Devouring World Dragon

Chapter 166 King Henry of England
Rouen, a city near Paris, France.

Inside the dark prison, flickering lights illuminated the passageways. Countless prisoners were held here: thieves, robbers, murderers, heretics, drunkards causing trouble… all sorts of people, varying greatly in their crimes. Some were imprisoned for only a few days, while others might be imprisoned until death, or even executed.

However, one cell was particularly special because it contained only one person.

Moreover, even though other cells only had dozens of people, they were patrolled by just a few guards. But this cell had several fully armed soldiers guarding it. Clearly, the prison was afraid that this person would escape, so they were keeping a close watch on him.

But inside the cell was not a muscular burly man, nor a cunning, disgraced nobleman, but a young girl.

In the dimly lit cell, the floor had been carefully swept. In the corner, there was only a crucifix on a table and two tall candles on either side. This was the only request the girl had made.

Facing the cross before her, the young girl knelt, her hands clenched, murmuring a prayer, her calm eyes holding an unwavering determination.

To be fair, she wasn't the most beautiful type, but the youthful energy on her face and the unusual composure she had developed from numerous hardships gave her an air of solemnity and dignity. Even being imprisoned did not shake her resolve.

"Truly like a saint..."

A soldier beside the cell stole a glance at the young girl in the candlelight, and couldn't help but admire her. Even as an enemy, this woman commanded respect, not only because she had become the commander of the French army at the age of seventeen, but also because she was regarded as a saint.

Who doesn't respect the saint of Orleans?

……

Six months ago, no one could have imagined that the Saint of Orléans, who had become an icon in France, would be captured by the Burgundians.

While leading her army to fight the Burgundians in southeastern France, Jeanne's army inexplicably became exposed and was surrounded by a large Burgundian force that arrived on the scene. Although Jeanne led from the front, waving her flag to boost the morale of her soldiers and repelling the Burgundian army twice, her forces were too small, numbering only a few hundred, and she was forced to retreat.

During the retreat to Compiègne, Jeanne insisted on covering the soldiers' retreat and leaving last. However, just as she was covering the soldiers' retreat, the terrified residents of Compiègne raised the drawbridge first, and Jeanne, surrounded by the Burgundians, was captured.

The Burgundians did not harm Jeanne; they simply kept her under strict guard and treated her well. The French generals tried to ransom Jeanne, but the Burgundians refused. This was because the angry King of England, upon learning that Jeanne had been captured, offered a high price of 60,000 francs to buy her from the Burgundians.

Meanwhile, King Charles of France, who was put on the throne by Jeanne alone, did not make any attempt to rescue her, because his finances were already in dire straits and he was simply unable to redeem her.

After being imprisoned by the Burgundians for four months, Jeanne was sold to the English, who then imprisoned her in Rouen, near Paris, where they planned to try her.

This young girl, who had saved France from the brink of collapse, was now being sold like merchandise between several countries. But she didn't complain; instead, she silently endured her fate and prayed to God. Occasionally, she would ask the guards about the current situation in France.

When she learned about the battles of her comrades, the French generals, she would listen attentively. If they won, she would smile and congratulate them on their victory; if they lost, she would look worried and fret about their safety.

But from beginning to end, she never thought about her own safety; instead, she always cared about her motherland.

"Don't you ever think about yourself?"

On one occasion, the Duke of Burgundy couldn't help but say something, and Jeanne, facing the Burgundian monarch, opened her eyes wide and said seriously.

"I am ready to die for France."

……

"Crack..."

Suddenly, accompanied by a heavy creaking sound, it was as if a door had been opened.

Jeanne was locked in her cell and couldn't see what was happening outside, but from the noisy footsteps, she could guess that some important person had arrived, which explained the large entourage.

But what does this have to do with her?

Gazing at the cross before her, Jeanne continued to murmur her prayers.

"Cough cough... This place really smells awful."

In the distance, the owner of the high-pitched voice coughed and complained. His voice was very thin and sounded like that of a young boy. Then there seemed to be someone else echoing him.

"Blessed by God... the Kings of England and France have arrived..."

Before the person even arrived, that arrogant voice had already rang out, loudly proclaiming the distinguished status of the person who had arrived.

"Wow..."

With the clanking of chains, the firmly locked iron gate opened.

Then, as if light were shining in, Jeanne could still feel the strong light behind her, even though she was facing the wall. It was the light from the many torches.

"You're Jenny."

A haughty, shrill child's voice rang out, as if speaking to a slave. Jeanne was in French, but in English it would be Jeanne; clearly, the person behind her had come specifically to see her. But Jeanne didn't get up immediately; instead, she continued to murmur her prayers. Only after finishing her prayers did she slowly rise and look behind her.

Surrounded by numerous firelight and richly dressed crowds, a little boy, barely taller than Jeanne's waist, appeared to be no more than ten years old. He wore a royal robe that was rather large and was looking up at Jeanne in front of him.

Although he held his head high, his arrogant and disdainful attitude made it seem as if he wasn't even looking at Jeanne, because Jeanne wasn't worth his attention.

“If you’re referring to the woman whose French name is Jeanne, then yes, I am Jeanne.”

Jeanne nodded, indicating that she already knew who was standing in front of her.

King Henry of England was nine years old, but as one of the most powerful monarchs in all of Europe, no one dared to underestimate him because of his age.

"Then you should kneel down before me."

The child's voice, filled with unquestionable pride, spoke as matter-of-factly as the rising sun.

"why."

Jeanne countered with a question.

"Because I am the King of France, your king, you should kneel before me!"

As if somewhat annoyed, the little boy spoke loudly, his voice high-pitched and thin, making people want to laugh, but no one present dared to laugh, because although the King was young, anyone who dared to defy his will was sure to have a bad end.

But Jeanne shook her head, showing no displeasure at the little boy's arrogance and domineering attitude, and stubbornly continued.

"There was only one King of France, and that was Charles the King who was crowned in Reims."

Upon hearing that name, the little boy in front of him clenched his fists tightly and couldn't help but shout it out.

“Charles… that deposed crown prince has no right to be king! France has been defeated, and his father long ago transferred the right of succession to the French throne to my father. Those shameless French nobles betrayed the agreement! I am the only King of France!”

Henry was referring to events following the Battle of Agincourt, where a defeated France was forced to sign an agreement with England. After the death of King Charles VI, the French throne would be inherited by Henry's father, Henry V. Therefore, the Hundred Years' War should have ended long ago.

Strangely, the two kings died almost simultaneously, within just a few days of each other, which gave the French nobles an excuse to refuse to recognize Henry's right to the throne.

In the eyes of King Henry of England, the French were all treacherous liars.

However, Jeanne calmly responded to his questioning.

"The French do not need an Englishman as their king; the French king can only be French and must be French."

She wasn't a very assertive girl; on the contrary, she was always gentle and docile, remaining the devout and simple shepherdess. However, she unexpectedly possessed a stubborn streak, being exceptionally obstinate on important matters and refusing to yield an inch.

Henry, standing before him, blushed with anger, but surprisingly, he suppressed his rage, took a deep breath, and then spoke in an unusually gentle tone.

"Kneel down before me... pledge allegiance to me, pledge allegiance to the King of France, and I will grant you freedom. What Charles could give you, I can give you too, whether it be wealth or land, anything."

For Henry, since Jeanne was loyal to Charles and helped him conquer territories, she would naturally be loyal to him as well, becoming his most powerful weapon to expand his territory.

“I am a Frenchman, and I am loyal only to King Charles of France, not King Henry of England.”

But without any tact, Jeanne directly retorted with a single sentence.

Henry's face instantly darkened, and he spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Then you'll die here, I swear."

Jeanne did not answer him again, but turned around, closed her eyes, and silently prayed to the cross in front of her once more.

There was silence behind me, followed by the sound of footsteps turning away and cursing. After a long while, I could still faintly hear the angry voice of that child in the distance.

"I want that woman dead!"

Amidst the cacophony of noise, as the crowd escorted the young King of England away, Jeanne remained in her cell.

He opened his eyes, a silence settling within his bright gaze.

"Death...?"

(End of this chapter)