The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 31

[Episode 31, The Winds of the Desert and the Sea]

-Eastern Roman Empire, Holy Palace-

Being welcomed by the Eastern Roman Emperor and taking a short break.

I realized.

Wow.

This is the Eastern Roman Empire.

The Safe Zone is safe.

Because it’s the Eastern Roman Empire right now.

But the journey here was so difficult.

For me… and for the vassals who followed me.

“Charles, Godfrey, Robin. You’ve really suffered.”

“I thought I was going to die. There were so many pirates.”

Charles, who directly operated my small island fleet, was horrified.

“But I learned a lot from this. And what to be more careful about in the future.”

Godfrey, the best knight limited to Ireland, seemed determined not to experience anything like this again.

And our Robin.

“Your Highness, I heard that this Eastern Rome has the most splendid bows and the strongest bows in the world.”

While others were dwelling on the difficult times.

Only Robin, the son of Norfolk, was excited about shopping.

Amazing!

I want to go straight to the accommodation, but.

An important banquet remains!

“I have prepared a delicious meal for our honored guests.”

Emperor Alexios II of the Eastern Roman Empire said, looking at me.

In this sacred palace.

A splendid and holy banquet took place.

On the ship, I suffered so much eating things that couldn’t even be called food.

To be able to eat the most expensive and delicious food in the world like this.

‘The cuisine of the Eastern Roman Empire is so special that it is widely known in Italy, Russia, and France.’

“Distinguished envoys from the West. It’s not much, but please enjoy the meal.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

I was surprised to see the food.

The colors are different. Are these Eastern Roman guys eating this delicious food only among themselves?

Oh? Unlike the meat of us Westerners, it’s dripping with juice.

The seasoning uses a spice cheat key. This is unfairly delicious!

The imperial chef, seeing my expression, said with a meaningful look.

Of course, in Latin, the international common language.

“Our Roman Empire mainly cooks with young pigs and calves, so it has a soft and savory taste.”

“I see.”

“And we enjoy cooking not only chicken but also partridges and ducks. Especially our Roman Empire’s duck is fresh and tender.”

As I showed a slight reaction.

The imperial chef’s explanation of the dishes became longer, as if he was happy to brag to a foreign prince.

“This dish is unique to our empire…”

Ah, yes. Yes.

Of course, I pretended to listen diligently, but.

I was engrossed in eating.

My stomach, which had suffered so much in various ways, seemed to finally realize that it was alive.

Yes, you’ve suffered a lot. My stomach.

Enjoy yourself to the fullest today.

I saw the ‘great nobles’ of England who came before us ‘beyond’ over there, but.

My business with that person is only possible after eating.

Postponed for now.

I’m just enjoying the rights of a human that I couldn’t enjoy on the ship.

The meal is slowly coming to an end.

I ate Eastern Roman figs and plums.

‘Ha… I should stop eating now.’

I informed my stomach, which was slowly complaining of fatigue, that the schedule was over.

Not long after, Emperor Alexios II of the Eastern Roman Empire raised his glass and shouted.

“For the friendship between the West and the ‘Empire’.”

-Cheers!

The Eastern Roman Emperor always omitted the word Roman Empire, which they call themselves.

This is amazing?

After the banquet ended, the Eastern Roman Emperor said to me.

“You have suffered a lot coming to our Roman Empire. Now, rest comfortably.”

Yes, I need to rest.

I’ve really suffered these days!

Anyway, the Emperor and his ministers of the Eastern Roman Empire tactfully did not talk about ‘work’.

Well, there are still not enough working-level people.

And we need to rest.

Anyway, our group stayed in a special room for diplomats.

And I got to greet the great nobleman I met at the banquet earlier.

He is the actual commander of this diplomatic mission.

‘Of course, I can’t play the role of a diplomat alone.’

In name, I am a special envoy of the Crusades, but.

They wouldn’t leave everything to me, who still lacks diplomatic and political experience.

Of course, there will be someone to help!

That person greeted me politely.

“Greetings to the Prince of England, the Duke of Ireland, and the Count of Mortain. I am Sir William, a Major.”

“It’s nice to see you like this. The greatest knight of my father.”

Polite language comes out naturally.

It’s natural. That person is one of the seven nobles who stand shoulder to shoulder with Robin’s father, the Duke of Norfolk.

Among them, the youngest Earl of Pembroke, William Marshal!

A famous general of England, known as Henry II’s sharp sword.

A very famous person who is considered the best knight of the Middle Ages in history.

‘To use an Eastern analogy, would he be Zhuge Liang [a famous strategist from the Three Kingdoms period in China], who has excellent wisdom and is good at fighting?’

I immediately asked William.

“So, has the behind-the-scenes negotiation ended?”

“For now…”

Listening to William, it seems that the Eastern Roman Empire was quite favorable to the Crusades.

First of all, all the Western haters have been purged, and there are many who follow the moderate policies of the late Emperor Manuel I.

The Crusades, a big event of the Middle Ages, must move properly.

Because they can keep the hateful Islamic Empire in check.

But.

There was a problem.

They are promoting me, John, not William, as the commander of this diplomatic mission.

All important matters will be discussed and decided with me.

Thanks to that, I have more worries.

‘Of course, it must be different from the case of the First Crusade in the old days, when the West and East Rome tried to use each other and ended in disaster.’

I can’t sleep comfortably.

**

So, William and I put our heads together.

I prepared for the diplomatic mission.

Two days later, I went to meet the Emperor and the Ecumenical Patriarch [the highest-ranking bishop of the Eastern Orthodox Church].

And I.

I was so busy that I only saw the sacred palace, but today I was able to see the scenery of the Eastern Roman Empire properly for the first time in a while.

Well-maintained roads, crowded people.

And.

The Theodosian Triple Walls, which look solid at first glance!

And that beautiful Hagia Sophia [a grand cathedral in Constantinople, now Istanbul] was really amazing.

Especially the pride of the Eastern Roman Empire, called the Hagia Sophia.

This architecture, first built by Constantius II, was not famous at the time, but.

‘I will rebuild this temple built by Constantius II and dedicate a better temple to the Lord than the Temple of Jerusalem built by Solomon.’

The beautiful cathedral became even greater as Emperor Justinian I, who said, touched it.

Passing by this Hagia (Aya) Sophia.

I came back to the sacred palace.

And I started having important conversations with my Eastern Roman friends.

With my reliable helper, Earl of Pembroke, William.

“Prince John, let’s start the negotiations now.”

The Emperor’s voice was heard.

First of all.

The goal of this negotiation is.

A smooth negotiation that will make both Eastern Rome and our Crusaders laugh.

I know it’s not easy.

But I will not insist on the position of the ‘West’ alone, but will consider Eastern Rome, which is the same Christian, and.

I will acquire the benefits of the West.

Ah, of course. Most of what I claimed was ‘diplomatic’ rhetoric that William told me.

How could I, who am not a professional diplomat, know everything!

‘But it won’t be easy to come to a conclusion.’

Although they treated our Western envoys gently on the outside, seeing the Eastern Romans who were conducting conservative diplomacy in various ways.

I felt that the negotiation period would be long.

As I thought.

Although the relationship has become closer than before.

There was still a ‘wall’ between the West and the East.

I could see that small wall on the faces of the kind people of the Eastern Roman Empire.

But I felt like I knew the concerns of the ‘Eastern Roman’ people.

Even in the boring diplomatic scene that lasted for 3 days, I could always be humble as always.

The Eastern Roman position is that they want to support the Crusaders with minimal force.

The Crusaders, or rather, me and William, who represent Henry II’s camp, want our Eastern Roman friends to put more effort.

But unlike the diplomats in the previous 1st and 2nd Crusades, who didn’t care about the circumstances of the locals.

I guessed the circumstances of Eastern Rome to some extent and asked for ‘help’ in a polite and active manner.

When the diplomacy was in its 4th day.

The Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Church, who had been quietly watching the diplomatic negotiations for 3 days.

Opened his heavy mouth, which had been closed.

“I will speak as the head of the Orthodox Church.”

“Our Orthodox Church…”

That’s how Patriarch Basil III’s words began.

“Lord Basil, is that true?”

“….”

Emperor Alexios II was surprised.

Even me, who came as the representative special envoy of the Crusaders, and William Marshal, who was the working-level official, were speechless.

While we were silent.

The Ecumenical Patriarch said.

“We are now facing the great enemy of the Islamic Empire, and our Orthodox Church and the Western Catholic Church have a mission to protect Jerusalem.”

The old Orthodox leader, who was saying such holy words, looked at me and said.

“I believe in the Duke of Ireland.”

Then Emperor Alexios looked at me and said.

“Then I, as the Emperor, must also speak my mind.”

Safe John, who heard the words of the people representing the religion and politics of Eastern Rome.

It was really hard to manage my expression!

Ha.

The icon of trust, Safe John.

Has left a historical achievement.

Uhahaha!

**

-Holy Roman Empire, Vienna-

An incident broke out in Eastern Rome.

This is because the massacre of Westerners did not occur thanks to John’s appearance.

The people of Eastern Rome felt the threat of the Islamic forces enough to start a crusade.

The fact that the current Pope Pius II was John’s teacher, Thomas Becket, etc.

It was possible because of several strokes of luck.

But what does it matter?

Just the fact that my beloved youngest son has achieved such a great feat.

It was worth mocking the other guys. “You fools! The youngest has done what you couldn’t do.”

“Congratulations.”

“The youngest must have been lucky.”

“That can’t be. John’s abilities that you didn’t know about are now in full bloom.”

Henry II.

Mocked his damned sons.

What’s the point of being so good?

Of course, William Marshal assisted John, but.

In the Eastern Roman Empire, they say it was Prince John’s achievement!

“Hahaha. German Emperor, my son has secured the support of Eastern Rome.”

“Your son is really great.”

Emperor Frederick I, with the red beard, replied happily.

Because it’s not a bad thing for him.

**

-Kingdom of Jerusalem-

The Kingdom of Jerusalem is preparing to respond quickly, no matter how the Crusaders, who are now preparing to move a large-scale march, operate their forces.

Everyone was nervous and preparing their troops.

To put it extremely, the survival and destruction of the Kingdom of Jerusalem depends on the success of this crusade.

Baldwin IV looked at a man with an expression of reverence.

A large build.

And firm muscles.

Perhaps, even to himself, a leper, he was an ideal man.

Baldwin IV did not bother to hide his feelings in front of the person in question.

“I envy you. You have all the ‘man’s conditions’ that I want.”

“Your Majesty, that is not true.”

Prince Richard knows.

How great that sick Baldwin IV is.

“Here, I am just a commander who will fight to protect the Holy Land.”

Of course, it’s not that he has no ambition.

‘Achieve the achievement of protecting the Holy Land, experience various battlefields, defeat the adversaries, and conquer Western Europe.’

Richard, who had high dreams since childhood.

He was a sharp and dangerous man like the young King Henry and Duke Geoffrey of Brittany.

But.

In this fierce battlefield to protect the Holy Land.

Richard is also just a commander.

“Saladin is said to have created the Middle Eastern Islamic League to confront us. To defend against this…”

So Richard is not a prince, but a commander, talking about the strategies and tactics of the Crusaders.

As time passed.

New news came to the Kingdom of Jerusalem from the sea beyond.

“Your Majesty, Prince John is now in the Eastern Roman Empire!”

“What did Prince John do?”

What could his fifth cousin, who is 5 years younger than him, have done?

“…they say.”

“What did you say?”

Baldwin IV was shocked by the surprising news from the Eastern Roman Empire.

It was a sudden stroke of luck that Safe John himself didn’t even know about.

“So that’s what happened.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The fact that his relative John did such an absurd thing.

Now, even Baldwin IV’s last hesitation has flown away.

‘I’ve let him run wild for too long. I need to set an example on this occasion.’

Having made up his mind, Baldwin IV took action faster than anyone else.

“Balian, the time has come.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Arrest the traitor Reynald of Châtillon immediately!”

If there is a useful lion, there is no need for a stray dog.

Baldwin IV drew the sword of purge that he had been putting off.

Of course, not knowing the ways of the world.

The corrupt Crusader knight, intoxicated with his own greed, had no way of knowing that fact.

Reynald of Châtillon said with a very wronged expression.

To the lord he is currently serving.

“Why are you doing this to me, Your Majesty?”

“I’m sorry, but I have nothing to give you today. Nothing to drink, nothing to eat… and nothing to enjoy.”

“The crime of murdering pilgrims, the crime of stealing property from the people.”

The knight, realizing that the atmosphere was unusual, became frightened.

“Your Majesty, I was wrong. Please… mercy, mercy…”

But it was already too late.

Before the holy war to defeat the infidels.

As a knight king protecting the Holy Land, Baldwin IV resolutely.

He mentioned the punishment of the sinner.

“Death!”

Richard, who watched this purge, was impressed by the resolute appearance that a dying leper could not show.

‘King Baldwin, with that sick body, such momentum… you are the lion.’

The man who caused chaos in the Kingdom of Jerusalem by causing all sorts of atrocities in history.

He will not even receive the honorable execution method of beheading.

‘An honorable death is a luxury for that person.’

One of the powerful subjects who gnawed at the Kingdom of Jerusalem died hanging.

The citizens of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, who confirmed his death.

Sincerely welcomed the execution of Reynald of Châtillon.

“Wow!”

“The villain is dead!”

“Long live the King!”

Considering the heinous things that Reynald of Châtillon had done in his lifetime, it was a very natural reaction.

And a great purge took place in the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Peter and Andrew