Chapter 256: The International Conference (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 256: The International Conference (4)
One day before the declaration of war.
Roman Dmitry, who had been focusing entirely on their treatment, withdrew his mana and looked down at the two men lying there like corpses.
'Now, I have done everything I can.'
Primordial Energy.
He had utilized the very source of life to stimulate their innate self-healing abilities, but even his technique wasn't miraculous enough to bring the dead back to life. From this point on, they had to survive on their own. If they accepted death and let go of their thread of consciousness, all his efforts up to this point would go to waste.
Death.
It was a familiar word.
In the process of rising to the absolute peak, the Mad Demon was not the only one who had died for him.
There were many others.
He had climbed up from the cold, filthy bottom, stepping over the corpses of his comrades. Living a life that allowed not even an inch of leeway, he'd had no time to mourn their deaths. Perhaps that was why. Later, after unifying Murim and living a life that repeated itself to the point of boredom, the memories of those fierce days had constantly resurfaced.
Why, back then...
...had he been unable to look around at those beside him?
Even back then, people regarded the Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk, as someone who truly cared for his people. But looking back, that wasn't entirely true. The fierceness of his life had always left regrets. Perhaps that was also why he had rejected the call of the gods when he faced the opportunity for Ascension to Immortality at the end of his life.
He...
...had simply wanted to die as a human, just like the people who followed him.
Now, having gained a new life, he would still walk the path of the Heavenly Demon, but he wanted to leave as few regrets as possible.
His efforts to treat them were no grand feat.
Although he had expended his Primordial Energy, once he reached the realm of Heaven Beyond Heaven, his assimilation with nature would replenish the consumed energy with an even more abundant power. What differed from his past life wasn't that he had sacrificed for his subordinates. It was that, even with an enemy like the Kronos Empire right before his eyes, he chose to prioritize the safety of his people first.
That was his way in this current life.
Leaving the treatment room, Roman Dmitry stepped outside and immediately found people waiting for him.
"You have worked hard, my lord."
With Chris at the front, the soldiers of Dmitry stood waiting.
Seeing them waiting endlessly for the day he would emerge, Roman Dmitry returned to his usual, commanding self.
"Summon all the lords of the Dmitry Duchy immediately."
"We receive your command."
The Heavenly Demon never forgot a grudge.
He had merely taken care of his subordinates first; mercy would find no place in the Heavenly Demon's methods.
*
Exactly three hours.
That was how long it took for the lords of Dmitry to gather.
Since they had already put everything on hold and were waiting, they appeared in the estate the moment the order was issued.
In the conference room, the nobles took their seats.
Anticipating the agenda of the upcoming meeting, Viscount Conrad, who had once led the Northeast Association, spoke in a quiet voice.
"Surely, no matter how warlike Lord Roman Dmitry may be, he wouldn't declare war on the Kronos Empire, would he? Lately, I've been growing increasingly fearful. The Kronos Empire is a monster that even all the kingdoms of the continent combined cannot guarantee a victory against. Yet, the lord we serve has never once backed down, has he?"
"Indeed. If a war breaks out because of this, there will be no turning back."
Those who followed Conrad showed similar signs of anxiety.
Hearing this, Viscount Lawrence grimaced and retorted.
"The Kronos Empire attacked Dmitry. They must clearly be held accountable for this, and if that means war, I will gladly risk my life at the vanguard of the battlefield. Watch your mouths, everyone. The future of Dmitry is always for our lord to decide."
"No, we are not saying we won't follow our lord's orders. Like you, Viscount Lawrence, we would jump into a pit of fire if the lord commanded it. But that doesn't change the fact that a war with Kronos is reckless. Those who merely bow their heads and blindly agree that the lord is always right are not true loyal subjects to this nation."
"Are you criticizing me right now?"
"Think whatever you want! No matter what you say, Viscount Lawrence, a war with Kronos is no simple matter!"
Opinions were already divided.
Dmitry was split into two factions: those following Lawrence, and those following Conrad.
The faction following Viscount Lawrence believed Roman Dmitry was unconditionally right; they were the type who would jump into a raging fire clutching dry straw without a moment's hesitation if he ordered it. Conversely, the faction following Viscount Conrad harbored doubts about every choice. Above all, they wished to take a rational approach to any situation.
Thus, with a war against Kronos looming, the two factions were bound to clash.
However, they shared one thing in common.
They had all sincerely sworn loyalty to Dmitry.
It was only their methods of showing loyalty that differed; they harbored no doubt toward Roman Dmitry himself.
Over the past month, Roman Dmitry's actions had been a series of astonishing feats.
Returning alive despite the threats of Valhalla and Kronos was incredible enough, but the sight of him locking himself in the treatment room for over a week to save Kevin and Henderson had deeply moved everyone. Just as Chris had projected himself onto the two injured men, everyone who followed Roman Dmitry gained the absolute certainty that they would never be abandoned as long as they lived their lives for him.
Noble society was a world devoid of romance and honor.
In a world where one would suffer the fate of "Discarding the Hound Once the Hunt is Over" the moment they lost their utility, Roman Dmitry demonstrated true loyalty to his subjects. Some might say this was no big deal. But because the vast majority did not act this way, Roman Dmitry's actions couldn't help but stand out.
All of them followed Roman Dmitry.
Even if their opinions differed, their arrival in Dmitry within a mere three hours was proof of their absolute faith.
It was then.
"Young Master Roman Dmitry is entering."
At the servant's announcement, the clashing factions immediately stood to show their respect to the lord they followed.
*
Roman Dmitry took his seat at the head of the table.
In a scene that had now become entirely natural, he gestured for the nobles to sit and got straight to the point.
"The Kronos Empire has committed an act that never should have been done. Yet, I hear that opinions are divided on how to handle this matter—not just in Dmitry, but also at the International Conference. Because the atrocities of the Kronos Empire are so commonplace, people seem to have forgotten how to feel anger. I, for one, do not like that."
The atmosphere shifted.
Roman Dmitry looked at the nobles with a cold expression.
"The fact that the Kronos Empire attacked Dmitry and violated Continental Law is not the core issue. They believed they could bring Dmitry down with a force of barely ten thousand, and they carried out their plan without giving a single thought to the consequences. That is the reality of this continent. The reason they could act in such a manner, regardless of their military might, is because history has given them the justification that they are allowed to do so."
The kingdoms of the continent.
Their history had always been plagued by the great evil that was the Kronos Empire, yet a retaliation decisive enough to instill fear in them had never once occurred. Skirmishes at the borders meant nothing. They merely defended against the enemy's attacks; they never dared to strike the Empire's territory first.
In that manner, the years piled up.
Arriving at the present day, where no one could even remember when this ill-fated relationship began, people had become tamed by reality.
"From this moment on, I will extract the price for attacking Dmitry."
"...Are you saying you truly intend to go to war?"
It was Viscount Conrad.
At his question, Roman Dmitry replied.
"The moment Kronos's assassins attacked me, the war with the Empire had already begun. On that day, after wiping out the assassin guild, I sent a warning that they must be prepared to pay the price if they intended to resort to assassination. And their response was an assassination attempt in Valhalla's territory, followed by a direct assault on Dmitry. Viscount Conrad. The people who trusted and followed me bled and died from their unilateral attack. Do you believe it is right to bow our heads and speak of compromise? If they apologize for this incident, do you think we should accept peace in exchange for a few words of apology uttered by the strong?"
"No, my lord."
"Indeed, it is not. From now on, Kronos's intentions do not matter. We will allow no compromise, and we will not hesitate to wage war until we have extracted the exact price for touching us. Even if Kronos wishes for peace... I, Roman Dmitry, do not wish for peace with them."
As he spoke, Roman Dmitry's presence flared fiercely.
The Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk.
An existence who, even while struggling tenaciously at the very bottom of life, had never allowed himself to be looked down upon by anyone, no matter who they were.
The situation had changed.
If his approach until now had been reactive, he would take the initiative in this fight.
Roman Dmitry spoke.
"As of this moment, the Dmitry Duchy declares war on the Kronos Empire. Each lord shall assemble their forces and issue a state of alert to prepare for war. Keep this in mind. This war will leave a clear precedent that the power dynamics of the continent will no longer repeat the past."
A thunderous command.
Though Viscount Conrad had questioned his intentions earlier, he showed not a shred of doubt in the face of this resolute order.
"We receive your command!"
"We receive your command!"
To the lords of Dmitry, Roman Dmitry's command was absolute.
*
A sudden declaration of war.
It was something he had not even discussed with Redford or Hector.
Those who had been waiting to meet with Roman Dmitry couldn't help but be utterly shocked by Dmitry's move.
'To actually declare war.'
It was astounding.
Although this incident was clearly Kronos's fault, declaring war was a difficult decision when considering the Empire's overwhelming military power. Thus, Edwin Hector couldn't help but be thrown into confusion. He had thought he understood Roman Dmitry well by now, but he never expected him to make such a monumental decision without any prior consultation.
'Dmitry refused to attend the International Conference. At first, I thought it was simply due to Roman Dmitry's schedule, but given this course of action, perhaps he never wanted help in the first place. Is that even possible? To wage war with only Dmitry's strength?'
Without a doubt, it was impossible.
Even with the combined aid of Redford and Hector, a war against the Kronos Empire offered not even a one percent chance of victory.
That day, Edwin Hector immediately reached out.
He wanted to coordinate the situation through a meeting with Roman Dmitry. If a war with Kronos was to become a reality, the Hector Kingdom also needed to prepare. As time passed, the Kronos Empire made no attempt to hide its ambition for continental conquest. If even Roman Dmitry—the sole counterweight—were to fall, Edwin was certain that the kingdoms of the continent would eventually crumble one by one before the Empire's might.
Furthermore, the Master of the Sky Magic Tower had once told him this:
"Edwin. You and the others do not know the truth. The reason the Sky Magic Tower established itself in the Kronos Empire is not for an environment to develop magic, but because swearing loyalty to Kronos is the only way to guarantee one's future. I am telling you this because, personally, I wish for you to remain my disciple. If you are thinking of taking revenge on the Kronos Empire, stop now."
The Sky Mage.
He was an existence beyond the heavens.
Even a mage who had reached such an unimaginably high realm uttered those incomprehensible words while looking at Edwin Hector, who had been investigating the Kronos Empire. That was why he could not afford to sever his connection with Roman Dmitry. When faced with unpredictable variables, Roman Dmitry was the only existence capable of overcoming them.
The war on the Southern Front.
After experiencing Roman Dmitry firsthand, Edwin Hector had gained a powerful conviction in him.
Unfortunately, Roman Dmitry was unavailable.
Instead, at a gathering where the King of Redford was also present, Count Fabius appeared to represent Dmitry.
"I am Count Fabius."
"Please get straight to the point. What on earth is Lord Roman Dmitry's intention?"
A question seeking the truth.
Knowing that Redford and Hector were on Dmitry's side, Count Fabius gave a playful smile and spoke.
"It is exactly as it appears."
The declaration of war.
Roman Dmitry had already put it into action.
"Our lord wishes to take revenge solely with Dmitry's own strength. Therefore, please attend the International Conference right now and convey the situation to the other nations. Tell them that Redford and Hector are not involved. Make it clear that everything that happens from now on is a result achieved purely through the alliance of Cairo and Dmitry."
For a moment, they were dumbfounded.
Fabius's statement was something that defied all common sense.