The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 61

61. Indiana Jones (4)

Beyond England and France, all of Europe was now ablaze.

The Crusades? Frankly, the situation was too favorable, just another tale of ‘The Crusaders triumphing over the Islamic forces!’

But even the best stories become tiresome when repeated ad nauseam, wouldn’t you agree?

Yet, the unresolved Catholic dilemma persisted: Does an unbaptized infant go to hell, or receive mercy and wait in Limbo [the supposed abode of souls excluded from heaven], or ascend to Heaven through the grace of Jesus Christ?

In Catholic countries, this debate was as heated as French fries in oil.

Limbo is a ‘hypothesis’ asserted by the Catholic Church. To put it bluntly, it’s not an established doctrine but more of a tantalizing possibility.

With most countries, save for a few Eastern Orthodox nations, adhering to Western Catholicism, the question of ‘So, what happens to the babies?’ was a sensitive issue.

Fortunately, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, understanding John’s intentions, along with Duchess Mary of Ireland and Bishop Lothair, a prominent figure in Catholic circles,

were setting Europe ablaze with the issue of infants in Limbo, much like the prophet Elijah who set the altar ablaze with a single phrase: ‘Let fire descend.’

A noble couple, returning from morning mass,

would ask, ‘So, if an unbaptized baby dies shortly after birth, does it go to hell?’

‘Oh, that’s too cruel, isn’t it?’

Even serfs, struggling to make ends meet, were concerned about this issue.

‘What about our babies?’

‘We must get them baptized quickly.’

‘Please, baptize them!’

‘We want infant baptism as soon as possible!’

The issue of unbaptized infants had long been a topic of discussion, and by the late 12th century, a quasi-solution to the Limbo problem had emerged.

‘Get them baptized early if you don’t like it.’

Thus, a wave of infant baptisms swept through all Catholic countries.

[Please, baptize our baby.]

The parents began offering ‘donations’ disguised as overtime pay.

John’s close-knit club, especially the young priests with shaved heads pursuing their clerical careers, were raking in money with their customer-focused service.

So, what was Prince John, the orchestrator of this situation, doing?

John was diligently playing the role of Indiana Jones.

* * *

—1186, Egypt—

Having excavated Tutankhamun’s tomb, hailed as the discovery of the century, I sent a report to Friedrich, but didn’t head straight to Cairo.

I had some odd jobs to take care of.

First, to capture the slave trainees who dared to covet our artifacts.

‘Slaves!’

‘Egyptian Islamic slaves are excellent workers!’

After stopping by Rashid, another city in the Nile Delta, to secure new slaves,

Masoud asked me,

‘John, your troops are really working hard.’

‘I need a lot of Islamic slaves.’

‘Scary. If I hadn’t converted, would you have… captured me as a slave too?’

Does this guy think I’m obsessed with slaves? Oh, wait, I am.

‘We Westerners don’t arbitrarily enslave nobles, even if they have different religions. We take them hostage instead.’

‘Hahaha. We do the same.’

‘Anyway, the important thing is to find the Ark of the Covenant.’

If I’m Indiana Jones, I have to find the Ark.

After securing slaves, I investigated the tombs of those who acted as pseudo-Pharaohs during the Third Intermediate Period [a period of political fragmentation in ancient Egypt], the last chaotic era of ancient Egypt, in Avaris and Tanis.

‘Your Highness, unfortunately, we didn’t find the Ark.’

Sadly, I found the silver coffin of Psusennes I, but not the mythical Ark containing the sweet manna and Aaron’s rod.

However.

‘Prince John, we found this here.’

I felt a thrill upon seeing the ring, but I nonchalantly said,

‘I’ll take this ring.’

The turquoise Turkish-style ring was in a bronze box.

The excavation team didn’t seem to know the value of this ring.

Having once attended theological seminary, I recognized the Hebrew inscription on the ring: [This too shall pass].

‘Lucky me!’

‘There’s no modern theological movement re-evaluating Hebrew, and since there aren’t many who know Hebrew around the 12th century anyway, I’ll just pass it off as a pharaoh’s ring.’

I found ‘David’s’ ring, which the Egyptians must have looted during the invasion of Judah.

Great, I’ll keep this ring as a family heirloom.

And on the way back, our SAFE excavation team happened to discover a large stone slab. Something big and massive called the Rosetta Stone [a stone slab inscribed with hieroglyphics and their Greek translation].

But the important thing is that our people still can’t ‘read’ the wondrous hieroglyphs left by the ancient Egyptian pagans.

So, what’s the answer? Interpret it.

I already have the people I need for this.

Coptic friends who are fluent in Greek, Latin, and Arabic, and learn Egyptian, which is practically a dead language, as ‘hymns.’

‘Brothers in faith, I need your help.’

‘Of course, we were going to help you, Your Highness.’

The excavation team included proud Irish soldiers and slaves, but also

Coptic friends.

During a brief business trip to Alexandria, I sent all the Copts in Alexandria to Ireland, but I hired some of the Copts in Cairo at a high price.

I intended to use them for times like this.

‘Now, let’s decipher the words of the pagans!’

Moreover, I remembered learning the basic alphabet—hieroglyphs to some extent—from my cousin, an Egyptian archaeologist, in my 21st-century past life.

Compared to Champollion, who struggled immensely to decipher the Rosetta Stone in the original history, it was too easy to interpret.

And a few days later.

‘Your Highness, we have now deciphered the ancient pagan script.’

‘You’ve worked hard.’

SAFE John, who knows the future, and Coptic friends recruited locally in Egypt, joined forces to finally decipher the hieroglyphs!

The sun is setting in Egypt.

I, Indiana John, have now accomplished much.

My heart is as full as a hearty stew.

‘Hahaha.’

Masoud is laughing endlessly. Why is he suddenly laughing so creepily?

‘Why are you laughing?’

‘Because I didn’t expect this.’

‘Expect what?’

‘Watching you is amusing.’

‘Ah. Okay…….’

It’s not like a reality show, what’s so fun about watching me?

Anyway, after hearing Masoud’s silly joke, I moved to Cairo.

Crusaders and Egyptians alike had gathered, having already heard about my excavation.

They’re probably curious about the pharaoh’s burial goods that our excavation team worked so hard to unearth.

I’m thinking of charging admission. But it would be much better to give free access to the hardworking Crusader friends.

For now, anyway.

So,

‘Wow!’

I returned to Cairo amidst countless welcomes.

* * *

—1186, Cairo, Egypt—

In front of everyone, Friedrich declared in a solemn voice,

‘Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto John the things that are John’s.’

It sounds complicated, but simply put, all of Tutankhamun’s burial goods are mine. He was telling the other nobles not to bother.

The Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich I officially reaffirmed my promise.

Anyway, we held another banquet, and the next day, we held a pseudo-exhibition to show people

the ancient Egypt with the excavated pharaoh’s burial goods.

‘This is… the burial goods of a pagan.’

‘Oh… Great Babylon, this soul is in hell!’

‘But isn’t all of this the property of Prince John?’

‘Ah, yes, that’s right.’

So, people admired and regretted.

As soon as the pseudo-exhibition ended, I ordered the most loyal members of the youngest club and the mercenaries whose ‘money’ was mortgaged

to ship these pharaoh’s burial goods.

‘The Grand Queen sent them.’

Having already received my letter, my proud mother sent additional Swiss mercenaries to work.

Anyway, like that.

The main burial goods of Pharaoh Tutankhamun will be sent to my territory in Ireland, and the ambiguous burial goods will continue to be exhibited in Cairo.

Having finished the big job, I

had a drink with Friedrich. Isn’t it common sense to have a glass of wine to commemorate the excavation?

‘Huh… amazing. John. Now you’ve gone from John the Baptist, who could die at any moment, to John the Apostle (the disciple Jesus favored).’

‘So, I won’t be executed. I’ll be exiled.’

Instead of being executed like the other apostles, John the Apostle was exiled to Patmos and wrote the pseudo-Christian textbook, the Book of Revelation.

‘Many priests will be interested in you. But don’t worry, it’s going to happen tomorrow.’

‘Ha, I’m overwhelmed by the priests’ excessive attention.’

I was afraid of the sight of clergymen with cool heads rushing at me like reporters as soon as they saw me the next day.

Well, I did set Europe on fire. But considering prominent clergymen such as the future John Wycliffe and Jan Hus (Czech pronunciation of John), I was SAFE John himself.

And one of them asked me in a hurried voice.

‘Prince John, what do you think about the Limbo problem for unbaptized babies?’

‘Are you going to challenge the doctrine?’

‘What are you talking about? When did Prince John say that?’

‘The issue of infants’ Limbo is a sensitive issue.’

Anyone who sees it feels like I’m causing a big problem and holding a press conference, but I’m a clean John with no shame in the sky.

‘Ah, I was just dreaming.’

I’m just dreaming.

Sometimes powerful nobles or kings can argue about the Bible, but SAFE John, the kind-hearted Duke of Ireland, cannot say dangerous things that contain politics and religion.

Because I’m politically correct PC John.

‘But by excavating the tomb of the Pharaoh, you have proven that the dream of that pagan Pharaoh is not a simple dream, haven’t you?’

‘I had a new dream today. Abraham, the ancestor of faith, gave three sips of water to the poor apostate Pharaoh burning in hellfire.’

I paused for a moment while saying that.

‘In the name of John, I will build a cathedral here in Cairo. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to forgive original sin, so I plan to build a sanctuary here to perform a reverent baptism to wash away the original sin of the babies here.’

‘Oh, Lord.’

The priests understood what I was saying and were moved.

Look at them making the sign of the cross because it’s good for them!

* * *

—Alexandria, Egypt—

While our Indiana John was making a big decision in Cairo.

In Alexandria, a port city in Egypt where the waves blow, there was a poor Islamic commander who had lost all of the Nile Delta.

Of course, the Islamic corps here is in a miserable situation, chased away by the mighty Crusaders, but the power of the Ayyubid commander and the powerful Khwarazmian commander is still there.

After giving Guy de Lusignan a blow and there was no major movement in the Crusader command,

The Sword of Ismail, the Egyptian branch, began to move in a surprise attack in the western region centered on Libya, feeling like, ‘Are you rebelling because we lost the Nile Delta?’

At this point.

Ala ad-Din felt a very sad feeling.

He had experience fighting a civil war helping his father in Khwarazm, so he had already seen all the dirty things, but he didn’t know that his opponent in the civil war, Masoud, would appear in Egypt. In the worst way.

‘Ha… Uncle Masoud… no, the treacherous apostate Masoud!’

‘Your Highness…….’

‘Malik, I’m really hurt.’

‘I know that very well.’

Masoud, a hateful uncle who fought against his father Tekish, was eventually kicked out of Khwarazm, and now even converted and joined the Crusaders.

Ala ad-Din didn’t hate his uncle very much, even though they fought for Khwarazm’s hegemony. Rather, it was his father Tekish who committed the foul play in the civil war by bringing in the mercenary corps of the Western Liao, which can be said to be a foreign power.

But no matter how much he hated his father Tekish, who had foreign powers behind him, converting to Christianity was really crossing the line. Masoud, who will be cursed by Allah!

‘Our apostate uncle is interested in Prince John, isn’t he?’

‘Didn’t you see it last time? A knight from China.’

‘The Eastern Chinese guy converted well, so why aren’t there any Western guys converting to our Islam?’

Of course, there is a convert from the Mongol Naiman tribe, but Ala ad-Din did not treat such barbarians.

Ala ad-Din, thinking of the Eastern knight ‘Ak’ who assisted Prince John on the battlefield, smiled bitterly and brought up another topic.

‘The end… the end… It’s really a full stomach to talk about the story of Limbo in this situation.’

In the position of Islam, Islam, founded by Muhammad (Mahomet), the last prophet and the greatest prophet, was the order needed for people who were destined to die in the extreme chaos of the Middle East.

But look at what the Christians are doing. They are burning with the issue of the baby’s Limbo or something.

At that time, the commander’s tent opened and Safadin entered where Ala ad-Din and Timur Malik were.

‘Brothers of Khwarazm, thank you for waiting.’

‘Safadin Bey [a Turkish title of respect, similar to ‘Sir’], have you finally finished the long conversation?’

Safadin said to Prince Ala ad-Din’s question.

‘The treacherous Christian traitors understood what I was saying. Now we can rest assured.’

‘What did Safadin Bey say?’

‘There were more people who hated John than I thought. Even though they are the same Christians.’

‘As expected, Western Christians… are petty.’

As Prince Illa ad-Din was growing his Western hatred.

‘There’s still one shot left. John.’

Safadin barely held back his laughter, thinking of the cunning John.