Chapter 107: At the Edge of the Cliff (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 107: At the Edge of the Cliff (1)
Roman Dmitry.
It was a name he had heard so often that his ears had practically grown calluses.
Count Fabius stepped forward to welcome Roman, moving before the other nobles even had a chance to react.
"Welcome. I have heard much of your fame, Lord Roman Dmitry. It is truly an honor to meet the hero of Cairo who repelled the Hector Kingdom."
He offered a bright, welcoming smile.
Seeing his enthusiastic reaction—one that looked as if he might embrace Roman at any second—the other two nobles realized they had lost the initiative and hurriedly chimed in.
"You are far more dashing than the rumors suggest."
"Indeed. Such a handsome man appeared before us that, for a moment, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me."
The atmosphere was warm and friendly.
From a distance, it might have looked like a pleasant gathering, but the three nobles refused to yield a single inch to one another. Their motives were entirely transparent. Why else would the nobles of the Central Government—the men who divided Cairo into four great factions—travel all the way down to the unprofitable Southern Front if not for a very specific purpose?
Their respective masters had given them clear instructions:
"It doesn't matter what happens to the Southern Front. Winning over Roman Dmitry is the top priority. Even if we lose the war against the Hector Kingdom, the blame will fall squarely on the royal family. But if we lose Roman Dmitry to another noble faction, the balance of power could collapse entirely. He is a monster who held his ground against Butler, a 5-Star Swordsman. Use any means necessary to bring him to our side."
It was a special, absolute order.
Count Fabius stole a glance at Roman's face.
His praise hadn't just been empty flattery. He truly hadn't expected Roman Dmitry—a man who had achieved such legendary feats—to look so remarkably young.
Roman Dmitry is only in his mid-twenties. On top of that, he is the eldest son of the Dmitry family, which boasts considerable power in the northeast. Though their commoner origins are a bit of a nuisance, Roman Dmitry is more than qualified to enter the Central Government. And if I can recruit such a talent, Marquis Benedict will surely hold me in even higher regard.
Once again, Count Fabius made the first move.
"Please, have a seat."
"Thank you."
"You might not know this, but I serve Marquis Benedict. The Marquis mentioned that he has a connection with you, Lord Roman, which is why he personally arranged your placement at the Southern Training Camp. He did it out of consideration, completely unaware of any impending war, and asked me to convey his deepest apologies that things turned out this way."
"No, it is fine. I am well aware that it was not intentional."
"Haha, is that so?"
Even though it was a simple, polite response, Count Fabius beamed.
"Still, it seems Marquis Benedict's mind remains quite uneasy. Please make some time for me later. I have a specially prepared gift for you, just in case you find yourself in danger, Lord Roman. You are a star destined to make Cairo shine; we simply cannot have you getting hurt in a place like this, can we?"
This meeting had completely lost its original purpose.
They were supposed to be discussing how to defeat the Hector Kingdom, but Count Fabius seemed to have absolutely no interest in the war.
The same went for the other nobles.
Seeing him display his greed so openly, they quickly jumped into the fray.
"Count Gregory wishes to contact you. I am certain it will be a highly beneficial conversation for you, Lord Roman."
"Count Denver has dispatched his family's soldiers. They will follow your orders, Lord Roman, and are prepared to lay down their lives for you. Please make good use of them. This is not in exchange for anything, but merely a small gesture of goodwill from Count Denver."
They made no effort to hide their intentions.
Laying out the cards they had prepared, everyone scrambled to win Roman's favor.
However, contrary to their expectations that he would be delighted by the attention, Roman's expression grew colder by the second.
"What on earth do you think you are doing right now?"
They still did not truly understand the man named Roman.
* * *
Until now, Roman had never once hidden his actions.
He had made his presence known, and like a sharp awl poking through a pocket, everyone had greedily rushed to grab hold of him.
Four factions.
Four attempts at enticement.
It had all unfolded as expected.
He had intended to use the attention of the powerful to buy himself time to grow, but a man had to know the proper time and place.
Roman spoke.
"I am not so naive as to not know why you have sought me out. Marquis Benedict, Count Gregory, Count Denver—all of them have approached me seeking my loyalty, and I have postponed my choice because I cannot make a hasty decision. Pledging loyalty is a lifelong promise. Therefore, I have no choice but to be cautious. While I am truly grateful for your goodwill, this is not the time. The enemies who attacked the Cairo Kingdom are right before our eyes. They have planted their flag on our territory and are holding their heads high for all to see. I do not believe it is appropriate to discuss my future in a place like this."
He did not beat around the bush.
He deliberately showed his displeasure.
Yet, Roman knew that his words would actually fuel their desires even more.
I have brought the competition to the surface and revealed that I am contemplating my options. The fact that I am a loyal man who does not make hasty choices will only make them more anxious. I must maintain an appropriate distance from the four factions. So they cannot give up on me. So they will want to claim me at all costs. And if I clearly state when I will make my decision, they will have no choice but to wait, no matter what I say.
He had seized control of the board.
Looking at the flustered nobles, he delivered a powerful hook.
"Experiencing this war has made me realize that I am merely a frog in a well. Therefore, once we defeat the Hector Kingdom, I intend to challenge the Ranking Match to become the First Sword of Cairo. Please wait until then. I will prove myself, and only then will I dedicate my sword to one person."
The First Sword of Cairo.
It was an incredibly alluring prospect.
Just hearing those words made the nobles' eyes burn with desire.
They dared not speak rashly.
Since Roman had told them not to discuss it now, they simply pondered how to report this back to their respective lords.
"Therefore," Roman said.
Unfurl.
He spread out a map on the table.
Shifting the focus, he looked straight into the eyes of the nobles.
"...how about we focus on the situation at hand for now?"
* * *
The atmosphere settled.
The fierce competition for his loyalty was temporarily put on hold.
At Roman's suggestion, they began to seriously devise a plan to attack the Hector Kingdom.
"If what Lord Roman Dmitry warned is true, we must capture the Rear Base within three days. In that case, is there any need to overcomplicate things? We use an orthodox method. We destroy the walls with Flares, set up ladders, and fight them head-on. The Hector Kingdom's forces number only about ten thousand. Since we have brought twenty thousand troops, we have a clear advantage even in a frontal clash."
It was Count Fabius who spoke.
Because it was the simplest strategy, it also had glaring flaws.
Baron Brahim spoke up.
"I won't deny that pushing through with sheer numbers is the most straightforward solution. However, doing so will result in immense casualties for our forces. The Hector Kingdom has undoubtedly prepared countermeasures against Flares, and defending a fortress is a battle where a small number of defenders can hold off a massive army. If we fail the siege, far from ending this in three days, we will be dragged into an endless war of attrition."
"I agree. We need a strategy that can bring a decisive end to this, not such a simplistic approach."
Opinions were divided.
There was no clear-cut solution.
In the end, it was a siege to bring down a fortress.
No matter how much they racked their brains, they couldn't think of a way to breach the sturdy walls and defeat ten thousand enemies without suffering heavy losses. Casualties were inevitable. Still, they hoped to find an ingenious solution to justify holding a war council. Yet, as the meeting progressed, opinions gradually leaned back toward the first strategy proposed.
Count Fabius asked, "What are your thoughts, Lord Roman Dmitry?"
Instantly, everyone turned to him with expectant eyes.
He was a master commander who had held off ten thousand with only two hundred.
They thought that Roman Dmitry might somehow offer a solution different from theirs.
"My thoughts are no different from yours," Roman replied. "The Rear Base was originally fortified as the final stronghold of the Southern Front. The moment it was lost, a prolonged war became unavoidable. Once those three days pass, the enemy will use the Warp Gate to introduce various unpredictable variables."
"...Are you saying there is no way?"
Disappointment washed over them.
Because their expectations of Roman had soared so high, a mundane answer was not enough to satisfy them.
Just as he had told them, there was no situational solution.
However—
"It is not that there is no way at all. From now on, I will present two methods to bring this war to a swift end. The key point of this strategy is not the terrain or the situation, but the 'people.' While I cannot guarantee that this strategy will succeed, if an all-out war is unavoidable, I believe it is worth a try."
Thus began Roman's explanation.
The nobles, who had looked skeptical at first, soon found themselves completely captivated by his words.
* * *
Clang! Clang! Clang!
It was the alarm signaling the start of battle.
At the report that the Cairo Kingdom's forces were on the move, the soldiers of the Hector Kingdom climbed the walls in perfect order.
"Hold your positions!"
"The enemy is coming!"
In the distance, the flags of Cairo came into view.
The sight of the enemy surging forward like a tidal wave sent a chill down their spines, but the soldiers of the Hector Kingdom showed no signs of fear. They had a duty to secure food and return to their families. The weight of that responsibility suppressed their terror, and they held firm to the belief that a siege inherently favored the defenders.
Tramp, tramp, tramp.
They lined up along the battlements.
The archers nocked their arrows, fully prepared to rain death upon the Cairo Kingdom at any moment.
"Hold."
Edwin Hector raised his hand.
The enemy was not yet within range.
Firing arrows from too far away would only waste ammunition, so he waited with a calm face for the perfect moment.
It was then.
A strange sight unfolded before their eyes.
The soldiers of the Cairo Kingdom parted to the left and right.
Instead of a magical weapon like a Flare appearing from the gap, a single man walked forward.
...What is this?
At first, Edwin couldn't make sense of the situation.
Was it a messenger?
Just as he thought the Cairo Kingdom might be trying to negotiate, the man's face came into view.
Roman Dmitry!
Instantly, Edwin's expression froze.
Roman Dmitry had left a massive, terrifying impression on Edwin Hector. He was the monster who had slaughtered nearly seven hundred soldiers overnight, the madman who had relentlessly targeted Edwin's life even when double-teamed by Edwin and Butler. Edwin's senses flared. Though he didn't know what the opponent's intention was, he prepared to attack the moment Roman stepped into range.
One step.
Another step.
Roman's face grew clearer.
Just as Edwin was gathering his mana and preparing to strike, Roman's voice, heavily infused with mana, thundered across the battlefield.
"I am Roman Dmitry of the Cairo Kingdom! I, Roman Dmitry, as a warrior representing the Cairo Kingdom, hereby challenge Butler of the Hector Kingdom to a duel!"
Everyone froze.
Those words were more than enough to throw the entire Hector Kingdom into utter shock.