A.E.I.O.U

After leaving Milan, Laszlo's entourage traveled south along the main road.

When passing through Bologna, Laszlo specifically invited a famous local humanist scholar to explain the cultural essence of Northern Italy to the accompanying painters and historians.

He personally visited the University of Bologna—the first university in the world, which Laszlo had heard about for a long time and finally got to see today.

He also feigned deep discussions with scholars on religious, philosophical, and legal issues; thanks to his teacher Aeneas's assistance, Laszlo, who did not have a deep understanding of these subjects, was able to answer fluently.

These activities not only showcased Laszlo's "knowledge" but also earned him praise from a group of scholars.

Without much delay, Laszlo briefly visited Florence—the cradle of the Renaissance, a rapidly developing city where people's spirits were vastly different from elsewhere, presenting a thriving scene.

Laszlo didn't even stay an extra day in Florence, because Rome, which he had been longing for, was already close at hand.

Upon entering Rome, the Pope personally led a large number of clerics and believers to welcome Laszlo's arrival in St. Peter's Square.

The welcoming ceremony was so grand that Laszlo himself was somewhat taken by surprise.

During his stay in Rome, Laszlo visited many historical sites, including the Colosseum and the Pantheon.

He showed great interest in Rome's history. Well... he had already memorized Rome's history in his previous life; this city still existed, but the Roman Empire of yesteryear had already turned to dust.

After two days of busy preparations, the coronation was ready.

As the first rays of morning light fell upon Rome's red-tiled rooftops, an indescribable solemnity and anticipation filled the air.

Both sides of the streets were already packed with onlookers, their colorful attire forming a vibrant tableau.

Children stood on tiptoes, craning their necks, trying to peer over the adults' shoulders into the distance, while the elderly silently clutched rosaries, softly praying.

It was as if all of Rome held its breath, awaiting this historic moment.

The dome of St. Peter's Basilica stood tall, reflecting a soft golden glow in the morning light, like a bridge between heaven and earth.

The square in front of the church had been newly decorated and covered with flowers, the air filled with the fragrance of roses and lilies.

Swiss mercenaries, clad in magnificent armor and holding gleaming halberds, stood on both sides of the square, their figures as erect as statues. The church bells glittered in the morning light, as if also awaiting that solemn chime.

As the sound of hooves grew clearer from a distance, the crowd began to cheer, their voices rising and falling like waves.

A long procession slowly advanced towards the square, led by a lavishly decorated royal carriage, its four white horses' manes braided into neat garlands, their steps elegant and steady. The accompanying knights were fully armed, cloaked in capes embroidered with family crests, their banners fluttering in the wind. The sunlight reflected dazzlingly off their golden helmets and silver armor, as if they were surrounded by stars.

The coronation ceremony was held inside St. Peter's Basilica.

As the one to be crowned stepped into the church, the organ music swelled like a heavenly sound, solemn and magnificent.

The high dome inside the church cast countless dappled light spots in the sunlight, and the stained-glass biblical scenes seemed to come alive.

Cardinals, dressed in splendid robes, solemnly gathered around the Pope.

The magnificent and shining Imperial Crown was placed on a velvet cushion; the entire crown was made of gold, inlaid with precious diamonds, symbolizing supreme power and glory.

When the Pope gently placed the crown on Laszlo's head, the entire assembly fell into solemn silence.

Then, the organ music resumed, and the choir of clerics sang holy hymns in harmony with the music. Candlelight flickered in the church, as if celebrating this holy moment. The crowd outside the church erupted in enthusiastic cheers, and doves flew up in flocks, circling in the clear blue sky.

After the coronation, Laszlo led a grand parade.

At the front of the procession was a military band with synchronized steps, the drums and horn calls interweaving, stirring the heart. Nobles in splendid attire rode on tall horses, waving to the onlookers.

Along both sides of the streets, people scattered petals onto the parade, ribbons flew, and the air was filled with festive joy.

The Emperor's attendants, meanwhile, pulled handfuls of florin gold coins from their pockets, scattering them along the parade route. People cheered enthusiastically, praising the Emperor's greatness.

The entire city of Rome, under the sunlight, seemed to transform into a flowing scroll, everyone immersed in this historic moment of glory.

This was a solemn ceremony, as well as a grand celebration, an interplay of faith and power.

Although the entire process was solemn, Laszlo knew deep down that it was merely a "formal performance."

The coronation went smoothly, but two parts of it still bothered Laszlo: one was before entering St. Peter's Basilica for the coronation, the Emperor had to perform the kiss of the Pope's foot... Heaven knows how much determination it took for him to kiss the wrinkled foot of a seventy-something old man; in any case, Laszlo's face remained expressionless throughout the rest of the ceremony.

The second was during the banquet... no, it should be called the holy Communion segment, after which night fell, and Laszlo was forced to share a bed with the old Pope for a night ~ This symbolized the unity and close friendship of the two great leaders of the Catholic world, religious and secular.

We still don't know if the old Pope developed an interest in Laszlo, the expired little boy; in any case, everything was completed as planned.

Besides the two aforementioned matters, there was also something that gave Laszlo a headache—the Imperial Crown, weighing seven catties, made of gold, and adorned with a large number of precious stones, making Laszlo physically experience what it means to "wear the crown, bear its weight."

After various formalities, Laszlo officially became the "Supreme Roman Emperor."

While a series of celebratory activities were underway, his uncle Ulrich's negotiations with the Pope's representative also concluded successfully. The Pope agreed not to interfere further with the negotiations between Venice and Milan, provided they could reach peace as planned before the Crusade was launched.

Next, Laszlo and Leonor stayed in Rome for half a month, sightseeing everywhere, treating this trip entirely as a honeymoon. The Pheasant Feast was expected to be held at the end of August, so they had ample time to sightsee in Rome.

Only after the young couple's footprints were left all over Rome did the entourage leave the city, heading north to return to the Empire.

News of the Emperor's coronation quickly spread throughout Europe, accompanied by the widely circulated news that he would lead a new Crusade against the Ottomans.

In Paris, at the French King's court, Charles VII heard that the 15-year-old young Emperor had been crowned in Rome and was ambitiously preparing to go to war with the Ottomans, which he found amusing.

Even Albrecht II, known as "the Noble," couldn't expel the Ottomans; how could this inexperienced young boy possibly achieve such a great feat? He couldn't really believe that with the support of that traitor Burgundy, he could contend with the Ottomans, could he?

However, Charles VII was not entirely without worries.

Given the close relationship between the Holy Roman Emperor and the Burgundy family, it was likely that the Emperor was determined to meddle in France's internal affairs. If so, the Ottomans, who posed a great threat to the Emperor, would be a potential ally for France.

Although Charles VII had always strived to reduce the Pope's authority in France and declared that no European ruler was above the King of France, openly colluding with infidels would undoubtedly cause France to lose face and become notorious.

Now, he could only pray that the Ottomans would achieve a great victory on the battlefield, severely weakening the Empire and Burgundy, perhaps then he could seize the opportunity to reclaim Burgundy's territory and fulfill his long-cherished wish of unifying France.

In Constantinople, at the Sultan's new court, the Grand Vizier hurriedly entered the hall to report to Mehmed II about the Christian world's preparations for a new Crusade.

Mehmed II's expression was grave upon hearing the news, his eyes burning brightly.

He had a premonition that this would be an extremely important war, a life-or-death struggle.

Whether the Muslim would firmly establish themselves in Europe, or the Christian would completely expel the infidels from Europe, would be decided in this battle.

"It seems we must intensify our preparations for war. This is a danger, but also a rare opportunity!"

The ambitious and great conqueror Mehmed II would not fear the European Crusade; he was the most powerful Ottoman Sultan.

Just as the holy warrior Saladin once defeated the Crusade, he firmly believed he could do the same, and even better!

Seeing the Sultan's overwhelming fighting spirit, the Ottoman officials were also greatly encouraged and their blood boiled.

On the same day, the order for Jihad was issued from the Sultan's palace, spreading throughout the Balkans and Asia Minor. Large numbers of unemployed individuals and slaves were urgently conscripted into the army to receive unified training. Conscription offices everywhere were bustling with people and activity, all preparing for the upcoming holy war.

Just as Janos had predicted, the Ottomans were not crippled by one or two setbacks; their situation was even more exaggerated than Janos had anticipated. The combined armies mobilized from various Ottoman provinces, along with the Sultan's personal guards, amounted to a staggering 120,000 men.

At this moment, Laszlo, still leisurely on his journey and oblivious to all this, was enjoying the scenery along the way, immersed in the pleasure of his travels.