Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 72

Became Sultan (1)

The sword, embracing the cold moonlight, is blind.

The only way for those blocking its path to survive is to acknowledge the true master who has finally arrived.

-Prince Yusuf has arrived!

-May Allah’s blessings be with the true Padishah [Ottoman Emperor]!

The people, who had been fearful of the sounds of gunfire and clashing swords, realized that Yusuf had arrived and cried out his name.

The voices of the people echoed through the capital, and those who rejected him became like a red carpet covering the streets.

The entrance to Topkapi Palace, reached by following the trail of blood, was wide open. Beneath the flickering torches, corpses were trampled underfoot like crumbling fallen leaves.

Upon entering the Yeniçeri [Janissaries, elite infantry] courtyard, a man knelt and paid his respects amidst the heavily guarded soldiers.

“I greet Prince Yusuf, chosen by the great Padishah.”

Yusuf showed a glint of interest at this greeting.

The greeting emphasized ‘chosen,’ subtly pointing out that he was Bayezid’s man and that Yusuf had not yet officially ascended to the position of Padishah.

It was a greeting that could be interpreted as rude, but Yusuf didn’t take it seriously.

Even if he wasn’t fixated on the title of Padishah, the position was rightfully his anyway, regardless of whether his father, Bayezid, tried to stop him.

“Who are you?”

“I am Mustafa Pasha, the Silahtar Ağa [Commander of the Royal Guards].”

The Silahtar were the elite unit of the Kapıkulu Sipahi [Ottoman Royal Cavalry], the royal cavalry guard. Yeniçeri had to survive a suicide mission to transfer to this unit.

The word Silahtar itself means weapon holder, signifying that they were responsible for providing close protection to the Padishah. Ağa meant their commander.

In short, he was the Padishah’s closest aide.

“Hmm, so it’s you. The one who couldn’t properly protect my father and then asked me for help.”

“It is all my fault.”

“Indeed.”

Selim’s occupation of the capital was, in a way, fortunate for Yusuf, but failing to properly protect the Padishah was still a grave crime.

Like covering demerits with merits, Mustafa Pasha had played a significant role in this victory. Even if his life wasn’t taken, it was a crime that required him to relinquish all his positions.

It meant he would remain loyal to Bayezid until the end.

As if losing interest, Yusuf turned his head and looked around.

The scenery of Topkapi Palace was familiar enough to describe with his eyes closed, but it had never looked like this before.

Instead of the savory smell of bread from the bakery, the fishy smell of blood assaulted his nose. Near the firewood storage, corpses were piled up instead of firewood.

Weapons that hadn’t been properly wielded were scattered around the wide-open armory, and traces of life around the Yeniçeri residences were covered in bloodstains.

‘Compared to the blood that will flow in the future, even this is little.’

The meaning of becoming the master of the Ottoman Empire was synonymous with forging a path paved with blood.

If he had been afraid of this, he wouldn’t have started down this road in the first place.

“Let’s go, to see the end.”

Yusuf moved forward slowly, passing through the Gate of Salutation, which had been damaged by cannons.

The marble where he had witnessed heads being beheaded before becoming a Sanjakbey [District Governor] was buried beneath a pile of collapsed stones. The servants and those who had surrendered, who had been working in the Second Harem [women’s quarters], looked on with fear and awe.

As Yusuf entered the Third Harem [private residential area of the Sultan] through the already opened Gate of Felicity, Arda, who had rushed over, knelt and lowered his head.

“The usurper Selim has already fled.”

“My brother is acting disgracefully until the end.”

Even in the original history, Selim was known for always preparing a ship for escape, even when initiating a rebellion.

He had made so much noise that it wouldn’t be surprising if he had already run away.

‘It’s meaningless even if he runs away.’

Who would help Selim?

The Crimean Khanate? Most of the 30,000 troops they recklessly supported were either dead or captured, so would they really have the resources to do so?

If they found Selim, they would likely package him up nicely and send him back to the capital, begging for their lives.

There was someone more important than Selim, whose fate was already sealed.

“Where is my father?”

“I will guide you.”

As if anticipating the question, Arda led the way to a humble room at the end of the Third Harem.

Bayezid was lying on the bed with only one candle illuminating the room. Yusuf stood beside him.

“Yu, Yusuf, is that you?”

The labored voice, filled with phlegm, clearly indicated his poor physical condition.

His appearance under the candlelight was just as miserable.

He only had one leg left, his body was wrapped in bandages, and there was inflammation around the wounds etched into his wrinkled skin.

As he had heard, Bayezid’s condition offered no guarantee of survival beyond tomorrow.

“How did you end up like this, Father?”

“Ah… it must be because Allah is angry. Because I couldn’t stop Se, Selim.”

Yusuf clasped Bayezid’s hand, who was struggling to speak.

The intense eyes were blurred, and small tears flowed down his face, filled with regret.

The doctor, who had been bowing his head next to Bayezid, carefully spoke.

“The bedroom where Bayezid was staying collapsed due to the earthquake. We barely rescued him and tried our best, but…”

Even if he didn’t continue, Yusuf understood the rest of the words.

He might have endured the amputation, but it seemed difficult for an old man’s body to endure any longer.

“Yusu…f, now you are the master of the empire.”

It could be said that he had endured until now for this one word.

Yusuf squeezed his hand tightly.

“Trust me and leave it to me.”

“Th, this… I’ll give this back.”

With a struggling movement, Bayezid took out a silver coin from his chest.

Seeing the holed silver coin placed on the back of his hand, Yusuf realized it was the one he had given to Bayezid long ago.

Bayezid, having handed over the silver coin, quietly closed his eyes. Yusuf, feeling the fading warmth, quietly stepped outside.

Yusuf, who had been shining the silver coin in the moonlight for a long time, handed it to Shemsi.

“Put it back in my father’s arms.”

“It’s the silver coin that Bayezid gave back. Why?”

“I don’t deserve to receive it back.”

Because he knew in advance that Bayezid’s bedroom would collapse due to the earthquake.

He also knew that Bayezid, who would have left his bedroom a few hours before in the original timeline and saved his life, was not coming out of his bedroom this time.

If he had given him a hint, he wouldn’t have died like that, but he didn’t.

This insignificant silver coin was the last gift a heartless son could give to his father.

“My father’s era is over, and now my era begins.”

Yusuf’s indifferent declaration flowed into the cold night sky.

***

“Yusuf! I will kill that bastard!”

“Ah, Father?! Why are you here!”

Suleiman was startled to see Selim, who had entered the office with bloodshot eyes.

The clothes made of gorgeous fabric had become rags, and black bloodstains marred the white turban.

Selim, who had taken Suleiman’s seat, twisted his lips as he looked at the clock parts scattered on the desk.

“While your father was suffering humiliation, you were indulging in such things!”

Suleiman, who was blankly watching the thrown clock parts rolling on the floor, lowered his head.

Although he was young, he wasn’t so ignorant as to not understand what the current situation meant.

“Suleiman, immediately gather the troops and send a messenger to Mengli. I’m not finished yet! It’s just a matter of killing Yusuf, that bastard!”

Suleiman looked at Selim, who was shouting angrily, with a sad face.

Carefully picking up the clock body, Suleiman asked Selim, who had lost his reason.

“…Father, what happened to the clock I gave you?”

“Clock? Is that kind of clock important now! It must be somewhere in Topkapi Palace. Yes, if you want to get it back, gather the troops immediately!”

“Father.”

Suleiman, who had called Selim in a low voice, shook his head.

“It’s over now. Let’s not drive any more innocent people into the abyss. Not only the soldiers of Kefe but even the Crimean Khanate will not help.”

“…No. If the Crimean Khanate doesn’t work, we can go to the West. We can do it if we borrow their power.”

Selim’s voice gradually lost strength, and Suleiman opened the door and said to the soldiers who had entered.

“Take my father and launch the ship. We will go to the capital together.”

With the calm voice of the boy, a ship set sail.

To bring an end to the long succession war.

***

The capital was literally a mess.

It was natural, since the capital had turned into a battlefield before the fear of the earthquake had even subsided.

As soon as day dawned, the corpses were quickly cleared away, and Bayezid II’s funeral was held simply before the bloodstains could be completely erased.

The funeral prayer was held at the Fatih Mosque, where the dome was cracked by the earthquake, and his embalmed body was enshrined in the Bayezid Mosque he had built.

The entire Islamic world fell into deep sorrow over his death, a man who had played a major role in Islam to the point of being called the righteous Bayezid.

Even Kansuh al-Ghawri, the Mamluk Sultan, attended the funeral prayer held in Cairo, and funeral prayers commemorating him were held in various places.

However, if there is someone who ends the long life of Padishah, there is also someone who begins.

Boom! Boom!

The cheerful drumbeat of the darbuka [goblet drum] rang out, followed by the cheerful sound of instruments echoing everywhere.

As Yusuf, wearing a gorgeous robe decorated with gold thread, walked out of the Gate of Felicity, the gate of the Third Harem, thousands of people knelt down at once.

-Oh, great Padishah!

-May Allah’s blessings dwell under the true master of the empire!

Looking down at those who knelt, Yusuf’s past, in which he struggled to survive, flashed before his eyes.

He had become Yusuf, overcome numerous crises, and finally stood in this position.

‘From now on, it’s different from the past.’

Until now, he had fought for survival, but now he had to move forward for the glory of the empire.

“This empire is mine. The glory of the empire will soon be my glory.”

With Yusuf’s declaration,

A window appeared in front of him after a long time.

[Master of the Great Empire, score +100]

[Become the master of the great empire spanning six continents, reward selection]

Continents can be classified differently depending on the definition, but if Antarctica is excluded, the six continents would mean Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, and Oceania.

To go to America, he had to break through Europe, which blocked the Mediterranean, and to go to Oceania, he had to go through Southeast Asia.

In fact, the selection that seemed to be a way to return to his original body was meaningless.

‘I intend to live as Yusuf and die as Yusuf.’

That’s what he had decided.

So there was no need to indulge in such things.

“An empire that no country has ever achieved. That would be an interesting goal.”

Yusuf turned around.

Now that he had become the long-awaited Sultan, it was time to move as the master of the empire.

***

Europe and the Middle East watched the direction of the succession war, in which the master of the vast Ottoman Empire was changing, with bated breath.

Bayezid was passive about external expansion, but there was no guarantee that his son would be the same.

The rumors from the Ottoman Empire were shocking to those who foresaw that great changes would occur depending on which prince became the Sultan.

It wasn’t just the fact that Yusuf, who had defeated Selim, who had occupied the capital, had ascended to the Sultan’s throne.

“Did you say that the master of that infidel predicted the earthquake?!”

“Where are you spreading such nonsense!”

The eyes of Europe, which had been sharpening their swords at each other, now turned towards the Ottoman Empire.