I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 27

The Greatest Bribe Operation (2)

* * *

“You failed to capture them? What does that mean?”

Andronikos frowned.

He gestured irritably, and the women around him quickly gathered their clothes and left the room.

“Wasn’t it you who assured me that capturing a few ships would be easy?”

He glared at the admiral sitting across from him.

“Don’t tell me you let them go on purpose…”

“Of course not!”

The middle-aged man raised his voice.

Admiral Kontos Stephananos and Andronikos locked eyes in a silent battle.

Andronikos stroked his beard.

Despite being over sixty, he possessed the vigor of a younger man.

His appearance, too, belied his age, making him look a dozen years younger.

“I don’t know why, but…”

Admiral Kontos Stephananos began, his face reddening.

“Baudouin’s ship broke away from the fleet. By the time my men located it, it was already too late.”

He continued, his voice laced with frustration.

“They attempted to board under the guise of inspection, intending to subdue the crew… but the resistance proved stronger than anticipated.”

“So, they were captured instead? The Imperial Navy is in a sorry state,” Andronikos sneered.

“Why didn’t you use Greek fire [an incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine Empire]? They would have surrendered immediately.”

“If Baudouin had burned to death, the situation would have become far more complicated. If a royal envoy dies…”

Kontos Stephananos explained, his voice laced with concern.

“Both Constantinople and Jerusalem will demand answers.”

“The Kingdom of Jerusalem is too preoccupied with Saladin to worry about us. They can’t even protect their own territory; how could they possibly intervene?”

Andronikos popped a grape into his mouth.

Juice dribbled down his chin and onto his clothes.

“I know the situation well, having lived there. They’re limited to mere protests anyway,” he added dismissively.

“If you couldn’t capture him, you should have killed him. What will they say when they arrive in Constantinople like this?”

“I’ve reported that some captains overstepped their authority, seeking spoils. I didn’t directly order the ships…”

“That won’t dispel suspicion. At the very least, we need to move against Constantinople soon and deal with the Emperor…”

Andronikos paused, a glint in his eye.

“Appropriately. Don’t worry too much. The plan is progressing smoothly.”

He produced a letter from his pocket.

“A letter from Mani and her puppet husband.”

“Mani Komnene…”

“The Emperor’s half-sister. A foolish young woman who believes her rightful power has been stolen.”

Andronikos waved the letter in the air.

“Do you know what she wrote? She wants me to bring the army to Constantinople as soon as possible, claiming the empire’s citizens will welcome us with open arms.”

“It’s not entirely unreasonable. Barbarians from the West have seized the regency and are plundering the empire’s wealth,” the admiral frowned.

“Isn’t that why you’re helping me? To prevent that from happening.”

Andronikos burst into laughter.

“The Emperor himself inherited Frankish [referring to Western European] barbarian blood, so it’s only natural. Well, thanks to that, I have an opportunity.”

Andronikos nodded and smacked his lips.

“After dealing with the young Emperor, I’ll have to take the Empress, Agnes, as my rightful wife.”

“But she’s not even fifteen yet…”

“The flower is most beautiful just as it blooms, my friend. What good is a flower you can’t pluck?”

Andronikos stood up abruptly.

His gaze turned towards Constantinople.

“What I want is the empire. An empire I can pluck and hold in my hands. I’ve never forgotten it, not even when I was running through the deserts of the Levant [a historical geographical region encompassing the Eastern Mediterranean].”

He shouted loudly.

“Bring the dancers back! We’ll have a wild night tonight! What do you say, Kontos Stephananos, will you join me?”

“I’ll pass. My health has been declining lately.”

“That’s a shame! I feel more energetic every day!”

Andronikos shouted with a laugh.

Female servants approached him and began applying oil to his body.

“Heracles [also known as Hercules] slept with the fifty daughters of Thespius in one night. A man should be able to manage at least half of that, shouldn’t he?”

Admiral Kontos Stephananos bowed once and left the room.

Half-naked dancers brushed past him as they entered.

* * *

“There’s Constantinople!”

The cry rang out three days after the attack.

The massive walls were visible in the distance.

Three days.

Since that day, no one had attacked us.

‘They checked our passes several times, though…’

Whether they knew about the attack or not, the Eastern Roman navy treated us with increased caution.

From the moment we rejoined the fleet, attacking us became virtually impossible.

“Wow!”

Eig shouted and ran to the front of the deck.

He wasn’t alone.

Soldiers, servants, and even knights – everyone visiting Constantinople for the first time rushed to see the massive walls.

The Venetian sailors laughed at their reactions.

They were likely accustomed to the sight, having seen it countless times.

‘The famous triple walls…’

I stared blankly at the walls stretching along the coast.

Constantinople.

The city Constantine I [Roman Emperor] designated as the new capital of Rome, calling it the ‘Queen of All Cities.’

‘I can understand why the Eastern Romans looked down on Europe with this city as their standard.’

It was a truly enormous city.

Even I, who had lived in the 21st century, was mesmerized.

“The length of the walls is truly incredible. Can anyone really break through that?”

Eig muttered, his expression dreamy.

Hugh, standing next to him, scoffed.

“No matter how big and sturdy it looks, it’s still a wall built by humans. There are plenty of ways to bring it down.”

He waved his hand dismissively.

“For example, you could attach long wooden planks to the masts and cross over to the walls. Or you could land a small number of troops first and find gaps in the walls.”

“Both are definitely possible.”

I nodded.

That seemed to be the method the Fourth Crusade [a Western European armed expedition that was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem, but instead sacked the Byzantine capital of Constantinople] used when they captured Constantinople.

“Well, neither I nor the Prince will ever invade this city.”

“We’ll see about that,” I said with a smile.

Would Hugh believe me if I told him about the Fourth Crusade?

The Crusaders, who had gathered to reclaim Jerusalem, instead captured Constantinople, where fellow Christians lived.

And the most lucrative and brutal looting in history followed.

It would be hard to believe.

‘God wills it!’

What on earth was God’s will?

I was lost in thought when a noise snapped me back to reality.

“Prepare to dock!”

The ship entered a harbor called the Theodosian Harbor [one of the harbors of ancient Constantinople].

The fleet was so large that it took dozens of minutes just to dock all the ships.

“Hey, put it down carefully! Do you know how much that’s worth?! It’s worth several months of your salary!”

Marco shouted at the workers.

‘Are they carrying elixirs?’

When I approached, Marco scratched his head, looking embarrassed.

“No matter how much I tell them, they don’t understand. I emphasize that it’s an expensive product, but they handle it so carelessly. And we lose so many…”

“Elixirs are so popular; it can’t be helped,” I replied with a smile.

That’s why I brought plenty.

I brought a total of two hundred elixirs.

I sold thirty of them to Marco at a high price.

That leaves 170.

‘It’s an enormous amount, considering how much we produced in such a short period…’

To meet this production volume, the artisans of the Order had to work day and night.

Still, I’m glad I brought them.

What I need now is an expensive gift.

A gift that can buy out Constantinople, New Rome, entirely.

“Elixirs are incredibly popular in Constantinople as well. Our profits alone…”

Marco quickly shut his mouth, realizing he had revealed too much.

He didn’t want to disclose the exact price since he was buying them from me and selling them at a higher price.

“You can tell me. I’ve already heard the detailed report,” I said, laughing.

At that moment, a group of people appeared.

Soldiers with axes and shields.

Two women and a man wearing ornate silk clothes and jewelry were at the front.

One side looked like a couple.

Who’s the other one?

They came straight to me.

The pair that looked like a couple approached me first.

“The representative of the Basileus [Greek for “sovereign” or “emperor”] greets the noble of Jerusalem.”

Both of them bowed according to etiquette.

I returned the greeting, surrounded by my knights.

“Thank you for the welcome. All three of you…”

“I am Mani Komnene, and this is my husband, Renier.”

I frowned without realizing it.

The Emperor’s half-sister.

The one who initiated a clumsy rebellion and summoned Andronikos to the capital.

“It is an honor to meet you. And this is…”

I looked at the woman next to her.

She bore a resemblance to Mani but appeared younger.

‘Are they sisters?’

As she bowed, the jewels on her ceremonial dress sparkled.

“I am Theodora. Noble one. The Emperor has sent the three of us as the Imperial welcoming party.”

“I heard you had an unpleasant experience on your way here…”

A man named Renier interjected.

I noticed he seemed anxious.

‘So, Mani and this guy were in cahoots?’

I pointed to the ship behind me.

“Well, we did capture some Imperial soldiers who tried to kill us.”

We were attacked by their navy, so it wasn’t just an ‘unpleasant’ experience.

Renier stammered, flustered.

“His Majesty and the regents are waiting at the Imperial Palace. That issue will also be discussed there…”

He didn’t seem to have the authority to speak freely.

I nodded.

“Please guide us.”

The soldiers with axes exchanged glances with our knights.

Soon, we began our march in an awkward atmosphere.

‘Are they Varangian Guards [the elite unit of the Byzantine army comprised of Norsemen]?’

The empire’s foreign unit made up of Vikings.

They were an elite force directly loyal only to the Emperor.

I remembered their stats and loyalty being very high in the game.

They maintained perimeter security on the streets without the slightest disruption.

I glanced at Princess Mani, her husband, and Theodora.

‘By the way, aren’t they weighed down by all that jewelry?’

Aside from the silk clothes, the sparkling jewelry was almost blinding.

Then Princess Mani spoke.

“It is rare for a member of the Jerusalem royalty to visit the capital. Our imperial family and citizens are all praying for peace and order to prevail in the Holy Land.”

She looked at me with a probing gaze.

“I heard that the situation in the Holy Land is not very good right now, but if you have come this far, there must be something…”

She was trying to discern my motives.

I gave a faint smile and turned my head.

“The reason I came all the way here is…”

‘I came to stop you guys from messing things up and destroying the Eastern Roman Empire.’

That’s the only way I and the Kingdom of Jerusalem can survive.

All the necessary materials and tools were prepared.

Now it’s time to step onto the stage.

I added with a smile.

“It is to protect the peace and order of the Holy Land.”