Chapter 102: Omniscient Henry Albert's Perspective (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 102: Omniscient Henry Albert's Perspective (2)
The face that appeared on the screen wasn't Roman Dmitry's.
Staring at the unfamiliar visage, King Daniel Cairo demanded, "State your identity and affiliation."
[...I-I am Henry Albert, the second son of the Albert family.]
"Albert?"
Everyone looked puzzled. It was a name they had barely heard of.
As the nobles of the Central Government exchanged questioning glances, Marquis Benedict spoke up.
"Albert! Ah, yes, there was indeed an Albert family. I don't know about their current standing, but in the past, they produced quite a few outstanding talents and held a decent position in the Central Government. But that is beside the point. Why are you answering this communication instead of Roman Dmitry? We wish to speak with the commander of the Southern Front."
Henry's face brightened. Perhaps it was simply because his family's name had been recognized. Although his heart was pounding like crazy, he forced it down and spoke in a calm voice.
[I am currently part of the unit led by Lord Roman Dmitry. As Marquis Benedict said, it is only right that he receive this call, but he requested some time to himself. Thus, as the only other noble present, I have stepped forward as his representative.]
His mouth kept running dry. Beyond the screen sat the most powerful figures in the Cairo Kingdom.
The King went without saying, but Marquis Benedict was someone he absolutely had to impress if he ever wanted to enter the Central Government. He had also heard plenty about Count Gregory and Count Denver. Henry Albert knew that if he could win their favor right here and now, a position in the capital would no longer be a mere dream.
Perhaps that was why his body tensed with anticipation.
At the King's command to report on the situation, Henry spoke with impassioned fervor.
[Lord Roman Dmitry and I were peers at the Southern Training Camp. While en route to our assignment at the reserve position of the 5th Defense Line, we received a sudden report that the Hector Kingdom had attacked. Though taken aback by the turn of events, Lord Roman Dmitry and I rushed to the 5th Defense Line with all our might. And...]
"Wait. Do you intend to explain from the very beginning? Get straight to the point."
[A-Ah, understood.]
His nervousness had made him ramble. He took a deep breath. Then, his expression shifting into something far more serious, he looked at the nobles of the Central Government.
[The guerrilla warfare in the mountains... It was truly a magnificent operation.]
The battle that had raged through the night. Henry Albert recalled the events of that fateful day.
* * *
Henry Albert had been lucky. He had managed to save his own life by joining Chris's unit, but his heart had plummeted the moment he heard their future plans.
"What?!"
"It is as you heard. We plan to lure the Hector Kingdom into the mountains and fight them."
"Are you out of your mind? The Hector Kingdom attacked five frontline defense positions simultaneously! They must have brought at least ten thousand troops, and instead of immediately fleeing over the mountains, you're going to fight them here? You're crazy. Absolutely insane. I guarantee you, the moment the enemy catches your tail, you won't be able to do a damn thing. You'll be slaughtered!"
It was his honest opinion. Guerrilla warfare was easier said than done. No matter how much they utilized the mountain terrain, no strategy could overcome such an overwhelming difference in numbers.
Burning with anxiety, Henry Albert pulled Chris aside to a quiet spot.
"...I'm giving you this advice because I truly consider you my savior. Why don't we just cross the mountains and run away together? Life is long. I know your loyalty is incredible, but staying on a ship when you know it's sinking is just foolish and stubborn. If I return to my family, I'll arrange a position for you. Your name was Chris, right? Please, make a wise decision."
Chris froze. His expression hardened, and his aura shifted instantly. Though he had treated Henry with the respect due to a noble just a moment prior, he suddenly grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.
"Urgh."
"If you're going to spout such nonsense, get the hell out of here. None of us are running away. As you said, we might get slaughtered by the Hector Kingdom due to a foolish choice. But we know that staying by our liege's side until the very end is the best choice for all of us. We will never betray our lord. Do you understand?"
"...I understand."
He threw away his pride. Casting his eyes down, he nodded. Only then did Chris let go of his neck.
Henry Albert truly thought these people were insane.
What on earth is Roman Dmitry to them that they show such blind loyalty? Fools. If things look even slightly bad, I won't hesitate to abandon these guys and run over the mountains.
At the time, he firmly believed that was the right thing to do. It was common sense, completely separate from the fact that Roman Dmitry possessed great martial prowess.
However, once the operation began, the situation was completely reversed.
In the pitch-black mountains, the sounds of Roman Dmitry slaughtering the enemy echoed loudly. Along with the sharp trill of whistles echoing through the peaks, the desperate, spiteful screams of the Hector Kingdom's soldiers rang out clearly.
And then, Chris's forces moved.
"Attack!"
"Attack the enemy!"
A surprise attack. The strategy worked flawlessly.
The power of their formation caught the enemy completely off guard, and the overwhelming martial prowess of Chris and the other soldiers unilaterally slaughtered the Hector Kingdom's forces. Henry Albert's head was spinning. These were supposed to be mere nameless, ordinary soldiers, yet the martial power they displayed utterly defied common sense.
It was a massacre.
They completely overwhelmed the enemy. And as they executed their strategy of retreating to a safe location immediately afterward, Henry Albert found himself swept along with them.
What on earth is happening?
It was one shock after another. The effects of the formation defied logic, as did the overwhelming martial power of Roman Dmitry and his subordinates. Henry Albert's worried "slightly bad situation" never even occurred in the first place. Roman's subordinates attacked the enemy as safely and systematically as possible, while Roman Dmitry rampaged alone at the very front.
Listening to the sounds echoing from afar, his heart pounded. Realizing that Roman Dmitry was an even greater monster than he had imagined, Henry Albert recalled what his maternal uncle had once said to him.
"Henry. I have specially assigned you to the reserve position of the 5th Defense Line, the exact same as Roman Dmitry. Over the next two years, you must form a close relationship with him by any means necessary. Keep this in mind. This matter is of grave importance; your uncle's future depends on it. Even if you are my nephew, I will be furious if you do not get the job done."
Roman Dmitry. Getting on the good side of someone destined to become a giant was the ultimate shortcut to success. Back then, he hadn't fully agreed with his uncle, but after experiencing this series of events, Henry Albert's mind had completely changed.
My uncle was right. Roman Dmitry is a talent who will shake not just the Cairo Kingdom, but the entire continent. If the Albert family wants to establish a close relationship with such a being, now—while he is still relatively unknown—is our only chance.
His past resentment toward Roman vanished completely. Putting his life on the line, Henry Albert attacked the enemy alongside Chris's forces, trying his absolute best to leave a good impression.
And now, having taken charge of the communication, Henry Albert knew exactly what he needed to say.
[This operation was entirely Lord Roman Dmitry's idea. As soon as he confirmed that the Hector Kingdom's ranger unit had attacked the Southern Training Camp, Lord Roman Dmitry realized they were targeting the Warp Gate and immediately headed up the mountain to secure a secret position. In fact, if the commanders of the frontline defense positions had listened to Lord Roman Dmitry's warning back then, things might have been resolved much more easily.]
Belittling the incompetent commanders while elevating Roman. Knowing full well that Roman's subordinates were listening nearby, Henry Albert raised his voice on purpose.
[Lord Roman Dmitry single-handedly slaughtered hundreds of enemies through guerrilla tactics. To eliminate this thorn in their side, the Hector Kingdom marched their forces into the mountains, and thus the battle began. What happened next is beyond words. An army of nearly ten thousand marched menacingly, pushing back the darkness of the mountain, but Lord Roman Dmitry put on a monstrous display, slaughtering them all on his own. Thanks to him, we were able to carry out surprise attacks with ease. While Lord Roman Dmitry drew the enemy's attention and sowed chaos, we hid ourselves and struck their flanks.]
His trembling body calmed down. The simple fact that he had been there with them in that glorious moment gave Henry Albert boundless confidence.
[Until dawn broke, we fought to the bitter end under Lord Roman Dmitry's lead. Because he stood at the forefront and inspired us with his presence, we found the strength to fight despite knowing the odds were heavily against us. In that manner, we killed hundreds of enemies overnight. A mere two hundred soldiers triumphed over an enemy dozens of times their number.]
Beyond the screen, he could see the nobles' faces painted with sheer shock.
His judgment had been correct. Roman Dmitry was destined to become a giant, and Henry coated his tongue in honey to get on his good side.
Acting as if he were Roman's most loyal subordinate, Henry Albert spoke with unwavering confidence.
[The war is not yet over. As long as Lord Roman Dmitry holds the Southern Front, we have a solid chance of victory. Please make your decision. We are prepared to resist the Hector Kingdom until the very end.]
That final statement... Even Henry Albert himself couldn't help but think it was absolutely perfect.
* * *
The communication ended.
Inside the meeting room, a heavy silence hung in the air. King Daniel Cairo and the nobles of the Central Government looked utterly bewildered by this completely unexpected outcome.
"...According to the reports, the Hector Kingdom attacked the Southern Front with over ten thousand troops. Yet, to achieve victory against such an enemy... We were weak. Roman Dmitry fought to the end despite the terrible odds, while we, the leaders of Cairo, thought only of giving up before the battle even began."
It was Daniel Cairo. He spat out the self-deprecating words with a bitter taste in his mouth.
All his life, he had lived as a loser. Because he had always been in the position of the weak, he hadn't even considered the slightest possibility of victory.
But the situation had changed. Marquis Benedict, his face still filled with shock, chimed in.
"Your Majesty is correct. From the moment we received the report that the Hector Kingdom had captured the Warp Gate, we did not consider the possibility of victory at all. We had already conceded defeat in our minds. However, the strength of the Cairo Kingdom is not so feeble. On the Southern Front, we have Roman Dmitry, the hero of Cairo. From this moment on, we must seize the opportunity he has kept alive for us."
"Indeed. We must send reinforcements to the Southern Front immediately. We must take this opportunity to punish the Hector Kingdom for daring to cross our borders. This will serve as an excellent example to the international community."
Everyone raised their voices in agreement. A decision was reached quickly.
With a single victory, the embers of hope had been rekindled. Following the consensus of his court, Daniel Cairo chose war.
"We will break off negotiations with the Hector Kingdom. From this moment on, we will punish these heinous invaders and reclaim the pride of the Cairo Kingdom!"
War. The fuse was lit.
Now, Hector and Cairo had crossed the point of no return.
As the meeting concluded, the nobles of the Central Government—who had just been clamoring for war in front of Daniel Cairo—changed their expressions the moment they stepped out of the room.
"Summon the family's vassals immediately."
"Bring me all the information on Roman Dmitry."
"The other factions will surely have the same idea. From now on, speed is of the essence."
Benedict, Denver, Gregory. Their thoughts were perfectly aligned. Though they appeared united on the surface, they each harbored their own cunning designs.
Outwardly, they prioritized the safety of the Southern Front, but their true objective was locked onto a single individual.
Roman Dmitry.
It was the moment their burning desire to recruit him erupted like an active volcano.