I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 66

A Walk in the Dark (1)

* * *

Darkness hung heavy over Jerusalem.

Two figures walked through the streets.

Hugo inhaled deeply.

The cool night air filled his chest.

“Isn’t this a trap?”

His companion, Gretir, asked.

“To summon you and me so suddenly. Has anything like this ever happened before?”

“I don’t know. We’ll find out when we arrive.”

“We should run now. If what happened last week got out, we’re both dead….”

“Enough of your useless talk!”

Hugo frowned and whispered.

He grabbed his companion by the collar and shoved him against the wall.

Fortunately, there was no one around.

“Are you desperate to lose your head, huh?!”

“I was just saying. Our lives are on the line, aren’t they? We need to be sure.”

Gretir coughed and spluttered.

Hugo released his collar and dusted off his hands.

He growled.

“Let’s keep going. I’m telling you again, watch your mouth. Think about your family and mine.”

They walked through the streets in silence.

They stopped in front of a building.

The exterior looked like an ordinary shop.

As they approached, a man came out of the shop.

He whispered.

“Be not afraid, only believe.”

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

At Hugo’s response, the man nodded and stepped aside.

He opened the door and said.

“You’re late. The Count has been waiting for you both. Hurry in.”

Hugo exhaled.

Was it a trap, as Gretir had said?

It was the first time they had been summoned at this hour.

If what happened last week had been exposed….

“Hugo, Gretir. Come in quickly. The night air is cold.”

A voice echoed from inside.

Hugo stepped inside the building.

A dim candlelight.

There was only one table inside.

A man sitting behind it.

Count Balian.

“Count.”

Hugo bowed his head and looked at the man.

The King’s right-hand man and their employer.

It was hard to read the Count’s calm expression.

“I’m glad to see you both look healthy. Have you been well?”

“Yes, thanks to your consideration and care, Count, we’ve been better than ever….”

“Yes, yes. I’ve taken care of you both in many ways. But there’s no need to thank me.”

The Count waved his hand.

Silence fell.

“There’s no need to be so nervous. I didn’t call you here because there’s a problem.”

He smiled.

“I’ve called you here today to deliver good news.”

“Good news…?”

Gretir muttered.

Hugo glanced sideways at his companion.

A nonchalant expression as if he knew nothing.

Unlike what he had feared, he was hiding his expression well.

Hugo breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

If what happened last week had been exposed, they would have been caught already.

He could still rest easy.

“His Majesty the King was greatly pleased with the information you uncovered last time,”
Count Balian said.

“He personally praised you and ordered a reward to be given. I thought you might be running short on funds by now….”

The Count placed a leather pouch on the table.

The sound of coins jingling echoed from inside the leather.

The two men swallowed hard.

Hugo inhaled.

“For His Majesty the King to personally commend such humble men as us… There could be no greater honor.”

“How much have you two done for our kingdom? Compared to that, this is a small gift.”

The Count rose and approached them.

The candlelight flickered in his eyes.

“I trust you will continue to dedicate yourselves to the Kingdom of Jerusalem and His Majesty the King.”

“Of course. How could we ever forget the grace we have received?”

Silence fell again.

Count Balian smiled.

“I knew you would say that. Then you may leave now.”

Hugo and Gretir turned to leave.

The Count raised his hand and said.

“Ah, I almost forgot. There’s one thing I need to ask you.”

He asked.

“Has anyone approached you recently? Saladin or Masud. Or from any other side….”

Hugo swallowed hard.

A natural expression.

He had to maintain the most natural expression possible.

“Have they tried to make contact?”

“No one has discovered our identities. If anyone had tried to contact us….”

Hugo continued.

He and Gretir had coordinated their stories, so there was no need to worry about being caught.

As long as he didn’t make a mistake.

“We would have informed the Count first.”

“….”

Count Balian gave a faint smile instead of answering.

* * *

“They’re both traitors. They’re probably receiving funds from Saladin,”
I said, wiping away sweat.

My whole body ached from concentrating so hard.

It’s still hard to feel emotions so precisely.

“You can tell without seeing them directly?”

“I just need to be nearby. This time, I had to listen to their words too.”

I looked beyond the wall.

I couldn’t see the room from here, but I could hear the voices clearly.

The tension grew stronger when the name Saladin was mentioned.

Each time Balian asked a cleverly prepared question, I felt the emotions of the two men.

‘I guess preparing multiple questions is more accurate.’

Are you a bad guy?

Of course, it was possible to do it that way too.

But to be sure, more subtle questions were needed.

Questions that distinguished simple tension from lies.

I couldn’t have dreamed of this a few months ago.

Have I become that accustomed to my sixth sense?

“I’ve suspected those guys for a while now,”
Balian muttered.

“But I couldn’t get any solid evidence. If you say so, Gongja….”

I could sense his hesitation.

I smiled.

It’s a natural reaction.

It’s not a visible ability, after all.

Everyone reacted this way at first in Constantinople.

Balian shook his hands from side to side.

“I am by no means doubting your power, Gongja. After hearing what happened in Constantinople, Cyprus, and the Assassin Mountains, no one would doubt you.”

He continued.

“It’s just that it’s the first time I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I’ve heard stories of some saints’ remains identifying sinners….”

“There’s no need to apologize. Most of those who claim to have powers are swindlers,”
I said with a smile.

“There must be madmen and sorcerers among them too.”

It’s almost strange that he believes me.

What would have happened if I had made this claim in the 21st century?

‘The Lord has revealed that he is the culprit! He is the sinner!’

No courtroom would accept such a statement.

I’d rather fabricate evidence.

People of this era naturally accepted miracles and visions.

Transformation, powers, and revelations.

Not only Christians but also Muslims.

It’s no wonder Sinan pretended to have superpowers.

‘The Assassins who saw my abilities were more shaken because of that.’

The people who had gathered in Constantinople came to mind.

From the mothers holding out their babies to the sick asking me to heal their illnesses.

People of this era were also obsessed with the reliquaries [containers for holy relics] and relics of saints.

Villages would even fight each other to seize reliquaries.

Miracles must exist!

Does this belief create miracles?

In fact, the future isn’t much different.

Hitler was also obsessed with the Spear of Longinus [the spear that pierced Jesus’ side].

Balian said with a smile.

“My brother told me a story he heard from the commander of the Ruark Guard. It was a tradition of the northerners living far away in Europe….”

“You mean the Varangians [elite Viking bodyguards of the Byzantine emperors].”

“Yes, they cast fortunes with strange letters and predict fate.”

“It’s probably runes [ancient Germanic alphabet used for divination].”

I said with a smile.

The northerners are interesting too.

Conquering the world as a Viking is also fun.

There was also a challenge to establish an Odin Foundation in the middle of Europe.

If I had become a Viking with this ability, would I have been treated like a Seidr [Norse sorcerer or shaman]?

“But the power I possess is real. If you arrest and investigate them, evidence will emerge.”

I gave a faint smile.

Then Balian blushed.

“As I said, I have never doubted you, Gongja. Did you identify the informants this way in Constantinople too?”

“The situation was a bit more urgent back then. I didn’t have the luxury to do it so calmly.”

I shook my head.

It was the opposite of now.

I had to catch Andronikos’s henchmen all night.

I couldn’t let them open the gates at any moment.

Andronikos came to mind.

An old lecher drunk on power.

He must be locked in the dungeon by now.

I leaned forward.

“So, what are you going to do now? Now that you’ve found out that they’re traitors….”

“There are several ways to handle it,”
Balian said.

His expression returned to normal.

Calmness and coldness.

“The families of those two are under my control. They can pay the price for betraying the kingdom along with their families….”

He continued.

“Or they can work as double agents for the kingdom again. We can use them to leak false information. There’s no use in just killing them.”

I nodded.

Double agents.

Espionage strategies weren’t much different in this era either.

If used well, we could find out about other spies Saladin had planted.

It would take years for Saladin to notice that the information had been exposed and plant new spies.

In the meantime, we could hide information from Saladin and other forces.

It’s common for a single spy or assassin to change history.

We can prevent that in advance.

Controlling all information coming in and out of the kingdom.

What could be a more superior situation than this?

“Let’s filter them out one by one like this. It will take some time, but…,”
I added.

“We’ll be able to find out all the traitors. If we’re lucky, we might even find out about spies who have infiltrated from the outside.”

“If you help us directly, Gongja, there could be no greater help,”
Balian nodded.

He looked at me and smiled faintly.

“Actually, there was something else I wanted to tell you, Gongja. His Majesty gave me a secret instruction.”

“A secret instruction…?”

“His Majesty said that it’s time for you to have your own intelligence network. He has given me the necessary manpower and funds…,”
He said.

“It won’t take long to set up. Of course, that’s if you approve, Gongja.”

“I don’t think I have any reason to refuse,”
I replied with a smile.

I was going to create one myself anyway.

If Baldwin IV helps, I should welcome him with open arms.

“I’ve selected some of the people who used to work for me. There are also some newly recruited people, but…,”
Balian added.

“There will be some faces familiar to you, Gongja.”

“I’m already curious to know who it is,”
I said in a sincere tone.

A face familiar to me.

I can’t imagine who it could be.

Balian said, extinguishing the candle.

“Let’s go to the palace for now. It’s late. I’ll let you know more details in a few days.”

A few days later, in the morning.

I found out who Balian was talking about.

The people gathered in my room.

Among them was a familiar figure.

A flamboyant silk robe and a protruding belly.

And a face that couldn’t be mistaken.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Marco?”