Tripoli Harbor
"Are all preparations complete?"
"Yes. The fleet can set sail at any time upon your command, My Lord."
"If what Prince Baldwin said is true…"
Raymond muttered.
His gaze turned toward the sea.
The letter that had arrived from Prince Baldwin several days earlier.
Its contents had been nothing short of shocking.
The rebel fleet of Cyprus intends to strike Tripoli!
"I do not know how he obtained such information. We have sent more than ten spies ourselves, yet…"
"None of them made it out of Cyprus."
Raymond murmured.
"And he says he will send the fleet of Constantinople as support. Do you think that is true?"
"I see no reason for Prince Baldwin to lie. He saved the Emperor's life…"
the adjutant replied.
"It would not be strange if he were granted command of the fleet."
"I do not know. Greeks are not easily trusted. The way my sister died…"
Raymond closed his eyes and bit down hard on his lip.
Rome had treated his sister like a slab of meat in a marketplace.
They had dangled promises, claiming she would be received as Empress, only to cast her aside at the last moment.
"Our Empire has determined that Maria of Antioch is more suitable as Empress!"
His sister, fallen into despair, had withered away in a convent and eventually passed from this world.
It was from that time that Raymond began fighting Constantinople.
The fleet that had been meant to deliver marriage gifts instead attacked imperial vessels in the Mediterranean.
"And yet Prince Baldwin saved the Emperor's life. The affairs of this world are truly beyond knowing."
"If he truly received the protection of Archangel Michael…"
"…."
Silence fell.
Raymond slowly opened his mouth.
"I still remember the look in his eyes during the council. When I cut off supplies, he came to confront me at once."
He continued.
"Since Eilat, something has changed. If he truly received a revelation from the Archangel, that might explain it."
He shook his head.
"Whatever the truth, the balance in the palace of Jerusalem will now be overturned. If Constantinople firmly comes to our side…"
"It will be much easier to hold back Saladin's offensives."
"Perhaps. Or perhaps not."
Raymond gave a short laugh.
"Saladin will not abandon Jerusalem over something so small. And the Greeks have always betrayed us."
He gestured toward distant Constantinople.
"Who first called for the Crusade? Emperor Alexios I. Remember how he treated us. He tossed us a little food and passage across the sea, and in return demanded oaths of loyalty."
His voice grew louder.
"Have they ever sent armies to aid us? Ever shed blood alongside us?"
"It is not entirely true that they never—"
"They were too busy taking the fruits we achieved. That is the nature of Greeks. At times, even the Saracens seem better."
"My lord…!"
"Do not worry. I do not speak this way before others."
Raymond laughed heartily.
The adjutant looked at him with concern.
"There are increasing voices claiming that Your Lordship is too close to the Saracens."
"There is no need to mind them. There have always been those who call me a coward and traitor. Whatever those fools say…"
At that moment, a shout rang out.
The docks erupted into noise.
"Ships are coming!"
Raymond and those around him all turned toward the sea.
A long line of ships was approaching the harbor.
At a glance, it was a grand fleet of dozens.
"Enemy or ally?"
Raymond shouted.
"Inform the fleet at once! Prepare for battle!"
"Yes, my lord!"
Sailors moved swiftly.
Ships hastily pulled in their mooring lines.
As the distance closed, the banners became clear.
"From the flags, they are Roman ships."
"Then it was a trap after all. They deceived young Baldwin…"
Raymond clenched his fist and muttered.
Then the adjutant shouted.
"The flag—!"
The lead ship raised a banner.
A white flag.
Beneath it, a red cross.
Its meaning was simple.
Peace with the Crusaders. Surrender. Alliance.
The Tripoli vessels that had already set sail stood facing them without fighting.
A tense but calm standoff continued.
"So the prince spoke the truth…"
Raymond murmured.
He shook his head and shouted.
"I must see for myself. Prepare my ship at once!"
At the same time
Cyprus
Limassol Harbor
"What is that?"
"It looks like a ship on fire."
Sailors working at the docks murmured.
Something flickered through the thick fog.
What had been faint like a firefly gradually grew clearer.
"Have our ships returned already?"
"Even if the raid ended quickly, returning this soon…"
A ship engulfed in flames.
Three ships were approaching the harbor.
Black smoke rose into the sky.
All the sailors in the harbor stared blankly at the sight.
A few belatedly grasped the situation and shouted.
"Enemy! An enemy fleet!"
"What is the garrison doing?! Ring the bell at once!"
"Y-Yes! Ring the bell!"
"Fire!"
"F-fire ships! Set all anchored vessels to sail!"
"How did no one notice until they were this close?!"
"This cursed fog…! Whose ships have come to attack us?"
The sailors rushed about in panic.
Horn blasts sounded everywhere.
Some slipped from the docks and splashed into the sea.
Mooring ropes flew through the air.
"Where are the chains?! Block them from entering the harbor!"
"If we do that, the ships trying to leave will—"
Anchored ships collided with one another as they scrambled out of the harbor.
Behind them, the chains were drawn taut with a grinding sound.
"They are attacking the harbor!"
Several ships fired arrows as they approached the fire ships.
But only the fire ships were visible. No other vessels could be seen.
"No one is aboard!"
"Find their main force! Quickly!"
"Stop the fire ships first!"
Not a single captain was willing to sacrifice his own vessel to block the blazing ships.
The charging fire ships set nearby vessels aflame before becoming caught in the chains and stopping.
Fog enveloped the harbor in chaos.
"They say you get used to CS gas quickly, so it's better to inhale a little from the start."
When had I heard that?
Perhaps during my first chemical training.
I had foolishly taken a breath and nearly died.
The sensation of my lungs and face burning away.
But the pain did not last long.
I gradually grew accustomed to it, and eventually no longer felt the gas.
The sight of the thick fog brought back that memory.
That is enough reminiscing.
When I turned, I saw Hugh approaching.
"By now, Limassol must be in an uproar. We loaded the ships with plenty of Greek fire…"
he said.
The sound of oars echoed beside the vessel.
"They will likely be scrambling to stop the fire ships. They will think we intend to exploit the confusion and attack the harbor."
"That is precisely the situation I want. If their attention is fixed on the harbor, vigilance elsewhere will weaken."
The method I used to draw their attention was simple.
Fire ships.
Several vessels loaded with Greek fire were sent toward the harbor.
Nothing draws attention like flames and fireworks.
And nothing burns as well as wooden ships.
"It may not pose a substantial threat…"
From the beginning, I had no intention of destroying their fleet with only a few fire ships.
The core of this operation was the landing force divided among three vessels.
"The rest of the ships went to support Count Raymond at Tripoli…"
Shall I summarize the situation?
While Count Raymond confronts the rebel fleet, fire ships are sent to the enemy harbor.
When they panic and falter, we infiltrate the now-loosened northern defenses.
We join Marco and confirm detailed intelligence.
Finally, we launch a surprise attack on Admiral Kontostephanos and capture him.
"So far, everything is proceeding according to plan. Except for this fog."
I looked around.
Thick fog covered everything.
Sticky and damp.
But that was not the real issue.
Navigating in fog was like wandering through a maze blindfolded.
"You speak correctly, Prince."
Ruak approached.
He nodded in agreement.
"The sailors cannot find their bearings properly. There are many reefs in this area as well."
He rested his axe on his shoulder and continued.
"We could strike one at any moment and run aground. Perhaps we should abandon this attempt and wait for another—"
"We cannot let this opportunity pass."
I shook my head.
We had already broken through their perimeter.
If they learn we are supporting Tripoli, they will no longer divide their fleet.
And we have already used all of the Greek fire.
An opportunity like today will not come again.
"But this is no different from suicide. If we run aground, there will be no escape. Even if we survive…."
Ruak spoke.
"We cannot place the Prince in such danger. For the sake of both the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Roman Empire."
"…."
Silence fell.
I looked at Ruak.
"If we cannot see, neither can the enemy. If reefs are the problem…"
We still had one secret weapon.
Myself.
[Unexplainable Sixth Sense]
My intuition had grown sharper and more precise by the day.
During the mounted jousting in Constantinople, I had been able to sense wooden targets.
"There was a proficiency system in the game."
In Last Crusaders, a character could raise the proficiency of traits through constant training and repetition.
Being labeled [Master of the Sword] did not mean one could no longer improve.
The more one trained, the higher proficiency rose.
Conversely, if neglected, it gradually declined.
Negative traits were the same.
My [Innate Frailty] had improved considerably through steady training and exercise.
If I could sense wooden targets, detecting large reefs should not be impossible.
But not only my life was at stake.
One hundred fifty lives depended on this.
I drew a deep breath and turned back.
My hand trembled slightly.
"If we miss this chance, more people will die."
Then the answer was simple.
We must attempt it.
I stepped toward the bow.
"I will stand at the front."
"Will you seek the Archangel's aid?"
"Yes. If the Archangel hears my prayer, He will guide the way."
"Understood, Prince. Make way!"
Ruak gestured to the sailors with a solemn expression.
All eyes turned to me.
As I walked toward the prow, they parted to either side as though by prior agreement.
Was this how Moses felt when he parted the sea?
To have burly Viking warriors as my followers.
"From now on, I will give direct commands to the helmsman. When I speak, turn the rudder at once!"
"Yes!"
I closed my eyes.
At first, I felt nothing.
The rolling waves, the tense breathing of the sailors, the steady rhythm of the oars.
The tension, fear, and dread aboard the ship.
The anticipation before battle.
I pushed aside the emotions and searched for reefs.
It was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Desperately, I probed my senses.
Sweat mingled with the fog and ran down my face.
And then—
I felt something.
"Port side ahead…"