The Youngest Prince Of The English Royalty House [EN]: Chapter 80

80. Not Plagiarism (1)

―English Territory of Western France, Anjou Estate―

“They say the funeral Mass ended like that.”

“Ah, the hero has departed.”

Henry II had just received news of Baldwin’s death.

Baldwin IV. A young knight-king whom Henry II had always respected.

Baldwin, afflicted with leprosy at a young age, lived a life betrayed by many, facing frustration, sorrow, and despair at every turn.

Yet, young Baldwin persevered and never lost faith. Henry II, well aware of this, admired him as a knight-king, regardless of age.

But the one who left is gone now. It is time for those who remain to do their best.

‘Now, I must do my work.’

Henry II was growing old with the passage of time, but he still had much to finish in this world.

He would ambush his hateful sons if they showed any weakness. Except for our good John, of course.

“Your Majesty, Sir Walter has arrived.”

At the words of his esteemed knight, William Marshal, Henry II said with a delighted expression.

“Let him in.”

After a short time.

“…….”

Henry II silently gazed at the person before him.

Instead of immediately asking for his opinion, he savored a sip of blanc—wine from his son’s Dublin brand [a white wine].

It was hard to believe that such a wine, with its perfect combination of taste and aroma, could be made in Ireland.

‘He has developed the territory so well that he can produce such good wine.’

As expected, his beloved son John was even good at making wine. Truly, he was Lovely John, always showing such admirable qualities.

In any case, Henry II waited patiently.

For a king of a nation, it is necessary to have the skill to make the other party speak what the king wants to hear without directly pressuring them with his position.

In the end, Henry II’s patience paid off.

“It is a victory for His Majesty’s patience. I will follow His Majesty’s will. I acknowledge Peter, that child. And I also acknowledge Prince John’s ability to influence him.”

The nobleman called Walter continued, wearing a forced smile.

However, Henry II spoke as if that answer was insufficient.

“Is that all?”

Then the man called Walter sighed and spoke again.

“Haa, does Your Majesty want more? Our family has gifted a well-established guild [an association of craftsmen or merchants] for Prince John and bowed to the Queen Mother.”

It was somewhat presumptuous for a mere nobleman to act this way towards the ruler of England, which was enjoying a tremendous golden age as a newly emerging power.

“…Is that so? But that is good for John and Eleanor, not for me, isn’t it?”

However, at Henry II’s unexpected words.

“…!”

The nobleman Walter was speechless.

Then, Henry II said with a strange smile.

“Give me 20% of what you propose. Then your grandson Peter and our son John can be happy.”

“Must I do that for a bastard?”

“Peter is a bastard with my blood. A bastard with royal blood.”

“…….”

As Walter was too shocked to speak, Henry II changed the subject.

“And I didn’t put Iliam in Ireland just to bother John.”

“Then what is the reason?”

“To protect your daughter and grandson, who bowed to the Queen Mother.”

Henry II said to Walter, who was about to protest about how it didn’t matter that he had demoted Iliam, the king of a ruined nation, to the Earl of Scotland.

“…Although we defeated him due to the difference in national power and justification, Earl Iliam of Scotland is quite capable…”

“Could it be that Your Majesty?”

“Where else would John find a better teacher than him?”

“Your Majesty is truly amazing.”

“Sir Walter, so now help John without worrying about what others think. Surely such an excellent noble family won’t just give John a guild, will they?”

Walter Clifford, the father of Henry II’s most beloved mistress, Rosamund Clifford, was impressed by Henry II, who was the epitome of a jerk.

* * *

―1188, Ireland―

Many people lamented the death of the knight-king Baldwin, but paradoxically, the people who were truly saddened were those who continued to live.

Thanks to Adam and Eve, who broke the oath made to God and ate the fruit of good and evil, we have to work to live.

Is it just labor? In Eastern terms, it is the ordeal of human life to overcome the five desires, seven emotions, birth, aging, sickness, death, twists and turns, and all sorts of hardships.

Labor is prayer, and prayer is labor. Even nobles must work to live.

“Nora-toyo!”

“Natu!”

My beloved second and third children, still with underdeveloped oral structures, overflowing with cuteness.

The twins have grown up a lot now. Elizabeth and Charles each hold onto my arm.

They are telling me to play with them aggressively.

‘Of course, I want to play with them too.’

But unfortunately, I am not only the father of these children but also a person with a great mission as the Grand Lord of Ireland.

And the Grand Lord of Ireland is envied by the world.

Today, I am busy working hard to make Ireland peaceful against dangerous enemies.

Of course, you can’t leave big tasks only to the working-level staff. There are so many things that require my ‘decision’ as the final approver that I can’t spend time with the children, but I have a cheat key.

That’s right, James from ’82!

“But Daddy has a lot of work~ James, deploy!”

“Tch, am I my younger siblings’ toy?”

To my eldest son, who is now chubby and noticeably cuter.

“Don’t you want to play with such cute younger siblings?”

I told him the reality.

“Oppa!” [Korean term for older brother used by females]

“Hyung!” [Korean term for older brother used by males]

How could he not play with his younger siblings, who resemble only the good qualities of me and Mary and will likely become beauties and handsome men on the level of Maria Theresa and Louis XV [historical figures known for their beauty and influence]?

“Haa… I’ll play with you.”

Having used the summoning technique—James throwing, I immersed myself back in work. It was the task of reviewing the current state of Ireland.

Our Ireland was gradually growing. Livestock farming and tourism were being developed more splendidly.

Cows, sheep, and pigs were eating feed deliciously, and well-grown meat was being made into sausages and ham, focusing on the production of beer that was almost like drinking water.

Of course, I couldn’t provide the affluence to the extent that I could say, like Henry IV, ‘Let every Sunday have a chicken on the table!’

However, at least, I think I can say, ‘Make sure to eat rye bread and stew (soup with ingredients) with sausages and ham every Sunday!’

The same goes for the tourism industry.

The Pilgrim’s Trail, the Street of the Coptic Brothers of Faith, and Beer Street were absorbing money from new tourists.

And Ireland’s military power, which is really important, was gradually becoming stronger.

Instructors from the veteran soldiers who had survived many life-and-death situations in the Crusades were training new soldiers.

Elite cavalry carefully learned the experiences of nomads, and there were also technicians who were ‘Europeanizing’ China’s advanced civilization through the Evil Bulhoe [likely a reference to a character or group involved in technological transfer].

At that time.

“Your Highness, the Earl of Scotland requests an audience.”

A pitiful guest has come.

* * *

I didn’t forget that our faithful and my father had dumped someone in Ireland.

Every time I think about it, our England seems to be the epitome of a jerk.

Even though he is the king of a defeated country, isn’t the title of Earl too much?

Our father, Henry II.

I don’t know if he is testing me or bothering me, or maybe both. But even that title, ‘Earl of Scotland,’ which was mixed in like an impurity, was still an awkward opponent.

“Duke of Ireland.”

“Yes, Lord Iliam.”

I am not the kind of prince with the personality to say, ‘What’s up, you!’ to the person who fell from the King of Scotland to the Earl of Scotland. Safe John has thorough Confucian DNA with benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom [referencing Confucian values].

In my 21st-century past life, even though my mother was French, my father was Korean, so my grandfather even gifted me a Meng-zi school [a school focused on the teachings of Mencius, a Confucian philosopher].

But perhaps because he was terribly hurt in his pride by being defeated by England in many ways, or because he was aware of the miserable reality. Or perhaps because the head of ‘Robert’ displayed beyond him was unsettling. He showed a much more polite attitude to the young me.

“I must thank you.”

“What is there to thank me for?”

“Either way, I had no choice but to fail in the rebellion. Those friends were like the Gracchus brothers [Roman reformers who met violent ends].”

The Gracchus brothers were turbulent figures who advocated for reforms in ancient Rome.

But Iliam’s intention in mentioning them here is that they were foolish and unfortunate friends who failed because their preparation and planning were a mess, like those Gracchus.

And the expression on his face when he said that was no different from the expression of someone who had lost everything.

‘But he might be deceiving me with that appearance.’

There is something I have newly realized while experiencing my past and present lives.

You shouldn’t easily trust people unless there is a ‘covenant’ relationship where interests align or you die together if you really split up.

That’s why I was suspicious. It wasn’t the Danish guys who instigated it. Could it be that ‘Iliam’ really moved on his own?

At that time, Iliam said.

“People in the world are calling Your Grace Safe John, and I know that Your Grace is also… calling himself Safe John. Is that correct?”

“That’s right…….”

“Although I am in an unwanted position due to experiencing unexpected events, I have become a vassal of Your Grace anyway. So, I hope you will keep me safe.”

In other words, ‘My country was ruined and everything was ruined because of your father. But just save me!’

“The name of Safe John is a strong fortress, and those who are there will all be safe.”

Of course, it will become dangerous if you get caught doing ‘behind-the-scenes work.’

* * *

Thinking about the sight of the ‘Earl,’ who was once Iliam I, bowing his head to me, it seems that the world is so futile.

I still don’t know why my father created the ridiculous title of Earl of Scotland, which he didn’t even need to create.

In fact, if my father had a mind to, he could have made Iliam ‘commit suicide’ or killed him with an ‘epidemic.’

However, there were so many countries ‘paying attention’ to our increasingly powerful England these days, and if England got caught doing unnecessary things.

It was obvious that the European friendship of joining forces to beat up a successful guy would come out again, so he wouldn’t have done that.

“Your Highness, all the vassals have gathered.”

“I understand.”

What was waiting for me after finishing my thoughts was Lothaire, the Bishop of Ireland, Peter, the Chief Secretary of State, and Sir Aymar.

The three people, born in Italy, England, and France, respectively.

Although they were born in different places, they are now all working hard for the livelihood of Ireland.

‘One is the Pope who threatened the original King John, one is one of the original King John’s abandoned bastards who suffered because of the foolish Prince John in the original history and declared neutrality, and one is a French knight who economically attacked the original King John’s territory while serving as Philip II’s warehouse keeper.’

‘Looking at it like this, the lineup is crazy.’

There are two bullies who tormented the foolish and incompetent King ‘John’ in the original history.

Of course, in history, Pierre (Peter) did not harass John as much as the bastard—Geoffrey (Sir Godfrey)—who refused to support Prince John at the most important moment. But he did slightly open the way for the French army.

Anyway, I, who am now living as the great nobleman Safe John instead of the incompetent King John, used them in reverse.

“Thanks to Lord Lothaire, Peter, and Sir Aymar… Ireland has been able to develop like this.”

I usually speak informally to Peter, who lived like a brother, but because of the position, I also treated him with some respect.

Yes, as I just said, the internal affairs of Ireland have become solid due to them.

Although the gamble I made in the Middle East was successful, if the internal affairs were not properly managed, the suddenly received ‘funds’ could have become poison.

But thanks to the Safe Knights, Godfrey, Charles, Robin, and Evil Bulhoe, who worked hard, we were able to digest that enormous ‘wealth.’

So I told them my new plan. And the housekeepers began to react.

“…This goes very well not only with Ireland but also with France.”

As expected, Aymar, who was born in France, was well aware of the intentions of the questioner, Safe John.

And even Peter, who had worked with me for a long time, was impressed.

“Prince John has created a new path.”

Bishop Lothaire, who had been silent, asked me with an indifferent expression.

“What is the name of this council that Your Highness has created?”

“Ah, ah, this is called the Estates-General [a representative assembly].”