Episode 24
They said it would take a month.
Once again, my prediction was off.
It took less than twenty days for the nobles, who had taken the bait set by the Viscount of Limoges and me, to return with evidence of each other’s treachery.
Considering the poor transportation and communication systems of the medieval era, this was an astonishing speed.
They must have worked tirelessly, sacrificing sleep and pushing their subordinates—and themselves—to the limit.
This kind of miscalculation is a pleasant surprise.
“Let’s see… It seems true that the Count of Auvergne had contact with French officials. Not only the Viscount of Limoges but also the Count of La Marche testified to hearing such things.”
“With Toulouse to the south and Bourges and Burgundy to the north, it’s no wonder something suspicious would come up.”
Richard smiled with satisfaction, looking over the evidence the nobles had willingly provided.
“Now we just need to send soldiers to capture the Count of Auvergne.”
“Wouldn’t it be wise to proceed with caution? We’re already detaining other nobles, and we don’t want to spread our forces too thin.”
“Don’t worry about that. We’ve nearly finished dealing with the other nobles, except for the Count of Auvergne.”
True to his reputation for thorough purges, he acted swiftly.
Watching him revel in his element, like a fish in water, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“How far along are we, exactly?”
“We’ve dealt with the ones we prioritized first. Those who were with me from the start might be spared, but those who wavered in the middle could betray us again at any time.”
Oh…
Hearing such words from someone who betrayed his father as a child is quite convincing. Almost.
My betrayal is a righteous one, but yours is not, so you’ll all be punished.
It’s the ultimate hypocrisy, but history is full of rulers who took the throne through betrayal and then purged others for the same.
Having ascended to power through treachery, they understand better than anyone how dangerous betrayal can be.
In the original history, Richard purged those who betrayed Henry II with almost pathological zeal early in his reign.
My plan was to exploit this process for maximum gain.
“What about the Treasurer?”
“I’ve locked him up, of course. But since he promised to hand over all the treasures and assets of the royal palace, I’ll release him soon.”
“Thorough as always.”
Normally, such extreme actions would provoke rebellion among the nobles, but Richard’s superhuman strength and military might made that impossible.
His very presence suppressed any thoughts of revolt, and no one dared to challenge him.
Moreover, Richard now had religious authority and legitimacy on his side, making him an unstoppable force.
No one could restrain him, and no one dared to bare their teeth.
Richard grinned as he rose from the throne.
“Well, it’s time to prepare. As promised, I need to grant you the title of Count.”
“Understood. I’ll gratefully accept.”
The stage was set, the actors cast; all that remained was the performance.
I stayed at the palace, waiting for Richard’s soldiers to occupy the County of Auvergne.
Richard’s relentless purge was nearing its end.
Those like the Viscount of Limoges, who could be useful to me, were spared, while others became sacrifices for Richard’s consolidation of power.
The first purge, long if you consider the stakes, short if you consider the speed, concluded with the Count of Auvergne being dragged to prison, screaming.
But the most crucial task remained.
In war or power struggles, the most important thing is how you distribute the spoils.
Richard intended to keep almost everything for himself, but he heeded my advice to share some with the loyal nobles.
If he claimed all the confiscated lands as his own, it might be fine for now, but in future purges, the nobles would surely unite against him.
Fortunately, Richard was wise enough to understand the broader perspective I suggested.
And truthfully, pretending to share the spoils lends credibility to the show we’re about to put on.
If all the lands became royal domains except for the County of Auvergne, which was given to me, it would be too suspicious.
With Richard as the perfect distraction, I could avoid any scrutiny if I played my cards right.
Failing to capitalize on such an opportunity would be a sign of a lack of intelligence.
“Now, let’s hear your opinions. Technically, I could do whatever I want with the confiscated lands, as it’s within the king’s rights, but that wouldn’t be fair, would it?”
“Your Majesty’s decision is both merciful and wise!”
As soon as Richard finished speaking, several nobles bowed and shouted in agreement.
In the Middle Ages, unlike the era of absolute monarchy, the royal court wasn’t teeming with nobles.
In the age of absolute monarchy, being close to the king meant being at the center of power, but in the Middle Ages, many nobles had vast territories rivaling the king’s.
Such nobles had no reason to linger at the king’s side, and doing so was considered beneath them.
But now, Richard had summoned the nobles, and many influential figures from the Angevin Empire were present.
Among them were the Count of Aumale, the Earl of Leicester, the Count of Mortain, and the Earl of Huntingdon, brother to the King of Scotland.
These prominent nobles shared one thing in common: they were Richard’s core supporters, unaffected by the purge.
They watched the chaos unfold with detached interest, having nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Conversely, those who had to bow at the king’s command watched Richard with bated breath.
“After a thorough investigation, I was appalled to find so many selling information to France. While I can’t sever all ties with France, selling information about one’s own king crosses the line, don’t you think?”
“Such actions must be punished severely! I fully support Your Majesty’s decision!”
The Earl of Leicester broke the silence, and the Count of Mortain quickly followed suit.
With the leading nobles in agreement, what choice did the others have? Especially when many accused nobles had already been dealt with, dissent would only lead to their downfall.
“I-I agree!”
“Good. I’m grateful for your understanding. To ensure fairness, I didn’t intervene in the investigation. It was conducted by Edward Marshall, a saint recognized by the Papacy and a treasure of England. As you know, many were exonerated and cleared of false charges.”
Richard’s gaze fell on the Viscount of Limoges, who bowed deeply in gratitude.
“Thank you for the fair investigation!”
“Indeed. While many lands have become my domains, I plan to entrust a third to half of them to capable noble families. This wasn’t about my greed but about establishing order in the realm.”
His acting is impeccable, as always.
If even Richard, more famous as a butcher than a politician, could put on such a show, I wondered how Philip II or Saladin would fare. Meeting them would require me to be far more prepared than I am now.
Richard’s finger traced the map of the Angevin Empire, indicating which lands would remain royal domains and which would be returned to the nobles, stopping at the County of Auvergne.
“The most challenging decision is this one. The County of Auvergne is vast, but its geographical importance is even greater.”
“Indeed. The County of Auvergne is a strategic point that divides the Kingdom of France north to south. If it falls, France’s territory would be seamlessly connected.”
“Exactly. I intended to keep it as a royal domain, but given its strategic importance, it must be entrusted to someone reliable. Being on the border, local judgment will be crucial.”
Unaware of the unfolding situation, the nobles nodded unconsciously.
Richard’s logic sounded incredibly reasonable, and some seemed moved by his apparent rationality in relinquishing such a vast domain.
Richard surveyed the room and asked quietly.
“With that in mind, I ask you: who is fit to guard the County of Auvergne? Remember, it’s the easternmost part of our empire and will be the first to face conflict if war breaks out.”
Several nobles, who had been about to volunteer, hesitated.
The way he spoke made it sound as if war with France or the Holy Roman Empire was imminent.
In such times, taking on such a region without thinking could turn one into a scapegoat.
As silence fell, the Viscount of Limoges, pretending to gauge the mood, stepped forward.
“Your Majesty! I have a recommendation.”
“Go ahead. But you’re not nominating yourself, are you?”
“No, Your Majesty. I already have my lands and won’t be greedy. I recommend someone who helped protect my domain, a fair and just man.”
The Viscount slowly extended his hand toward me.
“I am confident that no one is more suitable to oversee the County of Auvergne than Sir Marshall!”
“Yes, Your Majesty is concerned that if France or the Holy Roman Empire show any ambition, Auvergne will be their first target. But if Sir Marshall becomes the lord of the county, those worries will vanish.”
“Oh! That’s an excellent idea.”
The other nobles, who had been briefed beforehand, applauded in agreement.
“Even if France or the Holy Roman Empire harbor ill intentions, would they dare invade a land with a prophet who receives the word of the Lord?”
“Exactly! That would be blasphemy!”
In these times, blasphemy was a convenient weapon to criticize anyone I disliked, but when it involved me, the weight of the word changed significantly.
Even the Viscount of Limoges, who had been a skeptic, shifted his stance to believe in the divine presence.
Of course, France and the Holy Roman Empire might still treat the Angevin Empire differently. But that’s fine.
I have a series of events planned to win them over.
“Marshall, the Viscount of Limoges has spoken. What are your thoughts?”
“If the goal is to build a bridge for peace rather than a foothold for invasion, I will gladly accept this responsibility.”
This isn’t about expanding my influence; it’s about preventing war.
Indeed, that’s exactly it.
“Very well. If the prophet Edward Marshall says so, we must trust him. If anyone has objections, speak now.”
Naturally, no objections were raised.
As I stepped forward to stand beside Richard, the nobles welcomed me with a round of applause.
“Thank you. I will do my utmost to meet Your Majesty’s expectations.” I bowed to the king and the nobles, then quietly whispered the name I would soon be known by.
Edward Marshall, the new Count of Auvergne.
It has a nice ring to it.
The sun shone down on me from a cloudless sky, as if celebrating my new title.