Today is an unusually fine day.
The skies are clear, the wind is light, and the waves are gentle.
After the death of that stern and stingy Jewish merchant,
the captain and sailors no longer needed to pretend to be busy, revealing their damp and sticky skin as they leisurely stood on the deck, basking in the sun.
Various laundry items were hung on the mast.
The passengers, in groups of two or three, chatted on the deck; no one wanted to stay in the stuffy cabins.
In the past two days, the atmosphere on the ship had been awkward.
A few passengers simply disembarked at Crete Island, planning to transfer to other ships to the Holy Land to escape this awkward situation.
On the Night of the Sea Sirens, Losa witnessed many unsightly scenes, passengers and sailors, regardless of gender, embracing in a heap... However, according to Public Teaching, both adultery and homosexuality are sins.
"When we reach the Holy Land, all sins shall be wiped away."
That's what Father Beckett told the people.
That night, under the influence of the sirens' songs, he had a prolonged rolling encounter with a male sailor in the cabin.
Jesus surely wouldn't agree that simply reaching the Holy Land erases all sins, but still, the priest said so.
Just as Jesus wouldn't agree that killing heretics is sinless and is instead a path to the Celestial Kingdom, yet His Holiness the Pope still said so.
The sailors were particularly insightful about these matters; constantly at sea, their faith wasn't devout.
During tsunamis, pirates, and storms, they would even pray to the heretic sea god Poseidon.
And in the narrow, isolated confines of the ship, intimacy, though not commonplace, wasn't unimaginable.
It is said that the corpse of a Sea Siren could yield precious fragrance with aphrodisiac effects, comparable to Dragon Saliva Fragrance, but Losa refrained from cutting them up for scent.
He couldn't yet bring himself to butcher humanoid creatures as if they were pigs or sheep.
…
It had been exactly two days since they sailed away from Crete Island.
They had passed by Cyprus Island but didn't linger, only stopping to replenish their freshwater supply before continuing on.
Once the core territory of the Eastern Empire, after the coronation of the Regent Empress, Cyprus seized the opportunity to declare independence, boasting a notable maritime force.
After passing Cyprus, they were very close to the Holy Land, occasionally catching glimpses of the hazy yellow coastline in the distance.
Ships had become considerably more numerous here.
There were merchant ships loaded with spices and silk from the East; passenger ships carrying scattered Crusaders; and pirate ships equipped with large oars and crossbow cannons at the bow, swiftly navigating the seas... One would often see broken planks and barrels floating on the sea surface.
These were the remnants of merchant ships plundered and destroyed, and pirate ships shattered by the navy.
"Look!"
The sailors suddenly became excited.
Someone shouted with joy, "It's our ship!"
On the distant horizon, a large fleet gradually appeared before everyone.
Smaller escort ships, massive main ships, row-and-sail ships...
Their vast black sails bore white cross emblems.
The sails billowed in the wind, providing powerful propulsion that drove the large ships across the sea.
"That is... the fleet of the Hospital Knight Order!"
Losa immediately instructed, "Raise the Crusader Banner, so our Christian brothers won't mistake our identity!"
Proudly, Father Beckett said, "The Hospital Knight Order has a formidable maritime force in the Holy Land; they often patrol the seas to protect trade routes and the safety of pilgrims on the water."
This is the current power of the Knight Order.
Not quite a kingdom, yet surpassing one.
Losa shot him a sideways glance, making him somewhat uneasy.
Lately, Father Beckett had noticeably calmed down. His disgrace aboard the ship had greatly diminished his prestige, and he was afraid Losa might spread the word, causing him to be anxious and restless.
...
When the Kirk Ship arrived at the port outside Jaffa City, it was precisely noon, the light at its harshest.
The terrain here was severely eroded, all around were deserts and Gobi, with several eroded tower-like structures faintly visible, standing on the vast and unending Gobi Desert.
Furinjira's languid voice sounded, "My lord, the sun is so harsh, it's scorching me to death."
Losa felt helpless. "Stop pretending. You merely overexerted your spiritual power, and after sleeping for two days, you're fine now. How can you, a noble Vampire royalty, be so fragile?"
"I'm afraid of the sun because I'm a Vampire!"
Prajna quietly followed beside Losa, like his shadow.
He usually tried to minimize his presence, but in critical moments, he always provided reassurance.
"Hans, hoist my Swallowtail Banner!"
Losa commanded, "From today onwards, we'll likely have to deal with many nobles. You'll temporarily take on the role of Herald."
Hans looked troubled. "I'm sorry, my lord, although I'm honored to accept the position, my knowledge in heraldry is limited and may not be up to the task."
Losa shook his head and said, "You still need to manage it, whether or not you're qualified. Besides, your knowledge of heraldry already surpasses most knights."
Laine instructed his subordinates, calling out loudly, "Stand up straight and remember what Sergeant Model and I taught you these past few days, don't embarrass the lord!"
"Yes!"
Among these subjects, all the men now hold long spears and shields. While not armored, they wear uniform cloaks, giving them a semblance of order and presence.
Of course, they are just for show now, only serving like an honor guard.
Their combat effectiveness is just slightly better than that of the conscripted farmer soldiers.
Theorizing about warfare can never match actual drills.
Losa took a deep breath of the dry inland wind.
Finally arrived!
"This is the Holy Land, where countless people come seeking redemption... and wealth. Even impoverished knights from the West can transform themselves here and become lords of a city."
Losa stood on the pier, stepping on solid ground for the first time in days, making his steps somewhat unsteady. It was Prajna who promptly supported him.
"Get ready to set off. We're not far from Jerusalem, and it's better to reach our destination soon so we can rest."
He entrusted the Kirk Ship to the captain, but requisitioned all the merchants' wealth on board to serve as "Holy Funding" for defending the Holy Land.
Having not walked far.
At this moment, Losa saw a team disembark from the pier, carrying flags with yellow crosses, most donned in dark red and white cloaks.
Well-equipped, they clearly appeared to be professional soldiers and knights.
The leading knight, holding a horse, directly asked, "This familiar Standing Lion Badge, are you of the Habsburg Family?"
"And you are?"
Losa frowned.
The Habsburg wasn't an illustrious family, its influence limited to the regions of Swabia and Bavaria.
He honestly didn't expect to be recognized so soon after disembarking.
"I am Knight Kevin McKidd, loyal to Baron Godfrey of Ibelin, and this is my young master, the sole heir of Baron Ibelin, Sir Berian."
Losa's gaze shifted to the young man behind the knight, wrapped in a dark red cloak.
So he was the principal here, but he seemed to lack presence.
"I am Losa of Algo, second son of Count Werner of the Habsburg Family, and a landless knight."
Losa nodded to them, "Honored to meet you, Sir Berian of Ibelin, Knight Kevin."
"Knight Losa, your father and my master were very good friends, having served His Majesty the King together in the Jerusalem Royal Knight Order. I have personally witnessed their deep friendship in fighting side by side."
Knight Kevin looked at Losa's cloak with a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, "Cloaks of this style truly bring back memories."
The Jerusalem Royal Knight Order was clearly not a military monastery like the Templar or Hospital Knight Orders.
Rather, it was akin to the later Burgundy's Order of the Golden Fleece, representing a title and honor.
"I just don't understand why he didn't choose to stay in the Holy Land, instead returning to a remote place like Switzerland to become a country earl."
"To be honest, I also don't understand what he was thinking—I've always assumed he left because he couldn't make it in the Holy Land and returned to Swabia."
Losa shrugged.
He had heard of the other party's name, one of the few war comrades Count Werner had mentioned from the Holy Land.
Baron Godfrey of Ibelin.
The Ibelin Family wasn't simple; though only a barony, its significance couldn't be matched by Count Werner of Algo.
Firstly, Ibelin's proximity to Jaffa made it a thriving trade city, frequented by caravans and generating significant tax revenue.
Additionally, the Kingdom of Jerusalem was limited in size, with only about a dozen notable barons.
Baron Ibelin was clearly an outstanding figure among them, a close confidant of King Baldwin, a staunch royalist, with more than just Ibelin as his fief.
On the way here, Losa had been contemplating how to associate with them, unexpectedly meeting the heir and retainer here.
Knight Kevin asked, "Knight Losa, are you planning to go to the Holy City?"
"Indeed, now that we're in the Holy Land, how could one restrain the eagerness to proceed immediately to the Holy City and pay homage at the Holy Sepulchre and the Cathedral of the Suffering on the Mount of Olives?"
"Ha, indeed. If you don't mind, let's travel together. The Baron is waiting in Jaffa City, and I'm sure he'd be delighted to see both himself and his old friend's son together."
"That would be wonderful."
Losa cheerfully parried with the other, "Berian, are you from Gaul? Maybe I should call you Berion instead."
Berian nodded slightly, "Yes, that's correct, Knight Losa."
"Berian, you seem a bit reserved?"
"Indeed... I am not a noble; I mean, I was once a blacksmith, so I'm not skilled at interacting with people like you."
"I understand."
Losa nodded, "But pardon me for saying, you needn't be reserved. In this age, there are countless nobles as base as scoundrels. If you possess a noble soul, even a blacksmith can stand tall before royalty."
Berian's situation, frankly speaking, was the legitimization of a bastard, not uncommon in this era.
It's often seen in families without heirs, though due to weaker claims, it's not rare for inheritance rights to be forcibly seized by relatives of powerful nobles.
The Middle Ages focused on legality, but ultimately, it always came down to strength.
ps: The content of the film Kingdom of Heaven contains a lot of artistic adaptation, if not outright fabrication. For example, Berian was not a bastard at all but the third son of the family and wasn't as young as portrayed in the film.
The takeaway here is, don't attempt to learn history from novels.
Because the author intends to use some parts of the film, fabricate some parts, and finally add a small portion of historical events.