I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 147

< 147. Courage in Chaos (2) >

“Charge! Charge!”

“Fire the arrows! Shoot them before they get close!”

Hooves trampled the scorching plains.

The first to clash were the Turko horse archers from both sides.

They spread out to the sides, firing arrows at each other.

“Don’t worry about the small fries! Break through the center! If we break through the center, we can collapse them!”

The knights of Count Guy’s camp charged forward.

Knights from Raymond’s camp also charged.

“They’re already exhausted anyway! Attack! Attack!”

The two waves collided, creating a deafening roar.

Lances shattered against shields, and swords slashed through the air like a lion’s claws.

Knights and light cavalry mixed together, and the plains were instantly filled with the clang of metal.

“Hurry and support the cavalry!”

“Move faster, you slowpokes!”

Both sides’ infantrymen ran to the battlefield, panting.

Many collapsed under the fierce sunlight.

Soldiers with shields and spears staggered onto the plains.

Count Guy watched the scene and shouted.

“Why haven’t they broken through yet? What are our knights doing?”

He waved his hand towards the knight commander.

“Where are the rest of the knights? The members of the knight order?”

“The infantry is exhausted from the heat, so their speed has slowed down.”

The knight commander said, taking off his helmet.

Sweat dripped from the inside of the helmet.

“If we commit all the cavalry now, there will be a gap in the rear. And the reserve force in case of an emergency…”

“Reserve force? Does it look like we need a reserve force right now?”

Guy shouted, pointing to the battlefield.

“This is a battle! A battle! Do you think they’ve set up an ambush in this barren field?! Deploy all the knights right now!”

“A, understood, Count.”

“We must break through their formation no matter what. Just once! We only need to break through once!”

Knights on horseback rushed out, passing the infantrymen.

* * *

Horns of Hattin, rocky mountain

“Theodora, my lady. I think it would be best if you took shelter.”

A member of the Holy Sepulchre Order said in a cautious tone.

“The enemy’s momentum is unusual. If they succeed in breaking through, they will rush here in an instant.”

“I have no intention of leaving this place, Maviakis.”

Theodora replied.

She held ‘Angel’s Eye’ and looked at the battlefield.

“The victory or defeat has not yet been decided. Our army hasn’t been pushed back either.”

“I apologize if I have been rude. I was just worried about the Princess’s safety.”

The member of the Holy Sepulchre Order lowered his head.

Theodora smiled faintly and looked at him.

“I am no longer the Princess of the Roman Empire. I am Baldwin’s wife. That’s who I am now.”

She said.

“And I have no intention of running away from the battlefield like a frightened girl.”

“Then we will stay here and protect you, Theodora.”

The member of the Holy Sepulchre Order said.

He and dozens of members surrounded Sibylla and Theodora.

“Those guys will never set foot on this mountain.”

The noise from the plains continued.

* * *

“They’re ignoring the horse archers and just rushing in!”

Aig shouted.

He gasped for breath and took off his helmet.

“There are too many of them! It’s like they’ve gone crazy…”

“Guy is trying to end it all at once.”

I looked at the battlefield.

Guy’s knights were rushing in with fierce momentum.

“It’s probably the best choice Guy can make right now.”

A charge that doesn’t seem to be coming from someone exhausted.

As expected, elite knights are still formidable.

They are evenly matched with our knights, who are fresh after drinking plenty of water and resting.

But as time goes by, the difference will become clear.

In the end, we will be the victors.

The problem is how long it will take.

One of the reasons why Saladin was able to win easily at the Horns of Hattin was the overwhelming difference in troops.

Even though they were light cavalry, there were over 10,000 cavalrymen.

Saladin exhausted the Crusader army with this large army, then surrounded and pressured them.

Compared to that, my troops are not enough to wage a siege warfare.

“Deploy the 2nd reserve unit to the left flank. We just need to hold on a little longer.”

The signalman raised the flag according to my command.

The waiting members of the Holy Sepulchre Order shouted and jumped into the battlefield.

I looked at Aig again.

“What about the enemy infantry?”

“They are still approaching the battlefield. They are definitely slower, probably because they are exhausted.”

Aig said.

“Our side will arrive first.”

“But the number of soldiers is greater on the enemy side. There will be a confrontation there too.”

I fell into thought.

The tactics used by Count Guy and I were ultimately the same.

The knights charge and break through the enemy formation, and then the infantry enters at the right time to finish them off.

The most important thing here was the coordination between the cavalry and the infantry.

‘If the cavalry charges too quickly or the infantry arrives too slowly, we will inevitably lose.’

I carefully examined the battlefield.

Guy’s side had more knights and soldiers, but they were all exhausted from thirst.

On the other hand, my troops were smaller in number but much fresher and more energetic.

I closed my eyes and focused my mind on my senses.

All sorts of emotions swirled like a vortex.

It was harder to use my intuition than usual.

Focus.

Now is not the time to worry about the pain.

I could feel Guy’s infantry slowly approaching across the plains.

Urgency and desperation.

I could feel the burning thirst.

‘They’ve been walking in the scorching sun for two days without a drop of water.’

They had virtually turned into zombies.

A state where rational judgment was impossible.

Morale didn’t exist at all.

Then someone ran towards me.

Count Raymond.

When he took off his helmet, I could see his face flushed with excitement.

“If we continue like this, the damage will be too great! Let them break through here first, and then fight again in front of the Sea of Galilee…”

“If we do that, all the troops in front will be annihilated. It’s already too late to issue a retreat order.”

I shook my head from side to side.

The knights from both sides were already mixed together.

Garnier, Louarc, and even Count Joscelin.

If I issued a retreat order now, they would all be captured or killed.

It wasn’t such a desperate situation that I had to issue such an order.

Count Raymond is definitely indecisive.

“But if we stay like this, we will be completely surrounded by the enemy!”

Raymond shouted.

“Unless you have a plan…”

“I have a plan.”

With those words, I put on my helmet.

I tapped my legs, and Bolt neighed.

Just for a moment.

If we could just hold back the infantry for a moment, we could win.

Either way, the enemy didn’t have the energy to fight twice.

Our infantry arrives at the battlefield first and defeats the enemy cavalry.

Then everything was over.

“You’re not planning to charge directly again like you did in England, are you, Young Master?”

Aig approached and said.

“This is not a jousting match. Even if you catch Count Guy, the battle won’t end.”

“I don’t even intend to catch Guy in the first place.”

I said with a smile.

Even if I catch Guy, it’s all for nothing if the front line collapses.

What’s important now is the infantry.

I had to somehow delay Guy’s infantry from reaching the front line.

I gestured to Aig.

“Go to the lake right now and bring all the camels. Theodora will be in charge of the supply unit.”

“The camels? Why the supply unit all of a sudden…”

“Have you forgotten what’s loaded on the camels?”

“Are you talking about the water?”

Aig muttered.

I smiled and replied.

“Yes, we prepared the camels to distribute water after the battle.”

“But… Ah, I see!”

Aig shouted, his eyes widening.

I nodded instead of answering.

As expected, he has the experience of being with me.

“And I need something to attract attention. Bring the cross while you’re at it. The one I received from His Holiness the Pope.”

A glittering golden cross would be easily visible from afar.

Then Count Raymond approached, panting.

“Now is not the time to leisurely drink water, Young Master! Shouldn’t we win the battle somehow?!”

“It’s not water for me to drink.”

I raised my hand and pointed ahead.

The infantry was slowly advancing.

My goal was there.

“It’s water for them.”

* * *

“Don’t stop and keep fighting! We can win if we hold on!”

Garnier shouted, exhaling.

The air, heated by steel, filled his lungs.

The spear he brought was already broken.

He wielded his sword and slashed through the enemy knights.

Familiar faces blocked him.

Fellow knight order members who once trained shoulder to shoulder.

But they were now his enemies.

“We fight for Jerusalem!”

“For Jerusalem!”

Garnier continued to swing his sword.

Horses staggered and fell, and knights fell from their saddles.

Dust scattered every time chainmail fell to the ground.

Amidst the noise of clashing steel, a man’s cry echoed.

“T, there…! Look over there!”

“It’s the Young Master! Lord Baldwin is with us!”

Garnier turned his head.

A gray horse came up the hill next to the plain.

A white cloak fluttering in the wind.

It was Lord Baldwin.

In the bright light, Garnier unconsciously shielded his eyes.

Baldwin was emitting a yellow light as if he was wearing golden armor.

A bright light in the shape of a cross.

All the knights on the battlefield watched the scene, regardless of their affiliation.

“No. The Young Master shouldn’t come yet.”

Garnier muttered.

For a commander to enter the battlefield was a life-threatening act.

It should only be done when victory was certain or desperate.

“The Young Master is with us!”

The knight order members shouted.

But the cheers didn’t last long.

“Isn’t that a camel?”

“Did he even bring the Bedouins [nomadic Arab people of the desert]?”

Dozens of camels appeared behind the Young Master.

The camel train passed them and headed to the other side of the plain.

Towards Count Guy’s camp.

“Young Master! We’re here! Young Master!”

“The Young Master is charging towards Count Guy! Keep fighting!”

Shouts echoed from everywhere.

Garnier gripped the reins.

He shouted to his subordinates.

“We will escort the Young Master! Follow me!”

Garnier knocked down the enemies in front of him and moved to the side.

The confused knights continued their bloody battle.

* * *

“What on earth is that Baldwin doing?”

Guy muttered, looking at the battlefield.

Until just now, the battle was unfolding favorably for him.

Although the cavalry had failed to break through the enemy formation, the infantry had approached right in front of the battlefield.

Baldwin and Raymond could not possibly stop the overwhelming difference in troops.

Then something strange happened.

Baldwin suddenly appeared on the side of the battlefield, leading a herd of camels.

“Lord Baldwin must be terrified!”

A knight shouted.

“That’s why he can’t jump into the battlefield and is just circling around the outskirts, isn’t it?”

“No, something’s up. There’s no way he’d bring that herd of camels without thinking.”

Guy shouted.

“Why aren’t our knights attacking that guy?!”

“If we pull out the knights now, the battlefield could collapse. The remaining reserve units have already been fully committed…”

The knight commander shouted.

“Baldwin is clearly aiming to divert our forces! That’s why he’s using himself as bait to circle the flanks!”

“The knight commander is right. There are no soldiers on those camels. He’s trying to trick us into luring us out.”

“The camels are approaching the infantry!”

A desperate cry echoed.

Guy and the lords all stared blankly at the scene.

Dozens of camels were approaching the infantry.

“That’s insane. To confront soldiers with mere camels.”

At that moment, an amazing thing unfolded.

“Ah, no…”

The soldiers, who had hesitated at the sudden appearance of the enemy, all ran towards the camel train.

The formation collapsed and soon turned into a disorderly swarm.

Seeing this, Guy spat and shouted.

“Stop Baldwin! Go right now and stop the trick he’s playing!”

“We can’t approach the camel train because of the soldiers!”

“Then cut down the soldiers and stop him!”

Guy shouted.

The knights hurriedly got on their horses and ran towards the soldiers, but it was like trying to empty the sea with a teacup.

Guy and the lords stared at the scene with their mouths open.

“What on earth is that…”