Chapter 287: After the War (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 287: After the War (3)
On his way back from meeting Chloe, Chris fell deep into thought.
"…Would I be able to sacrifice myself like Henderson did?"
Sven. The shadow who had attacked Dmitry had been a formidable 6-Star Swordsman.
Chris had followed Roman Dmitry for one sole purpose: to become stronger. His starting point was fundamentally different from those who harbored blind loyalty. If he had faced a 6-Star Swordsman in the exact same situation as Henderson, would he have thrown his body into the enemy's blade just to give Fernando an opening?
He didn't know.
A loyalty born of a competitive spirit could not guarantee unconditional devotion.
But then… Chloe.
As he walked out the door, he had heard her weeping behind him.
While the grief of bereaved families was something he routinely witnessed as a swordsman, Chloe's tears were far more complex. They were a mix of sorrow at losing Henderson, and profound gratitude toward Roman Dmitry for remembering him. For those who had lived their entire lives as commoners, simply being treated as human beings was enough to move them to tears.
It left a heavy feeling in his chest.
Chris was an orphan. Having lost his parents early on and followed Knight Commander Jonathan, the idea of caring for a family the way Henderson did didn't deeply resonate with him. However, he could imagine it. If he were to one day build a family of his own—living as a father rather than just a swordsman—he felt he might show that same blind loyalty. Not out of a desire to surpass Roman Dmitry, but simply because of the absolute "safety net" provided for his family.
A dry laugh escaped his lips.
Even though Roman Dmitry had directly told him this was a calculated move, Chloe's raw emotions had infected him.
'My lord was right. For a commander whose every word holds countless lives in the balance… I have seen with my own eyes the results born from an attitude that refuses to take people's lives lightly, offering clear rewards even if the intent isn't entirely sincere. Perhaps I, too… having seen Chloe today, might lay down my life without hesitation if I ever face the same situation as Henderson. To protect the man people look up to. To protect you, Roman Dmitry, whom I truly respect.'
A profound change of heart had occurred.
Chris, who had once been furious after his defeat at Roman Dmitry's hands, had gone through a period of acceptance and resignation. He had pledged his loyalty simply to become stronger, but now, he truly respected the man.
In the distant future, if he ever became a commander, he wanted to be just like Roman Dmitry.
It was then.
"S-Sir Chris!"
It was Chloe. She ran up to him, completely out of breath, her face flushed with panic.
"I-I think you gave me the wrong box! Even at a glance, there must be hundreds of gold coins inside. I'm sorry, but I don't have the strength to carry all of this. Could you please take it back? It would be terrible if you got such a massive sum of money mixed up, Sir Chris."
Just as she said, there were exactly 300 gold coins in the box.
It was enough money for a family of four to live comfortably for three hundred years without ever having to work. Upon checking the contents, Chloe had no choice but to run out in utter shock. She couldn't fathom that this was Henderson's compensation. Even if he had achieved distinguished merits, a reward of 300 gold was an astronomically excessive sum for a commoner.
Chris spoke softly. "It is not a mistake."
"…Pardon?"
"My lord said that you would need that much money to raise your child and live a life envied by none. Henderson deserves to be treated this way. And Lady Chloe, the title 'Person of National Merit' does not mean a one-time payout. The gold coins you just received are only the beginning. From now on, you will personally experience how Dmitry treats those who have dedicated themselves to the nation—not just through financial support, but in various other matters, such as your child's education."
He offered a gentle smile.
As Roman Dmitry's representative, the fact that he could deliver these words swelled his chest with immense pride.
"So please, live a happy life."
* * *
Meanwhile, the Hao Sect closely watched the situation unfold.
Although they usually went out of their way to spread positive rumors about Roman Dmitry, they had received strict orders not to politically exploit any matters concerning casualties. Lucas accepted the order calmly. He understood Roman Dmitry's intentions perfectly, though he knew a massive uproar would occur regardless.
A few days later.
As expected, Dmitry was in an absolute uproar.
The people who had initially doubted the rumors regarding the compensation were left in utter shock when actual monetary rewards began to be distributed, starting with Chloe.
It wasn't in silver.
Although the amounts varied depending on military achievements, the sight of pure gold coins being handed out as compensation left everyone reeling.
"…My goodness."
"Dmitry has allocated a whopping one million gold coins for the compensation budget!"
"Is that really true?! No, wait—they received five hundred thousand gold in reparations from the Kronos Empire, which means they're putting up another five hundred thousand gold from their own treasury! No matter how wealthy Dmitry is from the iron mine industry, this is impossible. It's not ten thousand or a hundred thousand gold—it's one million gold!"
It was absolute madness.
The sum of one million gold was hard to believe, but as more people received their compensation day by day, the public had no choice but to accept it as reality. Their neighbors, and the neighbors next to them—people they interacted with daily—confirmed the truth of the compensation. It filled the populace with deep respect for Dmitry's bold decision.
Furthermore, word of the National Merit System began to spread like wildfire.
"A system where the state takes responsibility for the families of those who sacrificed themselves for the nation, for the rest of their lives… I knew Lord Roman Dmitry was someone who never forgot the hard work of those who dedicated themselves to Dmitry, but I never imagined he would implement something like this. This is a system you can't find anywhere else on the continent. Even the Kronos Empire, which boasts of being the greatest in the world, doesn't treat its people of national merit this well."
"Did everyone hear about Chloe's family? In recognition of Henderson's achievements, they not only registered him as a Person of National Merit, but they also paid out a whopping three hundred gold coins in compensation! It proves the National Merit System isn't just empty words!"
Of course, no amount of compensation could wash away the grief of the bereaved.
However, because this guaranteed wealth secured their futures, those who had lost their breadwinners, like Chloe, could at least find a way to move forward. The entire nation was deeply stirred. Some grieved, some praised Roman Dmitry to the heavens, and others immediately packed their bags, declaring they would naturalize as citizens of Dmitry.
Amidst all this, one particularly prominent phenomenon emerged.
In the rural villages of Dmitry, young men who had spent their entire lives farming suddenly packed crude wooden swords and set out from their homes.
"Father, I am going to enlist in the Dmitry Army."
"Henderson was just a farmer at first, too. He couldn't even swing a sword properly and shook like a leaf during the courage test! But under Lord Roman Dmitry's teachings, he grew into an incredible swordsman. There's no law saying I can't do the same. I will train hard and become just like Sir Henderson."
"Mother! I will return successful!"
A single example had changed everything.
Henderson became the ultimate success story for ordinary people. Aspiring to become the second or third Henderson, people began flocking to Dmitry's military recruitment centers in droves.
In the future, historians would remember the events of that day as the 'Henderson Syndrome.'
* * *
At that very moment, high-level meetings were being held across various nations.
[Hector Kingdom]
Looking at the king, Edwin Hector spoke.
"The Dmitry Duchy has allocated one million gold coins for its war compensation budget, Father. This is undeniable proof of how Dmitry treats its people. However, we must not mistake Roman Dmitry for a soft-hearted man. The Odelia Kingdom was the only member of the Kingdom Alliance to betray Dmitry, and even when their capital was utterly obliterated, Roman Dmitry did not waver in the slightest. That is how Dmitry treats its enemies and its allies. If Hector cannot coexist under the same sky as Kronos, our only alternative is an alliance with Dmitry."
During their last meeting, Roman Dmitry had drawn a clear line, making it absolutely certain that he would not plan a future with those who did not follow him.
The king nodded.
Although he sat on the throne, the practical leader of the Hector Kingdom was Edwin Hector. He trusted his son's judgment, and he trusted the path Roman Dmitry had shown thus far.
"Very well. From this moment on, Hector shall prepare for war against Kronos."
[Redford Kingdom]
The conversation there was not a meeting. It was a unilateral declaration.
The King of Redford looked at his vassals and spoke with absolute conviction.
"The Redford Kingdom owes a great debt of gratitude to Lord Roman Dmitry. Had it not been for him, Redford would have walked the path of ruin, and our people would have been reduced to refugees like those of Odelia. Bear this in mind: Redford's decision has nothing to do with the outcome of the war. We will repay our debt to Dmitry, and the moment Dmitry decides to go to war, we will draw our swords alongside them!"
"For Redford!"
"Blessings upon Dmitry!"
[Cairo Kingdom]
[Umberto Kingdom]
[Frank Kingdom]
The situations in the other kingdoms were much the same.
The Cairo Kingdom was already one body with Dmitry. The Drake Family, who had led the rebellion and ascended the throne, firmly declared that Umberto would follow Dmitry's lead. The Frank Kingdom was the only one where opinions were initially divided. There was much fearful talk about the Kronos Empire obliterating the Odelia Kingdom in an instant, but in the end, their final choice was Dmitry.
Kronos and Dmitry.
While Kronos had shown a willingness to betray even after forming an alliance, Dmitry proved what they stood for through this compensation issue. The war compensation did not merely win the hearts of the public. It served as the ultimate catalyst for the allied nations, who had been hesitant about their relationship with Dmitry, to officially join the new Kingdom Alliance.
The continent was changing rapidly.
In the wake of the First Continental War, Kronos had suffered its first defeat, and Valhalla maintained its stance as a bystander. Odelia was destroyed, and the old Kingdom Alliance was reborn into a new Kingdom Alliance centered entirely around Dmitry.
And so, time passed.
* * *
About a fortnight later, notices were posted throughout Dmitry.
[Recruitment of Dmitry Private Soldiers]
A few years ago, right before departing for the Southern Front, Roman Dmitry had publicly recruited private soldiers who would follow only his direct orders. This poster carried a similar context. Although Dmitry had already grown to the scale of a nation and accepted regular soldiers into its army, Roman Dmitry's private soldiers carried the heavy prestige of a special forces unit meant for independent missions.
And there was also a peculiar condition attached.
[The eligibility of applicants is strictly limited to those who do not currently serve under the vassal lords of the Dmitry Duchy. However, those who are already directly affiliated with the Dmitry Duchy itself may change their affiliation by passing the exam.]
That day, Dmitry was thrown into an absolute frenzy.
Even without this notice, young men were already clamoring to enlist in the military due to the Henderson Syndrome. Seeing a poster actively seeking Roman Dmitry's personal private soldiers made their blood boil with excitement.
Someone voiced the thoughts of many:
"Becoming one of Lord Roman Dmitry's private soldiers is no simple matter. Look at Kevin, Volkan, Puki, and the others. They were definitely ordinary people at first, but they grew into incredible swordsmen under Lord Roman Dmitry's guidance! For any citizen of Dmitry who harbors even a sliver of a dream of becoming a swordsman, there is no reason to hesitate. Since even regular soldiers from the Dmitry Army will apply in droves, an astronomical number of people are bound to challenge this exam."
Ten thousand?
Twenty thousand?
It was impossible to imagine just how many would apply.
However, the people of Dmitry were only thinking within the bounds of common sense—the natural assumption that only citizens of the Dmitry Duchy would apply to join Roman Dmitry's private forces.
Immediately after the news spread, it went far beyond Dmitry's borders. The entire Salamander Continent began to be swept up in a massive tidal wave of intense excitement.