I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 80

Holy War and Relief (5)

* * *

“You were the same back in Constantinople….”

Theodora said with a faint smile.

“You always jump into the fire first, Your Grace. You didn’t even rest after dealing with the Knights Templar in Eilat.”

“I’m just like a moth drawn to the flame.”

I replied with a smile as well.

Theodora’s temporary residence.

I looked around.

The carpets and decorations were beautiful, no matter how many times I saw them.

It was almost hypnotic.

“But opportunities disappear if you don’t seize them.”

The mistake was made by the other side, not me.

I was just preparing and waiting.

Al-Adil’s attack on Eilat.

The same goes for the Knights Templar.

If they hadn’t made those mistakes, I wouldn’t have had a chance.

I wonder how much they regret it.

I rubbed my sleepy eyes.

My eyes felt heavy, probably from repeating interrogations and investigations for days.

It felt like I had weights attached to my eyelids.

I wanted to loosen my cloak at least.

How much more uncomfortably do I have to dress for the sake of style, with layers of clothes and spurs on my feet?

I can’t even complain since I’m royalty.

“So, are you planning to integrate all the knightly orders into one?”

“That’s what will happen. The Knights Hospitaller and the Knights of Lazarus seem to welcome it….”

I nodded.

“The Knights Templar have no justification to refuse it. But the Holy Sepulchre Knights will remain an independent organization.”

I looked at Theodora.

It would be difficult to integrate the Vikings with the existing knightly orders.

From the beginning, the Holy Sepulchre Knights were closer to the Eastern Roman Empire than the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

The same goes for their leader, Ruark.

He was Alexios’s captain of the guard.

The link between the Knights and Jerusalem was me and Theodora.

Theodora smiled and said,

“Even if the Knights could be integrated with other knightly orders… it wouldn’t be a good result.”

“I think so too.”

I replied with a smile.

The Vikings were drinking and eating meat as they pleased.

There’s no way there wouldn’t be fights if they lived with the other knights.

A moment of silence passed.

She looked at the map and asked,

“So, what are you going to do with the Saracen [Muslim] prisoners captured in Eilat?”

“I’m planning to keep using them for reconstruction for now. They were caught looting the city, so that’s merciful enough. If I had my way, I’d stuff their mouths full of pork….”

Theodora burst into laughter.

She waved her hand and said,

“I’m sorry. I thought you were serious about everything, Your Grace. By the way, pork.”

She continued,

“Saracens hate pigs so much that they slaughter all the pigs whenever they conquer Christian lands. But my father said….”

She added,

“Sultan Kilij Arslan II, who came to Constantinople, ate pork without hesitation.”

“There are quite a few who drink alcohol openly too.”

I smiled and nodded.

There were many figures in Islam who had a reputation as heavy drinkers.

Zengi, who destroyed the County of Edessa.

Shirkuh, Saladin’s uncle who conquered Egypt.

Pork and alcohol.

Those two are addictive.

By the way, Arslan….

The Islamic power east of the Eastern Roman Empire.

“You’re talking about the Sultanate of Rum [A Turkish state in Anatolia].”

“Yes, that’s right. And while staying in Constantinople, one of Arslan’s attendants showed off his flying skills.”

I tilted my head without realizing it.

Flying skills?

“He came out wearing clothes with lots of air pockets and said he could fly. And he went up to the arena and jumped off….”

“It didn’t end well, I presume.”

“He crashed straight into the arena floor and rolled around. Like a toy thrown by children.”

Theodora smiled and nodded.

“An envoy rolling around in front of tens of thousands of people. That must have been quite a sight.”

We giggled like children.

It took a few seconds for the laughter to stop.

When was the last time I felt this comfortable?

I’ve just been running around like crazy all the time.

After stopping laughing, I looked at her and said,

“I heard that Your Highness took charge of the relocation plan while I was away.”

I couldn’t pay proper attention because of Eilat and the Knights Templar.

But thanks to Theodora, the relocation plan was progressing smoothly.

She and the Holy Sepulchre Knights coordinated the plan by communicating with Constantinople.

The first group of migrants is already on their way to the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

A Jerusalem Dream instead of an American Dream.

It’s not bad, even by my standards.

They give you land and a house.

The only price is enlistment.

Hmm, the price seems a bit high.

“It wasn’t that difficult. The Emperor agreed as well. And the Emperor additionally….”

She nodded.

“Said he would continue to recognize Your Grace’s rule over Cyprus.”

“I see.”

A gift limited to me, not the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

A card to ensure the marriage.

The additional supply bases should be completed by now.

We could steadily bring in supplies from Europe.

“I should visit Constantinople again someday.”

“Or perhaps His Majesty the Emperor might come to Jerusalem first.”

She said with a smile.

“I think that would be faster.”

* * *

After parting with Theodora, I headed straight to Baldwin IV’s office.

“Come in, Baldwin.”

The office was filled with white smoke.

The smell of burning grass.

Is it marijuana?

Baldwin IV’s figure could be seen through the smoke.

“To conclude by exiling Torroja.”

He handed the marijuana pipe to a servant and said.

His gaze turned to me.

“I don’t think it will end simply at that level.”

“Of course not.”

I nodded.

I can’t end it there.

“He must pay the price for his crimes.”

“I’ll leave the cleanup to you. I won’t interfere separately. Come, sit down. There’s still much I need to hear from you.”

I sat down in front of him and gave a brief report.

The situation and handling of the Knights Templar.

The Knights Templar eventually surrendered.

Torroja admitted to Count Guy’s involvement and was exiled.

Those who committed corruption were also expelled and punished.

“I’m worried it might be too extreme….”

“A hunting dog that bites its owner is not worth keeping. That’s the current situation of the Knights Templar.”

Baldwin IV shook his head.

“You’ve wrapped things up more neatly than I expected. In fact, if you hadn’t been able to sort things out properly….”

“Your Majesty was planning to intervene directly.”

“But there was no need. Pressuring His Holiness the Pope by feigning a visit to Italy.”

He burst into laughter.

I nodded.

“It’s all thanks to Your Majesty, actually.”

If I had gone to Italy first, the Pope wouldn’t have given me any compensation.

As expected, you have to act expensive to get even a piece of rice cake [a metaphor for getting something valuable] .

I used myself as a condition to gain the Pope’s support.

“You are a person trusted by the Eastern Roman Emperor and the Patriarch of Constantinople.”

Baldwin IV said.

“The Roman Papacy couldn’t afford to lose you. And the evidence of corruption was solid.”

I nodded instead of answering.

There’s still so much evidence that I haven’t finished organizing it.

“And there was one strange thing….”

I said.

There was one thing that bothered me.

“All those arrested said similar things. They admitted to embezzling money, but claimed it was for the sake of the Knights.”

In reality, they sent the money to their families or lovers.

This wasn’t that strange.

What I didn’t understand was that they sincerely made such claims.

“It’s not unreasonable.”

Baldwin IV said.

“What do you think it means to be devoted to the Holy Land?”

“That is….”

For the sake of the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Protecting the kingdom and its people, and preventing war?

“The thoughts and beliefs we have are bound to be crude. Most people pray to a virtual being, not a real one.”

Baldwin IV burst into laughter.

“The same goes for those who pray for their parents and family. They pray hard for the ‘soul’ of the family they’ve created in their heads, not the real family. But they still raise their fists against their real wives and children.”

“It must be the same with protecting the Holy Land.”

It’s about rationalizing their mistakes.

There were many similar stories in the 21st century.

It was something done for the country and the homeland.

It was something done for peace.

It was something done for the family, and so on.

“That’s why action is even more important. Human actions don’t lie.”

Baldwin IV looked at me straight on.

Our gazes met in the middle.

“I’ve been watching you since you volunteered to go to Eilat, Baldwin.”

“….”

He said again.

“Information came in from Damascus today. Saladin has been holding a fundraising campaign for the past few days.”

“A fundraising campaign… are you talking about Al-Adil’s ransom?”

Baldwin IV nodded.

A fundraising campaign?

Is he so short on money that he has to get it from the citizens?

No.

Saladin unified Egypt and Syria.

It shouldn’t be difficult to raise that much money.

There must be another motive.

A fundraising campaign.

“Perhaps poets and scholars have come to the forefront?”

“You guessed it right. They are creating public opinion. They are portraying Al-Adil as a hero of the Jihad [holy war].”

Baldwin IV nodded.

“I heard that a considerable amount of money has already been raised.”

“I knew it.”

Poets and scholars.

They led public opinion in Islamic society.

A role similar to that of Christian clerics or bards.

Is he using them to portray Al-Adil as a hero?

I couldn’t help but laugh.

A hero of Jihad (Holy War).

I never thought that the robbery of Eilat would be portrayed that way.

“To use his brother’s capture like this, he’s just like Saladin.”

“There’s no material as exciting to the public as the Holy War. Saladin is trying to unite the Muslims by using his captured brother.”

I nodded.

It was fortunate that he was captured alive instead of being killed.

“I’m thinking of signing a peace treaty if I receive the ransom. We need to maintain the status quo while you’re in Europe.”

He said.

“I’ll allow you to go to Italy.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“This time, take as many knights with you as possible. I’ve also told the treasurer to give you as much funds as you need.”

He stood up and approached me.

“You are now one of the most important figures in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Always keep that in mind. It means your life is no longer your own.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

If Baldwin IV dies….

There weren’t many people to hand over the throne to.

Is it still Guy?

Sybilla was preparing for a divorce, but it wouldn’t be over soon.

I still can’t believe that I’ve become such an important figure.

“I should go and prepare right away.”

“There’s no need to rush so much. There’s one thing you need to do before you leave, right?”

He said in a playful tone.

If there’s something to do before leaving….

“The wedding preparations are already complete. All that’s left is to set the date. We need to get it done before you leave, Baldwin.”

He said with a smile.

Marriage.

There’s not much time left to be single.

At that moment, someone knocked on the office door.

Baldwin IV said,

“Come in.”

Balian.

He came into the room with a piece of paper in one hand.

“This is news from Acre just now. From Europe….”

He belatedly discovered me.

Baldwin IV waved his hand and said,

“It doesn’t matter, continue.”

“An envoy has arrived from the Holy Roman Empire.”

“The Holy Roman Empire?”

Baldwin IV asked back in a surprised tone.

I was just as surprised.

The Holy Roman Empire?

Frederick I sent an envoy?

“The Roman Emperor of Europe sent an envoy.”

Baldwin IV said with his arms crossed.

“This is interesting.”

* * *