Reincarnated Into The Middle Ages

Before dawn, in the chapel of the Jerusalem royal palace, the massive dome and countless pillars were shrouded in darkness, with only the icons flickering with compassionate gazes under the candlelight.

Norn stood alone in front of the icon. Although he had no faith in it, it didn't stop him from treating it as a companion in the dark night.

In front of the icon lay Norn's shield and armor, both showing numerous signs of repair. Norn gazed at the patches with a sense of gratitude; without this armor, he might have died several times over.

As the first rays of dawn streamed into the chapel's dome, the heavy wooden doors were slowly pushed open. A black-robed monk entered and said to Norn in a friendly manner, "My lord baron, it is time."

Norn snapped out of his reverie and nodded in response. Then, several servants, guided by the black-robed monk, approached with various utensils.

After the monk prayed over Norn's equipment and blessed it, he smiled at Norn.

"With this, symbolizing a pure soul," Norn was dressed in a white linen tunic.

"With this, symbolizing the blood of sacrifice," Norn was then draped in a red cloak.

"Thus, you may enter the hall of glory." Under the guidance of the monk, Norn stepped out of the chapel. The sunlight was a bit dazzling at first, causing Norn to instinctively shield his eyes.

The road ahead was lined with fully armed soldiers of the kingdom, their armor gleaming as they stood with swords in hand, their eyes eagerly welcoming Norn, the kingdom's hero.

Thanks to the impact of the Battle of Montgisard, Norn's feat of slaying Saladin's royal banner had spread far and wide, earning him considerable fame among the kingdom's soldiers.

Under the watchful eyes of all, Norn followed the road to the palace hall. The doors were already flung open by servants, revealing a hall decked out in opulence. New silk curtains were hung, exotic incense was liberally burned, and golden candlesticks were wastefully lit, showcasing the palace's extravagance.

King Baldwin sat on his throne, his eyes soft beneath the silver mask.

To the king's right were the kingdom's religious figures, with the Patriarch of Bertrand at the forefront. Ever since Norn had "convinced" him with the "legendary holy water," the patriarch had taken to using it in his masses, resulting in a severe case of rosacea on his face. Norn couldn't help but worry if the man might "expire" from "holy water" poisoning.

Beside the patriarch were the Grand Masters of the Templars and Hospitallers. Having interacted with Norn during the Battle of Montgisard, and after receiving a distillation device from him, they now looked at Norn with more affection than they did their own sons.

On the king's left were the native nobles of the kingdom, led by Duke Reynald. His prestige had soared after defeating Saladin, making him the de facto leader of the kingdom's war faction. Treating Norn, a minor noble who had fought alongside him against Saladin, capturing one nephew and killing another, Duke Reynald displayed his generosity with open arms.

Behind the duke were numerous other kingdom nobles, some familiar to Norn like Baron Godfrey, and many others he had never met before.

This was because Norn's outstanding performance at Ascalon and Montgisard, along with the substantial spoils of war, had made him an instant favorite among the kingdom's nobility.

Seeing their enthusiastic demeanor, Norn had no doubt that if he so much as hinted at it, he could have a wedding this afternoon and find one of their teenage daughters or widowed sisters in his bed by nightfall.

As for what Norn, at his age, could actually do, that was none of their concern.

Norn put on a very excited face as he walked to the center of the hall. "May the Lord bless you, my child," the patriarch stepped forward first, anointing Norn's forehead with the "holy water."

Norn's nose twitched. Yeah, the familiar smell, the familiar taste.

After completing the first step, the patriarch took a longsword from the Grand Master of the Templars, dabbed it with holy water along the blade, and then hung it on Norn's belt. "I bestow upon you this sword, wrapped in sanctified relics, marking you as a warrior of the Lord."

Norn, with his acting skills in full swing, nodded excitedly, expressing his willingness to dedicate himself to the Lord. The patriarch, seeing Norn's (feigned) piety, smiled approvingly, made the sign of the cross, and blessed him once more before stepping aside.

King Baldwin slowly walked up to Norn and said in a solemn voice, "Kneel, Baron Norn!" Upon the command, Norn knelt on one knee, his expression becoming solemn. King Baldwin drew his own sword and gently tapped Norn's shoulder with it.

"Swear your oath, Baron Norn."

Norn looked up at the king, whose eyes were filled with approval, and slowly recited his vows:

"I vow to protect the weak."

"I vow to fight bravely against tyranny."

"I vow to combat all wrongs."

"I vow to fight for the defenseless."

"I vow to aid anyone who seeks my help."

"I vow to harm no woman."

"I vow to assist my fellow knights."

"I vow to be true to my friends."

"I vow to remain faithful to my beloved unto death."

Baldwin, satisfied, gently placed his hand on Norn's head and said, "Thus, by the authority vested in me as the King of Jerusalem, I dub thee, Baron Norn Adler, a knight."

As soon as the words left the king's mouth, the entire hall erupted in cheers and celebration. Nobles raised their goblets in toast, servants draped blessed armor over Norn.

Outside, Patrick was waiting with the horse, smiling as he handed the reins to Norn.

Norn mounted up, and William, belching from the wine, handed him a lance.

Fully armored, Norn spurred his horse forward, and it galloped down the road. At the end of the road stood several targets dressed in Mamluk gear.

With his lance at the ready, Norn easily struck the targets. With that, the knighting ceremony was complete. The crowd went wild, servants brought out endless food and drink for the guests, and even the rare court jesters appeared in the corners, performing their silly antics.

Norn took off his helmet and looked around at the revelry in the manor: William was guzzling wine, Patrick and DeMol were ribbing William, Captain Hamo looked a bit overwhelmed by the attention from the nobles, Anna was waving at Norn like a starstruck fan, and Sassan had disappeared again, no doubt waiting for Norn's command in disguise.

A strong hand clapped Norn on the shoulder, and he looked up to see Otto.

It seemed like a trick of the light, but Norn thought he saw a glimmer of tears in Otto's eyes.

"Congratulations, Norn. You're a knight now. Your father would be so proud of you!"

Norn smiled foolishly, feeling that in this dark age, he finally had a warm place to call home.