"Your Majesty, please move further back. It is not safe here either."
"If I hide in the rear any longer, I'll suffocate from frustration. But to retreat even further—how much of a coward do you take me for?"
Alexios frowned as he looked toward the Theodosian Walls.
Shouts and screams echoed from afar.
The clash of spears and swords.
The battle was clearly at its height.
Alexios let out a sigh.
He looked at the captain of the guard, Ruaak.
"Still no word from the walls?"
"The last report was that fierce fighting had broken out. Our Varangian Guard are fighting on the walls as well, so there is no need for concern—"
"No. I must see it with my own eyes."
"You must not! If even a stray arrow were to fly toward Your Majesty—"
"Is that not why I am wearing so much armor?"
"Your Majesty must remain in the safest place possible. Did not Prince Baldwin say the same?"
"The Prince did say that."
The young Emperor sighed.
Baldwin.
The benefactor who had saved both his life and the Empress.
He himself was fighting the rebels directly.
"The Prince and the knights of Jerusalem remain here and fight."
Alexios said, looking at the captain of the guard.
"They could have boarded a ship and fled. I likely would have done so."
"Your Majesty is brave enough. This is practically the front line as well."
He added,
"The soldiers are drawing strength from the sight of the imperial banner."
At that moment the roar grew louder.
Even the surrounding soldiers flinched.
"I must see it myself."
"Then please go to the watchtower behind that section of wall! You can see the battlements from there!"
Ruaak stepped closer to Alexios and shouted.
He waved the axe in his hand.
"Hurry and escort His Majesty! The tower is this way!"
The young Emperor nodded without replying.
Varangian guards with round shields sprang forward and surrounded him.
Under heavy guard, Alexios ascended the watchtower.
The guards hurried after him.
The sound of heavy breathing echoed inside the tower.
Alexios climbed to the top, exhaling sharply.
When he reached the summit, the walls spread before his eyes.
It was nothing like what he had imagined.
"What in the world…"
Alexios muttered.
A massive pillar.
That was all he saw at first.
Like a long brush sweeping a chimney, a great column swept across the walls.
Alexios stared blankly at the sight.
It took several seconds before he realized that the pillar was made of knights.
Before that majestic sight, the young Emperor's mouth fell open.
"Ah…"
The Varangian guards, too, stared in silence.
"Reform the ranks!"
"The traitor has been captured! Cease pursuit and reform!"
"Stop the pursuit!"
I shouted, breathing heavily.
My legs trembled.
My muscles quivered faintly.
How many hours had we ridden?
My memory was blurred.
Adrenaline surged through my veins.
Collapse.
With a single charge, the rebels lost their will to fight.
What followed was pursuit.
No—more like cleanup than battle.
So many surrendered that we had to leave troops behind to manage them.
After hours of pursuit, we finally captured Andronikos as he fled.
"The clothes suit you better than I expected, Andronikos. Anyone would think you a nearby farmer."
I said, looking at the man before me.
He was no longer dressed in the fine silks I had seen on the ship.
Rough garments fit for a peasant.
Cheap cotton, riddled with holes and tears.
"Why not exchange clothes properly? Then perhaps the farmer would not have reported you."
I said with a smile.
When his army collapsed, Andronikos abandoned everything and fled.
As an afterthought, he seized a nearby farmer's clothes to disguise himself.
Thanks to the furious farmer's testimony, we learned the direction of his escape.
A disgraceful flight indeed.
Even his escort had fled, leaving him alone.
Considering his usual conduct, it was hardly surprising.
"P-Prince Baldwin! I never intended to oppose you!"
He shouted urgently.
Gone was the arrogant expression I had seen before; he looked terrified.
"You never intended to oppose me? Then why did you attack the ship I was on?"
"Did I not say? That had nothing to do with me! It was Admiral Kontostephanos' doing!"
I sighed.
Like Princess Maria and her husband—why does no one admit their own crimes?
Does he truly think I would believe that now?
'My only crime was failure!'
'Let my blood flow for the blessing of the people!'
At least a final cry worthy of a lion would have been fitting.
I suppressed the throbbing pain.
Every muscle in my body felt as though it were being torn apart.
'I pushed this young body too far.'
Hours of riding and fighting—it was no wonder.
But I could not collapse here.
The knights and soldiers all looked at me.
I inhaled deeply.
"Andronikos Komnenos. You raised rebellion against the Empire and led countless innocents to their deaths."
I looked around.
Fortunately, no knights had died.
Three had been injured after falling from their horses.
But the defenders who died holding the walls were another matter.
So too were the rebel soldiers who tried to breach them.
Neither deserved to die.
"And yet you were the first to flee. Disgusting is not strong enough a word."
I dismounted.
There was no need for formal courtesy now.
"You told His Majesty you would withdraw your army, then attacked immediately. And you still call yourself noble?"
He stepped back and collapsed onto the ground.
I looked down at him.
"If you have anything to say, say it. I will hear it."
"H-Hey! Prince Baldwin! Only His Majesty the Emperor may punish me! If you lay hands on me—"
"True. I cannot personally execute a traitor of the Empire. I am an outsider."
I smiled.
But that applied only to killing.
"Then—ahhh!!"
He screamed as I pressed down.
"But crushing one ankle should not be much trouble."
Even a thirteen-year-old could put his weight down.
My body weight plus the armor.
When I pressed harder, there was a crunch.
His face turned pale.
"S-Stop! I beg you—!"
"You abandoned the women you brought in your tent as well. Were you that afraid of being caught?"
I glared at him.
Fear.
That was all I felt from him.
A hollow laugh escaped me.
He failed to secure provisions yet brought along his lovers.
No wonder he ruined the Empire.
Then came the sound of armor.
Alexios approached, escorted by Varangian guards.
"Prince Baldwin!"
He hurried toward me.
"Are you injured anywhere?"
"The enemy were too busy fleeing to wound me."
I replied with a smile.
The young Emperor's gaze turned to Andronikos.
"Andronikos. So you are here."
"Y-Your Majesty! I have awaited only the coming of the Basileus!"
He crawled forward and kissed Alexios' feet.
Half dragging himself due to his crushed ankle.
"Please show mercy. I acted only for Your Majesty's sake—"
"So you claimed you would withdraw your army, then attacked at once? Striking when I was most at ease?! Unless you take me for a fool…"
Alexios' face flushed red.
I opened my mouth, then closed it.
There was no need to add anything.
"It is not worth further words. You shall receive 'fitting' punishment for your crimes. Guards! Remove this vile man from my sight at once!"
The Varangian guards seized Andronikos by both arms.
He was dragged away, shouting.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!!!"
Alexios turned back toward me.
We looked at one another in silence.
How much we had both endured these past days.
At last, I felt relief from him.
Relief for the first time since the assassination attempt.
"It is over."
"Not entirely."
I said.
The number of prisoners we captured was far fewer than the forces that had besieged Constantinople.
Even accounting for deserters.
And Admiral Kontostephanos' fleet had vanished.
"It seems the Admiral fled immediately upon seeing the siege fail."
I said.
"But with Andronikos captured, the rebels no longer have a central figure."
With the rebellion's failure, its justification was gone.
Aside from Andronikos' imperial blood, a mere admiral could only thrash about.
"Wherever he flees, he will soon be caught. The Empire lies within my grasp."
Alexios nodded.
He smiled faintly.
"You have truly labored greatly, Prince. You saved my life, and now the rebellion…"
The young Emperor and I embraced.
"Let us return to the palace together. There is much we must discuss. Much to be done."
His gaze shifted toward Andronikos being dragged away.
"First, that man must be dealt with."
"I was about to say the same."
I spat on the ground.
Andronikos' fate was obvious.
'The long-standing tradition of the Eastern Romans.'
Castration and blinding.
And once matters settled, perhaps quiet poisoning.
Even that was kinder than what awaited him in the original history.
I recalled it.
In history—
After becoming Emperor through rebellion, Andronikos committed tyranny after tyranny, until enraged citizens seized him.
His eyes gouged out, his hair torn, his arm severed, boiling water poured over him.
Compared to that, this was merciful.
I leaned half-collapsed against Bolt.
He snorted and licked me.
'It is truly over.'
Rest.
That was all I wanted.
Alexios turned to me.
"First, we shall hold a thanksgiving service at Hagia Sophia. Then a celebration so that all our subjects may know what you have done…"
His words continued without end.
Wait.
It seems there will be no rest.
I forced an awkward smile.
"I—I see. It sounds most… gratifying."
Unaware of my thoughts, he beamed.
"I knew you would say so, Prince Baldwin! Come, let us go!"