The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 189

[189. The Red Eagle (5)]

Since Adam ate the fruit of good and evil, and humanity became tainted with sin, various events have unfolded in this world.

How cunning and cruel humans can be.

“···.”

The tragedy in Poland had already spread throughout Europe.

It also reached the ears of two clergymen who were keenly aware of the world’s affairs.

Just as the battle to halt the Mongols was reaching its peak, the dreadful news arrived that betrayers, like Judas, had turned their spears.

‘How can they wear the mask of humans and commit such acts! I have seen those who deserve to fall into hell.’

Innocent III, his mind reeling, cursed the Holy Mongol Empire and the betrayers of Europe.

‘Those who should be hated even more than the Mongols are the betrayers who infested the Holy Roman Empire and Poland. If it weren’t for them…’

The Ecumenical Patriarch Leo III also felt rage.

And Leo III, who governed a region where the folk game of conquering Constantinople [a reference to the constant power struggles and ambitions surrounding the city] was well-developed, was even more furious. He realized that the Eastern barbarians were daring to try to divide Europe with their ‘schemes’.

Internal conflict.

Which country in human history has not used this in war? But to be defeated by the Mongols, whom they only considered barbarians…

As the Patriarch of the true Roman Empire, he could not help but be furious. But at some point, Leo III felt a different emotion than anger.

“How… could this happen?”

The Eastern Roman Empire had more ‘rebellions’ than any other country, but conversely, it was more sensitive to rebellions because of that.

The Ecumenical Patriarch Leo III realized.

From the moment they converted to Christianity, the Mongols had systematically prepared everything. They did not blindly invade according to instinct or inertia.

So he shared his emotions with the Pope, who was close to him in standing.

“Now we must admit it, Pope… the Mongols invading Europe now are monsters.”

To the fact that they are monsters.

“We thought we had prepared enough, but even that was arrogance.”

The two felt fear.

The reason why the invasion of the Huns was feared in the old days was their military power.

But the Mongols not only surpassed the Huns in combat power but also possessed ‘schemes’.

The Mongolians, who were excellent not only in battle but also in politics, had now cast ‘doubt’ in the heart of Europe.

It was unpleasant to admit, but the truth had to be acknowledged. The Holy Mongol Empire was a great empire with both the ‘great force of heresy’ that was difficult to defeat even if the old Roman Empire was brought back, and ‘political power’.

“We underestimated the Mongols too much, thinking they were barbarians. I thought they were only targeting Eastern Europe and would soon turn their horses and leave.”

“I thought so too. I thought they would just plunder and leave to find new pastures.”

The Ecumenical Patriarch nodded at the Pope’s words.

“Now they are···.”

“Your Holiness, a letter has arrived from England.”

“From the Archbishop of Rouen.”

Soon the Pope handed the letter from the Archbishop of Rouen to Leo III.

“Hmm···.”

Leo III, who had read the letter with admiration and placed it on the desk, pondered for a moment, then immediately said with a refreshed expression.

“Even families with disputes must unite when faced with foreign invasions. I will follow the will of King John. After all, the Emperor will want that too.”

“We must negotiate before the King of England arrives.”

“Yes, our opinions must be clearly defined before we hear England’s position.”

Soon, a grand council of bishops dispatched from the Eastern Roman Empire and cardinals of the Catholic Church began.

It was a sacred meeting to save the world.

* * *

-England, Anjou-

These days, supplies weren’t coming in as comfortably as before.

I had envisioned ‘abundant supplies’, but as the war dragged on, the problem was that supplies weren’t being secured solely through my ‘power’.

I tried to persuade the nobles who owned farmland about the grain problem, urging them to produce grain a little faster and sell it cheaper.

But the nobles opposed it, citing ‘reality’. Of course, they weren’t entirely wrong.

‘Your Majesty… You are too hasty.’

The problem was that the Earl of Oxford, who brought up that ‘justification’, mimicked the expression of a ‘moderate’ noble and told me that it was necessary to guarantee the rights of the nobles.

But the conflict with the nobles did not escalate further.

Right then, just as an uncomfortable atmosphere was lingering in Rouen, an incident occurred that terrified all of Europe: the tragedy of the Polish kingdom.

Having heard vividly about the chaos that unfolded there, I let out a deep sigh.

“Ha···.”

The world is a strange place.

The Polish nobles, Heinrich’s vassals, and bastards.

Three betrayers betrayed at a very important moment. As a result, Casimir II died at the hands of his compatriots.

Yes, my pen pal Casimir II died.

To be honest, I had never met him in person to discuss the future of Europe, and we were only exchanging opinions as pen pals, but my heart felt heavy.

Is it because a pen pal is also a friend?

No, that’s part of it, but I don’t know. I’m just angry. I feel like my sense of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom is breaking down.

Ah, unable to bear the ‘evil’ of the vicious Polish nobles, I immediately called Robin, the head of the newly established Central Intelligence Agency.

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

What do you mean alright? In 21st-century terms, I found out that the Mongols were a combination of strength and intelligence.

“Ha… Such a cruel thing. Such shameless betrayers… Oh Lord, what are you going to do with this Europe?”

My heart was troubled, but I had to maintain my dignity as the King of England. I immediately spoke solemnly to Robin.

“The events in Poland have really given me a lot to think about. Now that we know that they know as much about the West as we know about the East… We must now think of our enemy, the Mongols, differently than before.”

“Your Majesty, so what are you going to do?”

What am I going to do?

Robin’s words contained a lot. To be precise, it was a question of how to ferret out the enemies within England.

It has been proven that the Holy Mongol Empire is no longer just a ‘barbarian’. I don’t know where they got their European ways, but they were now beings capable of moving people, deceiving them, and inciting them.

Perhaps there are many countries trying to clean up their own houses right now.

“What about the bastards?”

“They regard Your Majesty as a prophet.”

Well, they would have to be prepared for ruin if they were to betray me, who had treated them so well.

“How are the nobles?”

“Your Majesty, we are loyal to the kingdom. Until now, that is.”

Just then, a familiar voice was heard beyond the palace.

A voice that was so clear to the ear, as if he had taken a diaphragmatic breath.

“Could it be them?”

“Your Majesty, the nobles, led by the Earl of Oxford, are begging for forgiveness.”

‘What on earth is going on?’

Anyway, when I went outside.

The nobles are bowing their heads on their own.

Did these guys learn something strange from their Eastern friends? I thought it was a medieval version of kneeling and begging for forgiveness, but it seems they felt the need to be careful after hearing the news from Poland this time.

“Earl of Oxford, I trust you. So don’t show any disgraceful behavior.”

Of course, even so, our nobles are different from the nobles of Poland or the Holy Roman Empire, who have no roots.

Even our house’s dog has something in common with ‘us’ anyway.

As time passed, three days later, it was time for me to move abroad.

‘If I am to fulfill my duty as the King of a Catholic country, I must go far away.’

Now is not the time to fight with the Eastern Roman Empire.

If we are going to struggle and fight in our Europe, we must first eliminate external threats like the Mongols.

So I climbed on the back of Cromwell, who was older than me.

-Heeheeheeing.

He complains that he is old, but Cromwell was still a reliable steed.

I, who was on the horse, made eye contact with the queens.

“Sister-in-law, don’t worry. Mary will take good care of you.”

“I’m not worried. Brother-in-law, come back safe.”

A warm farewell with my sister-in-law.

“Mary, please take care of the royal family.”

“Of course. No matter what happens, there won’t be any big worries. Take care of yourself on your way, who knows? Ehud might target you on the way.”

Ehud is a high-performance left-handed assassin in the Old Testament [a biblical figure known for assassinating a Moabite king]. What a brutal blessing.

“Hahaha, that’s unlikely. My guards are strong.”

The Palaiologos family’s performance is good.

Of course, I am not a husband who only relies on his wife.

So, I got back on my horse and headed to Rome, where I had a collaborator.

* * *

-Italian Papal States-

“Poor Peter is left alone.”

“But you have some leeway, don’t you?”

Peter and Amiar, the two pillars of England’s internal affairs.

But instead of Peter, who was thorough in administration rather than diplomacy, I brought Amiar.

‘Wow, it’s brutal.’

The atmosphere in Rome, which I saw after a long time, was not good.

The bodies of hanged prisoners and the smell of blood. It seemed there had been a cleanup here too.

After arriving at the Vatican sooner than expected, I met an old acquaintance.

“Welcome to the Lord’s land.”

“It is a pleasure to see Your Holiness like this.”

Now, not as a subordinate and master, but as a collaborator, I met Innocent III.

Our Pope comrade greeted me kindly. Of course, he may have welcomed me because of political calculations.

‘As expected… I’m glad I treated him well.’

Still, seeing him treat me more kindly than I expected, I felt like my true personality was being rewarded.

In the original history, Innocent III would have caused all sorts of chaos, saying, ‘The Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire… those guys are under the Pope!’

Of course, there are variables such as the Mongol invasion, but at least the Pope did not say, ‘Secular monarch, I will trample you!’

Of course, that’s not important now.

“Your Majesty, this is the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Church.”

Is another guest coming out to greet me?

I turned my gaze and said to the high-ranking clergyman from the Eastern Roman Empire.

“I greet the monarch of Britain.”

“It is a pleasure to see the Patriarch.”

Leo III, welcome.

Anyway, the meeting begins.

* * *

-Poland, Legnica-

“The monarch of Poland is dead.”

King Richard lamented the death of Casimir II.

The enemies still had some conscience, so they did not behead the dead king.

But they insulted the Polish kingdom in other ways by displaying a blood-stained flag with a white eagle wearing a crown drawn on it.

This was a declaration that the Polish royal family had fallen because the white eagle flag wearing a crown was a unit flag that only the King’s bodyguard could use in the Polish kingdom.

But the European army did not waver.

Richard the Lionheart, who was covered in blood and only aimed at the enemy’s weaknesses, instead raised his great voice to boost the morale of his allies.

“In our England, there is no one who will stab a comrade in the back!”

“Waaaaa!”

“The same is true for our France. Heirs of the Franks and sons of France, your spears are noble!”

“Waaaaaaaa!”

Richard I, Philip II.

They are emperors who made achievements in their respective countries in different ways.

These people trusted their subordinates. Of course, it was a confidence that they had not been betrayed before.

As they thought, there were no knights who turned their spears.

It is an open secret that they had already purged the knights of Western Europe, who had no roots like Poland and the Holy Roman Empire, with their own hands.

The battle between Temujin and Richard continued.

“The Mongol horse archers also have weaknesses.”

“Sir William, I will give you full command of the right wing.”

“Brothers of France, take charge of the heavy cavalry and become the steel nails of our England.”

“Amazing. As expected of the one called the Lionheart of the West…”

Temujin was sincerely impressed. The enemy commander Richard was strong.

He did not ‘lose’ even in unfavorable conditions against the great Mongol.

Moreover, the European army, which should have been demoralized by the defeat of Poland, was rather desperate.

But war is not just about ‘romance’.

So the Great Emperor said with a regretful heart.

“Eventually, they will get tired too.”