The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 118

118. Sacco di Parigi (2)

—Brittany Territory—

Henry II stood on the castle walls, gazing at the scenery of Brittany. Reconstruction was in full swing, and the region seemed peaceful.

“Remarkably peaceful.”

The place that had been a battlefield until recently was now so calm, almost like the tranquility of Sunday mass.

However, Henry II was bored. He wanted to smash some heads after a long time, but there were no heads to smash.

“There aren’t any more rebel bastards.”

“That’s right, Your Majesty. There’s no need for military action anymore.”

“Are the rebels this cowardly?”

Henry II was bored.

“Your Majesty, the enemies will likely not target Brittany anymore. They’ll probably aim for Ireland instead. But with Prince John’s vassal, Charles, and his admiral, landing in Ireland will never succeed.”

In fact, the Brittany campaign was virtually over.

Although the White Lion’s army was nearby, they were too busy dealing with the unparalleled commander, Prince Richard, to spare any attention for Brittany.

‘Well, being Brittany’s proxy isn’t so bad.’

Henry II had unexpectedly been saddled with Brittany, but he didn’t mind it. Stabilizing the Brittany territory was a decent way to pass the time before returning to politics.

Henry II reassured the people of Brittany.

“You are vassals of Anjou, and you are the people of Anjou.”

They would no longer be able to serve Geoffrey, as Geoffrey was now a noble prisoner of Henry II.

And he hadn’t paid the price yet.

While Henry II was energetically embracing Brittany instead of women again,

Geoffrey, the noble prisoner, seemed to wither away day by day.

It would have been better if he had died from spitting blood or a fit of anger, rather than becoming so pathetic.

The Bible tells of the hardships suffered by the people of Judah who were taken to the Babylonian Empire during the Babylonian captivity. Perhaps Geoffrey himself was enduring a more severe ordeal than that infamous Babylonian captivity.

Just then,

Henry II entered the reception room where his son was confined, with a relaxed smile.

“My son, Geoffrey.”

“Did you come to mock me?”

Geoffrey was not an emotional person. He had resolved not to be swayed by emotions as an excellent strategist.

This was the same aspect as his close friend, Philip II. He believed that showing emotions would reveal weaknesses.

‘John, that evil younger brother who hides his true cunning.’

However, the moment Geoffrey was defeated by Prince John, whom he had seen as inferior, he realized that he had become too emotional.

Henry II was pleased with his son’s appearance. In a very bad way, people tend to become complacent.

Perhaps even Henry II himself, who wore a useless crown to hide his wrinkled forehead, had changed. Geoffrey, who thought so highly of himself, would now know the difference in power.

“Geoffrey, if you’ve lost, just bow your head.”

“Father, are you going to kill me?”

Henry II smiled at Geoffrey’s words, who called him ‘Father’ instead of ‘Your Majesty’ as usual.

“I would have executed you in the past. Should I have subjected you to the blood eagle like the old Viking chieftains?” [The blood eagle was a brutal execution method in which the victim’s ribs were separated from their spine and their lungs pulled out to resemble wings.]

The blood eagle was a brutal execution method in which the skin and muscles of a person’s back were cut open while alive to expose the ribs, and then salt was sprinkled on the wounds. Henry II’s distant ancestor was, after all, a Viking, so it was a gruesome remark.

Of course, Geoffrey knew this was a grim joke.

“Since we are both Christians, I would prefer beheading if you are going to kill me.”

“That’s enough. You will not be executed. I’ve already discussed it with Richard.”

“Ha….”

Geoffrey realized that he would not live comfortably when he heard that his disposition had already been decided.

Just then.

A liaison officer who rushed in urgently said.

“Your Majesty, the Tuscan knight Galgano has gone to defend Paris.”

“In this situation, it’s quite tactless for Italian friends to interfere in someone else’s family feud. But he is my son, Safe John. John. Galgano, that friend, can’t stop John!”

With France involved, the civil war could no longer be just a family affair.

Initially, it was a conflict between the Black Lion and the White Lion, but now, thanks to the involvement of the Kingdom of France, it had become a brutal international war.

John’s self-proclaimed title, Safe John, had become a very famous ‘nickname,’ and now even Henry II called his son Safe John.

In other words, even Henry II no longer saw his son as just a cute child.

‘Your Majesty, France must remain just East France as it is now. The emperor who will conquer them will be born from Richard and me. What our England needs right now is stabilization, not expansion.’

Henry II remembered what Prince John had said before leaving.

He felt anew that John, the youngest, was so lovely. Was this how David felt when he saw Solomon, born as the youngest son?

So Henry II said again.

“Geoffrey, to be honest, I’m only saying this now… but both you and I didn’t know John.”

“Is that why I live so miserably?”

* * *

—Kingdom of France, Yvelines—

Île-de-France [the historical region around Paris] was substantial and had a lot to plunder.

However, with a new obstacle appearing in front of me, I couldn’t just loot it entirely.

That annoying Italian knight. He should go to Ethiopia.

Of course, Galgano’s Tuscan mercenaries couldn’t change the overall situation, but Galgano’s struggle was irritating.

—Turn the left flank!

—The enemy’s new weapons are not perfect. Exploit the gaps!

Galgano’s army was surprisingly strong and brave. How important is the morale of the soldiers in forming an army? Moreover, they fulfilled their responsibilities despite various disadvantages, more so than the French and the White Lion remnants.

As Galgano himself was the most famous hero in Italy, his mercenary tactics were by no means easy to deal with. If I didn’t put in my full effort here, the fight would likely drag on.

However, I couldn’t afford to drag out the time because I was planning to plunder Paris before France properly counterattacked.

Of course, Charles’s vanguard, which was also the 1st Plundering Unit, was properly overwhelming the enemy’s vanguard, but I felt that it was not enough.

‘Maybe I should push them more fiercely.’

After thinking, I called my favorite ranged commander.

“Lord Robin.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I want to add the longbow unit’s achievements to the battle report that will go up to your father.”

“Thank you for giving me this opportunity.”

“Aim for knocking the knights off their horses rather than shooting them directly.”

“I understand what you mean.”

The reason why longbows worked even later was because they killed ‘horses’ well, not just people. For heavily armored heavy cavalry, falling off a horse was like a death sentence.

“Ready archers, fire!”

—Phew, phew, phew.

—Heeheeheeing.

As I expected, even the most trained horses instinctively shun their masters when their lives are threatened or when death is imminent.

“Your Highness, the enemy’s cavalry formation is collapsing.”

“Good.”

In the Middle Ages, cavalry was the main force after all. Seeing the first row of knights collapse, I decided to use the mysteries of the East right away.

“Lord Akbulhui.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Overwhelm the enemy in the Eastern style.”

“Yes, I will move the chariots, wagons, and infantry right away.”

Not wanting to be a burden by stepping forward unnecessarily, I watched the situation from the safe rear like Henry VII would later do and said to Godfrey.

“Godfrey, they are very brave. Aren’t they?”

“But the outcome has already been decided. It’s because we are not careless.”

I was going to lay siege to the outer walls, but as a result, I had to fight a series of battles.

Of course, the army of the pitiful Kingdom of France was in a more disadvantageous situation.

Their defense line was gradually being pushed back.

‘Noble knights… very good. But even in the Middle Ages, if you push with a total war, we have more numbers. I have no intention of waiting for them to drag out the time.’

In other words, Galgano’s army and Baron Montmorency’s army were the scapegoats.

Galgano’s army struggled as much as possible to buy time, but the outcome was already decided. But I was not careless.

“Annihilate the enemies as quickly as possible. Our goal is quick looting!”

—Heeheeing.

Cromwell roared. He seemed energized by destroying the wicked French monarchy.

At that time.

“Your Highness, it’s the flag of our Black Lion army.”

“Is it Richard?”

“That’s highly likely.”

In an already advantageous situation, sudden reinforcements came.

“Welcome them quickly.”

I immediately felt happy. Didn’t that mean Richard was fighting well enough to send reinforcements?

Along with the flag of the Black Lion army, there was an army with the flag of England, the flag of the Anjou territory, and the coat of arms of the sole King of England fluttering behind it.

The commander leading the troops had a complicated face, but he was a very familiar figure to me.

“Your Highness, I, Earl of Surrey, have come to support Your Highness by order of Henry II, the great King of England.”

“Welcome, Earl of Surrey.”

It was my great-uncle.

In other words, my father, who had been hiding his strength, had begun to support me.

I am really grateful for this help.

* * *

—Kingdom of France, Paris—

No one would have ever expected that I, not Richard, would enter Paris.

I pushed Galgano and Baron Montmorency’s armies all the way to Paris, and in a relatively short time.

At that moment, I thought of the various emperors in history who had aimed for the capital of the Kingdom of France.

Great commanders who rushed to get only Paris, no matter how much the resisting French struggled.

But I was more confident in looting more professionally than them.

“Your Majesty, it’s Paris.”

“Paris, huh.”

The sunset was visible, and the pride of the medieval Kingdom of France was visible. But now it’s a pride that will collapse like dominoes.

Paris, the city of longing that Henri de Bourbon [Henry IV of France], the founder of the Bourbon dynasty and a Protestant, wanted to obtain even if he converted to Catholicism and attended Mass, was a city I was going to thoroughly loot.

Battles are not decided by courage alone. If there was a history of winning just because you have courage, the wars of the world would be as trivial as shonen manga [Japanese comics targeted towards a young male audience].

Even a famous knight like Galgano, like Joan of Arc, could not protect himself with his long-held honor.

He was betrayed by the commanders of the same camp. That’s what mercenaries are like.

“Your Highness, I am a defeated general. Please execute me honorably.”

“You are not a White Lion soldier. You just fought for a price. You are not a political enemy, are you?”

Even if Philip II had taken all the real nobles, the remaining French nobles were just watching or retreating. It’s a funny story, but the Italian commanders fought better than the French nobles.

Of course, Galgano wasn’t the only one captured.

“Baron Montmorency, you did everything you could, but things have become difficult.”

“Your Highness is trying to get a ransom for me.”

At that moment, I had to manage my expression. To be honest, I feel so good right now.

Of course.

Perhaps, limited to the French, I will get a much higher price than the other noble prisoners I have captured. The family is good, the ability is good, and the fact that he is under Philip’s command is also a factor.

“…I can’t deny it.”

A strong wind blew.

The terrified citizens of Paris were visible.

“The French and the rebels (White Lions) are such pitiful people. To think they underestimated me so much.”

“No one expected it. The power we cultivated in Ireland.”

“It’s all thanks to your help.”

After showing Eastern humility, I said with a burning thirst.

“Sacco di Parigi [Sack of Paris].”

—Sacco di Parigi!

I need to get some donations from the citizens of Paris.