated knights beside him. However, after hesitating for a while, he finally seemed to make up his mind and bowed to thank the Viscount.

"Go. You are all warriors who appeared in the battle against the empire. My weapons and armor should have a good home, and they shouldn't be covered in dust like this." Viscount Ruiz waved his hands with satisfaction, and Alfonso left the group. He led the way towards the castle.

"What tricks is this Viscount playing?" Shi Hao asked with some confusion, "Isn't it natural to issue weapons to your own soldiers?"

Li Jia didn't quite understand, so he asked Sir Arias the same question.

"Do you know the value of a full set of armor and a good weapon?" Sir Arias asked Li Jia.

Li Jia shook his head. He knew that as a person from an industrialized society, it was difficult for him to understand the value of these things in the handicraft era.

"If Baron Fernando continues to farm, he will not be able to afford the weapons and armor that the Viscount wants to give him until he grows old... If the harvest is always good, he may be able to save a helmet for his son when he is old." Regardless of Li Jia and others. With a look of astonishment, the knight continued, "Although Baron Fernando is a vassal of the Viscount, he still has a lot of freedom. He has a certain obligation to serve the Viscount every year, but it is limited to this. But now he has accepted such a gift. , that would be selling your life to the Viscount.”

Only then did Li Jia understand why the other people had both envy and sympathy in their expressions when they saw the Baron, but even though they were all holding dilapidated weapons, no one jumped out and asked the Viscount to give them the same equipment.

When Li Jia and others were still lamenting about the expensive armor, the young man below the high platform wearing the most gorgeous armor and surrounded by seven or eight attendants spoke: "Sir, I heard that this time the "King of Horse Thieves" Caddis , 'Blue Wolf' Mais, 'Steel Claw' Kerry and other well-known leaders are here. There are more than a thousand horse thieves gathered. It's hard to fight with us alone. You only summoned these people. But I need to explain clearly what my plan is.”

The person who spoke spoke plainly, but looked at the Viscount with a somewhat aggressive expression.

"This is Sir Tor Botero, the eldest son of Baron Emilio Botero, who has been knighted. The Botero family has marriages with some of the great nobles in the kingdom, so they have never been obedient. This time Sir Thor will come, I am afraid he has other ideas," Sir Arias said to Li Jia.

Sir Ruiz did not react to Sir Thor's little provocation, and just replied calmly: "Everyone must also know that the horse thieves are going for a group of foreign magicians, and we are not the main decisive force. Everyone What we need to do is to help the magicians defeat the horse thieves and drive them out of our territory, rather than fight to the death with the horse thieves."

He pointed at Li Jiaqi and said: "There are messengers from the magicians here. They will follow you. Moreover, my lord, Count Carlos, has also sent a female knight from the family to help us. She will lead your team. Fight the horse thieves."

"A woman leads us? Are you kidding me?" Thor asked loudly.

"Watch your language." Viscount Ruiz said dissatisfied, "Thor, since you responded to my call, you should follow my arrangements. This is the duty of a knight."

Thor complained without any scruples: "Sir, warriors can only be led by stronger warriors. Women are women, so what if they wear masks? Can they still scare the enemy to death? Women should go home to nurse their children. "

Thanks to book friend Shi Yistone for the reward.