Medieval: Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Chapter 197 The Devil's Mystery

Chapter 198 The Devil's Mystery

Peter's system enhancements and rapid training broke the shackles of the traditional knight's squire requiring years of arduous training.

To rapidly bolster the Silver Dawn Knights' protective forces, he cast his light upon ordinary villagers whose very being possessed courage and a spirit of resistance. The system's mysterious power would become their fastest path to advancement.

The recruitment process went surprisingly smoothly.

From the Grand Camp, which was filled with the scent of the forest and the traditions of hunters, he recruited the "Magic Arrow" Karel, who had sharp eyes and was said to be able to shoot a squirrel in the eye from fifty meters away.

Pasha is a stubborn and tenacious man who, once he sets his mind on something, nothing can sway him.

And Hale, the taciturn archer who always gets something when his bowstring twangs.

From the Misco rebel camp, filled with the passion of resistance and the discipline of organization, came Otto, an experienced rebel who had participated in the fight against the tyranny of the lord.

Locke, a defender skilled in arrayed defense, is like a mobile fortress;

And Barrett, a furious man consumed by rage over the suffering of his family, who fights fearlessly.

From the tranquil yet resilient village of Hubono, they recruited Wittke, a brave man who dared to kill two Hungarian patrolmen with a pitchfork, and Smail, a brewer who refused to betray his fellow villagers even under torture.

The influx of this fresh blood has brought the Silver Dawn Knights to a new level: fifteen full-fledged knights and twenty-one squires.

Thanks to a series of successful military operations in the early stages, they captured an astonishing number of warhorses, even reaching the point where "one person could have two horses" more than enough. Each additional warhorse meant greater mobility and longer expeditionary potential.

Early in the morning, the camp was already bustling with activity.

Peter provided enough supplies to sustain a small campaign, including sharpened weapons, polished armor, and plenty of clean water.

The sturdy tent, along with emergency rations and medicine, were all packed into his undiscovered cargo space.

The sudden increase in weight made it difficult for him to walk, but he remained calm and walked slowly but steadily toward his beloved horse, Attila.

Attila seemed to sense its master's state, and obediently lowered its head, gently nuzzling Peter's palm with its nose.

With Chris and Brienne flanking him, Peter mounted his horse. Though his movements were slightly sluggish due to the weight, he exuded an undeniable air of authority.

He looked around at the team of veterans and newcomers, his gaze sweeping over each face, whether resolute, excited, or expectant.

"Let's go!" The command was concise and powerful.

Chris, as the standard-bearer of the Knights, forcefully raised the newly made flag.

The flag has a deep black background, symbolizing the oppressed and dark world we live in; it is embroidered with stars outlined in silver thread, arranged in the shape of dawn, signifying that the dawn will eventually break through the shackles of darkness and bring hope and light.

The flags fluttered in the morning breeze, becoming the soul of the team.

The column sped off like an arrow along the country dirt road, its iron hooves kicking up clouds of dust.

A fighting spirit surged in the hearts of all the members. They knew the purpose of their journey: to a place called Old Kutna Village.

Reliable intelligence indicated that the Hungarian grain requisitioning teams were about to set out again, targeting this very village. Their mission was to intercept and crush the enemy before the atrocities could occur, protecting the innocent villagers.

After a two-hour forced march, the outline of the village of Old Kutná came into view. The village was quite quiet; the anticipated scene of Hungarian cavalry rampage did not materialize.

Conversely, in the open space at the village entrance, a group of people were gathered together, and the sounds of a heated argument could be heard from afar.

Peter raised his hand, signaling the column to stop.

"Attention all personnel, take cover in the surrounding woods, remain vigilant, and do not reveal yourselves without orders."

He gave the order in a low voice. The knights skillfully maneuvered their warhorses, disappearing silently into the woods on either side of the road, like drops of water merging into the ocean.

Peter, accompanied by Chris, who was still holding high the black flag with a white star, and Brienne, who was clad in full plate armor like an iron guardian, slowly rode their horses toward the arguing crowd.

"Good afternoon, everyone," Peter's gentle and clear voice broke the villagers' quarrel, "I am Brunswick, the knight who is passing by. May I ask what is happening here?"

The argument abruptly ended.

All eyes were drawn to the three uninvited guests, especially the distinctive banner and Peter's clearly noble and knightly demeanor, which temporarily put aside their internal strife.

However, the name "Brunschweig" seemed like a long-forgotten collective memory, suddenly awakened in the hearts of the villagers.

"Brunschweig?"

An old farmer with graying hair and beard muttered to himself, then his eyes widened suddenly. "Oh my God! Are you the prince who shouted 'No taxes, no grain, welcome King Brunswick'?"

"Look at that noble appearance, those deep eyes, that straight nose, there's no mistake! This is the elegance that only ancient noble blood can produce," another villager chimed in.

The crowd began to stir, their gazes a mixture of curiosity, awe, and anticipation fixed on Peter.

Some young village women and girls secretly watched the legendary "prince," pushing and shoving each other, covering their mouths and letting out suppressed giggles, their cheeks flushed.

At that moment, a young man in a black priest's robe, with a slightly youthful face but a resolute expression, stepped forward. He was the newly appointed Father Marian. He first bowed to Peter, trying to maintain his composure.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness Brunswick."

Father Marian's voice carried a hint of excitement, "It is a pleasure, or rather, an honor, that you have graced our remote old village of Kootna with your presence. I am Father Marian, the new priest of this village."

Then, with the villagers adding their own perspectives and Father Marian's as objective a narration as possible, Peter gradually pieced together the complete picture of the events.

It turns out that six years ago, the old village of Kutna was not as desolate as it is now. It was once a prosperous village that thrived because of its silver mines, densely populated, with miners everywhere, and the clanging of ore being heard day and night. The wealthy villagers and miners even jointly donated money to build a church that was considered magnificent in the area, to pray for God's protection.

However, a sudden and terrible mining disaster destroyed half of the mine, burying countless miners deep underground, their fate unknown.

The powerful Waldstein family, the owners of the mine, quickly sealed off and abandoned the mine after the accident.

This decision led to the collapse of the village's economic pillar, a massive loss of population, and the remaining villagers had no choice but to return to the land, barely making a living on barren farmland, and their lives plummeted.

The villagers did not believe that the Waldstein family closed the mine out of safety or goodwill.

A more chilling version of events circulated privately: the miners hadn't just struck ore; they had accidentally unearthed a gateway to hell! It was the rampaging demons of hell that destroyed the mine and dragged the poor miners into an endless abyss.

There are even rumors that demons rushed to the ground and burned Mary and her family of three, who lived on the edge of the village, alive with eerie hellfire.

The entire village was once shrouded in immense terror.

At that time, it was the village's former priest, Richard, who stepped forward.

He claimed that through constant prayer day and night, he made a "pact" with the devil and successfully drove the devil back into the depths of the mine.

He told the villagers that as long as they regularly put food and water into the mine as "sacrifices" every month, they could appease the demon's anger and keep the village safe.

The villagers, taking a "better safe than sorry" approach, did as instructed. Sure enough, for the next six years, no similar terrorist incidents occurred in the village, and they enjoyed a rare period of peace.

Until recently, Father Richard suddenly passed away, and the young and idealistic Father Marian took over.

Upon learning of this long-standing "ritual," he was shocked and outraged, considering it blatant heresy and a desecration of God's uniqueness. He immediately called for the cessation of this tradition without hesitation.

However, last night, strange things happened again. The "demon" seemed to have reappeared because the offerings had stopped, and attacked the cowshed of villager Vladimir's family, cruelly killing his only two oxen.

Early this morning, the villagers, upon discovering the horrific scene, instantly erupted in a fit of rage. They directed their anger and anger at the new priest, Marian, believing that his reckless behavior had brought about the disaster, leading to a fierce scene of them surrounding the priest and the church.

"Your Highness Brunswick, what is your opinion?"

After Father Marian finished speaking, he looked at Peter with a final glimmer of hope. "You must also believe that someone is deliberately sabotaging this, exploiting the villagers' fear, right? This is definitely not how God performs miracles!"