Chapter 115: Returning Home in Glory (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 115: Returning Home in Glory (2)
A few days ago.
Following the report that Cairo's main army was marching to attack the rear base, the people gathered in the conference room wore grave expressions.
"What if... what if we fail to capture the rear base? What will happen to us then?" a noble belonging to the Royalist Faction asked.
The nobles of the Central Government had not even bothered to attend.
Daniel Cairo spoke, a look of despair shadowing his face. "…The responsibility for this defeat will fall squarely on the royal family. Even though this country's chain of command has been torn to shreds by the Noble Faction, the people will still hold the King accountable for the war. From that moment on, I will lose all authority as King. The nobles of the Central Government will act like hyenas, stopping at nothing to drag me down."
"Damn bastards!"
"Even though they share the same Cairo blood, they are simply too cruel."
The situation was bleak.
The forces of the Central Government—led by Marquis Benedict, Count Gregory, and Count Denver—had not put their full effort into aiding the Southern Front. The outcome of this war was no simple matter. If they failed to capture the rear base, the Hector Kingdom might reject negotiations with Cairo entirely and hand the south over to the Kronos Empire.
If that happened, the royal family's prestige would plunge to rock bottom. Sharing borders with Kronos in both the south and the west meant living in constant terror of an impending invasion.
Daniel Cairo continued, "The nobles of the Central Government likely believe that either outcome benefits them. If Cairo's main army wins, the crisis is averted. If it loses, they will use our defeat as a surefire way to pressure the royal family. What matters to them is not Cairo's well-being. If they truly wished for the Cairo Kingdom to prosper, they would not have stood by and watched the Southern Front fall to the Kronos Empire. They would have prioritized negotiating with the Hector Kingdom at all costs, even if they had to pay out of their own pockets."
How on earth had the country ended up in this state?
From the moment he inherited a throne he never wanted, Daniel Cairo had not slept peacefully for a single night.
"The true enemies threatening Cairo are within. They selfishly seek only their own gain, but we cannot afford to be like them. We must prepare for a future where we are defeated here. Even if we are stoned by the people of Cairo, we must hold onto our purpose until the very end to ensure the Cairo royal family does not lose its meaning."
"…Understood."
"We obey your command."
The nobles bowed their heads.
Even though he was a weak and fragile king, some nobles still followed him because Daniel Cairo genuinely cared for the kingdom. Had he been born in a better era, he would have been a wise and benevolent ruler. But reality was not so kind. A weak king in a weak nation was nothing but prime prey for hyenas.
The meeting continued. The members of the Royalist Faction were preparing for every possible contingency when a single piece of news from the Southern Front made them leap from their seats.
"Is that really true?!"
"We are saved!"
It was a victory report.
And it had been achieved in just a few hours. At this shocking triumph they hadn't even dared to hope for, color finally returned to Daniel Cairo's face.
* * *
It was truly a grand feast.
A triumphant return.
Upon Roman's return as a hero, even the proud nobles of the capital welcomed him warmly.
"You have truly worked hard!"
"Thanks to you, Cairo has overcome a great crisis."
They had heard the rumors. More precisely, they had learned through their respective informants just how incredible Roman's exploits truly were.
Among them, Count Fabius had reported:
"To be honest, I still question whether what I experienced was real. From beginning to end, the strategy that brought down the Hector Kingdom originated entirely from Roman Dmitry. He perfectly grasped the enemy's intentions, lured the Hector Kingdom into a trap, and triumphed over Butler, a warrior of the 5-Star Realm. Marquis Benedict, I have never seen such talent in my entire life. Even the one called the First Sword of the Continent did not show such exploits in his twenties. Roman Dmitry is destined for immense success, both as a swordsman and as a commander."
It was high praise indeed. Even though he was already a talent coveted by everyone, Roman Dmitry had once again surpassed all expectations.
His brilliance as a commander and the sheer feat of defeating Butler were so shocking that they made his previous achievements pale in comparison.
Nobles swarmed the banquet celebrating Roman's return. Everyone wanted to exchange even a single word with him. Even the nobles of the Central Government cast aside their pride, desperately trying to win Roman's favor.
"Roman Dmitry. I finally get to meet you in person."
"I greet Your Majesty."
It was Daniel Cairo.
The nobles parted to make way. No matter how much of a puppet king he was, none of them were foolish enough to be openly disrespectful to the King with so many eyes watching.
"On behalf of the Cairo Kingdom, I wish to express my deepest gratitude. Against the Hector Kingdom, you showed the true resolve of Cairo. With bold decisiveness, you defeated Hector and restored peace to Cairo in its moment of desperate crisis. Is there anything you wish of me? Whatever you desire, I will grant it to the best of my ability."
Rewards and punishments based on merit.
It was time to bestow rewards. This was the King's prerogative, and all eyes focused on Daniel Cairo's lips.
Before Roman could even answer, Daniel Cairo added, "As it happens, the position of Vice Commander of the Royal Knights has become vacant. If you are willing, I shall grant you the title of Vice Commander and the authority to enter the Royal Treasure Vault. You may take treasures from there, or you may acquire the priceless knowledge that Cairo has preserved for generations. What do you think of my proposal?"
At those words, the atmosphere in the banquet hall turned ice-cold.
Realizing Daniel Cairo's intention to claim Roman first, the nobles of the Central Government could no longer watch the situation with smiles on their faces.
* * *
The position of Vice Commander of the Royal Knights.
It was an immense privilege. Rising to such a position in one's twenties was unprecedented in the entire history of Cairo.
Daniel Cairo continued, "Count Nicholas, the First Sword of Cairo and the leader of the Royal Knights, is looking for a successor to follow in his footsteps. This will be a great opportunity for you. Even now, you possess a talent that shines brighter than anyone else's, but with someone to guide you, you will be able to aim even higher. You need not worry about your military duty, either. Aside from the other rewards, I intend to grant you a special exemption from your remaining service."
Daniel Cairo.
For the first time, he was showing ambition.
'I must make Roman Dmitry my man.'
At a young age, he had been forced to wear the crown following his father's death. The nobles of the Central Government had welcomed Daniel Cairo's existence as a convenient puppet. Even after all these years, he still had to show respect to the leaders of the Central Government. That was why he addressed them with honorifics in the conference room. The moment he showed even a hint of treating them as subordinates, the leaders of the Central Government, including Marquis Benedict, would openly display their displeasure and pressure the King.
Because of this, he had always felt suffocated.
The people of Cairo believed him to be the supreme authority, but in reality, he was nothing more than a powerless puppet.
'Roman Dmitry defeated Butler, a warrior of the 5-Star Realm. If I can bring a powerhouse comparable to Count Nicholas to my side, even the Noble Faction won't be able to pressure me so easily. From then on, I can turn the tables. People call me a weak king, but I will not live like this forever.'
This war served as a turning point that changed his mindset.
Seeing the nobles look after their own interests, even at the cost of dragging the kingdom into hell, he realized things could not go on like this. He shed his weak demeanor. For the first time, he bared his fangs in front of the nobles.
Marquis Benedict spoke up, his voice laced with anger. "There is no precedent in the world where a reward entails burdening someone with another duty, Your Majesty. The Royal Knights are a military organization directly under the royal family. Forcing a young talent with a guaranteed future to join them is nothing short of demanding a sacrifice. Please withdraw your command. We must reward our hero appropriately."
"Indeed. While we agree to opening the Royal Treasure Vault, this is not the way."
He met with fierce opposition.
The nobles of the Central Government stepped forward. One after another, they chimed in, pointing out how utterly wrong Daniel Cairo's proposal was.
'Since when was joining the Royal Knights considered a sacrifice?'
The Royal Knights.
It was the most honorable position for any knight. Once, the children of noble families spent their entire lives striving to join their ranks. But ever since the royal authority collapsed, the nobles had begun to treat the order as a triviality.
Perhaps, as the nobles said, Roman might not welcome his proposal. However, having already spoken the words, Daniel Cairo had no intention of backing down voluntarily.
"Marquis Benedict. I have made my decision. From this point on, the choice lies with Roman Dmitry."
He had crossed the line.
Unlike his usual demeanor, he chose an informal, authoritative tone instead of polite honorifics.
For a moment, Marquis Benedict's expression contorted, but Daniel Cairo paid him no mind and kept his eyes on Roman Dmitry.
Everyone's gaze focused on Roman.
If Roman chose to follow Daniel Cairo, the Cairo Kingdom would truly plunge into chaos.
* * *
The King's proposal was unexpected.
The Daniel Cairo that Roman remembered was a weak king, yet the man was now looking at him with unwavering eyes.
'Is it because he carries royal blood after all?'
The public's evaluation might have been wrong. Perhaps Daniel Cairo was not as weak as the rumors suggested. He had been forced to bow his head under constant pressure since childhood, which made him appear feeble.
Now that an opportunity to turn the tables had finally arisen, Daniel Cairo was taking a gamble.
Although this bold move would only intensify the pressure on him in the future, Roman Dmitry was someone worth risking such a sacrifice for.
But...
'I have no reason to shoulder the burden of the Cairo royal family.'
This war...
While facing the Hector Kingdom, Roman realized that he had not yet fully grasped this new world. Edwin Hector, who used magic, and the 5-Star swordsman, Butler. The people of the Cairo Kingdom spoke of defeating them as an incredible feat, but by continental standards, it was not as grand as they made it out to be.
Edwin Hector?
He was merely a 4th Circle mage. Those called Archmages were said to wield magic like natural disasters, utilizing as many as seven circles.
And Butler.
His ranking in the Hector Kingdom was second. Yet on the continental rankings, his name could barely be found at the very bottom.
'That is exactly where I stand right now. A frog in a well. An existence that cannot hold its head high once outside the borders of Cairo.'
Daniel Cairo.
Marquis Benedict.
Count Gregory.
Count Denver.
They were all the same. They only acted like powerful figures because they were in the Cairo Kingdom; once they stepped out onto the continent, they were nothing.
Therefore, he could not accept any proposal.
For now, he needed to maintain the balance of power and buy time to meet his own minimum conditions.
Roman spoke.
"Through this war, I have realized how vast the world is. The Royal Knights... It is indeed a deeply honorable position for a swordsman. However, before I decide on my future, there is something I must do."
"What is that?"
It was a clear rejection.
Daniel Cairo could not hide his complicated emotions. In contrast, the nobles of the Central Government watched the situation unfold with smiles returning to their faces.
"Actually, if my military duty had not been exempted, this was a plan I intended to carry out two years from now. First, I plan to rest in the capital for a few days, and then return to my family. I intend to spend time fully integrating the realizations I gained on the battlefield. I cannot say for sure how long that will take. But when my preparations are complete..."
He raised his head. To the people watching him, he declared his next move.
"I will challenge the Public Ranking Match."
The Public Ranking Match.
At those words, a ripple of absolute shock spread through the eyes of the crowd.