I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 175

< 175. Siege of Kerak (5) >

Eilat

“The battle in Ascalon continues. If, by any chance, the Egyptian army wins…”

“They’ll come straight for Eilat! We need to evacuate now!”

Shouts echoed within the small room. Emanuel, the leader of the Jewish tribe, stroked his beard and remained silent.

“Chief, make a decision.”

“Yes, we will all follow your judgment.”

“Decades ago, when Saladin burned Eilat, we fled aimlessly into the desert.”

Emanuel slowly opened his mouth.

The men waited for his next words.

“Have you forgotten what King Baldwin said when he rebuilt Eilat? If we abandon our home and run now, there will be no next chance.”

“But how can we face tens of thousands of enemies?”

At one man’s words, the others nodded.

“It’s better to live as fugitives than to have our families die meaningless deaths.”

“King Baldwin won’t abandon us. He might even provide us with a settlement like the Romans, right?”

“Do you think His Majesty would build such a settlement without any cost?”

Emanuel sighed and said.

“Queen Theodora is from Constantinople, and most Romans serve in the military. We are different from them.”

Numerous Jewish tribes lived in the Levant [the historical region encompassing modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan]. Many had converted to Christianity or Islam.

But Jews were still viewed with suspicion wherever they went.

“We must stay here and protect our home. Even if the Egyptian army comes, we must endure.”

He said.

“Isn’t that why we’ve been stockpiling supplies and training?”

“…”

Silence followed, then a young man stood up and shouted.

“Let the Saracens [a general term used in medieval Europe to refer to Muslims] come if they dare! We also have Venetians in Eilat now! Surely King Baldwin will come to our rescue!”

“Yes! Let’s take up arms and fight!”

The men cheered.

Just then, someone burst into the room.

“Ch-Chief! Ships are flooding the docks! Soldiers with weapons are disembarking…”

“Soldiers at the docks? What are you talking about?!”

Emanuel stood up and shouted.

Supported by the men of his tribe, he rushed to the docks.

Dozens of galleys [a type of ship propelled by oars and sails] filled the harbor.

“Aren’t those all Venetian merchant ships?”

“Venetian ships? Have any ships recently left for Abyssinia [historical name for Ethiopia]?”

“I heard a few messengers went by ship…”

Black soldiers with spears and swords poured onto the docks. Horses carefully stepped down the wooden planks.

Most of those disembarking were black.

A man with jewels in his hair strode towards Emanuel and his group.

A Venetian, seemingly an interpreter, followed breathlessly behind.

“Hey, old man.”

The man stood before Emanuel and asked. The interpreter hurried to translate.

“Which way is Jerusalem?”

* * *

“Could you lower your head just a bit more? Just a little… perfect!”

Kang said, fiddling with a charcoal stick. I leaned against the wall, trying to suppress a laugh.

To be a portrait model while a huge enemy army besieged us.

“I think this will be a perfect picture. I should transfer it to a woodblock later.”

Kang said, moving the charcoal across the paper.

“The citizens of Jerusalem will surely love it.”

“I have no desire to force my paintings on the people.”

I replied with a smile.

The thought of people hanging my picture in their homes felt somehow repulsive.

‘Like Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il [North Korean leaders known for their cult of personality].’

It’s enough to honor the late King Baldwin IV and others.

“But the people of Jerusalem love Your Majesty more than anyone else. There aren’t many kings who lead by example.”

Kang shrugged.

“Not in Europe or here in the Levant.”

“What example have I set?”

“In Constantinople, you saved the young emperor’s life, and in Europe, you achieved true ‘Peace of God’ [a medieval European movement aimed at reducing warfare], didn’t you?”

Kang said with a smile.

“And here, you fought alongside the soldiers and carried stones. In my opinion, that alone is great enough.”

“What’s great is you. You followed me all the way from France to England, and now here?”

Besides, Kang prevented Arthur’s (fake) cross from being stolen in England.

“A drifter like me just lives wherever my feet take me.”

We looked at each other and burst out laughing.

“Actually, it’s not just the people of Jerusalem who look up to Your Majesty. People from Europe and Constantinople do too.”

Kang shrugged.

“Especially since Father Pierre published his book. Whatever Your Majesty says, all Christians will know within a week.”

“I knew my influence was significant…”

I didn’t realize it was to this extent.

No matter how I think about it, I don’t believe I’m such an exemplary figure.

When I fell into this world, I fought to save my own life. But now I’m the King of Jerusalem.

I, who don’t even have a religion, represent all the Christians in the world.

“The more I think about it, the more ironic the situation is.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing. Just talking to myself.”

For the sake of the child to be born and the Kingdom of Jerusalem, I must end this war in my time.

This long, drawn-out religious war that has lasted nearly a century. What is the way to end it and build peace?

Jerusalem, the powder keg of the Middle East.

Lost in thought, the bell rang. A sound I’ve grown accustomed to.

The soldiers rushed to their positions.

“The Saracens are coming!”

* * *

“Everyone, hold your positions!”

The soldiers stared blankly beyond the walls. A scale incomparable to before.

Virtually the entire enemy army was rushing towards the city.

“What is that…”

“They’re trying to end it all.”

I patted Aigius on the shoulder and replied. Even with my senses, I could feel tens of thousands of enemies.

The soldiers’ fear spread throughout the walls.

‘If we can just stop this attack.’

Such a reckless offensive meant Saladin was running out of options. If we could just hold out today, we could win.

Henry II and King Lalibela of Ethiopia would arrive soon. Saladin would surely withdraw his troops upon hearing that news.

I handed my helmet to Aigius and strode along the wall.

‘I’m not good at speeches.’

But a king has duties to fulfill.

“Soldiers of Jerusalem!”

I took a deep breath, and hot air filled my lungs.

“Do not fear! The late King Baldwin IV defeated Saladin’s army of tens of thousands with four hundred knights at Montgisard! [site of a major Crusader victory in 1177]”

The eyes of the soldiers on the wall turned to me.

Courage and confidence in victory.

I had to fill them with these two things.

“I will fight alongside you as Baldwin IV did! Let us fight for Jerusalem!”

“Fight for the Lord!!”

Shouts echoed from all over the wall. The fear and dread that had been spreading uncontrollably subsided.

Women and children walked around with bowls, feeding the soldiers bread and porridge.

Just as they finished filling their stomachs and picked up their crossbows, arrows and stones flew.

“Move the wounded below! Get them underground quickly!”

M Muslim soldiers running towards the wall were hit by arrows and collapsed.

The enemies running from behind quickly filled their places.

“أحضر كبش الضرب(Bring the battering ram!) [Arabic phrase]”

Several battering rams approached the gate. I gave orders to the catapults and adjusted the impact points.

“Keep firing!”

The jars crashed to the ground with a loud noise. Enemy soldiers carrying the battering ram were engulfed in flames and fell.

“Your Majesty! We’re out of Greek fire [an incendiary weapon used in ancient and medieval times]!”

“Then put any stones in and fire! Just keep firing!”

I ran along the wall with Aigius, deploying reserves and directing the battle.

I had to fight directly with the enemy soldiers who climbed over the ladders.

“Deploy all the reserves!”

“But if we do that, the next attack…”

“There won’t be a next attack! This is the last one.”

I shouted, gasping for breath.

I saw Ruark pushing the entire ladder away.

“What are you doing! Hurry up and go! Protect His Majesty! Everyone, keep fighting!”

The Holy Sepulchre Guard and Teutonic Knights [a German Catholic religious order], who had remained as reserves, shouted and swung their swords.

Aigius shouted.

“The enemy’s battering ram is right in front of the east gate!”

“Pour all the remaining oil on it! And block the back of the gate with earth and sand!”

I shouted as I ran towards the east gate.

Already, Gernal and other blacksmiths and artisans were gathering, piling up earth and stones behind the gate.

Women, the elderly, and children also helped by carrying gravel and water. I carried carts and piled up dirt with them.

‘This should be enough even if the gate is breached.’

Even if they worked hard to break down the gate, the enemy soldiers would be helpless if the front was filled with earth and sand.

Unless they were willing to dig through the dirt with the enemy in front of them.

After confirming that the work was finished, I went back up to the wall and continued to direct the battle. My hands and eyelids were twitching, and my lips were parched.

“Your Majesty, please rest for a bit. You’ll collapse at this rate.”

“I can rest as much as I want after the battle is over.”

I patrolled the walls with Aigius.

“They’re starting to tire! Keep fighting!”

As time passed, more soldiers were wounded and taken underground. The same was true for the enemies.

The corpses in front of the wall continued to pile up, forming a small hill.

While crossing the wall, I felt an object flying towards me. I twisted my body, but I was a beat late.

The helmet shook as if hit by a hammer.

Damn it, my mind is dull, so my body has become dull too.

“Your Majesty!”

“I’m fine!”

Ignoring the throbbing pain, I stood up and saw Aigius’s hand. Blood dripped from his fingers.

Noticing my gaze, Aigius said in a calm tone.

“An arrow grazed my arm earlier. It happened to go through the gap in the armor.”

“Go and get treatment right away.”

“It’s just a scratch.”

“That’s an order. Go and get treatment. Ruark can take over my guard duty.”

“…Understood.”

Aigius, who had gone to receive treatment, returned to the wall in a few minutes. As the sun slowly fell towards the horizon, the battle ended.

Our victory.

It was an undeniable victory.

“The Saracens are running away!”

“Wow! We won!”

“Get lost, you dirty bastards!”

“Don’t let your guard down and keep your weapons up! They might attack again!”

I leaned against the wall and gasped for breath.

As I drank the water Aigius handed me, I couldn’t help but groan.

“Your Majesty, if this is really the last time…”

“Yes, it’s as good as over now.”

I said. The morale of the enemy soldiers that I felt was clear.

Fear and dread.

There must have been at least thousands of casualties. This offensive was Saladin’s last attempt.

It was pointless slaughter to throw in more troops.

“Aigius.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Go and find someone who can write Saracen. Also, bring paper and pen for writing a letter. I need to send a letter to Saladin.”

“A letter? What will you say?”

“Well, how about a compliment?”

I replied with a smile.

There is a letter that best suits the situation between Saladin and me now.

The poem that General Eulji Mundeok of Goguryeo [ancient Korean kingdom] sent to Yu Jung-mun. I sat the scribe next to me and recited the words.

“Now, write this down. Sultan, Saladin. Your strategy has grasped the principles of heaven…”

The sun disappeared, and a cool air enveloped the wall.