The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 108

108. A Special Weapon

—1190, Le Mans—

“…!”

A hush fell over the crowd.

Everyone stared at me, their eyes wide with surprise and anticipation, eager to hear what I would say.

Richard’s eyes sparkled with an unusual intensity.

With a flourish, I proudly announced,

“This is a halberd.”

I delivered the line with considerable pride.

A halberd, simply put, is a polearm combining a spear, axe, and hook. It was an incredibly versatile and effective weapon on the battlefields of the late Middle Ages.

I couldn’t just blurt out, ‘Ah, yes, this is a halberd,’ like some character in a Japanese isekai [a subgenre of Japanese fantasy where a person is transported to another world] story. The people before me were noble aristocrats, after all.

“Halberd!”

A characteristic of the nobles of this era is their appreciation for martial prowess. They understood that a good weapon on the battlefield was one that guaranteed practicality.

The commanders present, all seasoned veterans, immediately grasped its potential. This was a novel invention!

“This is… the future of the English army,”

Prince Richard’s voice trembled with excitement.

Its value was immediately apparent. The Earl of Oxford, too, seemed to recognize its worth, his gaze darting between the halberd and me with a look of stunned admiration.

However.

“There’s more.”

There wasn’t just one or two crates of these weapons.

The weapons, loaded onto carts, arrived in a seemingly endless stream.

These halberds were stained with the blood and sweat of me and the Irish. It’s truly amazing!

The Earl of Oxford, deeply impressed, reported to Richard.

“I’ve seen similar weapons before, but never one so efficient for infantry. Duke of Ireland, when did you conceive of such a marvel?”

“It started when I nearly died fighting Saladin.”

Saladin, the commander I fought against, now a name I recalled with a strange fondness.

I wondered if he was at peace.

Soon after, one of Richard’s knights tested the halberd.

He swung it, thrust with it, and even performed practical tests on a condemned prisoner.

Before long, the knight was overcome with emotion.

“Hic… this… this is a miracle!”

A brave knight of Christ shedding tears. It was a bit much, perhaps, but understandable.

This weapon was so revolutionary, it was worthy of an epic poem like the Song of Roland [an Old French heroic poem based on the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778, during the reign of Charlemagne].

From a 21st-century perspective, one might wonder why not just develop gunpowder weapons. But I decided to stick with cold weapons for a while longer.

No matter how strong and great England might be, gunpowder weapons at the current level would be a waste of resources in many ways. Besides, the moment European powers started using gunpowder, England’s advantage would disappear.

More than anything, it felt like Yue Fei [a Chinese military general who lived during the Southern Song dynasty], who seemed to have set aside all patriotism but had a strong sense of pride as a Han Chinese, would never reveal it.

The halberd was revolutionary, and the quantity of halberds prepared by John was equally astonishing.

But it didn’t end there.

Song Dynasty-style [referring to the Chinese dynasty from 960 to 1279] iron armor and iron horse armor sets, produced by persuading Yue Fei, and futuristic steel boots for cavalry.

My continued unveiling of new weaponry brought tears to people’s eyes.

“God has sided with England!”

The dignified Earl of Oxford wept openly.

“John… I was right to choose you.”

Richard beamed with pride.

A few days later.

Producing so many weapons in secret was possible because

I had a Scottish subcontractor who had previously gone bankrupt.

I accepted them as Angevins [referring to the House of Anjou, a royal house of French origin], they worked as Angevins, and they accepted the new traditional division of labor of the Angevins.

That’s how I was able to secure such a large quantity.

As I was pondering these thoughts,

Richard, who had summoned me in secret once more,

“John… I have a mission for you.”

He said with a grave expression.

“Yes, Your Highness. I await your orders.”

I solemnly accepted the charge.

* * *

—Prince Richard’s Camp—

A few days after Prince John had departed on his mission, Prince Richard summoned the Count of Champagne.

“Your Highness.”

“You’ve arrived?”

The Count of Champagne was the confidant Richard trusted most.

The Earl of Oxford was also loyal to Richard, but he was an experienced and capable man who always maintained a certain professional distance.

Prince Richard found the Count of Champagne easier to deal with. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t entirely loyal.

Because the consequences would be severe. Anyway, the Count of Champagne knew this, so he never tested his uncle’s patience.

“Louis.”

“Yes, Uncle Richard.”

“What do you think of Prince John?”

A sudden question, but not unexpected. From the beginning, the reason for having him ‘befriend’ Prince John was to gain insight into his character.

The Count of Champagne, after a moment of consideration, said,

“He is a frightening person.”

“A frightening person? Why do you say that?”

The Count of Champagne replied to his uncle, who was watching him with keen interest,

“He has the patience of Job. That’s what makes him frightening.”

Job is a figure from the Book of Job [a book in the Hebrew Bible], known for his unwavering faith despite immense suffering.

‘Can Job endure even the disasters I inflict?’

In the wager between the devil and God over Job’s faith, he does not waver until the very end and receives a great reward.

However, Richard, wanting a more relatable comparison than a biblical one, said with a hint of displeasure,

“More details.”

Knowing that ‘more details’ meant to cite a historical figure rather than the Bible, the Count of Champagne said,

“He is like Octavian, awaiting the legacy of his predecessors.”

“Octavian, you say.”

Indeed, as Caesar’s successor, he endured and persevered, eventually defeating his rivals and establishing the Roman Empire.

After hearing this assessment, Prince Richard closed his eyes for a moment, pondered something, and then said to the Count of Champagne,

“In the end, I have decided not to kill John.”

“Really?”

The Count of Champagne smiled brightly at his lord’s words. It was the news he had been waiting for.

Prince John and Prince Richard seemed to get along well, but wolves and lions were not creatures that could truly be close.

But the fearsome lion had decided to accept the loyal wolf. That was good news for Richard’s inner circle. No. It was good news for the righteous Black Lion Army.

“But others don’t know that.”

However, Prince Richard’s afterthought was chilling.

* * *

—Seas near Western France—

The Crusades and the Wars of the Lions are different.

The former is a war waged under the guise of faith by European power players to gain interests in the Middle East, while the latter is a battle for the throne between zealous filial sons.

“He’s really amazing. Prince Richard, I mean. He always has been.”

Richard was truly remarkable.

Not sarcastically, but genuinely impressed.

I had seen the nobles who had newly joined before I left. Prince Richard, who had unknowingly created a friendly force, was a person with great diplomatic skills as well as military prowess.

“To persuade all the nobles in the Low Countries [a historical region in northwestern Europe that includes present-day Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg]. After all, the most important thing was power.”

Then Godfrey, who was next to me, said,

“Didn’t Prince John already sway them? Perhaps it would have been difficult to win them over if His Highness had not mentioned friendship first.”

The Low Countries, more inclined towards love and friendship than France or England, had raised their hands in support of Richard.

“What I secured was only ‘neutrality.’ But Richard brought them to his side. That’s a clear difference.”

At best, I requested ‘neutrality.’ That was the limit of my influence.

Like last time, the makings of a monarch are different. So, I realized that it is still difficult for me to act as king.

To be a king, I have to learn much more capable aspects.

I couldn’t tell my subordinates the story of Henry II either. This was because of a tacit promise between Richard and me.

But I don’t think it’s time to be completely relieved.

The thought that there is no complete trust in the world.

My father, Henry II, who woke up but continued to hide the news, and Mary, who hid many things from me. I resent them, but I also understand them.

That’s how people are.

I, too, wear many masks and deal with people, so why should I be upset that they deceived me? After all, we are all actors playing out our lives.

Thinking that way, I looked at the burning enemy fleet.

Charles, who orchestrated this fiery scene, smiled with evident satisfaction.

“Your Highness, as expected, you are a great admiral.”

“You are the one giving orders and commanding, what have I done?”

Great admiral, my foot. I just trusted and entrusted the work to people who are good at it.

Like Charles in front of me.

“Didn’t you draw the big picture?”

“Richard did that too.”

Our ship headed towards its destination.

“The enemies are invading.”

“Aaaah. Save me.”

Pained cries filled the air.

Screams echoed.

I planned to recreate the Hundred Years’ War [a series of conflicts waged from 1337 to 1453 between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France] in Western France.

* * *

—China, Zhongdu Daxing Prefecture (Beijing)—

The greatest emperor of the Jin Dynasty [a dynasty that ruled northern China from 1115 to 1234] destroyed Western Liao [a successor state to the Liao dynasty, founded by the Kara-Khitai people] and made the country prosperous.

But the emperor who succeeded him (Emperor Zhangzong) suddenly caught a Han Chinese disease and wanted to become an emperor of the Chinese Empire, not a Khan [a title for a ruler or chief].

However, there was a force that did not just stand by and watch. It was the Mongols led by Temujin, a Christian from the East.

Temujin had already unified the steppes before that. And the power of Jamukha, who decided to become his loyal servant, was stronger than expected.

He unified the steppes and was even ‘warning’ the fallen Islamic guys in Central Asia beyond.

But conversely, the Jin Dynasty, soaked in its golden age, began to fall into inertia like the Roman Empire after its heyday.

Jamukha was not one to miss this.

He knelt respectfully before Temujin and offered his opinion.

‘In the past, at the reception with the envoys of the Southern Song Dynasty [a Chinese dynasty that ruled from 1127 to 1279], the envoys of the Southern Song Dynasty hit the target 50 times, but the warriors of the Jin Dynasty only hit it 7 times. Even the current Jin Dynasty warriors are worse than that. My lord, now is the time. The current emperor of the Jin Dynasty is excellent, but he is a Yongbuhuja (tiger son from a dragon). It is too early for our Mongols to fight the same dragon (Emperor Jin Shizong), but where else can we find an opportunity like this?’

The Jin Dynasty was founded by the Jurchens [a Tungistic people who established the Jin dynasty], and the Jurchens’ military power is very important.

But the problem was that the new emperor did not have accurate information about the Mongols. When Jamukha and Ong Khan, who would become the most dangerous rivals, bowed their heads first, Temujin became the undisputed ruler of the steppes.

In addition, by introducing advanced Christian administration, he could turn those who resisted into heretics or infidels at any time and send them to the Jordan River Mongolian branch.

Now, the meat (territory) that Temujin could feed to his pack of dogs was limited, but wasn’t there a delicious Jin Dynasty down there?

Moreover, Jamukha was smart.

Originally, he was planning to use that good head to defeat Temujin, but now he became Temujin’s closest aide, using it for Temujin.

Like the Jurchens in the past, there was no need to talk to the Han Chinese Song Dynasty guys in the south first. They had the power to conquer even without their help.

Burning imperial palace.

A Mongol wearing leather armor decorated with crosses shouted.

“God does not want infidels.”

“Convert them instead of killing them!”

“Eliminate the infidel barbarians.”

The Jin Dynasty’s capital had already fallen to the overwhelming offensive of the Christianized Mongols.

Like some countries in the 21st century, wasn’t the capital the country itself in the 12th century Middle Ages?

They are running, raising the name of ‘Jesus’ high.

They were conducting physical property evangelism. What is different from the Temujin of original history is that the steppes have already been stabilized. Temujin has competent subordinates whom he can trust and entrust, not only Jamukha and Ong Khan but also their forces are submitting to the Christian advanced system.

“After being oppressed by the Jurchens, now it’s the Mongols!”

“Damn Mongols.”

What is really unfortunate for the Han Chinese is that.

Yelü Chucai [a Khitan statesman who served the Mongol Empire], who is from the Khitan tribe and would save the Han Chinese of the Jin Dynasty from despair.

“Wah, wah!”

He is just a newborn baby now.

The capital of the Jin Dynasty in northern China was captured, and the emperor was taken prisoner.

“Just spare me. The Ghaan (Khan, nomadic leader) is now you.”

“I know you like Han Chinese history. I will recreate the Jingkang Incident [an event in 1127 where the Jurchen Jin dynasty captured the Song dynasty capital of Bianjing and abducted Emperor Qinzong and many members of the Song imperial family] separately for you.”

The Jingkang Incident.

It refers to the major event in which the Jurchens took the Han Chinese emperors as prisoners.

Emperor Jin Zhangzong was now going crazy.

He had clearly fought as much as he could. As the Son of Heaven, he encouraged the commanders and never let his guard down.

But the Mongol monsters, Temujin and Jamukha’s army, fairly and squarely subdued the still ‘prosperous’ Great Jin, which did not dry up due to drought. Now the capital was burning.

Just as the late emperor had overthrown Western Xia [a Tangut empire that existed from 1038 to 1227], the Jin Dynasty was perishing. How truly unfortunate is fate like this?

“I, Temujin, will build a church in the East to fulfill the sacred mission of Jesus Christ to preach the gospel [to the ends of Samaria].”

Soon after, Temujin, who had completely conquered Western Xia through Jamukha, founded the Holy Mongol Empire, integrating all the territories of Western Xia, the Jin Dynasty, and the Mongols.

A new universal empire was founded, and the Southern Song Dynasty trembled at the news of the demise of the hated northern country, the Jin Dynasty.

The Jin Dynasty, which had tried to become a Chinese empire in the north, eventually became a large church in the north.

It was a typhoon created by Safe Zone.

Of course, Safe Zone is now safely participating in another civil war.