Sister, I'm the Queen This Life (330 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 174

At the words “There is a way,” Leo III’s ears perked up instantly, and he fixed his gaze on Cardinal de Mare’s lips.

“Join as a patron of the ‘Crusade.’”

Leo III stared at the cardinal with a dazed expression. A patron of the Crusade…?

“If Your Majesty contributes an amount substantial enough to render King Philippe IV’s patronage unnecessary—or at the very least, comparable to his—then the Imperial Painting Bureau will have no choice but to respond to the Etruscan Kingdom’s request for mediation.”

In essence, it was a suggestion to simply overpower King Galico with money. Cardinal de Mare swept his sharp eyes across everyone present.

“…His Holiness the Pope surely wishes to avoid a situation where the Yesap-believing nations, sponsors of the Third Crusade, end up warring amongst themselves while the expedition is underway.”

Though a cardinal, he bypassed lofty abstractions like “the Pope’s sacred duty to establish a heavenly paradise on earth” and went straight to practical matters.

While a war was being waged, the sponsors in the rear must remain stable. The message was clear: only with reliable, steady backing could the war succeed.

Conversely, however, it also meant that if a dispute arose between a patron and a non-patron sovereign, the Pope would invariably side with the patron.

“…As for the amount… Are there any precedents?”

Viscount Valdesar asked cautiously. The last crusade had been forty years ago; comparing prices from then to now was impossible.

“At the very least, it would start from one hundred thousand ducats—roughly ten billion won.”

Cardinal de Mare calmly stated the anticipated sum.

“Ugh…”

A stifled groan escaped the king.

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