Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: I Won't Abandon a Single Citizen (2)
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Oren von Cracsis Ragna.
The sturdy shield guarding the empire, a direct advisor bold enough to speak frankly even to the emperor himself.
When it came to commanding armies and devising schemes, even the princess paled in comparison.
And he was one of the few characters in Undefeated in a Hundred Battles who could actually be persuaded.
Id forgotten amid all the dying, but Undefeated in a Hundred Battles was, strictly speaking, a strategy simulation game based on an original romance fantasy novel.
Of course, it naturally included romance elements too. It just focused more on warfare.
Not that I had any interest in that sort of thing. No, the one thing I was wary of right now...
Was the existence of the empire's absolute guardian, the Master. All my nerves stood on end at once.
But no matter how high the walls, there were clear limits to monitoring every movement.
"A, a royal? What business does an imperial royal have in an earl's territory...?"
"My lord, no matter how you look at it, this has to be a trap. You absolutely cannot go out there."
"...No, I'll go alone."
"My lord!!"
Despite my subordinates' pleas, I held firmly to my decided stance without budging an inch.
For one thing, I had Defeat Regression. And besides, the enemy had no reason to set a trap in the first place.
A Master. The empire's absolute guardian. They had no need to lure us with tricks and infiltrate. They could just march right through the gates openly.
Even if this is a trap, what can I do? I couldn't stop a Master anyway...
So, at the very least, I needed to use Defeat Regression to pry out even a scrap of information.
Judging that the best course of action, I mounted my horse and rode out beyond the gates without delay.
I had no idea where his confidence came from, but the Second Prince stood before the gates on horseback, without even a single escort.
As soon as we were close enough to speak face-to-face, I yanked the reins and halted.
Our gazes clashed head-on from atop our mounts. A chilling sensation, like staring into the eyes of a serpent, washed over me.
But public and private must be kept separate. Regaining my composure, I spoke first.
"I am Cain Blackguard. It's regrettable we meet like this, Your Highness."
"I am Oren von Cracsis Ragna. The news of your valiant victories has already spread far and wide across the empire."
"Let's get straight to the point. What exactly brings you all the way out here?"
As expected, his words flowed flawlessly, smooth as a mountain stream. That was precisely what made him dangerous.
I lacked confidence not just in strategy or tactics, but even in verbal sparring—what people called arguments.
So it was better to cut straight to the chase before he could beguile me with words.
"How could I, as her brother, sit idly by while my one and only sibling is taken prisoner?"
"It seems your familial affections run a bit too deep. If it's negotiations you want, you should head to the capital where His Majesty resides."
"Would such a grave matter resolve itself so easily? Even if the rivers from the mountains reach the sea, and the sun, moon, and stars in the sky swap places countless times, it would remain the same."
That damn bastard.
His response hit me like a dizzying vertigo; I nearly spat out a curse right then and there.
In other words, negotiations would drag on forever, so he'd come straight here himself.
"I understand. But precisely because it's such a grave matter, it must follow law and protocol to avoid any backlash."
"What does it matter this way or that? Must a great cause be a bed of thorns? Must loyalty demand the sacrifice of something precious?"
"......"
"In the end, if we who met by the guidance of the stars are happy, wouldn't that make everything good? That could be the great cause, a new form of loyalty."
The prince's pleasant, velvety voice was like silk laced with deadly venom.
Beguiled by its silken beauty, one would let the poison seep in unnoticed, slowly corroding the mind.
Having endured endless deaths, I couldn't help but be tempted. What good would clinging to loyalty do me right now, anyway?
If I think about it again, my own safety has always been my top priority from the start. Sure, things have changed a bit lately... but I still don't want to keep dying.
Fleeing pain is the instinct of every living being.
To say nothing of whether I could defeat the empire with my current strength and protect those around me. Who knew.
My mind, already fallen to the venom, began chasing base instincts. And to chase them more easily, I even started rationalizing it myself.
"I..."
I opened my mouth. As I began to reply, the Second Prince flashed a radiant smile and extended his hand.
I grasped it. I wanted to grasp it. But my hand merely sliced through empty air.
Only then did I realize I'd returned to the ramparts. That damned Defeat Regression had triggered again.
"A, a royal? What business does an imperial royal have in an earl's territory...?"
"My lord, no matter how you look at it, this has to be a trap. You absolutely cannot go out there."
"Ha..."
I admit it. Without thinking, I'd prioritized my own safety and nearly fallen for it.
I didn't even know if the Second Prince's words were true or not. Worst case, he could accept our surrender and then lead his army to slaughter us personally.
Steeling my resolve, I mounted my horse again. And once more, I faced the serpentine Second Prince.
"In the end, if we who met by the guidance of the stars are happy, wouldn't that make everything good? That could be the great cause, a new form of loyalty."
Even though I'd prepared myself this time, his words still rang sweet as temptation.
But setting Defeat Regression aside for a moment, could I truly take those words at face value?
He could take the princess hostage, break the agreement, and kill us all afterward. That was why I had to suspect, and keep suspecting, endlessly.
"This body has died and died again, a hundred times over. Even if my bones turn to dust and dirt, whether my soul remains or not."
Weight infused my words. Naturally so—I really had died that many times.
The voice laden with the gravity of death was enough to crack the Second Prince's smile.
Falsehood and truth differ in their very weight. Thanks to that, I could finally twist my lips into a smirk.
"Where would unwavering loyalty to one's lord lead?"
◇ The Second Prince, Oren von Cracsis Ragna, didn't have much greed for talent.
To be precise, it wasn't that he had none at all, but he already had more than enough.
The empire was vast, teeming with people. Talents overflowed within it—why bother looking to foreign lands?
That's what he'd thought up until two months ago. Before meeting that man.
As the emperor's advisor and head of intelligence, he'd meticulously gathered information on the kingdom and its allies over the years.
Cain Blackguard. His first impression had been that of an unremarkable rural lord.
A backwater eastern lord, huh. Inherited his territory and title... but in the end, neither his forces nor strategic value amount to much.
The empire hadn't planned war back then, but it was intel gathered just in case.
And when the kingdom inevitably betrayed the empire, he believed that information would prove its worth.
But what was this? The very Cain Blackguard he'd overlooked kept racking up victories until he outright captured the princess.
That can't be. The intelligence I personally oversaw couldn't possibly lead to such a massive discrepancy!
In truth, half the reason he'd come to the earl's territory himself was for scheming,
but the other half was a desire to see and judge this Cain Blackguard in person.
And after finally facing him, Oren had no choice but to admit his mistake.
"This body has died and died again, a hundred times over. Even if my bones turn to dust and dirt, whether my soul remains or not."
"Where would unwavering loyalty to one's lord lead?"
There was no tremor in his voice. The courage to accept even death calmly... and above all, that unshakable loyalty...
Two months had already passed, yet the shock from that moment lingered vividly.
If that loyalty turned toward him—if he could wield that power for the empire...
It would be enough to shoulder the feat of continental unification. At least, that's how Oren saw it.
It was a first. For the first time, a burning desire seized him to claim a talent from another nation.
"Your Highness, a mounted messenger is rushing in from the capital."
"Send him through. It seems the king moved faster than expected."
"Understood."
Receiving the scout's report, Oren let out a deep sigh. Things were proceeding according to plan, yet he felt only regret.
What a pity, Lord Blackguard. For all your loyalty and ability... it seems your liege lacks the vessel to match them.
A vassal who shows loyalty, and a lord who cherishes such a vassal with firm trust.
Even if just enough backbone to trust his own retainer...
Then they never would have blindly pursued foolish greed and awakened the sleeping lion in the first place.