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When people are truly shocked, they often find themselves speechless.

That was the case for Henry II, his father William, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Archbishop of Tyre, and even Raymond V, who was there as a representative of Philip II.

Even Richard, who was supposed to be on my side, was left gaping at me in stunned silence.

The only person who seemed to keep his wits about him was Alberic, who had already been briefed on the situation.

“Did you really know about the Pope’s passing in advance?”

“No, no, that’s not the point. The important thing is that you knew who would be elected as the next Pope.”

“No, the real shocker is that you even guessed the papal name correctly!”

The room buzzed with the murmurs of the gathered nobles.

Predicting a Pope’s death could be seen as a lucky guess. After all, most Popes were elderly men who might not wake up the next day even after a peaceful night’s sleep.

Imagine how such men would react upon hearing that Jerusalem’s forces had been decimated and the Holy Land had fallen to the Muslims. It wouldn’t be surprising if they simply keeled over.

Guessing the next Pope from among the cardinals or papal officials was a long shot, but not entirely impossible.

However, predicting the papal name was beyond the realm of possibility unless one possessed some form of mind-reading.

Moreover, when I entrusted this letter to Richard, the next Pope hadn’t even been elected yet. Even with mind-reading, it was an impossible feat.

The people here were intelligent enough to grasp the situation without needing an explanation.

The sense of awe, bordering on fear, was palpable, and I wasn’t the only one feeling it.

“Did you really… prophesy this?”

“That’s absurd! How could that be possible?”

The Patriarch of Jerusalem cut off the murmured question with a vehement outburst.

“It’s been over a thousand years since Christ ascended. If you lined up everyone who claimed to be a prophet, they’d reach higher than the Leaning Tower of Pisa! This is no different. Pretending to be a false prophet is an unforgivable sin! Excommunication!”

The Archbishop’s rapid-fire speech left him breathless, his eyes wild with agitation.

His tone and demeanor were becoming increasingly coarse, and he seemed unaware of it.

Unfortunately, the die had already been cast. The one who panics loses.

“Archbishop, His Majesty Henry II has only read the first line. While it is the most shocking, there’s more to it.”

“This… this is the devil’s whisper. We mustn’t read further…”

Despite his words, the momentum was beyond the Archbishop’s control.

With figures like Count Raymond V of Toulouse, sent to keep the Angevin Empire in check, how could he stop this?

“Let’s hear it all. We can’t judge if it’s madness without knowing the full story. Even if the first line was a miraculous guess, there’s no guarantee the rest is accurate.”

“True. The rest could be vague nonsense.”

“Then I’ll continue. Jerusalem will fall to Saladin, but the warriors defending the walls will be spared through the enemy’s mercy. Balian of Ibelin will negotiate with Saladin, threatening to destroy the city, and Saladin will agree.

The clergy and citizens will pay a ransom to leave Jerusalem safely, and those unable to pay will be freed by Saladin’s generosity. The cross atop the Dome of the Rock will be removed, but the Church of the Holy Sepulchre will remain untouched.”

”…”

”…”

A heavy silence descended once more.

Even the most skeptical would find it hard to deny such specific and clear predictions.

“Your Majesty, there’s one more thing at the end, isn’t there? You should read that part too.”

“But this…”

Henry II’s hand trembled as he held the parchment.

I had debated whether to include this part, but the timing seemed right.

To heighten the impact of the prophecy, it needed to predict something yet to happen.

While the current revelations were shocking, they were merely confirmations of past events.

I needed to reveal something they didn’t yet know.

“It will be shocking, but you’ll receive confirmation in a few days. This is the message I received from Christ, and I offer my condolences in advance.”

“Your Majesty, what does it say?”

The Patriarch’s anxious question prompted Henry II to pass the parchment, unable to read it himself.

The Patriarch took it with a scowl and read the final lines.

“What nonsense is this… Oh!”

“Archbishop?”

“Edward Marshall! How dare you curse us and expect to get away with it! How dare you…!”

“Calm down. If you check the date, you’ll see it’s current. We just haven’t received the news yet. But since everyone is curious, perhaps you should read it aloud.”

“Pope Gregory VIII… passed away in Pisa after just over 50 days in office. His successor, Cardinal Scolari, will be inaugurated as Clement III…”

In this era, the Pope’s authority was so immense that even secular rulers couldn’t challenge it.

Discussing the Pope’s death was akin to blasphemy and treason.

I wasn’t suicidal, so I didn’t go around predicting the Pope’s death.

Technically, Gregory VIII had died yesterday.

And by tomorrow, Clement III would be elected as the new Pope.

In essence, I had predicted the next Pope.

In this era, where overcoming physical distance was a challenge, it was akin to foretelling the future.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, the Archbishop of Tyre asked, his hand trembling.

“Can you take responsibility for these words? If this is a lie, you won’t escape the consequences.”

“Let me ask you this: if it’s true, will everything I’ve said here be accepted as truth?”

”…”

He hesitated, but his silence was answer enough.

Even if they wanted to deny it, what could they do?

The evidence was laid bare before the king and nobles.

Henry II, realizing the tables had turned, looked pale.

Meanwhile, Richard, who had unexpectedly hit a grand slam, couldn’t hide his smirk.

“Your Majesty, what was it you said? That I should prove my faith by joining the Crusades if I consorted with a heretic?”

“That was only if Marshall was truly a heretic…”

“But if he’s not? Then you’ve persecuted a prophet sent by God after a thousand years, like the priests of Asherah persecuted Elijah.”

“No! Who said anything about persecution?”

“Who else but you, Your Majesty?”

The king, who had been talking about heresy and repentance through the Crusades, found himself unable to refute.

“Still, the last part hasn’t been confirmed. If it’s false, Marshall can’t deny being a heretic.”

“Your Majesty, let’s settle this. It won’t take long for news to travel from Pisa. Why don’t we all wait here until someone arrives? I won’t hide or run.”

Richard quickly supported my suggestion.

“Let’s confirm it. According to Marshall, God wants us to repent. If it’s true, we’re sinning even now. If it’s false, Marshall will face the consequences.”

“Of course. I’ll have no complaints if I’m executed.”

“But the other nobles and bishops have schedules…”

“Oh, I don’t mind. King Philip II is very interested in this matter. If I don’t see it through, I’ll be reprimanded.”

With no more excuses, Henry II nodded reluctantly.

“Then we’ll wait.”

“A prophet… it’s hard to believe…”

Now even the bishop was denying the Bible.

Leaving the skeptics behind, I leisurely walked to the temporary tent set up by Richard’s entourage.

“I’ll take a nap, so wake me if someone arrives from Pisa.”

“What?”

“The discussion is over, isn’t it? We’ll continue once we have confirmation.”

“Well… that’s true…”

Henry II looked around hastily, taken aback by my nonchalance.

The bishops and nobles who had been confidently standing by his side began to discreetly step away.

Even the Patriarch of Jerusalem cleared his throat awkwardly and left with Balian.

They were probably racking their brains, wondering what to do if everything I said turned out to be true.

For the bishops, it was a simple matter of bowing their heads and apologizing for not recognizing me. That would be the end of it.

Objectively speaking, the one in the worst position was Henry II, who had tried to use this opportunity to get rid of both Richard and me.

Watching Henry squirm, Raymond V smirked and sidled up to me as I headed into the tent.

“Though it hasn’t been fully proven yet, I believe in you. Just the fact that you predicted this is undeniable. I don’t see what more we need to wait for.”

“Thank you for your trust.”

“Yes, yes. On that note, perhaps you should meet our king someday. If you’re truly recognized as a prophet and a saint, you’ll need to meet leaders from various nations.”

Those with a bit of foresight were already trying to recruit me.

Richard, who had been observing this, laughed heartily and joined the conversation.

“Count of Toulouse, are you already trying to outmaneuver us?”

Raymond V chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.

“Not at all. I’m merely suggesting we maintain a good relationship.”

“Maintaining a good relationship is important, indeed. But it might be wise to wait until the envoy from Pisa arrives in a few days before discussing future matters. Otherwise, it might seem like there’s an ulterior motive.”

“Hahaha… Thank you for your concern.”

The two exchanged glances for a moment, then clicked their tongues softly and turned away.

The atmosphere was warm and comforting.

Of course, if you want to recruit top talent, you have to work for it; you can’t just expect it to fall into your lap.

With France making overtures, Richard would naturally have to offer me better terms.

Since I wasn’t in a hurry, I could afford to wait patiently until the fish was plump and ready to be caught.

And the wait wasn’t long.

Barely a few days had passed since I started chatting with the nobles who visited me in secret when someone arrived from Pisa.

“Urgent news! Urgent news! Pope Gregory VIII has passed away just 57 days after his election, and Clement III has been chosen as his successor!”

At that moment, all of England and France began to tremble violently.