Reincarnated Into The Middle Ages

Norn and the baron sat in silence, the only sound in the quiet carriage being the rolling of the wheels. After a long stretch of quiet, Norn decided to do something befitting a nine-year-old. "Uncle Otto..."

"Hmm?" Baron Otto's lips curled up slightly.

Another awkward silence ensued. Just as Norn was about to dig his toes into the floorboards to make a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment out of sheer embarrassment, Baron Otto finally broke the silence. "You remind me of your father."

"My father?"

"Yes," Baron Otto said slowly, as if lost in memory. "He was my older brother, the eldest son of House Adler."

Seeing Norn's puzzled look, Baron Otto explained, "Our House Adler has been the barony of Adler in the northern part of the Duchy of Mecklenburg, in the northern Holy Roman Empire, for over two hundred years. Though our lineage is long-standing, our family has never been large. By our generation, it was just me and your father. Your father, as the eldest son, was originally destined to inherit the family estate..."

Otto seemed to think twice about speaking ill of the dead in front of his son and chose his words carefully. "Your father was...uh, always very independent and...unconventional in his actions. Your grandfather had arranged for him to marry the daughter of another baron, but before the wedding, your father went...on a trip." Baron Otto quickly corrected himself, realizing his slip.

"Your grandfather barely managed to appease the furious baron and even declared that he would strip your father of his inheritance rights and break his legs when he returned."

"However," Baron Otto continued, "one day out of the blue, your father came back with you, still a baby. Although Grandfather tried to keep a stern face, the entire family was overjoyed by the return of you and your father. Even though your father wouldn't reveal your origins, there's no doubt that you carry the blood of House Adler."

"I originally intended to return the baronial title to him, but he refused," Otto said, choosing his words carefully once more. "He said he was used to his freedom and didn't want to be tied down by the estate again."

"What happened next?" Norn asked.

Baron Otto couldn't help but look sad. "After your father brought you back, he seemed to miss your mother deeply and became despondent. He passed away when you were six, having dedicated himself to the Lord."

"Before he died, he wished for us to send you to a monastery to serve the Lord and stay away from secular life. We had originally planned to wait until you were older and then help you secure a position in the church. But..." Recalling the misfortunes that had befallen him, Baron Otto didn't continue.

At that moment, the image of Norn's original father became vivid in Norn's mind: the eldest son of the family but idle, eloping before marriage, somehow getting a nobleman's daughter pregnant while wandering around, then being separated by the father-in-law, and ultimately passing away with regrets.

"I didn't expect that even after coming here, I'd still be part of such a melodramatic plot, and I'm actually a significant supporting character," Norn thought bitterly.

"Child, when we get back, I have something very important to take care of. Wait for me patiently," Baron Otto continued.

"What is it?" Norn asked.

"Child, there are some things we just have to do," Baron Otto said, patting Norn on the head and then falling silent.

Throughout the journey, despite Norn's best efforts to lower his expectations, reality still told him that there's always something worse. The route was lined with undeveloped forests, and they were always traveling on winding, muddy paths.

When they finally encountered a village, all Norn saw were a few rows of thatched huts, with emaciated farmers wielding wooden tools to tend to their barely alive crops.

Norn couldn't help but fall silent. In comparison, his life in the monastery was practically heavenly.

After two days of arduous travel, just as Norn felt like he was going to vomit his gall, the carriage finally arrived at their destination: a pitifully small castle.

As Uncle Otto introduced the history of the castle, Norn was on the verge of tears inside. In his previous life, the castles he had seen were mostly located in picturesque settings by snow-capped mountains or lakes, with pristine white walls, exquisitely designed architecture, and tastefully luxurious interiors.

But this castle, despite being on the highest hill nearby, had only a single narrow path leading up to it.

The roughly sixteen-foot-high walls irregularly enclosed an area the size of a football field. And within this "football field," there were crammed barracks, a blacksmith's shop, stables, a training ground, a central fortress, and other structures. The roads were extremely narrow, barely wide enough for a carriage to pass through.

After the group finally made their way through the winding path and entered the central keep under the salute of the guards at the gate, a gust of cold wind hit Norn, making him shiver. It was the middle of the afternoon, after all.

As Norn walked into the dim, stone corridor, the damp, cold air, along with a faint smell of decay, assaulted his senses. Norn couldn't help but think of the ghosts in the old castles he had seen in his previous life.

While Norn was still hesitating, Otto strode right in and led Norn to a room. "You'll stay here for tonight," Baron Otto said, noticing the less-than-ideal conditions.

"Tomorrow, I'll have someone take you to the manor. Food will be sent over. Don't wander around at night; it's easy to get lost." After settling Norn in, Baron Otto turned and left.

Only then did Norn have the chance to take a closer look at the room. Like the castle itself, it was cold, damp, and had terrible lighting.

The stone walls had tiny ventilation holes about six and a half feet up.

The room was roughly three hundred square feet, with a wooden bed covered in thick furs on one side, a wooden washbasin in the corner, and a desk and chair in another corner.

Norn silently hugged the Bible in his hands, shaking off any unrealistic thoughts, and began to unpack his luggage.

Soon after, a soldier brought over the evening meal. Norn had been looking forward to his first dinner in his new home, but he was sorely disappointed. There was a rock-hard piece of white bread and a pot of stew.

Norn tasted it and found that the stew had no seasoning other than salt. But even so, judging by the way the soldier's throat kept moving, this was the kind of meal only the family heir could afford.

After dinner, Norn went to bed early, covering himself with the thick furs in an attempt to ward off the castle's chill.

"I'll set a small goal first," Norn resolved to himself. "Eat well, live well."

The next morning, Norn got up early, splashed some water on his face, and then boarded the carriage heading to the manor. A small procession set off from the castle.

This time, Baron Otto did not ride in the carriage with Norn but instead rode a fine horse in front of it.

From time to time, they passed through villages where the villagers would quickly bow their heads in respect upon seeing the baron's entourage. Baron Otto would nod back and even exchange a few words with the village headmen.

"It's clear that this step-uncle is well-loved," Norn thought to himself.

Unable to bear the jolting carriage any longer, Norn moved to sit beside the coachman. Baron Otto glanced over but said nothing.

"Little Norn," a hand as big as a fan jolted Norn, nearly making him lose his balance. "I knew you couldn't forget your Uncle William."

Only then did Norn notice the coachman beside him. He was about thirty years old, with short but sturdy limbs, dressed in a slovenly manner. His open shirt couldn't conceal his thick chest hair. His face was flushed, and his smile stretched from ear to ear, with his messy beard glistening with oil. He seemed to exude a palpable, masculine aura.

"Uncle William..." Norn had barely finished speaking when Uncle William, laughing heartily, put his arm around Norn.

"Yesterday I bet that pretty boy that you'd be closest to me, and I was right. I'm more popular than that pretty boy."

"Pretty...boy...?"

William jerked his chin contemptuously toward a knight beside him.

"Your Uncle Padrick."

Norn looked over and noticed that Knight Padrick was dressed in dark green hunting attire, with long, slender limbs and a massive longbow on his back. Seemingly aware that Norn was looking at him, he turned and smiled at Norn.

"Whoa! My titanium alloy dog eyes!" Norn was stunned by Padrick's good looks: a head of smooth golden hair, fair skin, delicate features, and a visage that could make any noblewoman jealous, all on a man's face.

Coupled with his sunny demeanor, he was the epitome of a fairytale knight.

William was still spewing complaints about the "pretty boy" knight, something about him not being manly enough, being effeminate, and so on.

"You're just jealous," Norn concluded in his mind.

"Little Norn, a man should act like a man. Don't be like that pretty boy. It's best to be like me. If not, at least be like your Uncle Demor."

As if hearing his name, a knight on the other side of the carriage turned and waved amicably.

Compared to the other two knights, Knight Demor was quite ordinary, with completely unremarkable features and dark skin, looking more like a seasoned farmer. The only notable thing about him was his thick, sturdy hands with exceptionally large knuckles.

"Back in the day, your uncle and I..." Amid William's endless chatter, Norn learned that William and the other two knights were Baron Otto's vassals, having known each other since their days as squires, sharing both beatings and battles.

As William continued to boast about his and Uncle Otto's glorious history of fighting side by side, the procession slowly entered an estate.

Norn let out a sigh of relief. Although the estate was made up of wooden buildings, it looked much more livable than the castle.

The butler and a line of servants greeted them at the entrance. Amid the crowd, Norn noticed that someone was missing.

"Where's my aunt?" Norn asked.

William, who had been boasting, stopped abruptly like a duck that had its neck suddenly pinched. After a long silence, he said, "She passed away last month due to your cousin's accident. She returned to the embrace of Mother Earth."