The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 14

[The Great Army of Lions (1)]

-Paris, Kingdom of France-

John, a 21st-century soul in a medieval body, was beginning to loathe France!

Soundly defeated by England, they had lost most of their territory and were now just trying to recover in a miserable reality.

Some say that Caesar conquered Gaul (the ancient name for France) and instilled a love for romance and adultery in that emotionally barren land, much like his own complicated life.

Anyway, France is known as the land of love, passion, and, yes, adultery.

It’s a country where even commoners gossip about the miller’s daughter and the blacksmith’s son’s secret affair while sharing a beer.

Just give them a spark, and they’ll spin scandalous dramas from one to another.

“Lord, forgive their ignorance.”

Indeed, the Lord’s servants were kept busy making wine while offering countless prayers of repentance.

In this atmosphere of France,

even a scandalous affair involving a noble lord wasn’t met with shock, but rather a shrug and an, ‘It happens.’

In this Paris, France,

a juicy rumor spread like wildfire.

The beautiful Queen Isabelle of France was supposedly having an affair with a nobleman known as ‘Lancelot’.

Of course, everyone knew Lancelot wasn’t his real name.

It was a completely unsubstantiated rumor.

However, the people of France had such powerful mouths that they could turn even the flimsiest rumor into a sensation if it was interesting enough.

“Ah… something like this happened before, didn’t it?”

An old, low-ranking nobleman shed a tear, reminiscing about fond memories.

It wasn’t the first time the queen had been the subject of scandalous rumors.

“I remember the fun and excitement from that time.”

The old nobleman recalled a certain ‘story’ that was popular in France in the past.

Of course, the young ones these days wouldn’t know about it.

‘Louis VII was clumsy in bed, so he lost his wife to young David.’

The name David, used as a pseudonym, was meant to evoke the image of a biblical playboy.

When Henry II, the young ruler of England, had an affair with Eleanor, the Queen of France at the time, the rumor spread quickly because it was full of ‘fun’ and ‘excitement’.

The same held true for the scandal between Isabelle and Lancelot that was now making the rounds.

That’s why Philip II, who had suddenly found himself a king with an adulterous wife (at least in the court of public opinion), couldn’t help but be furious.

He had a good idea who was behind the rumors.

“You son of a bitch.”

Philip II, the ruler of France, had been subtly provoking Prince John, stirring up trouble, and now he was getting paid back in kind.

From the beginning, Philip hadn’t liked Prince John.

He didn’t believe the rumors about the virtuous Count John, who had started from a territory that had lost most of its land.

How could someone who pretended to be nice on the outside but was secretly up to such tricks be genuinely good?

‘Damn it.’

To be honest, Philip II was frustrated.

He had underestimated John, seeing him as a weak little lion cub, and now he was being played like a fool.

However, even with a volcano erupting in his heart, he had to remain calm.

With the help of the Archbishop of Paris and the court officials, he managed to publicly defend Isabelle’s innocence.

‘I cannot forgive those who treat my wife like a harlot of Babylon without any evidence.’

‘I believe in my beloved wife’s innocence. If I can’t trust her, what kind of husband would I be?’

He even said such touching words.

He also secretly bribed people with money borrowed from Jewish moneylenders, and after all sorts of hardships, the rumors finally died down.

“Damn John.”

When he was alone, Philip thought about Prince John.

You never knew what that one might do.

To be honest, Philip had been afraid of the brothers Henry, Richard, and Geoffrey, the princes of England, but he hadn’t been afraid of the youngest prince, John, at all.

Rather, he had found John’s pathetic and humble attempts to woo his sister Agnes, who always rejected him, to be a source of amusement.

But since when had things changed?

The Prince John, whom he had regarded as a toy, had become strange.

Prince John was moving in a direction that Philip hadn’t anticipated, and now he had become someone who dared to annoy him.

Was it from the time he started holding those banquets for the youngest sons?

When he gathered the youngest sons who were mistreated in their families, drank alcohol, and exchanged gifts or goods.

He should have suspected something when Prince John invited not only the youngest sons of England and France but also of the Holy Roman Empire, and offered them ridiculous comfort.

That Prince John was a madman who defied his calculations.

As Philip was calming his mind, bad news reached him.

“Your Majesty, the King of England has convened the Great Council.”

“Something has happened at the Vatican.”

Two things at once.

**

-Heeheeing.

The cry of my beloved mare Cromwell, who was upset that I was holding the reins with only one hand while picking my ear!

Why is my ear so itchy?

Is someone talking about me?

Originally, I am a person who loves peace, so there should be no one who would slander me, right?

Of course, there are people who can’t stand to see me doing well.

That’s right, it’s that damn Philip, who has a nasty heart for a king of France!

Well, his struggles are just amusing now.

Although I am a pitiful count guarding a weak territory, Philip’s tantrums will have their limits, and he can never attack me.

As long as my fearsome brothers are in the French territories, they won’t stand by and watch their cute youngest brother be attacked by the French army.

Especially since my brother Richard, the Lionheart, was right next to me.

Anyway, enough reminiscing about Philip.

Because today is an important military operation.

“Brother-in-law, I will show you my skills.”

“There’s no need for the Lionheart to step up.”

Why bother giving him achievements that he’ll only leave later?

And I have a sword that I pay for!

My mother’s friend’s bastard!

“Sir Godfrey.”

“…”

Sir Godfrey, who is now the official commander of our territory.

When I have such a good person, why would I bother using my brother-in-law?

“Sir Godfrey, I’m counting on you.”

Although the bandits had been lying low for a while, these bastards would definitely crawl out like dogs when the harvest season came and plunder the outer regions of the territory.

So I thought.

I decided to eliminate all the dangers like wolves and bandits.

“For the sake of the people of the territory, we must eliminate all the dangers in those mountains.”

“Brother-in-law, do you really have to go that far?”

The Lionheart, who had been treating me more comfortably lately, asked with a sly look.

“It’s a matter of course.”

“A matter of course?”

“I am their wall and shield. If I don’t protect them, can I be called a lord?”

Having confirmed that I had completely suppressed the power of the nobles and freemen under my command, I intend to conquer everything in the mountains.

“Lord Count, we have wiped out all the bandits and wolf packs in the nearby mountains.”

“You have worked hard, Sir Godfrey.”

The subjugation, which began with the mobilization of all the troops, ended in just two weeks.

Wolf skins and prisoners.

And having secured the unpardonable death row inmates, I returned to the castle with a relieved expression.

I did the best I could to compensate the remaining families, compensated the victims’ families who had been harmed by the bandits and rebels, and held a grand memorial mass for the unjustly deceased.

And I, who had ascended to the fortress, spoke to the people of the territory who were looking at me with sparkling eyes.

“There have been unfortunate events, but this will never happen again.

People of the Mortain territory, there will be no more tears in your eyes.”

That’s how I declared in front of the people of the territory.

I am not the youngest Prince John, but Count John of Mortain!

Now I will become a complete person as a medieval lord.

And as I listened to the cheers of the people of the territory, I thought.

The border between France and England in the 12th century was not clear.

The reason why the original King John lost all his French territories and became a failure was not because the French people of France united like during the Hundred Years’ War.

It was because King John mistreated the lords under his command and brought about political and military isolation.

If I ascend to the throne as history dictates, I will either establish a ‘Franco-British Empire’ that ends the Capetian dynasty [the ruling royal house of France] that only occupied the east, or protect my territories as much as possible and preserve the history of a united France in world history.

If a variable occurs and I become a great nobleman instead of a monarch, I will bow my head to the king at that time and swear allegiance.

Then, I will tear France, which is only catching its breath in the east, like Poland, and rename it Petite France [Little France] to match its small territory.

And become the master of the Grand Duchy of Francia (the old name for France) and become a fearsome Northern Grand Duke.

If that method is impossible, I will become the Marcher Lord [a lord on the border between two countries] of England, blocking the growth engine of France itself.

I thought about how to achieve that ambition.

What should I do?

I must be a useful and loyal person to my relatives and a strong and formidable presence to my enemies.

The beginning is the complete domination of the Mortain territory.

As I was thinking about the future, Peter, who had rushed over urgently, told me surprising news.

“Your Highness, Henry II has convened the Great Council [a gathering of the king’s advisors and important nobles] for the first time in decades.”

The Great Council.

I don’t know what our father, who was quietly enjoying women, is up to.

I just hope he stays quiet.

As I was worrying about my father,

“So, my teacher has been appointed as a cardinal?”

That stubborn teacher has overtaken the other candidates and become a cardinal.

Oh… God.

What happened at the Vatican?

**

-England, Westminster Palace-

The ‘Great Council’ presided over by Henry II was held for the first time in a long time.

Not only the seven nobles who were Henry II’s closest allies but also various nobles, administrators, commanders, and clergymen gathered.

Henry II, seeing the members gathered, said.

“This world is mistaken about England.”

With those words, Henry II directly addressed the rumors circulating in Europe.

“They think it is a kingdom weakened by the Great Rebellion [a period of civil war and unrest]. An empire that will collapse with the death of Henry II. It will follow in the footsteps of the old Charlemagne Empire [a large empire in Europe during the early Middle Ages] and be divided into three.”

Henry II.

The ruler of England, nearing 50.

Henry II was clearly old. This is a fact.

He had been psychologically weakened since the ‘Great Rebellion’, and he could no longer expect the same strength as before with his creaking body.

The Low Countries.

France.

Wales.

Scotland.

And Ireland, the island of rebels, were mistaken.

Henry II was getting old, and England, divided by the princes, was now on the path to ruin!

Yes, that was just a misunderstanding.

The old male lion of the Plantagenet [the ruling royal house of England], who had inherited the blood of the Angevin family [a noble family with significant land holdings in France] and the William dynasty [the royal house established by William the Conqueror], still had sharp claws and teeth.

So Henry II decided to show the world the power he had been cherishing and nurturing.

In the most extreme way.

“Proceed with this plan.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Having given the order, Henry II thought of his youngest son.

‘John’.

The most human son, although he belonged to the ordinary class in the Plantagenet family.

He had heard the news about what was happening in the Mortain territory.

He also knew well what efforts the guy who had only been in the palace had made to live as a lord.

A father’s heart that wanted to help his hardworking son even more.

So, even while preparing for the grand plan, Henry II felt like supporting Prince John.

“Count of Hartford, are you ready?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I entrust my son John to you.”

“I will follow your sacred command.”

No matter how much he is a lord of a region, the head of a family, an old father is always worried about his children.

**

[Anjou]

“Your Majesty, a letter has arrived from the home country.”

“Father sent a letter first.”

The young King Henry, who had the same ‘John’ title as Henry and was a ‘co-ruler’, muttered after reading the letter sent by Henry II.

“My father bowed his head first, it’s a truly interesting thing.”

[Brittany]

Prince Geoffrey, who received a letter from his father Henry II, just like the young King Henry.

He pondered the contents of his father’s letter and what he had to do, but soon made a decision.

“John, my father reached out to us because of this child… First, I need to meet with my brother Richard.”

Because it was an issue that he had to discuss with his second brother first.

[Normandy]

Prince Richard, who was inspecting the situation in the Normandy territory and the Mortain territory, muttered after reading the letter from his father Henry II.

“To think they would underestimate our Angevin (Plantagenet) family like this. Do those insignificant wild dogs not know how scary lions are?”

The Great Army of Lions (2)