Volume 2 - Chapter 4 - The Judged ...

| Morning of September 6 - 1248 - Castel del Monte - Attila |

Last night the teacher and I had a private toast with the Emperor in one of his rooms, talking about a lot of things, having a good time.

Instead this morning I was woken up by a maid who informed me that the investiture was about to begin and that I had to prepare.

He dressed me as a knight, that is, with a tunic with an iron sweater on top while under the bust I wore iron leggings. Finally, on the head a sort of headphones with another iron protection.

Obviously I was expecting something different, more elegant and flashy, but I trust the words of the master.

The investiture began, I entered the throne room where the Emperor sat on the throne (strangely with his daughter Constance behind him, who looked at me badly) and in the stairs there were other people I had never seen.

There were four individuals who stared at me with a prejudicial gaze as I knelt, before the staircase, in front of the Emperor.

The first I noticed was an African. He was bald and had green eyes. Tall and sturdy, he was covered in mighty armor. He had his huge sword on his left side inside a majestic sheath. He later found out that he was the Emperor's military adviser.

The second I saw was a brown-skinned Arab. He had blue eyes and you could see his hair under his white turban. Dressed in an all-white tunic he was not tall and kept his arms crossed. He later discovered that it was the Muslim philosopher who confronted the Emperor when he wanted answers.

I was very surprised instead to see a woman among those people, in fact I clearly remember that women did not play any politically important role unless they were queens. But knowing Frederick II's open mind it is likely that he also had a woman as a helper. The only one who did not look at me seriously but with a smile on her lips. He was of medium height with long curly yellow hair and black eyes. She wore an elegant dress as red as blood and decorated with many drawings drawn on it. He later found out that she was the emperor's internal affairs adviser.

The last one I saw was a German, even if from his short stature you wouldn't tell. He had gray hair and brown eyes, had a slap face (no kidding) and was dressed like a noble. If it weren't for the fact that he looked like an overweight goblin I don't think I would have ever remembered. He later found out that he was the Emperor's foreign policy advisor.

In that large room there were only seven people (excluding me): the Emperor, his daughter, the 4 strangers and the teacher.

This is because the investiture was in great secrecy, although I don't know exactly why.

Frederick II got up and came towards me drawing his sword kept in its beautiful lining.

When he came in front of me he began to spread his cheeks, to pat me on the nose. In short, all to laugh at me.

In reality, in the Middle Ages these things were normally done, because after having officially become a knight you could no longer be made fun of, so it is as if it were the last mockery to bear.

After all these harassment he said: << Knight Attila, do you swear to protect the weak and to fight for me and for the Christian faith?! >>

<< I swear! >> I yelled.

<< In the name of God ... >> putting the sword on my left sword.

<<… of San Michele… >> putting the sword on my right shoulder.

<<… and of San George… >> putting the sword on my head.

<<… I make you a knight! >>

I reached out and he handed me the sword.

Everyone in the room started clapping, including Costanza.

From that moment I had become a knight.

After the investiture, all of them dispersed, except one.

He was the Arab philosopher.

This one here thinks I'm stupid, I had noticed his prejudiced look before.

However, I gave him my hand saying: << Thank you for the compliments, Mr. Nadir >>

<< Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something, can you dedicate me some time? >>

<< Yes, obviously tell me >>

<< I would prefer to go to a more secluded place >>

Nodded following him, who knows what an Arab will want from me.

We arrived in his room, it was not large but he had decorated it in an oriental style.

He sat on the chair and said: << Young Attila, in reality I wanted to ask you some questions, are you available? >>

That is, an Arab invites me into his room to ask me questions, it's a bit strange situation.

<< Yes of course >>

<< As you already know this investiture took place in total secret, do you know why? >>

<< I honestly don't know >>

<< Because you are a plebeian, and in this empire a knight is always chosen among the sons of the nobles. Yet we both know that the Emperor goes beyond the social class, so it is normal that he also took someone of your caliber. My question, however, is how did you manage to convince the Emperor to make you a knight in one day? >>

<< I could also tell you, but what would you gain? Did you invite me to your room only to find out this information? >>

<< I gain that based on the answer I know how to behave towards you, since we will see each other often >>

Will this really gain from it?

I replied: << I was tested with a riddle by Constance, the daughter of the Emperor, and then I won a duel with Sir Elias >>

<< Only this? >>

<< Only this >>

<< I believe you, but I don't think you tell me everything >>

<< I think a good step to become colleagues is to believe in the words of the other >>

<< Well you're right >>

<< Instead now I would like to ask some questions, can I? >>

<< Yes, sure tell me >>

I had before me an Arab philosopher of the Middle Ages who was at the court of Frederick II, I certainly couldn't miss the opportunity to ask him some philosophical questions.

<< I wanted to ask you if you believe in the existence of God >>

After a few seconds of silence, the Arab replied: << Of course he exists, he is present in everything we do as it is written in the Koran ... er, I meant the Bible >>

While he was mortified by the fact that he had exchanged the Bible with the Koran I replied: << Mr. Nadir, I ask you these questions because I expect to be proved wrong. In fact, I am a convinced atheist, that is, I do not believe in any God, so I expect a good counter-answer from an Arab philosopher in favor of the Emperor >>

After my words, the philosopher stopped feeling guilty for the earlier mistake and began to speak: << I am convinced that God exists and that it is he who guides us in everything we do. Without him I wouldn't know how to live my life. How do you always live without it? >>

I smiled before answering him: << As I have already said, for me God does not exist. Because? In reality there are many reasons, but the main ones are that: God cannot be seen, God cannot be touched, God cannot be felt and if God created us in the image and likeness then He is not so benevolent. For example, when you said earlier that I told you everything you were right. I killed Sir Elias, because he pissed me off and I offered him a deadly duel to which the Emperor had agreed. I think Sir Elias was a great Catholic. Why then did God allow him to die? >>

The Arab was a little shocked by the fact that I had killed Sir Elias, despite this I continued: << Let's suppose instead that the Pope, the representative of God on earth, decided to try jumping off a precipice "because God will save him ". The result, I assure you, will be that it will crash to the ground like any human being. Why then did God not save his representative on earth? >>

The philosopher had no way of arguing, I continued: << I think one thing, humanity is divided into weak and strong. I mean that there is reliance on an imaginary God to fully live his life and who knows that, leaving aside uncontrollable events, it is he who decides the path of his life, who makes decisions and knows that it is he himself who does these decisions >>

Still no word from the philosopher, it was clear that he had no answers to my arguments.

I told him while I was opening the door to go out: << Mr. Nadir, I consider myself the strong person that everything that happens does not blame God or bad luck, but only myself because it was I who, perhaps, did not expected something or other such things. Having said that, I notice that she has no answers, I have to go now but if she wants to continue this debate then she must have some logical arguments too. Have a nice day >>

I closed the door of the room with the Arabic still speechless.