I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 25

Let’s Make Money! (5)

* * *

A delegation to Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, was formed a month later.

Boxes filled with gifts, elixirs, and funds were sent to the ports under strict surveillance.

We set sail from Tyre and headed to the port city of Tripoli for resupply.

After resupplying there, we could set off for Constantinople right away.

“Ugh….”

After a few days on the ship, I realized one thing.

That I have seasickness.

How many times has it been already?

I’ve thrown up so much that my head is spinning.

To think I’d get seasickness.

‘It’s a good thing I went to the military academy instead of the naval academy.’

If I had gone to the navy, I would have been kicked out during the induction period.

No, if that had happened, I wouldn’t be in this situation.

“Please have some of this, sir.”

Eig approached and handed me a cup.

As I tilted the cup, I tasted something salty and sweet.

A familiar taste.

“Isn’t this the hydration drink I made last time?”

“Yes, I made some in a hurry. I used honey instead of sugar….”

“Thank you, I feel much better. It tastes good too.”

I wiped my mouth and looked down.

I could hear the rowers rowing to the beat of the drum.

The Venetian ship we were on was a typical galley ship [a long, narrow ship propelled mainly by oars].

Two masts and a triangular sail.

A system that uses both oars and sails for propulsion.

“When are we supposed to arrive? At this rate, I’ll collapse before we even get to Constantinople.”

Wigg grumbled as he climbed onto the deck.

His silver mask glittered in the sunlight.

“The sea breeze being good for leprosy patients was just a rumor too.”

“We’ll be arriving at the port of Tripoli soon.”

I said with a smile.

Wigg was also suffering from severe seasickness like me.

‘He’s over fifty and suffering from leprosy….’

In the Middle Ages, being in your fifties was practically old age.

It must have been harder for him than for me.

“Garnier gave his work to his teacher and is resting in bed.”

He clicked his tongue.

“When we get back, I’m going to kick that guy’s butt properly.”

“I wonder if Lord Garnier will let you hit him so easily,” Eig said in a playful tone.

As I was laughing at their conversation, a sailor’s shout echoed.

“I see the port of Tripoli over there!”

The sailors rushed to the front of the deck and looked forward.

The pier was full of all kinds of ships.

‘I think it was a Lebanese city in the 21st century.’

Tripoli.

As the ship stopped in front of the pier, the sailors threw mooring lines and began to dock.

As soon as I got off the ship, dozens of people surrounded me.

“Welcome, sir. We have been waiting for you.”

“Welcome to our city, sir! If you have time today, I’d like to treat you to the delicacies of this place….”

Advance teams that left earlier, or those who were supposed to join us separately in Tripoli, and local dignitaries who came to make a name for themselves.

As I was greeting them one by one, a familiar face appeared among them.

It was Marco.

“Sir, ignore these ruffians and come this way! Everyone, get out of the way! How can you do this to someone who came here on official business…!”

He pushed through the crowd and ran towards me.

Thanks to his huge size, no one stopped him.

“A ship arrived from Venice yesterday. It’s been completely remodeled with a bedroom so you can ride comfortably.”

He said in an excited tone.

Saliva splattered everywhere.

He’s going to run out of breath.

“It’s a new ship that just finished being built at the Arsenale shipyard [Venetian state-owned shipyard and armory]. It doesn’t shake even in rough waves….”

I half-heartedly listened to his endless words.

I seized the moment when he took a breath and cut in.

“I understand, Mr. Marco. It seems like you’ve made thorough preparations.”

I said with a smile.

Marco had been completely submissive since the last ‘Elixir’ negotiation.

An exaggerated attitude as if he would give me his liver.

“We have taken all measures for the convenience of you and the other delegates. We have already contacted Constantinople and received your passes.”

His intention to score points with me is too obvious….

But with this much effort, I should give him a reward.

“Thank you for your hard work. I happen to have too much elixir with me, so if you want some….”

“Yes, of course!”

Marco nodded repeatedly.

“We’ll pay twice the amount we paid last time! If you give us even a little bit….”

“Let’s do that.”

I said with a smile.

It’s easier to work when you have a carrot in your hand.

“Then we can set sail as soon as we finish resupplying.”

“Sir, that’s….”

Marco scratched the back of his head and muttered.

“There’s actually one problem I haven’t told you about.”

“A problem?”

“Count Raymond, the lord of Tripoli, is ignoring our resupply request.”

Marco said.

“Of course, we can get supplies from the civilian market, but because of the large quantity, it will take several times more time and money.”

“Count Raymond won’t support the resupply….”

I muttered.

It’s the duty of all lords to support the delegation’s work.

Raymond openly avoiding it was no small matter.

“I understand, then I’ll talk to the Count directly.”

* * *

The Count’s fortress was on ‘Martyr’s Mountain.’

In front of the long walls, merchants piled up lemons, sugar cane, and silk and traded.

A flag with a yellow cross on a red background fluttered above the walls.

‘The County of Tripoli….’

The County of Tripoli and the Principality of Antioch.

The two states served the King of Jerusalem as their superior lord.

Neither completely independent nor completely subordinate, but somewhere in between.

Why is Raymond acting like this?

It wasn’t that I couldn’t guess.

After the Jerusalem aristocratic council, I looked into more information about Raymond.

‘I heard they’ve been fighting ever since his sister wasn’t chosen as the Eastern Roman Empress.’

Raymond III had planned to marry his sister to the Eastern Roman Emperor.

But instead, the princess of the Principality of Antioch was chosen.

Due to the shock, Raymond’s sister wasted away and died, and since then, he has even engaged in piracy against the Eastern Roman Empire.

‘So he’s trying to interfere with me going to the Eastern Roman Empire.’

I couldn’t waste time because of personal revenge.

I don’t have the luxury right now when every minute and second is precious.

As soon as we arrived at the gate, knights rushed out.

It was as if they had been waiting for me.

Raymond was at the head.

He and I embraced.

“I heard you were arriving today and have been waiting, sir. Welcome. It’s been a few weeks since the last staff meeting.”

“Thank you for the warm welcome, Count Raymond.”

I frowned slightly.

“I heard some bad news at the pier. I heard that the Count refused to support the supply.”

“This year, the harvest in the territory is not good, so we don’t have enough supplies to use ourselves.”

Raymond sighed deeply as if to show off.

“We are gathering from all over as a matter of urgency, but it seems like it will take some time.”

“I see.”

His feelings were clear.

Displeasure with no intention of cooperating.

There’s no feeling of regret at all.

I said in a calm tone.

“I fully understand that the Count has a dislike for Constantinople.”

The other knights were standing at a distance.

Only Raymond could hear my voice.

“But if you interfere with the royal delegation in this way, His Majesty the King will not tolerate it.”

“I am only telling the truth….”

“And let me tell you one thing. It would be better for the Count not to turn me into an enemy.”

“….”

He looked at me with cold eyes.

A continued war of nerves.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to say, sir.”

“If King Baldwin passes away… this is just a hypothetical.”

I said.

Raymond would know that Baldwin IV has leprosy and won’t live long.

“Then the next throne will go to my mother, Guy [Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem from 1186 to 1192], or me.”

I crossed my arms and continued.

“What if Guy becomes king?”

“Not only me, but other nobles will not tolerate it.”

Raymond growled.

A reaction that he sincerely hates Guy.

“Well, even if my mother receives the throne, she will immediately hand it over to Guy.”

I smiled.

Of course, it’s different now, but that’s what happened in the original history.

“If Guy becomes king, there will be no one to control Renaud [Raynald of Châtillon, Prince of Antioch]. If he starts massacring the Saracens….”

“Saladin [Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, the first sultan of Egypt and Syria and the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty] will use that as an excuse to attack. I know why you stopped Renaud in Eilat.”

Raymond said.

As expected of a moderate, he has a good head on his shoulders.

“You are right, Count. Saladin will use Renaud’s massacre as an excuse to attack.”

I nodded.

It’s simple how things will turn out from here.

I just have to recite the original history.

“Saladin will first pacify the north and then lay siege to Tiberias with a large army.”

Tiberias is Raymond’s territory.

“Then Guy and Renaud will immediately gather a large army and say they have to save Tiberias.”

As my words continued, Raymond’s expression hardened.

Yes, if you hear such a realistic scenario, you can’t help but be scared.

“Such an obvious trap….”

“Those who call it a trap will be branded as cowards. And when the large army marches to Tiberias….”

“All that’s left is slaughter. If Saladin blocks the lake, there will be no place to get water.”

“The soldiers and horses will be exhausted and half-dead while marching there.”

I nodded.

“But even if Guy is a fool….”

“Well, do you really think so? Can Guy make a rational decision with Renaud and the Knights Templar by his side?”

I asked with a smile.

Horns of Hattin [site of a major battle between the Crusader states and the Ayyubid sultan Saladin in 1187].

The main force of the Crusaders is virtually annihilated there.

Thousands of people converted to Islam because they couldn’t overcome their thirst.

Only the Knights fought to the end.

“That’s a plausible hypothesis. But I still don’t know what you’re trying to say.”

“If you don’t want that to happen, you have to help me, Count.”

I said.

His emotions were very different from the beginning.

A mixture of shock, curiosity, and interest.

These were all mixed together.

“I don’t have time to idly banter here. The Eastern Roman issue is that urgent.”

I went up to him and added.

“If you don’t support the supply right now, you will have to take full responsibility for it. The longer I stay in Tripoli, the more others will think so.”

I added.

“That the lord of Tripoli is holding me back.”

“….”

Silence flowed, and finally he opened his mouth.

He sighed and gave a faint smile.

“I understand, I’ll issue the order right now. I would like to entertain you until the resupply is over….”

“I understand. I will gladly accept it.”

I also gave a faint smile.

It wouldn’t be bad to make one of my own here.

* * *

Constantinople.

Hagia Sophia [a great architectural beauty and an important monument both for Byzantine and for Ottoman Empires].

“We have to take action quickly. Once the Emperor becomes an adult, there will be no justification for rebellion.”

“Shh, lower your voice. You were the one who said there were ears everywhere.”

The two men and women whispered to each other as they clung to each other.

Guards surrounded them.

“The guards are all on our side. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Princess Mani Komnene said.

She looked at her husband, Rainier.

A husband she barely obtained after three refusals.

But to her, who inherited noble blood, Rainier was too weak a man.

Mentally and physically.

“Let’s look at the situation a little more. Nothing is certain yet. Even if a delegation comes from Jerusalem….”

“Maybe the Franks [a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman records] coming could be a good opportunity.”

Mani muttered.

“We can use those barbarian bastards to draw out the hatred of the citizens. And if we use that, we can shake the Emperor and….”

She said.

“We will seize power.”

“It’s like a dream. All the power of the empire will be in my hands.”

“‘Our’ hands. It’s still a dream, but….”

Princess Mani said.

She turned her head so her husband wouldn’t see her smile.

“It could become a reality soon.”

* * *