CHAPTER 7 Taking in Two Servants (Part 1)
On his journey to Vienna, Marin continued practicing mounted archery, hoping to catch some game. However, even after reaching the County of Württemberg (which wouldn't become a duchy until 1495), he still hadn't mastered the skill.
Realizing that mounted archery wasn't working out, Marin had to abandon the idea of hunting from horseback. He could dismount and shoot on foot, but whenever he dismounted, his horse would make noises—snorting and stomping—which would scare off any nearby game. Leaving the horse behind at an inn was an option, but the best hunting spots were deep within the forest, far from any towns on the outskirts, where the local hunters had already cleared out most of the game.
To enter the forest's depths, he needed to ride there, but then he'd have to leave his horse unattended, which worried him. Tying the horse close by would make noise and scare off the animals, but leaving it far away made him anxious that someone might steal it. After all, a warhorse was a valuable asset in the Middle Ages, worth more than the game Marin might catch. Losing his horse would not only leave him without transportation but also strip him of his status as a knight. So Marin couldn't risk it for a few animals.
Over the past few days, he had encountered several knights on his journey, but they were always accompanied by an entourage. Typically, wealthier knights traveled with at least five retainers—two to help transport armor and lances, and the rest to scout ahead or assist with camp duties. These retainers were also responsible for night watch, guarding the knight while he slept to prevent ambushes. Knights often had enemies due to their combative nature.
Marin couldn't help but sigh, "If only I had a retainer to watch over my horse, I could hunt in peace."
However, with only a few hundred pennies left and no land to his name, he couldn't afford a retainer. In this era, knights often chose retainers from among their serfs to ensure loyalty. A retainer who betrayed their knight would risk their family's safety, as they would still be living on the knight's estate.
Marin had less than 800 pennies, so hiring a temporary retainer was possible. But trusting a temporary hire with his valuable warhorse was risky—if they got greedy, they could simply ride off with it. A warhorse, worth around 6,000 to 7,000 pennies, was enough to provide a commoner with a good life for a long time. Considering that an average laborer only earned about two pennies a day, the temptation would be hard to resist.
After much thought, Marin concluded that the trapping game was a more reliable option. Since his mounted archery skills were lacking and he couldn't bear to leave his horse behind, setting traps seemed like the best solution.
So, he headed to a blacksmith shop to buy a shovel for digging traps. His previous attempt with a wooden pick had nearly exhausted him. This time, he wanted to use proper equipment.
To his surprise, shovels didn't seem to exist in Europe at that time. The blacksmith only had tools like hoes, hammers, and pickaxes.
Shovels were clearly more efficient for digging, so Marin had to commission a custom-made short-handled shovel, modeled after the entrenching tools used in modern warfare. It wouldn't fold or have extra functions; it would just be a basic digging tool with a wooden handle and an iron blade.
The next day, Marin paid 10 shillings and received his simple but highly practical entrenching tool. In modern trench warfare, without entrenching tools, soldiers couldn't dig trenches and would be at the mercy of enemy artillery and machine guns.
In his previous life, Marin had often used an online-bought entrenching tool for hunting, and digging traps in the forest, so he was quite familiar with using one.
With his new tool in hand, Marin set to work and quickly dug seven or eight deep traps near a river deep in the forest. After covering them with branches and grass, he leisurely rode back to the town where he was staying. On the way, he saw some animals running by and tried shooting at them, but as expected, he missed.
After retrieving his arrows, Marin wasn't discouraged and cheerfully returned to the inn.
The next morning, full of anticipation, Marin rode out to check his traps. Sure enough, when he reached the fourth trap, he found a wild boar.
Marin hesitated. Wild boars were dangerous animals, capable of goring a person to death with their tusks. He realized he'd have to kill it from above and then drag it out.
After making up his mind, Marin stood above the trap, readied his bow, and started shooting at the boar.
It took five arrows to finally kill the boar. The boar's thick hide wasn't just for show—it had taken six arrows to bring it down. Marin thought to himself that if he ever encountered a wild boar in the open, he wouldn't dare try hunting it. Only a musket, capable of piercing armor, would pose a real threat to such a beast.
Instead of dragging the boar out immediately, Marin left it in the pit and rode off to check his other traps. He also wanted to dismantle them afterward.
Why? Traps could catch people as well as animals. During the day, people were active in the forest, and Marin didn't want to injure a hunter by mistake. So after checking his traps for the game, he would usually uncover them and place a stick nearby as a warning to others.
In the remaining traps, Marin found two rabbits. But at the last trap, he was stunned...
Why? There seemed to be a person lying in the trap...
And not just any person—a tall, strong young man. From the looks of it, he had fallen headfirst into the trap and was unconscious.
Fortunately, the bottom of the trap was soft earth, not stone, so the young man likely wasn't seriously hurt—just knocked out.
After checking his breathing and confirming it was steady, Marin breathed a sigh of relief.
Soon, the tall young man slowly regained consciousness, looking around in confusion.
"What... what happened?" The young man scratched his head, seemingly unable to figure it out. He didn't seem particularly bright.
"Sorry, sir, you fell into a trap I dug for hunting. It's my fault. Here, take this money as compensation—I hope it helps," Marin said, offering the young man 10 pennies. It wasn't a small amount; it was equivalent to five days' wages for a commoner. Besides, the young man didn't seem to be seriously hurt.
But to Marin's surprise, when the tall, muscular young man stood up and saw Marin's attire, he became visibly anxious. He bowed to Marin and said, "Honorable knight, it's my fault for accidentally damaging your trap. Please forgive me!" He then refused to accept the silver coins Marin offered.
Marin was momentarily taken aback but quickly realized what was happening. In this era, nobles ruled supreme, and commoners were like ants. Although it was Marin's trap that had injured the young man, upon seeing Marin's armor and his warhorse nearby, the young man realized he was dealing with a knight and became terrified.
In the chaotic German lands, the nobility was the law. If this nobleman got angry and killed him, no one would seek justice on his behalf. Although this young man was taller and stronger than Marin, he didn't dare show any sign of displeasure. After all, everyone knew that knights were trained in combat from a young age. Even if a commoner had strength, they wouldn't necessarily be able to defeat a knight who had learned fighting techniques. And even if they did win, it wouldn't be a good thing—it would likely bring disaster upon their family. So, after realizing Marin was a knight, the young man quickly submitted.
"Don't be nervous, I mean no harm. By the way, what's your name? What brings you to the forest so early?"
"Sir Knight, my name is Kahn. I came to the forest this morning hoping to catch some game to make soup for my ailing mother."
"Kahn..." Marin was struck by how fitting the name was, as the young man's appearance had a certain resemblance to the 'Lion King' Kahn...
And then Marin burst into laughter.
"Hahaha, Kahn, that's just too perfect..."
"Huh?" Kahn was puzzled. Was his name really that funny?
After laughing for a while, Marin composed himself and, with a hint of exasperation, asked, "Kahn, you said you're here to hunt. Where's your weapon?"
"Just this javelin..." Kahn replied sheepishly.
Marin looked at it—it was just a sharpened stick... Could this really be used for hunting? Marin was doubtful.
"This thing... can actually be used for hunting?"
"Well, it's my first time hunting. The truth is, my mother is very weak, and we have no food at home. So, I wanted to catch something to make soup for her..." Kahn scratched his head, indicating that he was a novice at hunting.
"Your mother..." Kahn's words stirred up memories in Marin's mind. Images of his mother from both this life and his previous one kept flashing through his thoughts...
After a long silence, Marin sighed and said to Kahn:
"Kahn, come with me. Help me carry something, and I'll pay you!"
"Alright!" Kahn agreed happily. He didn't dare accept Marin's compensation earlier, but he wasn't afraid to accept a job offer. After all, work meant wages!
Then, they reached the wild boar's pit. Marin pointed at the dead boar and said to Kahn:
"Kahn, help me lift this wild boar out!"
"Yes, sir!" Kahn, who stood about 185 cm tall, jumped down and easily lifted the wild boar, which weighed around 200 pounds, out of the pit. He also pulled out Marin's six arrows.
Afterward, under Marin's direction, Kahn dragged the boar towards his home...
Soon, Marin and Kahn arrived at Kahn's home—a small cabin at the edge of the forest...