A Crusader with System in the Middle Ages

Eric wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"May I offer you a bit of advice?"

"What is it?"

"Relax. I’m speaking as your husband, not as the Marquis of Tuscany. This isn’t about Tuscan affairs, but just about you, Matilda, as a person. Actually, it’s not so much advice as a question."

"I can listen. Just listen. Merely as your wife."

"Do you ever laugh? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do it."

"Because Christ never laughed. John Chrysostom said so." Matilda lifted her chin, pleased with her answer.

"His humanity doesn’t forbid laughter. Man is meant to laugh."

"The Son of Man could have laughed, but the Bible never records that He did."

"Eat, for the dish is good."

"What?"

"A work by Ambrose. That’s what Saint Lawrence said to his executioners. He was a man who understood laughter and humor, even if it was to humiliate his enemies." As he spoke, Eric leaned in close to her face, looking at her with a smile.

His meaning was clear.

"That only proves that laughter and death are closely related." Matilda pushed his head away, not to be outdone.

"It sounds like if you laugh, danger isn’t far behind."

"More or less. I hate laughing. It only allows me to briefly forget my troubles. It comes and goes so quickly, I don’t see the point. Once it’s over, I immediately have to face reality again.

So why can’t I just face reality all the time? After all, laughter always fades, but the hardships of reality are always there."

"But Lady Beatrice is always laughing."

"That’s a facade. My mother never does anything without a purpose. She is the daughter of the previous Duke of Upper Lorraine. My maternal grandfather and my father faced the same predicament: neither had a male heir to inherit their title.

My maternal grandfather had only two daughters. My mother was originally in line to inherit the title, but the previous Emperor used the pretext that women cannot inherit land to strip her of her right to succession.

Failing to inherit the Upper Lorraine Duchy is her life’s regret. She is far more capable than most people, but also far more unfortunate. Although I dislike her, I can’t bring myself to hate her. How can I hate someone who is even more unfortunate than I am?"

"Is this your reason for siding with the Holy See against the Emperor?" Eric asked suddenly.

"If things go well, perhaps we can press a claim in that regard. Nominally, she still owns a great deal of land in Upper Lorraine, but she cannot go there. The current Duke of Upper Lorraine is merely a distant relative from the maternal line of the Arden Clan. He has no right to hold the title of Duke of Upper Lorraine.

Hilbrand has provided a great deal of help to my mother and me. He was instrumental in keeping Tuscany intact. I cannot turn a blind eye to his plight.

Besides, Rome needs Tuscany’s support. The Emperor does not, or at least, not as much.

What about you?" Matilda tilted her head to the side.

"What?"

"I mean your reason for siding with the Holy See."

"The Holy See gave my Lord the help that was promised. In exchange, we are providing aid to them. You have to honor your commitments, don’t you?"

"That doesn’t sound very Norman," Matilda said mockingly.

"My Lord and I are aspiring to be a new kind of Norman."

"The hundredth excuse for treachery?"

"In any case, we are trying to be better."

"Oh. The one hundred and first."

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