Chapitre 61: Departing

Conradin's time in Genoa was brief but fruitful and satisfying. Despite his brief visit, he was able to leave an indelible impression on the Genoese army commander, particularly he praised the Genoese for their efforts and triumphs. He knew he would have many hurdles ahead, but he was confident in his cause and resolved to stay strong and fight for what he saw as a just end.

Conradin knew he couldn't stay long, and he was eager to return to his campaign and to his allied armies in the north. It had been a profitable couple of weeks in Genoa, and he was anxious to get back into the fight, as he was determined to continue to work hard to lead his cause to even greater heights of victory.

It was now time to leave the city, so along with all of his companions, minus Corrado, who took the ships loaned from Genoa to complete his own task, they were about to depart from the rich city.

''Are the supplies ready?'' Conradin inquired, his gaze drawn to the carts and the soldier preparing to go. Galvano nodded solemnly. "Yes, your Majesty, our supplies are ready, just as we are to take the next step in our campaign."

"We have a long march ahead of us, but we will not rest until we see you sit back on the throne," he said as he stood before Conradin. ''We are prepared to continue the fight and reclaim what is rightfully ours from the usurpers." They were imbued with desire and purpose, ready to march forward and battle for what was righfully theirs.

''What about the Genoese contingent?'' Conradin proceeded to question, but instead of Galvano, he was answered by Frederick, who informed Conradin that everything was ready, that he didn't need to be concerned, and that they could go right away. He also told him that the genoese appeared to be confident and ready for anything that came their way, and that he believed they were resolved to be a valuable addition to the Ghibelline movement in the impending conflicts against the Guelphs.

After that Conradin went silent, as if he was pondering about his current situation , which was not missed by Frderick who wanted to calm Conradin down, for he appeared to him as too nervous.

As such Frederick decided to tell a joke to lighten the mood .

Frederick was a gallows humorist who frequently delivered dark and gloomy jokes to brighten the mood in the camp. This was one of his favorites prior to joining in COnradin's campaign: "What's the difference between justice and a Guelph during war?" "The first is dead, and the other is alive." Conradin gazed at Frederick with a straight expression after hearing the joke. After seeing that, Frederick burst out laughing, and Conradin quickly joined him. Conradin considered Frederick as the brother he never had, he admired him for his personality since he always understood how to make people laugh.

The coalition of Genoese and German troops set off towards Pavia, ready to move forward to continue the campaign against the Guelph coalition. They had a long trek ahead of them, but they were determined and motivated to take the fight to them and to continue the war until they had achieved their goals. There was a sense of purpose and unity within the Ghibelline ranks, and this was a good thing because they would need to stand together in order to keep the Ghibelline cause alive and defeat their enemies in the coming battles. After all, this was not just a war to put the rightful king back in his Sicily; it was instead another war between the Guelph and the Ghibellin, a civil war that had lasted for at least 400 years and that gave no hints of ending anytime soon.

The trip toward Pavia would be a short one; only 5 days were needed to reach the northern city. Conradin expected that the coalition would already be there and would be waiting just for him. The alliance with the communes was already proving to be a great resource for the Ghibelline cause, and he was confident that it would continue to be of great value as the campaign went on. As for the economic situation of the original 520,000 denarii, 110,000 were already spent, leaving Conradin with 410,000. Even though Conradin was getting gradually low on money, he was not worried and expected to fill his war coffers by extorting the Italian cities that went against his cause. After all, what he needed was a victory against Charles, and sure enough, many supporters of the Ghibellin cause would soon try to get into power in the Guelph cities. After all, this is what happened every time war erupted between the two sides.

Conradin's financial situation was not ideal, but he still had enough money to keep the Ghibelline cause alive and to have a legitimate shot at taking back his rightful throne. It was clear that he would need more money, but he was confident that they would be able to raise more funds and keep the war going if needed.

And, indeed, when the soldiers arrived in Pavia, they were welcomed with open arms. Conradin's soldiers marched into town with their heads held high, as if they were proud of the flag they carried. The three lions on a golden field proudly flattered in the wind, and the man , whose banner was held on his armor turned to inform his retainers of his order. ''Enrico, Oberto (Doria), and Maletta please remain here to supervise the soldiers and ensure proper behavior; everyone else comes to me to meet with the other generals''. Following that, Conradin dismounted his horse and began heading towards the palace, where he encountered a convoy of people outside of it, waiting just for his arrival.

Conradin and other commanders hurried to their conference with the other generals to discuss their strategy and the next steps in their fight for the Ghibelline cause. They were determined to collaborate and devise a coordinated strategy to combat their common foe.

He was received by the chiefs of all the other Ghibelline generals sent by the communes, who were all anxious to communicate their opinions and plans with the monarch. Three individuals stood out from the crowd ahead of the group, and once they were at a sufficient distance, those three men withdrew themselves from it to greet Conradin. Conradin also greeted them and encouraged them to introduce themselves. The head of the Pisan detachment of soldiers was the first to speak: "I am pleased to meet you, your highness; my name is Nino Visconti; I was sent here by the Pisan Republic to assist you in your quest." The second was Alberto della Scala, brother of Verona Cangrande della Scala's current podestà of Verona: ''Pleased to meet you, your highness; my name is Alberto della Scala, and I am proud to fight alongside you'' Last but not least was Guglielmo Tiepolo, commander of the Pavian soldiers, who, like the others, voiced his joy at being able to fight in the coalition against the Guelph and the French.

After the presentation, the generals and the monarch entered the palace, and they began to discuss their next course of action. They knew that they had a crucial task ahead of them, and they were all devoted to the cause that would allow them to undermine their Guelph counterparts. They were ready to work together and present a united front against Charles and his allies. They were determined to show strength and unity, and to do whatever it took to see the Ghibelline cause through to the end. Everyone had their own reason to participate: Genoa and Pisa for they wanted to trade with the rich Kingdom of Sicily; Verona for it was always a staunch supporter of the Hohenstaufen house and also because they were promised land; and finally Pavia for it was a matter of survival for it since it was long since the Republic of Milan rested his eyes on the commune. Every city had its own interests, and Conradin needed to navigate himself through them if he wanted to have a coordinated front against the enemy. The only positive thing was that Charles would also have problems like that and wouldn't be able to get the most out of his auxiliary Italian allies.

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