Chapter 154: The Traitor of Humankind, Deon Hart (2)
Chapter 154: The Traitor of Humankind, Deon Hart (2)
As if everything before had been a joke, the Demon King's army began advancing toward the imperial capital in earnest.
The overall commander was the 0th Legion Commander, Demon Arut.
Not long after hearing this news, when word came that one of the Empire's cities had fallen to the demon army, what sort of expression had he worn on his face?
[So you've become a hero after all. Truly relentless. To have siblings become heroes side by side, I can only express my admiration.]
[I am honored, Your Majesty.]
[Every official hero thus far has received one thing they desired from me. I cannot make an exception for you. Is there something you wish for?]
It was laughable.
[If there is nothing, then an appropriate title and gold....]
[I have a request.]
The Emperor had found himself thinking of Cruel Hart, not Deon Hart.
The words of that foolish human, who could not bring himself to hate the one who had slaughtered his family before his eyes and instead chose to embrace him, replayed vividly in his mind. The Emperor quietly closed his eyes.
[I dare to presume what Your Majesty thinks of me. I am the Duke's man, so you must be wary. You may remain wary. You need not trust me. No, I am unmistakably the Duke's man, so it would be better if you did not trust me.]
[......Your rambling is unusually long and unbecoming. What is your request?]
On the day the Empire's fourth hero was born, in a private audience with the Emperor.
[Just as you granted the third hero's request back then, I dare to request... that you overlook my act of covering that child Deon's eyes.]
[.......]
[This is a request that benefits Your Majesty as well.]
The victim knelt before the bystander on behalf of the perpetrator.
Suddenly cast as a character in a tragedy too absurd to laugh at, the Emperor had realized what Cruel Hart was thinking.
He intended to blind Deon Hart so he could never learn the truth. Because the guilt of killing his innocent family would be so excruciating he would want to take his own life.
'He must know that would put his own life at risk.'
He meant to use himself as bait.
So that Deon Hart, consumed by hatred for his family, would be so fixated on aiming for Cruel Hart's neck that he would have no chance to suspect the truth.
Even though having his beloved sibling aim for his throat must have been an utterly horrifying feeling, Cruel Hart was trying to protect his younger brother with his entire being.
It was strange. He had thought stories of such self-sacrificing people were tales from distant lands found only in books.
Perhaps that was why the Emperor, suspecting he himself might be weak to the name 'Hart,' had uncharacteristically given Cruel Hart another chance, just as he had once done for Deon Hart.
[As you say, this is a request that benefits me. Would you not have done better to present it as a 'proposal' and ask for something else as your 'wish'?]
[I wish for nothing else.]
[......Relentless indeed.]
He had gone out of his way to show mercy, yet the answer that returned was relentless.
[Very well. I grant your request. However, that alone is woefully insufficient for the name-value of a hero, so I shall bestow additional wealth upon you. Twice the amount given to the previous heroes ought to suffice.]
[I have no need of wealth.]
[Furthermore, this request benefits me. So long as it does not become a loss for me, I shall assist in blinding Deon Hart.]
[......Thank you.]
[There is no need for thanks.]
He gave his reply flatly.
[Do not bow in gratitude; accept it with your head held high. You will not lower your back for any of the things I have decided to give you. I had intended to blind Deon Hart even without your request, and the wealth is compensation for not granting you a title. Since you yourself declared that you are the Duke's man and told me to remain wary, I cannot so easily award you a title, can I?]
Come to think of it, Cruel Hart could have requested 'to have his eyes covered' instead of merely asking him to 'overlook' it. He was no fool, so he must have known that was an option.
If he still chose to accept the loss and choose 'overlooking,' then the reason must have been....
'......He was reproaching me.'
Because the Hart family tragedy had occurred with the Emperor's acquiescence.
This was his way of discreetly turning it back on him. It had been so polite and subtle that a dull person would have missed it entirely.
He had not felt the need to point it out, so he pretended not to notice.
[......In the end, it seems I've given you nothing. Do you truly wish for nothing else?]
[It is more than enough. Thank you.]
A faint smile spread across the expressionless face that had been unreadable the entire time.
Facing those green eyes, now carrying a warmth as faint as the smile, the Emperor stopped what he was about to say, swallowed a sigh, and waved his hand.
[I clearly gave you an opportunity. It was you who kicked it aside, so let me say this in advance: there will be no use in regretting it later. Withdraw.]
Many things had happened since then, and a considerable amount of time had passed, but the memory remained vivid.
Probably because it was the moment he personally experienced something he had only understood in his head: that there were things even the Emperor could not give.
But.
'In the end, your efforts ended in failure.'
Deon Hart had discovered the truth.
If there was any silver lining at all, it was that instead of taking his own life immediately, he had fixed a target for his vengeance and was charging forward. At least he would not die until his revenge was complete.
He willingly donned the stigma of Betrayer of Humanity, stood on the side of the Demon Realm, and aimed his sword at the Empire. His targets were surely the Duke and the Emperor.
'It has become troublesome... but at least Deon Hart will not die right away. So you, who sacrificed yourself for others until the very end, could say you have been duly honored.'
The moment Deon Hart had come to him and demanded to know if he had known, the Emperor had no choice but to understand.
Cruel Hart was dead. And he must have died for Deon Hart's sake. That was why he had come, half-maddened like this.
That was why. Why he had acted on such an absurd whim.
'It was a foolish act for an Emperor.'
He knew it. But how could he help the desire to pay fitting respect to a person who, from beginning to end, had lived solely for others?
Perhaps this was his way of alleviating the sense of defeat he had failed to give him while he was alive. Or perhaps, having noticed the one responsible for Cruel's death, he had foreseen what was to come and wanted to apologize in advance.
'Though in the end, it was nothing more than a whim.'
Some might be surprised that the word 'whim' suited him, but to those who knew the truth, it was nothing new.
Because the Emperor himself was a contradictory person.
He was a man who had carved away and crumpled himself to fit the ill-suited throne of the Emperor. Because of that, the gap between him as 'the Emperor' and him as 'Edoardo Desert' was vast.
Wearing the Imperial Crown and the sovereign's mantle did not determine the 'true emperor.' Similarly, even if he changed his speech and corrected his conduct to match the throne, in the end, he was still 'Edoardo Desert,' and at decisive moments, his true nature would suddenly override his reason.
That bred contradictions and gave rise to whims.
'Compared to a whim, the price is far too great, though.'
But what could be done about what had already come to pass? He had no intention of regretting it, so he had to move to deal with the aftermath.
Upon hearing that one city had fallen, he had readied his sword. Were it not for the news of distinguished guests visiting, he would have already been moving to a location near an active battle where issuing orders was easier.
......Were it not for the 'news of distinguished guests visiting.'
"......So."
The Emperor, who had been fiddling with the back of his left hand while seated before a splendid circular table, rolled his golden eyes to look at the two distinguished guests who had come to see him.
A circular table symbolizes equal standing. The instances in which this table was placed at the Emperor's seat were few enough to count on one hand.
"What business brings the King of Sanguk and the King of Reweche all this way here?"
It was only natural that those seated at the round table were sovereigns of nations.
As if choosing his words, the Emperor observed the two kings exchanging glances and leisurely recalled a few pieces of information. Sanguk and Reweche were allies. Two allied nations had come to see him; their purpose was obvious.
'A proposal for an alliance. Shrewd.'
He had heard that the King of Sanguk rose to the throne on the strength of her brilliant intellect alone, and she certainly seemed quick on the uptake.
The Empire and Reweche would do well to form an alliance against the Demon Realm. No, they had no choice but to form one. The Empire possessed outstanding military power, and Reweche was a wealthy kingdom overflowing with resources.
But what of Sanguk?
'The leader's mind. That is all she has.'
The alliance between Reweche and the Empire would eventually be forged even if they did nothing. From Sanguk's perspective, it was better to step forward first, arrange the alliance, and claim the credit. And by sheer coincidence, they were already allied with Reweche.
They would have been connected through their ally Reweche eventually anyway, but the voice they gained by stepping forward personally and brokering it would naturally be stronger.
Reweche's resources, the Empire's military power. And Sanguk hitching a ride on top.
Just as the Emperor, having finished assessing the situation and completing all his calculations, was inwardly admiring the King of Sanguk's quick judgment, she finished her silent exchange with the King of Reweche, gave an almost imperceptible nod, and looked at the Emperor.
"As the King of Sanguk and an ally of Reweche, I would like to make a single proposal."
"I have my guesses, but I shall listen, just in case. What is it?"
"......What would you say to forming an alliance."
As expected.
Instead of answering straight away, the Emperor relaxed his posture, as if indicating he would hear her out.
She too seemed not to have expected an immediate answer, as she began her persuasion without a single sign of dismay.
"This war is a war between the Demon Realm and the Human World, not a war between the Demon Realm and the Empire. In opposing the Demon Realm, the Empire may well stand at the very front, but the Empire facing the Demon Realm alone is something that must not come to pass, is it not."
This was only natural for a king responsible for a nation and as a human being. The King of Sanguk smiled faintly as she spoke, indirectly referencing the Empire's situation.
Before the war with the Demon Realm, the Emperor had waged wars of conquest, incurring the wariness and anger of every kingdom.
In light of that outrageous conduct, the kings of each nation could not easily step forward to help. And in the midst of that, even one city had fallen into the hands of the Demon King's army, so the Empire was now in desperate need of support.
'So there is no need to humble ourselves this time.'
Normally, the side that proposes the alliance first bows and enters as the supplicant, but the situation favored them.
"We must gather as many nations as possible. There is nothing more ideal than uniting every kingdom in the Human World, but as that is difficult, we have no choice but to gather as many nations as we can."
"So that was the reason for your recent movements."
The King of Sanguk, Yeonhwa, smiled instead of answering.
The Emperor would have also heard that not long ago, Sanguk and Reweche had each swallowed up smaller kingdoms through peaceful means. He would also know that Sanguk, by some unknown method, had already gained three kingdoms as vassals in that short span of time.
Thanks to that, the main kingdoms of the Human World had been neatly organized, so it was safe to say only four remained.
'She didn't emphasize the synergy of the Empire's military power and Reweche's resources for nothing. She meant to stress that this is a "war between the Demon Realm and the Human World."'
A proposal for an alliance was not something to be made lightly. A subtle power struggle occurred during the process of forming an alliance—or even within one once formed—to secure the upper hand. As a king responsible for the fate of her nation, it was only natural that she came to the table having thoroughly prepared in advance.
The Empire could present its military power as its card. Reweche could present its resources. Then what of Sanguk?
'If she has no card to present, she has no choice but to create one.'
Average military power, average production output of various resources. And yet, at some point, Sanguk had come to be called the Southern Empire despite never proclaiming an emperor. There was only one reason.
Because the sovereign's capability was outstanding.
Currently, Sanguk had a peculiar structure, abnormally dependent on its single king.
'Fortunately, there was one kingdom whose succession dispute we had assisted in, which made persuasion easy....'
Another kingdom fell in line quickly after a bit of intimidation and coaxing, and yet another was brought to its knees with a touch of threat mixed in.
That was how she had created a card for Sanguk to present.
She had intended to make the Kingdom of Taehon a vassal as well, but perhaps sensing unease, Reweche had snatched it up straight away. Still, this much was sufficient.
'At least we won't be suppressed without any leverage.'
She had already spoken of the importance of unity within the Human World, so the possibility of the Emperor comparing Sanguk and Reweche to suppress Sanguk and secure the upper hand was also blocked.
From a relatively equal starting line, she straightened her head and spoke.
"Yes. If Sanguk, Reweche, and the Empire form an alliance, that would mean three-quarters of the Human World's kingdoms are united. Esperanes is a very small kingdom and fundamentally isolationist, so if we treat it as nonexistent, it would essentially be all the kingdoms uniting."
"......."