I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 148

< 148. Courage in Chaos (3) >

“Young master, shouldn’t we escape now?”

“I think it’s a little late for that.”

I replied.

I couldn’t help but smile at Aieg’s sigh.

“Either way, it will take them some time to break through the soldiers and get here.”

I looked ahead.

Dozens of camels.

Soldiers crowded around, frantically drinking water.

“Water! Water!”

“Get out of the way! Everyone, move!”

The surroundings turned into chaos as thousands of soldiers rushed in.

Even the usually indifferent camels were startled and looked around.

I untied the golden cross from my body and handed it to Aieg.

I would have broken my back if I had held it any longer.

The cross was incredibly heavy despite its small size, probably because it was made of pure gold.

‘I guess this was a pretty good performance.’

The enemy knights in the rear approached the soldiers.

They swung their swords and shouted.

“Return to formation, everyone! Charge quickly!”

“Anyone who disobeys will be hanged!”

However, the soldiers ignored the threats and drank the water in the leather pouches.

Some soldiers knocked the knights wielding swords off their saddles.

Thanks to this, the cavalry coming to catch me were blocked by their own soldiers and were floundering.

“The soldiers have set up a barrier for us.”

“Let’s rest here for a bit before we go.”

I said with a smile.

Focusing my mind, I could feel the situation on the battlefield.

The enemy knights were panicking when they realized the infantry wasn’t coming.

Meanwhile, our infantry joined the battle.

In fact, the victory or defeat was already decided.

All that was left was to clean up.

A familiar feeling approached me.

“Young master!”

Garnier shouted, waving his sword.

Dozens of knights followed him.

“You always do the most extraordinary things. What have you done this time?”

“I just gave water to the thirsty.”

I said, pointing to the soldiers.

Leather pouches filled with water flew through the air.

Some soldiers who didn’t get a pouch stuffed their mouths with water-soaked sand.

Garnier said.

“Jesus said, ‘Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'”

“There’s nothing that isn’t in the Bible.”

I shook my head.

I wonder what stories Pierre and the priests will make up when they hear about today’s events?

‘The battle isn’t over yet. I need to seize the momentum.’

I could feel Guy and his men getting scared.

Now, the victory or defeat was clear to anyone.

I said to Garnier.

“Guy must be captured no matter what.”

“I’ll drag him here by the hair. So, young master, please return to the rear.”

“I’ll go with you.”

I said.

It would be much easier to track him with my sixth sense.

“A son should be the one to catch his father.”

* * *

East of the Dead Sea

Kerak Fortress

Saladin fiddled with the sword at his waist.

Behind him, a large army of tens of thousands stood in formation.

Kerak Fortress looked down at them.

A distance that could be reached by extending a hand.

“The king has come sooner than I expected. The battle between Guy and Baldwin shouldn’t be over yet.”

“Doesn’t that mean Kerak is that important to them?”

Saladin’s nephew, Taqi ad-Din, said.

He pulled on the reins.

“So, he came here even if it meant abandoning his nephew.”

“No, the king believes in Baldwin.”

Saladin shook his head.

“He must believe that young Baldwin will defeat his father.”

“…”

Saladin and Taqi ad-Din looked at the army opposite them.

The banners with the Holy Cross and five crosses.

The army of the King of Jerusalem greeted them.

Two horses at the front approached.

Saladin watched the silver mask reflecting in the sunlight.

Baldwin IV approached with a bodyguard beside him.

Saladin noticed that the bodyguard was pulling on the reins, not Baldwin.

“It’s been a while, King of Al-Quds [Jerusalem]. Has leprosy blinded your eyes as well?”

“No need to worry. I can still see your face, Saladin.”

Baldwin IV straightened his back and said.

Only the sound of the wind flowed through the silence.

“Why have you besieged Kerak? Have you forgotten the peace treaty we made?”

Baldwin IV said.

He swallowed a cough and continued.

“I didn’t know you were a man who broke his promises.”

“I have not broken any promises, sick king.”

Saladin said.

“I didn’t come to besiege Kerak, but to protect our Muslim merchants. Lord Reynald broke the peace treaty and attacked the caravans…”

“Stop the nonsense, Sultan. Lord Reynald has not attacked any caravans since the reconstruction of Eilat. You know that better than anyone else.”

Baldwin IV said.

“Didn’t you even send a gift to young Baldwin to thank him?”

“…”

Saladin smiled faintly instead of answering.

He slowly opened his mouth.

“There was a disturbance in Egypt this time. Those who follow false doctrines assassinated high-ranking officials and caused riots.”

He continued.

“I heard that Frankish [European Christian] merchants provided the weapons. Isn’t this breaking the peace treaty?”

“Are you now blaming us for Muslims fighting each other?”

Baldwin IV burst into laughter.

As the laughter turned into a cough, the bodyguard approached him.

The king waved his hand as if he was okay.

“A merchant is a being who sells goods to anyone if they have money. Do you think they care whether it’s the money of Christians, Sunnis, or Shia Muslims?”

Baldwin IV continued.

“Why are you wasting time here? You should go save Egypt. Go to Cairo. I respect the peace treaty and will not attack Damascus.”

He added.

“But if you want war, I will not avoid it either.”

“…”

“Uncle, rather…”

“Be quiet.”

Saladin whispered.

He looked at the king standing opposite him.

Even though he was hiding it with his coat, bandages were sticking out from his arms and legs.

Pieces of cloth stained with blood and pus.

“Are you really saying you can fight in that condition?”

“I already fought and defeated you when I was sixteen. I can fight you as much as you want now.”

Baldwin IV said.

“Have you forgotten that you fled on a camel in a hurry?”

“I have always liked your boldness, King of the Franks. It would have been better if you were a Muslim who followed the truth…”

Saladin smiled.

“Shouldn’t you return to Jerusalem quickly? Are you going to leave young Baldwin to fight Count Guy alone?”

“Young Baldwin, you say.”

Baldwin IV muttered.

“Soon, you’ll have to drop the ‘young’.”

“…”

Silence fell again.

The wind mixed with sand penetrated the helmets and armor of the knights.

“Alright. As I said before, we had no intention of besieging Kerak.”

Saladin said.

“We just stopped by to check the safety of the caravans. I respect the peace treaty.”

“The same goes for me and the Kingdom of Jerusalem.”

Baldwin IV bowed his head and said.

Saladin opened his mouth again.

“May God’s peace be with you. I look forward to the day we cross swords again.”

“That day won’t be long in coming. Farewell, Sultan Saladin.”

Baldwin IV turned his horse around with the help of his bodyguard.

Saladin and Taqi ad-Din stood still and watched.

“They might take advantage of the gap and attack Damascus.”

Taqi ad-Din said.

“You should fight them here instead.”

“That’s too risky of a gamble. And they don’t have the 余裕 [leeway/resources] to attack Damascus right now. Look at those flags.”

Saladin pointed to the Jerusalem camp with his chin.

“The lords only brought this many men when the king is leading the army himself. Most of them must be busy participating in the civil war.”

He added.

“They can’t attack Damascus with just that many troops.”

“Then…”

“The king came all the way here to face us instead of helping young Baldwin. We’ve gained enough profit with this. We’re going to Cairo.”

Saladin pulled on the reins and said.

His gaze turned north.

“Their civil war won’t end soon. If we move quickly, we can also gain profit.”

He muttered.

“The King of Jerusalem won’t last long with that body either. The next place we cross swords will be in heaven, or rather, hell.”

Saladin burst into laughter.

“Because hell is where all kings go.”

* * *

Horns of Hattin

Western Plains

“Water! Give me water now!”

Count Guy shouted.

He coughed and gasped for breath.

The air mixed with sand was rough and hot.

A heat that felt like his body was burning wrapped around him.

“Please bear with it a little longer. We’ll be at the tent soon. Please ask the young master for water.”

Guy bit his lip.

Everything was perfect until today’s battle.

‘What I’ve been preparing for over a year…’

He had been increasing his allies since Baldwin left for Europe.

Many lords joined his side, sending knights and even soldiers.

Even the Knights Templar, who were once angry at his betrayal, sent reinforcements.

In just one day.

All of that disappeared like a sandcastle in just one day.

The knights who bravely charged were exhausted by the heat and surrendered, and the infantry collapsed without even going near the battlefield.

They were defeated by a herd of camels carrying water.

Count Guy was dragged into the camp with silver shackles on his wrists.

The surroundings were already crowded with disarmed knights.

They avoided Guy’s gaze or glared at him with angry eyes.

“Coward! How could you leave us on the battlefield and run away alone?!”

“Why didn’t you issue the retreat order in time?!”

Angry prisoners shouted at Guy.

Knights stepped forward to stop them.

The commotion subsided, and the knight who was dragging him stopped in front of a tent.

“Young master, we’ve brought Count Guy.”

“Bring him inside.”

“I’ll go in myself.”

Guy pushed the knight away and said.

As he went inside, more than seven pairs of eyes stared at him.

Guy looked at one of them, Sibylla, and shouted.

“Sibylla! I am your husband, joined in a legitimate marriage! How could you do this…”

“I think it’s a little late to say that, Guy.”

Sibylla frowned and said.

“You brought an army all the way here without regard for me and Baldwin.”

She said.

“If you simply wanted to get me back, you could have solved the problem through conversation.”

Guy took a breath and looked at the others.

Raymond and Count Joscelin looked at him with contempt.

Baldwin was standing in the center.

A completely calm expression.

No emotion could be felt in the eyes that looked at him.

“B, Baldwin!”

Guy shouted.

“Yes, you won! You are the next king of Jerusalem! Baldwin, it’s you!”

He said, panting.

“But I’m still your stepfather. A son can’t punish his father, can he?”

“It doesn’t make sense for a father to try to kill his son either.”

“I, I never tried to kill you! I just wanted to get Sibylla back…”

Guy coughed.

“You seem thirsty. Bring some water.”

“But, young master…”

“Bring the water.”

Count Raymond, who had been hesitating, handed over a glass of water.

Guy gulped down the water in the glass.

Baldwin’s voice echoed in the tent.

“Count Guy. You started a civil war at the most critical time for the Kingdom of Jerusalem.”

He continued.

“You threw hundreds and thousands of troops into the desert for no reason. Hundreds have died or been injured. Not to mention the chaos that has spread throughout the kingdom.”

“I only acted for the sake of the kingdom…”

Guy muttered with a pale face.

“Are you really going to kill me?”

“Kill you? How can a son kill his father?”

Guy breathed a sigh of relief.

Then Baldwin continued.

“But you lost in the trial by combat. So, you must atone. I just received a revelation.”

“That means…”

“Last night, I saw a cross in my dream. It was far to the east of Jerusalem.”

He said.

“Leave with your men to the east. You must find the Christian kingdom ruled by Prester John [a legendary Christian patriarch and king] there. You cannot return to Jerusalem until you meet Prester John and convey the situation in Jerusalem. The same goes for Europe.”

Guy’s face turned pale when he heard those words.

“The kingdom of the East ruled by Prester John…”

He shook his arms.

“That’s just a rumor. It’s a lie and a fantasy! Telling me to go find it is the same as telling me to die!”

As everyone watched, Baldwin continued.

“The kingdom ruled by Prester John exists.”

Still a calm voice.

Without a hint of trembling, he said.

“And finding that place is the only way you can be atoned.”

He smiled.

“You don’t have to worry. I’ll send letters to the Islamic kingdoms in the East in advance. They will all be looking forward to the count’s visit. Oh, and I’ll also attach an escort so you don’t get lost.”

“…”

“What greater glory could there be than this?”

Guy lost consciousness from the pouring heat and fear.

Gustave Doré – Crusades (Public Domain)