Chapter 131: Establishing the Hierarchy (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 131: Establishing the Hierarchy (4)
After leaving the banquet hall, the nobles of the Northeast Association gathered at Viscount Conrad's mansion, finally letting their simmering anger boil over.
"Arrogant bastard!"
"Just because that former Fool of Dmitry got a bit of recognition in the capital, he thinks he can look down on us all."
"Exactly. Do you remember what he said at the end? That he'd see this through to the bitter end. His insolence truly knows no bounds. Gentlemen, we absolutely cannot let this slide. If we bow our heads and back down now, the entire world will think the Northeast Association is nothing but a joke."
Everyone shared the same sentiment.
They all wanted blood, but the problem was that getting it wouldn't be easy.
"...So, do any of you have an actual plan in mind?"
It was Viscount Conrad who spoke. As the primary victim of today's humiliation, his face still burned with shame.
"The pro-Dmitry faction, led by Viscount Lawrence, firmly took Roman's side. This is a fight we cannot win. Isn't that why none of you did a single thing to help me while I was forced to bow my head? Honestly, I'm starting to question the very purpose of this Northeast Association. To put it bluntly, the Dmitry Family's military strength is overwhelming, and they have Roman Dmitry, the man who defeated Butler. We cannot beat them through normal means."
All of Viscount Conrad's initial confidence had evaporated into skepticism. Even now, his heart pounded in humiliation whenever he recalled the scene of himself bowing before the crowd.
The nobles of the Association fell dead silent. Though they were quick to vent their anger, none of them had a clear solution.
Ever since the fall of Barco, there has been no way to stop Dmitry.
They were an unrivaled powerhouse. Dmitry's presence alone was suffocating.
Having recently prepared for war against the Castro Family, Dmitry had revealed a military might that far exceeded the standard of the Northeast region. A direct conflict with them would result in devastating losses. Though they desperately wanted to clash head-on, the nobles held their tongues, acutely aware that this was no simple matter.
Just then, a noble spoke up in a cautious voice.
"...What if we contact the Central Government?"
"Are you suggesting we use the Central Government to pressure Dmitry?"
"Yes. Ever since Barco fell, haven't we made every effort to establish connections in the capital? Now is the time to use them. Our relationship with the Central Government isn't deep enough to demand much, but we can at least isolate this issue as a conflict strictly between the Dmitry Family and the Northeast Association. If we block any pretext for the pro-Dmitry forces—like the Lawrence Family—from intervening, Dmitry will be forced into a numerical disadvantage, no matter how strong they are."
They weren't trying to start a full-blown war. Their plan was simply to set up a board clearly advantageous to the Northeast Association, then use that leverage to extract an apology.
It was the best option they had. They had absolutely no intention of just rolling over.
Desperate for a lifeline, Viscount Conrad showed renewed enthusiasm. "Then I will contact them immediately."
* * *
The magical communication channel flared to life.
Beyond the screen, the face of the noble they had heavily bribed to build a connection with appeared. Viscount Conrad spoke on behalf of the group.
"Count Fabius. I have a favor to ask."
[Speak. Since it is a request from you, Viscount Conrad, of course I must listen.]
"Thank you for your generosity. To get straight to the point, we recently had a dispute with the Dmitry Family. The problem is that Roman Dmitry openly humiliated me because of it. Count Fabius, could you perhaps use the power of the Central Government to pressure the Dmitry Family, just this once...?"
Click.
The call disconnected.
Stunned by the suddenly blank screen, Viscount Conrad barked at the communications soldier.
"Can't you even maintain a connection properly?! Count Fabius might get offended, so reconnect it immediately!"
"Yes, my lord!"
The soldier scrambled in a panic, hastily re-establishing the magical connection.
As Count Fabius's face reappeared on the screen, Viscount Conrad opened his mouth to apologize for the unstable connection.
However—
[Sigh. You really are completely witless, aren't you?]
Viscount Conrad was instantly struck speechless.
Count Fabius, who had previously looked at him with a warm, accommodating gaze, now stared at him with utter contempt, as if looking at a squashed bug.
[Do you live with your ears plugged just because you're stuck out in the provinces? What? Pressure Roman Dmitry? You brainless bastards. Roman Dmitry is a talent cherished dearly by Marquis Benedict himself. Right now, the Marquis is making every possible effort to make Roman his son-in-law, and here you are, spouting bullshit about mobilizing the Central Government to pressure Dmitry? I only took your calls because I thought you might be useful as a bridge to get closer to the Dmitry Family since you're in the Northeast. What kind of suicidal idiots are you?]
Viscount Conrad's mind went entirely blank. He doubted whether what he was seeing and hearing was actually real.
[Listen to me very carefully. You know about the recent clash between the Castro Family and the Dmitry Family, right? Do you know how the Central Government handled that? Marquis Benedict demoted the Castro Family—who were his close friends—stating that those who cannot read the trends of the times have no right to speak in the Central Government. Do you get it now? Stop acting like morons. If you want to live, figure out a way to get on Roman Dmitry's good side.]
Those were his final words.
Click.
The call disconnected.
The nobles of the Northeast Association were left in stunned silence.
All the time and money they had spent trying to curry favor with Count Fabius crumbled to dust in an instant. Worse still, Count Fabius had mentioned the possibility of a political marriage between Dmitry and the Benedict Family. For the Northeast Association—who had previously crawled on their knees just because Barco had produced a minor figure in the Central Government—the sheer weight of a "political marriage" with Marquis Benedict left them in utter despair.
"My goodness..."
"It seems we have made a grave mistake."
But what could they do? They had already crossed the point of no return.
A noble who had been clamoring for revenge just moments prior spoke up in a timid voice.
"...Should we start by apologizing for Viscount Conrad's matter first? Don't look at me like that, gentlemen. If we want to survive, this is a far wiser path than clinging to useless pride."
True to their nature as the opportunists of the Northeast, they instinctively began searching for a way to survive.
* * *
The dispute with the Conrad Family was swiftly resolved.
The Conrad Family apologized directly to the peasants and promised never to interfere with them for the remainder of the contract period, exactly as stipulated.
"Young Master Roman! Thank you so much!"
"We heard that you went to such lengths for us, Young Master. We don't know how to express our gratitude. From now on, if it is for your sake, we will do anything, even if it costs our humble lives."
The peasants of Dmitry flocked to express their gratitude to Roman.
Word of what had happened at the banquet hall had spread like wildfire. There had been many onlookers, and the servants serving food had clearly overheard Roman's declaration as they went back and forth.
"Viscount Conrad. The Dmitry peasants you laid hands on are my people. They reside in Dmitry, pay taxes to Dmitry, and pledge their loyalty to Dmitry. They are my people. Yet, you laid hands on them without a single word of warning."
My people.
They were deeply moving words. It was a moment that permanently solidified the loyalty of Dmitry's people, and Roman's reputation soared higher by the day.
As expected, the Northeast Association tucked their tails. They probably intended to drag the Central Government into their dispute with Dmitry, but the current Central Government has no choice but to side with me over them.
He was the weight that tipped the scales. From the moment the Central Government turned its back on Castro, Roman knew he had temporarily gained a powerful backing.
Thus, from the very beginning, he had been absolutely certain that the dispute with the Conrad Family would never escalate into a full-scale war.
The Northeast Association is a pack of opportunists. They didn't hesitate to bare their fangs during our confrontation, yet they were just as quick to throw away their pride the moment the situation turned against them. They apologized immediately when the pro-Dmitry faction led by Viscount Lawrence sided with me. Now, realizing they cannot involve the Central Government, they have given up massive profits and nullified their contract with the trading company. If I let things end here, Dmitry might exert stronger dominance over the Northeast than before, but the moment the Central Government intervenes in the future, we will likely be stabbed in the back by the Northeast Association, who are merely biding their time.
They were a dangerous variable. Fundamentally, nothing had changed.
Therefore, from the very first stage of drafting his plan, Roman had absolutely no intention of letting things end in such an anticlimactic manner.
His plan was divided into three stages.
If the first stage was provocation, the second stage is facing reality.
By now, Lucas, who was in charge of the information guild, would be spreading a certain piece of news throughout the Northeast.
* * *
It was just a single piece of news, but it was highly intriguing.
"Did you hear? The Dmitry Family is hosting a swordsmanship tournament! And the grand prize isn't just pocket change—it's a whopping one hundred gold!"
"Come on. One hundred gold is a massive sum, but with Roman Dmitry around, do you really think anyone else can win? This is obviously a stage set up by Dmitry just to elevate Roman's prestige. He's a monster who defeated Butler, the second-ranked expert of the Hector Kingdom. Who on earth could beat him?"
"Let me finish! Of course the tournament would be pointless if Roman participated. But they say neither Roman Dmitry nor Knight Commander Jonathan will be competing. Not only that, but the tournament is supposedly divided into six blocks! Six blocks, and six winners. Do you get what that means? Whichever block you're in, if you win that block, you get the one hundred gold."
"Whoa. Seriously?!"
The entire region was thrown into an uproar.
The tournament's conditions were incredibly enticing. A standard tournament to determine a single victor would naturally be fiercely competitive, but for some reason, the Dmitry Family had split this one into six. Since the tournament was restricted to swordsmen active in the Northeast and the participants were being carefully screened, the chances of winning didn't seem so impossible the more people thought about it.
Frankly speaking, if someone got lucky and was placed in a block with weaker opponents, they could snatch the prize just like that.
Rumors swirled. People desperately wanted to confirm the truth.
Conveniently, there was a public gathering soon after. In response to the people's inquiries, Roman finally spoke.
"As the rumors suggest, the Dmitry Family is officially preparing for a tournament. The purpose of this event is clear. As you all know, I fought in the war against the Hector Kingdom on the Southern Front. People only remember my victory, but during that time, I realized how vast the world truly is. Therefore, we intend to use this tournament as an opportunity to prove ourselves. We have experienced the wider world, and we have grown stronger through that experience.
"There will be six blocks. One of my followers will be assigned to each block. If anyone defeats my follower and wins their block, I will not only award them one hundred gold, but I will also grant any request they make, provided it is within realistic bounds."
It was an unprecedented offer.
Among those listening, someone eagerly asked if those affiliated with noble families could also participate.
"Yes. As long as you can prove you are a swordsman active in the Northeast, no other conditions will apply. The tournament will take place one month from now. I hope you prepare thoroughly, and that many of you will take up the challenge."
With those final words, Roman made no further mention of the tournament.
However, the details he had already revealed were more than enough to throw the entire Northeast into a frenzy.
This was especially true for the nobles of the Northeast Association, who had been barely suppressing their rage. The moment they heard the news, they clenched their fists in anticipation.
This was, without a doubt, the perfect opportunity for revenge.