The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 129

129. Rewarded (3)

My current mood?

It was so blissful that I had to consciously control my expression.

‘To think Aquitaine would come to me. I expected to gain the Aquitaine territory someday, but I never imagined it would happen like this.’

In the original timeline, Aquitaine was a territory of both love and hate for John. Of course, the original King John coveted such a honey pot like Aquitaine, despite lacking the ability to manage it.

The original John, driven more by greed than competence, was heavily criticized by his brothers because of that very greed. Even his vassals harbored thoughts like, ‘The prince is only greedy.’ That pretty much sums it up.

Of course, knowing that history, I avoided Aquitaine as much as possible during my childhood.

But things are different now. I am qualified enough to obtain Aquitaine, and my abilities and reputation provide ample justification. With the current King Henry II and the future King Richard both agreeing to the inheritance, no one can reasonably object now.

It was as if a territory that had been a painful temptation, like a rib bone I couldn’t quite reach for the past 10 or 20 years, had suddenly transformed into a mouth-watering grilled chicken rib dish.

“The title of Duke of Aquitaine is given to the most influential successor among the royal family. It will be a fair cause for you, John, who desires brotherly inheritance.”

“Thank you.”

Aquitaine is a certification mark.

It’s a certification mark that proclaims, ‘Indeed, Safe John is a capable and trustworthy figure in England.’

The fact that my father and brother Richard deemed Safe John competent and reliable enough to possess and manage the Aquitaine territory made me even happier.

Just as I was feeling so elated I thought I could fly, my mother arrived and declared.

“Henry, you should be grateful to me. John, you too. Be grateful to me.”

Seeing my mother taking credit, she must have successfully appeased the native nobles of Aquitaine.

“Mother, you know I love you the most, right? So don’t just adore Richard, love and cherish me too!”

Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming desire to be a better son.

* * *

A few days later, I was officially appointed as the Duke of Aquitaine by order of the King of England. Since my brother Henry, the previous Duke of Aquitaine, had departed for the holy city of Jerusalem with my brother Geoffrey, there was no need for a formal handover ceremony.

Our wife looked at me proudly and said.

“Congratulations, dear. Now you have become the great aristocrat you always aspired to be.”

“Wasn’t I a great aristocrat before?”

“Isn’t Ireland, which is still struggling with the remnants of slavery, a bit… lacking in prestige?”

“Now you’re showing your true feelings.”

“I’m just a bit… picky.”

As expected, our wife, being from an imperial family, must have harbored some quiet complaints. She endured them all this time, only to express her dissatisfaction now that I’ve obtained the territory of Aquitaine.

I gently said to my wife.

“Now you can officially utilize your power.”

“Wow, it’s not like I’ve been holding back or anything. You’re going to leverage the influence of my vassals?”

Talented individuals from the Eastern Roman Empire [Byzantine Empire] are invaluable, so they should be cherished and used wisely. It would be a waste to leave them idle. Besides, aren’t there many skilled engineers among their ranks?

At this point, with the Islamic factions utterly decimated, the Song Dynasty [Chinese Dynasty] and the Eastern Roman Empire represent the pinnacle of technological advancement.

“The Eastern Roman Empire is the greatest empire in the world, and the nobles born within that empire are the most exceptional talents.”

“But if they overstep their bounds, you’ll nonchalantly purge them, won’t you? You sly husband.”

“Would I ever do that?”

I was initially surprised by my wife’s identity and age, but I was even more shocked to learn about the circumstances of the Eastern Roman vassals who had turned their backs on their empire, concealed their identities, and endured hardship all the way to England.

To be so loyal to a royal family member who doesn’t even seem to have any ambition of becoming an empress.

I paid close attention to the nobles from the Palaiologos family among them.

They are known as the last dynasty of the Eastern Roman Empire, remembered for the struggles of the last emperor, Constantine XI, but now they serve as the imperial guard of the Eastern Roman imperial family.

But seeing them follow my wife, who was merely a ‘princess,’ rather than serving Alexios II, I conceived a plan to utilize them.

Of course, I will maintain appropriate boundaries. Very carefully.

“I will employ some of them. But I won’t rush. They need to prove themselves to me. Not as your husband, but as their lord… I will use those loyal subjects after I am recognized for my own merits.”

“Really?”

I smiled at my wife’s words.

There are still many obligations to fulfill.

* * *

Since I knew that I would eventually acquire territory in Western France, I had been preparing for the move well in advance. Therefore, the relocation preparations were completed swiftly.

Where there is a moment of meeting, there is a moment of parting. It’s a common saying from the future, but I was still saddened to say goodbye. Just like with the residents of Mortain, I now had to part ways with the residents of Ireland.

“Your Highness, thank you for everything.”

“I hope you all stay healthy and prosper.”

I treated the Irish territory residents fairly and responsibly, fulfilling all my obligations to them. And they understood my reasons for leaving to pursue greater success.

Of course, it’s not like being forcibly transferred to a new post every 1-2 years like a military officer. It’s a territory received as a reward for significant achievements, and Ireland and Mortain remain my territories.

I summoned one of the nobles whose loyalty and ability had been proven. A person suitable to act as my agent in Ireland.

“I will entrust Ireland to you.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I will take good care of Mary, so don’t worry.”

“Knowing Your Highness’s capabilities, what worries could I possibly have?”

I appointed the head of the Claire family, Earl of Hartford, who is outwardly my brother-in-law, as the acting ruler of Ireland. Since he already wields considerable power in Ireland, he will manage it effectively on his own. And he will ensure that taxes are paid promptly.

Thus, my forces departed Ireland and moved to Western France.

“Well… now it’s the continent.”

I became a true powerhouse within the Angevin family and the owner of a substantial territory in Western France, but my thoughts were somewhat complicated.

The Mongol friends won’t be rushing into Europe anytime soon. There is still ample preparation time available.

Since my brave brother Richard’s proud nephew Arthur (son of brother Geoffrey), who could be considered the cause of his death, went to Jerusalem, that holy city, one scary variable has also disappeared.

Our father, now old, moved his base to England and was enjoying his retirement life in London with mother. Together, they will probably be focusing on the succession work for brother Richard.

Whether it’s because he’s old and meddling, or whether my father feels an ambition to reconcile with my mother, who still maintains her beauty, I don’t think there will be a late younger sibling.

Of course. There’s no way our mother would think of giving father a late child, considering what she’s done well.

Anyway, amidst various minor things, I was assigned to the Aquitaine territory. My family was by my side.

“Mary, now the second act of my life has begun.”

“Is that so? Hmm… is it really the second act?”

Mary, who was stroking the head of the Middle Eastern Nefertiti statue I had given her, tilted her head, but I was truly deeply moved.

The meaning of the second act has several layers, but I brought up that story with the intention of truly starting anew.

There is also the issue of the Holy Mongol Empire, and the Holy Roman Empire, which will soon begin its infighting.

Anyway, the world will soon be chaotic.

I finished preparations earlier than expected. I arrived in Aquitaine earlier than expected.

Sigh.

The sweet smell of honey.

The Aquitaine territory residents, who had once been loyal to brother Henry, welcomed me enthusiastically.

“Long live Prince John!”

“God save our Duke.”

As I was welcomed and entered the office, a letter arrived.

[I am writing to give good news to Prince John, who won the civil war.]

It was a letter from Casimir II.

For those who are confused about who Casimir II is, he is the ambitious man who swallowed Poland by taking advantage of the chaos I created.

Ah, the monarch of the Kingdom of Poland!

* * *

―Western Europe―

The news that Prince John had become a ‘Duke’ spread from the civil war in England.

Anyway, the fact that Prince John’s prestige had increased and that he was now the Duke of Aquitaine, the Duke of Ireland, and the Count of Mortain was widely known in Europe.

While Richard becoming a Duke signified that he had become a ‘successor,’ John becoming a Duke was interpreted as meaning that he already possessed a territory equivalent to a small ‘country’ in size and influence.

Of course, it is only natural for people to be jealous.

To seize Aquitaine, which was also the root cause of the family feud in England, that large, magnificent, beautiful, and even deliciously tempting territory.

Naturally, Prince John’s brothers, excluding Prince Richard, were the most envious.

Brothers Henry and Geoffrey, who were virtually exiled to the Kingdom of Jerusalem, are beside themselves with rage right now.

It wasn’t just John’s brothers. There were many expressions of regret from people who harbored direct or indirect grudges against Prince John.

The fact that the most precious territory in France had fallen into the hands of Safe John was a political jackpot for him.

It’s bound to be annoying.

[Kingdom of France]

Although the peace treaty wasn’t harsh enough to incite riots, the situation of the Kingdom of France, which intervened in the civil war for no reason and ended up losing, was far from ideal, to put it mildly.

If the king had been even slightly foolish and had not focused on calming public sentiment, the French Revolution might have erupted about 600 years earlier. Really!

“Haha….”

King Philip II of France merely laughed.

Aquitaine, the honeyed land that the Kingdom of France had forgotten after Louis VII and Eleanor divorced. Just thinking about it filled him with frustration and anger. That land was now possessed by the diabolical John. Now I don’t even feel anger or jealousy.

‘He said he was the king of East France.’

Philip II, who remembered Prince John from his childhood teasing him for being the king of East France even though he was dumped by his next younger sister, is not a foolish monarch.

So he acknowledged reality for now.

“We must learn many things from this defeat. The post-war handling of England will serve as a valuable example.”

“Your Majesty….”

The secretary of state looked at his lord with a complicated expression and praised Philip II’s overwhelming patience in his heart.

Even he, a mere French aristocrat, was consumed by anger, yet his lord endured it so admirably.

“What will you do with the neutral aristocrats?”

The neutral aristocrats.

They despise England, but they despise Philip II, who is striving for centralization, even more. They are French aristocrats who are neither friendly nor hostile to England.

This faction is secretly sympathetic to Prince John, and Saco di Paris of Prince John could succeed because they stood by.

But Philip II has no intention of purging those friends.

“It is unwise to antagonize them at this time. However….”

Philip II, who was carefully choosing his words, said.

“But we should deal with the pro-England aristocrats, shouldn’t we?”

But people who openly praised Prince Richard were excluded.

[Kingdom of Spain]

The emerging power, the Kingdom of Spain, which is steadily conquering and absorbing Iberia, also received the latest news.

The news that Prince John had obtained Aquitaine.

Little Eleanor, the Queen of Spain and virtually co-ruling with her husband Ferdinand I, seemed to be consumed by jealousy.

To the world. Prince John occupies such a sweet territory.

“Our younger brother is doing so well.”

Yes, in the eyes of little Eleanor, the civil war was worth winning. With John’s cunning grand strategy, he had already created a ‘board’ that could only be won.

Of course, in the middle, my parents interfered as if they were mocking Prince Henry and Prince Geoffrey, but anyway, wasn’t it John’s skill to draw out my parents’ interference?

“Queen, what shall we do now?”

“Anyway, the civil war in the neighborhood is over. We can focus on defeating the weakened Islamic forces and taking over North Africa.”

After saying that, Queen Little Eleanor smiled.

Anyway, Spain does not currently possess the courage and ability to challenge England directly. Therefore, all that remains is to defeat the weaker and more manageable pagans than Spain.

Like the prophets who praised the Lord by smashing the golden calf and Baal statue in the Bible.

[Kingdom of Sicily]

Joan’s reaction mirrored Philip II’s reaction.

“Hahaha.”

She laughed with a beautiful face resembling her mother. The smiling face was very beautiful, but the meaning contained in the laughter was not light.

“….”

So much so that her husband was watching her.

Unlike the original timeline, Guilherme II, Joan’s husband who lived longer and survived until 1192, was afraid of his wife’s smile.

When Joan gets angry directly, it doesn’t necessarily mean she’s truly angry, but when she smiles like that, it signifies that she’s genuinely furious.

“Honey, John did it again.”

“Your brother-in-law was lucky.”

“Is that luck?”

She acknowledges her brother Richard. He became the crown prince and the definite successor of Anjou, but since he was originally capable, there was no great emotion.

As John’s immediate older sister. Her jealousy soared into the sky.

But John.

Prince John, who used to serenade Princess Agnes, decided to acknowledge the blessed territory and the de facto powerhouse of England a little bit.

“Honey. I think we have to admit it now. Our youngest is more capable than brother Geoffrey.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“The two older sisters are doing well as the Duchess of Saxony and the Queen of Spain. We’re just watching… honey.”

“….”

Joan, who looked at her silent husband, continued.

“Now that things have come to this, let’s follow our sister and defeat the pagans. When you think about it, no matter how great Spain is, there are places that are difficult to swallow all of them. Administrative power has its limits.”

Let’s conquer North Africa, where there are pagans shouting ‘Allah’ right below, together with Spain.

The husband who heard his wife’s words… thought for a moment, then nodded and said.

“Yes, I still have 100 fleets.”

At that time.

A knight of the Kingdom of Sicily delivered the latest news.

“Urgent news. The Kingdom of Poland has declared war on Kievan Rus’.”