Chapter 202: The Wheel of Destiny (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 202: The Wheel of Destiny (2)
Edwin Hector was bewildered.
If Roman Dmitry knew of the Kronos Empire's conspiracy, there was no reason to reject his proposal.
A common enemy.
The plan was to overthrow the Kronos Empire, so why was he reacting so aggressively?
"To be completely honest, I do not understand your intentions, Lord Roman Dmitry. The Dmitry Duchy invited the Kingdom Alliance here to discuss the future. By drawing the Alliance into this incident with the Kronos Empire, you proved that the strength of neighboring nations is absolutely necessary to oppose the Empire's ambitions."
Dmitry and Hector.
Their goals aligned.
Under such circumstances, it was only right to welcome and grasp the hand Edwin Hector had extended.
"I will not deny that Hector is weak. A mere year was not enough to recover from the famine and the aftermath of the war. Even now, many of my people are starving. But what does that matter? Even if there is only one additional person willing to join the cause of overthrowing the Kronos Empire, it remains a gain for Dmitry. We are offering to share the burden of a war that you would otherwise have to bear entirely on your own. Hector's plan is simply an extension of Dmitry drawing in the Kingdom Alliance, is it not?"
Outside the office.
A warm, friendly conversation was taking place in the banquet hall.
Clinking their glasses and speaking of the kingdoms' futures, the others laughed together, agreeing to unite against their common enemy.
An agreement had already been reached.
On the surface, an alliance between Dmitry and Hector had already been formed. Edwin Hector had only arranged this private meeting to solidify that fact. Therefore, an outright rejection was completely unexpected. Edwin knew Roman Dmitry was an unpredictable anomaly on the battlefield, but he hadn't expected him to be this difficult outside of it as well.
Roman Dmitry spoke.
"You are correct. Facing a common enemy like the Empire, the Kingdom Alliance must unite to survive. However, what I am talking about is a much closer relationship. Prince Edwin Hector, do you truly trust the Kingdom Alliance? They might be watching each other's backs for their own safety right now, but there is no guarantee that such a dynamic will last forever."
There were no eternal allies.
Operating under that premise, Roman Dmitry demanded clear, mutual benefits to ensure a secure relationship.
"Now, let me tell you how I, if I were the Kronos Empire, would tear down this sandcastle called the Kingdom Alliance."
* * *
Human relationships were complex entities.
While a person might show absolute trust to those within their inner circle, they would constantly doubt and distrust those outside it.
Alliances. Coalitions.
To build such relationships on solid ground, there must be more than just a shared purpose; there must be a conviction that the relationship is mutually beneficial. Hector had a clear purpose, but it lacked the power to influence the grand scheme of things.
"Recently, the situation in the Umberto Kingdom has been far from ideal. They share a border with Kronos on the absolute front line. They suffer the greatest damage from the frequent skirmishes, and internal discontent is boiling over due to the resulting fatigue. If I were the Kronos Empire, I would first try to win over Umberto. If Umberto were to yield to that persuasion, the Kingdom Alliance would inevitably collapse from the cracks forming within."
One possibility.
"In the Redford Kingdom, the king is addicted to gambling. He squandered the national treasury while putting his country's safety on the back burner. His ministers, in a desperate attempt to resolve the issue, eventually laid their hands on the Golden Bank's funds. As you know, the Golden Bank wields influence across the entire continent. If they begin to apply pressure, the debt-ridden Redford Kingdom will seek a new solution, and that solution might just be betrayal."
Two possibilities.
"Do you think we can trust Frank and Odelia, then? No, absolutely not. Their power structures are heavily divided, just as Cairo's used to be. Frank's neglect of Phoenix's request for support was a disaster caused by pro-Empire factions instigating the king. Cairo found stability by purging Marquis Benedict and the Noble Faction, but we cannot be certain that a similar miracle will happen for them."
Four possibilities.
And finally.
"What about Hector? The four kingdoms of the Kingdom Alliance have plenty of weaknesses for Kronos to exploit. The same goes for Hector. If your famine reaches its extreme, or if Valhalla suddenly declares war, do you have the confidence to endure? I am asking if you, who speak so boldly of taking revenge against the Kronos Empire, have the strength to remain unshaken even as the situation changes."
The Kingdom Alliance.
It was nothing more than a sandcastle.
They had formed an inherently unstable relationship that could collapse at any moment.
"Dmitry has no intention of making the mistake of breaking its relationship with the Kingdom Alliance first. We also hope for a friendly relationship with Hector in the future. However, participating in your plan, Prince Edwin Hector, is an entirely separate matter. The price of excessive trust is fatal. If we operate under the premise that neighboring countries could betray us at any moment, Dmitry will remain unshaken under any circumstances. But if we place mutual trust in each other, it becomes a different story. Because there is a specific role we would expect Hector to play, any void left by your failure would be fatal to us."
It was a complex problem.
Form an alliance, but do not give them your heart.
This was the cold answer returned to Edwin Hector, who had just poured out his sincerity.
Looking at Edwin Hector, who was visibly struggling to accept the situation, Roman Dmitry spoke in a low, calm voice.
"I do not doubt the sincerity of the Hector Kingdom. Unlike the other kingdoms, Hector has a clear purpose—revenge against the Kronos Empire—which gives us plenty of reason to accept you as an ally. The question is whether Hector is worth Dmitry's genuine commitment. For that, the role Hector can actually perform is crucial. If Hector merely talks about taking revenge on Kronos with words while remaining in its current miserable state, Dmitry has no reason to treat you with sincerity. Since what we can gain from Hector is negligible anyway, it is far wiser to rely only on ourselves and avoid taking on unnecessary risks."
His plans for the future required certainty regarding Hector.
If they proved their worth, only then would he consider how to utilize them.
Furthermore,
Roman Dmitry's stance was clear: from the very beginning, Dmitry would be the one driving this plan.
"I will ask you once more. Is there any real reason why Dmitry should sincerely join hands with Hector?"
* * *
Roman Dmitry's words
were entirely correct.
Hector was weak.
Yet, Edwin Hector had presumptuously brought up a plan first, completely ignoring his kingdom's place.
'...Come to think of it, the fact that the Kronos Empire is the mastermind isn't even the most important issue.'
Kronos.
They never bothered to put on a friendly face while plotting behind the scenes; they were consistent inside and out. They had always, without fail, spoken of continental conquest. While intentionally drying up Hector's lands was infuriating, considering how they had openly tried to politically destroy Hector in the past, they had always been that kind of enemy.
Learning the truth had only provided confirmation.
The harsh reality they had to face remained unchanged.
The Hector Kingdom had no power to execute any plans, yet here he was, babbling about bringing down the Kronos Empire with mere words.
"You are truly cruel."
He laughed hollowly.
The truth
was harsh to the point of misery.
Edwin Hector wore a self-deprecating smile.
"In truth, I know the reality as well. Hector is sliding down the path of ruin. At this rate, we will collapse on our own even without anyone attacking us. Perhaps that is why I am so desperate for revenge. While Hector still has even a shred of strength left, I want to take revenge on the Kronos Empire for reducing us to this miserable state. I also harbor the greedy desire to solve our kingdom's problems using their wealth."
Hector's value
was pitiful.
They might have the strength to burn brightly just once, but that could hardly be called impressive.
"Hector has no right to lead any plan. If a continental war breaks out and the Kingdom Alliance wins, Hector will be there, but we will never be able to say we won through Hector's strength. Even so, I have no intention of giving up on revenge. From the moment the people of Hector clutched their starving bellies, collapsed to the cold ground, and died lonely deaths, Hector became an existence that could never coexist with Kronos."
His voice grew increasingly heated.
Looking straight at Roman Dmitry, he put absolute conviction into his words.
"You asked for a reason to draw out Dmitry's sincerity? I can promise you one thing. As a prince of the Hector Kingdom, I will risk my life and give my absolute all to bring down the Kronos Empire. We do not need to be the protagonists. If you bring down Kronos and guarantee Hector's future, Hector will stand at the absolute front line. War is a battle of attrition, and Dmitry will surely need a sacrificial lamb to pave the way, will you not?"
Roman Dmitry.
Through this conversation with him, Edwin became certain.
For a man this meticulous, there could be no one more perfect to execute his plans.
He believed in him.
And so, he volunteered his kingdom for sacrifice.
"Even if Hector reduces Kronos's forces by a mere hundredth, it is a gain for Dmitry. Why not do this instead? Let Dmitry help Hector. We do not ask for much. If you provide us with provisions and armaments for our soldiers, we will use them as the driving force to face Kronos. If we are currently a force with only a cause but no practical utility, then help us so that we can actually do something. Rather than a flashy but hollow Kingdom Alliance, I believe Hector, with our crystal-clear goal, is far more suited to Dmitry's plans."
It was a bold proposal.
When asked to prove his value, he had instead asked to be given value.
Edwin Hector's eyes flared with venomous determination.
Unearthing the cruel truth, he accepted his destiny as a prince of the Hector Kingdom.
Therefore,
he staked his life on this matter.
If they did not bring down Kronos, Hector was finished anyway.
It was then.
"The promise you just made. Keep those words in mind."
It did not mean they were perfect allies.
However,
he had confirmed
the value of accepting Hector—no, of accepting Edwin Hector.
"Dmitry will do our utmost to assist Hector from the shadows so that you may regain your strength."
* * *
Following Cairo,
a second alliance had been formed.
Rather than the Kingdom Alliance that only talked a big game, Hector would now occupy a vital place in his future plans.
Of course,
though he would always prepare for unexpected variables, Hector's significance had drastically changed from before.
Before leaving,
Edwin Hector spoke.
"When I first met you on the battlefield, Lord Roman Dmitry, I felt for the first time in my life that I was facing someone completely beyond my capacity. Hector was defeated in that war, and I have thought deeply about it over the past year. Why did a perfectly prepared plan fail? Is it right to accept defeat simply because of a single existence named Roman Dmitry? People say I just met the wrong opponent. But since I cannot make that same excuse when facing Kronos, I do not wish to evade responsibility with such pretexts."
As a prince of a nation,
the life of Edwin Hector—a man whom everyone looked up to—was suffocatingly fierce.
"While staying at Sky, I worked relentlessly to become someone who could create variables myself. It is no different now. Hector will become stronger than we are today. To avoid being swayed by excuses, I will raise Hector's value by any means necessary. So please, Lord Roman Dmitry, prepare a stage for us."
He gritted his teeth.
That was
the last sight of Edwin Hector.
As Edwin left the reception room, Roman Dmitry stared at the empty space he had vacated.
'The Hector Kingdom. For Edwin Hector alone, they are more than worth drawing into my future plans.'
Beyond the physical body,
he had looked deep inside the man.
Edwin Hector had not spent the past year in vain; he had grown incomparably stronger. Roman could sense the explosive mana boiling within the prince. Having deepened his own understanding of magic through Pellex, Roman knew exactly how incredible Edwin Hector's value truly was.
His growth
was explosive.
In the coming war against Kronos, Edwin Hector was bound to play a crucial part.
It was amusing.
From enemies to allies.
The wheel of destiny had connected their paths.
And at that very moment,
another relationship, guided by Roman Dmitry's destiny, stepped into the vortex of fate.