Chapter 200: Dmitry Duchy (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 200: Dmitry Duchy (5)
The Kingdom Alliance.
This coalition consisted of the four kingdoms located in the southwestern reaches of the Salamander Continent. Sharing borders with both the Kronos Empire and the Valhalla Empire, they had forged the 'Kingdom Alliance' for mutual protection. Just like Cairo, they were hyper-sensitive to any movements made by the empires. The only difference was that they were relatively well-united internally—though it was an open secret that without the looming threat of the empires, they never would have compromised with one another.
They were like water and oil.
An alliance forged solely for survival.
And now, they instinctively realized just how important Roman Dmitry was.
A few days before the formal declaration of the Dmitry Duchy.
In the royal court of Umberto, a meeting led by Count Verdi was underway.
"Your Majesty. The recent civil war in Cairo is an unprecedented event, unlike anything in the history of the Salamander Continent. There have been past instances where people, enraged by the empires' atrocities, sought revenge. However, there has never been a case where the aftermath was handled so cleanly. Roman Dmitry boldly opened his castle gates, marched out, and slew Count Fabio and Knight Commander Gustavo. Then, anticipating the empire's wrath, he drew our Kingdom Alliance into the fold. This proves he is not merely a man of martial prowess, but a leader who knows how to use his head."
Roman Dmitry.
His actions had astonished the entire continent.
The world held its breath, watching his every move.
"The Kronos Empire's tyranny grows worse by the day. While we have managed to hold them off so far through the strength of the Kingdom Alliance, there is no guarantee we will remain safe forever. Roman Dmitry—we must bring him over to the Umberto Kingdom's side. Conveniently, he is currently unmarried. If we can arrange a marriage between him and the Princess, securing Roman Dmitry, Umberto's future will be guaranteed."
"Count Verdi. Does the Princess not already have someone she holds in her heart?"
"This is no time to worry about such trivial feelings. The continental situation is changing by the minute. Considering the power the Dmitry Duchy displayed in this war, I cannot even begin to fathom how much they will grow. Now is our chance. We must win over Roman Dmitry, and by extension, the Dmitry Duchy."
A broken engagement.
It was his only flaw.
While it might have been considered an issue in the past, it was no longer seen as a blemish on his record.
Still only in his mid-twenties, Roman Dmitry had slain Knight Commander Gustavo. He was the heir to the Dmitry Duchy, and it had recently been revealed that even the Phoenix Magic Tower had sworn allegiance to Dmitry in the aftermath of the war. Furthermore, as a tycoon who owned the largest iron mine on the continent, Dmitry possessed immense wealth, making them the absolute perfect ally.
It was a mouth-watering prospect.
Persuaded by Count Verdi's impassioned argument, the King of Umberto finally spoke.
"Very well. I grant you full authority over this matter. You must secure a marriage alliance with Roman Dmitry at all costs."
"I shall obey your command."
However, the situation was no different in the other kingdoms.
Redford and Odelia, both members of the Kingdom Alliance, were having the exact same discussions. In fact, similar talks were taking place in all the allied nations, with the sole exception of Frank.
Therefore, now that they had discerned each other's intentions at Dmitry's banquet, they instinctively knew that a war of a completely different kind had just begun.
* * *
Once again, Count Verdi made the first move.
Completely ignoring the representatives of the other kingdoms, he turned toward Duke Romero and spoke with blatant ambition.
"Well, now. I hesitated to speak because I did not want to sound boastful, but some things must be said. Duke Dmitry. The Princess of Umberto is renowned as the greatest beauty in our kingdom. She possesses both elegance and wisdom, having graduated from a prestigious academy with outstanding marks. In truth, many kingdoms have sought her hand in marriage, but His Majesty the King of Umberto repeatedly refused, unwilling to give away his precious daughter so easily."
This was no exaggeration.
The Princess of Umberto was indeed the object of desire for countless men. Her reputation was so stellar that it was said she could choose any husband she pleased.
"However, His Majesty declared that he would welcome a man of Roman Dmitry's caliber with open arms. Do they not make a truly perfect match? The finest lady of Umberto marrying the greatest man of Dmitry. I am certain this would be a monumental decision for the future of both our nations."
Immediately after praising the princess, he elevated Roman Dmitry to the exact same pedestal.
Count Verdi was confident that this smooth, honeyed rhetoric would surely work.
However, Viscount Ringo spoke up.
"Count Verdi. While I have heard much of the Princess of Umberto's reputation, does she not already have someone she fancies? Rumor has it that she frequently meets with a man from a baron's family to discuss their future. Has that little matter been resolved?"
When he brought up the secret they had tried so hard to bury, Count Verdi reacted as if he were having a fit.
"What on earth are you talking about? That is a completely baseless rumor!"
"Oh, come now. It's an open secret, so why deny it so vehemently? Duke Dmitry, a person is happiest when they are with their true match. If there is a specific type of woman you desire for your son, please, just say the word. As soon as I return to my kingdom, I will compile a list of daughters from our most prestigious families. You don't need to worry about the broken engagement at all. Absolutely no one will ever make an issue of it."
"Viscount Ringo!"
The atmosphere grew instantly tense.
As Count Verdi's face flushed red and his eyes flared with anger, Marquis Marten chimed in.
"Everyone, please, contain yourselves. Dmitry's marriage is not for us to bicker over like children. It is a matter concerning the future of the Dmitry Duchy, and thus requires careful consideration. To put it bluntly, the only country truly fitting for the Dmitry Duchy is our Odelia. Think about it. Currently, neither Umberto nor Redford is in a particularly stable position. Is it not overly greedy of you to wish for a marriage alliance with the Dmitry Duchy?"
"Why, you...!"
He had crossed the line.
Having his sore spot poked, even the previously relaxed Viscount Ringo exploded in anger.
"What utter nonsense to spout on such a joyous occasion! Marquis Marten, I always thought you were a decent man, but I never imagined you could be this insolent. Apologize this instant!"
"Apologize? For what? Duke Dmitry hasn't said a single word, yet you are all trying to force a marriage on him. You are the ones being insolent!"
It was utter chaos.
The rumors were entirely true.
They had only banded together to survive; they didn't actually get along, remaining as incompatible as water and oil.
As the argument grew increasingly heated, Duke Romero finally spoke up.
"That is enough, everyone."
Instantly, a heavy silence fell over the room.
Since they all desperately needed to stay in Duke Romero's good graces, none of them wanted to sour the mood further by defying his words.
"Roman's marriage is not my decision to make. I have no interest in political marriages. If Roman brings home a lifelong partner, it will not be for the sake of national interests, but because he has met a woman he truly loves. Therefore, there is no need to press me like this. If you must, try to win Roman over instead. Whomever my son chooses to give his heart to, I will welcome her with open arms."
At those words, the kingdom representatives exchanged subtle glances.
It seemed they all had a new task to attend to as soon as they returned home.
* * *
While the commotion was at its peak, Baron Larson, the representative of the Frank Kingdom, had a far more pressing issue to resolve than a marriage alliance with Roman Dmitry.
"Sir Felix."
"……Baron Larson?"
In a corner of the banquet hall, Felix, who had been chatting with a small group of people, widened his eyes in surprise upon spotting the Baron.
The two were already acquainted.
To be exact, Baron Larson had played a major role in bringing the Phoenix Magic Tower to Frank in the past.
"Have you come as the representative of Frank?"
"Yes. If you don't mind, could we speak privately for a moment?"
"……Very well. Let us go this way."
Once they reached a secluded terrace away from the prying eyes of the crowd, Baron Larson got straight to the point.
"His Majesty the King of Frank was deeply dismayed by the sudden disappearance of the Phoenix Magic Tower. I will not ask why you relocated to the Dmitry Duchy. But would you consider returning to Frank? We have deeply reflected on how we neglected you in the past, and from now on, we will spare no expense in providing full support to the Phoenix Magic Tower. I swear this on my name."
The civil war in Cairo.
As Roman Dmitry made a name for himself, there was another force that had captured the continent's attention right alongside him.
It was none other than Phoenix.
Previously ranked at the very bottom among the continent's magic towers, they had demonstrated the ability to manifest 'Burning', a secret technique long thought to be lost.
Felix's display of power as he brought down Castle Benedict was utterly overwhelming. The prevailing opinion across the continent was that Phoenix had to be completely re-evaluated simply for having recovered their lost secret technique.
Upon hearing these rumors, the Frank Kingdom had thrown itself into a frenzy.
They had previously deemed Phoenix useless.
A magic tower was a monster that constantly devoured funds, and the Phoenix Magic Tower, having lost its secret technique, was simply not worth the investment.
But what was this? The tables had completely turned.
Just as Frank was subtly cutting off their funding, Phoenix had suddenly abandoned their tower and vanished, only to reappear having perfectly mastered 'Burning'.
Panic set in for Frank.
Believing that Phoenix was still rightfully their asset, the Frank Kingdom hurriedly dispatched an envoy.
Baron Larson's face was filled with clear embarrassment.
Even as he spoke, he knew he was being utterly shameless.
Sure enough, Felix's expression hardened.
"You know it well yourself. Frank broke its promise to Phoenix."
"This time is different from before. I will personally take responsibility and—"
"No. No matter what you offer, it is useless. Do you know what my very first thought was after we relocated to Dmitry? I realized what it truly feels like to be trusted. Dmitry did not merely demand results from us; they respected us and fulfilled their initial promises to an almost excessive degree."
After the war ended, Phoenix had received countless offers.
Everyone wanted to bring the magic tower to their own lands, but despite the staggering wealth offered, their response remained the same.
"We have sworn our loyalty to Lord Roman Dmitry. It is not a matter of terms or conditions. We found someone who truly recognizes our worth, and until he casts us aside, we have no intention of seeking another path. So return to Frank and tell His Majesty the King: our ties with Frank are officially severed."
He turned away.
Watching the mage leave, Baron Larson could not bring himself to stop him.
Despite holding all the advantages, Frank had made the foolish mistake of letting a newly risen noble family like Dmitry snatch away their greatest treasure.
A headache throbbed at his temples.
Baron Larson was overcome with dread, wondering how he would ever report this upon his return to the kingdom.
* * *
Different dreams in the same bed.
Within the confined space of the banquet hall, people moved according to their own distinct agendas.
Roman Dmitry looked down at the scene from above.
'The two empires did not send envoys. The Kronos Empire has already made its intentions clear by forewarning an assassination, and the Valhalla Empire has signaled through this declaration ceremony that they will not let Count Denver's death slide.'
The empires.
Their positions were rock-solid.
Although people called Kronos the evil of the continent, the Valhalla Empire could hardly be considered a benevolent force either. How had Valhalla risen to the status of an empire? Naturally, they had trampled over the surrounding kingdoms to prove their might. Just like Kronos, they would never tolerate anything that diminished their prestige.
They were exactly the same.
Just as Kronos had forewarned of an assassination, Valhalla would surely deem vengeance for Count Denver absolutely necessary.
For those who followed the empire, it was a matter of retribution.
For an empire to remain an empire, no slight could ever be overlooked.
'The continental situation is shifting rapidly. The Kronos Empire has openly declared its ambition for continental conquest, and everyone knows the Valhalla Empire harbors no less ambition. Just as the representatives of the kingdoms have gathered here today, the future will inevitably become a clash between the empires and the Kingdom Alliance.'
The Kingdom Alliance.
The weak had joined forces.
Frank, Umberto, Redford, and Odelia.
Along with Cairo and Hector.
Roman Dmitry had no intention of blindly trusting an alliance of the weak. An alliance born of weakness meant that the moment anyone betrayed them to side with the strong, the balance of power would instantly collapse.
'Alliances with the surrounding kingdoms are only temporary. In the end, we must be able to stand against the empires with our own strength.'
His throat felt dry.
Just as he took a sip of wine, Hans approached.
"Young Master. A guest is waiting for you in the reception room."
"There shouldn't be any scheduled appointments. Who is waiting for me?"
The guest who had come to the reception room.
It was none other than—
"The Prince of the Hector Kingdom."
Edwin Hector. The very man who had flustered Knight Commander Jonathan at the castle gates a few days ago was the unexpected guest seeking Roman.