The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 59

59. Indiana Jones (2)

―1186, Egypt―

―Long live Henry II, long live England! Our great king possesses three abilities:

Drinking, fighting, and making bastards!

Today, the ever-lively official anthem of England echoed from mouth to mouth. One could truly feel that the human voice was the greatest instrument.

‘Father, I hope you are at peace there. I’m not sure if you’re safe with those two treacherous brothers.’

As the military song played, the Confucian DNA within Ak Bul-hoe, who hailed from Southern Song, twitched when the word ‘bastard’ came up in the lyrics.

‘If you didn’t like it, you shouldn’t have been caught by the Jin.’

I glanced at Ak Bul-hoe and then turned my gaze to my proud soldiers, enthusiastically cheering for Henry II.

These are the newly formed excavation team members. Of course, they are also collecting slaves as a side job.

The voices of the knights rang out under the scorching desert sun.

“Ha… are there no Egyptian bandits around?”

“I’m itching for some slaves.”

Hearing those voices.

‘Indeed, aren’t there any desert bandits to enslave?’

My mouth watered. Where are some sturdy slaves?

“Your Highness, your expression is too obvious.”

The Irish territory has a long-standing slave market for importing and exporting pagan slaves. Of course, our guys are faithful friends, so they didn’t drag ordinary Muslim civilians to sell as slaves.

Even if they are pagans, making innocent civilians into slaves would surely sadden Jesus Christ. But openly depraved bandits, pirates, and prisoners can be traded as slaves, right?

Anyway, as we headed to the Valley of the Kings, we hunted for slaves.

At first, many potential slaves rushed at us shouting ‘Allah,’ but now they were rarely seen. Come to our Ireland, really!

Of course, as long as I, Safe Zone, was the ruler of Ireland, I wouldn’t just live off the slave trade.

‘Is the ‘war boom’ only about the slave trade?’

The Crusades are a great war where the Crusaders fight with Islamic forces for dominance in the Middle East. Then many supplies are needed.

Venice—Ireland’s reliable joint venture—supplied the Crusader ‘campaign’ and sold supplies to other Crusaders appropriately.

Of course, with the help of Jewish merchants, things went a little smoother.

“As expected, Bernstein is good at his job.”

“Your Highness, such precise supply is too difficult.”

“Work hard. There are no nobles who treat Jews like me.”

Thinking of the cruel European bastards who used the Jews to their fill and then threw them away like trash, Safe Zone, who at least paid them fair wages,

Isn’t he too merciful a Western ruler?

“That’s right. There is no employer as benevolent to us Jews as Prince John.”

See, even the Jewish merchant Bernstein acknowledges it.

Anyway, we arrived at the excavation site.

The ancient Egyptian New Kingdom’s cemetery, thoroughly looted by Egyptian tomb robbers 3,000 years ago.

“Ah, ah. This is the Valley of the Kings, the joint cemetery of the pharaohs that appeared in my dream.”

I know the history of ancient Egypt well. During the 21st-century war, my maternal cousin, Pierre, was a working archaeologist.

Not just any archaeologist, but an ancient Egyptian archaeologist, so I often heard stories about the Valley of the Kings from Pierre.

The Valley of the Kings, which the early 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Thutmose I created to avoid tomb robbery, but instead created an era of tomb robbery!

[Give me dollar!]

[Ten dollar]

Before the war, the Valley of the Kings in the 21st century was a mecca of ‘dollars.’

The mecca of ‘Give me dollar,’ where the descendants of tomb raiders fleeced tourists!

Anyway, there must be grave goods worth drooling over buried here.

When I was thinking about excavating Tutankhamun’s tomb, Godfrey, who was now a safe knight rather than the best bastard, told me another problem.

“Your Highness, aren’t you worried? This is a problem that will cause a great stir in the Catholic Church. Even if we put aside the pharaoh’s grave goods, the issue of the Limbo of the Infants has always been a huge controversy.”

“That’s true. But isn’t it an interesting topic?”

I think Safe Zone is giving a really good topic for my clergyman friends, who are already noisy about the issue of bishoprics (land of clergy), to get their mouths itching.

Can a baby who has not been baptized and has not washed away original sin go to Limbo, not hell?

Will those babies face the harsh fate of falling into hell because they cannot bear original sin? My theologian friends will take care of this headache-inducing theological problem.

‘KV-62’

The immediate problem is Tutankhamun’s tomb. I roughly know the location of Tutankhamun’s tomb, which Howard Carter discovered.

Of course, whether it’s the early 20th century when Howard Carter excavated or the 12th century now, I have to excavate that tomb with primitive excavation methods. How can I excavate it quickly and easily?

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

“It’s nothing.”

Masud, a Khwarazmian [person from the Khwarazm region in Central Asia] who was expelled from the Khwarazm Sultanate and converted to Christianity.

‘Why is that annoying Khwarazmian following me to the excavation site?’

There was discomfort that the former ruler of Khwarazm, who had become a true Christian, would interfere here.

“Prince John, I heard the great news that you are going to excavate the tomb of an interesting fallen empire (the ancient Egyptian empire). I followed you to brag to my son.”

A son… well, Masud must be someone’s father.

At that moment, I remembered the letter I received from my mother, Queen Eleanor, before leaving Cairo.

[My son, does your loving mother not want to be seen? This mother has decided to forgive and reconcile for our loving son John… That decision is to forgive and accept Peter’s mother.]

‘Wow, she’s amazing.’

I realize once again. Not just anyone can take the protagonist position in Civilization 6!

* * *

―Ireland―

Ireland, full of the Lord’s peace. The historic St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Ireland.

Bishop Rothaire, a handsome young man who read the letter John sent,

“Hahaha……”

laughed coolly, unlike usual.

Bishop Rothaire also knew that after the conquest of Cairo, checks and balances were being placed on Prince John in Egypt. It was so petty how annoying nobles were jealous of Prince John’s achievements.

But Bishop Rothaire did not know that Prince John would handle these slanders like this.

“You’re making that vile laugh again.”

At that time, someone grumbling entered St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

It was Peter, one of the two people most valued by John among Henry II’s countless bastards. Peter is the reliable worker of Ireland-Mortain, who has not yet recovered from his fatigue.

“Damn clergyman, are you plotting something again?”

“I am a faithful servant of the Lord, so unlike you, I don’t know what a plot is.”

“It’s funny to hear that from a guy who’s already dreaming of becoming Pope and is full of ambition.”

Peter and Bishop Rothaire, who had become close enough to drop honorifics!

The reason is that they formed a consensus as subordinates suffering from Left—Mary, Right—Eleanor.

Also, Peter, who used to use the name Pierre, once hoped to be a ‘clergyman,’ so there was a religious consensus.

Since both of them had clever ‘heads,’ they were wary of each other at first, but perhaps because there was surprisingly little mutual hatred. Or maybe they agreed that there was no need to fight under Prince John, but the two became close.

“Peter, isn’t it you who is scary? Haven’t you already taken control of your mother’s family? Prince John is able to use your guild as much as he wants because of your ability, Peter.”

“You’re saying funny things. Haven’t you already taken control of all the dioceses in Ireland?”

Peter had already taken control of his maternal family, who had persecuted him, and built a large business site just for Prince John.

Bishop Rothaire, with Eleanor’s support, had already brought all the people in all the dioceses of Ireland-Mortain under his command.

If the knights Godfrey, Charles, Robin, and Ak Bul-hoe, who had just joined, were fighting with swords after the Third Crusade was declared, Peter and Rothaire had been waging a struggle with their ‘heads.’

“……”

When Peter finished speaking, the two looked at each other with cold eyes.

“Peter, you Judas Iscariot.”

Bishop Rothaire cursed Peter by naming him Judas Iscariot, who sold out his teacher.

“Rothaire, you Simon Magus.”

Peter cursed Bishop Rothaire by naming him Simon Magus, a false prophet from the New Testament. But seeing them smiling contentedly as they said that, it was just a greeting.

Of course, the two did not bring up stories related to their lord, John, first.

The first topic was Eleanor’s eccentric behavior, not John. Of course, the reason is that it is a problem directly related to Peter.

“The Great Queen of England has invited our mother to Ireland. She officially declared that she would forgive her.”

“She’s really an amazing person. To ask for reconciliation first from the mistress (lover) she was most jealous of.”

Rosamund Clifford.

Peter’s biological mother and the most beloved beauty among Henry II’s countless lovers!

From Queen Eleanor’s point of view, she was a woman to be chewed up and swallowed, but Queen Eleanor finally forgave Rosamund under the pretext of ‘forgiveness and reconciliation.’

“Anyway, the Great Queen has forgiven our mother. She is a truly amazing person, the Great Queen of England.”

“She thought of Peter, who is favored by Prince John, and was it also because of Duchess Mary’s request?”

“By the way, Peter, you must have seen Prince John’s letter, right?”

“Rothaire, you got a letter too.”

At first, Prince John was only going to send a letter to Bishop Rothaire, but he changed his mind and sent a letter to Peter as well.

He sent his plan to Peter, the housekeeper of Prince John’s own territory, and that’s why Peter came to this cathedral to talk to Bishop Rothaire.

“We understand Prince John, but the Papal States will be noisy.”

“That’s right. My clergyman friends and I have a lot of worries. Will a baby who has not been baptized be in Limbo or not?”

Looking at Bishop Rothaire, Peter said.

“Rothaire, aren’t you a faithful servant of the Lord, so aren’t you okay with it?”

Then Rothaire smiled and said.

“Peter, you have to think differently. I can be okay with it because I am a faithful servant of the Lord.”

Bishop Rothaire, who trailed off like that, said.

“Peter, and don’t you know? The most common people among the ‘youngest’ that Prince John cherishes are priests.”

Prince John’s power base is Henry II’s irresponsible pleasures, bastards, and the youngest of all royal and noble families.

One of the most common promising jobs among those youngest is ‘clergyman’!

* * *

―Italy, Papal States―

In a good place to live where the warm Mediterranean wind blows.

―Ding, ding, ding.

The Angelus bell rang softly, ending the day.

“……I offer a reverent heart to Jesus Christ, who accompanied me, a humble servant, today as well.”

Pius II, who had been performing heavy and complex tasks as Pope, rose from his seat and prayed.

It was a prayer of thanks to Jesus Christ, who made him spend another fruitful day.

Yes, it’s the Angelus [a Catholic devotion commemorating the Incarnation].

The moment the red sunset glowed warmly.

From the lowest serf to the nobles and royalty, it is the Angelus that enjoys the end of the day.

The old Pope, who was enjoying the peace granted by the Lord, muttered.

“It’s peaceful. It’s really peaceful. Why did I, too, in such a peaceful daily life, succumb to Satan and become greedy?”

Pius II, paradoxically, was able to abandon all greed by sitting in the highest position as a clergyman. The Pope was the most glorious and loneliest position, so he was able to look back on his life.

As an old man who tried to use ‘religion’ as political power, he felt a lot of realization.

‘What have I been running for? Perhaps this peaceful life is the greatest power.’

From the time of Thomas Becket, who was an ordinary priest, to Pope Pius II. Pius II has spent many journeys in life.

He attacked countless people and committed several sins in the process.

But this peaceful time did not last long.

“Your Holiness, Prince John is now…!”

The Secretary of State Cardinal rushed in and said.

What Prince John had done in Egypt.

Pope Pius II, who was once called Thomas Becket, Prince John’s teacher, had a blank expression for a moment.

This expression is the expression he made when he was scolded by the bishop for an absurd matter when he was a priest for the first time, when his soul fell into the Sea of Galilee!

But Pius II is now the Pope.

If you are the Pope, you should grasp various situations when one thing happens.

Pius II, who had finished thinking, muttered.

“Limbo.”

The spark that John threw into the Western Church (Catholic Church), Limbo, is a difficult problem even in Scholastic philosophy, which is said to be the reflection of the medieval church.

What happens to a baby who has no time to commit sins shortly after birth? If the baby cannot go to Limbo, will it go to hell?

“Let’s think calmly for now.”

“Does that mean?”

“Let’s calm down for now. Prince John didn’t excavate it himself. And anyway, isn’t the story of the baby’s Limbo much better than the problem of the Limbo of the wise apostate that heretical people who have tasted Greek water claim?”

“I understand Your Holiness’s words well.”

And some time later. The world was shocked.

Prince John, who testified that he saw a pagan pharaoh in his dream, actually excavated the tomb of an old pharaoh.

The moment the dream was proven to be ‘true.’ The Limbo issue, which had long been a hot potato for the Catholic forces, became French fries fried golden brown.

* * *

―Western France, outskirts of Aquitaine―

The Earl of Surrey met someone. It was Marguerite, the co-Queen of England.

“Earl of Surrey, I’m going to look for my sister-in-law soon. So please protect Aquitaine for a while.”

“Your Majesty, are you thinking of going to Brittany?”

“Of course… If Prince Geoffrey’s son is born, it could be the seed of a new conflict. I’m thinking of giving my sister-in-law affection appropriately at this opportunity.”

“Could it be?”

“Don’t worry. Unlike the English people who targeted the baby in Westminster in the old days, I still don’t touch babies.”

The Earl of Surrey’s expression became complicated at Queen Marguerite’s meaningful words.