Capítulo 40: Chapter 40: The Military Contractor from Northern Europe
Three days later, the banners under Redstone Castle blotted out the sky. The vast sea of tents almost covered the open space south of the castle, causing everyone inside to feel a shiver down their spines.
The last time they saw such a large-scale army was over a decade ago, back when Longbow Richard still ruled Dublin. The passing Viking army left a lasting impression on many local residents.
However, this army was much more disciplined than those Vikings.
Although incidents of soldiers extorting residents or pushing and shoving the locals still occurred, compared to the outright plundering of the Vikings, the residents felt a sense of relief.
Under the protection of Norwegian warriors left by his father, Rolf arrived at the meeting place he had agreed upon with John.
Rolf believed he had chosen a place that demonstrated sincerity. It was an open field, almost impossible to ambush soldiers, allowing both parties to see clearly how many people the other side had brought.
However, John arrived earlier than Rolf.
He brought more attendants and knights. The attendants set up simple tables and stools and even brought some wine. The knights had thoroughly checked the surroundings to ensure no one was lying in ambush.
Seeing this scene, Rolf thought the prince was indeed suspicious, cunning, and quite fond of comfort.
Already seated on a small stool, John looked at the leading lord. He was a young man with flowing blonde hair, emerald green eyes, and a chiseled face that attested to his Nordic bloodline. Unlike most robust Northmen, his figure was tall and slender, with no trace of burly strength.
"Prince of England, it's a pleasure to meet you." Rolf's rough voice starkly contrasted with his elegant appearance. "You've prepared this place very well."
John shrugged and said, "When it comes to preparation, one can never be too thorough."
Rolf nodded, seemingly agreeing with John's words. He dismounted from his horse and, seeing John nod slightly in approval, sat down on the small stool.
"This is wine from Poitou. You might not be accustomed to it, but it's what I usually drink," John said, minding his manners. An attendant stepped forward to fill Rolf's cup.
Rolf downed the wine in one gulp, wiped his mouth, and said, "Nothing to get used to, Your Highness. Thank you for the fine wine."
Looking at Rolf's face, John asked, "Did you grow up in Ireland?"
"Yes, Your Highness, I have never been to Norway." Rolf's answer surprised John. "When I was born, my father was already the lord of Redstone. I have an elder brother in Norway. When I was eight, he came here and shortly after, he fell ill and died."
After listening to this background, John pondered, "A Norwegian who has never been to Norway, quite strange."
Rolf was indifferent, "It doesn't affect my identity as a Norwegian, Your Highness."
"Well... you have a point," John replied noncommittally. "Your father came to Ireland in search of wealth, glory, and land. In that regard, are you any different from your father?"
"No, I am here for the same reasons. Wealth, glory, land—these are what I seek," Rolf answered John's veiled question correctly.
Although Rolf had been baptized as a Catholic from a young age, some things buried deep within him could not be washed away by baptism.
People born in the harsh lands of Northern Europe have an unimaginable desire for warmth and wealth. This desire had not completely dissipated in Rolf, who inherited his father's ambition, leading him to interact with John.
A cool breeze swept across the wilderness, the air filled with the scent of early spring grass and tender leaves.
A meticulous servant draped a cloak over John to prevent him from catching a chill.
"So, you didn't ask me here just to show off your ambition," John said, pulling the cloak tightly around him. "I'll give you some time now. Speak for yourself."
With that, John crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair.
Rolf keenly realized this was an opportunity to win favor and began to articulate his vision to John.
"Your Highness, the people around you should all be knights, right? If I'm not mistaken, they all have fixed terms of service and will return to their homelands once their service is complete."
"Your campaign in Ireland should last more than a few months, so you definitely need an army. And this army can't be a ragtag bunch; they need to be seasoned veterans to meet your requirements, correct?"
Listening to Rolf, John's thoughts drifted far away.
He felt as if he had heard this kind of pitch before, perhaps in a previous life from an insurance salesman or a marketer.
"So, Your Highness, look at the warriors around me," Rolf suddenly shifted the focus of his conversation. "I know many professional warriors like them who need a job."
At this point, the warriors puffed out their chests, as if to prove their worth.
John suddenly thought of an abstract idea. When the Duchy of Normandy was first established, there were often cases of Nordic infantry teaming up with Norman knights for raiding expeditions. These incidents were even reported to the Roman Papacy, accusing the Normans of colluding with the Nordic pagans.
Now, things had changed. The Nordics had converted to Catholicism, transforming into Catholic brothers, united with no worries.
Rolf continued speaking, "If you think it's appropriate, I can bring you such a force with a constant stream of recruits. Many people in our homeland are seeking opportunities."
John finally realized that Rolf was pitching military force, essentially selling mercenaries.
"Moreover, Your Highness, I am willing to become your vassal, recruiting and training these soldiers according to your requirements," Rolf said without hesitation. "I can lead these soldiers to guard Meath and attack the lords disloyal to you."
Before Rolf could finish, John interrupted him, "I have a question: how much money do you need?"
This question made the scene quite awkward.
As mentioned before, few nobles managed financial matters, and Rolf was no exception. Although he did not receive a Western European noble education, he was still a noble.
As a noble who lived an elegant and refined life, how could he concern himself with money matters?
But unfortunately, John was a noble who did care about money.
"Your Highness, do you mean..." Rolf asked cautiously, "Are you worried about a shortage of funds?"
John shook his head, "I don't lack money; I'm just curious about how much you need."
Unexpectedly, the first step of his dream was stumped by financial calculations. Rolf felt uneasy and glanced back at his Norwegian warriors, who were even less educated than he was and couldn't be relied on for an answer.
However, Rolf couldn't provide an immediate answer to such a question.
"How about this, I'll break it down for you," John began to explain. "The daily expenses for one of my knights are eight pence. This is not a small amount."
"If I want to maintain a company of one hundred knights, the daily expense would be eight hundred pence, roughly four and a half pounds. I can certainly offer you some military contracts, but you need to give me a reasonable quote."
John mentioned contracting military services, a concept not yet present in this era.
In modern history, after Europe emerged from the Middle Ages, large-scale mercenary armies appeared. Although mercenaries have existed since ancient times, Renaissance-era European mercenaries were a different concept from their medieval predecessors.
For example, a medieval mercenary like Bertrand would lead his band of mercenaries, operating more like brothers who shared their earnings.
Rolf's suggestion, on the other hand, was about military contracting. John would pay Rolf, who would then recruit soldiers he deemed suitable and fulfill the contract terms.
In a way, John thought that if he could pay Rolf to handle the defense of Ireland, it would be quite advantageous.
At the very least, it would reduce a lot of his own troubles.
The Meath region was dotted with castles. If John wanted to personally lead troops to deal with each one, it would take considerable time. If he handed these tasks to feudal lords, it would empower feudal privileges, creating independent military and political local powers.
Contracting these tasks out would be relatively better.
Rolf was indeed an independent feudal lord, but under the constraints of a contract, having him act as a military contractor would be much more effective than having him execute tasks as a feudal lord.
However, seeing Rolf speechless for so long, John sighed.
John's attitude naturally made Rolf a bit nervous.
"Your Highness, I think three pounds a day should be sufficient," Rolf blurted out nervously, offering this quote.
Three pounds...
It seemed this guy had no experience with war.
John shook his head, feeling that this was indeed taking advantage of Rolf.
"Let's make it five pounds a day, paid monthly," John said, shaking his head. "I don't want you going bankrupt suddenly. That would be too unfortunate."
Hearing John's words, Rolf finally let out a sigh of relief.
But John wasn't ready to let him relax so easily.
"At the very least, within this month, you must raise a force of four hundred seasoned soldiers to accompany my army to the north," John said firmly, leaving no room for Rolf to refuse.
Rolf understood what John was asking for. John was not willing to spend money foolishly.
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