The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 203

[Episode 203, Finale 3]

—1208, Throughout Poland—

As always, time passed. In 1208, a new year dawned once more.

Even then, the history of humans flowed fiercely.

Even though Great Khan Temujin had died, the war ignited by the Holy Mongol Empire was still ongoing.

‘We are going to finish this.’

Having passed through the Holy Roman Empire and arrived in Polish territory, Earl Hartford calmly surveyed the battlefield, quickly realizing that the most threatening opponent was not present.

“So, General Jamukha is not here.”

Earl Hartford was actually pleased that a fierce battle would not occur.

It might be romantic for knights (commanders) to participate directly in fierce combat, but for Earl Hartford, a certain victory was more important than such romance. In that sense, the absence of the formidable Jamukha made things much easier.

“The movements of the Mongol army are different from before.”

And at a glance, the enemies’ movements seemed much more relaxed.

“It must be because the Great Khan is dead.”

At the adjutant’s words, the Earl said.

“They will try to defend Poland at all costs. There is no better forward base than this place. But in the end, they will have to retreat….”

Trailing off, Earl Hartford’s eyes gleamed as he thought.

‘We will burn all their bases.’

Having finished his thought, Earl Hartford took out a telescope from his coat.

“I didn’t even know His Majesty made such a device.”

The telescope, a world-class invention Safe John had coaxed from Doge Loniero Dandolo of Venice.

A new eye for seeing the battlefield had been created.

Being able to observe the battlefield with a wide view meant there was much more that could be done.

For example. Being able to see the number of enemy troops rushing in from the front.

“Mongol forces ahead.”

A force waving a cross flag, quite unfitting for Easterners, was approaching.

“They are openly charging towards our camp.”

“Brave warriors, they deserve to be treated accordingly.”

The descendant of the Normans and leader of the Norman Free Company was feeling exhilarated.

He felt like a bullfighter. Wasn’t he seeing a bull charging in for one last desperate attack, ready to die?

Earl Hartford knew well. The enemies approaching now were in a frenzy, trying to take as many companions as possible to the afterlife before they died.

‘We English are all about cannons.’

Earl Hartford was closer to a typical knight who favored cavalry, but he also knew better than anyone the power of the ‘cannons’ Safe John had created after seizing power.

—Boom.

There was no counter-fire.

‘I expected it, but the death of the Great Khan was a huge loss for the Mongol bastards. The most important gunpowder supply has been cut off.’

The fact that the great tooth called gunpowder was missing was proof that the current battle was not fierce.

“But there will be a unit trying to lure us.”

“As you said, sir, there is a unit slowly retreating.”

“Do not chase them. We just need to kill the enemies leisurely.”

Not everyone in this world is a hero willing to throw away their lives. Even if they are fighting for their country. No one in this world wants to die.

But the Mongol forces remaining in Europe were trying to burn everything. There was no need to be sacrificed in their obvious suicide mission.

“Their conviction is amazing, enough to make me want to engage even if there are ambushes, but as a commander, I must conserve my forces.”

Although the majority of the English army were mercenaries who were paid to risk their lives on the battlefield.

Death did not discriminate by nationality, and commanders always had to prepare for the worst when going to battle.

Since each person was a valuable resource, Earl Hartford had no intention of suffering unnecessary losses.

“Either way, we have the advantage in effective range. We will slowly surround them and annihilate them or take them as slaves.”

“Yes, sir!”

Looking at his adjutant, Earl Hartford recalled the events in Rouen.

‘I must repay the faith Safe John has placed in me.’

On the day of departure.

Safe John unusually mentioned his brother-in-law, Earl Hartford, himself.

[Earl Hartford is the last great sword of England that I acknowledge! So, everyone, rest assured and go about your business.]

The esteemed Safe John praised Earl Hartford as the last great sword. Earl Hartford already had loyalty to Safe John as the husband of Queen Mary, whom he had protected, but at that moment, it burned even more fiercely.

Originally, a great sword is a stabbing weapon. It can be used as a deadly weapon to stab the Mongolians in the neck when they are in crisis, as they are now.

Yes, I just need to show even more power than Safe John expects. Before the other jackals come.

“Charge!”

After giving the order to charge.

Earl Hartford, watching the knights running ahead without fear of death, felt alive for the first time in a long time.

‘Yes… this is it, the vivid scent of the battlefield I didn’t feel during the suppression of the rebellion.’

Right now, the scent of the battlefield is just the smell of corpses, the smell of blood, and the smell of crows’ feathers fluttering. But Earl Hartford, whose very origin was the heir to a ‘mercenary leader’ family, was happy with just that.

—Dudududu.

The cavalry began to run.

Although there were battlefields that utilized cannons and muskets, in this era where repeating rifles had not yet appeared, mobilizing cavalry was strategically effective.

“Judge the Mongol bastards!”

“His Holiness the Pope has said. They are fake Christians!”

“Waaaaaaa!”

The cavalry that Earl Hartford brought began to tear at the Mongol cavalry like hyenas.

The veteran musketeers who had survived countless battlefields began to massacre the enemy infantry.

—Stab.

“I like it.”

‘England’s Great Sword’ Earl Hartford, who stabbed the Mongol commander in the neck with his great sword, felt satisfied.

Now it was time to head south, reduce the number of enemies, and obtain spoils of war. Earl Hartford’s goal was to succeed in this life-or-death gamble on this fierce battlefield.

“And while the Crusaders in the south weaken the enemies, we must burn down the Mongol bastards’ strongholds!”

Seeing that the Mongol forces blocking him were weak, Earl Hartford thought that the Crusaders would probably win the decisive battle in the south as well.

Some time later, Earl Hartford, who had overwhelmed the enemies on the battlefield and seized treasures, received a new report.

“Sir, Crusaders.”

“Are these the interlopers?”

“Didn’t we take most of it anyway?”

“I was going to monopolize the next area as well.”

Regardless of Earl Hartford’s disappointment, new Crusaders began to appear in the distance.

‘We are not the only ones.’

The European armies, who would run away persistently when they were being defeated, became fiercer than anyone else once they saw a winning situation.

The European armies, who had been on the receiving end for so long, would never miss an opportunity. The Great Khan of the Mongols, who had surpassed Attila, was already dead.

No European monarch would be foolish enough to miss the opportunity that had arisen after a long wait.

The church and the monarchy joined forces to create a massive tidal wave called the Crusades.

—Waaaaaaa.

The shouts heard from the east, west, south, and north.

The Eastern Roman Empire army.

The Holy Roman Empire army.

The massive forces of the two ‘Romes,’ which could be called superpowers in a world excluding the Mongols, began to move.

The large force of England, gathered and gathered again, and the heavy armored cavalry of France, rushing in as if they could not be outdone.

Excluding them, it was time for the ‘Crusaders,’ who had many grievances against the Mongols, to ravage the Mongols in reverse.

* * *

While taking revenge on the Mongols, Europeans were still mistaken.

‘It’s confusing, but there are still many elite soldiers, the Mongol bastards must have left some elite soldiers behind,’ they were mistaken.

Europeans have not yet properly grasped it, but the Mongol Empire’s army remaining in Europe was already exhausted. The reason was not only that troops and supplies had been consumed in the long battles, but there was another important reason.

The new Emperor Ogedai and General Jamukha, at a crossroads of choices, wanted to protect the Eastern Empire itself, where rebellions were erupting one after another. Thanks to that, the Mongol forces now defending Europe were not the best elite troops, but rather second-tier forces.

However, with only three commanders, Jelme, Tosbukha, and Muqali, the Mongol army was holding out against the European Crusaders. These three great commanders were following the ancient Khitan custom of ‘殉葬’ (Junzang, human sacrifice).

However, the Mongol army, which had failed to secure gunpowder, was like a lion without claws.

As time passed, the Mongol army could not withstand the power of the European Crusaders and repeatedly retreated. Now, the European-Mongol army felt that their last moment was approaching.

They had endured quite a bit. But now, the Mongol army stationed in Europe had reached its limit.

“Generals… I feel strange that it is time to repay the grace that our grandfather received from the late Emperor,”

The first to speak was General Tosbukha, who had received Jamukha’s order and decided to risk everything to stop the European invasion.

“It is fortunate that I can repay the sin of not properly assisting Great Khan Temujin in this way.”

Next was General Jelme, regretting that he had not prevented the late Emperor’s honorable battle.

And the last person to speak.

“Let’s give everything for the next era.”

General Muqali, taking out mare’s milk from his bosom, said cheerfully.

Having left those words that might be their last, the brave Mongol generals took their bows and curved swords and ran towards the enemy lines.

Now they also knew. At this moment, no strategy would work against the Crusaders, so it was time to fight the final battle with the soldiers.

—May the Holy Mongol Empire last forever!

—Dudududu.

Like Richard I and his guards who were surrounded in the former Kingdom of Poland, they tried to complete their lives with death.

What was truly amazing was.

At the moment when death loomed before their eyes. Not a single Mongol soldier surrendered even in that moment of terror.

From the generals to the common soldiers, they had lived and would die as warriors of the Holy Mongol Empire, so they needed a noble end.

—Boom.

—Thud.

The European Crusaders spared no effort to pay their last respects to such Mongol forces.

* * *

—England, Anjou Palace—

It wasn’t just Earl Hartford who was sent. Countless military supplies also flowed into the battlefield.

Was that why? I was more nervous than usual.

Frankly speaking, this was real.

Even though I thought this was the end every time, the funds and ‘political life’ I had invested this time were enormous.

What was the reason why King John lost his throne in the original history? It was because he lost his authority as king by being defeated by France.

What I want is not just victory, but efficient victory. No matter how much I sent as mercenaries, the sons of England were sent to the battlefield, and the resources of England were being consumed.

That’s why I wanted to hear the news as soon as possible that the soldiers of England had protected the peace of Europe with as few losses as possible.

[You’re impatient.]

‘Of course, I’m impatient.’

I have no intention of hiding it from King John.

Waiting is always hard.

‘Still, it’s fortunate that England is not becoming a battlefield.’

If there is luck for me and England, it is that the battlefield has remained in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, not England. In fact, if England itself had become a battlefield, it would have been really difficult.

[The English army I led had the country become a battlefield, and I lost to that Philip bastard.]

‘What’s so great about that.’

[Safe John, I’m telling you that you are in a really advantageous situation.]

‘The problem is the economy… King John. If the war continues like this, England’s economy will collapse.’

[The economy?]

The longer the war drags on, the more disadvantageous it is. Even if you barely win a war that lasts longer, it is bound to turn into a Pyrrhic victory.

Fortunately, not long after, I was able to hear good news.

“Your Majesty.”

“Sir Peter, yes, did good news come?”

“We have driven the Holy Mongol Empire’s army out of all the territories in Europe!”

“Is that really true?”

The news I had been waiting for finally came.