I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 214

Became the King of the Crusades – Episode 214 (214/215)

The Will of God (4)

“So, are the outsiders leaving today? The Khan will be sad.”

Kulan said as he mounted his horse.

The prairie wind was cool as ever.

As he waved his hand, the horses followed in order. Kulan checked the number of horses without missing a single one.

“We wouldn’t have won this battle either if it weren’t for those outsiders. Watching them fight, it’s like they came down from the sky.”

“Don’t call them outsiders anymore. You should call him Badaeng Khan. He’s already shared the Anda oath [a sworn brotherhood] with our Khan.”

“The Khan and the outsider sharing the Anda oath. I still can’t believe it.”

Kulan said, looking at his comrade.

It had already been a year since the mysterious outsiders appeared.

They introduced themselves as coming from a land called Jerusalem.

A land flowing with milk and honey.

The center of the world and the holy city.

Badaeng, the king of that place, received a revelation and came all the way to this distant east. Of course, Temujin Khan didn’t believe that.

Kulan and the warriors of other tribes didn’t either.

In this prairie, you were either a friend or an enemy. The outsiders who came with swords and weapons were just enemies.

No fool would believe the words that they came here following a revelation.

However, the outsiders suffered no damage even after several battles. They didn’t fall for the decoy tactics, and instead, they defeated the Khan’s elite troops as if they were children.

They were like warriors descended from the sky. In the end, Temujin Khan reached out first.

[Send a messenger. I need to talk to him directly]

At the meeting, the man named Badaeng directly proved his abilities.

He demonstrated power surpassing all the shamans of the tribe.

He predicted the weather, shot arrows with his eyes covered, and even healed the sick.

No shaman had ever possessed such power.

As things turned out that way, Temujin Khan had no choice but to acknowledge his power.

As always, in the prairie, you were either a friend or an enemy.

[The Christ you believe in seems to be more powerful than the spirits of the prairie]

The first to be baptized was Temujin Khan. Following him, the warriors of the tribes were baptized one by one.

The outsiders’ priest, Father Fier, sprinkled holy water on them.

After that, the Khan made a brotherly oath with Badaeng, the Anda oath. It had been a year since the two fought together.

Now, no tribe in the prairie dared to oppose them. Now, other tribes were rushing to be baptized.

“Come to think of it, Father Fier is staying here. It seems he’s going far to the east.”

Kulan said, pulling on the reins. The spirits of the prairie were still silent.

Now, there was only the spirit of Jerusalem, Christ.

“Let’s hurry up and go. Shouldn’t we go to the banquet hall and have a sip of milk?”

The wind that brushed against the grass wrapped around him and the horses.

* * *

One year later

In my dream, I was back on that day.

A woman screaming in a dark alley. And a thug standing in front of her.

Everything started to go wrong from then on. Getting into a fistfight with the thug and being expelled from the military academy.

If I could go back to that time, what choice would I make?

What would I….

“Your Majesty, please cheer up a little more. Soon you’ll see the walls of Jerusalem. We’re almost there.”

Aig’s voice woke me up. I subconsciously tried to untie the rope on my body, but my hands wouldn’t move properly.

If I untie this, I’ll fall straight off the saddle.

“Tighten the rope a little more, Aig. The king can’t show a sick appearance.”

“…I understand. If you just bear with it a little longer, you can rest in the palace.”

“I miss my bed. I miss seeing other people too.”

Trumpets and cheers were heard from behind. Crowds welcoming me back from the expedition.

The crowds had only increased since entering the Crusader territory.

Among them were many Jews and Muslims.

Their excited emotions swirled and entered me.

“Long live King Baldwin! Long live Prester John!” [A legendary Christian patriarch and king]

Prester John.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at that word.

Is this also a self-fulfilling prophecy?

I converted the famous ‘Genghis Khan’ to Christianity.

I inadvertently created Prester John with my own hands.

‘I was going to kill him as soon as I met him at first….’

The expedition that left Jerusalem headed to Mongolia, appropriately mixing force and diplomacy. They passed directly through the famous Silk Road.

Some Islamic kingdoms blocked the way, but there were no major problems.

And finally, I met Genghis Khan in Mongolia.

Instead of killing him, I made the conqueror of Mongolia a blood brother and a Christian.

If a Christian force were to arise in the East, Jerusalem would also be stabilized.

I might prevent the indiscriminate massacres and invasions of Europe and the Levant [historical geographical area referring to the Middle East], like in the original history.

I also vaguely inserted a message not to invade Goryeo [ancient Korean kingdom], like a revelation.

‘Actually, it’s closer to deceiving them with my sixth sense.’

The expressions of the shamans whenever I performed magic were really something to see.

What will happen in Mongolia in the future?

At least the Levant has become safer, but perhaps other Islamic countries have become more dangerous.

Well, I’ll know as time passes.

Since Father Pierre remained, at least the minimum Christian doctrine could be established.

The Islamic kingdoms might reach out to Jerusalem first to stop Mongolia.

Anyway, I achieved the purpose of leaving for Mongolia.

“I’m finally back.”

On the journey back to Jerusalem, my body became weaker and more frail.

I couldn’t even stay on the saddle without being tied to it with ropes.

Just hold on a little longer.

“It’s Jerusalem! I can see the walls of Jerusalem over there!”

The knights shouted.

They all ran forward and waved their hands.

The walls of Jerusalem.

Below it, there were countless camels, horses, and carriages.

Saracen caravans and merchants carrying goods. Jews and Ethiopians in their unique attire.

How much I missed that sight.

Aig grabbed my body and shook it.

“Your Majesty, please rest here on the hill for a while. I’ll go and inform the others.”

“Thank you, Aig.”

Aig’s back became blurry and soon disappeared. I untied the ropes on my body and struggled to get down from the saddle.

Bult licked my face and pushed his head in.

“You’ve worked hard too, Bult. We’ve been together since Eilat. There’s probably no horse that’s run more than you.”

I stroked his mane and sat down on the hill. The panorama of Jerusalem unfolded before my eyes.

The tall walls and the widely spread Solomon’s Temple.

Even the Tower of David, where Jesus was tried by Pilate, the Roman governor.

It was the city I had protected by giving everything.

The scenery gradually began to blur. Something was visible in between. Figures approaching me.

But I couldn’t feel anything with my sixth sense.

The figures that seemed like three merged into one.

A woman with black hair.

Dressed in a suit that you would only see in the 21st century.

Am I seeing a hallucination?

“I’ll admit this. It was unexpected that you went all the way to Mongolia with that body to protect Jerusalem.”

She stood in front of me and bent down. My vision was still blurry, but the woman’s appearance was clearly visible.

A face that was familiar even though I was seeing it for the first time.

“To be honest, I didn’t even expect the Third Crusade to gather like that. You brought the entire Eastern Roman Empire and Europe into the council.”

She smiled.

“Do you know who I am?”

“The Raven Army. Did you come to mock me at the last moment?”

There was only one being who would say such a thing to me. The unidentified raven that appeared at the coronation.

“Raven? Ah, I’m not that stupid guy. I came to clean up the mess he made.”

She shrugged her shoulders.

Words that were hard to understand continued.

“He’s already paid the price for his sins. There are always guys who cross the line. We also follow a higher order in the end.”

I fell into thought.

Maybe all of this is a hallucination I’m seeing before I die.

An illusion created by a head exhausted from years of journey. But the senses are too clear to say that.

“Then can you extend my life too?”

“That’s a bit difficult. Even Moses, who led his tribe for a lifetime, couldn’t step on the promised land in the end. Everything has its appointed time.”

She held out her hand.

“It’s time to go now. King of Jerusalem.”

After hesitating for a moment, I grabbed her outstretched hand. As my hand touched hers, my body became lighter.

“To give you my personal opinion, you were the best king I’ve ever seen.”

She said with a smile.

“I’ve met countless kings, tribal chiefs, presidents, presidents, and consciousnesses so far. So you can be proud.”

“Then what happens now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Is it the end if I die here? Or as that raven said….”

“You rejected the raven’s offer at that time. You can’t revive a flower that has withered once.”

“I see.”

I die here.

I didn’t feel particularly regretful.

I was prepared for it anyway.

I just felt a sense of regret.

“You’ll be able to know what will happen in the future if you follow me. It’s a bit difficult to explain in words. You have to see it for yourself.”

“Wait. Just wait a moment.”

With those words, I looked back at Jerusalem. I saw the lords and knights coming out of the castle gates.

Balian, Raymond, Sibylla.

And Theodora and a grown-up Amor.

Behind them, countless crowds poured out. In fact, all the citizens of Jerusalem poured out of the castle gates.

All with faces full of joy.

There couldn’t be anything better than this as the last sight I see.

I sent them a farewell greeting.

“Goodbye everyone. It would have been nice if we could have said our last goodbyes.”

With those words, I turned my body.

It was time to leave the holy city, Jerusalem.

* * *

“Your Majesty?”

It was Aig who first noticed something was wrong.

Baldwin, who was wearing a helmet, did not answer his words.

There was no usual smile or nod.

“Your Majesty? Please get up quickly. The Queen and everyone else have come out to see you off.”

But Baldwin still didn’t answer. He just lay on the hill in silence.

After a few seconds of silence, Aig reached out to the helmet with a trembling hand.

Baldwin was smiling faintly with his eyes closed.

Only then did Aig realize that the king was not breathing.

“Your Majesty!”

A murmur spread.

Other lords and knights were already gathered around.

“His Majesty the King has passed away….”

A comrade stopped a knight from shouting. They all looked at their king with their mouths shut.

Theodora was the only one who moved in the silence.

She approached Baldwin and held him in her arms.

She smiled.

“You’ve returned as promised, Baldwin.”

Cries and sobs echoed around.