Seeing that the final winner was Baron Ernest, most of the commoners and nobles who had placed bets on Baron Reginald were simply stunned. Some businessmen who seemed to have deposited a lot of money, even their business capital, opened their mouths as if they were mentally disturbed. Their dull eyes were full of despair, and salty tears flowed from their eye sockets filled with gum.
"What the hell, damn it, this is the money I will use to buy goods later. I thought I could make some money, but now it's better. I don't even have a penny left." The man who pledged money to Baron Reginald The fat businessman with twenty copper coins could no longer chew the hard and woody bacon in his mouth. The corners of his mouth twitched, and he felt inexplicably panic and regret in his heart.
"Hehe, I just said that I have an intuition that Baron Ernest is a wolf in sheep's clothing!" The old potter weighed the twelve copper coins in his hand and couldn't close his mouth with laughter. But he was still very sophisticated and wary of those guys around him who were emotionally unstable after losing money, and quickly took the copper coins back into his pocket, for fear that they would do something to him.
"Five Denier silver coins turned into six. Thank God, this is great!" Regel took from his little attendant the silver coins he had just exchanged from the wealthy businessman who had set up a gambling game. It looked like Very pleasant.
Both Simon and Regel bet on Baron Ernest to win, Regel earned one silver denier coin, and Simon earned two silver denier coins.
Except for the duel between Baron Ernest and Baron Reginald in the morning, the number of remaining teams ranged from large to small, and their equipment ranged from sophisticated to mediocre. They were increasingly not as high-quality and exciting as the first duel. .
Simon even saw a knight. Except for his two attendants who were his own, the other eight soldiers fighting for him were obviously mercenaries who were paid to do things. Simon guessed from their lack of interest that the salary paid to them by the knights as their employer was not very high.
The mercenaries who don't take enough money, don't talk about credit, and have a greedy hole in their hearts that can never be filled, are all good at saving their lives. These guys are not even willing to bet on their employer's team and then work hard to win the game. They are short-sighted and only focus on their own interests. Any investment that they cannot get their hands on or see an immediate return after investing is bullshit in their eyes.
Sure enough, facing a fierce and brave opponent, the loose battle line composed of the knight and his mercenary team collapsed at the first touch. The mercenaries raised their shields to protect themselves and had no intention of attacking the opponent. The knight's personal attendant fought for his life, but was beaten several times by the opponent. The two veterans fought together until they were unable to fight back and screamed again and again.
In the end, this poor knight who hired eight mercenaries simply threw up his hands and gave up after paying for the lives of two young attendants who fought desperately and the life of another unlucky mercenary who failed to dodge and was slashed in the throat. He handed his helmet and sword to his opponent, a border baron from the earldom of Lausitz.
The chainmail on the defeated man also belonged to the Border Baron of Lausitz, but the two attendants of the unlucky knight were already lying in a pool of blood and were summoned by God, so after they were over, the Border Baron of Lausitz sent them His squire went to the unlucky knight's tent, helped the defeated knight take off his heavy chain mail, and then took it back to the baron's tent. It is worth mentioning that the ransom that the defeated knight wanted to hand over to his opponent was also collected by him with a heavy face. This was originally what his attendants were supposed to do.
"It's my turn to play in the afternoon, but don't make any mistakes!" After seeing the miserable situation of the unlucky knight, Simon prayed silently in his heart and swallowed nervously.
………………
After returning to the tavern and having a simple lunch, Simon and his group had arrived at the competition venue in advance to warm up.
The afternoon games were all duels between unknown little barons and knights, so they did not attract as many civilian spectators as they did in the morning. However, after the luncheon, the king still brought some royal members and nobles who were willing to come to watch to the wooden stands at the edge of the arena.
The old potter who had won money in the morning wiped the remaining wheat porridge from the corner of his mouth with his hand, and then licked his dirty black hands indifferently, not wanting to waste any food. He tried to find the fat figure beside him who had been chatting happily with him in the morning among the civilian spectators who were arriving one after another, but he couldn't find it after looking around.
"It doesn't matter. What surprises and surprises will there be in the afternoon showdown?" The old potter shook his head, found a place with few people and leaned against the fence, with one hand protecting his wallet and the other on his waist. Next to the self-defense dagger, he squinted his eyes and took a nap.
At the same time, in the team field on the left side of the arena stand, Simon's staff were checking equipment and talking to each other.
"Alexander, do me a favor," Komnenos took off his helmet and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He took out five Denier silver coins from the purse at his waist and handed them to his comrade. "Place a bet for me on the wealthy businessman who opened the betting market. I want to bet on Lord Simon's team to win!"
"Okay." Comrade Comnenus, who was wearing tattered leather armor, carefully took the silver coin. He was afraid that if it accidentally dropped it on the ground, it would be picked up and run away by a group of hungry children in the slum next to it. In that case, he would try to lose it again. Finding the silver coins is like finding a needle in a haystack.
The sun was a bit fierce this afternoon, and the wind blowing in front of him was a little hot, making Simon feel as if summer was back. Under the hot sunshine, large beads of sweat continued to ooze from the heads of the people wearing thick armor, and they all took out water bottles from their waists to replenish themselves with water.
The blood stains left in the middle of the arena in the morning exuded a disgusting smell of blood, mixed with the smell of fresh feces left by these unhygienic spectators in the morning, which made Simon, who was already a little nervous, suddenly feel the urge to vomit.
At this moment, no one noticed that a tall man wearing a finely decorated short robe and a sneer on his face walked up to the noble wooden stand. His eyes looked disdainfully at Simon who was in the waiting area of the participating teams in the distance, and he hummed words from his big nostrils as if talking to himself: "Damn you damn country bumpkin knight who is as despicable as a sow, so your name is Simon. Haha. , but be sure not to be killed by your opponent, so that I won’t be able to kill you with my own hands in the individual knight competition a few days later.”
"Huh, Komnenos, I'm back," Komnenos' comrade-in-arms Alexander trotted back to the team, breathing heavily, and handed Komnenos the piece of cloth offered by the wealthy businessman who opened the betting market. "I found that the odds for Sir Simon's team are higher, and the businessman who opened the betting does not seem to be optimistic about Sir Simon. It is said that Sir Simon's opponent, Baron Edmund, is a tough opponent and not very easy to deal with."
"Really?" Komneno's expression became serious, he scratched his hair and tightened the hilt of the sword in his hand.
Time passed quickly unknowingly. When Baron Edmund and his eight soldiers arrived, the fat messenger Siegfried, who was already a little impatient, strode to the noble stand. From the front, the two teams began to be introduced loudly.
"The person on my right hand is the destroyer of Norman pirates, Sir Simon from Dorsten, Earl of Berg!" The herald officer licked his lips and spoke loudly in his eternal accent.
"Norman Pirate Crusher?"
"Is he Simon?"
Some civilians and travelers in the audience had obviously heard of Simon's deeds. They were discussing in low voices and pointing in the direction of Simon's team from time to time, like a group of mosquitoes buzzing in people's ears. But more of the audience reacted indifferently at this time, with expressionless faces. They simply discussed the equipment and mental outlook of the soldiers in Simon's team. It seemed that they had no idea who Simon was.
And on the edge of the middle-to-high-level noble seats in the middle of the noble wooden stands, a man with a golden goatee wearing a gorgeous robe and a white turban narrowed his eyes, sat up and looked at Simon and his team carefully: " Is this Cooser's son? I only remember that he had a son named Lange. I have never heard of this one named Simon. Maybe he is the second son..."
"On my left is the brave and skilled Thuringian Spear, the city breaker of Uterburg, Baron Edmund from Henneborg!" As soon as the fat messenger officer finished speaking, the crowd clearly erupted. There was more enthusiastic response and discussion than when Simon was introduced. It seems that most people have heard of the reputation of Baron Edmund.
"Both parties are now invited to enter!" Siegfried, the chubby herald officer, saluted the king and then walked to the edge of the wooden stand.
At this time, Simon looked at Baron Edmund, who was walking straight towards him with his head raised in the distance. He has a pair of sharp eyes like a lion, and his chin is covered with black stubble. He wears a copper feathered cross helmet with a leather turban, and a pair of dirty black mail armor, with a bright heraldic shield outside the mail armor. The robe is brightly colored and clean. He wore a scratched chain pauldron on his shoulders, a slightly rusty slatted gauntlet and leather gloves on his hands, and a pair of splinted leather boots with the skin off.
Behind him was a loyal old attendant, with a large yellow-to-white beard, a high hooked nose, a pointed nose helmet lined with a linen turban, and an old but good-looking coat. Sleeveless short padded jacket with stiff leather shoulder pads and rough leather wrist guards.
As for the soldiers under Baron Edmund, although their equipment was very miscellaneous, at least they were all wearing armor and helmets, and they looked fierce. They were obviously ruthless characters who had been killed on the battlefield for a long time until their hands were numb.
"Come on, I'm not afraid of you." Simon turned his head and spat at the open space next to him, pulled out the half-hand sword that had been with him for a long time from the scabbard, and threw the leather scabbard that might become a burden after a while. He fell to the ground and raised his head, the muscles on his face were tense.
