Ch.206The Fall of Constantinople (2)

“Stefanos was torn apart and killed by the hands of angry citizens.”

Upon hearing this report, Andronikos was deeply shocked.

He couldn’t believe that the commander-in-chief, appointed by none other than the emperor himself, had been torn apart by citizens rather than killed by enemies.

Enraged, the emperor summoned his guards.

“Kill all the citizens who participated in this at once!”

Despite the emperor’s furious command, the guards showed little reaction.

They looked back at him as if questioning whether the order was serious.

“How dare you look at me like that! Should I pluck out your eyes to bring you to your senses?”

Even with the emperor’s intimidation, the guards did not back down.

This was because they knew very well why Stefanos had been killed.

Stefanos had become the military commander through the emperor’s favor.

He should have fought the enemy with his life, but instead, like the current emperor, he ordered the killing of rebelling citizens to protect himself.

Because of this, the coastal walls of Constantinople had been captured by the Mongol army.

To make matters worse, though the exact number was unknown, enemy cavalry had also infiltrated the city.

In other words, Constantinople was on the verge of falling.

Yet even in this desperate situation, the incompetent emperor and Stefanos had issued such absurd orders.

No wonder the guards no longer wished to follow the emperor.

“Only the true emperor has the right to pluck out our eyes.”

“Y-you scoundrels!”

“Now that Alexios II and the Mongol forces supporting him have arrived, you must face divine punishment.”

When the guards defied his orders, the emperor realized that further threats would be ineffective.

Having wandered through various countries in his youth, the emperor recognized this atmosphere.

He observed the guards carefully and began to appease them.

“I acted rashly. I need your help to stop the Mongol forces now.”

The emperor brightened his expression and acted as if he had come to his senses.

Seeing this, the guards could only wear dubious expressions.

But with the emperor showing a changed attitude, it was awkward to force the issue.

Since the emperor had humbled himself first, it was difficult for them to maintain their hard stance.

“Since Your Majesty speaks this way, we will follow your will.”

“We will defend Constantinople with all our might.”

Though they said this, their eyes revealed they were still watching him cautiously.

Seeing this, the emperor maintained a bright expression to deceive them.

“Your sincere counsel has awakened me from Stefanos’s lies. I can feel God whispering to me, telling me to save this city, God’s city, from the devils.”

One of the emperor’s titles was World Patriarch.

When the emperor mentioned God in this way, the guards had to outwardly believe him even if they didn’t inwardly.

Anyway, after this small commotion ended, the emperor rose.

Accompanied by guards and a few favored officials, he left the palace.

And headed straight for the stables.

The guards were suspicious about the emperor heading to the stables.

Sensing their doubt, the emperor brazenly replied with a straight face.

“I will ride out of the city to join reinforcements and launch a counterattack. Focus on assisting me in leaving the city.”

The emperor’s words sounded plausible.

But his words were not much different from Stefanos’s.

An emperor abandoning his people and fleeing?

This was unacceptable.

The guards sensed they had been deceived.

But having agreed to follow the emperor, they couldn’t directly harm him.

In this awkward situation, one of the guards suddenly began saying something strange.

“The Emperor is on horseback! Citizens in the street! Do not block the Roman Emperor’s path!”

Normally, such words from a guard would be very natural.

Guards had always said such things to protect the emperor during his processions.

But now was not the time to say this.

It was obvious what the citizens would do if they knew the emperor had appeared on the main street.

Andronikos was greatly surprised by the guard’s sudden action.

Just as he was about to reprimand the guard, citizens who had heard the guard’s shout began to appear.

“It’s really him! The pervert!”

“That disgusting man who does things with animals is right there!”

“Let’s cut off his right hand and pluck out his hair and eyes!”

“Bring hot water! I’ll scald that mad emperor’s face red!”

Enraged citizens began rushing forward.

Alarmed, Andronikos immediately ordered the guards to protect him.

“Protect me at once! Hurry!”

But the guards remained motionless.

Some even stepped back, worried about being harmed by the angry citizens.

The emperor began galloping away on his horse.

“Damn it! Curse you all!”

But the enraged citizens were not merciful enough to let the mounted emperor escape.

They used ropes to interfere with the horse, causing the emperor to fall and roll on the ground.

“Aaaaargh!”

Falling from a galloping horse brought tremendous pain.

The emperor was bleeding from abrasions on the ground.

“Pervert!”

“Damn pervert!”

“Finally I can avenge my family on you!”

Hearing the citizens’ frenzied cries, the emperor immediately tried to appease them.

“Release me. If you just let me go, I’ll give you gold, silver, and official positions.”

“We don’t need it.”

“Do you think we’d accept anything from a false emperor?”

With those words, one of the citizens drew a sharp knife.

Seeing this, the emperor trembled.

“G-get away! What are you going to do with that knife… Aaaaargh!”

The knife in the citizen’s hand struck the emperor’s right eye.

The eye was gouged out, spurting blood.

The pain was so severe that the emperor nearly fainted.

The citizens forcibly lifted his head and poured hot water to prevent him from losing consciousness.

“S-save… save m-me… ugh… urk…”

Andronikos I.

He was a man who had endured years of humiliation and oppression to become emperor.

But once he achieved his goal of becoming emperor, he became corrupt.

He exiled innocent nobles and massacred citizens for power.

And in the most painful ways possible.

Therefore, what was happening to him now was simply the natural consequence of his karma.

* * *

Around the time Temujin was securing the interior with cavalry after capturing the walls, shocking news was delivered to me.

“The emperor is dead?”

“Yes, Gurkhan. He was reportedly tortured in various ways—his right eye gouged out, his hand cut off, hot water poured on him—before dying at the hands of the citizens.”

“…”

I was honestly quite surprised.

This was because Andronikos had died exactly as he did in the original history.

In the original history, Andronikos was captured by angry citizens, had his right hand cut off, and his hair, teeth, and eyeballs plucked out before dying.

I couldn’t help but be startled that the same thing had happened.

Of course, the way events unfolded was quite different.

In the original timeline, Isaakios accidentally killed the corrupt official Stefanos, triggering an internal rebellion.

The suppressed citizens then rioted, killing the corrupt officials and proclaiming Isaakios II as emperor.

Sensing the tide turning toward Isaakios, the guards refused Andronikos’s orders and followed Isaakios II instead, leading to the emperor being dragged into the city and meeting a miserable end.

Thus, while the development of events was completely different, the result was the same.

While I was thinking about this, the messenger continued his report.

“…The citizens and guards have proclaimed Alexios II as the legitimate emperor and are coming here to serve him.”

“Is that so?”

I raised one corner of my mouth at the messenger’s report.

I could feel that the stock I had invested in had hit the jackpot.

Of course, this wasn’t just good luck.

It was a success achieved through the sacrifice of Mongol soldiers.

So we had a legitimate right to claim this result.

“Bring Alexios here.”

At my words, the messenger nodded.

Soon after, Alexios was brought in.

“Alexios II.”

“J-just tell me what you need, Gurkhan. W-what do you require?”

Alexios, who had previously spoken broken Mongolian, now answered me in fluent Mongolian.

That he could speak such fluent Mongolian in such a short time was entirely thanks to Munglig’s “help.”

Anyway, thanks to Munglig’s help, Alexios felt both awe and fear toward me.

“You have been proclaimed emperor by the people of the Byzantine Empire.”

“R-really?”

“Yes.”

I smiled with satisfaction.

Alexios trembled at this.

“I-I… that I, a country shepherd, have become emperor is entirely thanks to the Gurkhan. So I don’t know how I should repay this…”

“Yes. You must repay it. For the rest of your life.”

“…”

“From now on, you will live a luxurious life you never experienced as a shepherd. You can sleep in soft beds, embrace as many women as you want, and eat rich, delicious food every day.”

Alexios’s eyes sparkled with greed.

I smirked as I observed his greed.

“That’s as far as you can enjoy.”

“W-what do you mean…”

“If you crave power, I will eliminate you.”

Alexios swallowed dryly as he looked at me.

“Will you turn the world against you? Or will you enjoy wealth and glory comfortably under my shadow?”

“I-I want to enjoy wealth and glory and d-die comfortably.”

Judging by his expression, he must have heard about Andronikos’s demise.

“Good. Then proclaim me as co-emperor. And transfer to me the command of all forces including the guards, administrative rights, judicial rights, and all other inherent rights of the emperor.”

“I-if I hand over even the guards… h-how will I be protected?”

I smiled at Alexios’s words.

Then I turned my head to look at Munglig.

“Don’t worry. The Kheshig will protect you forever.”

At Munglig’s words, the Kheshig immediately struck bodybuilding poses.

Seeing this, Alexios wore an expression of despair.