Chapter 376: Plans for the Future of France (1/2)

Within the royal palace of Austria, Berengar sat upon his throne. Standing before him was none other than Ludecke von Dürnstein, his Ambassador to France, and the man tasked with the efforts of Austrian Royal Intelligence to interfere with the Hundred Years' War.

At the moment, Austria sought to supply the French Crown with arms against their rivals publically. This would further drag the de Valois dynasty's name into the mud. Associating with Berengar and his heretical Kingdom had become a strict taboo ever since the Crusade was declared. To the Catholic population of France, accepting arms from a heretic would never be acceptable, thus allowing Berengar's agents to foster dissent against the Crown.

Ludecke had returned from his journey to the Kingdom of France with the intent to inform Berengar of the progress he had made. As such, he knelt before his King with a solemn gaze as he announced the slow progress he was making.

”Your majesty, King Gilles de Valois appeared to be hesitant to accept your gifts. He likely will not make use of such weapons unless he becomes desperate enough to do so.”

Berengar frowned when he heard this, where he then shifted his attention to Linde, who was sitting obediently in his lap, with her head resting against his chest. He began to stroke her silky strawberry blonde hair as he pressed her for an answer.

”What is the progress that the Iberians are making in reverse-engineering the captured Arkebuses?”

Linde instantly gazed up at Berengar with her sky blue eyes while prodding his chest with her fingers; she began to whisper in his ears the secrets that her agents in Catholic Iberia had uncovered.

”It is slow but steady; they have been dedicating all their resources to reproducing it. They should soon have a functional prototype; though it will be crude and made of cast iron, it will be the basis for future developments in firearms technology.”

Berengar nodded his head with a smile on his face; after doing so, he asked her another question regarding his enemy's progress on reverse-engineering his technology.

”What about the Catholic Church? The Italians seized some of my army's flintlock rifles. Is there any progress in that regard?”

Linde immediately shook her head as she heard this before responding to the question.

”It is too advanced; the spring steel required to create the action is beyond Italy or the Papacy's ability to recreate. It will be decades before they make any form of progress on reverse engineering your rifled muskets.”

Berengar smiled even more fiercely as he heard this report and petted Linde's head in response, which caused her to close her eyes in joy and enjoy the warmth of her husband as she clung to him. After hearing this report, Berengar made a decree.

”When the Iberians have begun to produce the arkebuse in considerable numbers, I want you and your agents to supply the enemies of the French Crown with similar designs. Pretend that you are agents of the Iberian Kingdoms, giving aid to the English, Aquitaine, and Burgundian forces.

When the enemies of France have begun to utilize firearms on the field of battle, King Gilles will beg me for assistance, and when he does, he will become a known collaborator with a heretic. Causing the French people to mistrust his dynasty greatly.”

Ludecke bowed in response to Berengar's orders in the affirmative.

”It will be done, your Majesty!”

After saying this, Berengar eyed the man with curiosity; there seemed to be a complicated expression on his face. As if he had something to say but was afraid it might offend him. As such, Berengar pressed the man for the truth.

”Is there something else you wish to tell me, Ludecke?”

Upon hearing this, Ludecke's bones practically jumped out of his skin. However, he managed to calm his nerves before responding to Berengar's line of questioning.

”It is nothing important, your majesty; it is just that the Crown Prince of France informed me to give you a message on his behalf...”

Berengar instinctively chuckled when he heard this; he could not get over the fact that the Joan of Arc of this timeline was a slutty trap who just so happened to be the Prince of France. As such, he was immediately curious about what that boy could have to say to him.

”I'm listening...”

Ludecke instantly shifted his gaze to his surroundings to make sure that Princess Honoria was nowhere to be found; it was only after he had confirmed her absence that he dared to repeat the words that Aubry had spoken to him.