kingdom of nations

Chapter 352 Inspection Team

Inspection team?
The situation of the inspection team was not as bad as Cesar had expected.

Although he managed to get the monarchs to accept the presence of the watchtowers, Cesar knew that the best time to bridle a horse was when it was still learning to walk, and the worst time was when it had grown into a wild, untamed horse.

However, knights from all walks of life—Frankish, German, or English—have always relied on force, not morality.

In this respect, they are hardly subject to any control, and are even intentionally indulged—lords and kings can thus obtain the loyalty of knights at low cost—armor, horses and silk coats all cost money, while peasants… well, because each lord, including the king, has a limited number of territories, and peasants multiply as quickly as gophers, so too many would always be a problem for them.

As long as they have land, they will never lack manpower to cultivate it. Sometimes, such as when there is famine or war, when food is scarce, they will even intentionally raise taxes and rents to force farmers to flee or stay in the village to starve to death.

And those refugees would generally not be accepted elsewhere—so when the people of Bethlehem followed Cesar out, they did so with great courage.

The knights were used to treating human life as worthless and doing whatever they pleased.

But Damascus was a special case. It could be said that when the knights first stepped into the city, they were disappointed. Just as an elderly woman who was terminally ill and emaciated could not arouse the desire of men, a city that had been plundered was not as good as a bone that had been sucked clean.

But as victory was within reach, another perplexing order arrived.

Under normal circumstances, after a city falls, the soldiers of the defending side are rarely stopped if they want to escape. After all, compared to docile lambs, blocking a group of desperate, snarling dogs might cause some trouble—why add to the casualties at this time?
Richard glanced at his knights with a strange look and shouted, "Fools! We don't need to care if the dog runs around, but it took the best piece of meat from the table. Why don't you kill it right now? Are you just going to watch that good piece of meat end up in the dog's belly?"

His shouts immediately made some of the knights understand. Yes, once the siege began, not only merchants, but even pigeons flying in the sky would be shot down. These people had previously looted Damascus clean, but those clothes, jewels, and utensils wouldn't just disappear into thin air; they either carried them with them or had to find a place to hide them.

Driving these rats out of their hiding places was easy; the knights would lazily stand guard at the door of houses or in the streets, and have their Saracen guides shout loudly inside. If the soldiers refused to remove their armor, throw their weapons on the ground, and emerge naked, they would hurl Greek fire into the houses.

Since a third of Damascus has already been burned, another third wouldn't be a big problem.

As for whether there are still Christians or Saracens imprisoned by these soldiers inside the house—don't be ridiculous, that's a question for people or Cesar to consider hundreds of years from now.

Even if they suffer misfortune, the knight will only lament that he has lost yet another precious fortune.

Richard, bored on horseback, watched as the gates of a mansion were forcibly opened. Inside, a man was shouting that he was a Turkic nobleman demanding the appropriate treatment. The soldiers were unsure—so Richard ordered a priest beside him to investigate.

These priests had sharp eyes and were experienced; no one could hide their origins from them. After a while, the priest took a few steps back and shook his head: "Fake."

Upon hearing this, the knight beside him did not hesitate to draw his short sword and stab the so-called Turkic nobleman in the chest. Lying at this time could cost him his life.

Having learned from this example, the remaining people dared not speak recklessly anymore. Helmets, lamellar armor, chainmail, leather armor, longswords, bows, daggers... soon piled up into a small mountain. It turned out that the mansion was hiding quite a few Turks.

They were driven out, had nooses put around their necks, and were led away in a line by a soldier. Then another soldier shouted in the room that they had discovered a group of women. Under such circumstances, it was not uncommon for mercenaries to keep women as pets.

Richard lifted one knee, put one leg on the horse's neck, bent over, and drooped his head, looking almost asleep.

The group of women were pushed and shoved out. When the priests went up to ask them if they had any ransom money or if anyone was willing to pay for their ransom, one of the women suddenly screamed in a particularly shrill voice.

Richard couldn't help but press his ear, his face contorted in pain.

"I have it! I have it! My husband will redeem me!"

"Who is your husband?"

“Joseph!” the woman answered eagerly, “and my brother…and my father…”

Without exception, those names were clearly those of the Isaacs.

Suddenly, those women who had previously looked numb and lifeless, as if floating like souls without bodies, raised their heads and looked at the woman Isaac, as if a few gray shadows had regained color and substance.

With ferocious grins, they rushed toward the Isaac woman, tearing at her hair, punching her face, ripping the only piece of clothing covering her body to shreds, and then biting her. The soldiers were taken aback, and even Richard and the knight beside him couldn't help but widen their eyes.

Two henchmen went to help the woman escape the attacks of the others, but they couldn't gain any advantage against these emaciated women; on the contrary, they were hit several times themselves. The soldiers shouted angrily and beat them with sticks, but the force that would break a grown man's bones had no effect on these women.

Finally, when the women stopped, they were dragged away one by one, leaving behind a gruesome corpse.

Richard stopped the angry soldiers and walked over to one of the women. She looked relatively whole and still had some light in her eyes. She was looking at Richard, but her eyes dimmed when she saw his fiery red hair.

Richard subtly touched his hair. "Who are you looking for?"

"That adult with black hair and emerald green eyes."

“Ah, you mean Cesar.” Richard turned around and beckoned Cesar’s knights forward.

When knights marched forward, they would usually carry their own banners.

Within the Overseer squad, there would be many such banners—because the knights here encompass every faction within the Allied Forces, a proposal made by Cesar.

Once inside the city, the soldiers and knights could no longer remain stationed in one place, making it difficult to distinguish them. Therefore, the inspection teams could no longer be appointed by each monarch as before. Instead, the teams now typically included one knight each appointed by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I, King Richard I of England, King Philip II of the Franks, King Baldwin IV of Arrassa, and Lord Cesar of Cyprus.

Richard didn't know if Cesar did this intentionally, but what was really strange was that once this inspection team came out, most of the previous perfunctory or cover-up behavior disappeared. In fact, when they encountered some knights doing something wrong, the first to step forward and reprimand them were their companions.

It wasn't that they suddenly became incorruptible, nor that they had any pity for these infidels; rather, it was that, under the gaze of others, crimes that were once commonplace became shameful and intolerable.

Especially between England and the Franks, who were already rivals, the two marriages of Eleanor of Aquitaine intensified this rivalry—the knights' competitive spirit was never limited to the battlefield; fine clothes, the favor of noble ladies, and the king's glory were also things they used to compare themselves to each other.

The eight virtues of knights—humility, honor, sacrifice, courage, mercy, holiness, honesty, and justice—were established at this time and became the goals that knights needed to follow and aspire to.

It can be said that a knight may have a dark and despicable heart, but he can never openly declare that he likes to plunder at will, to rape women, or to bully the weak.

They are capable of doing such things, but they cannot say it. Even if they did, they would only be met with contempt and scorn. Some knights may not be inherently upright, but they are at least normal people. Although they would also put the lives of civilians last in critical situations, it does not mean that they are willing to act like wild beasts, eating raw meat and charging recklessly.

Upon hearing this, the Cypriot knights immediately rushed out, holding up Cesare's red flag. The woman with dark brown curly hair and eyes as beautiful as a fawn glanced up and confirmed that the flag indeed belonged to Cesare, the former governor of Damascus.

Although his stay in Damascus was short, the people of Damascus did have a different kind of feeling towards this Christian. Strangely enough, they believed not only in the justice and kindness he had shown in Damascus, but also in the kindness he had received from the people of Damascus. They all said that the people of Damascus had taken care of him like a mother for a month.

Seeing that the woman was too weak to speak, the knight forcefully planted his flag in the ground, took out some rock sugar from his small cloth bag, put it in the woman's mouth, and then took off his water bag and fed her a few sips of water. The sugar and water quickly moistened the woman's lips and stomach, and she finally regained some strength.

“I know where the Isaacs are; I will take you there.”

This was her first sentence, and it was clear that she knew very well that if she didn't show these knights enough benefits, they wouldn't take her words to heart.

"She previously said her husband had the money to ransom her?"

The woman did not answer Richard's question immediately, but slowly said, "Her husband was originally an Isaac who did business in Damascus."

Although they have different beliefs and traditions from us, they at least outwardly get along well with us. My husband and brother, though they despise his business dealings, have always been very courteous—so…there are some people here who are on good terms with him—my husband, and some other Saracen merchants,” she took a deep breath, “this Isaac family has been in Damascus for over a hundred years, so few people are wary of them.”

Richard let out a strange sigh: "The Isaacs were in England longer, and the Franks were no less, but have you ever seen a Christian who placed their trust in them?"

The woman lowered her head. "Yes, we were so gullible and foolish—shortly after Ibn entered Damascus, almost all the Isaacs surrendered to him. To show their sincerity, they donated a portion of their wealth and pointed out the hidden stashes of other people in Damascus to Ibn. I don't know how long they searched, but when they led their soldiers to plunder, not a single family was spared."

Our fathers and brothers have been imprisoned and their fate is unknown. The women have been taken as spoils of war; some were chosen and given to Ibn, while others were used as payment for the soldiers.

Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, when Damascus was plunged into famine, they were instead used as objects of amusement and as future food reserves, thus surviving.

"So how do you know where they're hiding?"

It's important to understand that Damascus is a city with fields and orchards, so its area is certainly not small. No wonder this Saracen woman hated her Isaac neighbors so much. If it weren't for the betrayal of someone with ulterior motives, they might have had time to hide or escape.

"Because she once boasted to us, she probably never imagined that she would have such a day."

This was Isaac's own fault. At first, they were useful, and their property and wives and daughters might have been preserved. But once the rabbits were all caught, what use were the dogs?
She was abducted here by soldiers, or more likely her husband and male relatives have been imprisoned, killed, or escaped.

Even so, you have no right to kill her.

The Saracen woman simply smiled and turned her head away without saying a word, but Richard understood what she meant.

Although the chances of this Isaac woman being redeemed are slim, what if? Or perhaps she could be sold to slave traders, even to the Turks, and she could still live. But how many of the women they sold died? They couldn't possibly watch her walk out of Damascus unharmed.

“Alright,” Richard said, “the armor, horses, and jewels left behind by those Turks can fetch a good price—and if all else fails, there are the Turks themselves.” He turned to the Saracen woman: “Will anyone ransom you?”

"No, the people who loved me and the people I loved are all dead. You can do whatever you want with me."

"Okay! I'll go ask around later if anyone wants you guys."

Richard no longer cared about the women, but some of his entourage threw them some clothes to wear—fortunately, there was little difference between men's and women's clothing at this time, and the clothes were taken off by the Turks... Some of the clothes were silk, which they wore underneath, both for easy carrying and to protect themselves from arrows...

The surviving women were all resolute people; they didn't care where the clothes came from and picked them up to wear.

Those naked Turks had suffered quite a bit beforehand. Their entourage made them shout, jump and somersault on the spot, and even hit their stomachs with sticks to see if they had swallowed any precious gems. Indeed, some heavy jewels fell out from some less-than-flattering places.

In the room, they found some heavy and inconvenient metal utensils, which were stored in wooden boxes. A priest was registering and recording them, and each knight listened carefully, afraid of missing anything. Several boxes of spoils, enough to fill a wagon, were soon sent to St. John's Cathedral, where every knight, squire, and servant would receive a share. Satisfied, they set off for the next area.

Another knight caught up and asked Richard if these slaves should also be registered.

"The woman stays; the others are sent to register."

Indeed, a large number of slave traders also crowded outside Damascus, although the population of Damascus was small and they all belonged to King Arrasalus according to the agreement, because this would be his city and the fiefdom of Count Edessa in the future—he needed these people to work for him, perform labor and pay taxes.

But the captured Turkic or Saracen soldiers could only become slaves. Cesare would not allow these unstable and powerful elements to wreak havoc on his territory, nor would he leniently let them return to become another force that would unite against him. Selling them to slave traders was undoubtedly the best option.

However, they had to perform an extremely important labor service before being handed over to the merchants.

That is, the tragedy they created for them has come to an end—the fact that they were able to find rotting and swollen corpses to throw at the attacking side as a means of intimidation indicates that there were already many corpses exposed and uncollected in the city. These corpses were not all piled up on the streets, but may have been in courtyards, rooms, the bottom of ditches, or even in reservoirs.

The corpses in the prison were piled up like mountains.

No one understood the potential threat of the plague better than César. He needed a large workforce to move the corpses out of the city, not to wait for people to claim them—after all, even if someone wanted to identify them, it would be difficult to find their relatives and friends among those completely deformed bodies. Therefore, most of the corpses would be cremated on the hill outside the city, which would later become their burial ground, where a huge stone monument would be erected.

Some people suggested that a cross should be erected on it, but others immediately shook their heads and objected.

The majority of the dead were Saracens from Damascus. They did not deserve God's protection. Even if they were willing to let pagans share in God's glory, do you believe that the Saracens who came to mourn their relatives and friends would angrily overturn the cross?

“It’s just a cemetery. Whoever wants to mourn there can go there to mourn. It won’t bring any benefits,” Cesar said, and so the matter was settled.

More survivors were gathered together, and Cesar received daily reports on the changes in the number of survivors.

Damascus once had a permanent population of 30,000. Not counting the merchants, mercenaries, and pilgrims who traveled back and forth, it probably has less than 3,000 now. Among them, there may be some soldiers and traitors who want to pretend to be civilians to get a pardon.

“I remember there were some scholars in Damascus who were expelled by Ibn.” Cesar hesitated for a moment, because these scholars, like the knights who had felt “blessed” and the priests who had received “blessings,” possessed extraordinary powers that were different from ordinary people—a threat to Ibn, and also a threat to them.

"Let them go see these people, but they cannot enter the city."

Scholars played a very important role in Saracen society. They conveyed the teachings of the prophets to the people, offered blessings and condemnations, led and reminded people to worship and recite scriptures, and constantly monitored the people's every move to see if they violated the laws established by the prophets.

César had read the Saracen scriptures, which provided comprehensive guidance on the life of an ordinary person in great detail. It is safe to say that a scholar could identify every person living in his territory, especially the men.

Sure enough, the scholars easily identified the wolves in sheep's clothing—these were handed over to the Christian knights to deal with.

Some knights thought they would be sold directly to slave traders, but instead, they and some Isaacs were thrown into prison, supposedly to be prosecuted for their crimes—quite a novel situation… a Christian prosecuting some Isaacs for crimes committed against the Saracens…

Richard led his knights and, following the crude map drawn by the Saracen woman, found the hidden Isaacs. They could have escaped, but Cesar, upon entering Damascus, immediately ordered the city gates closed and began searching house by house, dividing the city into sections.

Even though they were able to sense Ibn's impatience and quickly escape, avoiding being caught and imprisoned, and tortured to extract their last copper coin—and still received their just deserts—they were clever, but their cleverness was always misplaced.

The knights found another large sum of money in their hiding place, and they claimed it was all the wealth they had, but how could the soldiers believe them?
The soldiers were too lazy to look for instruments of torture, so they used the simplest method: they tied them up, took off their shoes and socks, and then beat the soles of their feet with sticks.

“I really don’t understand,” Philip II couldn’t help but say. He was also the leader of another surveillance team and had seen many Isaacs. They knew that the soldiers would not stop until they were completely drained, so how could they grit their teeth and endure such torture for so long?
In the end, they all said it.

“You actually want to understand these Isaacs?” Richard looked at him with that expression. Philip II also felt that he was being absurd. He smiled and said, “By the way, I may hand over the next patrol to Count Étienne.”

To be honest, he just couldn't keep going. The inspection team wasn't stationary; they had to ride horses constantly through the districts they were responsible for, always on high alert, and dealing with all sorts of disputes and crimes. He felt physically and mentally exhausted, and even after just one day, he felt he couldn't continue.

“Then you should go and rest,” Richard said decisively. “I will look after Count Etienne.”

Philip II glanced at Richard helplessly—the Earl of Étienne was almost old enough to be Richard's father.

But he could only sigh and turn away, hoping that Count Etienne wouldn't have too much of a headache the next day.

As for him, instead of returning to his room as Richard had expected and comfortably spending his leisure time reading and listening to music, he came to César's place.

"I heard you need an assistant."

Cesar stood up, quite surprised. "You?"

"Me? Is there anything I can't do?"

Of course, there's nothing wrong with that. As a monarch, Philip II was also well-educated and quite young. Although he couldn't compare to Richard in terms of military strength, Richard was far superior in handling state affairs. At the very least, Richard couldn't possibly sit still in a chair for half an hour.

With Philip II's involvement, the handling of various complex matters became much faster. Even if there were things he didn't understand, he could find out how to deal with them after asking a few questions.

Moreover, as a high-ranking assistant, Philip II had another advantage: he could sign many documents on behalf of Cesare.

As Cesar breathed a sigh of relief, he couldn't help but think of other people, but after going through those names in his mind, he decided it was best not to have such wishful thinking.

Of these monarchs, the only one who might lend him a hand is Baldwin, because Baldwin has spent a considerable amount of time with Cesare and has a certain understanding of his way of doing things. Apart from Richard, the only others are Frederick I and his son Henry the Younger. Frederick I must have his own insights into handling government affairs, but the problem is that he is probably the kind of person who cannot listen to any opinions. If he were to sign official documents according to his own ideas, it would not be long before Cesare would be met with a large number of pitiful people crying out to heaven and earth.

His son, Henry the Younger, was quite interested in these matters, but unfortunately, during this expedition, he was his father's reins, fire-extinguishing water, and a shield that was always on standby; he simply could not leave Frederick I's side.

Philip II made no mention of Richard. Besides the well-known reason—he and Richard were close friends, brothers, but also inevitable enemies.

Richard was King of England and one of the largest princes in France. Philip II stared at the documents—why had he volunteered to be César's assistant? Did he enjoy doing such things? Of course not. He was willing to condescend to come here more because he had seen and heard about César's actions and the results they had brought—if he had a territory as large as Cyprus and such loyal people, why would he fear the great nobles in his own country?

He heard that before Cesar returned to Cyprus, even though their master was under execution, the people of Cyprus resolutely obeyed their mistress's call, organized a fearless army, and utterly defeated the army of Byzantine Emperor Manuel I, driving them out of Cyprus—even though the enemy had a numerical advantage and an unobstructed road. What he found even more unbelievable was that some of the soldiers did not obey their lord or mistress's orders, but spontaneously organized themselves, picked up crude farm tools, and ran to the battlefield on their own.

How could such a thing happen? At first, Philip II thought it was just a rumor or a lie deliberately fabricated to exaggerate the people's love for Cesare. But after he followed Richard to several places, he found that it was actually true, true, true!
It should be noted that even the peasant soldiers he recruited on his battlefield needed knights to supervise them once the battle began; otherwise, they might turn and run away without hesitation after seeing bloodshed.

This was during the war; when they were defeated, it goes without saying that they ran faster than anyone else.

But here is a group of the same kind of peasants who are willing to give their lives for their lord without any reward. Isn't that shocking enough?
However, the relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and Cesar remained very cold and strained; otherwise, such an event could have been presented as a miracle.

And then there were the tax collectors, the lords' armies, and the endless stream of merchants that he envied. He couldn't understand how Cyprus could still be as prosperous as before, no, even more prosperous than before, after so many taxes had been abolished.

He had never seen any place with so many permanent markets, and Nicosia was teeming with people. Day and night, you could see swarms of merchants, like bees in winter, haggling fiercely and gesticulating wildly. Ports, both in the south and the north, were brightly lit all day long, with goods piled up like mountains. Philip II simply couldn't understand where anyone would need so many goods.

Where do they buy them from, and where are they going to transport them? He even doubted that the daily throughput of the various ports could supply the entire Frankish region.

Of course, that was impossible. A merchant told him with a smile that the Frankish court and castles alone would occupy an entire port for coal.

Philip II was deeply moved and could hardly suppress his desire. Could he emulate him?
Once he returns to Paris, he may be able to apply some of these methods to his own territory.

But then he noticed the system of weights and measures. As king and lord, he could certainly ensure that the weights and measures within his own territory were accurate and uniform, but that might not be the case in other places. At this point, each lord could freely customize their own weights and measures and mint their own currency. He could be lenient with merchants from other places, but would his merchants receive the same preferential treatment in other territories?

He cannot guarantee that.

Cesar was able to enforce his laws in Cyprus because of the preceding seven days of mourning—seven consecutive days of undefeated victories established his absolute authority and eliminated most of the opposition forces in Cyprus. Those remaining were either neutral or had already sided with him—he no longer had the good reputation Cesar had before to vouch for himself.

He was unsure; he needed to learn more, even research—which was why he fully supported Cesar in the inspection team and other matters. Besides Richard's invitation, he wanted to ask Cesar if he had a more suitable approach for Frank.

Therefore, Richard's absence was actually a good thing for Philip II.

He diligently absorbed the information and knowledge from those vast documents beside César. It didn't matter, he thought. If all else failed, he would start with Fontainebleau, with a village, a city. He wasn't in a hurry. Just as César had told the Saracens, Philip was also young, and he had plenty of time to spare.

However, he still wanted Cesar to become his minister, but unfortunately, that possibility was becoming increasingly slim.

"Homs has been captured by Sultan Saleh of Apollo."

Philip now eats three meals a day. In Paris, because his father, Louis VII, was a devout believer, he adhered to the church rule of "late-night fasting," which meant not eating from midnight until morning. Sometimes, to avoid breaking the rule, the nobles would simply wait until noon to eat their first meal.

But if he were to eat only two meals a day now, even marching might become a difficult task. Or rather, after arriving in the Holy Land, almost all the knights have changed their diets—but for them, being able to consume more nutrition during battle is the best thing, even if it requires adjusting their biological clock.

In fact, there's nothing to complain about. Many old knights say they've never eaten so well during a war—in the past, wars would often end in famine—like the terrible situation they faced during the siege of Antioch.

Saleh was about the same age as Philip II, but because he was too young, when he ascended the throne, the real power was held by his mother, the First Lady, and the Grand Eunuch Mishtekin—who was originally the head of the eunuchs around Nurdin.

After Nurdin's death, Mishtkin returned to Apol with his coffin and quickly established his own power base by leveraging the prestige of his former master. He also cooperated with the First Lady to support Nurdin's youngest son, Saleh, to succeed to the throne.

Nur ad-Din had two adult sons, but unfortunately they both died in the civil war, and their heads were hung on the walls of the Apol Palace.

“These barbarians,” Philip II said. “I don’t know if Saleh now has enough power to oppose the First Lady and the Grand Eunuch, but it certainly won’t be him who sends troops.”

In fact, as Nur ad-Din's only son, it's unlikely that the First Lady and the Grand Eunuch would easily relinquish this symbol of power to the unpredictable battlefield. Even Nur ad-Din died in a war he was determined to win, let alone the young Saleh.

"Hmm, did the merchants bring any other information?" Richard asked, scooping a large spoonful of beef into his mouth.

"The commander of that army is likely the Grand Eunuch Mishtekin," Philip II replied to Richard's question. He believed that merchants would also approach the King of England, hoping to use this information to obtain a reward, especially since they were now trusted allies and there was no need to hide it.

"The merchant heard that he didn't take Holmes by force, but through inside help, bribery, and buying off." Ibn probably never imagined that once he left Holmes, Holmes would become another easy target for someone else.

“He had two grown sons,” Cesar said, “who were his children with Saladin’s sister, Emina. Unfortunately, both young men died tragically; one was killed by an Assassin assassin, and the other became one of the gifts a traitor offered to curry favor with his new master.”

When Emina was mentioned, Cesar couldn't help but think of the woman who led David and Count Raymond of Tripoli out of Damascus.

When he first heard her name, he thought she was just a dull and stubborn woman who put her husband first. But now, thinking back, he realized she might also be pursuing her own ideals, even if those ideals differed from men's.

She returned to her husband, perhaps because she had high hopes for him, thinking he could become an eagle that could rival her brother Saladin. However, she did not expect him to be a dull and reckless quail.

Upon realizing her husband's coldness and incompetence, she did not wallow in regret and tears, but instead decisively played her last card.

Not only did Ibn not expect this, but even Cesar did not expect it.

Where did this woman go? Judging by the timeline, if she returned to Holmes, she would only be imprisoned—although Saladin had severed ties with her, she would still be used as leverage for testing, blackmail, and extortion. Would they demand Saladin hand over his army? No, Saladin would absolutely refuse. So, would the Grand Eunuch Mishtkin use this opportunity to forge an alliance with Saladin?

If they still have this sense of solidarity, they should do it.

Saladin's army has already assembled and will soon set off. Will he attack Arrassa or Damascus? The Crusaders in Damascus are not firmly established. If they continue to attack Homs, Saladin could indeed become the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

But what if he were to attack Arrasaru? Arrasaru is certainly not to be lost, but the city also has enough troops. Although Count Belion is not a brave and skilled general, he is very good at defense and protection. Baldwin and Cesar have little worry about entrusting Arrasaru to him.

Cesar believed they could march north, capture Homs, Hama, and even Apollo, thus opening the path to their homeland—a golden opportunity.

César fell into deep thought, and Philip II felt a pang of sympathy. As the King of France, who only had the island of France, he certainly understood César's desire for territory. Even though he already had Cyprus, how could Cyprus compare to the vast territory of Edessa, even though Edessa was surrounded by enemies on three sides?

The only Christian country bordering it was Antioch, but the Grand Duke of Antioch even refused the holy war... The relationship was so strained that even Philip II was too lazy to mediate.

But Cesar must retake Edessa.

Joseph II spent the rest of his life striving to reclaim Edessa. His son, Joseph III, suffered greatly, dying not only in the enemy's prison but also from poisoning. This shame could only be washed away by reclaiming Edessa and trampling the former enemies underfoot.

(End of this chapter)