1624 Summer(June– August)

“4 years, right? Long time no see, how’s it going, father?”

“Not bad, my son. So, are you now being used to the position of the ‘Regent of the New Roman Empire’ ?”

I met the Regent the New Roman Empire and the Prince of Wales, my eldest son, Richard at the palace in Naples, whom I haven't met in 4 years, thanks to the 10th Crusade and the cleanup after that.

“Y...you must be kidding me, right?”

“How am I supposed to deal with all the troubles from half of entire Europe? Do you wish me to be buried in the heaps of paper while you play around in Constantinople with my stepmother and your youngest son – my half-brother?”

And it was just as I expected. He grunted at me the moment he saw my face. He seemed tired.

‘Well, no wonder. Since Richard is too ideal and diligent, he must have stopped all the bucks to himself, as Truman said in the original history.’

If I hadn’t established self-ruling parliaments in Iberia and British Isles, Netherlands, which reduced the authority and task of the Imperator, he would have died of overwork.

‘Hmm...come to think of it, his temper resembles my father, his grandfather, Felipe II. No wonder I wasn’t on good terms with Richard till now.’

It made me a bitter smile. When he was young, Richard was too weak and timid, but when he grew up, he became too ideal and perfectionist, just like Felipe II.

‘As they always say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’

For others, my eldest daughter – the late Elizabeth, Lioness, mother of Louis XIII and wife of late Henry IV of France, ex-regent queen of France – inherited my traits, and my youngest daughter – Jane/Janet, Queen France, and wife of Louis XIII – resembles my mother, Queen Mary.

Who would my youngest, late-born son, Arthur resemble? But I don’t think I’ll live enough to find it out myself.

I’m 68 now(*MC, Imperator Eduardo Ivlivs Caesar Avgvstvs was born in 1556, and his birthday on July 7th), which is no surprise that I die suddenly in my bed, considering this era’s medical technology.

So, I had no time to quarrel with Richard.

Instead

“Why don’t you ask your fellow scholars in the Royal Society of London for help? Wasn’t that your cup of tea?”

“No wonder you’re sulking this all time. No one can control half of entire Europe by himself! Let your subordinates do the chores.”

“Are you saying I should hoax the innocent scholars into politics? If they seize power and glory, the Royal Society of London will soon be corrupt! I don’t want to dirty the organization you’ve established.”

“No worries. They have no choice but to please the Imperator – you – to keep their power and wealth, unless you let the John Bulls in congress approach them.”

“I’m sure that you’ll do much as I do since all the money flows to the Royals now – with the Royal being the #1 stockholder in Bank of England, City of London, East India Company, West India Company, Llyod Company. Let them always be your sincere counsel.”

I gave him more detailed advice, not in my cup of tea, but Richard’s point of view. Of course, if it was me, I would have done more dirty and convenient tricks.

However, since hell would freeze over before Richard would do that, I’ve decided to give him a bit of advice that suits his characteristics.

After a short silence,

“...You have a point, father.”

Realizing my attitude was different from before, Richard nodded his head, with a serious expression on his face.

‘Yes, he should. I gave him a piece of advice which was his cup of tea – not plotting dirty tricks but help scholars become just critics who can prevent the corruption of the system.’

‘Huff’

After taking a deep breath, I replied

“I wish to inherit the ‘Western Realms’ of the New Roman Empire to you. Soon, you shall be the

‘Augustus of the West’”

Richard’s expression became rigid. However, it was not like he heard something out of the blue. Instead, it was more like ‘This is it.’

“‘Augustus of the West’, you say?”

“Yes, my son. You shall rule the British Isles, Netherlands, and Iberia, the colonies attached to those realms – North and South America, South Africa, Asian colonies.”

“I’m afraid Italy and the Eastern realms will be your younger brother’s – Arthur’s – share. Disappointed?”

“No. In fact, I’m grateful. The Atlantic and the Pacific is enough for me.”

“If you have told me to govern the Mediterranean as well, I would have slap your cheek!”

“My, my. Do I look that easy now?”

“That was a figure of speech, father. No one can rule this entire empire alone!”

“Well, you have a point.”

“For your information, I shall spend the rest of my life in Constantinople and Naples. It would be my dead body that will return to Madrid and London.”

“H...hang on, does this mean...”

“Yes, it’s a farewell, my son.”

“Remember, Richard. London is the vault and factory and Madrid is the barrack and the Whitehall - last but not least - American colonies are the future and the granary of the New West Roman Empire.”

“Forget Germany. It shall be returned to the Austrian Habsburg after I die. Just keep focusing on protecting the 6 realms – England&Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal and you shall be praised even after your death.”

‘If Richard was a genius, I would have inherited an entire New Roman Empire, but he was just a diligent man. Which means the Western realms that I’ve fully grasped control is his limit.’

“...”

There was no complaint from him. Though he may have had regrets of not being the ‘2nd Imperator and Basileus of the New Roman Empire’, he realized that it was biting more than he can chew.

In fact, if the Original Roman Empire had the Mediterranean as ‘Mare Nostrum’, the New West Roman Empire – which Richard and his descendants will inherit – had a full grasp of the Atlantic and the Pacific. And that’s more than enough to become the superpower in Europe, not in the entire world, just like the UK in 19C and USA in mid 20C until now in the original history.

So, instead of complaining, he just said, with a sigh

“I wished to be a great ruler, just like you, father.”

‘Hmm’

It was no surprise. I asked back to him, with a smile

“Do you still think so, my son?”

‘Shake’

Richard denied it, shaking his head, and answered

“I wish to be a king who is loved by my people.”

‘Nod’

“You can, and you will, Richard.”

“...”

‘Sob’

In my words, he sat flat on the ground, crying.

‘Pat’

When silently padded his shoulder, he rose, straightened his clothes, and prostrated himself before me, and kissed me on the back of my hand.