I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 124

Excalibur (4)

* * *

Arrows landed in the mud with soft thuds, like falling fruit.

The rain had already turned the surroundings into a muddy swamp.

“Damn it! When is support coming?!”

“Stop complaining and keep shooting! We have to stop them from getting closer!”

Kang shouted, drawing his bow.

He aimed at a dimly visible figure.

With a familiar recoil, the arrow flew straight.

The figure faltered and then collapsed.

“They’re too many, Captain!”

John yelled.

“The defense line will fall before the knights return! Grab a cross and head to the city!”

“We’ll be more visible if we go outside the camp now.”

Kang looked at his quiver.

Only about six arrows left.

Once those were gone, he’d have to pick up arrows from the ground.

He took out an arrow and kissed the gray goose feather.

“If you have time to think, keep shooting!”

Arrows flew from all directions.

“Oh, Lord! Please forgive us sinners and have mercy…”

The pilgrims in the center of the camp fell one by one.

A girl burst into tears beside her father, who had been hit by an arrow.

Kang frowned at the sight.

He approached the man and examined the wound on his shoulder.

“It’s not too deep, so you’ll be fine.”

He nodded at the girl.

“John! Take the people further back! Use pots or anything to block the arrows!”

“If we do that, they’ll immediately…”

Kang looked ahead.

The enemies were hesitating to counterattack.

The pitch-black darkness also helped.

The enemies couldn’t tell how many Kang and his men there were.

‘But we won’t last long.’

Kang shook his head.

The enemy far outnumbered them.

Once the arrows ran out, it would be difficult to stop them.

The moment they broke through, a massacre would occur.

He had to act now.

Then something caught his eye.

A large cross held by a pilgrim.

Smaller than the Holy Cross, but almost the same size as King Arthur’s Cross.

“Hey! I need to borrow that!”

“No, what… this is a family heirloom passed down for generations!”

“I’ll return it later, just lend it to me for now!”

Kang forcibly took the cross.

He put the cross on his back and tied it with a rope.

“John! Cain! Follow me!”

He shouted loudly.

“Hold up the torches and light me up! We need to be seen leaving the camp!”

“What do you mean?”

“We need to look like we’re running away with the cross!”

Kang shouted.

He took his two companions and ran out of the camp.

He turned back and shouted to his men.

“While we draw their attention, evacuate the pilgrims into the city! Protect the Holy Cross and King Arthur’s Cross with your lives!”

Kang ran off without waiting for an answer.

Several arrows whistled past his head.

“Geten hem!(Catch them!)”

“Þay rennen aȝayn with a croys!(They’re running away with the cross!)”

The mercenaries shouted in Middle English [a form of English spoken in the High Middle Ages, roughly 1150-1470].

Soon, they rushed towards Kang.

Kang continued to run towards the forest.

As expected, the enemies were after King Arthur’s Cross.

Kang, John, and Cain.

The three ran and shot arrows.

“Looks like the bartenders we owe money to are chasing us!”

John shouted with a laugh.

He ducked to avoid an arrow as if he was used to it.

“Let’s pay them back now.”

Kang turned and drew his bow.

The enemy at the front grabbed his neck and fell.

The arrow couldn’t penetrate the chainmail.

But the impact was enough.

Kang fumbled for his quiver.

Only three arrows left.

As they entered the forest, the dense trees welcomed them.

Behind them, torches still chased after them.

The light was blurred through the wet drizzle.

Kang kept running.

Branches and wet leaves hit his face.

“Captain, we’ll go to the side and block them!”

John and Cain disappeared into the trees.

Soon, screams of pain echoed.

Now Kang was alone.

The pursuit continued.

The light gradually approached.

When he came to his senses, Kang was standing in front of a huge pile of stones.

‘Is this a dead end!’

There was nowhere to hide on either side.

Soon, the pursuers appeared.

Clubs and swords.

Even grappling hooks.

They were all panting with red faces.

A man shouted to Kang.

“I spare youre lyf if ye yeve me the croys(I’ll spare your life if you hand over the cross).”

“You mean this?!”

Kang took the cross off his back and showed it to them.

The men with torches stepped forward.

“Take it if you want! I stole it from some old man anyway!”

He laughed and spat.

Only then did the enemies realize the situation.

They screamed and rushed towards him.

“Anyone who wants to fight, come on! I’ll crack your skull myself.”

Kang took out all the arrows from his quiver.

Three in total.

He nocked two of them and drew the bow with all his might.

The arrows flew simultaneously, hitting two enemies in the eyes and neck.

The others hesitated as their comrades screamed and fell.

“Anyone else want to try?!”

“He oonly have oon arwe!! gete hym!(He only has one arrow left! Everyone attack at once!)”

The pursuers slowly approached.

Kang drew the last remaining arrow and looked ahead.

There were no choices left.

Fight to the death.

He glanced at the hilt of the dagger at his waist.

If he was lucky, he might take two of them with him.

The distance gradually closed….

Just before the enemies charged, a shout echoed from afar.

A familiar voice.

“Put out the lights!”

The sound of hooves could be heard faintly.

The pursuers all turned their heads at the sudden appearance of the uninvited guest.

Some took out grappling hooks.

“Put out the lights!”

Kang quickly raised his bow.

The order was clear.

Put out the lights.

There were two men holding torches.

Kang drew his bow.

The man with an arrow in his hand screamed and fell.

Only one left.

Kang drew his dagger and threw it with all his might.

The dagger pierced the back of his hand, and the last torch fell.

Both torches fell into the wet mud and were extinguished.

Pitch-black darkness enveloped the surroundings.

As the dark clouds covered the moon, nothing could be seen.

The sound of hooves grew closer.

Kang saw a shadow jump off the horse.

“Folow! myn arm!(Damn it, my arm!)”

A death rattle echoed.

Kang lowered his head and looked ahead.

He couldn’t see anything.

Only a few blurry figures moved like shadows.

The sound of chainmail clanging and cloth rustling could be heard.

“Kille! kille this mooderfu…(Kill! Kill this motherf…!)”

The shout stopped and turned into a gurgling sound.

The pursuers swung their swords and clubs wildly.

Kang saw a shadow moving between them.

The blurry shadow wielded the sword as if dancing without any difficulty.

The sound of bodies falling into the mud continued with a splattering sound.

Kang blinked as he watched the scene.

As time passed, his eyes gradually became accustomed to the darkness.

The pursuers who had threatened him were all lying on the mud.

One person.

Now there was only one person standing in front of him.

A helmet with wings.

A calm breath.

A sword blade dripping with blood.

It was Duke Baldwin.

Kang flinched without realizing it as he approached.

“Sorry. I’m a little late.”

He said in a calm tone as if greeting him.

“It took me a while to figure out the situation. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“….”

Kang, who had been blank, belatedly came to his senses.

“I’m just scratched by branches. Are you alright, Your Grace? What about your companions…?”

“I’m alone. I didn’t have time to spare coming in a hurry.”

The Duke said, wiping his sword.

“I should have left a few alive. I can only hope that Ruark and Marshal Cain catch a few.”

Kang looked at the scattered corpses.

Chest or neck.

They all seemed to have died in one blow.

‘Such accurate attacks in pitch-black darkness….’

He muttered inwardly.

“You noticed that they were after the cross and lured them out with a fake. Good judgment. I’m glad I brought you guys.”

The Duke said, turning his head.

The eyes of a hawk aiming at distant prey.

Kang flinched slightly without realizing it at the sight.

“Pick up your bow and arrows. There are still some guys left to catch.”

* * *

“No, they attacked my army! It’s the same as attacking me!”

Young Henry shouted with a flushed face.

Baron Godfrey bowed his head deeply.

“I have no excuse, Your Majesty.”

The Baron said with a pale face.

“This happened because there were so few knights and soldiers here. I will take responsibility and catch every last one of them.”

“I, I don’t want to hear excuses! If Godfrey, you are related to th, this incident….”

“Baron Godfrey is not related to this incident, Your Majesty,” I said.

The attack was organized.

“Even if it wasn’t here, they would have ambushed you on a nearby path.”

The advance team would draw attention and lure the knights, while the main force would attack the camp.

Their plan must have been to steal King Arthur’s Cross.

It was Kang’s quick response that stopped them.

Kang himself almost died while luring the enemies.

‘If I didn’t have a hunch, I wouldn’t have arrived in time.’

I recalled the fight last night.

The drizzle falling from the sky.

The emotions filled with fear and bewilderment.

The shoulder that was grazed by the sword throbbed.

The Baron bowed his head and expressed his gratitude.

I looked at him.

“Have the captured men confessed anything yet?”

“They’re mercenaries who travel around England doing odd jobs. They didn’t know they were attacking King Henry’s army.”

The Baron said.

“They confessed that they were commissioned to steal the cross, but they don’t know who the client was….”

“I’ll interrogate them myself.”

I said.

I can at least tell if they’re telling the truth or lying.

But I had a feeling that I wouldn’t be able to find the client.

‘They were professionals. They were properly armed too.’

They weren’t just ordinary bandits.

Mercenaries with combat experience and high pay.

“W, they attacked the king’s army. Once the interrogation is over, th, they should be executed immediately.”

Young Henry said to me.

I could feel the burning anger.

“I’ll skin them alive. That’s the only way they’ll know what kind of crime they’ve committed.”

“….”

I closed my mouth.

I probably would have objected at another time.

But yesterday’s attack was an excessive act.

The images of the pilgrims and citizens hit by arrows came to mind.

The children who were hurt and crying.

The enemies attacked without regard.

Even now, angry Amsbury citizens were gathered outside the tent.

Godfrey asked.

“A, does Your Grace have an archer among your soldiers?”

“An archer…?”

“I heard he took the lead in protecting the citizens and pilgrims last night. I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of Amsbury.”

“You mean Kang. I’ll call him.”

“I, in England, people who are good at archery are very popular.”

Young Henry said in a calmer voice.

“Perhaps the citizens th, think he’s Ro, Robin Hood from the stories.”

I gave a faint smile.

Robin Hood.

Come to think of it, that story was also popular in this era.

“Anyway, we n, need to find out who did this. Th, the English royal family can’t just let this insult pass.”

“There’s no need to find the culprit. I already know who it is.”

Both of them looked surprised at my words.

The Baron asked.

“You know the culprit? Who is it…?”

“They were trying to steal King Arthur’s Cross. Who would do such a thing in this situation?”

“It could be lords from other regions. There are always those who want to take possession of holy relics.”

“The Baron is right. But King Arthur’s Cross is different. Stealing this would incur the wrath of the royal family.”

I said.

That would be a suicidal act.

“But what if it was the king?”

“W, the king…?”

Young Henry’s eyes widened.

“Are you talking about my father? N, no matter how much it’s my father, he wouldn’t do such a reckless thing.”

Silence fell.

Young Henry muttered.

“N, no. If it’s my father, he might do it.”

I nodded.

Because his son, not himself, found King Arthur’s Cross.

This meant that his power and legitimacy were being shaken.

If he was trying to stop him from coming to London, it made perfect sense.

“If what Your Grace says is true….”

Young Henry asked.

“What should we do if my father ordered th, this to happen?”

“There’s no need to change the plan. We can go to London as planned.”

I said.

King Arthur’s Cross and the comet were just the beginning.

The real fight starts now.

All the cards in my hand are already gathered.

“There’s no need to be afraid to carry out God’s will.”