Lothar was hungry. Weapons training drained a great deal of strength, and today's lunch was good, so he ate a little too quickly.

Then someone rapped their knuckles against the table.

When Lothar looked up, Count Werner glanced at his elder brother Otto and said, "His Holiness the Pope has called for a new Crusade."

"Far to the east, the Egyptians have joined forces with Sassanid Persia. For decades, those evil, fire-worshipping infidels have encroached upon the Eastern Empire's lands in Asia Minor. They have cruelly persecuted our brothers in the faith, blocked the pilgrim roads, and surrounded the Kingdom of Jerusalem."

The Count paused to let the news sink in.

"Empress Lagaya of the Eastern Empire and Gerard, Grand Master of the Knights Templar, have each written to His Holiness. They call upon every knight who believes in the Heavenly Father to help the Eastern Empire liberate Asia Minor and reopen the road to the Holy City of Jerusalem."

"In Gaul, the princes have already gathered more than two thousand knights and hired two witch advisers for the campaign. They have set out on their eastern expedition."

Otto's voice brightened. "Father, when will our Greater Germanic Crusade depart? We cannot let the Gauls get there first."

Count Werner frowned, disappointment plain on his face. Ignoring Otto, he turned to Lothar. "Lothar, prepare to leave."

Lothar had been listening intently. He stared at his father. "Me?"

Count Werner's gray eyes held his. "To fight for God is a duty House Habsburg must fulfill. As this family's second son, you cannot evade it."

Then he faced Otto, who seemed on the verge of speaking, and said coldly, "Put the thought from your mind. House Habsburg has already fulfilled the duty we owe the Heavenly Father."

Lothar paused.

It was true. This was no longer the early medieval age, when partible inheritance remained common. Across the continent, primogeniture had become the norm.

The reason was obvious. Dividing an estate among sons generation after generation resembled the Han dynasty's Decree of Expanding Grace: a family's lands became ever smaller, leaving it unable to survive in a Europe where rival lords constantly swallowed one another's domains.

Second sons such as Lothar generally had only two paths.

One was to become a lord's knight and win land and title through military service.

The other was to enter a monastery and serve God. His two younger brothers, for instance, were studying at the Avignon monastery. If the family rose high enough to support them, and if either showed exceptional ability, he might one day become an archbishop of a diocese—a feudal lord with clerical authority.

Lothar could only choose the first path. He had to remain his brother's spare, ready to inherit the comital seat if Otto died without children, whether by battle or illness. A religious life was not open to him.

As for the Crusade, it was fraught with danger, but it also offered the chance to become rich overnight. Had Count Werner not gone east in his youth, he would likely be no better off than the impoverished lesser nobles who gnawed on coarse black bread every day.

Now Germania and Gaul had been carved up completely. Even a knight who served another lord for years might never earn so much as a barren fief. Lothar needed land and prestige to unlock the System. Fighting infidels in the Holy Land promised a far quicker return than swearing himself to another lord.

And the danger?

No one earned fame and success without taking risks.

Having come to this world, Lothar had no intention of settling for an ordinary life.

"I understand, Father. I will go."

Lothar lowered his head, scooped up a spoonful of thick pea soup, and put it in his mouth.

Then Count Werner's voice cracked through the hall.

"Kneel, Lothar!"

Lothar set down his spoon in confusion, then understood. He quickly pushed back his chair and knelt before the long table.

The Count rose and drew the sharp sword from his waist. He rested it on Lothar's shoulder. "Lothar von Habsburg, in the name of the warrior, I grant you courage. In the name of the Heavenly Father, I grant you justice. In the name of the Holy Mother, I charge you to defend the innocent."

"Now swear by the Eight Virtues of the Heavenly Father's knight: you shall strike down the infidels and the enemies of the Heavenly Father with all your strength; you shall aid the weak against the strong; you shall scour evil from the land."

"Father, I swear by the Heavenly Father and the Eight Virtues. I shall be kind to the weak and brave before the strong. I shall punish evil and uphold justice, loyal and righteous unto death."

Crack.

The Count's open hand struck Lothar hard across the face. "Remember this. A knight faces countless hardships and dangers. Never forget the knight's code."

The blow had stung. Lothar kept his face still. "I will, to the liege lord I serve."

The furrow in Count Werner's brow eased. Holding the knight's sword flat across both hands, he said, "Then take this sword, Knight Lothar. I may not yet see your virtue clearly, but of your skill at arms, I am certain: you are worthy of it."

It was an arming sword—the weapon most commonly called a knight's sword. Unlike the bastard sword Lothar favored, which could be used one-handed or two-handed, an arming sword was made solely for one hand and was generally paired with a heater shield or kite shield.

Lothar accepted the arming sword and its scabbard, then buckled it at his waist.

Count Werner sighed softly. "You need not call me your liege lord. All I can give you is the title of knight, not a fief. Three of the knights in my service are still landless. They have served me faithfully for many years. Even if we win new lands in war, I must consider their needs first."

Lothar nodded. "I understand."

The Count sighed again. "Before you depart, you may choose two capable retainers and all necessary equipment. Choose with care. Even the poorest knight needs retainers. They are a knight's legs and his shield."

"Thank you for your generosity, Father," Lothar said sincerely.

Count Werner had not been especially kind to his second son, but he had still treated him better than most fathers would have.

The knighting ceremony itself was hasty. No bishop witnessed it. There was none of the iris-cutting ritual favored by the Gauls, who styled themselves the flower of chivalry. Most importantly, no land came with the title.

Yet Lothar's heart still quickened, because a crisp System chime rang beside his ear.

On the status panel, the Title field quietly turned silver-white: Knight.

You have activated the Title System.

You have received your First Retainer: Prajna (6★ Retainer).