Episode 248
The funeral of Sultan Saladin, one of the greatest leaders of all time, was surprisingly modest.
This wasn’t because Saladin’s authority had waned or because his followers insisted on a simple ceremony. Rather, it was because the people honored the Sultan’s repeated requests during his lifetime to keep his funeral as simple as possible.
In fact, the people admired him even more for maintaining his humility and detachment from worldly power until the very end. They mourned the loss of such a remarkable leader.
The public’s respect only grew when his will was revealed:
I came into this world with nothing, and I shall leave with nothing.
It’s easy to say, but not everyone can live by such principles.
Saladin’s successor, Al-Afdal, vowed to honor his father’s wishes by refusing to inherit any of his wealth. He would take on only the title and pride of being Sultan.
By showing such magnanimity rather than clinging to material wealth, he gained the trust of his subjects and the people. It seemed that his first steps as the Sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty were successful.
”…Sultan Salah ad-Din fulfilled his duties as a great Sultan until the very end. In the name of Apostle Edward Marshall, I declare that his name will never be forgotten.”
Saladin’s body, carefully prepared, was carried to the garden beside the mosque in Cairo, followed by a long procession paying their final respects.
Delegations from various regions arrived to offer their condolences, and Al-Afdal, in receiving them, firmly established his presence as the new Sultan.
With the funeral concluded, it was time for me to leave, despite Al-Afdal’s pleas for me to stay longer.
“If I remain here, it won’t help the Sultan stand on his own.”
“But…”
“I have already given my blessings to Your Majesty. The imams and amirs recognize you as the sole heir of your father. If I stay, everyone will seek me out first and listen to my words over yours.”
During the funeral, I had taken a more prominent role than Al-Afdal, leading the proceedings as everyone expected. Even Al-Afdal had asked me to give the final blessing to Saladin’s body, so it was no surprise that others followed suit.
Moreover, Saladin was the first of the Crusader kings to die of natural causes and have a funeral. While it was gratifying to oversee the ceremony and praise Saladin’s achievements, it inevitably drew all eyes to me.
Even the delegations that Al-Afdal met with first sought me out, not him.
“Though I am the Sultan, you, Apostle, stand far above worldly power, so it shouldn’t matter, should it?”
“That’s precisely the problem. How many times has Your Majesty sought my counsel for future plans? If I stayed another week, you’d come to me at least ten more times.”
“Ah…”
“Seeking advice and acknowledging others’ wisdom is commendable, but relying on it too much is not good for a ruler. Remember, having no firm opinions is worse than being autocratic.”
Having accomplished what I set out to do, it was time to honor Saladin’s last request to help his successor establish himself as the Sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty.
I could easily make Al-Afdal a puppet who depended solely on me, but there’s no need. He’s already a devoted follower. It’s better to nurture his abilities than to strip him of autonomy and turn him into a mere figurehead.
“I understand. I will cherish your wise words and strive to be a Sultan worthy of my father’s name.”
“Remember, your father’s greatness was not just due to his innate wisdom but also his firm resolve, tolerance, and compassion for the weak.”
“Yes, I will remember.”
“And if you ever find yourself overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to send someone to Constantinople. I’ll assist you as much as circumstances allow.”
“Thank you! Thank you!”
It seemed the last assurance was what he most wanted to hear, as his face lit up with relief.
With that, I left behind my memories of Saladin in Cairo and turned my steps homeward. I had already sent Fatima to Constantinople to enjoy her newlywed life, so my return preparations were complete.
I boarded the ship to the Byzantine Empire, escorted by Nasr and my men.
“Are you sure about this?”
“About what?”
Nasr seemed a bit regretful.
“We have many amirs closely connected to us. If you strengthened our intelligence network with them, you’d know everything happening in the Ayyubid dynasty as if it were in the palm of your hand.”
“So you’re saying I should have told the Sultan to appoint our people to key positions?”
“Direct interference like that might be a bit much, right?”
“True, but there’s no need for it.”
Nasr and Fatima’s intelligence network is already spread like a web across various nations. Plus, there’s that peculiar revival group devoted to Edward Marshall, which includes many influential figures from different countries.
Even without greed, the information we need will come to us.
But Nasr, misunderstanding my words, looked at me with undisguised admiration.
“Of course! You can foresee anything you wish to know, so you don’t need such measures.”
“Well… yes.”
“I keep trying to understand your actions from a human perspective. The intelligence network was meant to help us grasp your plans, but I keep forgetting. I must strive harder.”
“Yes, do that.”
I was about to explain that given the current Sultan’s character, such measures were unnecessary, but if Nasr wanted to interpret it that way, who was I to stop him?
“Still, it’s odd. I’m on my way home, but instead of feeling relieved, I feel a bit down.”
“You had a special bond with the Sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty.”
“True. I knew this day would come, but facing it doesn’t feel good. I suppose that’s human nature.”
“Even as an Apostle, your body is human…”
Though his attempt at comfort missed the mark, I nodded, acknowledging his effort.
Richard and Philip II are still young, so they won’t be leaving soon, but thinking about it, my father-in-law might not have much time left either.
Such thoughts weigh on me.
But life is about coming and going. One day, I too will return to the earth.
I wonder what will happen when I die. My arrival in this world was unusual, but death should be the same, right?
It’s a pointless question since I can’t test it, but the thought lingers.
Surely, I won’t actually ascend to heaven, will I?
Having achieved all my goals, I should feel triumphant, but my heart races, and I can’t stop clearing my throat.
It’s a typical reaction of someone with a guilty conscience, but I can’t help it.
The long trip, which unexpectedly stretched into years, was supposed to be brief. I intended only to prophesy about religious unification and the plague, but somehow ended up in the Holy Roman Empire.
Then, unexpectedly, I found myself in France, and before I knew it, I was in the Ayyubid dynasty, abolishing the titles of Caliph and Pope.
I married off Fatima in Jerusalem and solidified my influence in the region, planning to return home when I heard of Saladin’s illness and went back to the Ayyubid dynasty for his funeral.
From my wife’s perspective, it must seem like I don’t want to come home.
But I was merely fulfilling my duties, so who could blame me?
Even if my wife and father-in-law are co-emperors of Rome, I am the Apostle above them.
No one can reproach me…
“You’re finally back. You’ve worked hard.”
“Uh…”
“I need to meet with the senators, so I’ll be off.”
“Wait, wait. Since I’m home after so long, shouldn’t we spend the evening together…?”
Anna, who had been watching me, smiled brightly and nodded.
“You’re right. I should do as my husband wishes.”
She’s mad. She’s definitely furious.
Logically, I haven’t done anything wrong, so Anna can’t say much. But what wife would be happy when her husband is away for years, only to leave again for another long period?
Of course, she’s upset.
“Hmm… My dear, please don’t be upset. I really did try to return as quickly as possible. I promise, there won’t be any more long absences like this. Let’s spend more time together from now on…”
“Upset? Me? Do you really think I’d be so foolish as to complain while you’re out there making history? I’m perfectly fine. Though, I do wonder if I’ll still be able to have children as I get older, but of course, I’m fine with it.”
“I’m sorry.”
What more could he say?
Sometimes, it’s wiser to just bow your head and apologize rather than offer a string of excuses.
“No need to apologize. But if you do leave like that again, I might be a little hurt.”
“Then let’s make a promise. Until we have a child, I won’t leave the capital for more than two months at a time. How does that sound?”
”…Really?”
“I swear on my honor as an apostle.”
“Well, if you put it that way.”
Anna called for the attendant waiting outside and asked them to cancel her appointments with the senators for the day.
“Shall we make up for all the lost time then? Since my husband has promised to stay by my side until we have an heir.”
Anna’s smile was so bright and beautiful.
Being an apostle revered by the world meant nothing.
A husband who had left his wife alone for years had no excuses, no matter how many words he had.
He had no choice but to try his best… and give it his all.