Armored Cavalry, survive in a world full of mods

“Of course, just like anyone on this land who wants to stand out from the crowd…” Claudia chuckled softly, picked up her wine glass, and drank the blood-red wine. She licked her lips, now noticeably redder, and picked up a thin slice of meat from her plate. “How can one appear noble and special without obtaining things that ordinary people clearly cannot access? No matter where you are in the world, there’s almost no difference in that respect.”

The giant snake, already roasted until tender, was being rapidly butchered. The chefs, skilled enough to serve the emperor, deftly removed every strand of meat from between the bones with their exquisite techniques, arranging it on delicate plates and serving it to the distinguished guests around them.

Although this strange meat initially made several people wary, its wonderful taste quickly won over everyone's taste buds, especially the soldiers present, who ate it with great relish. Before long, the originally plump snake meat had been reduced to a skeleton.

It seemed that today's main course had been completely consumed, but as Clautina clapped her hands lightly, a huge iron cage was soon dragged out of the room next door. Inside, a large snake, so fat it looked like it was about to burst open, was listlessly spitting out apricots. The chefs dragged it to the kitchen outside to process it. Soon, the snake, still carrying a sweet and spicy aroma, was skewered on new iron skewers and roasted over a fire that had just been lit with charcoal.

"Wait a little while. This kind of thing needs to be roasted immediately after slaughter to get the best flavor, which is why I didn't have the chefs prepare it in advance."

Seeing the tender meat still throbbing, everyone nodded knowingly and waited expectantly. Having just tasted that delicious dish, the other exquisite dishes seemed somewhat bland, making several particularly greedy individuals unable to resist frequently turning back to look at the snake meat being roasted.

"How are the war preparations going? We can't afford to neglect our important business."

The female official beside him poured out red wine from the golden pot again, and while the snake meat was still roasting, the emperor brought up a new topic.

"There's no need to rush, Your Majesty. The war against the Kurist people has just ended. We should let the soldiers catch their breath... at least let them watch the tournament and reunite with their families for two days. Besides, preparations are not yet complete. This time, we are not quelling a rebellion or dealing with those weak and defenseless enemies. We are going to actually attack fortresses and destroy cities. We cannot be careless. You are being too hasty, Your Majesty."

Clautina suddenly froze for a moment, then rubbed her temples with a hint of confusion, a trace of strength suddenly appearing on her resolute exterior.

A crack, and a sense of bewilderment seeped in:

"...You're right, I was indeed too hasty...I should have been more cautious. Why did I suddenly become so impatient?"

"Don't push yourself too hard," Thesolius said, looking at his friend with some concern and frowning.

"Everything is getting better now, isn't it? Time and everything are on our side. We are destined to achieve great things and make this country stronger. What is there for us to be sad about? We can be more relaxed."

“Besides, we are all young and have plenty of time to do what we want to do, so Your Majesty can rely on us and doesn’t need to force yourself to do anything.” Natamus also spoke up. This fierce-looking general was not wearing his armor today and was now somewhat uncomfortably adjusting his black robe. Then his wife took over the task and tugged at his collar.

“You’re still the same as ever, always wanting to get things done as soon as you see something.” Christina laughed as she patted her black robe to smooth out the wrinkles, while giving her clumsy husband a sidelong glance.

"If there's anything you're having trouble deciding, ask them both for help... Isn't that how we've always done it? We've been through so much together to get this far, we can't afford to lose our composure."

With his eyes closed, the emperor took two deep breaths, then opened his eyes with a smile:

“I’m definitely too nervous. Maybe I should take some time to relax… If I keep going like this, I won’t be able to get things done.”

“There’s no need to be too demanding about some things.” Tersolius picked up a glass of grape juice that had just been squeezed from the wooden container, letting the sweet and sour juice cleanse his mouth and chest of the greasiness. “Some things, as long as we do them honestly, will eventually be resolved. There’s no need to worry too much… but we still can’t lack the necessary care and caution.”

“I understand what you mean, General.” Clautina smiled, raised her glass, and lightly clinked it against Tersolius’s. “I’m not as vulnerable as you think. It was just a momentary lapse in composure. Don’t underestimate me.”

"I am deeply humbled and afraid I must ask for your forgiveness for my overstepping my bounds." Tersolius smiled and drank the liquid in his cup in one gulp. At that moment, the large snake on the oven was once again emitting its unique aroma, making one's mouth water.

"Of course I'm going to punish you... I'm going to punish you by making you replace what's in your glass with wine right now! This is a banquet! What kind of behavior is it for you to keep drinking juice like this?"

"This wine is a bit too old..."

"Enough with the nonsense, this is the Emperor's order."

214 Private Banquet (2)

The prepared delicacies had been enjoyed, and the servants had carefully cleaned up the mess of cups and plates, leaving not a drop of excess grease. The grills that had skewered tender meat, the golden jugs that had held fine wine, and the plates that had served the dishes had all been removed, and the entire place had been swept clean.

At this moment, Thesolius had lost his usual clear mind. His consciousness was as if it had been submerged in water, separated from everything by a layer, obscuring and blurring his vision.

He drank too much wine on a whim. Although he was having a great time, he is not a good drinker. In addition, the fine vintage wines were chilled in ice and had no taste when he drank them. It was easy to accidentally drink too much. Combined with the atmosphere, this resulted in his current state of staggering and sweating profusely.

The banquet had reached a point where it naturally couldn't continue, so everyone went home with the emperor's farewell. Because Christina was still quite weak, everyone except Arka, who had other matters to attend to, hurriedly returned to the legion's camp. Talina also took the opportunity to check on the condition of the child and the new mother.

Just as the carriage had arrived, and everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, preparing to return to their lodgings, Natamus, who was originally supposed to go back with Christina, suddenly changed his mind:

"You guys go back first. I'll take my brother to his house first, and I'll feel more at ease having Dr. Talina take care of you."

Christina didn't ask any further questions, only telling him to come back soon before boarding the carriage. Soon, only the two brothers and His Majesty the Emperor remained.

The Tsolys's current home is naturally a mansion specially built next to the palace. It's not far away, but under the current circumstances, it's not appropriate for them to walk back. In other words, given their current status, it's no longer suitable for them to show their faces in the streets.

Another carriage arrived, neatly prepared and led over by the servants. The sturdy carriage, decorated with gilded patterns on its edges, was the most comfortable vehicle of the era, and also an extremely luxurious experience. To be able to ride in such a royal carriage on the Imperial Avenue was an honor that many people could only dream of.

"Then I'll take my leave now, Clautina. If there's anything you need, just have one of your children tell me... I'll be there as soon as possible."

Theorrhus, feeling his temples throbbing, couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement. He hadn't expected the emperor's treasured wine to be so potent.

The silver-haired emperor gently brushed a stray strand of hair behind his ear, smiled, and nodded.

"Go back and rest... I might have been a little too rough with you today, you won't blame me, will you?"

"It's alright, there will be more things like this in the future. I'll just get used to it in advance. It's just that the adaptation process will take some time... Before, we were too poor to drink, and we couldn't bear to spend money on it... Now that we can drink as much as we want, it feels a bit meaningless. After all, what we want is no longer the turbid wine in the earthenware jar."

“We were always so happy back then…” The emperor dismissed his servants without turning his head, but Tersolius knew that dozens of eyes were watching them, ready to guard against any unexpected situations or troublemakers.

"Even if it's just winning a fight with the rascals from the next village, we feel like we've done something amazing. If we find a rotten apple in the wild, we'll share it among three people... Time really flies. In the blink of an eye, we've all come this far."

"Alright, we've already reminisced enough about the past. Continuing would be too long-winded. I'll be there on time for His Majesty tomorrow."

"Go back and rest, Your Majesty. I'll take this fellow to his home. You two both need to get a good night's sleep."

…………

Watching the sturdy, heavy carriage pull away from the palace, Clautina stood silently in the marble-carved portico before the palace gates, a faint smile playing on her lips.

After a long while, the insects in the flower bed began to chirp clearly. Claudia slowly wiped the smile from her face and, without turning her head, softly asked:

"How are things? Are our guests from Aselle settling in comfortably here?"

A small, thin shadow appeared on the side of the flower bed, perfectly avoiding all light sources. It looked like a shadow that had been inadvertently created, and it was so light that it seemed as if a gust of wind could blow it away.

"The guest was quite satisfied and seems to be planning to stay longer."

“Go do what you’re supposed to do, and don’t make any more mistakes… I don’t want to hear any more bad news, understand? Prove to me your abilities, and don’t make me feel that the country is spending so much money every year just to cultivate a bunch of mediocre people, otherwise even the greatest tolerance will eventually run out.”

The emperor's voice was chillingly cold, like a blade covered in frost gently rubbing against something, making the skin on one's neck and back tighten.

The small, dark figure immediately lowered its head.

"I will prove our worth to you, masters of our great motherland..."

........................

As the gently swaying carriage reached the top, Tersolius felt a little better—he discovered that although his alcohol tolerance was average, he sobered up quite quickly. Before they had even finished the short journey, he had already regained some of his clarity, and his mind felt much more relaxed.

The carriages weren't fast, or rather, even if one was qualified to travel through the streets and alleys in the densely populated capital, it was impossible to travel as fast as on the wide official roads. The crowds often forced larger carriages to stop and wait.

This speed was only slightly faster than walking, but it was quite comfortable and stable, and was very popular among noblewomen. Some lazy nobles would also choose this method instead of riding warhorses.

His elder brother, Natamus, sat on the side of the carriage, looking out at the bustling traffic through the hanging gauze curtain. The spacious carriage interior not only had comfortable and soft leather seats, but also a small mahogany table fixed to the chassis of the carriage, which was carved with beautiful flowers.

As the carriage reached an intersection of several alleyways, amidst a burst of laughter, the coachman swiftly pulled on the reins, causing the massive horse to lurch forward a couple of steps before coming to a stop. Two children chasing a ball emerged from one of the side alleyways, caught off guard and startled, falling to the ground with a thud. The less timid one burst into tears, while the bolder one stared blankly at the enormous carriage before him.

The coachman was too lazy to argue with the two little brats. After scolding them, he cracked his whip and started driving the carriage forward at a steady pace. He quickly left the two children behind. They weren't upset for long and soon returned to their previous state, only now they were noticeably more careful and dared not rush and dart around at such a high speed anymore.

Aren't you going to tell me?

Thesolius leaned against the carriage door, speaking to his brother without even opening his eyes:

"You insisted on coming with me, so you must have something to say, right? I know you too well... But you've been holding back for so long without saying anything. We're almost there. Or are you planning not to go back today? I do have plenty of rooms, but Christina definitely won't give up on you easily."

"Alright, alright, I'll say it. I was just gathering my thoughts, you know..."

Natamus rolled his eyes, then his expression quickly turned serious and solemn. After a slight hesitation, he asked:

When exactly are you planning to settle down and start a family?

"Why are you asking this?" Tersolius asked, somewhat puzzled. "There are so many things to do right now, I don't have the time or energy for that. Let's talk about it later..."

“You’re already 22 years old. Normally, young people your age would already be raising their first child. Those who got married earlier would already have kids who can run and jump. Don’t take it too lightly. You know, before, it was just the two of us left in our family…”

“If you’re going to talk about this…” Tersolius yawned and rubbed his eyes. “I might have been a little worried before, but now that you’ve given me two nephews, a boy and a girl, and they both look healthy, there’s even less to worry about.”

“You’re being a bit too optimistic.” Natamus looked at his brother with a wry smile. “Although I hate to say this, whether my two children will grow up healthy is still an unknown… Many children die young in noble and wealthy families, and even with Dr. Talina’s help, no one can guarantee anything…”

"Don't worry, my good brother." Tersolius finally laughed. "I'm sure my nephew and niece have access to the best medical care in the world. There's no need to worry about such things."

“But you’re being a bit too careless…” Natamus gently rubbed the gauze curtain with his rough fingers, and after a long while he sighed. “We’ve both been through thick and thin, and even with the best of luck, we’re still covered in wounds. Although we’re not as sick as those veterans right now… You’re at the perfect age right now, so you should be more attentive.”

"I know, I know."

Tersolius agreed casually, his words clearly revealing a perfunctory attitude towards the deal.

Natamus shook his head, then suddenly an idea struck him, and he moved closer to his brother:

Are you still the same as before?

"Huh? What?"

“就是喜欢个子高的胸大屁股大的漂亮姑娘?我记得可很清楚，你一直是这么给我说的，当时我们还开玩笑说要凑钱去给你娶一个，钱不够就去把那个想占我们地的小子再揍一顿，让他接着出。”

"...Yeah, pretty much. Most normal men would like that, right? There's nothing special about it..."

Tersolius adjusted his posture, and as the carriage slowed down, he realized he was home. He casually answered his elder brother.

After saying that, he opened the carriage door and turned back with a smile before jumping down:

"But you, brother, why are you being so long-winded today? I almost thought it was that old hag nagging me..."

Natamus raised his right foot as if to kick, but Tersolius had already jumped off the carriage, waved goodbye to those behind him, and strode into his manor.

"My lord, shall I escort you back to Lady Christina's place?"

"Let's go."

…………

Natamus, sitting in the carriage, wore a troubled expression, as if he had encountered a very difficult problem. After a long while, he let out a long sigh.

"That slow-witted, clumsy boy... this is going to be troublesome."

----------------------

The hard cow bones shattered under the heavy hammer, and the milky white bone fragments that flew everywhere were still mixed with particles of fat and marrow. With a crisp sound, these solid cow bones were quickly smashed into pieces.

The rough-faced man had already washed the dust off his hands, but the calluses and dark spots left by the years were hard to remove. He could only gather up the scraps of cow bones and prepare to continue the next step of the process.

The large pot next to him had been washed clean, and four stones were used to support it, with flames already lit. A large pot of water was slowly heating up, waiting for him to put the main ingredients in.

He didn't intend to continue cleaning the bones, but carefully placed the appropriately sized pieces into the pot without adding any seasoning. He simply watched as the water boiled and then covered the pot with the wooden lid.

A whole cow spine, stripped down to just shreds, was attracting the attention of the two children, who were scrambling to grab it. But then a middle-aged woman scolded them, and the two children scattered like birds, though they still lingered around laughing and joking. It was less that they were afraid of their mother and more that they were playing with her.

The woman with a round, gentle face laughed and scolded, raising the broom in her hand as if to chase after the child, causing the child to scream with joy and run further away, instantly forgetting her original purpose.

The man carefully watched the heat—this wasn't cooking food. Even though the bones still contained a lot of fat and marrow, making them nutritious, this precious and unique fat wasn't meant to directly improve his and his family's lives; it was meant to be traded with merchants…

The bone oil from Parassa cattle has special properties; when used to polish leather, it becomes smooth and glossy, with excellent preservation properties. This is especially true for precious swamp cowhide boots, which rely heavily on the protection of this special oil due to the drier climate in the north.

The man had already spent a considerable amount of money to bring these fresh bones back, so he absolutely could not afford any more mistakes…

215 Tarina's New Discovery (1)

Amidst the rising smoke, the bones in the large pot had been boiled down to the last drop of oil. The man carefully picked out the bones, which were now devoid of any edible residue, leaving only a pile of incredibly hard crumbs that even a starving wild dog could not break.

Meanwhile, the large pot, now boiling, was filled with golden oil. The water that had been poured in earlier was slowly being boiled away, and some impurities floated to the top. The man carefully used a wooden spatula to scoop out the parts mixed with other substances—these were not goods that could be traded and could only be kept at home to add a little oil to the diet.

After repeated boiling and refining until there were no more visible impurities in the clear oil, he and his wife found a clean wooden bucket, used a wooden stick and a damp towel to insulate it from the heat, and carefully poured the half pot of oil into the bucket, filling it just to the brim.

They immediately grabbed a lid and put it on to prevent anything else from falling in. Only then did they breathe a sigh of relief. They then used the hard bread from last night to carefully wipe the remaining oil off the pot, and then handed it to their two children to eat. The couple swallowed hard, smelling the enticing aroma of the oil.

This is the capital of the empire, a great city with countless people and endless wealth, but that endless wealth means nothing to some... They still have to toil for bread the next day, barely managing to gain a foothold in this bustling city.

For a man, it was becoming increasingly difficult to support his two children by simply loading and unloading goods for passing caravans. Although he did earn more than before due to the increase in passing caravans, he was not made of iron and the amount of work he could do each day was very limited, so things were getting harder and harder for him.

Moreover, he doesn't want his two children to end up like him, earning money by selling their physical labor. He hopes they can learn more skills or trades so that their lives will be much easier in the future.

But none of this is free. No one will pass on their precious skills to others for free... except for the imperial army, where, in order not to let you become a useless burden, everyone will whip you and push you to learn more.

Everything here costs money, which had been a real headache for him. But a couple of days ago, he had a stroke of good luck and found a new job that was much easier and paid more than before.

The man picked up a wooden frame with two straps from the side and, with his wife's help, tied the heavy wooden barrel to it, preparing to deliver his goods to the customer. Before leaving, he turned back and instructed his wife to stew the beef spine, which had little oil to extract, into soup for the children.

As he gave instructions, the man walked toward his old wooden door, but before he could even put his hand on the handle, there was a knock on the door, which made him stop in surprise.

He hurriedly placed the goods on his back onto the pile of bricks next to him, straightened his disheveled clothes, and quickly opened the door.

Before them stood a dark-skinned, thin Asel man, dressed in a light blue robe over which, according to Asel tradition, he wore a white overcoat that reached his knees. A gold buckle hung from his belt, and a turban covered most of his forehead. Tiny gold chains, adorned with blue and red gemstones, hung from his hair. Every aspect of his appearance exuded wealth, even the tops of his boots were embroidered with gold patterns.

"Oh, sir, what brings you here? I was going to deliver something to you, but I couldn't bear to let your beautiful boots get covered in dirt."

The man was somewhat flattered and flustered, especially when he saw his dirty clothes and shoes, and the messy little house. He lowered his head in embarrassment.

“It’s alright, my friend. I just came here to tell you something.” The neatly trimmed beard of the Assele man smiled and shook his head.

"My father sent me a message from our hometown saying that there's something important I need to take care of back home, so I'm leaving tomorrow and won't be able to collect your oil for a while..."

"Oh, is that so? Then I wish you a safe journey, sir. Thank you for generously providing me with this opportunity. Our family will always remember your kindness."