Episode 82
“Look! They’re coming!”
“Scatter the petals!”
A long-awaited return.
I was dozing off, leaning against the carriage seat, when the distant cheers woke me up.
“Wow! Look at the people of the estate.”
Anna, who seemed bored with the scenery, pressed her face against the window.
“They look happy. It seems they’ve been eagerly waiting for you.”
The carriage gradually slowed down and came to a gentle stop with a soft thud.
A servant knocked on the door.
“My lord, we’ve arrived.”
I took a sip of water to shake off the drowsiness and stood up, taking Anna’s hand.
“Shall we?”
“Yes!”
As we stepped out of the carriage, the estate’s residents lined up, showering us with flower petals.
I walked through the crowd, receiving their warm welcome, with Fatima maintaining a respectful distance behind me.
“It looks even better than I heard.”
The gentle hills revealed the estate’s landscape as soon as I stepped out of the carriage. Even I was somewhat surprised, not just Anna. It hadn’t been that long since I left, yet the changes were evident.
“Everyone must have been working diligently.”
The agricultural output must have increased, and the establishment of the university likely brought in more people. I had instructed them to focus on sanitation with the increased resources, so the effects should be showing by now.
The estate wasn’t just growing in size; it was improving in quality, incomparable to before. Naturally, such a thriving estate would be full of life. Though it couldn’t compare to Constantinople, a declining city and a developing countryside have vastly different atmospheres. Perhaps that’s why Anna found it not so bad.
“You’ve returned.”
A familiar voice called out to me. Approaching from a distance was the person I had entrusted the estate to in my absence.
“Is that your bride beside you? I never thought I’d be the kind of father who couldn’t attend his son’s wedding.”
It was William Marshall. He awkwardly waved at Anna, who stood beside me. Though she was his daughter-in-law, her birthright was as the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor. For William, who had served kings all his life, it was understandably daunting.
Sensing the awkwardness, Anna bowed her head first.
“I’ve heard much about you, Father. I’ll do my best to support your son, so please look upon me kindly.”
“How could I possibly…”
“Being a Roman princess is a story from across the Mediterranean. Here, I’m just your daughter-in-law. Please don’t find it difficult.”
“Haha… If you put it that way.”
Unable to hide his pleased expression, William glanced at me.
“Edward, as you might have heard, the atmosphere in the estate has been tense lately. In the worst case, a war could break out nearby.”
“I know. That’s why I hurried back. I was planning to investigate immediately…”
“No, let’s leave that for tomorrow. First, there’s somewhere you need to go with me.”
Anna, Fatima, and I all tilted our heads in confusion. What could be more urgent than the threat of war?
Seeing my puzzled look, William quickly added an explanation.
“The situation is more serious than we thought. His Majesty arrived here yesterday and is waiting. It’s only right to meet him first.”
“King Richard is here? Did he bring troops?”
“No, not yet.”
That meant the situation wasn’t beyond repair. I instructed Fatima to take Anna to rest and followed William.
The border between the Holy Roman Empire and the Angevin Empire didn’t exist without my estate. The rest of the border was entirely with France. This meant that if war broke out, my estate would inevitably be caught in the crossfire.
Just as we were preparing to thrive, this was a bolt from the blue. I couldn’t let a war happen. Even if I had to prophesy that divine wrath would fall on those who started it, I had to prevent it.
Of course, that would only be a temporary fix. If the fundamental issues weren’t resolved, war would likely break out eventually, especially if this was someone’s orchestrated scheme.
The fact that the king himself appeared in a disputed area left no room for other interpretations. Especially after issuing an ultimatum, there was no need for further explanation.
Inside the mansion, which had grown even more grand since I left, a tense atmosphere lingered. In the room where Richard waited, the faces of lined-up nobles were visible.
Seeing such prominent figures gathered, it was clear how seriously Richard took the matter.
“I thought it would take a few more days, but you arrived early. I’m sorry for occupying your place without permission.”
“Not at all. It’s only natural in an emergency.”
“Originally, we should have thrown a grand feast to celebrate your return, but things have gotten messy. Please convey my apologies to your bride from afar. I’ll make sure to meet her before returning to my capital, so please reassure her.”
“Don’t worry. My wife understands the situation well and won’t feel slighted.”
After the brief exchange of pleasantries, Richard nodded and got straight to the point.
“The reason I’m here is to ensure we’re not missing anything on this side. And also to send a warning to the other side.”
“Did you find anything upon checking?”
“It was just as reported. I can’t understand why they’re acting so recklessly…”
Hearing the king’s sigh, the nobles seized the opportunity to vent their frustrations.
“That young emperor, riding on his father’s reputation, clearly doesn’t know his place!”
“Having ascended the throne without effort, he must think everything in the world is easy.”
“Your Majesty must give him a stern lesson.”
The nobles seemed genuinely angry, not just trying to curry favor with the king. To them, it must have seemed like the Holy Roman Empire had crossed the border to plunder Roman treasures, a blatant declaration that their country was a pushover.
If they weren’t outraged, it would mean they had serious issues with their pride.
“So, what are your plans, Your Majesty?”
“Having come this far, the conclusion is clear, isn’t it? I’ve confirmed that our position is entirely justified, so I’d like you to verify it one last time. And if possible, I’d appreciate it if you could issue an official statement.”
“Me?”
“Yes. I’m not asking you to take my side forcefully, but if you can determine who’s at fault for this situation, I’ll be satisfied.”
Richard’s tone was filled with sincerity. It showed how much he believed they had the moral high ground.
The problem was that, from my perspective, the Holy Roman side likely thought the same.
“Your Majesty, I’ll investigate further and report back, but until I reach a conclusion, could I ask you to observe the situation a bit longer?”
“If you promise to make an objective judgment, of course, I’ll agree.”
To gain a solid justification, it was necessary to raise an army after I gave an official opinion. If Richard hadn’t lost his reason to anger, following my advice was the rational choice.
“Then, may I request a private audience?”
“Hmm? Is it something that shouldn’t be overheard?”
“Oh, it’s not that I don’t trust those present. It’s just that there’s a message from the Byzantine Emperor that he wishes to convey to Your Majesty.”
“I see. Then shall we hear it before you leave for your investigation?”
With a light gesture from Richard, the nobles nodded and left the room. Once we were alone, Richard poured himself a drink and asked.
“So, what does Alexios III want to say to me?”
“I’m sorry. That was a lie.”
”…What?”
“I used Emperor Alexios III’s name because it could be disastrous if word got out.”
In this era, nobles were more like contract employees than subjects with absolute loyalty to the king. It was common for them to have ties with other countries. Especially in the Angevin Empire, many held lands in France and were nominally vassals of the French king. It was only natural that confidential discussions couldn’t be held openly.
”…Did you hear something from the Papacy?”
“No. The Papacy is just as troubled by this situation.”
“Then it’s not that you’re deliberately ignoring our claims and siding with the Holy Roman Empire.”
“The issue is that, according to the Papacy, neither Your Majesty nor Heinrich VI is entirely wrong.”
“What nonsense is that? The Papacy must be biased towards the Holy Roman Empire. Surely you don’t believe that?”
Richard’s eyes, which had remained calm, sharpened.
I raised a hand to calm him down and continued explaining in a steady voice.
“That’s unlikely. While the Holy Roman Emperor is indeed the protector of the Papacy, the relationship between the Pope and the Emperor isn’t exactly rosy at the moment. The Emperor wants to suppress the papal authority, while the Pope believes his authority should surpass that of any secular ruler.”
From that perspective, the Papacy might not mind seeing the Holy Roman Empire take a hit from Richard. If the Emperor’s authority is undermined, it becomes easier for the Pope to assert himself.
“The issue is that the situation is so delicate right now that even the Pope is hesitant to make a decision.”
“No, that doesn’t make any sense. The evidence clearly shows we’re in the right…”
“In my estimation, Heinrich VI is probably saying the same thing. And there’s a good chance he’s not lying. That naturally leads us to consider one particular hypothesis.”
”…What hypothesis?”
Though it’s still just speculation, the answer in these situations is usually quite predictable.
The one who stands to gain the most from this incident.
That’s where our suspicions should first be directed.