Chapter 265: The First Continental War (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 265: The First Continental War (3)
A suffocating tension filled the air.
Met with Count Fabius's sly response, Duke Bamford discarded the pleasantries and cut straight to the chase.
"I am sure you know why I requested this parley. Continental Law strictly prohibits the use of poison that causes indiscriminate slaughter during war. It is the bare minimum of conscience we promise one another as human beings. Yet, why did Dmitry use poison? Did you not consider the consequences your choice would bring to this war?"
He spoke of conscience, yet conveniently omitted their own wrongdoings.
No, from the very beginning, the Kronos Empire never believed they had done anything wrong, not even with their preemptive strike.
This was war.
Just as Hector had launched a surprise attack across the border, striking Dmitry's home territory was an act that, while violating Continental Law, had occurred repeatedly throughout history. But poison was different. The reason Kronos did not actively weaponize poison, even with the Behemoth Magic Tower in their possession, was because it did not distinguish between friend and foe. Furthermore, it was nearly impossible for civilians caught in the crossfire to escape such indiscriminate slaughter.
Therefore, Duke Bamford bared his anger.
It was a harsh reproach, as if demanding to know how the likes of Dmitry dared to use poison when even Kronos refrained from doing so.
Count Fabius replied, "I understand what you mean, but that is merely a recommendation, is it not? It is not an absolute obligation. Just as crossing a border without warning does not invalidate the justification for 'war,' we simply viewed the use of poison as an extension of those same tactics."
"Count Fabius. From this moment on, you had better choose every single word with extreme care."
Duke Bamford's expression turned murderous.
Having watched nearly a hundred thousand of his soldiers die, a fierce rage welled up in his chest.
Kronos.
It was his empire.
In a world ruled by the Emperor, the title of Duke was a position earned only through the utmost devotion to the nation. Duke Bamford didn't bother to hide his boiling anger.
"All laws in the world, including Continental Law, have a starting point that prompted their creation. Count Fabius, why do you think the people of the Salamander Continent banned poison, even in the midst of waging war?"
"Well, because of a famous historical event, of course."
"Indeed. A very long time ago, before Kronos claimed the title of Empire, there were far more kingdoms in the world than there are now. How did they fall? In their bid to seize each other's territories, they utilized highly contagious poisons. It resulted in a terrible catastrophe where three of the warring nations lost thirty percent of their populations. How many civilians do you think were included in that number? The point I am holding you accountable for is that we must not repeat the past. If you abandon even your last shred of human conscience, do you truly think you can handle a war with Kronos? The methods you call cruel are nothing in comparison."
He wasn't entirely wrong.
If their opponent had been anyone other than the Kronos Empire, Count Fabius might have nodded along to what was a reasonably sound argument.
However...
"Yes, yes, I understand perfectly. I don't really care about what happened in the past, so what of it? Are you telling us to just offer our necks and die quietly? To preserve that damn 'last shred of human conscience'? I'm sorry, but I have no desire to hear such words from the Kronos Empire, the very people who backed Dmitry into a corner."
Fabius's sheer audacity was truly a sight to behold.
* * *
His opponent was Kronos.
An undeniable powerhouse.
Those who had heard the rumors about Count Fabius were certain that the man, often branded a traitor, would wag his tail before Kronos. In some ways, they were right. If the time and situation called for it, he would readily turn his back and swear loyalty to the Empire. But the person he followed right now was Roman Dmitry.
Betray decisively. But do your absolute best for your new lord, as if you would lay down your life for him.
That was his life's motto.
To Count Fabius, who had sworn absolute loyalty to Roman Dmitry, the Kronos Empire was merely one of many enemies.
Count Fabius continued, "Those countries that lost thirty percent of their populations were later absorbed by the Kronos Empire, becoming the very foundation upon which your current Empire was built. In the end, it was an event from which Kronos profited immensely."
"...What are you implying?"
"Oh, nothing. I was simply stating a fact. And frankly speaking, while other nations might have the right to complain, the Kronos Empire has no business criticizing the use of poison. Everyone in the world knows that Kronos uses Black Magic. Especially during my lord's recent return to Dmitry, where the Kronos Empire openly displayed its power. Black Magic is far more vicious than poison. If poison is child's play, Black Magic is a force capable of destroying all of humanity."
His attitude was blatantly defiant.
From the very beginning, he never had any intention of having a smooth conversation.
"We merely paid you back in kind. Even if you take issue with this, we have no intention of apologizing."
"Count Fabius."
"Yes, speak."
"Do you have proof that the Kronos Empire used Black Magic? Not circumstantial evidence, but ironclad proof. There is absolutely no evidence that the attack on Roman Dmitry during his return was the work of the Kronos Empire. His Majesty the Emperor did announce an assassination order on Roman Dmitry, but that and what actually happened are entirely separate matters."
"Ah, is that so?"
Fabius smirked.
Kronos was exactly this kind of nation.
Even though everyone knew the Shadows belonged to them, they used their sheer might to force the world to turn a blind eye to the truth.
"Yes, of course. The Kronos Empire has done absolutely nothing wrong. You attempted to assassinate my lord, mobilized the Shadows against him, used Black Magic in the process, and even attacked Dmitry's home territory—but in the end, Dmitry is entirely in the wrong for using poison. So, what do you want us to do? Didn't you raise your army to destroy us anyway? Humanity be damned; if we lose this war, we die. Regardless of how Kronos has acted so far, we have simply chosen our own path to survival. So, let's just drop the act. Kronos's Black Magic, Dmitry's poison. Neither of us is in any position to preach about conscience. Since we'll be at each other's throats the moment we turn around, let's not bicker over trivialities."
"How dare you...!"
"And," Count Fabius's expression hardened. "Duke Bamford, surely you know this well. The poison my lord possesses is not something even the Behemoth Magic Tower can easily neutralize. If we truly desired indiscriminate slaughter, we would have released it right in the middle of your Capital. So spare me the nonsense. We are maintaining our own boundaries in our own way. If you push us to extremes, then from that moment on, there is no guaranteeing what will happen."
It was an explicit threat.
Audaciously, Count Fabius bared his fangs at a giant of Kronos.
* * *
The atmosphere shifted.
At Count Fabius's words, Duke Bamford's raging fury suddenly stilled, becoming as calm as a quiet pool of water.
"Very well. We shall acknowledge our respective stances and bring this matter to a close."
The threat had worked.
Fabius had leveraged the threat of unleashing poison in the Capital to buy time. Because of this, the Kronos Empire would not be able to move recklessly—at least, not until they could perfectly neutralize all thirty-two types of poison. Fearing a catastrophic strike, they had no choice but to tread far more cautiously than before.
However, Duke Bamford suddenly spoke up again.
"Dmitry must have a plausible plan that gave you the resolve to wage this war, and Roman Dmitry surely stands at the center of it. I will frankly admit it. Launching a surprise attack on Rascal to slaughter ten thousand of our troops, and then releasing poison to kill a hundred thousand more while our attention was diverted—it was a move we did not expect."
He couldn't help but admire the man.
Looking at Roman Dmitry's actions, Bamford had often imagined what it would have been like if he had been born in the Kronos Empire. It would have guaranteed an overwhelmingly dominant future. If a being like Roman Dmitry had been given the wings of Kronos, their ambition of Continental Conquest would have been realized much faster than expected.
But then again, that would have been far too boring.
At least for Duke Bamford, he hoped there would be trials and tribulations on the path to Continental Conquest.
"There was a time when I, too, spent my life on the battlefield. It was only out there that I truly felt alive, and it was only after leading every war to victory that I was granted the title of 'Duke.' To be honest, I still find the cumbersome clothes of nobility highly uncomfortable. The man people call Duke Bamford is far more accustomed to the grit of the battlefield than the comforts of the Capital. But do you know why I left the frontlines? Because I grew old? Because the frequency of wars decreased? Neither."
It was a drastic shift in topic.
Duke Bamford was revealing his true thoughts to an insignificant being.
"It was because I realized the true power of the Kronos Empire. I saw just how terrifyingly strong this nation is. Knowing that the reward of victory would naturally follow even if I did not lift a finger, I lived a life away from war from then on. Roman Dmitry... he is a remarkable figure. Born in a frontier territory, reaching the 6-Star Realm at such a young age—his actions thus far are so extraordinary that no equivalent can be found, even within Kronos. And after this incident, I've begun to think that Roman Dmitry might be an even more incredible figure than we initially thought. But that is all. No one who knows the true power of Kronos believes that Roman Dmitry is an existence capable of halting the Empire's ambitions. We are simply looking forward to the entertainment."
He chuckled.
Recalling the source of Fabius's unwavering confidence, Bamford wore an expression of genuine ridicule.
"The stronger Roman Dmitry is, and the harder he struggles, the more the people of the Salamander Continent will be forced to acknowledge that the Kronos Empire deserves to rule. Dmitry's fall alone will prove it. So, please, struggle to the bitter end. Give me a reason to feel alive again."
Finally, he added, "I am truly looking forward to your valiant struggle."
With that, Duke Bamford turned around and walked back to his camp.
* * *
Meanwhile, in Dmitry.
Hans meticulously wiped down the bodies of the patients, who lay as still as corpses, with a warm, damp towel.
...When did he grow up so much?
Kevin came into his line of sight.
His shirt had been removed so Hans could clean him. Kevin's body was so covered in scars and gashes that not a single patch of unblemished skin remained. While some were fresh wounds from this recent war, most were accumulated from past battles. Scars layered upon scars. The overlapping marks were a brutal testament to Kevin's relentless effort.
A flood of emotions washed over Hans.
When he had first met Kevin, the boy was full of venom but showed zero talent as a swordsman. Yet now, he had grown leaps and bounds, becoming a warrior recognized across the continent. Kevin's contribution in defeating Sven had been particularly immense. If he hadn't stopped Sven, far more casualties would have been inevitable.
Everyone knew why Kevin had sacrificed himself.
Moved by his desperate desire to protect Dmitry, they all prayed for him to safely regain consciousness.
Beside him lay Henderson.
While Kevin at least looked somewhat stable on the outside, Henderson was no different from a living corpse. He was in such a critical state that it wouldn't be surprising if his heart stopped at any moment. Every day, Henderson's family visited and wept, yet they never uttered a single word of resentment toward Roman Dmitry. Roman had done everything in his power to ensure the survival of both Kevin and Henderson. Knowing their lord's sincerity, the family felt nothing but gratitude.
Hans's heart ached.
Whenever he cared for them, tears would well up in his eyes unbidden.
He stood up.
Since he never knew when guests might visit, he wanted to tidy up the room so they wouldn't feel uncomfortable. When sadness struck, keeping busy was the best remedy. That was Hans's way of life, and as he diligently cleaned the surroundings, his sorrow subsided.
It was then.
Just as he finished tidying up and turned to walk away, a familiar voice called out from behind him.
"...How much time has passed?"
The voice was raspy, parched from long disuse.
Hans whipped his head around.
And there he was.
"Kevin!"
Kevin, having pushed himself up with a strained expression, was looking right at him.