I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 31

The Man Who Saved Rome (1)

* * *

Hippodrome [an ancient Greek stadium for horse racing and chariot racing].

Massive horses and chariots filled the U-shaped track.

Each time the chariots completed a lap, the spectators roared.

A grand stadium right in front of the Imperial Palace.

What could be more Roman than this?

“I thought you would prefer jousting, Prince Baldwin,”

Alexios said with a smile.

He and I were sitting together in the Emperor’s private box.

We had spent quite a bit of time together over the past few days and had become quite friendly.

Enough to have comfortable conversations now.

“Sometimes something new is more fun. I’ve seen enough jousting to be bored of it.”

I replied, smiling.

“And you can’t watch chariot races like this in Jerusalem.”

Actually, there’s another reason…

The Eastern Romans didn’t really like jousting.

They thought of it as ‘a game for Western barbarians.’

Even Alexios’s father, Emperor Manuel, was criticized for liking jousting.

His problem was that he liked Western European culture too much in the first place.

The reason I sponsored the chariot race was precisely because of that.

No need to spend a lot of money and create animosity.

I looked at the young Emperor.

He was watching the chariot race with an excited expression.

He’s still just a kid.

‘Though not just any ordinary kid.’

His father was an emperor who earned the title of ‘the Great.’

His maternal uncle is the leader of the Principality of Antioch.

His uncle by marriage is the King of Hungary.

His wife is a French princess.

‘And he’s also related to me through marriage.’

Manuel’s greatest diplomatic achievement was this boy.

The emperor born with the noblest and most influential lineage.

A guardian to protect the empire.

‘But he ended up dying with his mother not even a few years after ascending the throne.’

A destiny that will end with a line, or at most a few pages, in history books.

It feels strange to think that I’m saving such a kid.

Lost in thought, I heard a metallic clang—*kukukung*.

Turning my head, I saw a chariot overturned in the middle of the stadium.

“Did you see that, Prince?!”

Alexios exclaimed excitedly.

“Chariot number 3 swerved sharply at the last moment….”

“And it flipped over.”

I nodded.

The charioteer climbed out of the overturned chariot and waved his hand as if to say he was okay.

“Waaaaaah!”

The cheers of the people echoed again.

At the same time, the race resumed.

“To be honest….”

I said with a smile.

“I didn’t expect the atmosphere to be this heated.”

“You shouldn’t underestimate the Romans’ love for chariots. They’d even trade the imperial throne for it.”

Alexios smiled.

He poured out words as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“The Green and Blue factions that started the Nika Revolt [a riot in Constantinople in 532 AD] 500 years ago also began as chariot racing fan clubs.”

“I’ve heard of them.”

I said with a smile.

The Green and Blue factions that started as chariot racing fan clubs.

‘I was really dumbfounded when I first saw the game event.’

They grew into de facto political groups and wielded enormous influence.

The revolt that the two parties joined forces to stage was the ‘Nika Revolt.’

‘Every time I played as the Eastern Roman Empire, appeasing these guys was the hardest thing to do.’

But now that the empire was stable and the chariot racing craze had cooled down, they were practically just names.

I looked down at the crowd filling the stands.

This is what it’s like even after the popularity has waned.

I can’t even imagine what it was like in its heyday.

“My mother told me this: Prince Baldwin is like a lifeline sent down to us.”

Alexios said with a serious expression.

“Thanks to this festival, the imperial family’s authority and dignity have also greatly increased.”

“There’s no more effective way to soothe public sentiment than a festival.”

I nodded with a smile.

It’s not for nothing that the saying ‘bread and circuses’ [a strategy to keep the population happy by providing food and entertainment] has survived into the 21st century.

As the festival began, the anger of the Eastern Roman citizens towards the Latins subsided considerably.

Of course, it wasn’t completely gone, but the atmosphere was no longer one of indiscriminate slaughter.

‘The Emperor’s favorability has also increased a lot.’

Even if Mani the Princess or Andronikos tried to stage a coup, they wouldn’t be able to persuade the guards and the army.

‘Now I need to find a way to deal with those guys for good….’

What I’ve done so far is just a stopgap measure.

As long as they remain, the danger remains.

Some way to wield the sword….

“What should I say about the Prince?”

The young Emperor muttered.

His face flushed red.

“You seem more natural than I am.”

“More natural? What do you mean?”

“I’ve been educated as an emperor since I was born. But I still can’t handle the weight of the crown.”

He muttered.

“But the Prince handles clergymen and nobles well, even though he’s about the same age as me….”

I chuckled.

Is he saying I seem older even though we’re about the same age?

Of course, I am.

I’m a few years older than you.

“I’m just putting on a brave face. Just struggling to survive somehow.”

I have to, to escape this damn fate.

As Wigg said, I can’t just die without a chance to argue with God.

‘Especially since it wasn’t just death, but annihilation.’

As I shuddered, Alexios misunderstood and burst out laughing.

We looked at each other and laughed.

After a while, the race ended, and he stood up.

“Let’s stand together. The Prince is a guest of the Empire.”

“It’s an honor.”

I followed him and stood up.

The cheers of the crowd towards us shook the surroundings.

The ringing in my ears lasted for several minutes.

* * *

That afternoon.

The Imperial Palace.

“The Latin merchants seem to be generally satisfied as well.”

Aeg said.

“Anyway, they were able to showcase the speed of their trading companies through this festival.”

“I guess they accepted my proposal with that in mind.”

I nodded in response.

After the chariot race, I was invited by the Emperor to the depths of the Imperial Palace.

A place where the Emperor shares a meal separately with distinguished guests.

It was one of the few events that the Empress also attended.

“As promised, tell Jerusalem to supply the trading companies with elixirs. But don’t release too much at once.”

I added.

“We can’t let the value drop too quickly.”

“Understood, Prince.”

I walked down the hallway with Wigg and Aeg.

Finally, when we arrived at the door, a giant man approached.

“It is an honor to meet you, Prince Baldwin. I am Ruark, the commander of the Imperial Guard.”

The man bowed.

A beard that reached down to his chest, golden armor, and a Viking-like appearance.

I could tell at a glance that he was a Varangian Guard [elite unit of the Byzantine army composed of Norsemen].

He pointed to the dagger at my waist.

“Originally, no one is allowed to carry any weapons when in the presence of His Majesty….”

He continued.

“His Majesty has granted an unprecedented privilege to the Prince alone. Please come inside as you are. But as you know….”

His gaze turned to Wigg and Aeg.

Wigg nodded.

“We will wait in the waiting room, Prince.”

“I wish Sir Wigg could have joined us for the meal as well… No, never mind.”

I said.

Wigg was not lacking in status.

But it was unimaginable for a leper to approach the Emperor.

“It’s alright. Greek food doesn’t really suit me anyway.”

He smiled gently.

I was led inside by Ruark.

As I entered, silverware and ornaments glittered and tickled my eyes.

There were two Varangian guards in the room.

And two people were sitting at the table.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Prince.”

Alexios said as he stood up.

The girl sitting next to him was the young Empress I had seen before, Agnes.

“It’s nice to see you again, Prince Baldwin.”

She also stood up from her seat and greeted me.

With a slightly nervous expression.

I lightly bowed my head towards the two of them.

As Alexios gestured, servants appeared one by one carrying food.

Ruark stood behind the Emperor.

“Please, come and join us before the food gets cold.”

All sorts of food were placed in front of me.

As the banquet progressed, Agnes’s tension gradually eased.

“I heard that you fought directly with the Saracens [a general term for Muslims during the Crusades] in the kingdom before coming here.”

She asked.

“Could you tell me about it?”

“It’s not that great of a story.”

I added some exaggeration appropriately.

That’s how you have to spice up these kinds of stories.

“So, were the sea tribes acting under Lord Reynald’s orders?”

“That must have been the case. Lord Reynald used food as bait.”

After that, we talked about various topics.

Food, elixirs, and even forks.

“You handle the fork very skillfully, Prince.”

Agnes blushed.

“I had never used a fork before coming here, so I was very clumsy.”

“You won’t be able to eat without a fork in Outremer (Crusader states) [the Crusader states established in the Levant].”

I replied with a smile.

Wasn’t the fork popular in Europe yet?

Actually, I prefer chopsticks.

‘If I use chopsticks….’

How would it be recorded in history books?

[Why did a member of the Jerusalem royalty use chopsticks?]

I can almost hear the sound of historians’ heads burning.

“I heard that the people are very happy with this festival. As Empress, I would like to express my gratitude.”

“It wouldn’t have been possible in the first place without His Majesty’s permission.”

“His Majesty was very happy when he first heard the proposal. Because he cares about his people.”

Hearing those words, Emperor Alexios blushed.

I barely managed to hold back a laugh.

Are they cute because they’re both young?

Alexios cleared his throat as if trying to hide his embarrassment.

“Now that we’ve finished eating, let’s watch the performance.”

He clapped his hands.

Then, four men in clown costumes came rushing in.

Are they going to do a mime or something?

It’s common to watch a performance after a banquet.

I looked at the men.

And….

The hair on my body stood on end.

‘Murderous intent!’

It was clear murderous intent without a doubt.

I immediately stood up from my seat.

“Guards! Arrest those men immediately….”

Ruark and the guards looked at me with bewildered expressions.

The men were also surprised.

Before I could finish my words, they rushed at me.

Daggers in their hands.

“Assassins! Protect His Majesty!”

Only then did Ruark shout and rush forward.

The blade of the sword glinted in the torchlight.

Agnes’s scream was faintly heard.

My heart was pounding, and everything became blurry.

The scene before my eyes passed slowly, like slow motion.

The guard standing by the door struck one of the men’s heads with an axe.

But another assassin immediately stabbed the soldier in the neck with a knife.

Three men were left.

On our side, there were Ruark and another guard.

At that moment, one assassin caught my eye.

‘He’s trying to throw a dagger!’

Their target was the Emperor.

Alexios was frozen stiff.

Agnes was the same.

Without even thinking, I grabbed a silver tray and threw myself.

All I could trust was my intuition.

*Thung*——

The dagger collided with the tray, making a loud noise.

After deflecting the dagger, I shouted at the young couple.

“Both of you, get down!”

Only then did the two of them hurriedly hide under the table.

I looked ahead.

The situation was 3 vs 3, including me.

The door wouldn’t open, as if the men had blocked it when they came in, and all I could hear was thumping.

I couldn’t abandon the Emperor and go open it.

I glared at the assassins.

I could feel their bewilderment.

Did they not expect the situation to turn out like this?

They probably pretended to perform while waiting for the best moment.

I messed it up by stepping in.

“Σκότωσέ το! [Kill him! (Greek)]”

They rushed at me again.

Ruark and the guard blocked them, but they couldn’t block all three.

One of them broke through and charged towards us.

He looked at me and gave a faint smile.

An expression that said he could easily take down a child like me.

I gripped the Damascus dagger tightly.

Okay, do as you’ve been trained.

As I’ve been trained….

The man swung his dagger.

Once, twice, and three times.

I read his movements and quickly dodged.

The man’s eyes widened as his attacks failed one after another.

“πως…! [How…! (Greek)]”

I lunged into his arms.

Just like the movements I learned from Wigg.

Thanks to my small size, I was more advantageous in lunging in.

First, the legs.

The man who was stabbed in the thigh groaned.

Blood and bodily fluids splattered and covered my eyes.

It was then that my concentration was broken.

A dull impact followed.

I was sent flying to the floor by the assassin’s fist.

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.

My head screamed.

I tried to get up, but I couldn’t move.

It felt like I was in someone else’s body, not my own.

Through my blurry vision, I saw the assassin approaching.

The moment he raised his dagger to my neck….

“Aaaaaaagh!”

The assassin screamed and collapsed to the side.

Turning my gaze, I saw Alexios holding a dining knife.

The assassin glared at the young Emperor as he pulled out the knife stuck in his side.

“Αυτό το παιδί…! [This kid…! (Greek)]”

Move. I have to move.

What do I do?

First, put strength in my legs….

I grabbed hold of my blurry consciousness.

I can’t afford to pass out.

I rushed towards the man unnaturally, like a puppet with broken strings.

The man was about to swing his sword at the Emperor.

I pulled out the sword stuck in the assassin’s leg and immediately stabbed it into his neck below his chin.

A gurgling sound came out, and lukewarm blood poured out.

At that moment, the door broke open, and Wigg and other guards came in.

“Prince!”

He immediately drew his sword after grasping the situation.

I tried to shout at them, but the words didn’t come out properly.

“Don’t kill them all! Capture them alive and find out who’s behind….”

I guess it’s okay to rest now.

As I watched the remaining two assassins fall, I lost consciousness.

“Prince? Prince!”