The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 161

161. The Three Musketeers (2)

Pondering, Philip II stroked his beard.

‘John, what on earth are you thinking?’

In the original history, King John was a man who craved ‘greed’ so simply and purely that Philip II thoroughly exploited him. But the problem was that a reincarnator had become John.

Safe John, aside from being frustratingly chaste, was cunning in many ways.

Enough to annoy even Philip II.

Philip II couldn’t grasp what Prince John was trying to say through the characters in the play, *The Three Musketeers*, which John presented on a stage made for propaganda.

Of course, everyone understood the highly political message: that only England could safeguard the order of Europe.

Philip II was well aware that Prince John was targeting France.

Philip II himself aimed to reclaim lost territories by targeting England.

*The Three Musketeers* portrayed the kingdom of ‘Frank’—England’s enemy in the story—as the villain, paradoxically revealing England’s ambition towards France in reality.

It described how to deal with wavering knights using ‘gunpowder weapons,’ such as new weapons like cannons and muskets, and depicted the fierce battles with the Mongol Empire, which possessed cannons.

Philip II, having seen *The Three Musketeers*, reportedly written meticulously by his lifelong rival Safe John, thought:

“I must create those gunpowder weapons at all costs.”

Creating the weapons that Duke John of Normandy called muskets and cannons was a priority. And this development project was the top priority that the Kingdom of France had to implement nationally.

Alchemists, scholars, engineers, lower nobles, and even death row inmates who were expendable were all thrown into the project.

All to develop those innovative weapons: muskets and cannons.

Philip II knew better than anyone what advanced weapons meant to Europe. The more the development of these new weapons was delayed, the further the Kingdom of France would be from the center of European power.

France bought slaves from the East and, fortunately, secured engineers from the Middle East.

They quickly began developing gunpowder weapons and achieved some success.

Since they had already been used in China, the foundation for new weapons was with the Asian people.

However.

-Bang!

With a roar.

“Failure again!”

The experiments failed every time.

But Philip II, with an almost indomitable will, did not give up.

“Try again. There is still enough time.”

He knew well that the moment he continued to allow asymmetric power, France would be left behind in strategy and tactics.

The moment that hateful England monopolized Western Europe, the Kingdom of France would no longer be great.

They might return to being the Gallic people who were dominated by the Roman Empire in the old days.

That was why.

He had to desperately bet everything.

Of course, the Kingdom of France was not the only one showing this behavior.

* * *

-Eastern Roman Empire, Constantinople-

*The Three Musketeers*, translated into Greek, began to spread in the Eastern Roman Empire [also known as the Byzantine Empire].

Mary, Prince John’s wife, sent people to release the ‘masterpiece’ in Constantinople.

The citizens of Constantinople, the proud world empire, were also impressed by the epic of the Angevin nobleman D’Artagnan.

“It’s a masterpiece!”

“Such literature exists!”

*The Three Musketeers*, recognized even by the people of the Eastern Roman Empire, who had a richer literary sensibility than the Romans, quickly became a trend.

“Frank, isn’t this just France?”

“You can attack the Kingdom of France with literature like this!”

According to the author, Prince John’s postscript, it was a creation containing the fictional kingdom of Frank, but the clever citizens of the Eastern Roman Empire did not believe it. In the first place, wasn’t *The Three Musketeers* an English political work to make the people of the West France region complete Angevins [supporters of the Angevin dynasty]?

The fact that the protagonist’s name was made in the French style rather than the English style was too obvious.

But aside from the political content, what was more interesting was the musket in the novel.

The personal firearm musket that even an ignorant peasant could learn in a short time.

The strategy of using these muskets and pikes to respond to cavalry greatly impressed each class of the Eastern Roman Empire.

It was revealed that the personal firearm newly invented by Prince John after the cannon actually existed.

In *The Three Musketeers*, which was staged in performances in England, actors fired muskets directly for publicity, and the people of the Eastern Roman Empire who ‘witnessed’ this with their own eyes conveyed its power to all of Europe.

Was that why?

As time passed, the people of the Eastern Roman Empire, who prided themselves on being the true heirs of the Roman Empire, also realized the strategic value of England’s new weapons.

The fact that the most powerful advanced weapons could only be made in the Eastern Roman Empire was literally becoming a thing of the past.

“We can’t just use Greek fire forever.”

Emperor Alexios II also agreed with the problem.

The interests of each class coincided, and like the Kingdom of France, the Eastern Roman Empire also began to develop new weapons. But things did not happen as easily as in the Kingdom of France.

-Bang.

The barrel exploded.

“Another failure?”

“Your Majesty… I am sorry.”

“No. If we keep trying, we will be able to use the gunpowder weapons invented by John.”

Wine that ripens in a day does not exist. So Alexios II decided to take it easy. There was no point in rushing things like this.

What was hopeful was the report from the Minister of Technology and the confidence of the Prime Minister.

“Still… there is a possibility. Didn’t we figure out the principle in the first place?”

At the Prime Minister’s words, Alexios II said.

“I think that’s suspicious.”

Some of the weapon manufacturing methods in England were leaked.

At first, he thought it was the competence of the Immigration Bureau (Intelligence Agency), but when he thought about it, he suspected that it might be a trick by Prince John to spread the wrong manufacturing method.

In fact, the Eastern Roman Empire was in a hurry.

It was the same as the Kingdom of France, which was trying not to be left behind in the center of Europe, but for a different reason.

The current situation around them could not be seen as peaceful either.

[People of the Bible, the threat of the Mongols does not only apply to us.]

Because of Saladin and.

[Your Majesty the Roman Emperor, we must prepare for war with the Mongols.]

Because of the letter from Casimir II.

Perhaps it was because of the letters coming from the east, and the contents of *The Three Musketeers* that he had just closed.

Alexios II’s mind was complicated.

‘Prince John, what on earth are you looking at?’

Alexios II was curious.

He wondered what John, his benefactor and a new rival to compete for European hegemony, was thinking.

* * *

-1203, England, County of Caen-

I’ve been busy for a while.

[England cannot have such weapons alone.]

[Progress must be shared for the peace of Europe.]

Because several envoys came to me and said nonsense like, ‘Musket, tell us about it too!’

As expected of Europe, they couldn’t stand seeing others do well. England was the only one that developed cannons and muskets, so their intention to steal the manufacturing method without any effort was obvious.

But our England didn’t need to be mindful of them. We could keep Europe busy in other ways. I leaked some parts of the manufacturing method.

While giving ‘them’ the illusion that they had learned the manufacturing method through espionage.

Perhaps many countries would now jump into the development project with the pseudo-manufacturing method I had told them. The manufacturing method was not completely false, so they would see some results.

In the end, they would beg me to sell English gunpowder weapons, right?

Anyway, that’s not all I have to do.

I must prepare for the decisive battle with the Mongols, who may invade at any time.

‘I need to pay a little attention to the internal affairs of Caen too.’

These days, even though I traveled back and forth between Caen and Rouen, it wasn’t as tiring as moving from another ‘county’ because they were both in Normandy, but still, the roads of the Middle Ages were rough.

But those rough roads had become quite comfortable recently.

“Your Highness, travel has become easier thanks to the Angevin road construction.”

Because the paved road construction you told me about was finished.

It was primitive cement compared to modern times, but we recently completed a fairly plausible cement road with limestone near the Alps.

Thinking of our brother Richard I and the coat of arms of the Angevin family, I named it ‘The Lion’s Road.’

The construction cost of the road was more expensive than I thought, so we were starting with the Normandy area, where the capital was located. Next, we planned to build a road connecting Normandy and Aquitaine.

Of course, I would have to spend the accumulated wealth again.

Fortunately, my work was reduced thanks to James, who runs Aquitaine in my place, and my father, Duke of Brittany, but as a chancellor, I had many things to do to ‘manage’ the king’s direct territory.

After finishing work, I fell asleep. Because the work was hard, I fell asleep quickly.

A dream of a man moving through the blood-soaked downtown of Seoul.

[S, save me, boss…]

[Surviving is the priority. Mercy is a luxury.]

-Bang.

Killing without any hesitation when an enemy is seen, and discarding subordinates without hesitation if there is a sign of betrayal or if they feel like they will be a hindrance.

The man called the mixed-blood dictator is me.

Me, Charles Lee, who was absurdly conscripted despite being of mixed blood, and experienced tragedy in the process in my previous life.

Of course, I didn’t feel guilty or tormented by seeing myself performing summary executions in my dreams. Dreams were just dreams.

“Your Highness, it’s time for morning mass.”

“I know.”

‘Many sacrifices will be needed to stop the Mongols.’

The bitter life made my heart ache, but I calmly reorganized my reason again.

Yes, it’s time to get up again.

* * *

-1203, Rouen, Capital of England-

Today is the day when the last episode of *The Three Musketeers*, divided into several parts, is performed.

*The Three Musketeers*, who defeated the treacherous men of Frank.

[Those who have forgotten the duty of a knight~ Do not forget, we are the descendants of the great Angevins! God save the King of England!]

-Bang, bang.

After suppressing the neighboring country of Frank in the play, they fired muskets into the sky with songs, showing the power of the new weapon.

D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, Aramis. The names of the main characters themselves are French, but our great England is a universal kingdom that embraces anyone who is an Angevin. It doesn’t matter.

The ending of *The Three Musketeers* shows England preparing for war with the Holy Mongol Empire, a heretical nomadic group claiming to be Eastern Christianity.

[One for all, all for one! All of Europe must unite to face the fearful heretics.]

The true ending is a heartwarming ending where the Kingdom of Frank, who has repented of its sins, joins hands and prepares for the final crusade. No matter how much of an enemy they are, they join hands to fight against the heretical Mongols.

Then, those who fired a musket all together chanted ‘Long live Richard I!’

Francois, who played the main role, said a clear message: ‘This stage is dedicated to the King of England.’

“How is it?”

“Satisfactory.”

“So, how is the preparation for the Mongols going?”

“Your Majesty, we are supporting the Kingdom of Poland.”

“You’re doing well.”

To be honest, Poland was the one I was sincerely supporting.

I knew that Denmark, which cooperated with me, would provide that much support if Poland held out.

I’d rather have my Islamic friends and the people of the Eastern Roman Empire get hit on their own.

Since I was practically an enemy to the Islamic forces, they wouldn’t be able to talk about joining hands for the Mongols even now. Saladin, who is still alive, will not be able to use his advantage of flexibility because he is mindful of the Islamic forces.

The proud people of the Eastern Roman Empire would not listen to any warnings I gave. When we were doing a holy war to defeat Islam together, the relationship between England and the Eastern Roman Empire was not bad.

Now that various interests are clashing, no matter how close I am to Alexios II, the threat of the ‘Mongols’ will be denied within the empire.

Ha… the road ahead is long.