Chapter 324: An Eventful Promotion Ceremony (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 324: An Eventful Promotion Ceremony (3)
It was a bewildering situation.
The Dmitry family had merely seized an opportunity during turbulent times to obtain the title of baron. In truth, their roots lay with the commoners. There was a time when Duke Dmitry had aspired to higher heights. He had hoped to solidify their standing as true nobility by arranging a marriage for Roman Dmitry, but he soon realized that the world of the powerful was far too vast for his own vessel to contain.
And so, he stepped down.
He placed Roman Dmitry at the forefront. Lately, like an old man retiring to the back room, he had been content to live a quiet, peaceful life with his wife.
Yet, here was Daniel Cairo, the King of Cairo, offering an oath of allegiance.
Duke Dmitry's vessel was simply too small to readily accept such a monumental proposal.
"What do you mean by that? Cairo becoming a vassal state? Dmitry originated from the Cairo Kingdom. While I, too, wish to maintain our alliance, I cannot understand why you would go to such lengths."
"I am not asking you to accept it right this moment. Becoming a vassal state is for the day Dmitry claims the title of an empire."
"But...!"
"Duke Dmitry."
Daniel Cairo calmly cut him off.
To reach this decision, he had agonized endlessly and held thorough discussions with his ministers.
"What did you think when you arrived in Kairos? The citizens crowding the streets view Dmitry as Cairo's hero. It is not simply because we share the same roots. It is because Dmitry guaranteed their safety. Because a power that shares their origins protects them, the people welcome Dmitry with absolute sincerity, without a shred of prejudice."
The citizens filling the streets. It had evoked a strange feeling. They would not react so passionately even when he, the King of Cairo, made a royal procession.
Daniel Cairo admitted it. Roman Dmitry was special. He commanded a presence within the Cairo Kingdom that far surpassed the influence of the king himself.
"In truth, the greatest reason for this decision is the war with the Kronos Empire. Kronos has laid bare its ambitions for continental conquest, and in the last war, they displayed a military might that the Cairo Kingdom could never hope to withstand. The Kingdom Alliance won that war. However, anyone who knows the inner workings of that conflict will tell you that victory was not brought about by the Alliance's strength. It was Lord Roman Dmitry's individual power that turned the tide."
That was the reality. Cairo had been utterly powerless back then.
"If the Kronos Empire were to launch simultaneous attacks against the entire Kingdom Alliance, what do you think would happen? We might win on the battlefield where Lord Roman Dmitry stands, but the overwhelming power of the Kronos Empire would surely swallow everything else. Duke Dmitry, the world is changing. In the future that lies ahead, neutrality is merely an irresponsible attitude. Even if we choose a side and prepare thoroughly, victory is not guaranteed. That is why the Cairo Kingdom has simply accepted reality. Just as the citizens of Cairo react with such enthusiasm, I believe that Dmitry can protect us from the ambitions of the Kronos Empire."
He trusted Dmitry.
If they were to entrust Cairo's future to them, they could not maintain this ambiguous relationship forever. Dmitry would, at some point, leap forward to become an empire. Since it was an inevitable future, Daniel Cairo was quick to recognize where he stood.
"Perhaps my words sound irresponsible. I am asking Dmitry to bear the burden of facing Kronos. But if Dmitry dreams of a future as an empire, please accept the Cairo Kingdom. On the day Dmitry declares itself an empire, I will gladly kneel and swear my allegiance."
It was a resolute determination.
Looking at the King of Cairo speaking so firmly, Duke Dmitry knew this was not a matter that could be decided lightly.
It was an era of great upheaval. In a situation like this, nothing that happened would be surprising. Daniel Cairo's desperation stemmed from his wish that Cairo would not be swept away in the torrent of chaos.
"Phew."
He took a deep breath. After pondering for a long moment, Duke Dmitry looked at the man who had been quietly observing their conversation.
"Roman. What do you think?"
Roman Dmitry.
The choice, ultimately, was his to make.
* * *
The absolute authority of Dmitry rested with Roman Dmitry.
Duke Dmitry knew this was not a matter for him—a practically retired old man—to decide. It was a difficult problem. He had passed the choice along, and Roman Dmitry reacted calmly.
"I agree with His Majesty the King of Cairo. The Kronos Empire's objective is clear, and simply wishing for the safety of the Kingdom Alliance cannot resolve the fundamental issue. True peace can only be achieved when the Kronos Empire is brought down. The problem is that Kronos is a massive empire. If they fall, a vacuum will inevitably be created. Unless someone controls that space, the chaos will never end."
A prime example was the Odelia Kingdom.
Odelia was a nation so weak that comparing it to the Kronos Empire was almost embarrassing, yet the mere collapse of the Odelian royal family had caused immense chaos. Odelia became a lawless zone. Its displaced citizens crossed borders as refugees, and the collapse of a single nation sent shockwaves across the entire continent.
If Odelia was like that, the fallout from Kronos would be beyond comparison. Therefore, this could not be a war simply to secure safety; they had to prepare for the aftermath as well.
"If Valhalla absorbs the vacuum left by Kronos, the same chaos will only repeat under the mad Emperor of Valhalla. That is why we cannot end this simply by securing our own safety. When the empire falls, someone must seize control of the chaos with absolute authority and pacify the continent. Whether the opponent is Kronos or Valhalla, we must completely eliminate any room for discord."
Daniel Cairo. Duke Dmitry.
The two of them witnessed Roman Dmitry's true intentions for the first time. They had vaguely known that he looked toward the heavens, but as the conversation progressed, their eyes trembled slightly.
"I will take on that role."
There was no room for false modesty. From the very beginning, Roman Dmitry had aimed for the summit. If the Kronos Empire fell, swallowing that chaos to pacify the continent was the natural next step.
The King of Cairo and the Lord of Dmitry had left the choice to him. Looking at the shocked pair, Roman Dmitry spoke with absolute clarity.
"I will lead the Kingdom Alliance, surpass the Kronos Empire, and pacify the continent."
* * *
The conversation ended.
After such shocking words were exchanged, the two men shared their thoughts with Roman Dmitry.
"My son, I believe in you. No matter what you do in the future, I, Romero Dmitry, will trust and follow your judgment."
Those were the words of Duke Dmitry.
And Daniel Cairo said,
"...To be honest, leading up to today's meeting, I worried a great deal about what to do if Dmitry's thoughts differed from mine. But now, I feel immensely relieved. Lord Roman Dmitry, thank you for making such a firm decision."
Both men looked brighter than expected. With the future now firmly decided, the complex problems that had cluttered their minds were completely resolved.
After parting ways with them...
Step, step.
Roman Dmitry walked down the hallway alone.
Cairo. Dmitry. And the countless people who believed in him.
Roman Dmitry trusted them, but he knew that to reach the absolute summit, he had no choice but to become stronger himself. Today's conversation was a vow. By taking on the burdens carried by Daniel Cairo and Duke Dmitry, he had directly declared his ambitions for the future.
Their expressions had been so bright because they had finally laid down their heavy responsibilities. Now, the harsh trials that awaited him would serve to elevate Roman Dmitry to the absolute peak.
As he walked alone down the corridor, a cold wind blew.
Trials that others could never endure—he was used to them. Just as he had in his past life, Roman Dmitry would rise to the summit as a reigning existence in this life as well.
* * *
After a chaotic day, the next morning arrived.
It was the day of the promotion ceremony.
The event was held in the grand square of Kairos, packed to the brim with crowds that had been gathering since early morning. They were all hoping to catch a glimpse of Roman Dmitry. Staff from the Cairo Royal Academy busily ran around to control the perimeter, and before long, it was time for the ceremony to begin.
The host of the promotion ceremony, Baron Alvin, prepared for his turn with a nervous expression.
"Whew, I'm nervous."
Originally, this event was not that big of a deal. The promotion ceremonies of the Cairo Royal Academy were held several times a year, so it was rare for people to show this much interest. However, the presence of Lauren Dmitry had completely flipped the situation. Interest in him had grown bit by bit, and following the Dmitry hostage incident, the number of nobles wishing to attend the event had skyrocketed.
Dmitry.
The name alone signified that the continent's hierarchy had shifted. Nobles trying to abandon Kronos and switch to Dmitry's side were desperately struggling to make an impression.
"Where is the script?"
"Here it is."
He received the script from an event staff member. He wanted to review his lines beforehand, but upon checking the pages, his eyes widened.
"...I have to read all of these people's names?!"
"Well, it's a bit awkward for me too. According to the Academy's tradition, we must announce the names of all the distinguished guests gracing the promotion ceremony. This scale is a first for us as well. Still, shouldn't we follow tradition?"
"Unbelievable."
His face turned pale. He knew the public's interest was high, but the moment he checked the script, he realized his expectations were nothing compared to reality.
If you can't avoid it, you might as well endure it.
In the end, the ceremony began. With the bustling crowd in place, the host stepped forward according to the schedule.
"We will now begin the promotion ceremony of the Cairo Royal Academy. Before we proceed with the main event, we would like to take a moment to introduce the distinguished guests who have graced us with their presence today."
He took a deep breath.
The crowd's attention focused on him. Their innocent eyes showed they had no idea what was about to happen.
"His Majesty the King of Cairo and His Grace Duke Dmitry are in attendance. We also have Baron Grisel, Viscount Conrad, Count Adelian, Viscount Lawrence, Viscount Bolt, Marquis Valentino, Count Fabius, Viscount Veil, Viscount Ringo, Count Verdi, Baron Larson, Marquis Jarvan... Count Christine, Baron Forsberry, Count Draxler, and Count Samir."
He was already running out of breath. There were simply too many. Just reading the names made him dizzy, but the real problem was that it wasn't over yet.
Flip.
He turned the page of the script. Names were packed tightly across the next page. There were no fewer than five more pages of names of this caliber waiting for him.
"And..."
The roll call continued. The crowd marveled. Aside from the sheer number of attendees, the lineup itself was incredibly illustrious.
It was certain—this event would go down in the history of the Cairo Royal Academy.
* * *
Before long, the ceremony neared its end.
After concluding the public congratulations for the promotees, Baron Alvin announced the closing of the event.
"...With this, we conclude the promotion ceremony."
Clap, clap, clap—
Clap, clap, clap—
The crowd applauded. The mental burden of hosting an event of this unprecedented scale must have been immense, so finishing it without a hitch was well worth the ovation.
With that, Baron Alvin stepped down from the stage. Since all the official proceedings were over, the attendees should have stood up to leave, but none of the nobles from the various nations budged.
A heavy silence descended.
With awkward expressions, they eyed one another. This event was not something they had attended merely to show their faces. If it was Lauren Dmitry's promotion ceremony, the core Dmitry family would surely attend. The nobles had planned to strike up a conversation while offering congratulatory gifts.
As expected, Lauren Dmitry's family gathered around him. Upon spotting Duke Dmitry and Roman Dmitry, the nobles swallowed hard, unable to make a hasty move.
It was a bizarre sight.
Staff were already packing up the event props. Yet, paying them no mind, the nobles remained firmly glued to their seats.
And so, the silent battle of wits among the nobles of various nations—all desperate to win the favor of the Dmitry family—began.