The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 174

174. The Expected Farewell (2)

―1205, Rouen, England―

The new year of 1205 arrived, bringing with it a series of significant events.

Richard, as a member of the Angevin dynasty, might have appeared prone to arrogance, but despite his confident exterior, Richard I was not an arrogant man.

Soon, the time came to discuss strategies for defending against the Mongol invasion with all the Christian allied forces in England.

He realized he couldn’t manage both domestic and foreign affairs alone.

‘Then I will focus all my efforts on the war.’

Richard I wasn’t only warned about the Mongol threat by John.

He truly grasped the danger of the Mongols from a letter sent by Saladin, his adversary and friend, just before his death.

Saladin, whom he had met as an enemy during the Crusades, was someone with whom he could sometimes share honest opinions.

The letter he sent contained significant content.

[My friend, my rival, and brother in faith, the Mongols have established a cunning nomadic empire that exploits Christianity. Their invasion will threaten not only our Islamic world but also your Frankish (Western European) lands. Friend, my country is falling, but I hope yours will be protected.]

Saladin, who sent the letter, fought valiantly to the end without surrendering and died honorably.

Then, Richard I realized the power of the Mongols was stronger than he had imagined.

‘The Mongols are strong. Stronger than anyone we have ever faced!’

Even though the Islamic forces had declined due to the Crusades, they still possessed considerable power that could not be underestimated.

That was why the Christian forces had failed to completely destroy the Islamic forces.

How strong would the Mongols be if they were quickly destroying such Islamic forces, and how much manpower and resources would be needed to stop the Mongol invasion?

In any case, it was because of this Mongol Empire issue that Richard appointed John as co-ruler.

‘I understand Your Majesty’s intentions. Considering the future, the Kingdom of England cannot be managed by one person alone, so this younger brother will lighten the burden of the crown. However, I have a request.’

Richard I explained his reasoning to the Duke of Norfolk.

“Duke of Norfolk.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“My brother has appointed me as Grand King and said he would remain as King for domestic affairs.”

However, his brother John always exceeded his expectations. By appointing him as co-ruler, he paradoxically elevated his brother.

In a completely unexpected way.

The Duke of Norfolk, who vaguely understood the meaning, said,

“You mean to create a difference in status.”

“That’s right. I agreed to the idea of having more kings due to the current situation, but he said the country can only function properly if my status is higher.”

At that time, John said,

‘Brother must become the Grand King. Otherwise, my vassals might get the wrong ideas. Conflicts arise not because of the leader of the faction in power, but because of the vassals who distort the leader’s intentions. Therefore, you must be in a higher position than this younger brother, even as co-rulers.’

Richard I understood his brother’s intentions.

He became more confident that his brother would use the crown he had placed on his head more preciously than ever before.

So, Richard I became the Grand King as his brother requested, and his brother’s reputation also rose.

Richard I endlessly tested his brother.

Of course, this test wasn’t just because of the simple name ‘John,’ like, ‘Hey, are you greedy? Aren’t you a traitor?’ Rather, it was more like a way to see how much more actively his brother could act.

“They say power should not be shared even among family members.”

“Your Majesty….”

“But I have tested him for a long time, and John has always humbled himself. He… loves this country itself, more than the crown.”

“I am well aware of that.”

The fact that Prince John loved his own power but loved the glory of England even more was well known to the experienced nobles.

‘That child worried about the future of England as if he had seen it.’

He still couldn’t forget the story John had told him.

Although it couldn’t be publicly announced, England was already the Angevin Empire [a vast territory spanning England and parts of France].

They must not lose the European continent.

“What we should be worried about now is the Mongol invasion, which is using Eastern Christianity as a front.”

As Richard I was muttering to himself.

A servant said in an urgent voice.

“Your Majesty, Grand King, a great disaster has occurred.”

* * *

―Gascony, England―

Anyway, I had a dream.

It was a lucid dream where I could recognize it as a dream.

Last time, I had a ridiculous dream about Lot marrying his daughters and Jacob (Israel) marrying his cousins. I thought that would be the end of the ridiculous dreams.

I’m dreaming of my young father and mother.

The two of them, dressed in luxurious Eastern Roman-style silk clothes, smiled brightly at me and said.

[John. My son, whom Henry loved the most.]

―John, the son this mother couldn’t take care of.

As expected, both of them were good-looking. That’s why I’m handsome.

“What’s going on? Why are you both appearing in my dream?”

[We have something to say for the last time.]

―That’s why we appeared in your dream, isn’t it?

But why do I feel sadness on both of your faces? Besides, the atmosphere of my father and mother in front of me now is like the Force ghosts in Star Wars [referring to the spirits of deceased Jedi in the Star Wars franchise]?

Besides, I felt a lump in my throat at the word ‘last’.

[You have become co-ruler. Many things will happen in the future. The closer you get to the pinnacle of power, the more people will try to bring you down.]

―Yes, there will be so many children who are jealous of your success. You may experience even greater hardships than in your ‘previous life’.

“Why do you both suddenly talk like you’re leaving far away?”

[John, everyone dies someday. This father is also human.]

―Did you think we would be your burden forever? Now, I have to say goodbye to this wretched world with this damn Henry.

“Father, Mother!”

“Mom… Dad!”

[John, whether you are a reincarnator or not, this father was happy because of you. Thank you. Originally, this father, who would have died miserably in Chinon [a reference to Henry II’s historical death], lived a happy life and passed away thanks to you. It was a really good life, hahaha.]

―Me too. You might be upset that I favored your brother Richard. But you took care of this mother in your own way, didn’t you? Be happy, I love you. Our youngest.

The two disappeared without a trace.

“Your Majesty, it’s time for Mass.”

I woke up from my dream.

It was a dream, but it was such a realistic dream that I couldn’t help but feel puzzled by the appearance of my two parents.

After waking up from the dream.

The content of the dream was so impressive that it lingered in my memory.

After the early morning Mass.

“Your Majesty, the Queen of Spain is looking for you.”

It’s time to work.

“I’ll be right there.”

A fierce debate took place from the morning. The debate was about Charles.

In fact, I intend to negotiate as seriously as possible to handle Prince Charles as I want.

Now that it has come to this, I wanted to send Charles to Spain as soon as possible. Coincidentally, the name of the Spanish princess is also Isabella. I wanted to make my son the ruler of Spain through the Iberian-Angevin wedding [a marriage uniting the Angevin dynasty with the Iberian Peninsula].

If my son becomes the King of Spain. I could eliminate the anxiety that Spain might attack at any time.

In the original history, France underestimated Spain and suffered more than once.

‘I have to eliminate the possibility of Spain bothering me.’

Of course, the current mistress of Spain is my own sister, Eleanor the Younger, but I wanted someone more definitely on my side.

The person definitely on my side is my son.

I can also ask my grandson for the ‘Age of Exploration’ in the future.

“John, I disagree with that opinion.”

“Sister, why isn’t my brother-in-law here?”

“All authority is with me.”

Negotiating with my sister was not easy.

In effect, it was asking her to hand over the Kingdom of Spain to my son.

“You greedy brother, are you trying to take Spain for nothing?”

“Isn’t it inevitable? To protect the peace of Europe, we need a safe person (Charles) born from a Safe Zone.”

‘Even if it’s not Charles, people from Aragon or Portugal will think about seducing the Spanish princess anyway.’

What made me angry with Charles was that he proposed to his cousin without telling me his plans.

There was no problem with the proposal itself.

“Checkmate.”

“Cowardly, John, to use such a trick.”

A person from the early 13th century cannot beat 21st-century chess that is already set in stone.

I also won the chess game.

“Sister, I will increase Spain’s share in the spoils of war.”

And I immediately wrote down ‘conditions’ that Spain would also be satisfied with on the parchment.

I increased the ‘benefits’ that my brother-in-law Ferdinand I and my sister Eleanor the Younger would gain from the war with the Mongols a little more.

“What?”

“Isn’t it okay if I added this much condition? As a bonus, I will also take care of the English aristocratic friends who disappoint my sister.”

There are also English aristocrats in Spain. They are mainly from Gascony (southwest of English-ruled France).

Among them, there were loyal vassals I sent on purpose, but there were also quite a few treacherous subjects optimized for conspiracy and jealousy.

The problem is that these treacherous subjects are reducing the authority of Eleanor the Younger and Ferdinand I and excessively demanding their autonomy.

I was saying that I would weaken their power.

“To think you even grasped that, you really are our brother… really cunning?”

“Are there any people in the Angevin family who can’t think like this?”

The Kingdom of Spain knows its place well, so it dares not aim for the eastern border where England is. They just wanted colonies in North Africa in a modest way.

Ultimately, they are just hoping for a second Carthage [an ancient Phoenician city-state located in North Africa].

Knowing that fact well, I was also sure that Spain would not deliberately antagonize England.

As expected, my sister Eleanor the Younger had no choice but to agree with my opinion.

“Okay… I understand. There aren’t many other son-in-law candidates anyway, so I will accept Charles.”

That’s how the negotiation ended. The rest will be handled by the working-level staff.

‘Charles, you have a kind father.’

Even I thought I was too kind and capable a father.

But when the negotiation was about to be concluded.

Urgent news was delivered to me and my sister.

“King Henry II and Queen Eleanor the Great have passed away.”

“What!”

The one who reacted most strongly was my sister Eleanor the Younger, who both loved and hated our mother Eleanor.

Of course, me too.

‘Then the dream I had today….’

* * *

―London, England―

I came to London after a long time. Of course, it was for something I couldn’t have predicted.

The weather was clear today. Yes, it was a clear day without a single cloud.

“Brother.”

“Brother.”

“John, Eleanor the Younger.”

Three of the siblings arrived.

“Ha….”

I expected it.

That my elderly parents would pass away someday.

My parents are not immortal, and they were born with human bodies, so they could leave our arms at any time.

However, for both of them to pass away on the same day.

“As the Grand King of England, I testify. These people created our England.”

Richard said.

Grand King Richard does not show tears.

But I could infer that he was grieving too much in his heart.

Yes, people always die, and our parents were old.

And it was an expected farewell.

But.

My eyes felt hot as if tears would fall without me knowing.

I wish London would become gloomy as usual soon.

* * *

―Damascus, the main base of the Mongol Empire―

The Mongols were not just people who blindly charged.

They meticulously investigated information and identified the weaknesses of their enemies.

And after securing the optimal supply route, they focused on devastating the targeted area.

“Well… is this enough?”

“Great Khan, it is still not enough.”

Jamukha showed Temujin what he had investigated in the meantime.

Even if the Kingdom of Jerusalem looks weak, that is just the appearance.

“Interesting. Perhaps because it is the Kingdom of Jerusalem that the Crusaders guarded with gritted teeth, they are so well prepared.”

Temujin never underestimated his enemies. He was well aware that this conquest of Islam was possible because Islam had already been weakened by the Crusaders’ defeat.

In his childhood, Temujin realized the hearts of the people due to his father’s tragic death and overcame many crises. For Temujin, who had experienced such a turbulent life, each choice was important.

That’s why he chose Christianity. Christianity has enough to exploit, and if you look at the Old Testament, there are many parts that the Mongols can respect.

“The initiative is with us.”

“That’s right.”

“The most important thing is the useful territory that we can use right away.”

Temujin, who had been vague for a while, pointed to a spot on the map with his finger and said.

“So we will strike here.”

“Yes, my lord!”

The cavalry began to run.

“Now, Europe, come into the embrace of the Great Khan!”

The Mongol invasion that John had feared had begun.