Medieval: Kingdom Come: Deliverance

While Henry and his party were being attacked with "excrement and urine".

Six magnificent horses galloped out of Griffin Valley, their hooves thundering in unison across the damp dirt road, startling the sparrows pecking at grains on the field ridges. A scarlet banner fluttered in the wind, its center adorned with a red griffin, its wings outstretched, head held high towards the sky.

Chaos arises when there is a power vacuum. Peter would not allow his designated territory to become a lawless and chaotic place, which is why he continuously sent his combat teams out to attack.

He will also conduct a second armed parade to declare his authority throughout the territory and deter troublemakers.

There were only six people on this tour: Peter, Martin, Carter the tomcat, Conrad the lone wolf, Tom the blue cat, and Jerry the gray mouse.

They rode swift horses, carried sharp swords, and had bows on their backs. With their combined strength, the six of them could practically roam the entire territory, fearless of any challenge.

They rode their way through the charcoal-burning camp in Draviko, past the caravanserai where merchants gathered, and past Zheleyov, who was bowing in greeting, as they headed towards the village of Takhov.

At each stop, Peter and his companions would ride around the village, leaving behind some medicine and asking the villagers what they needed. They would then continue their journey amidst the villagers' gratitude.

"That flag is really flashy. Those bandits would run away with their tails between their legs if they saw it."

Carter the tomcat, carrying the griffin banner, ran at the front, looking very majestic. But he was actually the one most afraid of riding horses.

Carter dared to let a carriage run over his belly, dared to fish in a frozen lake, and dared to climb a hundred-meter cliff and jump into the lake, but he dared not ride a horse, saying that the thing was too bumpy and unsafe?!

Peter later learned the reason: it wasn't that the horses were unsafe, but that they were too expensive and too labor-intensive to care for. The tomcat, a swordsmanship instructor living in Kutenberg, was a middle-class citizen. Most of his income went to buying wine, bathing, and forging fine swords; he had no money left to buy horses. To hide his dire financial situation, he always claimed he was afraid to ride.

But ever since he submitted to Peter, Peter immediately gave him a fine horse and helped him improve his riding skills. Look how happily this old cat rides his horse!

"I actually hope those bandits don't escape, so we don't have to search for them one by one!"

Conrad, draped in a dark brown cloak with a steel sword at his waist, exuded a menacing aura.

Old Brother Martin chuckled: "If the Church heard you say that, they'd say you're too bloodthirsty."

"Haha, I remember once I was punished by the Knights' accompanying priest to kneel and pray before God for ten hours. It was only because you pleaded for me that I was allowed to rest." Conrad smiled, his eyes gradually turning cold as he recalled the past. "But I don't regret it. I will never forgive those who used the Knights' name to wield their swords against civilians. I did not hesitate for a moment when I killed them."

"Why?" the tomcat asked, turning around.

"Because the motto of the Knights of the Red Star Cross is: Truth on our shoulders, justice in our hearts. Unfortunately, they have long since become corrupt, merely paying lip service to truth and justice."

Conrad shook his head helplessly.

"Understood!"

The male cat looked completely agreeing. "It's like how I always claim to be a pure swordsman. But when I got caught stealing a rich lady's underwear, I said it was a misunderstanding, that the wind blew her underwear, which she had left outside to dry, into my hands..."

Is this the same thing?

"Um... no wonder your nickname is Tomcat..."

Conrad looked at the tomcat's grinning face and realized that the cat was trying to cheer him up with humor, so he smiled back and made a teasing remark.

"Ah ha, my nickname as a tomcat was given to me by those beautiful ladies. That means I have some special talents that are stronger and harder than a sword."

The tomcat winked at Tom and said, "If you don't believe me, ask Team Leader Tom why he's only called Blue Cat, while I can be called Tomcat?"

"what?"

Tom and Jerry were deep in thought when they were suddenly asked the question. They paused for a moment, then replied perfunctorily, "Master Tomcat is right."

"See? I told you so."

The male cat became smug again.

"We're almost in the village, I want everyone to see this big flag first."

Peter called out to the tomcat, then slowed down his horse and went up to the somewhat distracted Tom and Jerry, saying, "Cheer up, you don't want your hometown friends to see you like this."

"Yes, sir, we're just... having mixed feelings."

Tom, who had become the leader of the agricultural group, no longer participated in military missions. Jerry, the leader of the intelligence group, also gradually faded from public view. The reason the two were chosen to accompany him this time was largely because Peter was going to wipe out the Casper gang in the forest north of Takhoff village.

Tom and Jerry's father was a renowned hunter in Takhov village, an honest man with exceptional archery skills. Casper was originally his hunting apprentice, learning tracking, traps, and archery alongside Tom and Jerry...

Two years ago, the unscrupulous Casper conspired with the castle steward Ulrich to frame Tom and Jerry for poaching deer from the lord's hunting grounds, leading to their arrest and the death of the old hunter. Casper's plot was later exposed by the village sheriff, who then fled into the northern forests and became a notorious bandit.

Tom and Jerry, however, were forced to flee with the criminal label of poachers, unable to seek revenge, until they met Peter, which changed their fate.

Peter said in a deep voice, "I promised you that one day you would regain your honor. And Kasper and Ulrich would pay for their crimes. Today, I have brought you here to settle this score with your own hands."

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Peter."

Tom and Jerry said sincerely.

Soon, the six men and six riders entered the village of Takhof, and the villagers peeked out from their houses. They recognized the flag. The Red Griffin's reputation for righteousness had long been known throughout the countryside.

"It's them! The red griffins are here!"

"Look, that bird on the flag, it's really flying!"

"They don't take money from the poor, they only punish the wicked!"

The children chased after the horse caravan, and the old man greeted them with his cane. An old woman, trembling, presented Peter with a jar of mead, insisting on giving it to him.

"It's Tom and Jerry. They're back too, and they've reportedly become favorites of Lord Red Griffin."

"That's great, they don't have to hide anymore."

Tom and Jerry listened to the villagers' words, tears welling up in their eyes. They had returned openly and proudly.

"And that knight, I recognize him. He helped us repel several Caspar bandit sieges in the village."

Conrad nodded in response to the comments about him.

"And that flag bearer, I recognize him too. His name is Andrei, a very brave soldier. How come he shaved his beard and lost weight?"

The tomcat's large paw holding the flag trembled. "I'm not Redbeard, I'm Master Tomcat! Look carefully, hey!"

.......

The blacksmith, Latovan, had been waiting for a long time. He was wearing a leather apron for blacksmithing, his face covered in coal dust, and he looked worried.

"Lord Peter!" He stepped forward quickly, somewhat dejected, and said, "I'm sorry I've broken my promise again. I had promised to forge two Toledo steel swords for you and Brother Martin."

"That's right." Peter nodded; he would have almost forgotten if the blacksmith hadn't brought it up.

"Based on Brother Martin's broken sword, I had already thoroughly studied the forging method of this Toledo steel, and even completed two swords last night. I was originally thinking of sending them to you when I had the chance."

"Thank you, Latovan, my friend. You didn't have to come all this way; I'm here now."

"This is what really frustrates me. You won't believe what happened, but my apprentice, Wenza, stole two swords and ran away in the middle of the night! Good heavens, he's been learning forging from me for five years, and he's a thief!"

Latovan clutched his head in frustration. The people around him shook their heads and sighed. The tomcat and Conrad were itching to catch the thief and retrieve Peter and Lord Martin's swords.

Peter also recalled that he seemed to have seen two of Latovan's apprentices before: a cunning apprentice named Vinza whose eyes were always darting around, and an honest apprentice named Frankie who only knew how to keep his head down and forge iron.

It's not surprising that the cunning Venza stole the sword. In the original story, this blacksmith's apprentice stole an entire cartload of ironware that the blacksmith had made for old Semi's family and went to live with Gules in the Apollonian Mountains.

"Thank you for keeping your promise to forge the swords for me. I will retrieve them myself; I have more important things to do now."

Knowing where the apprentice had gone, Peter wasn't in a hurry. He secretly took out a bottle of blood-red potion and gave it to the blacksmith. Latovan immediately realized that this was the stag's blood that he had asked Peter to make, and he quickly hid it under his robe.

Peter then brought up another matter: "I'm going to the northern forest to wipe out the Casper gang. Is there anyone in the village who knows the terrain and can be our guide?"

"What? Sir, you're going to wipe out that damned gang of bandits?"

"Great, please let me show you the way."

"These bastards have been ravaging our village, and everyone hates them to the core."

The crowd was immediately stirred with excitement, and many volunteered. Old Bud, the village sheriff, had no choice but to step in and organize the men, saying, "Sir Peter, we can lead the way for you, and please take us with you to wipe out that damned bandit!"