The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 173

173. The Expected Farewell (1)

[The establishment of the Triple Empire is a topic debated among historians.

However, the most widely accepted view is that it began when Carlos seduced Isabel. During that time, England experienced both comedy and tragedy.

-From “The Beginning of the Angevin Empire, Part 1” by Pierre Nora, 20xx-]

* * *

-Angevin England-

My beloved brother Richard said with indifferent eyes.

“With Charles’s problem, we should appoint a co-king, right?”

In 21st-century terms, it sounds like he’s trying to offload work onto me.

He’ll only think about war, so he needs someone to handle internal affairs.

I’ll probably be in charge of supply missions as well.

I wanted to refuse as much as possible, but due to various circumstances, I ended up accepting the position of co-king.

Since it was just a ‘co-king’ position, I didn’t have a separate coronation, but in reality, my power as the heir apparent became stronger.

Seriously, why did he have to seduce a princess from another country and create this mess?

Of course, regardless of my feelings, this might be a happy occasion for our faction.

Unsurprisingly, my close aides were ecstatic.

“Congratulations, my lord.”

-Congratulations on ascending to the throne.

Naturally, our vassals were overjoyed, laughing and enjoying themselves.

“Thank you for the congratulations. But it’s not exactly an ideal position at this point.”

There’s the prefix ‘co-‘ attached to it. It’s a very ambiguous term.

“Regardless, haven’t you risen to an important position? It’s time for you to take on more responsibilities.”

-Godfrey.

“We are ready to land at any time. Shall we charge in?”

-Charles.

“The Eastern Legion is now complete. We will dispatch troops as soon as you give the order.”

-Akbulhui.

“The power of the nobles who follow us is growing stronger. They won’t be able to touch us carelessly anymore.”

-Robin.

“The budget is insufficient. Therefore, we need more investment.”

-Amiar.

While my close aides were indulging in wishful thinking.

“Still, my lord, you are different from other co-kings in history, aren’t you? You wouldn’t repeat the mistakes of your predecessors.”

Peter’s words felt a bit different.

Ah, my already deceased older brother Henry? He suffered in a co-king position in name only before passing away, may he rest in peace.

The regnal name was 장 [Jang] in the Angevin style. King John sounds unimpressive, but King 장 I sounds better, right?

In original history, King John could never become a co-king.

Thinking about the original history, where he acted as king on his own while his brother Richard was on a crusade, only to be utterly defeated by Richard I and his vassals, I felt a strange mix of emotions.

‘The original John is illegitimate, but Safe John is legal, so it’s different.’

I’ve become a legitimate ‘co-‘ king of England. I’m not sure how to describe my current feelings—whether I’m happy or burdened.

‘It’s too burdensome a position to be simply happy about.’

I knew the reason well enough.

Richard, that brother of mine.

He’ll only wage wars instead of engaging in politics, so he intends to entrust the country’s administration within England to me and his close aides.

It’s not that I don’t understand.

The problem is that I’m really burdened.

If it weren’t for Charles’s issue, I wouldn’t have agreed to this co-king position.

That’s how little interest I had in this position.

But since things have already unfolded, I must act in accordance with my position as much as possible.

“Anyway, now that I’ve become the second king, preparations for war must be thoroughly made.”

-Yes, Your Majesty.

“You may leave now.”

Even with the prefix ‘co-‘ attached, a king was still a king. Naturally, I could do more things.

After sending away my vassals and finishing various tasks, I sat alone, looking out the window.

The old thought that life isn’t easy came to mind again.

‘Do I really have to receive letters like this?’

[Our John, you Judas-like brother…]

My second older sister, Eleanor the Younger, seems to be questioning my ‘child education,’ even writing insults in the letter that she would never use in her life.

I didn’t do anything wrong, but it didn’t feel good to be insulted.

“The Queen of Spain has requested entry.”

In short.

She’s telling me to come out and greet her in person.

Ugh, seriously. I have to explain about my son’s actions, and I’m so pathetic.

“Prince Charles is with her as well.”

“That damn Charles.”

Come to think of it, Charles I, II, and III in the history I knew were all flawed monarchs.

Could it be that my son is also following that regnal name and going crazy?

Child issues are the parents’ fault, so what can I do?

I have to go and clean up the mess.

I’m really suffering too much.

* * *

-Gascony, England-

-Doo-doo-doo.

I rode to the border between Spain and England, safely leading the cavalry.

“Sigh… It’s because I didn’t educate my child properly.”

“Isn’t it 오히려 [on the contrary] a good thing for you, my lord?”

I replied with the calmest face possible to Peter’s words.

“There’s no way.”

After talking with Peter like that.

I arrived at the meeting place and met my second older sister.

“I greet my still beautiful sister.”

“Ah, my brother… You’re too much. Sigh, why did you have to do this and make me come all the way here?”

“Sister…”

“Anyway, this is my daughter next to me.”

Next to her was a beautiful young lady who resembled my sister.

“Uncle, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Isabel.”

It’s my niece Isabel, whom I’m meeting for the first time.

“Charles, explain yourself.”

You never know what will happen in life, and I never thought I’d be heartbroken because of my son. No, thinking about it like this, I feel incredibly wronged?

Frankly speaking, I was a reliable son to Henry II!

Why should I, who never caused my parents any heartache, suffer because of my child?

-Thwack.

“What did this guy do well? Aren’t you ashamed to show your face to your niece?”

“That’s too much!”

Fortunately, as a Christian, he didn’t commit the act of violating the ‘purity’ of a princess from another country. But regardless, I really had a headache.

‘He should have stayed quietly 처박혀 [holed up] in Brittany. Why did he suddenly catch 고백병 [confession disease – an urge to confess] and cause trouble in Spain?’

“Now that I’m a co-king, you’re a prince now too. You must take responsibility.”

I lectured my son, but.

“That’s why I’m showing responsibility. Isabel is my woman now.”

Charles answered without a hint of shame.

I’m the one who’s embarrassed just watching.

“John, you’re the most like your father, so you’re cunning.”

“I’m definitely not like him.”

To be honest, except for his appearance, he didn’t resemble me at all. I’m not such a bad person.

But I know that you have to be shrewd at crucial moments.

“Sister, let’s marry the two children.”

“You’re full of greed. There’s still much to consider.”

Anyway, since the Queen has come all the way here, we held a dinner banquet to enjoy ourselves.

Enjoying the banquet was nonsense; it was a place where I had to negotiate with my sister. Negotiations about the marriage of Charles and Isabel.

When I was going back to my lodgings after the difficult banquet.

“The sky with falling stars is beautiful.”

Two stars fell from the sky.

Stars falling was a common occurrence, but for some reason, I felt uneasy.

And a few days later.

“Your Majesty, something terrible has happened.”

“What?”

I heard bad news.

* * *

-London, England-

Once the center of England, but now just one of the economic hubs due to the existence of the sweet territory of West France, London.

Here, Duke Henry of Brittany, who was enjoying his retirement, was listening to the grievances of the native nobles.

This place, London, was where old nobles like himself resided. It was natural for him, who was old and dying, to take care of them.

But Duke Henry of Brittany was happy.

The small tasks of appeasing the nobles, and even looking around the various buildings where the traces of his mother (Matilda), who could never become queen, remained.

Of course, perhaps because of 업보 [karma], Henry couldn’t live so happily.

He had fallen ill.

But he didn’t inform the doctors and only told his wife the truth.

“Hahaha. I’m getting old too.”

“You’re still laughing even after that? How can a couple get sick at the same time?”

“Ellie, at least we don’t have to worry about our children.”

He was old and had caught a 빌어먹을 [damned] disease. But because he had reliable children, Henry could smile.

Just because they had lost power didn’t mean Henry and Eleanor were completely indifferent to worldly affairs.

News came from everywhere.

The complete destruction of the Islamic forces in the Syrian region.

The rise of the Holy Mongol Empire, called Eastern Christianity and labeled as nomadic heretics.

“Richard is planning to appoint John as co-king.”

Henry laughed.

While he had given up power, his children were doing interesting things, weren’t they?

A co-king. He never thought Richard would propose the position of co-king to John first.

“He must be confident in his own power. He probably has the confidence to deal with John even if that guy betrays him. Of course, considering John’s actions so far, he’ll continue to cherish him.”

He had many shrewd sons, but Henry remembered Richard as the most shrewd.

“John won’t like it, will he? You know better than anyone how you appointed the deceased Henry as co-king and what happened.”

“Why did we live like that?”

The old Henry, once called Henry II, looked back on his life as he appeased the nobles of Brittany. Now that he had given up all power, he had been rushing too fast until now.

It was a constant regret.

Perhaps the chaos in the Angevin family was due to his selfishness?

If he had cherished his children more back then, if he had been more devoted to his family, he would have spent his remaining years with a more peaceful heart than now.

But it was all in the past now.

Perhaps because it was a futile regret, it only made his chest feel 답답해져 [heavy and stifled].

Maybe it was because Henry was old.

“If I had been a little more affectionate, would more things have changed?”

“Are you regretting it now?”

“…Still, wasn’t I a pretty good monarch?”

Even if he couldn’t protect his family, he protected England. If he didn’t have that pride, Henry would have already died of 화병 [anger-induced illness].

“Yes. You were a 바람둥이 [philandering] I wanted to kill, but you were a decent monarch in your own way.”

He may have been lacking as a father, but he was not lacking as a monarch. Didn’t he end the chaotic era and make England strong?

“Ellie, to be praised by you.”

With those words, the old Henry cried.

“Are you crying?”

“Now that it’s time to die, I’m becoming more emotional. 빌어먹게도 [Damn it].”

“Eleanor, you… If I die first, will you be sad?”

“Is this old man crazy?”

“Is that so? Is a Philemon-like death impossible?”

Eleanor, who blankly looked at her husband who suddenly mentioned the name Philemon, smiled faintly and said.

“Are you trying to take me with you? You’re being 주책 [senile] while dying.”

Eleanor, who knew her husband’s 심보 [intentions] well, mentioned the name of a figure from Greek mythology that had been passed down since long ago, said.

“Then I’m playing the role of Baucis?”

The couple Philemon, who had given precious hospitality to Zeus disguised as a beggar and obtained the right to make a wish, prayed to the chief god Zeus.

The first wish was to be able to spend their remaining lives as priests serving Zeus.

The second was.

To die on the same day, at the same time, so that neither of them would have to experience the sadness of having to bury the other.

“Still, Richard and John are trustworthy… Those guys will take care of the kingdom I created. James will become emperor as he said he would. Maybe my descendants will make England stronger than what I’ve achieved.”

“So you’re happy?”

“Ellie, I’m very happy now, just like in Aquitaine when I first met you. I have no regrets now. My life was an interesting comedy.”

-Thud.

With those words, Duke Henry of Brittany. No, King Henry II, the Great, who created Angevin England, passed away.

“…”

Eleanor, who was left alone.

Stared at her husband’s cooling body. And muttered.

“Henry of Anjou.”

The lifelong partner who made her give up being the Queen of France.

“Our era wasn’t bad either, Henry.”

In 21st-century terms, they were a couple who had been suffering from ‘cancer’ for a long time. They had been suffering from severe pain, but they didn’t show it with superhuman patience because they were worried about burdening their beloved children.

Eleanor, who watched her husband’s death, stroked her dead husband’s face and said.

“A life like a thorny rose, but it was still fun… Yes, I’ll follow you right away like Baucis.”

After saying those words, she closed her eyes peacefully, as if falling asleep.

-Thud.

That day, the great stars of Brittany lost their light.