Episode 122
It’s no surprise, but maintaining a solemn expression throughout a conversation to set the mood is no easy feat.
And spending hours on your knees in prayer is certainly no walk in the park either.
Even the most physically fit would be utterly drained by now.
Seeing Otto’s eyes half-closed, I decided it was time and helped him to his feet.
“There, that’s enough. The Lord has promised to answer the Duke’s sincere prayers.”
“Hallelujah! Glory to the Lord… ahem, cough, cough!”
Otto’s voice was hoarse from all the fervent praying. Ignoring the comical change in his tone, I lowered my voice with feigned gravity.
“The Lord has declared that He will use the Holy Roman Empire to secure victory in this war. Though Emperor Heinrich VI may show fleeting signs of worldly desires, he remains largely faithful to the Lord’s will.”
“Then, what about me…?”
“The Lord will not overlook the Duke’s fervent faith. He has granted me the wisdom to guide you through this challenge. Are you ready to follow His word?”
“Of course! I will obey without question!”
“First, abandon any thoughts of opposing His Majesty in this war. Emperor Heinrich VI is not oblivious. If you harbor any intent to challenge him, he will see right through it.”
Most rulers have an uncanny ability to detect threats to their power.
Some become overly paranoid, but Heinrich VI is well-balanced.
Perhaps it’s his cautious ambition that keeps him from crossing the line.
That’s why I tread carefully with my words and actions in front of the Emperor, to avoid unnecessary suspicion.
“But if I do that, will His Majesty truly trust me? Even if I prostrate myself, it won’t matter if he doesn’t recognize it…”
“Simply acting the part won’t suffice. It might even raise more suspicion.”
“So, no matter what I do, the outcome is the same.”
“That’s why you must humble yourself even further. It may sound unpleasant, but let me be blunt. You must appear to His Majesty as a loyal hound, one he can control at any moment.”
“Are you telling me to become the Emperor’s lapdog?”
Otto’s voice rose, clearly offended. As expected, a perfectly normal reaction.
No noble, especially one of high birth, would take kindly to being compared to a dog.
“Focus not on being a dog, but on the leash. The key is making His Majesty believe he can dispose of you at any time.”
“I don’t quite understand.”
“Who do you consider the easiest target?”
“Someone definitely weaker than me. If I can win a hundred times out of a hundred, they’re an easy target.”
“That’s true, but there’s a more certain case. Someone you can eliminate at any moment, regardless of their strength. Even a strong opponent becomes laughable if you have a surefire way to destroy them.”
The most reliable way to gain someone’s trust isn’t through strength or eloquence.
It’s by revealing a weakness so significant that betrayal is impossible.
This is why allies often exchange hostages as a sign of trust.
The level of trust is directly proportional to the size of the weakness shown.
When forming alliances, sending a royal family member ensures that betrayal is unlikely, as it would mean sacrificing a royal life.
“My greatest weakness that the Emperor could exploit… I can’t think of anything.”
“It can’t be a trivial weakness. That would only raise suspicion. It must be something obvious to you, His Majesty, and any third party.”
“I can’t quite grasp what that might be. Could you be more specific…?”
He’s practically asking me to spoon-feed him.
If it were Philip II, he would have understood without this lengthy explanation… No, if it were Philip II, this situation wouldn’t exist in the first place.
But then again, if a chess piece had a mind of its own and didn’t follow the player’s commands, that would be problematic too.
A pawn that’s neither too smart nor too dumb, like this man before me, is just right.
“I was about to tell you. This may be difficult for you to accept, but the Lord blesses those who believe. The humiliation and despair of this moment will be rewarded with unparalleled glory in the future.”
If he still doesn’t get it after all this coaxing, I’ll have to find another pawn.
Otto stared at me intently, then slowly, but surely, nodded.
The news of the English and French armies’ arrival quickly reached Emperor Heinrich VI in Antioch.
With the Hungarian forces joining as well, the Emperor was more than pleased.
“With the existing Crusaders and Hungary’s strength combined, we outnumber the Khwarazmians. We could launch a full-scale attack and annihilate them… No, given the cowardly nature of those Muslims, they won’t engage if we’re superior in numbers. We’ll need a strategy to draw them out…”
Though it’s a long-distance campaign, constant supplies from Byzantium and southern Italy via sea mean there’s no worry of a prolonged war.
The soldiers, initially weary from the march, are now in top condition after resting and feasting here.
“Is it because this war is guided by the Lord? No Crusade in history has gone this smoothly.”
As the nominal leader of the Crusade, everything is satisfactory so far.
But if there’s one thing that bothers me, it’s Otto.
Instead of returning as instructed, he ran off to meet the prophet.
If he’s not a fool, he must know I’m not fond of him. He won’t do something as foolish as bringing in his uncle Richard, but if he cozies up to Marshal, it could be troublesome.
“Marshal is known for his neutrality, but he’s close to Richard. If he intervenes on Otto’s behalf, it could be a headache.”
But it seems the Lord has answered my concerns.
On the very morning Marshal’s group was to join the main force, Otto returned to Antioch, hours ahead of schedule, and knelt before the Emperor.
“Your Majesty! We encountered the enemy scouts and engaged, but neither side suffered significant losses. Forgive my failure to bring you victory.”
“I’ve heard. But Duke of Brunswick, did you ride here alone just to seek my forgiveness?”
“I did come to seek forgiveness, but… not for the skirmish.”
”…What do you mean?”
The only order Otto had was the reconnaissance mission, so what else could he be apologizing for?
The Emperor’s question was soon answered by Otto’s confession.
“It’s truly shameful, but I believed Your Majesty intended to dispose of me, so I sought out the prophet Marshal.”
Well, well. This is what I feared most, but why is he confessing so readily?
Despite the Emperor’s bewildered gaze, Otto calmly continued his confession.
“I told the prophet that I believed Your Majesty was using the Crusade as a pretext to have me killed on the battlefield. I even cried out that if it were true, divine punishment should befall you…”
”…And then?”
“The prophet sternly rebuked me, explaining how genuine Your Majesty’s intentions for the Crusade are. He assured me that while you may have other motives, your primary focus is the Crusade’s success…”
“Tsk, tsk, Duke. I’ve warned you before about your paranoia.”
Otto hung his head in shame, his hands trembling.
In truth, the prophet was right.
The Emperor intended to dispose of Otto if the opportunity arose, but that wasn’t his primary goal.
It wasn’t the goal in itself.
Right now, the most important thing for him, first, second, and third, was the victory of the Crusades and securing the Hohenstaufen family’s claim to the throne.
The remnants of the once-mighty Lionheart were nothing more than a trivial concern.
“Marshall truly is a prophet,” he thought, marveling at how accurately the man had seen through his intentions.
With a sense of certainty that had become all too familiar, the emperor looked down at Otto, who was sobbing pitifully before him, and asked, “So, you’re telling me you’re here confessing out of the blue because the prophet gave you a good scolding?”
“That’s not all, Your Majesty. The prophet was furious when he realized I had twisted God’s will to slander you. He foretold that unless I devoted my entire life to serving you with all my heart and soul, I would face divine retribution.”
“Well… that seems like a fitting punishment.”
“That’s why I’m here, to confess my sins and beg for your mercy.”
The emperor couldn’t help but wonder if his lips had curled into a smile at this unexpected windfall. He maintained a facade of solemnity and nodded slightly.
“If it’s God’s will, then so be it. Did the prophet say anything else? Perhaps about a token of loyalty?”
“Of course. Repentance isn’t just about words. I, Duke Otto of Brunswick, will entrust my family’s inheritance and all rights derived from it to you, Your Majesty. If you wish, I can put it in writing immediately.”
“If you’re willing to go that far, I have no choice but to show imperial clemency. It’s just a shame that this farce was born out of a simple misunderstanding.”
Entrusting all his family’s rights to the emperor meant, in essence, surrendering the power of life and death over his entire family to the emperor. If the emperor wished, he could strip Otto of his title and reduce him to a commoner by tomorrow.
And with written evidence, no other noble could utter a word of protest.
More than that, if used wisely, this could be the key to reviving the absolute power of ancient Rome that Heinrich VI so desperately desired, concentrating all authority and strength in the emperor.
“No, this is nothing short of a divine signal to achieve greatness. Otherwise, how could everything fall into place so perfectly?”
With all doubts and fears cast aside, Heinrich VI laughed heartily, confident in the brilliant future that awaited him.
The more he laughed, the brighter the smile of his future self became in his mind.
He was elated.
More than he ever thought possible.