Medieval: Kingdom Come: Deliverance

After finishing two bowls of hot mushroom soup, the old hermit regained some energy and began to tell his story.

Just like the backstory Peter knew, the old hermit's real name was Martin, and Martin and his brother John both fell in love with Margaret, the village beauty.

Margaret was beautiful, witty, and had a wide circle of friends. Martin and John, on the other hand, were orphans at a young age and somewhat insecure.

But Margaret didn't look down on them, and the three quickly became inseparable friends. They ran wild together in the fields, climbed trees to raid bird nests, harvested flax and wheat together, and gazed at the stars together in the threshing ground...

Those were their happiest times, and the most unforgettable memories of their lives.

As they grew older, the two brothers unknowingly fell in love with Margaret. On Margaret's sixteenth birthday, Martin cut down a heart-leaf linden tree from the mountains and carved it into a palm-sized cross with the outline of Christ's Passion on it; his younger brother John collected hard acorns, ground them into small beads, and strung them into a necklace.

When they presented Margaret with her birthday gifts at the same time, the two brothers suddenly realized that they had become rivals for each other's affections. They then looked worriedly at Margaret, wondering whose gift she would accept.

Margaret combined the two brothers' gifts and made them into a cross necklace, which she wore around her neck with a happy smile.

"Young man, have you ever loved someone? That feeling of wanting to give everything for her, yet fearing her rejection; wanting her happiness, yet worrying that you're too poor to provide; being happy when she's happy, and heartbroken when she suffers even the slightest grievance. Wanting her to have many friends, yet also wanting her to belong solely to you... I think, perhaps this is the love that God bestowed upon Adam and Eve."

The old hermit still smiled as he recalled the sweet memories of those days.

In our time, people generally called this kind of person a "simp." Peter thought to himself, but didn't dare to say it aloud and ruin the old man's memories.

The old hermit continued his reminiscences, but his expression began to turn sorrowful.

"When my brother John and I realized we were in love with Margaret, our close relationship began to crack. We started vying for her attention, like male birds showing off during courtship, exaggerated and aggressive. Anger between us was building, and it finally exploded over a small matter. We fought in front of Margaret, trying to force her to choose between us."

"I bet she didn't choose any," Peter interjected.

The old hermit nodded bitterly and said, "You guessed right. Margaret said she didn't want us brothers to turn against each other because of her, so she chose someone else. And that person was none other than Shector, the richest man in the village. But Shector is old enough to be her father!"

"Is it possible that Margaret never liked you two poor brothers at all?"

"Impossible! Margaret told me privately that she loves me more than John, but she doesn't want us brothers to become enemies, so she has to refuse me!"

The old hermit was quite certain about this and wouldn't allow Peter to question it.

"Okay, okay, whatever makes you happy. And then what?"

Peter dutifully played the role of the straight man.

"Then, tragedy struck. John couldn't accept Margaret marrying Schechter, believing it was Schechter using his wealth to coerce her. So he came to me, apologized, and invited me to go with him to stop Schechter's evil deeds. But I hesitated. I felt I was just a poor boy, destined to be a laborer, unable to provide Margaret with a comfortable life, so I let it go. John angrily called me a coward and resolutely went alone. But the next day, I heard the news of John's suicide. When I found his body at the bottom of a cliff, he was so badly injured he was unrecognizable, but he was tightly clutching the cross necklace in his hand."

The old hermit said sorrowfully, "Margaret testified that she witnessed John's suicide by jumping off the cliff. The sheriff and the villagers believed her; after all, beautiful and kind Margaret wouldn't lie."

"Do you believe it?" Peter asked.

"John is braver than me, and I have absolute faith that he would never commit suicide! But..."

The old hermit shook his head in anguish and distress, saying, "I hate myself for falling out with John and saying so many hurtful things to him. I hate my cowardice back then. If I had gone with John that day, the outcome might have been very different."

"Those who commit suicide don't deserve to go to heaven. I think the church will definitely intervene, right?"

"You're right. The priest in the castle ordered the gravedigger to cut off my brother's head and bury it in some desolate wilderness, because sinners are not worthy to enter the graveyard of God. No matter how I argued that John wouldn't commit suicide, it was no use. I thought of Margaret, so I went to see her in the middle of the night to testify for John, but I was discovered by the guards, who thought I had broken in. They even claimed that a lot of valuables had been stolen and wanted to hang me. But with Margaret's help, I managed to escape. I fled to another place for more than thirty years, changed my name to Ambrose, joined the Knights of the Red Star Cross and became a monk, and only now, in my old age, have I dared to come back."

The old hermit's story impressed Peter; he had really outmaneuvered the poor boy perfectly, with each step meticulously planned.

"You've been back for several months now. Have you seen Margaret yet?"

"I've met her. Shector died long ago, and Margaret is now a widow, but her son is an adult and has inherited the family business. They're doing quite well now."

"What are her thoughts on what happened back then? Does she still insist that John committed suicide?"

"She just cried, unwilling to recall that painful past. It wasn't her fault."

The old hermit still defended his old lover.

"This is a wonderful story."

Peter returned the cross to the old hermit, saying, "A necklace connects three people. Margaret lived a life of wealth, you had a wonderful and legendary life, only this trapped soul awaits redemption."

"Is John's soul truly trapped in this necklace?"

The old hermit suddenly became agitated again; this was perhaps the greatest regret of his life. His greatest obsession was to save his brother's soul from the abyss of suicide. Previously, he had been powerless due to illness and hunger, but now he saw a glimmer of hope in Peter.

"Yes."

Peter gave an affirmative answer.

"Can you really see souls?"

The old hermit asked with mixed feelings.

"Can."

Peter continued to give affirmative answers.

"But you clearly said no before."

The old hermit was somewhat puzzled.

"When you don't believe me, I can't see anything. When you open your heart to me, I can see everything through God's blessing."

Peter made a firm promise.

"What...what did you see?"

The old hermit asked nervously.

"I saw what happened on the night he fell off the cliff. He fought with Schechter for Margaret, lost the battle, and accidentally fell off the cliff. It wasn't suicide. He fought for love until the very last moment."

Peter pretended to observe for a while and then described what he "saw".

"I knew it, I knew it! Brave John is definitely not a coward who would commit suicide!"

The old hermit's lips trembled as he roared excitedly.

"I also saw the burial site of John, and an old woman who goes there every year to pay her respects and pray."

Peter continued his description. The old hermit became even more excited. He had searched for so long without finding his brother's burial place, but Peter had "seen" it. Could this truly be God's reward for his thirty years of devout service to the church?

"I also saw him smiling at you, saying thank you for everything you've done for him. Over the years, he's been attached to the cross necklace, following you through thick and thin, experiencing both triumph and glory. He's seen your hardships, your tears, your devotion, and your confusion. He said you should let go of your obsessions and live a more relaxed life. He's tired too, and wants to return to the Lord's paradise."

"John, my dear brother..."

The old hermit was sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face. Thirty years had passed, and now a crack had opened in his heart, allowing the bitterness in his heart to gush out.

After weeping, the old hermit took Peter's hand and said, "I am old and nearing my end. I beg you to do this old man one last favor: find John's body, bury this cross necklace with him, and vindicate him so that he may ascend to heaven. In return, I can offer you my inheritance."

The old hermit no longer cared whether Peter's words were true or false. Even if it was just a well-intentioned lie, with only a sliver of hope, he was willing to make every effort for his brother's redemption. He pulled a parchment wrapped in linen from deep within his clothes.

It was hidden quite well.

Upon opening the parchment, one finds a royal decree.

"os hic sumus, omnibus bonis in Christo fratribus..."

Written in Latin, which translates to

"In 1382, our Lord, we proclaim before God and to all that Brother Ambrose of Prague has fulfilled his oath and duties as a knight. He has demonstrated exceptional skill and wisdom befitting his age in his work, and has thus earned widespread acclaim. We hereby entrust all the duties and honors of the Order's Superintendent to Brother Ambrose, and swear allegiance to him before God. Brother Ambrose is hereby relieved of his obligations to hospital service and is responsible for appointing upright court inspectors and suitable leaders of castles, hospitals, and other facilities of the Order."

Peter's ability to understand the text without a teacher made the old hermit look at him with new respect.

"This is the document that conferred upon me knighthood, and it's also proof of my status as a nobleman. But as a monk, I have no children and no heir. So I just kept it as a scrap of paper as a memento. But now it's different. If you help me fulfill my wish, I can write a will, designating you as my heir, so you can become a true knight."

The old hermit was very sincere, even emphasizing the word "truly".

Peter laughed and said, "I am Peter of the Griffin family, and I am also a knight. I do not need to inherit your name."

"Come on, Peter. Your title of wandering knight can only fool some ignorant peasants; a true nobleman can spot it as a forgery at a glance. You don't even understand the meaning of the symbol 'griffin' in Bohemia, and you're completely ignorant of the use of the griffin motif in heraldry. Rather than being a fake knight, you should inherit my title and become a true nobleman."

Although the old cultivator was nearing his end, his insight remained sharp. And the price he paid for inheriting the other's name was merely to collect his brother's remains and move them to the cemetery—wasn't that a huge profit?

"But I refuse."

After Peter finished speaking, he rolled up the linen on the bed and wrapped the old monk in it so that he could carry him on his back.

"What are you going to do?"

The old monk simply couldn't understand Peter's thought process.

"I'll take you to find medicine to treat your illness. You have to make up for your regrets yourself, and it's not time for you to give up yet."

Peter carried the old hermit out of the cabin.

With my cheat-like abilities, my life is defined only by myself. For ordinary people, being a knight is a stepping stone to nobility; for me, it's just a title. So what if you see through it?