I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 108

Intermission (3)

* * *

Rome

Lateran Palace

“Baldwin of Jerusalem, glorious saint and beloved child of Christ. You have achieved greater deeds than anyone else and shown more courage than any royal.”

The Pope took my arm and helped me to my feet.

He handed me a gold ring.

“I hope you will uphold peace in Europe and prove your fairness.”

“I will follow the Lord’s will.”

Thousands of clergy and citizens watched us.

I accepted the ring.

A plain gold ring.

The ring itself was not particularly valuable.

But it was different when the Pope himself gave it to you.

‘The Pope’s representative.’

It was rare for the Roman Pope to grant such authority.

It could be said to be one of the greatest gains from Rome.

I carefully slipped the ring onto my finger.

“Praise the Lord!”

“Praise the Lord!”

The sound of bells echoed from all directions.

The Pope and I embraced amidst the cheers.

It was time to leave Rome.

***

Poitou [a historical region of France]

“Everyone, advance!”

“Drive them out!”

Men in chainmail swung their swords.

Cold raindrops pierced their armor like insects.

Grim shouts and the sounds of struggle faintly echoed through the rain.

The muddy battle ended with one side fleeing.

“Hooray! Long live Duke Richard!”

The surviving soldiers cheered.

“All those who can walk, gather at the camp! Collect the prisoners and the wounded!”

A man trudged out of the mud.

Duke Richard of Aquitaine.

“It ended more anticlimactically than I thought, don’t you think?”

Richard said, throwing off his helmet.

A middle-aged man next to him picked up the helmet.

“But our side also suffered considerable damage. At this rate, the next battle will be difficult.”

“The same goes for my brother’s army. We’ll have at least a few weeks until the next battle.”

Richard said with a smirk.

His auburn hair was wet with rain.

Tall, he stood out even among the soldiers.

He looked at the mercenary leader, Mercadier, and asked.

“What is the extent of the damage to our villages?”

“The enemy mercenaries burned the land before the battle. The residents have already fled.”

“It will take at least a few years to restore it to its original state. I had just managed to rebuild the villages my father burned down….”

Richard looked around.

Most of the village buildings were burnt and grotesque.

Skinny chickens and goats wandered around, eating the burnt grain.

“If it weren’t for this nonsense, I could have been hunting here comfortably.”

“The war will end soon. Won’t King Henry II intervene?”

“My father?”

Richard burst out laughing.

He went inside the tent and continued.

“My father has no intention of interfering in his children’s fight. The reason is simple, isn’t it? He’s going to let the wolf cubs sort out the rankings on their own.”

He added.

“My father won’t care about this as long as we don’t bare our teeth at him. He’ll be busy playing with some French girl.”

“…”

Mercadier cleared his throat.

“But didn’t you get engaged to Adele of France? Then, according to the sacred contract….”

“Shove the contract up the Pope’s ass. Are you telling me to accept a woman who used to sleep with my father?”

Richard burst out laughing.

He washed his hands in a water bowl.

The clear water turned red.

“If you want, I’ll give her to you, Mercadier. How about it?”

“I’d welcome that. I’ve never held royalty in my arms before.”

“Whether it’s royalty or nobility, flesh is flesh. You foolish friend.”

Richard said, tilting his wine glass.

He looked out of the tent.

“The only winner in this war is the King of France. The more we brothers fight, the more his power grows.”

He said.

“It’s like three lions being tricked by a fox. No, should I say four now?”

“…”

“First, sort out the prisoners. Pick out those who can pay ransom separately.”

“I will follow your orders.”

“Oh, and there were those guys who massacred our prisoners last time. Those mercenaries from France.”

Richard smiled.

“There’s no need to get ransom for them. Just skin them alive. That should be enough.”

At that moment, a knight entered the tent.

He knelt before Richard.

“What’s going on?”

“His Holiness the Pope has sent a letter to Your Excellency.”

“The Pope?”

Richard took the paper and read it.

Silence fell.

“Baldwin of Jerusalem is coming here. As the Pope’s envoy.”

“Didn’t Baldwin of Jerusalem arrive in Italy a while ago? But why here….”

“The Red-Bearded Emperor has surrendered in Rome. It was Baldwin who led the Lombardy League to receive the surrender.”

“Emperor Frederick surrendered….”

Mercadier muttered, raising his eyebrows.

“Unbelievable.”

“That Baldwin is coming himself to stop the meaningless fight between brothers. Interesting. This is really interesting.”

Richard said.

He waved his hand.

“I need to send a reply right away. No, damn it. I need to think about what to write first.”

He said, stroking his beard.

“Go get some more wine. If we do well, this could be beneficial to us.”

* * *

Northern Poitou

“Brother, we must attack right now!”

Geoffrey slammed the table.

He was the Duke of Brittany and the younger brother of Young Henry and Richard.

“To stop the battle just because some royal from Jerusalem is coming! This is just a rumor spread by Richard.”

“N-no, that’s not what I c-confirmed, Geoffrey. Baldwin is a-already crossing the sea.”

Young King Henry stuttered.

He and his brother Geoffrey had nothing in common.

Henry was muscular and large.

On the other hand, Geoffrey was narrow and thin.

The two were never close brothers.

But they had joined forces to take Richard’s territory.

“H-he led the Italians himself and d-defeated Emperor Frederick. Do you th-think we can just ignore someone like that?”

“Aren’t you too excited that he’s from Jerusalem?”

Geoffrey asked with a sigh.

“You’ve been interested in the Crusades for a long time.”

“I-it’s only natural for a k-king who follows Christ to be interested in the C-Crusades.”

Young Henry frowned.

He tapped his thigh whenever he couldn’t get the words out.

“What’s important now is for you and me to defeat Richard’s army and take Poitou.”

Geoffrey said.

“I’ve spent a lot of money on this. The mercenaries need salaries and villages to plunder. If we stay still like this, we’ll just end up as fools who wasted money.”

“I-I also spent a lot of money, Geoffrey. M-much more money than you.”

“That’s why I’m saying we shouldn’t stop the battle. The longer it takes, the more we’ll lose.”

“…”

Young Henry frowned.

He looked at the knight behind him.

Shiny chainmail and a calm expression.

“Marshall, what do you think?”

“The rumors have already spread. The soldiers and knights are also wavering. If Duke Baldwin really came here on behalf of His Holiness….”

He said.

“Opposing him would not be a wise decision.”

“I w-wish we were in the south. What if R-Richard brings in Duke Baldwin?”

“There is no news yet that Duke Baldwin has joined hands with Duke Richard.”

Marshall said.

He crossed his arms.

“And fighting an unprepared enemy is a dishonorable act that goes against chivalry.”

“Sometimes I’m confused about whose side you’re on, Sir Marshall.”

Geoffrey shrugged.

“Are you helping you and me fight, or are you helping Richard?”

“Young Henry is only trying to save the people suffering from tyranny. The mercenaries’ looting and arson need to be controlled.”

Marshall replied.

“Even if you win with cowardly tactics, no one will recognize Your Majesty’s victory.”

“Y-you’re right. We need to maintain at least the m-minimum formalities.”

“But brother….”

“F-first, we need to reorganize our ranks and watch the situation. I’ve made my decision, so th-that’s it. I w-won’t allow you to act alone, Geoffrey.”

“How can I disobey my brother’s words? Then I’ll go back to inspect the troops.”

Geoffrey cursed and left the tent.

Only Young Henry and Marshall remained in the tent.

“I never imagined I’d see a Crusader from Outremer [French for overseas, referring to the Crusader states] here in Europe.”

“M-me neither. An army from the Holy City of J-Jerusalem. Could we have won against the Emperor if it w-wasn’t for the Lord’s will?”

Young Henry asked.

He got up and said.

“A-anyway, gather more information. We need to somehow bring Duke B-Baldwin to our side.”

* * *

“So Young King Henry is also the King of England? But why is he trying to take his brother Richard’s territory?”

“It’s complicated. And Young Henry is a king, but not really.”

I answered, getting up.

The ship swayed slightly with each wave.

The familiar smell of the sea was on my tongue.

“He’s probably still living off allowances from his father, Henry II.”

I had played the England side several times [referring to playing as England in a strategy game, implying knowledge of the historical context].

Henry II was a man with great ambition.

He married Eleanor, who divorced the King of France, to gain the territory of Aquitaine.

‘He also kept his sons in check.’

The eldest son, Young Henry, was the co-king of England but had no authority.

He even often begged his father for money to participate in his favorite jousting tournaments.

“At least Geoffrey and Richard each received territories. The youngest, John, also received Ireland.”

“So Young Henry is just a penniless man with no real power.”

“Exactly. That’s why he’s so desperate to take the territories of his other brothers.”

I nodded.

There must be sycophants around Young Henry egging him on.

“Besides, the lords of Aquitaine also hate Richard.”

“You really know the details.”

“I have good informants.”

I replied with a smile.

Most people in this era relied on fragmented information.

In contrast, I knew everyone’s position to some extent.

‘Of course, the information I know isn’t always accurate and detailed.’

But I had a broad perspective.

What each person wanted.

And the choices and actions they took.

I burst out laughing.

The Last Crusaders.

Plus, I studied it hard in war history class.

It would be stranger if I didn’t know.

Henry II, who plays with his own son’s fiancée.

Queen Eleanor, imprisoned by her husband and waiting for the day she’ll be released.

The slowly spreading story of Robin Hood.

Eig sighed.

“Anyway, it won’t be easy to stop this fight. You know how obsessed kings and nobles are with their territories.”

“I know that too. But that doesn’t mean there’s no way at all.”

“Do you have something in mind? If you’re going to use the True Cross like you did in Italy….”

“The True Cross will also be useful. But that’s not the important thing.”

Suddenly, I thought of Father Pierre.

He was so clingy that it was suffocating.

Well, I was the one who recruited him in the first place.

I can’t complain.

“Imagine thousands of knights and soldiers entering the middle of the battlefield.”

I said, going up to the deck.

The wooden stairs creaked with each step.

As I came out onto the deck, the blue sea unfolded.

More than a dozen ships glided across the water.

“At first, everyone will be scared.”

I fiddled with the gold ring on my finger.

The warm sea breeze brushed against my cheek and scattered.

“Then they’ll try to use us. They’ll try to be the first to form an alliance with us before the other side does.”

“You mean….”

“We can use that situation too.”

I fiddled with the gold ring on my finger.

The warm sea breeze brushed against my cheek and scattered.