Model respectfully said, "Yes, my lord."

"Andreas, I want you to serve as the Court Dressmaker. In addition to being responsible for all clothing and attire in the court, you will also manage the procurement, storage, and maintenance of weapons and armor."

Andreas bit his lip, struggling to maintain his composure given the dizzying joy he felt, and gratefully said, "Th...thank you, my lord."

From a mere knight's servant to a Court Dressmaker with a knight's title, this was nearly the pinnacle a commoner could reach through a lifetime of struggle.

Lastly, it was Ulm's turn.

This young man's face was a mix of apprehension and excitement, his freckled cheeks flushed red.

Losa smiled faintly and said, "Ulm, your bravery and wisdom have earned my recognition as the Chief Winged Cavalry. Next, I appoint you as the Hebron Patrol Officer, to lead cavalry patrols in the territory, combat road bandits, and oversee that my subordinate lords do not overstep or commit heresy."

The four men suppressed their inner joy and knelt down in thanks.

In fact, there was no shortage of courtier positions, like Hunting Officer, Herald, Engineering Officer. Losa could create a position for his men anytime he wished.

However, his court was newly established, and he did not wish to fill it with people prematurely, resulting in overcrowding.

"Hans, during this period, you must stay in Jerusalem and manage the military affairs of the Knight Order for me—I know you can do it, and you've proven that before."

Hans replied with a hint of resignation, "My lord, your will is my creed to follow."

Losa patted his shoulder and said, "And remember to watch over Urding. I know you two don't get along, but the Saint Lazarus Redemption Order is of great importance to me."

Hans nodded firmly.

Losa then turned to Jeanne, "Lady Jeanne D'Arc, I appoint you as the Chief Knight of Hebron, with Henusburg as your fiefdom, in charge of all cavalry."

Jeanne approached Losa, knelt on one knee, and smiled, "My lord, your judgment is not bad. I assure you that my ability to lead the cavalry will exceed your expectations."

Julia's face showed a trace of resentment.

Originally her domain, it was handed over just like that, even in her presence; it was simply too much!

Losa's face turned stern, "Next, summon all Axe Guards and Winged Cavalry. We set off immediately for Hebron!"

"Yes."

They all responded in unison.

…

Before departing, Losa saw Urding at the Royal Knight Order's quarters, holding a Bible wrapped in chains, preaching loudly to a crowd.

Among the audience were mostly common pilgrims and lower-level clergy, who largely appeared confused, not understanding what Urding was speaking about.

Losa sighed softly.

The development of the Saint Lazarus Redemption Order, even with Baldwin IV's support, was far from smooth sailing.

People's ingrained beliefs and low literacy rates were obstacles to Urding teaching them battlefield first aid, and this knowledge could only prove useful in wartime.

"But addressing these difficulties will have to be up to Urding himself. All I can do is provide him with a strong backing and support."

Losa mounted his warhorse, ready to leave.

Suddenly struck by a feeling, he instinctively glanced back at the towering castle.

He happened to see Baldwin IV standing on the balcony, smiling gently.

A warmth rose in Losa's heart, and he raised his hand, making the sign of the cross in front of him, nodded slightly, and then vanished in a cloud of dust with the Winged Cavalry.

...

Jerusalem is only forty kilometers away from Hebron.

The small team marched much faster than a large army.

By afternoon, the group had entered Hebron City.

Under the towering and strong walls, Losa looked up at the tower still adorned with the green eagle flag and couldn't help but remark, "I suppose the people belonging to Reynard haven't left this city yet."

The convoy bearing the Double-headed Eagle Banner sparked a crowd as soon as it entered the city, where nearly half the population were Fire Worshippers.

Including the Jewish people, heretics outnumbered Christians, who made up only a third of the populace.

The group headed straight for the central Lord's Hall in the city.

This was also a towering castle, into which Reynard had invested substantial repairs over the years. Although it couldn't match Kaler Castle, a frontline fortress, it was still an impregnable stronghold.

After Ulm presented the Vassal Contract granted by Baldwin IV, Losa encountered no resistance as he occupied the castle.

"Ulm, have Reinhard's Guard Officers and Sheriffs or anyone responsible for management tally up Reynard's private assets, and clear them out as soon as possible."

Ulm immediately accepted the order.

Upon entering the Lord's Hall,

Losa did not immediately summon his vassals to announce his inauguration as Count of Transjordan and Lord of Hebron.

Instead, he ordered Model to lead the Varangian Guard to immediately assume control of Hebron's security forces and select a hundred elites to come to the meeting.

Losa planned to immediately convert them into the "Senior Veteran Battalion," with system-bestowed loyalty that would grant Losa a hundred trustworthy eyes to monitor all of Hebron.

This battalion would be even more reliable than the Jinyi Guard painstakingly cultivated by the Great Ming emperors, as they inherently held various identities and had unfaltering loyalty.

The name Senior Veteran Battalion dates back to the Ancient Empire era, where seasoned veterans awarded enough merit post-retirement would be granted land and serve as town inspector regiments in rural areas.

They were akin to a knightly military class, owning permanent assets, personal armor, weapons, and even warhorses.

The town inspector role was merely a retirement job for them.

If needed, they could take up arms and return to the battlefield, becoming the backbone of an army— had the Roxi Empire still retained the old military system and assembled a group of "Senior Veterans," it wouldn't have perished under the barbarians' and Huns' iron hooves.

Losa was eager to form his own elite standing army not only to establish dominance over the native nobles of Hebron, where various barons and knights had long entrenched their influence.

Without sufficient military power, even possessing de jure authority, a high-standing Count could be undermined by his entrenched vassals.

Recognizing the inevitable resistance due to local vested interests, Losa aimed to establish dominance from the start.

A hundred elite Armored Infantry themselves couldn't intimidate petty criminals.

But if he led only the Winged Cavalry and Varangian Guard, combined with the Armored Soldiers redeployed from Jorgelisburg, it would present a formidable force.

When Losa saw those among the Senior Veterans receiving their new equipment, including one clad in a Bear Skin Cloak holding the Golden Eagle Emblem, he briefly felt a sense that the ancient Mediterranean Empire had risen once more from its ruins.

The real treasure, however, was the veteran soldiers' rich combat experience honed through surviving countless battles, surpassing any new equipment.

In a short time, Losa gained a hundred elite, seasoned Heavy Infantry.

Moreover, they had established close ties with various factions within the city.

No one imagined that an ostensibly humble city inspector could transform into Hebron's new lord.

Finally, he ordered the purchase of sufficient food and wine to host a grand feast.

The aim was to declare his arrival to all fiefs associated directly with him, including some local non-Christian nobles.

This gathering included all vassals belonging to Hebron, including counts and knights like the two vampires, as well as the parties who would take three to four more days to arrive from farther away.

As for when these issues should be addressed, Losa would handle it at his own discretion.

At the royal knights' base, Losa saw Urding cradling a Bible bound in chains, preaching aloud to a crowd of mostly commoner pilgrims and lower clergy who appeared puzzled by his teachings.

He let out a sigh.

The progress of the Saint Lazarus Redemption Order has not been smooth, not even with the support of Baldwin IV.

The deeply ingrained beliefs of the people and low literacy rates posed significant challenges for Urding's efforts to teach them battlefield first aid knowledge, valuable knowledge that would only prove its utility in wartime.

"But how to overcome these difficulties is something Urding will have to solve himself. My only role is to provide him with strong backing and support."

Losa mounted his horse, prepared to leave.

Feeling a sudden intuition, he turned his head back towards the towering castle.

He caught a glimpse of Baldwin IV standing on a balcony, a gentle smile on his face.

A warmth filled Losa's heart, and he raised his hand, tracing a cross in the air before nodding slightly, as the Winged Cavalry followed him into the dust.

"""

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