The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 126

126. With My Teacher (3)

—1191, Rome, Italy—

“Back when I was a lower-ranking clergyman, I only dreamed of riding in this carriage,” my teacher said, gesturing to the ornate carriage reserved solely for the Pope. To some, it likely seemed excessively extravagant.

The carriage, lavishly decorated with carvings of angels and saints, was a potent symbol of the Pope’s authority in this era. Frankly, it appeared even more opulent than the carriage my father, Henry II, occasionally used when he went to meet… lady friends.

“You will be riding with Prince John.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

*Looking back, our teacher really made it.*

Back in Britain, after I saved him from certain death, our teacher was far more humble. Back then, our father was clearly his liege, and he nearly lost his life after needlessly provoking a hardline noble while vying for church power.

But now, our teacher has no need for humility.

He doesn’t need to be humble. He’s the leader of a powerful faction.

Of course, his position is to mediate conflicts in Europe, but still, it’s the life of a leader who doesn’t have to constantly worry about pleasing others! People should definitely strive to rise in the world.

“Thank you for allowing me to ride in such a magnificent carriage.”

“In any case, you are no longer merely my former disciple, Prince.”

“Indeed.”

With that, the carriage lurched into motion. As one would expect from a carriage designed for the Pope, the ride was exceptionally smooth.

And we observed the guards escorting our carriage.

—Clack, clack, clack, clack.

Medieval soldiers primarily used swords, spears, and bows, but that didn’t mean they lacked a certain dignity.

Rather, there was a unique charm to the implements of cold steel.

“Their discipline is impressive.”

“They are all mercenaries hired locally. I couldn’t afford to hire mercenaries from Geneva or similar places; my coffers are not that deep.”

Not to flatter, but they were men who could properly earn their keep on the battlefield. The Pope knew that well, too.

The Papal guards escorting the carriage, of course, weren’t the Swiss Guards that come to mind today. In fact, that was inevitable. The term ‘Swiss’ itself wouldn’t gain prominence until later. These men were mostly mercenaries recruited from within the Papal States.

Although they served as the Pope’s guards, the power wielded by the Pope in the 12th century was vastly different from that of the 21st century.

*Moreover, these guys have something special.*

But what pleased me most was the professional demeanor of the guards protecting the Pope.

Of course, like the Swiss mercenaries of the future, they were ultimately soldiers of fortune, fighting for pay.

But.

I saw something more. It was in their eyes.

They weren’t just treating His Holiness as their employer; they genuinely respected him.

*This is our teacher’s doing.*

Not only the escorting mercenaries but even the cardinals and bishops under him displayed respectful attitudes toward our teacher.

Moreover, the people of the Papal States looked upon our teacher not merely as the Pope but as a kind, approachable grandfather figure.

This made me realize something important. Overcoming the disadvantage of being English was just a bonus; he had completely won the hearts of the people.

Every community has strong insular tendencies. Especially in the medieval era, filled with narrow-minded clergymen who looked down on those who weren’t Italian, even the Pope faced the limitations of being a foreigner. But I couldn’t detect any of that prejudice in their gazes.

We proceeded through the streets of Rome and the Papal States. The scent of autumn hung heavy in the air.

By the way, the streets of the Papal States felt special even after seeing them again.

Compared to the 21st-century Pope, confined to the Vatican, which has shrunk to a fraction of its former size, the 12th-century Pope could directly expand his territory and play SimCity [a city-building simulation game] with real cities.

Even though he was a Pope elected by cardinals and subject to the interests of various countries, our teacher could live as a sacred lord until his death.

Unlike the modern era, the streets, benefiting from Roman heritage (ancient water and sewage systems), were clean, and happy faces were seen everywhere, amidst the abundance of goods flowing in from the Crusades.

But I knew very well that our teacher hadn’t just brought me out for a leisurely ride.

“I wanted to introduce the Papal States to the Prince who has traveled all the way from England.”

I had already seen the capital of the Papal States, Rome, quite thoroughly. I understood the grandeur of the Middle Ages, but a tour with a knowledgeable guide was a different experience altogether.

I prepared to listen attentively to what my teacher had to say.

“The history of this street is…”

“This artist is…”

“…This cathedral is…”

As I expected, my teacher was providing me with a comprehensive overview of the Papal States, carefully excluding any sensitive information related to security.

“I see.”

My teacher calmly shared stories about the lives of the people. I was genuinely impressed by this aspect of him.

This wasn’t just a simple recitation of facts. By providing me with such detailed information, he was, in effect, demonstrating that he had fully integrated himself into the fabric of the Papal State.

Eventually, under the watchful escort of our reliable mercenaries, we arrived in front of a modest dwelling.

“Come inside. It’s a good place to talk privately.”

“Let’s go in, then.”

There was fish and wine on the table.

Unlike the previous banquet, it seemed like a rather meager meal for royalty and the Pope, but considering that Peter’s [referring to Saint Peter, considered the first Pope] former occupation was a fisherman, it couldn’t be a more fitting meal.

The meal concluded sooner than expected, and as the private conversation resumed, my teacher’s words became more direct.

“The true power of the Pope is not mediation. It’s gathering and concealing information. We’ve known about your wife’s situation for quite some time.”

“Is that so?”

The truth about my wife, Mary, who was a dozen years younger than me.

Well, it seemed like everyone who needed to know already knew, so I wasn’t particularly surprised.

Rather, my father and mother, who found out later than I did, must both be aware of Mary’s true identity.

“But John, what you must always remember is your wife.”

“Mary?”

I wondered why he was singling out Mary, but then I understood the reason. While I couldn’t definitively prove it, I could roughly piece together Mary’s life story, given that she had been concealing her identity within the Claire family.

“The power of Anna Komnene [Byzantine princess], who goes by the name Mary, is amplified by her hidden identity. John, you know that your wife’s assistance in this civil war was significant.”

The reason I prevailed in the righteous civil war was, of course, thanks to the support of my mother and father, but…

My wife’s contribution was undeniable.

The person who aided me in the Holy Roman Empire was my brother-in-law, Duke Leo… and Count Sulzbach. This time, I received assistance cleverly disguised as help from Sulzbach.

The reason was simple: Count Sulzbach was my wife’s maternal grandfather and my maternal elder. Because Bertha of Sulzbach, the first wife of Manuel I [Byzantine Emperor], was the daughter of Count Sulzbach!

“The French princess who lived like a delicate flower in the Paris palace you courted, and the woman you eventually married, was actually the Eastern Roman princess who concealed her name behind the scenes. My disciple’s fate is indeed a complicated one.”

“Why don’t you ever consider the age difference?”

On top of that, I, Safe John, was unexpectedly tricked into marrying a wife who was a ‘dozen’ years younger than me.

Deceived by her seemingly youthful appearance, just like my mother, I had believed Mary was only a year younger than me, born in 1167!

“But you love Mary, don’t you?”

My teacher smiled knowingly.

“Actually… Manuel I had considered making her an empress.”

He recounted an old story, a secret about Mary that he, as the Pope, was privy to.

Unlike the West, where women were barred from leadership or faced significant restrictions, the Eastern Roman Empire had a history of empresses. So, if there were no sons, it was possible to marry a competent governor to his daughter and make him a co-emperor.

But the next part of the story was far from pleasant.

*Wow… Maria Komnene was a real piece of work.*

The Eastern Roman imperial family was as dysfunctional as my own. Maria, consumed by jealousy of her beautiful and intelligent younger sister Anna, attempted to kill the young Anna by setting her on fire in a staged accident.

But Anna narrowly escaped with her life, and the Palaiologos family and the Claire family, feeling immense pity for her, prepared a fake body and disguised her as the Claire family’s deceased youngest child.

Of course, my wife concealed her identity and patiently waited for an opportunity to exact revenge on Maria Komnene.

In the end, she secretly aided her half-brother Alexios II and successfully avenged herself by orchestrating Maria Komnene’s ‘rebellion’, which led to her downfall.

Having just learned the full extent of her past, I said with a wry expression.

“…It’s hard to make a living in either England or the Eastern Roman Empire.”

“There is conflict everywhere. There are many cardinals who disregard the threats from the East because they are not aligned with me, but I have at least informed the cardinals who support me of the dangers from the East.”

“Thank you.”

While I was wearing a wry smile.

“Cardinal Secretary of State, please come in.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

An elderly man entered the room.

Cardinal Paul Scolari, the Secretary of State of the Vatican.

The old cardinal looked at me.

“Prince John, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine, Cardinal Scolari.”

He possessed a polite yet confident demeanor, typical of someone from a prestigious family.

Of course, unlike the John of the original history, who relied solely on his lineage and acted recklessly, this man was a true nobleman befitting his distinguished background.

In fact, it was rare to find incompetent individuals among those who rose to the position of cardinal in the Middle Ages. The problem was that many of them used their abilities in ways that dishonored God.

But in Europe, the position of cardinal carried significant weight.

“I wish to elevate Bishop Lothair to the rank of cardinal.”

I stated my intentions directly.

Of course, I wasn’t foolish enough to believe this was a spontaneous suggestion; this conversation was merely a formality, like much of European diplomacy.

* * *

—Mediterranean Sea—

The business in the Papal States was concluded.

It wasn’t entirely satisfactory, but at least that chapter was closed.

I didn’t bother stopping by Venice to meet Dandolo [Venetian Doge].

In the first place, that old man and I had a purely transactional relationship, so we could communicate through letters.

To be precise, our relationship could be seen as a mutual agreement to prepare deadly weapons against each other, should either of us betray the other.

Of course, my weapon would undoubtedly be sharper, but now it was time to return to Ireland.

Naturally, pirates didn’t dare to run rampant, fearing being sold to me as slaves.

*Mongols….*

The very word sent a shiver down my spine.

Of course, there were Islamic forces who could potentially suppress the Mongol Empire, but those forces would likely be too weakened by conflicts with us Christians to pose a significant threat.

“I have learned much about the history of the East from you. It has been a great help.”

“No, I too have felt a growing sense of unease.”

Even if the Han Chinese were proud, they harbored a greater fear of barbarians than anyone else. How else could they have maintained and repaired the Great Wall until the Ming Dynasty?

“Do you wish to return to your homeland now?”

“….”

He must have been feeling conflicted. But Akbulhui’s silence wasn’t as prolonged as I had anticipated.

“Your Highness, my home is England.”

I said, looking intently at Akbulhui.

“It seems we can’t delay any longer. If the Mongols conquer the East, the Muslims will be next, and then us.”

Akbulhui, upon hearing my words, responded.

“I will make preparations soon.”

Now it was time to go home.

* * *

—Ireland—

After concluding my conversation with my teacher and completing the arduous journey,

I returned to Ireland.

I emerged victorious, but I didn’t demand any territory from my brother Richard.

Of course, I, having played a significant role in the civil war, could have asserted my influence and claimed land, but…

“Welcome back, John.”

“Welcome.”

“Father!”

“Daddy!”

“Why are you only here now?”

Mary and my children, James, Elizabeth, Charles.

“My babies!”

After warmly embracing the children first,

I hugged my wife tightly and said.

“Mary, you’ve worked so hard all this time.”

“What are you talking about now!”

Whether you are a dozen years younger than me, the princess of the Eastern Roman Empire, or have been secretly helping me in countless ways without my knowledge.

What truly matters is that this woman is the only woman I love.

It was a beautiful, ripe autumn.