Chapter 184: Ties of the Current Life (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 184: Ties of the Current Life (2)
The commanders exchanged wary glances.
Rodwell Dmitry.
He was a man who perfectly met the conditions Flora had laid out.
He possessed sufficient skill and bravery, and they were confident he could carry out the plan without a hitch. His time on the Western Front had proven his worth. None of the commanders denied this fact, but there was a glaring problem: the name of Dmitry was far too valuable for its bearer to play the role of a sacrificial lamb.
Baron Noel spoke up.
"We cannot allow this. Didn't Flora say so herself? Whoever takes on the role of the Great Warrior must be prepared to die. I understand Lord Rodwell's resolve, but we cannot offer a swordsman like him up as a sacrificial lamb."
Rodwell's older brother, Roman Dmitry, had risen to become the true power in Cairo.
If he suppressed the Noble Faction's rebellion and repelled the Kronos Empire, the Cairo Kingdom would undoubtedly enter the era of Roman Dmitry. Baron Noel was no fool. Though his patriotism had kept him enduring all kinds of hardships on the Western Front, he still harbored the ambition to return to the capital and secure a key position in the future.
Therefore, he could not push Rodwell into the jaws of death.
The existence of Roman Dmitry and the backing of the Dmitry family made the value of this single man entirely different.
Rodwell Dmitry spoke up.
"Then is there another swordsman who will step forward in my stead?"
"Well, isn't that something we need to look into? Rather than making a hasty decision..."
"No. If we leave it to the leadership's decision, we will inevitably end up forcing a sacrifice on someone who doesn't want it. This is for Cairo. How could any knight, who is expected to be patriotic, possibly refuse? Besides, we don't have many options for this plan. There are swordsmen on the Western Front stronger than me, but their lives cannot be sacrificed in a place like this. We must also consider the situation after the Great Warrior Battle is over. If so, it is only right for a moderately skilled swordsman to make a meaningful choice."
He was not the strongest swordsman on the Western Front.
Even Marquis Vandenberg was a 4-Star Swordsman, but they could not send their supreme commander into the jaws of death.
Rodwell Dmitry looked at the gathered men.
Though they were visibly flustered, they could not say his reasoning was wrong.
"It is something someone has to do. And it's not as if I'm going out there intending to die for the sake of the plan. I will do my absolute best to defeat the Kronos Empire's Great Warrior. So, please, let me step forward."
"...Rodwell."
Marquis Vandenberg looked at him with pity in his eyes.
When Rodwell Dmitry was first stationed on the Western Front, his talent was still unrefined, much like any other youth his age.
But through experiencing countless deaths here, Rodwell had grown.
He had become a respectable swordsman, and now, he commanded everyone's respect.
Silence fell over the meeting room.
Though Rodwell was a disciple he had personally trained, Marquis Vandenberg could not show favoritism.
Ultimately, the decision was made.
"Very well. For this Great Warrior Battle, you, Rodwell Dmitry, shall step forward."
"Thank you."
He was the crowning stroke of this plan.
Rodwell Dmitry nodded with a calm expression.
* * *
After the meeting ended, someone was waiting for Rodwell Dmitry as he stepped outside.
"Why are you always so eager to throw yourself into danger?"
The Western Front.
There were two famous figures here.
One was the sole woman, Flora Lawrence, and the other was Rodwell Dmitry.
As a member of the Cairo Royal Academy, Rodwell Dmitry had been assigned a one-year term of service for practical training. However, even after that period ended, he chose to remain on the Western Front. That was during the time when the Dmitry family was garnering massive attention. No one could understand his choice to cast aside wealth and honor. Instead, Rodwell remained on the battlefield, walking a dangerous path.
In every battle, he was always at the forefront.
He never retreated even a single inch against the Kronos Empire, leading the Cairo Kingdom's army with veins bulging in his neck.
Because of this, the people of the Western Front sincerely respected Rodwell Dmitry.
He was praised as a strong warrior, but in Flora's eyes, he was anything but.
"To me, you don't seem normal. People say it's an expression of patriotism for Cairo, but the truth is, you're just a madman eager to die. There are quite a few people who follow you on the Western Front. The commanders accepted that you are the best option, but if we look at who we truly need, you are the last person who should die like this."
"It is necessary for me."
Rodwell looked at Flora.
Flora Lawrence.
He had heard the rumors.
The woman who had been betrothed to his older brother, but broke off the engagement and gave up the life of an ordinary noble.
Perhaps she was someone who could understand his feelings.
"Flora. You know what kind of person Roman Dmitry used to be. That is likely why a wise woman like you made the extreme choice to break off the engagement. How did you feel back then? Were you able to readily accept that the man called 'The Fool of Dmitry' was different from the rumors? I couldn't. During my time in the West, too many things changed in Dmitry."
Over the past few years, Roman Dmitry's transformation had been shocking.
At first, Rodwell denied the truth, but as the rumors persisted, he had no choice but to accept reality.
People told him how lucky he was to have an older brother like Roman Dmitry.
But Rodwell, who remembered his past with Roman, fell into a state of immense cognitive dissonance.
"In my life, Roman Dmitry was nothing but a stain. Yet, that very man is now hailed as a hero of Cairo. People applaud Dmitry's bright future, but I have never once in my life entrusted my future to someone I loathed to even call my brother. That is why I extended my service. I intend to do whatever it takes to surpass him."
He had denied reality.
He had blocked his ears.
Risking his life on the battlefield, he struggled desperately to grow stronger.
This time was no different.
Stepping forward as the Great Warrior was a life-threatening decision, but he hoped this crucible would make him even a little bit stronger.
Roman Dmitry had defeated Richard Nicholas.
The rumor that Roman had risen to become the First Sword of Cairo made Rodwell's heart burn with frustration.
Flora was lost for words.
Her emotions were complicated.
Since she, too, had once been thrown into confusion because of Roman, she could not easily judge his feelings.
After a brief silence, Rodwell Dmitry asked in turn, "Then why are you here?"
Flora bit her lip.
What should she say?
As she searched for a plausible excuse, she realized she didn't want to lie to Rodwell Dmitry.
The two of them were swept up in the same fate.
If Roman Dmitry had not changed, they would never have met on the Western Front.
"There was a time when my foolish choice almost got many people killed. So, I simply decided that I needed experience to ensure I never repeat the same mistake. Let's stop talking about this. Being asked in return snapped me back to reality. I won't ask you for your reasons anymore. But..."
She looked into Rodwell's eyes.
They were not the eyes of someone who had given up on life.
"You must win. Please survive, and live a life of meaning."
* * *
The day of the decisive battle dawned.
In the far distance, the Kronos Empire's army came into view.
Rodwell Dmitry stepped out of the castle alone and gazed at the enemy.
'I might die today.'
After he made his decision, many people had come to see him.
Those who tried to dissuade him, calling it a reckless choice, could only sigh upon seeing the unwavering look in his eyes. Ever since he started hearing rumors of Roman Dmitry, the wise Rodwell Dmitry the people once knew began acting as if he had multiple lives to spare.
He knew it himself.
This time would be truly dangerous, but if he didn't do this, there was no way for him to grow stronger quickly.
'Conventional experiences only lead to conventional growth. Roman Dmitry became the First Sword of Cairo. The world calls him the best in Cairo, but he is the one person I refuse to fall behind.'
Call it an inferiority complex if they must.
Whatever the reason, Rodwell Dmitry stood in this spot.
Inhaling deeply, he raised the sword he had sharpened to a razor edge through the night.
Clank, clank.
A short distance away, the Kronos Empire's army lined up in perfect order.
Rodwell Dmitry stepped forward.
With all eyes on him, he infused his voice with mana.
"I am Rodwell Dmitry of the Cairo Kingdom! I, Rodwell Dmitry, challenge the Kronos Empire to a Great Warrior Battle!"
From this moment on, he had stepped onto the crossroads of life and death.
* * *
It was just as Flora had predicted.
The Kronos Empire had no reason to refuse.
In their arrogance, they sent out a nameless swordsman to face him.
"My name is Osford. I shall be your opponent."
Osford.
He was someone who couldn't even make the bottom of the Empire's rankings.
Yet, not a single person from Cairo could bring themselves to smile.
Unlike Cairo, where reaching the 3-Star Realm allowed one to eye a ranker position, in the Kronos Empire, even those at the very bottom of the rankings were 4-Star Swordsmen. They truly lived in a different world. They had only sent Osford out as the Great Warrior to mock them, never once believing he was weaker than Rodwell Dmitry.
Furthermore, Rodwell was not even a ranker in Cairo.
Since the apparent difference in skill was absolute, Osford exuded complete confidence in his victory.
And so, the battle began.
Just as everyone expected, Osford seized the upper hand.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Clang!
Clash! Clash! Clang!
It was an overwhelming display.
As soon as the start of the battle was announced, Osford charged. His aura-infused sword gave Rodwell no room to breathe. Osford was a 3-Star Swordsman. The Kronos Empire had gathered data on the Cairo swordsmen active in the West, and they knew Rodwell Dmitry was still only a 2-Star Swordsman.
A 2-Star in his early twenties.
It was remarkable growth.
However, that only meant his future potential was highly rated; it was not enough to threaten the Kronos Empire.
That was why they had deliberately sent Osford.
They intended to show that even a nameless swordsman who wasn't a ranker could overwhelmingly defeat Rodwell Dmitry.
Clang!
"Ugh."
He was pushed back by sheer force.
Rodwell Dmitry blocked the attacks with rapid reflexes, but he couldn't help being driven back with every clash of their blades. The difference between them was clear from the start. Osford lunged forward once more, baiting Rodwell Dmitry into defending. The moment his opponent blocked the strike, Osford delivered a powerful kick to Rodwell's abdomen.
Thud.
A heavy impact shook him.
Suppressing the urge to vomit, Rodwell Dmitry swiftly attempted a counterattack.
However—
Slash!
His forearm was slashed instead.
Blood splattered into the wind.
No matter what Rodwell tried, Osford reacted. As time passed, the wounds on his body multiplied. A swordsman whose skills were recognized in Cairo was utterly blocked by the wall of the Empire. Though Rodwell Dmitry was undoubtedly a promising prospect, he could not seize the momentum even once against an unknown swordsman.
A weak nation.
This was the reality of Cairo.
The reason they couldn't utter a single word of protest against the Empire was because of this overwhelming disparity in power.
"Die!"
Crunch.
His armor crumpled under a fist.
Dizziness washed over him.
Rodwell Dmitry felt a constant urge to collapse, but he grit his teeth and held his ground to the end.
'This is the result I expected.'
The onlookers hoped for a miracle, however unlikely.
Could Rodwell win?
No.
It was impossible.
No matter who they had sent, the Kronos Empire would have fielded an even stronger swordsman against them.
That was what it meant to be an Empire.
Even without taking much time to mobilize their forces, they could ruthlessly trample Cairo's territory.
'Just how did Roman Dmitry defeat such monsters? I can't even handle a 3-Star Aura Swordsman, yet he not only defeated Butler but also became the First Sword of Cairo. The Roman Dmitry I remember was definitely not that strong. But while I left for the battlefield and struggled desperately to grow stronger, he reached a realm I dare not even look up to, making all my efforts look utterly meaningless.'
The rumors he heard.
People praised Rodwell Dmitry.
As the Dmitry family's prestige rose, he was treated with respect wherever he went.
But he wasn't happy at all.
Because he had never stopped striving for even a single moment in his life, he could not sincerely accept Roman Dmitry's fame.
'This morning, I heard the report that Roman Dmitry's Royal Army suppressed the rebels. He made what everyone deemed impossible a reality, proving his worth once again. It is now undeniable that Roman Dmitry has become an untouchable existence. The rumors, the people's reputation... they all prove Roman Dmitry's worth.'
He knew it too.
He knew that he could no longer close the gap between himself and his brother.
But even knowing that, his heart could not accept it. That was why he stood on this battlefield.
Slash!
His face was cut.
A long line of blood formed on his cheek.
Rodwell Dmitry's eyes did not waver.
Staring straight at Osford, he lunged forward.
Step.
"Where do you think you're going, you bastard?"
This duel.
He knew he couldn't win by ordinary means.
So, he had devised a plan.
It was the same pattern.
A counterattack aiming for the opponent's lower body.
After baiting the opponent's defense with repeated attacks, he aimed for a vital spot with a completely different pattern. He had allowed his body to take damage up until now just for this single moment. His entire body was drenched in blood, and he had no strength left to endure.
Rumble!
His aura exploded.
The attack was swift.
Forged by his experience on the battlefield, Rodwell Dmitry's execution was decisive.
The fluid sequence of attacks instantly penetrated a blind spot, but Osford managed to react once again.
"You arrogant bastard!"
The sword flashed.
Even so, Rodwell Dmitry did not stop.
As he continued to parry the blade, he gathered data in his mind, predicting exactly where his opponent's strike would halt.
'At this rate, I might lose an eye.'
His opponent was certain.
Certain that Rodwell would back away.
But Rodwell grit his teeth.
Splat.
One side of his vision was dyed in darkness.
At that moment—
Thrust.
"Cough."
Rodwell's sword pierced his opponent's vital spot.
He had sacrificed his flesh to take his opponent's bone.
Osford's face filled with shock.
By the time he tried to counter in his panic, Rodwell Dmitry had already severed his neck.
Slash!
Spurt!
Blood erupted like a fountain.
There was something he had learned during his time on the Western Front.
That a difference in aura did not guarantee absolute victory on the battlefield.
Blood poured from his eye.
Though his ruined eye was consumed by agonizing pain, Rodwell Dmitry smirked and raised his middle finger toward the Kronos Empire.
"Fuck off, you bastards."
On the second of the three days Roman had promised, the Cairo Kingdom successfully seized the initiative against the Kronos Empire.