I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 79

The Holy War and Relief (4)

* * *

Jerusalem

Knights Templar Headquarters (Al-Aqsa Mosque)

“Has there been any contact from Count Guy?!”

Conference room deep inside the building.

Dozens of Knights Templar were seated in a circle.

Several of them shouted, their faces flushed.

“Are we just supposed to sit here and watch our members and sergeants get arrested like this?”

“Didn’t Count Guy promise to help? Then why haven’t we heard anything?!”

“Commander Toroha! Give us an answer now!”

The Knights Templar shouted.

“I am no longer the commander. Let’s make that clear from the start.”

Toroha said as he stood up.

He looked around at the assembly.

“Count Guy is already under suspicion from the royal family and nobles. If he tries to protect us now, not only the Count but our entire Order will be in danger.”

He added.

“We must wait for the storm to pass.”

“How can we wait when we’re about to be blown away by the storm right now?! More than a dozen have already been arrested!”

An old member shouted.

He gasped for breath.

“How much sacrifice and dedication has our Order made to protect the Holy Land until now?”

Everyone else nodded.

“And now, they’re using the transgressions of a few members as an excuse for this oppression!”

“Didn’t they say that only the members who committed the transgressions would be punished!”

“It’s clear that the Knights Hospitaller are behind this! They’re trying to use Prince Baldwin to strike at us!”

The men’s angry shouts echoed off the walls.

The wooden cross on one side of the wall trembled.

“Rome won’t just stand by and watch this oppression.”

Toroha reached out his hand.

“The Holy Father will soon step in himself. Let’s wait patiently until then. If we act now, we’ll only give Baldwin and the royal family justification.”

“That’s right! The only one our Order follows is the Holy Father. Even if it’s His Majesty the King, he can’t carry out this kind of oppression!”

“That’s right! That’s right!”

“First, let’s just cut off a few of the lower-ranking officials. Let’s pick out only those who are definitely guilty. They’ve already taken all of our ledgers and lists, so we’ll have to give up about a dozen people to smooth things over….”

As Toroha was speaking, a commotion was heard outside the door.

Pounding footsteps and the sound of fighting.

A hurried voice was heard.

“What is the meaning of this in the sacred headquarters! Stop everyone!”

“You better all step aside unless you want to be arrested for treason!”

The men in the conference room all looked at the door.

A moment later, the door swung open.

“Sir Hugh.”

Toroha looked at the man who had entered.

A silver mask, chain mail, and a green coat.

“Didn’t you already ransack the headquarters a few days ago? Is that still not enough?”

“Sir Toroha, I apologize for this intrusion. The Templars were trying to stop us so recklessly.”

Hugh stepped forward and said.

“Were you all huddled together in this deep place, holding a countermeasure meeting or something?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

A member said to him.

Hugh shook his head.

“No, it is my concern. Former Commander Toroha.”

He looked at Toroha.

“You must accompany us to the royal palace. Right now.”

“I have stepped down from my position as commander. What crime am I being arrested for, after already being punished?”

“Arrested? I never said anything like that.”

Hugh shook his head.

His silver mask glinted in the sunlight.

“Prince Baldwin has invited you to dinner. Unless you don’t have time….”

He looked around the conference room and continued.

“I hope you will accompany us. Or will you publicly refuse?”

“…”

A tense standoff ensued.

Hugh and the Lazarus Knights burst through the door.

The Knights Templar glared at them.

Soon, Toroha broke the silence and said.

“I understand. If the Prince has invited me to dinner, there’s no reason to refuse.”

He gestured for the surrounding members to sit down.

“Everyone, continue the meeting. I’ll be back from the royal palace shortly.”

* * *

Jerusalem Royal Palace

“There was so much evidence that it took forever just to sort it out. To be honest, I was a little surprised.”

I looked at the man across from me.

A long beard and scars all over his face.

A stern impression at a glance.

The former Grand Master of the Knights Templar, Toroha.

This guy colluded with Guy to try to attack the convoy.

Unconsciously, my eyes filled with emotion.

Hugh, who was standing next to me, also glared at him.

A tense silence filled the room.

“This is a rough summary of the list and names.”

I handed him a few sheets of paper.

The methods and people involved in embezzling funds.

This was just what was confirmed.

It was more than enough to fill several sheets of paper.

Toroha glanced at the paper without saying a word.

He said in a nonchalant tone.

“It’s not that our Knights Templar didn’t have any… shortcomings. But the transgressions committed by a few unruly individuals….”

I scoffed.

A few unruly individuals?

It seemed difficult to attribute this scale to a few individuals.

The embezzlement connected to you was the biggest.

Money. Money. Money.

How did the Knights Templar, who are supposed to protect the Holy Land, become such a financial institution?

The initial purpose must have been simple.

To take care of the money of pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem.

It couldn’t have been anything more or less than that.

But there must have been some pilgrims who didn’t claim the money they had deposited.

Pilgrims with no ties.

The money of those who died or disappeared naturally became the property of the Knights Templar.

In addition, there were various donations, estates, and fortresses that nobles and kings gave to the Order.

They lent that money back to the kings and nobles of Europe and received interest.

‘Officially,’ they didn’t receive interest.

But those who borrowed money paid an additional ‘thank you’ when repaying the loan.

It was practically the same as receiving interest.

Banking became more important than ‘protecting the Holy Land.’

“A few people confessed that the higher-ups in the Order had been embezzling funds separately.”

I said, tapping the table.

“They accumulated wealth illegally by sending the money they collected back to their families in Europe….”

“That’s an absurd claim. If you obtained such testimony through torture….”

“Torture? There was no need for that.”

I replied with a smile.

The Roman Catholic Church would not allow torture until decades later.

Torture was not recognized as a method of interrogation at this time.

“They all confessed as soon as I promised to reduce their punishment. It would have been difficult to deny it since the evidence was so clear.”

“…”

Toroha gave a faint smile.

He looked at me.

I could feel his emotions calming down.

“I think I know why Your Highness called me here today. But I have no intention of yielding to this level of intimidation.”

What? Intimidation?

What nonsense is he talking about all of a sudden?

As if mistaking my reaction, he continued in an even more confident tone.

“By now, a letter must have arrived from Rome. Isn’t the Holy Father telling you to stop the oppression, and you’re trying to intimidate me to get a confession somehow? But if you delay any longer, excommunication….”

“…”

I tried my best to hold back my laughter.

But it was impossible.

My neck trembled, and then laughter burst out.

Hugh was the same.

We burst into laughter.

Only after a few seconds did I manage to stop laughing.

In the meantime, Toroha’s face was flushed red.

“Ah, I’m sorry. It was hard to hold back my laughter.”

I wiped away my tears and took a deep breath.

Well, I guess he could think that way.

I placed a piece of paper from my pocket on the table.

A white paper with a golden seal.

Just by looking at the appearance, you could tell where this letter came from.

The Roman Catholic Church.

“So, the Vatican….”

“I think you’re seriously mistaken. You’d better read it yourself.”

I handed the letter to Toroha.

He picked up the letter with a suspicious expression.

“…”

Silence flowed.

After a few minutes, Toroha finally opened his mouth.

“If you haven’t forged this letter….”

“You’re really good at making jokes.”

I replied with a smile.

Now even forgery.

He’s saying all sorts of nonsense.

A letter sent by the Roman Pope.

The content was simple.

‘The Knights Templar must faithfully cooperate with the investigation into corruption, and if some of the allegations are found to be true, the Roman Catholic Church and the Royal Court of Jerusalem will discuss and determine the punishment.’

It was no wonder Toroha was reacting like that.

He firmly believed that Rome would stop me.

But there was information he didn’t know.

That the Roman Pope desperately needed me right now.

The Pope willingly gave me the carrot I asked for.

That’s how desperate they were.

‘In the first place, the integration of the Orders is also beneficial from the Pope’s point of view.’

It’s easier to manage one cow than several wolves.

“His Majesty the King initially tried to take it lightly. He was going to end it by punishing only a few criminals.”

I looked at Toroha.

He was half-panicked.

I could feel intense embarrassment and fear.

Now he understood why Hugh and I were laughing.

“But there was too much evidence to just let it go. That’s why I made a separate arrangement like this today.”

“…”

“You moved the members at the instigation of Count Guy. Thanks to you, the entire northern part of Syria was almost handed over to Saladin.”

“That’s absurd….”

“I have no intention of playing word games with you anymore. You and the Knights Templar are now in my hands.”

I had even been granted full authority by Baldwin IV.

Being granted full authority in this era meant unimaginable power.

I picked up a quill pen with my right hand.

When I clenched my fist, the white feathers were crushed beyond recognition.

“If I just apply a little pressure, everything will crumble. There are many charges I can pin on you: sodomy, idolatry, devil worship, and so on.”

In fact, I already had more than enough evidence without doing that.

I continued.

“So far, it’s only been a simple investigation, but now a full-scale interrogation will begin. I have the approval of the Holy Father and sufficient evidence.”

“That’s like cutting off the kingdom’s own limbs. Even if His Majesty the King allows it….”

Toroha shouted as he jumped up.

Does he still think I’m bluffing?

You have to be able to read the room [understand the situation].

No matter how powerful the Order is, it’s just a fly compared to the power of the king and the pope.

He should have groveled first, but he came out like this.

“The funds held by the Order will be transferred to the Vatican and the royal treasury. That alone would be enough. The members and sergeants can just be absorbed by other Orders.”

As I continued to speak, Toroha’s face stiffened.

He opened and closed his mouth as if he couldn’t think of anything to say.

“And Toroha, the Holy Father will excommunicate not only you but your entire family. There is evidence that the Order’s funds flowed to you.”

I said with a smile.

If I investigate a little more, I’ll find solid evidence.

Hearing my words, he sat down with a thud.

Now it’s time to move on to the final stage.

“But there is one way to avoid all of this. If you accept my proposal, I will skip the massive oppression and not request excommunication.”

“What do you want?”

“Just admit that Count Guy instigated the attack last time.”

“Then….”

He frowned.

“Even if I do, Count Guy won’t admit it. Rather, he’ll….”

“I know very well how Count Guy will react. You just have to follow my instructions.”

I glared at him with a cold expression.

“Then I’ll let you return to Europe safely. No separate punishment will be given. I promise you.”

“…”

“You don’t have to make a decision right now. Until sunset tomorrow, I’ll wait for your answer. You’d better make a wise decision.”

I added.

“For both you and the Knights Templar.”

He left the room with a pale face.

Silence flowed.

Hugh came to my side and asked.

“Your Highness, are you really going to let that guy go so easily?”

“Of course not. A ‘small incident’ will happen when he returns to Europe.”

I shook my head.

I can’t allow him to get away with that.

“And a sinner will pay the price for his sins.”

I’m finally getting used to the 12th-century way of doing things.