Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Bound for the Empire
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Victor was quietly dragged away by the Royal Guard members, but the impact he left behind did not fade easily.
Regardless of the war, the nobles of the Ruth Kingdom who had been enjoying banquets in the capital could not easily shake off the gaze filled with his killing intent.
Especially the more timid nobles, including Nikolai, had completely wet themselves, and a stench of urine wafted from where they were gathered.
The king, who was only 14 years old, had faced Victor's overwhelming presence head-on and faithfully delivered the responses taught to him by Vladimir Savinkov standing at his side. Yet, the adults—the nobles who should have known better—had shown even greater inadequacy.
Vladimir felt a twinge of doubt about everything he had done so far.
No matter what intentions he harbored, handing Victor over would ultimately strengthen the power of those incompetent nobles.
-Clap, clap.
"Let's wrap this up."
Striving not to show his disappointment outwardly, Vladimir clapped his hands to summon the attendants and assigned them to handle the cleanup.
The attendants waiting nearby rushed over, escorting away the nobles in poor condition and clearing the remnants left around.
Vladimir approached the trembling king and whispered the words he needed to say.
"Th-the negotiation terms... will be upheld. Victor will be loaded onto the carriage you arrived in."
"...Understood."
Erika Bauman, the representative of the negotiation team dispatched by the emperor, quietly bowed her head while inwardly mocking the farce.
Before meeting them in person, she had admired Victor based on the rumors and thus viewed his nation, the Ruth Kingdom, as no pushover competitor.
The Dragonia Empire was not in a position to concentrate its forces in one place, so it generally had to deal with the Ruth Kingdom using troops conscripted near the border.
Even if they were a loosely assembled group under the banner of the Noble Faction, she believed it was no country to underestimate after they had cornered the empire's superior forces in numbers and quality.
When she heard that the kingdom's capital, Zabrinsk, would be the negotiation site, Erika had even considered the possibility that the invitation itself was a trap.
In fact, she had minimized the escort to reduce losses if the negotiation team was captured as prisoners, forming it with just herself and Paul Richter.
But now, having seen the reality of the Ruth Kingdom, she could cast aside all her worries.
The negotiation process where they acted subservient as if they were the ones losing, the sight of all the nobles cowering before a single Victor.
After witnessing it all, any lingering wariness toward the kingdom vanished completely.
Of course, Erika herself had been suppressed by Victor's presence, but in the end, it was the kingdom that handed him over to the empire.
If there was no overwhelming difference in national power, what mattered was the leadership—and if that leadership consisted of nobles who showed such ugliness even in front of a foreign negotiation team.
If these were the ones who seized power in the Ruth Kingdom by selling out Victor, not knowing what might happen in just a year.
It even made her think the kingdom could collapse on its own without needing to dispatch troops.
With such people lording over them from above, the Ruth Kingdom had no choice but to fight sluggishly.
'General Victor, how did you endure with these people for two years...'
Erika was amazed that Victor had lasted two years under such superiors.
Just hearing the nonsense spouted by that Nikolai earlier allowed her to imagine the countless hardships he must have faced.
The supplies scheduled for delivery were surely delayed or missing.
He had to endure constant interference simply because he was a commoner, and somehow persuade or deflect the horrific orders coming from above.
'No wonder His Majesty took an interest.'
The emperor had only ordered her to bring Victor back safely, but Erika hadn't missed the flicker of intrigue in her eyes when issuing the command.
She had thought the rumors were just rumors, but there was reason the emperor had specifically named a figure from an enemy state.
'He'd be perfect if we could just recruit him.'
Aside from when she mentioned the nobles separately, his gaze had been fixed solely on the king, suggesting solid loyalty.
As for his abilities, Paul Richter's gloominess throughout the carriage ride here said it all.
The man who had boasted before the war that he needed no support from the emperor had come along quietly without protest, and even when looking at General Victor earlier, his eyes held more fear and tension than anger.
Based on what she had seen so far, Victor was the kind of talent that appeared once every few centuries.
'And his looks... are striking too.'
Though her evaluation carried a touch of personal bias, to Erika, Victor had become someone they absolutely could not let slip away.
"We'll take our leave now."
"Yes."
Erika deeply bowed to the Ruth Kingdom nobles who had handed over such a Victor, her gesture laced with genuine gratitude.
Victor's loyalty was undoubtedly remarkable, but they had even crushed it thoroughly using the king's own mouth.
It seemed there was no lack of openings to exploit.
'Such a shame for a talent like that to be wasted on a dump like this.'
With that final thought, Erika patted the copy of the contract safely tucked in her bosom for confirmation before returning to the carriage with General Paul. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ For now, the first button seemed to be fastened properly.
He took a deep breath to steady his mind.
The Royal Guard members carefully transporting him placed him in the ornate carriage near the castle gate and quickly vanished.
The carriage bore the empire's imperial dragon emblem in gold, all but confirming that the empire's representatives earlier had been sent directly by the emperor.
Of course, this was just the beginning.
The mere fact that he hadn't been seized by the seething Noble Faction was nearly a success in itself, but it wasn't time to let his guard down yet.
When he had been dragged to the carriage earlier, the gazes of the kingdom's soldiers toward him were anything but ordinary.
Those on guard duty atop the walls should have been facing outward, yet they all stood staring inward at him.
Even the junior officers who should have reprimanded such breaches of discipline watched him with meaningful expressions.
What could be the reason?
Honestly, he feared that some sudden situation might arise.
The worst case would be the soldiers charging in opposition to the negotiations and unbinding him.
No matter what choice he made then, his future would be bleak.
If he sided with the soldiers, it would inevitably lead to rebellion.
He and the soldiers would end up confronting the nobles, and that was about all a gathering of soldiers could achieve.
Failure meant death, and even success would thwart his original goal of heading to the empire.
No matter how eager the emperor was for talent, she wouldn't hire the leader of a rebel force.
Or ignore whatever the soldiers did and insist he was simply following the king's orders?
It would trigger a massive purge or civil war, unleashing a bloodbath across the Ruth Kingdom.
He didn't want to create such a situation.
"Ahem..."
He closed his eyes as meekly as possible, avoiding any provocation.
He appreciated their anger on his behalf, but he hoped they wouldn't risk their lives for him.
In his unease, he habitually opened the Tactical Map. Tactical Map Activated Familiar UI materialized before his eyes. His mind eased a little with the familiar UI floating before him.
...It should be fine for a short while, right? ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...Doesn't something feel off?"
"Pardon?"
Erika, walking silently toward the carriage, finally spoke up just as they neared the gate where it was parked.
"Th-those gazes..."
"Ah, hmm. Now that you mention it, you're right."
As she said, the soldiers atop the walls were all glaring at the negotiation party.
They weren't wielding weapons in threat, but dozens of soldiers staring with the same eyes created an unavoidable pressure.
They were suddenly reminded that this was enemy territory.
"...Let's hurry."
"Yes."
Paul quickened his pace a bit more, and Erika hurried after him.
Paul reached the carriage first and opened the door,
"...Hmm."
"General Paul?"
With that short mutter, he froze in the position of opening the door.
"...Ah."
Rushing up, Erika peered through the open door into the carriage interior and instantly understood why Paul had reacted so strangely.
"Th-that, uh, um..."
Inside the carriage sat Victor, bound head to toe with ropes.
Even as the door to the carriage he occupied opened, he didn't stir, eyes closed.
'...Is he that angry?'
Erika hadn't felt fear or danger when viewing him from afar earlier, but facing him up close made her movements cautious for some reason.
It wasn't because of an especially large build or fierce features.
On the contrary, at first glance, his refined facial lines and modest stature evoked thoughts of a young noble rather than a general.
Erika stood by the carriage, gazing at Victor as if lost in thought, for quite a while.
"...Let's board, Miss Erika."
"Ah, yes."
What mattered was the atmosphere.
Though she viewed him favorably, the moment she stepped into the carriage, her instincts told her not to touch him carelessly.
She couldn't tell if the pounding in her chest was warm affection or trembling fear.
Paul had originally wanted to kill Victor.
Every clash with him as an enemy had been a crushing defeat that went beyond unfairness, making him wonder if he was possessed by a ghost—and he saw the emperor including him in the negotiation team as an opportunity.
However, perhaps because Paul himself was someone's vassal.
When he saw Victor crumbling pathetically in the palace's main hall, he felt a strange sensation.
He didn't know exactly what emotion it was, but the urge to kill him right then had vanished.
Especially after seeing him sitting there with his head bowed powerlessly.
"..."
Paul and Erika moved carefully so as not to disturb Victor and sat opposite him.
"Let's depart."
"Yes."
As Erika told the coachman to set off, Victor finally cracked his eyes open slightly to confirm who had boarded.
"Gasp."
"Hmm..."
Erika, who had intended to try persuading Victor from the carriage ride, found herself unable to speak upon meeting those pitch-black eyes.
Victor closed his eyes again quickly, but the suffocating silence that descended lingered long after the carriage began moving.
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