Half an hour later.

"Stop, stop! Let's call it a day!"

Losa sat on the ground, panting heavily.

The previously inflated mindset was immediately deflated back to its original state.

"Hans, honestly, how much of your strength were you using just now?"

Hans considered for a moment and replied, "At least eighty percent."

Losa was taken aback: "So it's around sixty percent, not bad."

Hans left him some face, so he couldn't take it too seriously.

Even though, in terms of spiritual power and blood magic proficiency, Losa was already qualified to serve as a Four-Star mage's attendant, along with his other advantages.

He should be barely equivalent to the Five-Star disgrace Hans, without upgrading and without using werewolf transformation.

But the problem lies in that it's without Hans upgrading.

He currently had no lack of money, so for Hans, his long-time attendant, he was not stingy with wealth, upgrading him directly to level thirty.

Moreover, he was following the template of a Heavy Armor Warrior, which was completely different from Prajna, who was a Heavy Iron Guard focusing on physical endurance.

The difference was significant.

"Come with me, I have a lance for you, an indestructible divine weapon. I believe you can unleash its full power."

Losa decided to give Hans the lance of the armored cavalry.

It can be imagined that if he had a fine steed, Hans would definitely be a killing machine on the battlefield.

...

At noon, Losa held a grand knightly ceremony in the presence of the parish priest of Montreal.

First, he read aloud the achievements of every sergeant and knight of the Crusaders.

Then, following the Gaul tradition, he cut off the swallowtail of the banner for each attendant, granting them the status of square banner knights and accepting their formal allegiance.

Simultaneously, Losa ordered craftsmen to design a personal coat of arms for them and rewarded each with a silk scroll and ten gold coins of Suludes.

From today on, they would all enter the ranks of the military nobility.

In Jorgelisburg, Losa prepared for them a small fief, though it was only nominal as many places were desolate lands.

They had neither the financial means nor the resources to build castles, or estates or to attract refugees to form villages.

For those with knight titles, Losa could only offer a few gold coins as rewards, with more being honorary rewards.

For instance, he creatively proposed introducing titles like "Great Knight" and "Knight Commander" within the Royal Knight Order, which would handle part of military duties, ensuring talents could be utilized without personally paying the cost.

The sergeants witnessing this scene were all extremely envious, having such a generous Grand Master was truly the blessing of the Heavenly Father!

They couldn't help feeling a bit regretful; had they not recoiled on the battlefield and instead fought bravely, would they have received a knight title too?

This was exactly what Losa had in mind.

Rewarding for achievements to this extent was already more than enough.

A dusty messenger galloped through the streets.

When he saw Losa, his eyes lit up: "Are you Lord Hanfry of Montreal? Amalric Palace Minister has led the army, arriving near Montreal, please prepare the resting place for the troops in advance."

Losa pointed at the coat of arms on his chest: "Can someone who can't even recognize this coat of arms become a messenger?"

The messenger's face changed slightly: "Apologies, my lord, please forgive my offense, I've only recently arrived in the Holy Land from Sicily."

"Go fulfill your duty."

Losa waved him off with some disinterest.

He looked at the familiar faces behind him.

The second wave of Crusaders had already arrived in Montreal, which meant the day for the final battle with Saladin was drawing near.

Whether half of these people could survive was still an unknown.

...

Outside Montreal City.

In the distance, sand and dust rolled in waves.

Fifty knights in vibrant attire, holding various swallowtail and square banners, surrounded Amalric as they advanced.

Amalric looked at the great army behind him with some self-satisfaction, although him being the palace minister, was always overshadowed by Count Raymond and Count Reynard in Jerusalem.

He finally got to enjoy the feeling of "one word deciding everything" only during this personal command to battle.

This feeling made him somewhat heady.

The army slowly moved toward Montreal City's gates.

A knight complained, "Why is no one here to greet us? Do they not know the esteemed palace minister has arrived?"

This remark struck a chord with Amalric.

He kept a stern face, disregarding the soldiers whose lips were dry and cracked due to the long march, and loudly commanded, "Halt, send someone to urge them to have Sir Hanfry dispatch someone of equal status to welcome me!"

He cursed inwardly.

He knew Count Reynard looked down on him, but after all, he was an important member of the Empress Faction.

Having spent a large sum of money, recruiting and equipping troops to rescue Kaler Castle, can't even his son's face be sold to him?

Little did he know, no principal figure had been appointed in Montreal yet, who would care about offending a so-called "palace minister" who rose to power through women?

When Losa heard this news, he almost burst out laughing.

"Just let him wait; it will be his own embarrassment in the end."

"The city gates are open, just come in directly. Truly, the more one is lacking, the more they care about it."

Losa paid no mind to this empress dowager's paramour and his three thousand "great army".

The quality of this army was too low; except for over fifty knights and their attendants, most of the others were hastily trained recruits, who couldn't even piece together a full set of helmets or iron wristguards.

This was evident as their two armies, having set off only half a day's difference in time, took so long to reach the same destination.

Moreover, the Royal Knight Order even rested for a few days at an oasis in between, proving the point.

Losa was confident that even the currently battered Royal Knight Order, if it were to array for battle, the victor would certainly be the Royal Knight Order.

And the losses wouldn't be significant.

Amalric, in Losa's eyes, wasn't much of a big deal, even though he was a favored lover of Empress Angenise.

Yet, this Empress Angenise had too many lovers. She almost openly kept numerous lovers and elevated them to diocesan bishop and other court dignitries.

Empress Angenise was the sister of Count Edessa, George III.

She had two marriages; after marrying the former King Amalric, due to her chaotic conduct, she was disfavored by the crowned Patriarch of Jerusalem, who openly stated that she was unfit to wear the crown of Jerusalem.

Thus, the former King Amalric took as his wife, from the Eastern Empire's imperial family, Mary Komnenos, the Purple Robe Princess of the Komnenos Family.

If not for Princess Sibilla having a son, she would not be fit to contest the throne with Princess Isabella, because strictly speaking, Baldwin IV and Princess Sibilla could only be regarded as "illegitimate children."

After about an hour, a knight finally went to greet them.

Reportedly, Amalric berated him severely, to which the knight, having a fiery temper, reciprocated with a vulgar war of words, turning into a farce.

It was his brother, Guy of Lusignan, who stood up, declaring a duel with the other party, which eventually quelled the farce.

"I really doubt the combat capability of this Amalric and his 'great army'.

Losa was amused by the show but didn't expect this joke to come so close to him.

"What, Amalric wants us to vacate the inn for him and his knights to stay in?"

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