Chapter 23: The Snow of Ireland

Tattered clothing, the screams of a young girl, the red welts on her body, and the strands of hair torn out from struggling—these images replayed in John's mind. 

After finishing, John wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced at Ora, who was now curled up in a corner, quietly sobbing as if mourning her lost innocence. John, devoid of any compassion, didn't linger. He opened the door and walked out.

"John, you are a bastard," Ed cursed quietly as she saw him. "You deserve to burn in hell."

Hearing Ed's curse, John smirked coldly and approached her.

"Duchess Ed of Leinster… If it weren't for what just happened, I wouldn't have known how to deal with you. But now I have an idea. You'd better be careful and watch your words, or it will cost you your life."

Listening to John's words, Ed seemed to realize something. But before she could speak, John had the guard knights drag her away.

As Ed was being taken away, a plan was already forming in John's mind.

"Bring me paper and a pen."

A servant, shivering on the sidelines, quickly and respectfully handed John a pen and paper upon hearing his command.

John began to write feverishly on the rough parchment, drafting numerous requests to be sent to Henry II. 

First and foremost was the matter of dealing with the Duchess of Leinster.

"Duchess Ed of Leinster is suspected of conspiring in treason and harboring traitors. She should be stripped of her title, which should then be transferred to her kin, Ora. The crown should re-examine the tax situation in Dublin and appropriately deal with the leading rebellious nobles."

As John wrote this letter, he felt a clarity of mind he had never experienced before.

John had many ways to control Ora, just as he controlled the Earl of Gloucester's domain. First, he would elevate Ora, then gradually marginalize her—perhaps by confining her and ruling as her regent.

Although this method was despicable, it followed the proper protocol. As long as Henry II agreed—

"Due to Ora's young age and lack of marriage to a male, a guardian is needed to manage her domain. Such a heavy responsibility can be entrusted to the Earl of Lancaster."

In the letter, the Earl of Lancaster referred to John himself.

Writing such shameless content did not faze John at all. To him, this was merely a means of consolidating power.

"Next, the Earl of Lancaster will await reinforcements from Gloucester in Dublin and will survey the lands and financial situation in the Leinster region, expanding northwest into Ireland as circumstances permit."

"However, to justify expansion into Ireland, a suitable title is necessary. Therefore, I request His Majesty the King to communicate with His Holiness the Pope and have the Earl of Lancaster crowned as the King of Ireland."

"Dublin is an excellent port city, but its internal affairs are overly complicated. I need some time to sort out the city's internal situation and understand its intricacies. I believe that only after completing this can we continue expanding into Roderick's territory."

After writing these points, John added some flattering words to praise his father. Once the letter was polished, he folded it and handed it to one of his guard knights. These knights were skilled in warfare but completely ignorant of scholarly matters, so giving them the letter was the safest choice.

"Deliver this to His Majesty the King."

Although England was hundreds of kilometers away, John issued his instructions without hesitation. Such tasks were best left to subordinates.

After handing over the letter, John flexed his wrist and then remembered the young girl left in the room. As he walked back to the room, he saw Ora's body tremble. The recent events had been a nightmare for her, one she would likely never forget.

Seeing Ora in this state, John sighed.

If he hadn't done this, Ora might have had a happier life, but he would have lost tangible benefits.

"Ora."

John crouched down in front of her, facing the scantily clad girl.

"From now on, I will provide you with a better life. You can enjoy the same luxuries as a duchess. But such a life comes with a price, do you understand?"

As he spoke, John could tell Ora wasn't listening at all. Her terrified eyes and trembling body made it clear she wasn't absorbing anything he said. But John didn't care; he was merely informing her.

John continued, "The price is simple. You will live within the boundaries I set for you. You can never step outside those boundaries unless I permit it. Your entire life will be confined to the areas I designate. This is the price for the life you will enjoy."

Ora's tears flowed uncontrollably, streaming down her face. John couldn't help but reach out to wipe away the tear tracks. When his hand touched Ora's face, the girl flinched even more, curling up as if trying to become as small as possible and hide in the corner forever.

Fate is truly heavy, but sometimes one has to bear the weight of destiny.

John didn't say anything more to Ora. Instead, he gestured to the knights outside to escort the newly appointed Duchess back. The knights silently carried a blanket inside and left the hall with Ora.

John watched the new Duchess leave, and when her figure completely disappeared from his sight, he sighed with relief. These matters were truly tiresome.

Having finished his task, John decided to relax a bit and walked out of the castle. As he stepped outside, John suddenly felt like snow was falling from the sky. He reached out to feel it, and a snowflake landed on his hand, quickly melting into a droplet of water.

It really was snowing.

In that case, John could indeed only stay in Dublin.

It wasn't that John had any artistic inclinations; it was a military strategy. Winter marches were themselves a major taboo. If it hadn't started snowing yet, John could still move his army slowly. Once it snowed, marching efficiency would be completely lost.

Instead of plodding through the snow, it was better to let the soldiers rest well and continue after the ice and snow melted.

Anyway, John wasn't in a hurry now. He had already taken control of Dublin and just needed some time to consolidate. His opponents were the ones who should be worried. John's grasp of Ireland had significantly increased, and once he consolidated his resources, he would become the most powerful nobleman in all of Ireland.