I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 168

Interlude (3)

< 168 – Interlude (3) >

“Tell them to continue marching to the assembly point no matter what happens.”

Saladin said, looking at the messengers. All the surrounding officers looked at him with tense expressions.

“There’s no reason to stop marching unless we directly encounter their main force.”

“According to reports from various locations, it’s clear that at least 50,000 Frankish soldiers have set out.”

An officer said, wiping sweat from his forehead.

“Could it be that the Franks from across the sea have arrived in the Levant [the historical region encompassing the Eastern Mediterranean]?”

“Pull yourself together. The Third Crusade hasn’t arrived in the Levant yet. There’s no way such a large army could have arrived without our spies noticing.”

Saladin shook his head. He looked at the map and continued.

“And the Franks in Jerusalem don’t have that many soldiers.”

“Then why on earth are we getting such reports…?”

At that moment, Saladin’s brother, Al-Adil, interjected.

“They knew the exact locations of our units. They must have planted spies in each unit.”

“No matter how many spies they planted, they can’t track all the units like this.”

Saladin shook his head. He stroked his beard for a moment without saying anything.

“That would require at least dozens, if not hundreds, of spies. We would have caught them long ago if that were the case.”

“Then…”

“Who else knows the locations of each unit besides the spies?”

Saladin slammed the map with his hand.

“The signal towers. If information is leaking from the signal towers, everything is explained. And even if they send false information from just one place, it will spread throughout the Levant in an instant.”

He turned and looked at the officers.

“They’ve been using the signal towers all along.”

“I’ll order the signal tower operations to cease immediately.”

Al-Adil said, standing up.

“And summon all those responsible…”

“No, catching the traitors can wait until after the Jihad [a holy war or struggle] is over.”

Saladin said.

“From now on, all orders and reports will be transmitted only through messengers and carrier pigeons. Inform each unit accordingly.”

“That’s a wise decision, Sultan [a Muslim ruler].”

“As expected of the commander of brave warriors…”

Saladin raised his hand, and all the officers fell silent.

“We don’t have time to be talking idly like this. Hurry and deliver the orders.”

He continued.

“The moment the soldiers become anxious, the war is as good as lost. Instill in them the confidence that they can win.”

“We will obey the Sultan’s command!”

The officers rushed to the messengers. Carrier pigeons with notes tied to their legs flew into the sky.

Only Saladin and Al-Adil remained in the tent.

“We’ve been thoroughly played by them, haven’t we?”

“After this campaign is over, I will personally inspect all the signal towers, brother.”

Al-Adil said, frowning.

“No matter how many spies they’ve planted, they won’t escape my grasp.”

“Yes, you’ll have to do that after the campaign is over. But what’s important now is to draw the Frankish dogs out into the field.”

Saladin said.

“No matter how many tricks a fox plays, it can’t defeat a lion. Setting fire to its mane will only make it angrier.”

He continued.

“Right now, they’re only attacking with small units. If they had more troops than us, they wouldn’t be fighting like this.”

“We will surely defeat them on the battlefield.”

Al-Adil nodded in response. He glanced at Saladin for a moment.

“The problem is the merchants in charge of supplies. A significant number of them have become frightened and returned to the city. At this rate, we’ll run out of supplies.”

“Then we have no choice but to offer more money. If we guarantee high profits, the merchants will return on their own.”

Saladin looked west with a thoughtful expression.

“We need to force Baldwin to make a choice as well. Send a letter to Taki ad-Din in Egypt, ordering him to set out.”

He said.

“If Ascalon is attacked, Baldwin will have no choice but to divide his forces. That will be our opportunity.”

“But Egypt is still recovering from the last rebellion. I don’t know if they can set out with a large army right now…”

“If it’s Taki ad-Din, he’ll be able to do it. If he can’t even do that much, I wouldn’t have entrusted Egypt to him.”

“…”

Al-Adil lowered his head and replied.

“Understood. I’ll send a messenger right away.”

“Maintain your composure, Al-Adil. You can only see everything when you maintain your composure.”

Saladin said, turning his body.

Hundreds and thousands of tents and flags were spread out before him.

“Baldwin. You’re a formidable opponent after all.”

* * *

“You’re a formidable opponent after all.”

I took a deep breath. The hot air of the Levant filled my lungs.

“To figure it out this quickly.”

Saladin’s response was swift even by 21st-century standards. Cutting off signal tower communications and using messengers and carrier pigeons, even sending false information to our side.

“This is a sufficient achievement, Your Majesty.”

Eig said, wiping away sweat. The black cloak he wore fluttered in the wind.

“Haven’t we held them up for over a week? And most of the merchants in charge of supplying the Saracen army have fled.”

“You’re right. But I can’t be satisfied with just this.”

I moved towards the tent, lost in thought.

Saladin’s main force was still intact.

Saladin would now try to gather his troops in one place as quickly as possible.

‘Rebuilding communications is the same as declaring that he won’t give up the Jihad.’

I was lost in thought.

Messengers and carrier pigeons were inevitably slower than signal towers, no matter how fast they were. That would make quick responses more difficult.

At that moment, someone blocked my path. The commander of the Teutonic Knights, Albrecht.

“What is it, Commander Albrecht?”

“Your Majesty, we didn’t come to this holy city to fight like those vile Saracens.”

He said with a German accent.

“To only stir up dust without properly fighting the enemy. Is this truly the way to fight in the holy land?”

“How dare you speak to His Majesty like that…”

“It’s alright, Eig.”

I reached out my hand and looked at Albrecht. He didn’t like my ‘tactics.’

Not even thinking of fighting when the enemy was right in front of us.

“What does the Lord want? A fight, or victory?”

“Both. The Lord wants victory through glorious battle.”

Albrecht replied in a stiff tone.

“If Your Majesty would only grant permission, I would lead the knights and crush those weak Saracens.”

“That’s perfect.”

I said with a smile.

“I was just about to start fighting anyway. Are you all ready?”

“Yes, we are.”

“Then follow me.”

Eig came to my side and whispered.

“Your Majesty, didn’t you say that we should avoid confronting Saladin at all costs?”

“I have no intention of confronting Saladin. But it’s a different story with the other guys. Thanks to Saladin’s quick response, an opportunity has arisen.”

I walked past Eig, who was tilting his head, and entered the tent.

Officers and lords greeted me. Valian, Garnier, and Loak stood in the center.

Valian opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty, the Saracen armies have begun marching again. It will take them less than four days to gather completely.”

“I see.”

I nodded, looking at them.

“What orders do you think Saladin gave to each unit?”

“Excuse me? Saladin’s orders would be…”

Loak scratched his head.

“Wouldn’t he have ordered them to ignore our attacks and continue marching? He realized that information was leaking, so he must have stopped operating the signal towers as well.”

“Exactly.”

I pointed to the map on the table in the center.

“If the densely packed signal towers stop, there will inevitably be a gap in an instant. What if we strike them now?”

“But, Your Majesty.”

Valian said.

“Didn’t Your Majesty say that we should avoid direct confrontation at all costs?”

“I have no intention of facing Saladin head-on either.”

I replied with a smile. That was the situation Saladin wanted most.

To face me with an overwhelming number of troops on the battlefield of his choosing.

What I was thinking was the exact opposite.

“But Saladin’s army hasn’t fully gathered yet. According to the latest report, the unit that set out from Baalbek is still south of Damascus.”

I said.

“These are soldiers under the command of the Atabeg [a governor or commander] of Aleppo. They aren’t on very friendly terms with Saladin.”

Masoud, whom I had once supported through the Assassins, had yielded to Saladin, but they were still at odds.

They panicked and changed direction as soon as they were attacked.

‘That also increased the distance between them and the other units.’

They were like a sheep that had strayed from the flock.

“Are you saying we should strike that unit before it reaches the assembly point? But if we go in that deep, there’s a chance we’ll be discovered…”

Valian muttered.

“No, even if we are discovered, the enemy reinforcements won’t be able to come right away. They’ve already been deceived so many times.”

“And Saladin ordered them to march to the assembly point no matter what. We’re going to use that against him.”

I nodded. Saladin knew that I was avoiding a direct confrontation.

Small-scale strike forces, information disruption using signal towers.

All of this implied that I was avoiding a direct confrontation.

‘He wouldn’t expect me to suddenly lead the main force in so deep.’

Even if scouts discovered us and reported it, it was unlikely that the Emirs [chieftains or commanders] would respond immediately.

They’ve been deceived by false information all this time, so they’ll be suspicious first.

It was like throwing weak jabs until landing an uppercut at the decisive moment. Then Valian spoke again.

“But there’s one problem, Your Majesty. The last time we obtained intelligence was a few days ago.”

He said.

“We don’t know exactly where the unit led by Abul-Heija is now. We can guess their approximate location, but…”

“An approximate location is enough.”

I said. After all, I could use my intuition to find out when I got close.

“Have you forgotten how I found Al-Adil in Eilat?”

“…”

Everyone in the tent looked at me with their mouths shut. Feeling a strange sense of awkwardness, I cleared my throat.

“I’ll take about two hundred elite knights, including the Teutonic Knights. We’ll need some horse archers as well.”

I looked at the map. There would be no opportunity after the units joined Saladin’s main force.

We had to move right now.

“Have each knight take three horses. Even if we don’t find the enemy, we can retreat immediately.”

I picked up the helmet that was on one side of the table. The winged great helm that Theodora had given me.

“This is the first time I’m setting out as the King of Jerusalem.”

***

“The Frankish dogs have attacked again. Didn’t I tell you to handle it on your own?”

“This time, their movements are unusual, Emir [a commander or governor].”

Jauli replied, looking at his superior. Abul-Heija didn’t even think about getting out of the palanquin.

“What’s so unusual about it?”

“Unlike the previous attacks, which were mainly horse archers, the number of heavy cavalry has greatly increased. If they engage us in close combat…”

“Then quickly send a request for help to the nearby Emirs!”

Abul-Heija stood up, staggering. He muttered with a pale face.

“Why am I being attacked by the Frankish dogs when I deliberately returned deep into the Levant?! The Sultan said they were up to something!”

He shouted.

“Could the scouts be mistaken? If they reported without properly confirming, I’ll personally…”

“I’ll order the soldiers to prepare for battle first.”

“W-What do you mean, prepare for battle? If they really brought a large army, wouldn’t it be better to retreat?”

“We can’t just retreat with enemy cavalry in front of us, Lord. If we show our backs now, the entire unit will collapse as we’re chased down by the enemy.”

Jauli bit his lip tightly.

There was no time to be explaining like this.

But the terrified Abul-Heija wouldn’t let him go.

“Then quickly lead the vanguard and face them! Messenger! Send a messenger first!”

“Understood.”

Jauli moved and gave instructions to the officers. The soldiers were already exhausted.

Jauli could even hear them grumbling.

“Move quickly!”

Jauli, who had shouted that, looked towards the desert. Everything was obscured by the sandstorm caused by the Frankish cavalry. They had attached something to the tails of their horses to stir up dust.

A faint cry could be heard through the sand.

“De…us…”

The soldiers who heard the sound stood up one by one. Now the ground was rumbling. The faint sound echoed clearly.

“Deus Vult!!! [God wills it!!!]”

I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]

I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]

십자군의 왕이 되었다
Status: Completed Author: Native Language: Korean
Bookmark
Followed 2 people
[English Translation] In the heart of the Holy Land, where faith and steel collide, a kingdom teeters on the brink of annihilation. Jerusalem, 1181: a city besieged by the clash of Crusader fervor and Islamic might. Amidst this maelstrom of war and intrigue, a royal heir finds himself thrust into a desperate struggle for survival. Witness the epic saga of a kingdom's last stand, and the rise of a king forged in the fires of the Crusades. Will he become the savior his people desperately need, or will he be consumed by the very conflict that threatens to engulf them all?

Read Settings

not work with dark mode
Reset