The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 196

[Episode 196, Drawing the Dagger (1)]

-Mongol Encampment-

Richard’s army was annihilated, but the Mongol forces also suffered heavy losses.

The wounded lion was strong, and Richard I, until his dying breath, inflicted tremendous damage on the main force of the Mongol Empire with a small army.

And the atmosphere in Europe shifted.

“The movements of the Europeans are unusual.”

The commanders of the Mongol army, with their extensive war experience, were not fools who couldn’t discern the situation in enemy countries, and the Great Khan Temujin, who led them, would never miss such crucial information.

“Summon the Slavic intelligence officer.”

“Yes, Great Khan!”

Time passed.

“…This is the situation.”

The Mongol Great Khan quickly grasped the situation.

“It seems the Westerners have become aware of the Albigensians.”

“That is correct, Great Khan.”

Why did the nomadic Mongols adopt the awkward garb of Christianity?

Initially, it was to unite the steppes and attract Nestorian merchants from the Silk Road, as the deceased Ong Khan had suggested.

Over time, Christianity proved to be of great help to Temujin’s empire.

It easily consolidated the power of the steppes, and the Christian gospel was a means to effectively counter the insane Sinocentrism [the belief in the superiority of Chinese culture] of the Han Chinese.

However, as the Mongol conquests expanded, the Mongol leadership began to utilize this Christian (Nestorian) guise in other ways.

They contacted other ‘heretics’ who were dissatisfied with the existing European powers and used them.

Europe, having succeeded in the Third Crusade, seemed to have reduced religious conflicts with the division between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, but looking inside, there were many problems.

The reason why the current Mongols are terrifying is that they are a warrior race that uses everything they can.

The Mongols had long memories of being divided and conquered by the Han Chinese and Jurchens, and they used this effectively in their conquest wars.

They used factionalism to defeat the Han Chinese, and they used their minority sects to defeat Islam.

And when they were destroying Eastern Europe, they used the subjugated peoples and the lords who had different ideas. A similar method was used with the Albigensians, who had a lot of animosity towards Europe.

However, the reality of these Albigensians was revealed. More precisely, the atrocities committed by those connected to the Albigensians were made public throughout Europe, thanks to Safe Zone.

“He has begun to use the Albigensians as a tool to control the lords.”

“Safe Zone, huh…”

Temujin was already well aware of Safe Zone. A great strategist who led the Third Crusade to victory. He was also famous as a cunning figure in Europe.

The biggest obstacle to the conquest war of the Holy Mongol Empire was Safe Zone.

“Safe Zone, he is sharpening his blade to take revenge on us.”

Temujin thought of John. The true adversary left behind by Richard.

Of course, from what he had learned, John’s martial prowess was weaker than Richard’s, but that was not a problem.

However, war is not just about military power or leadership on the battlefield. It requires a broader perspective and greater patience. Above all, the power of the country must support it.

John understood the importance of national power in that sense.

From the information Temujin had already gathered, England’s economy was not faltering despite being a country at war.

That’s why Temujin was even more disappointed.

“Richard, that fellow, did win in the end. At least that friend has a reliable younger brother, doesn’t he? But…”

“Great Khan…”

Temujin didn’t bother to speak his true feelings in front of his subordinates.

The experienced subordinates could easily guess Temujin’s thoughts.

He liked Ogodei the most, but he wasn’t very fond of that child’s abilities. The rest of his children were all lacking.

In particular, Jochi and Chagatai were already causing trouble without even considering their father’s feelings.

Although he had already slaughtered countless people and was called the Iron-Blooded Emperor and the Antichrist, Temujin was also a person who felt emotions.

Temujin was worried about the future after his death. That’s why he was recklessly trying to gain more territory.

Jelme said, looking at his lord.

“We are here for you, Great Khan.”

“I trust you all.”

After reassuring his subordinates and sending them out, Temujin remained alone in the Great Khan’s ger [a traditional Mongolian yurt] and took out mare’s milk wine.

It tasted no different from when he was on the Mongol steppes.

‘Richard… As you said, you defeated me with your death…’

Looking back, he felt like he had lost. Richard left behind a future, but he couldn’t see a future for his descendants.

* * *

-1207, Eastern Roman Empire-

There were those who spoke in troubled voices before the Emperor.

“Your Majesty…”

Looking at those who spoke with guilty voices.

“…”

The Emperor, who had been thinking about something for a moment, spoke.

“Ha, first of all, the first problem is not your fault.”

What his subordinates were talking about was that the essence of the Albigensians was not the Eastern Roman Empire either. The problem was that it was revealed by England.

It must be because the remnants of the long-destroyed Serbia-Bulgaria were connected to the Albigensians and shaking the Eastern Roman Empire.

To the point where the Turks seemed like saints. He was annoyed by the self-proclaimed independence activists who hid their identities as ‘Greeks’ or ‘Romans’.

The part that Emperor Alexios II of Eastern Rome was angry about was different.

He had made up his mind and raised an army, but there was no progress.

“Damn Mongols. How much ancestral land did we lose?”

This was because the army of the Eastern Roman Empire had lost half of its territory in Anatolia.

What was Anatolia? It was the tearful old territory recovered by the Third Crusade.

If you were someone who knew the fearsomeness of the Holy Mongol Empire, which had come to conquer the East and break the seals in the West, you would have a positive attitude that ‘half’ was still left.

However, from the perspective of the Eastern Roman Emperor, who had to show that ‘our (Eastern) Rome is still strong’, it was frustrating.

“Your Majesty… Still, our soldiers are holding out well against those Mongols.”

“Even after facing the second-in-command of Genghis Khan, the damage to our soldiers is small.”

“Still, England holds the naval supremacy. It’s fortunate that there is no maritime supply.”

At the last remark, Alexios II raised the corners of his lips and said.

“Naval supremacy, is it Safe Zone again…”

Alexios II recalled Safe Zone, whom he had seen in Britain as a child. Safe Zone from those days when he was disguised as an unwanted member of the Angevin family.

He wasn’t sure if that person holding naval supremacy was necessarily a good thing. Didn’t that mean that England had already surpassed the Eastern Roman navy?

“The ruler of England has sent a letter.”

“John, that fellow?”

As Alexios II read the letter, his eyes began to change.

The beginning of the letter had some troubling parts, but it was something that the Eastern Roman Empire could accept. However, as he read the letter, he saw parts that he could not tolerate.

“Have you seen this crazy bastard? Sending such a letter.”

Alexios II raised his voice. But. Not long after, he relaxed his expression and said.

“Yes… We have been too powerless all this time.”

He had to accept the fact that he could not raise the glory of the Eastern Roman Empire with the power of Eastern Rome alone.

* * *

-Holy Roman Empire, Canossa Castle-

While the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire was venting his frustrations in various ways.

In the Holy Roman Empire, there were ‘people’ who were venting their frustrations for various reasons.

The deposed and virtually confined person said with a bothered expression.

“Has the great Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire come to give me another humiliation? My title is also Heinrich. And this happens to be Canossa Castle.”

“Ha… That’s not what I came to talk about.”

This place is where Heinrich IV visited long ago to seek forgiveness from Pope Gregory VII, who had excommunicated him over the issue of lay investiture [the appointment of bishops and other church officials by secular rulers]. Emperor Heinrich IV later succeeded in his revenge, but that was not a very important story.

The important thing was only the historical fact that the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire was thoroughly humiliated by the Pope in this castle, and the deposed Crown Prince Heinrich mentioned that fact.

“Loser, are you satisfied that you have touched my emotions like this?”

“I want to ask. Are you satisfied, Emperor of this era?”

The deposed former Crown Prince and the current Emperor met. But both of them had a lot of dissatisfaction with each other.

This was because the two were Heinrich and Otto, who had once fought for the position of Emperor.

Anyway, Otto IV, who met his old rival, said.

“Look at the incidents caused by your vassals instigated by the Holy Mongol Empire. Are you not involved in this?”

He didn’t want to make him a martyr, so he didn’t kill Heinrich, but only mercifully deposed him. But what did he get in return?

Wasn’t it that the vassals who followed Heinrich or those related to them were joining hands with the people of that damned Albigensian and making a mess of the country?

Of course, the deposed Crown Prince Heinrich also had something to say.

He was tired of these slanders and defamations and was quietly not resisting, but he was already being treated like this.

“What a joke. When your father was assassinated, I was the one who was rebelled against! And what power do I, who was miserably defeated by you in the civil war, have to aim for the throne?”

“We’ll have to investigate first.”

Otto IV’s words caused the Imperial Guard to move and thoroughly search Canossa Castle.

‘To think he’s doing this nonsense.’

The deposed Crown Prince Heinrich was wronged.

He never assassinated the Duke of Saxony. Would he have made a mistake of giving the justification to the other party himself?

Besides, the deposed Crown Prince Heinrich was the one who had already been rebelled against by his vassals at the starting point of the civil war.

And time passed.

“Your Majesty, nothing came out.”

“Really nothing?”

‘Clearly… There was a tip.’

As Otto IV still did not let go of his suspicion.

“I may be the deposed Crown Prince, but this is too much!”

The deposed Crown Prince was really angry.

‘Are you still suspecting me? You should think that there are those who are using me, not that I am using them. What can I do!’

The deposed Crown Prince, who knew that fact very well, said with annoyance.

“I know the purpose of coming to vent your anger on me. If that’s the case, just execute me cleanly.”

“My proud youngest uncle warned me.”

“What warning?”

“To normalize the Holy Roman Empire before changing the name of my youngest son Louis to Ludwig.”

“…”

At Otto IV’s words, Heinrich was stunned for a while.

“Here, read this.”

After reading King John’s letter that Otto IV handed him, he said with a bitter smile.

“You and I are crazy, but Safe Zone is also crazy.”

That’s right. It was a world where you had to be crazy to survive.

* * *

-Somewhere in Syria-

Godfrey followed Safe Zone’s orders. The only thing his great lord, King John, wanted was to abandon chivalry and pursue only practical benefits.

‘His Majesty’s thoughts are wise.’

To follow that order, Godfrey met an old man who was coldly suppressing his revenge.

A person with deep wrinkles but sharp eyes, whom Europeans call the ‘Old Man of the Mountain’ [leader of the Nizari Ismailis, a Shia Islamic sect].

“I never thought we would join hands with your country like this…”

“That’s what I’m saying. But don’t you know? We have no choice but to kill the Mongols.”

“Yes, the Mongols are like Satan.”

The old man acknowledged that fact. The Mongol Empire was an enemy that could not share the same air with them.

And.

“Above all, I liked your methods.”

That even Catholics, who were burning with revenge just like them, would do anything to avenge their grudges.

That was why. People who couldn’t kill each other just a few decades ago were able to have a ‘conversation’ like this.

“We will accept the descendants of Isaac to fight against the wicked enemy, the Mongols.”

“We will also join hands with the descendants of Ishmael to defeat the Antichrist Mongols.”

The two looked at each other for a moment. They shook hands in the Western style. And they confirmed that there were no weapons on each other.

Thus,

The ‘Sons of Abraham’, as history would later call them, were formed.

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