Chapter 426
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 426
Chapter Title: Because I Wanted to Try It
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“The Sword Queen was one of the most innocent among the Sword Masters.”
Gandhi, the swordsman whose life was a contradiction.
Jandarque, the swordswoman who loved her country.
Billy the Kid, the Sword Wolf of the wilderness, and others.
The seven Sword Masters that Rimon had trained were mostly already armed with firm convictions or strong personalities even before becoming his disciples.
After all, they needed that backbone to endure the harsh training of the Sword Tower.
In that sense, the Sword Queen was special.
Not only had she been raised delicately as a princess.
Even after losing everything in the revolution, she never became obsessed with revenge.
“But that was true for both good and bad reasons.”
Just as a pristine blade shows every nick more clearly.
The Sword Queen quickly learned the lessons from witnessing the tyranny of the corrupt federation government and the atrocities committed by those who called themselves revolutionaries.
Rulers should always suspect their subordinates rather than trust them, and they must never let the people look down on them.
“That’s why the Sword Queen abandoned mercy and reigned over the Soviet Federation.”
She reigned, but did not rule.
Instead, she kept the government under strict surveillance.
And she punished the lawlessness masquerading as revolution.
The righteous swordswoman Anastasia transformed into a merciless empress without blood or tears.
Because she believed it was the only way to save the Soviets.
“The problem was that by then, it was already too late.”
The Soviet Federation, which had exploited the nation through the Silver Dragon Clan, was already on the brink of collapse.
Self-recovery was impossible.
Moreover, as the only communist state, it was hard to get help from foreign powers.
The next government.
And the one after that.
Whether to prop up the country.
Or out of personal greed.
Those who formed new governments, from the General Secretary down to the lowest bureaucrats, all eventually dipped their hands into exploitation and were purged by the Sword Queen.
As such incidents repeated, talent dwindled.
Eventually, people came to fear and avoid becoming bureaucrats altogether.
“The already broken country had its administrative structure collapse too, so the Soviet Federation truly met its end.”
The citizens rose up several times, but it was futile.
Not even a million-strong army.
Not guns, swords, or bombs.
Could harm the Sword Queen.
The absolute being who dominated the Heroes' Age—a Sword Master—was such an existence.
In the end, realizing they could never defeat her with their own power, the citizens gave up even on rising up.
And so, the Soviet Federation slowly died away like a patient collapsed in the snowfields.
“You’ve heard what happened after that, right, researcher?”
“...The Soviet Great Famine?”
“Yeah, the catastrophe where talent piled upon genius, leading to over twenty million starvation deaths.”
Twenty million— that surpassed the population of many small nations.
On top of that, looting and murders spread unchecked, plagues broke out, and the death toll climbed day by day, eventually breaking thirty million.
Yet the government was powerless.
It was clear that if things continued, most of the Soviet Federation’s citizens would either die or end up worse than dead.
And that reality finally moved one man to act.
“The Sword Duke, who was the Sword Queen’s master, finally moved to stop his disciple.”
Everything from there was a tale well-known to Bachmenski.
The heroic saga of the great Sword Master who stopped the tyrant who had driven the country to ruin.
“But the Sword Queen, having already paid a heavy price in sacrifices, didn’t stop, and the Sword Duke couldn’t allow more deaths under her tyranny either.”
“...”
“So, he slew the Sword Queen.”
Bachmenski realized anew.
That the Sword Queen was the Sword Duke’s disciple before she was a tyrant.
And that what he had believed to be a heroic tale was no glory or achievement to the Sword Duke.
Seeing Bachmenski’s conflicted expression,
With a calm and serene face,
Rimon said softly.
“Because that bastard was Humanity’s Guardian Deity.”
“You guys were impressive.”
“...”
“Even the mighty Seven Dragon Society couldn’t handle the Sword Queen, but you manipulated and disappointed her until my brother had no choice but to strike her down.”
Something even the world-renowned Black Dragon Clan couldn’t achieve.
With genuine admiration on her face, Yekaterina wore a sly smile.
“Want to know what’s even more impressive?”
“About the truth of the Sword Queen?”
“Nah, that’s trivial. And it was the obvious outcome anyway.”
Most who knew the truth were already dead by then.
Besides, the atmosphere was such that even slightly defending the Sword Queen could get you stoned to death.
So it was natural that she was passed down only as a ruthless tyrant.
“What really感動ed me was that afterward, you tried to shove this country onto my brother.”
“...”
“In front, bowing and saying, ‘You saved our country, so we’ll follow you. Lead us.’”
“...”
“And behind his back, spitting and cursing, ‘The Sword Queen ruined this country, so as her master, it’s only right you take responsibility.’”
Yekaterina thought to herself.
What a pity.
If she had been there, she could have seen exactly what expression Rimon made watching them.
But she endured the regret.
For now, just seeing Sergei’s stiff face was entertaining enough.
So she continued lightly.
“Of course, my brother refused your request outright.”
“He already knew.”
“That you saw him as the next target for exploitation.”
“And that if he got entangled with you, he’d end up with the same fate as the Sword Queen.”
Rimon always says.
That he’s just a mere swordsman.
And that’s no false modesty.
It’s his cold self-assessment: he might have the power to shatter nations and cleave the world, but he can’t make bread for the starving.
“So my brother just left the country.”
“...”
“Because he knew that if he disappeared, our Silver Dragon Clan could more easily take it over.”
“...Does that mean the Sword Duke sold this country to you?”
“Hmm... Seeing you spout that, it seems even you, General Secretary, don’t know much. Can you watch your words?”
Like she’d heard an amusing joke.
The giggling girl.
But unlike her expression, Yekaterina’s eyes gazing at Sergei were utterly cold.
“Not sold—shoved off.”
Who would buy a country already ruined beyond saving?
Sneering coldly,
Yekaterina asked mockingly.
“Who built factories on this frozen wasteland?”
“Who hired the starving masses numbering in the hundreds of millions and gave them a way to survive?”
“And who poured in massive funds to rebuild the nation, provided various technologies cheaply to give industry a competitive edge?”
“If our Silver Dragon Clan hadn’t been there, how many of this country’s people do you think would have survived?”
The dictator pointed out flaws,
And the revolutionary fell silent.
If the Silver Dragon Clan hadn’t dominated this internationally isolated country that had lost all self-sufficiency?
At least half the population back then would likely have starved.
Especially considering the world war that broke out a few years later when the power balance between great powers collapsed after the Sword Queen’s death.
“Plus, you’re forgetting the most important part, aren’t you?”
“What do you mean?”
“That your Silver Dragon Clan was exploited by the hellhole country you created, too.”
“...”
“No—actually, our Silver Dragon Clan was exploited the harshest.”
In the early days when the exploitation structure was forming.
How could 90% live idly off less than 10% being exploited?
The answer was simple.
The Silver Dragon Clan covered the shortfall.
Whether by pouring out their hoarded wealth or rolling up their sleeves to work.
They were the Silver Dragon Clan.
A people who could manipulate time itself, learning, researching, and working dozens of times faster than humans, making them all geniuses.
Even after the Sword Queen died and the Sword Duke vanished, it was the same.
To rebuild this trash heap of a country, the Silver Dragon Clan had to work to the point of overwork deaths.
But they got the country in return, you say?
Don’t make me laugh.
At least from the Silver Dragon Clan’s view, they never ruled this country.
They were unilaterally used.
And collected on overdue debts.
“It’s still the same now.”
After the Iron Age dawned.
By establishing the Russian Khanate and making the Silver Dragon Princess the Great Khan, they finally escaped being used unilaterally.
But that didn’t mean the Silver Dragon Clan could live idly in luxury.
“You complain it’s unfair that first-class citizens get many times the benefits, but they produce dozens of times more than third-class citizens.”
“...”
“And our Silver Dragon Clan produces at least dozens of times more than those first-class citizens while working dozens of times harder.”
“...”
“That’s why you can enjoy welfare benefits absurdly generous for your abilities.”
Of course, it was also thanks to thorough automation and computerization of all labor for efficiency.
But such efficiency would have been a pipe dream without the Silver Dragon Clan.
Without Bahamut Corporation’s dozens-of-times-faster R&D, it would have taken decades just to develop those technologies.
And another decade or more to deploy them nationwide.
The talented.
The diligently hardworking.
Or those who know how to sacrifice.
Such people rise higher and receive more benefits, but must pay more taxes and effort in return.
That was the Russian Khanate, the system created by the Silver Dragon Clan.
“In the end, whether then or now, this country is upheld by less than the top 1% in talent and our clan, less than 0.01%.”
“Isn’t it fun?”
“One person enslaving 99 is a crime.”
“But 99 enslaving one to make everyone else comfortable is a noble sacrifice.”
“And it’s even more ridiculous when that one is superior to the 99, forced into sacrifice for all.”
Truly ridiculous, she seemed to say.
Giggling to the end,
Yekaterina tilted her head.
“Yet those 99 scream it’s unfair that the one gets better benefits and demand the same for themselves—doesn’t that seem unfair?”
“Demanding a better life from the government is the right of every citizen.”
“Hmm, is it really?”
Hearing Sergei’s heavy rebuttal, the white-haired girl wore a sly smile.
“My take is, what you really want isn’t the right to true freedom or equality.”
If they truly wanted freedom?
Abandon everything and head to the steppes. The state wouldn’t bother holding onto such people.
If they truly wanted equality?
Before demanding benefits, they should demand chances to do more and harder work.
But most who cry for freedom and equality just demand benefits. Few offer to share what they have or accept the unfairness equally.
Truly curious, she added.
“The ‘freedom’ to torment and dominate others, and the ‘equality’ to make everyone as miserable as themselves.”
“...”
“We usually call that.”
“...”
“‘Power.’”
The right to enjoy more than one’s ability without effort, and to suppress others’ freedom.
The force that humans have instinctively craved and gone mad for since time immemorial—Yekaterina smiled faintly as she spoke of it.
“That’s why those in power are bound to be hated.”
No matter the achievements.
No matter how hard they work.
The people view rulers with suspicion and resentment.
Because the instinct to crave power makes them see rulers as thieves who stole what was rightfully theirs.
“The Sword Queen was pitiful in that sense. She only thought of the country and people, yet had to bear all the infamy just for being in power.”
After a long silence hearing Yekaterina’s sophistry,
Sergei asked softly.
“Are you saying you only thought of the country and people, yet were branded a dictator?”
“I am a dictator, though?”
“...”
“I have no intention of living for you or the country. I just live as I please.”
“Then that contradicts your claim of sacrificing the Silver Dragon Clan for this country.”
“Contradict? How?”
As if she didn’t understand,
Tilting her head,
Yekaterina said again.
“This country is ‘mine.’”
“...”
“If my property is broken, isn’t it obvious my clan works themselves to death to fix it?”
Why is using one’s wealth for one’s own things a sacrifice?
Like saying it’s natural to beautify one’s garden with one’s money and have servants and gardeners tend it.
Seeing the girl treat the country, people, and army all as possessions, Sergei muttered bitterly.
“That’s the act of a mad dictator.”
“Yeah, I admit it.”
She was mad.
And a dictator too.
Admitting it so cheerfully, Yekaterina flashed a wicked smile.
“But at least I’m clearly a better ruler than you, General Secretary.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because you’ve never seized a single chance to create a truly free and equal country.”
When Rimon crushed the Liberation Brigade, he punished them to enforce equal law instead of vengeance.
Even when Aynsha fled abandoning Moscow, giving them freedom to keep the peace, they started the war first.
And even when Yekaterina suppressed the rampaging federal army and gave them a chance to apologize, they threw it away.
How could someone like that create a free and equal country?
To the mocking Yekaterina,
Sergei replied.
“...Everything was for the country.”
“That’s why I’m a better leader than you.”
As if she’d expected that answer,
Yekaterina smiled meaningfully and said.
“Unlike you, who can use and discard the people like consumables for the greater good, I can’t do that.”
“...”
“Because there’s that scary brother who’d chase me to the ends of the earth if I crossed the line.”
The revolutionary who wields unlimited power for the country.
The dictator who sees the country as a toy to play with but is eternally watched.
Which do you think helps the people more?
To Yekaterina’s playful question, Sergei had no answer.
Because he finally realized.
Why Rimon always watched Yekaterina as a bystander without helping the revolutionary government.
“In that sense, I’m honestly grateful to you.”
“...Grateful?”
“Yeah.”
Perhaps because it was so unexpected.
Seeing Sergei’s stiff face, satisfied, Yekaterina said brightly.
“I always wanted to try the game of breaking a country at least once.”
“...”
My own country was too precious to ruin.
And Rimon was too scary to mess with casually.
But thanks to you starting the revolution, I got to enjoy it to my heart’s content.
Staring at Yekaterina, who spoke innocently like a child thrilled from an amusement park,
For a long while,
Sergei closed his eyes.
And thought.
Pondered.
Deliberated.
And finally,
He made his decision.
“...Yekaterina Khan, the country we build might make even more workers suffer than yours.”
Opening his closed eyes,
Taking a small box from his bosom,
“But even so, the revolution must happen.”
The man who had lived his whole life for revolution.
Who could acknowledge Yekaterina’s words but not tolerate her existence,
Ended bitterly.
“So you must die here.”
Shwaaaaa!