The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 169

169. Co-King (1)

‘Indeed, the French monarch also acknowledges the danger.’

Amiens confidently responded to Philip II’s mention of the Red Dragon.

“We must strive to hunt down that Red Dragon.”

Amiens, who followed the Duke of Normandy, was an administrator with outstanding abilities. But his essence was also that of a ‘knight.’

He openly expressed his longing to cut down the heretics at once, more fervently than anyone else.

‘Amazing. To have observed the Mongols so tenaciously.’

The material evidence prepared by England was enough to convince Philip II.

However, Philip II felt a sense of déjà vu.

‘England must want a lot.’

The monarch of the French kingdom understood the reality of the Mongol threat better than anyone.

Unlike the prophet Jeremiah of Southern Judah, who warned of the danger of Babylon without any power and was eventually abandoned, Duke John of Normandy had the power, ability, and material evidence to do so.

However.

“Frankly, François, turning that child into a clown… it really upset me.”

Philip II was quite angry about the previous Three Musketeers incident.

So much so that he didn’t call Amiens, a mere envoy, a traitor.

After hesitating for a moment, Philip II spoke with a sharp glint in his eyes.

“Listen, envoy of England.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“What compensation will we receive from England for being used?”

“Compensation, you say? The non-aggression pact is merely to eliminate misunderstandings between us.”

In short, it meant, ‘We, England, are worried that France will attack us while we are stopping the Mongol army, so we will make a treaty.’

Considering the history of England and France stained with blood, they could not face the Mongols with peace of mind without such a treaty.

“But don’t you want something bigger? For example, like our French kingdom joining the Crusades, raising an army to stop the Mongols.”

Then Amiens, in an even more polite posture, began to speak shamelessly.

“If you do so, we in England would be grateful.”

“Isn’t what your lord John ultimately wants is to use our France as mercenaries?”

Philip II used the word mercenary and spoke too bluntly.

“We are not fighting as mercenaries, but as brothers in faith.”

“Brothers in faith, huh.”

Philip II did not think Amiens was a naive person who thought of trust in the trivial word of brothers in faith. So the King of France spoke again.

“I think we need to share the progress and opinions once again.”

The French kingdom also had no intention of ignoring the Mongol threat.

Because there were many estates in the Middle East held by lords from the ‘second sons’ of French noble families.

‘Of course, I won’t just be used by you, England.’

That being said, Philip II didn’t want to be an obvious pushover.

* * *

-England, Rouen-

While the envoys who had left for other countries under John’s orders were engaged in diplomatic negotiations, new books were being published in bookstores and monasteries.

[The Travels of Marco Polo] and [Letters from Krakow] translated into Angevin [the dialect of French spoken in England at the time] and Latin.

Both books were compiled from reports to the Duke of Normandy and were supplied at a lower price than the previously sold Three Musketeers.

In this era, books were something that only the wealthy could read. But now, even reasonably well-off citizens of the capital could buy books.

First of all, the letter from Krakow was a book by the King of Poland with all sorts of embellishments.

[The only prophet who knew the danger of the storm coming from the east was Safe John.]

It started by revealing John’s specialness.

[The Christian country that will protect peace by stopping the power of this new heresy is Poland; we are the shield of holy Christianity.]

It ended by emphasizing Poland’s role.

Although all sorts of Polish embellishments were added, it warned readers of the Mongol threat that the monarch of Poland in Eastern Europe thought was a real and objective reason.

Next was The Travels of Marco Polo.

The author of The Travels of Marco Polo, Longspee, was an illegitimate but loyal knight who, under the orders of Prince John, gathered his mercenaries to help the kingdom of the East. He departed from the port of the Suez Duchy and set off to the East through all sorts of harsh lands.

Longspee, who embarked on a difficult journey, preached about how great the Mongols were, and therefore how threatening they were, as he passed through deserts, grasslands, and countless seas.

Anyway, the reason why the two new books were selling well was not only because they were fun, but also because of the Mongols.

The people, who had already recognized the enemy called the Mongols through the Three Musketeers, were learning one by one the truth about the Mongols that merchants had brought from the Middle East and Africa.

People who realized how terrifying the Mongolians were admired them for their own reasons.

“There are many interesting things in the East.”

“But you saw it; there are plenty of threatening things too.”

“If this information is true, the Mongols are more vicious than the Huns?”

“Nomadic Christians in the world!”

“Isn’t the Mongol a real Antichrist at this point?”

“What will happen to Europe in the future?”

Moreover, what is the Nestorian sect called Jingyo [an early Christian sect]? Wasn’t it a sect that had already been certified as heretical a long time ago and fled to the East?

But some wiser people realized something in this situation.

“Since when have book prices become so cheap?”

“And… where have all the blacksmiths gone?”

“Why are there so many mills!”

People with thoughts began to feel a sense of incongruity in their daily lives.

“England is preparing for war now.”

They came to a plausible conclusion.

And soon after, Bibles translated into Angevin began to be published like an undercurrent.

* * *

Mary muttered, looking at the countless papers on her desk.

“My husband is so diligent—to the point where I have more work to do.”

After spending some enjoyable time with her daughter-in-law in Aquitaine, Mary was spending a busy daily life after returning to Rouen.

This was because if her husband, John, was active in the Rouen political world with the help of his vassals, Mary was the one who assisted him.

“Bookstores and libraries….”

In the past, it would not have been easy to sell books and use them for propaganda.

But times have changed.

“Papermaking… printing….”

The new technology created by combining the technologies of East Rome [Byzantium] and China is giving great power to the forces following Duke John of Normandy.

Mary, who already had a lot of money, had more money.

Although the Age of Exploration has not yet begun in the Middle Ages, the power of gold was great even in this era. Thanks to this, Mary was able to do a better job of internal affairs.

But even that felt insufficient.

“Irene, is the preparation going well?”

“Yes, Your Highness. We are ready to supply at any time.”

“That’s a relief.”

Mary, who knew better than anyone that Safe John had never said nonsense even once, realized that the threat of the Mongols would soon become a reality.

So she was spending all kinds of money to help her husband prepare for war.

“Your Highness, the Queen has arrived.”

“Bring her in quickly.”

After a while.

The Queen, who came inside, said, looking at the enormous documents Mary was processing.

“Mary, you’re working hard.”

Queen Sibylla came in person.

“Thanks to the Queen’s help, things have become easier.”

“What power have I been? It’s just that the forces Mary has are competent.”

Sibylla, who had already learned about Mary’s identity through Richard, also sent her daughter Adelheid to James because of it.

So she also knows Mary’s hidden power well.

“Still, thanks to Her Majesty the Queen checking many noble ladies, I was able to become much freer.”

“Anyway, that’s not important now. So… what are you going to do in the future?”

Here, the word ‘how’ that the Queen is talking about means the political steps she will take as a woman in Rouen in the future.

Sibylla thought of Mary and herself as political partners from the time her daughter Adelheid married James. This was because there were many English noble ladies in Rouen who were fundamentally different from them.

“I will unite with the Safe Guild and sell many things in earnest. Of course, we will sell luxury goods to our side. Can you help me, Queen?”

Sibylla nodded at Mary’s words.

“Tell me anything. Aren’t you and I one body anyway?”

* * *

-Rouen, the King’s Room-

My wife and sister-in-law must be meeting now.

Of course, that problem is a problem for women, so it’s not a part that I need to worry about.

First of all, what was important was how the things I had started were progressing.

“Brother, more and more people are learning about the Mongols.”

“It’s thanks to you.”

“Of course, it’s thanks to me.”

“You’re not humble this time.”

“Haha, I’m a little good this time.”

There is a time to show politeness and a time to show confidence. It was closer to the latter in the current situation.

The Mongol should not become an unknown enemy. The people must recognize how dangerous and cunning the Mongols are.

Frankly, in my opinion, the Christian-flavored Mongol who obeys the word is more terrifying than the Huns. It means that they are enemies who can become terrifying Antichrists at any time.

“Now people will know well.”

“They already know it well. So they are paying taxes well, aren’t they?”

The ability to identify impending threats is important for the survival of beasts and people. I have warned about the threat of the Mongols not once, but several times.

In addition, as merchants returning from the Middle East are adding ‘testimonies’, people are experiencing the threat of the Mongols firsthand.

‘Now England can be threatened at any time. Aren’t there several estates in the Middle East right now? So the head family pays war taxes to set an example.’

At that time, I, as the prime minister, began to collect war taxes from the people with an extremely rational decision.

“Thanks to you, the war budget has increased. So are you going to fight on the front lines again this time?”

“I know my use. I am destined to be a supply commander.”

“You’re quite a capable commander, too?”

“I’m worried that I might get in my brother’s way.”

If I think about the battles I’ve fought so far, it’s because my subordinates fought well on their own, not because I was a great strategist.

In addition, if I, the heir to the throne, get hit by a stray arrow and die on the battlefield, our Safe John forces will collapse immediately!

My brother Richard nodded at my words.

“Okay, I’ll do as you wish.”

By the way, I was worried about my Muslim friends.

Still, I fought hard and got attached to them.

* * *

-Baghdad-

Unlike the Eastern Corps, which has not yet conquered even Goryeo [ancient Korean kingdom].

The main force of the Holy Mongol Empire, with Temujin [Genghis Khan] as the commander-in-chief, was too strong.

‘I thought the terrible destruction of Khwarazm [a Central Asian empire] was just a rumor, but it’s so strong. This fight is… our defeat.’

Countless commanders of the Islamic Empire predicted defeat from the start. No matter how long the Islamic warriors have experienced actual combat.

The army of the Holy Mongol Empire had the same power as Satan from hell.

However, they did not raise the white flag abjectly because they predicted defeat. Islamic warriors cannot betray Allah no matter how great the trials come.

A rain of arrows flew, gunpowder exploded. Also, countless horses ran.

It is a desperate situation on the verge of death covered in blood.

But even in this moment.

“Allah Hu Akbar!” [God is the greatest!]

There are people who call out to Allah.

It was the soldiers of the Islamic Empire.

“Those vicious things.”

General Jebe, who had seen this scene not once or twice, sighed.

“We die for Allah!”

“Send them away; I don’t think they can be used as slaves.”

In the end, there were no prisoners to be slaves. Those who were about to be caught took poison and died.

Women and children have long fled elsewhere.

“This is the power of Islam.”

The end of any history is fierce, and Temujin, the emperor of the Holy Mongol Empire, knew it well. But he never expected this level of madness.

Besides, the one he knew as Caliph until now was not the Caliph.

“Jamukha, this person is not the Caliph?”

“This is the famous Saladin [a renowned Muslim military leader], and the real Caliph has already fled.”

“Saladin. A hero died.”

A hero who would be rare even in the grasslands died.

Although it was an Islamic force that had been defeated in the Third Crusade and driven out, it had a strong army as long as it was a long-time enemy of Christianity.

With the death of Saladin, the Islamic commander who moved the army most efficiently and harassed the Mongols.

It seemed that this war was coming to an end.

But it was an illusion.

“Your Majesty, there has been an attack from the rear.”

An Islamic-style guerrilla operation, which the army of the Holy Mongol Empire had never imagined, was unfolding.

This was like a stroke of good luck for Safe John.