Chapter 345: A Country That Lost Its Romance (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 345: A Country That Lost Its Romance (3)
Count Bragan took his seat.
"You seem to have been quite busy lately."
Though he spoke with a smile, his words carried a sharp edge.
A week.
It was not a short amount of time.
Billy had been receiving treatment for his battered face, while Count Bragan had been desperately placating urgent inquiries from Valhalla, demanding to know when on earth he would finish his business. He was highly displeased on multiple fronts. Seeing Roman Dmitry’s relaxed expression under these circumstances made his suppressed anger flare up all over again.
Roman Dmitry spoke.
"Yes, I was busy. If you had made an appointment beforehand, you wouldn't have had to wait. Please contact me in advance next time."
"...Understood."
It was not the reaction he wanted.
He had expected at least some sort of placating excuse; Roman's wooden, indifferent response only irritated him further.
"Before we get to the main point, I would first like to ask how you intend to handle the matter regarding Billy. Honestly, I would prefer to let it slide if possible, but a knight who accompanied me as a representative of Valhalla is currently crying out in pain, his face utterly ruined. How can I simply stand by and watch? If we let this matter pass without any action, it would be trampling upon the honor of Valhalla."
The Billy incident.
It was an issue that absolutely had to be resolved. Not for Billy's sake, but to establish Valhalla's superiority at the upcoming negotiation table and ensure they could steer the talks in their favor.
In that sense, it was a highly useful incident.
Having pondered over it repeatedly in his guest room, he had already calculated exactly how to pressure his opponent.
Roman Dmitry raised his teacup.
After taking a sip, he looked at Count Bragan with a calm expression.
"I heard he provoked Hans first."
"I am aware of that. However, there is a clear difference in status between a servant and a knight. Furthermore, he only made a threatening gesture and did not actually commit any physical violence."
It was a scenario he had anticipated.
Delivering his prepared response, Count Bragan swallowed a smirk.
"Hans is no ordinary servant," Roman said. "He has cared for me since I was a child, and he is a very special existence to Kevin as well. In fact, I have offered him other positions many times over the years. I intended to bestow a title upon him in recognition of his service, but Hans declined, saying he was content with being a servant. Billy provoked such a person. He shouted at, threatened, and raised his hand to strike someone who holds a special meaning in Dmitry."
"That does not change the reality of the situation. Kevin's actions will only worsen Dmitry's relationship with Valhalla."
"I agree. This incident is indeed something that should not have happened if we wished to maintain a friendly relationship."
Clack.
He set down his teacup.
"Which brings me to my point."
He looked at his guest. His sharp gaze exuded a fierce aura, as if ready to tear the man apart.
"Why, exactly, should we refrain from touching Valhalla's people?"
* * *
It was an unexpected response.
This "why," completely brushing aside the issue at hand, was tantamount to declaring that he was giving up on Dmitry's relationship with Valhalla altogether.
The corner of Count Bragan's eye twitched. But he did not back down.
"You go too far."
Why?
That was a question he should never have asked. Instead of offering excuses—which would have been insufficient anyway—Roman Dmitry had boldly crossed the line.
"I acknowledge that Hans is an important figure in Dmitry. But that is something we could not have known, and generally, treating a servant in such a manner does not cause any issues. My point is that you cannot blame us for the provocation. Billy, on the other hand, is a knight of Valhalla. He visited Dmitry as a guest, representing Valhalla to convey our intentions. How am I supposed to accept the fact that such a person was unilaterally beaten? Do not make a rash judgment. A single word from you, Lord Roman Dmitry, could make your relationship with Valhalla completely irreversible."
Count Bragan delivered his prepared lines.
It was a reasonable argument within the bounds of common sense, and his words could not really be considered wrong.
The problem was...
...the person listening to them was Roman Dmitry.
When Kevin had committed the act and reported it, Roman hadn't reprimanded him in the slightest.
"Count Bragan. It seems you are the one who is gravely mistaken."
His attitude shifted instantly.
As Roman crossed his legs and spoke with chilling coldness, Count Bragan's face flushed red.
"Mind your manners!"
"Are Dmitry and Valhalla in a position to speak of manners? When I visited Valhalla for the first and last time, Valhalla used the festival as an excuse to try and kill me. And how did the Emperor of Valhalla react when I defeated Barbosa? He openly executed those associated with him and set the stage for Kronos to attack me. No matter how vast Valhalla's territory is, those forces could not have been beyond the Empire's control, yet they allowed Kronos's assassins to run rampant, tailing me right up to the moment I crossed the border."
He was touching their rawest nerve.
If they truly wished to restore their relationship, the incident at the Valhalla festival was something both sides should have buried.
"Quite some time has passed since then. Yet, has the Emperor of Valhalla apologized even once? No. He hasn't mentioned it at all. He swept the incident under the rug as if it never happened, and that is how we arrived at today. Count Bragan, answer me. Do you think it is wrong of me to be hostile toward you? Looking at you holding me accountable just because we touched a single knight, what kind of order do you think I should give right now?"
The atmosphere turned bloodcurdling.
Dmitry's relationship with Valhalla... They were hostile nations. Perhaps Valhalla should have been even more cautious about speaking with Dmitry than Kronos, who had at least declared a ceasefire.
Count Bragan's face turned deathly pale.
Looking at him, Roman Dmitry casually tossed out a question.
"So, try your absolute best to convince me. Give me a reason why I should let you leave Dmitry alive."
* * *
Gulp.
He swallowed hard.
Roman Dmitry's reaction wasn't entirely unexpected. It was the absolute worst-case scenario he had envisioned, and Roman Dmitry had ultimately chosen vengeance over reconciliation.
He is just as extreme as the rumors say.
His opponent was threatening his life. And if the rumors were true, he was a man who would actually carry out those threats.
Even so, Count Bragan couldn't back down.
Marquis Belfir's order was to ensure Roman Dmitry did not join the rebel forces. Even if they couldn't bring him over as an ally, he needed to prevent the worst-case scenario by making Roman Dmitry realize how incredibly dangerous it would be to oppose Valhalla. Even if the root of the problem lay with the Emperor of Valhalla, instead of admitting fault, Count Bragan held his head high.
"Do not look at the situation so extremely. There is no law saying yesterday's enemy must remain today's enemy, is there?"
He spoke calmly. Even though his opponent was acting aggressively, he did not let himself get swept up in the momentum.
"I will not deny what Valhalla has done. But that is not what is important right now. Dmitry has crossed a point of no return with Kronos. Though you are currently enjoying a peaceful time under the guise of a ceasefire agreement, there is no telling when the flames of war will ignite again. But what if Valhalla sides with Kronos then? If you cling to the past and continue to maintain such a hostile attitude, Dmitry will face the worst possible outcome."
An alliance between Kronos and Valhalla.
It was a terrifying prospect. The two giants of the continent joining forces meant a power that Dmitry and the Kingdom Alliance could never hope to stop.
It was a highly effective threat. Rather than trying to soothe hurt feelings, forcing a harsh reality check was far more practical.
"The reason I came to Dmitry is not to fight over the past. You and I—Dmitry and Valhalla—are different from the foolish sort who only think about what is right in front of them. Let me state clearly what Valhalla wants. Promise us that you will not intervene in Valhalla's civil war. You may have spoken with Sanchez about this before meeting me, but joining hands with them will only lead Dmitry to ruin. The rebel forces are pathetic. Even if you join them, their strength is simply not enough to guarantee victory."
And, at the same time, he offered a sweet carrot.
"If you accept Valhalla's proposal, Valhalla will never intervene in the conflict between Kronos and Dmitry. In fact, we will help you. If you cooperate so that Valhalla can swiftly suppress the rebellion, Valhalla will not forget that favor and will work to improve our relations with Dmitry."
It was a reasonable proposal.
It did not demand anything excessive. Simply turning a blind eye to the rebels, or helping the overwhelmingly advantaged Valhalla Imperial Court, would bring great benefits to Dmitry.
It was an attractive offer. With a war against Kronos looming, Valhalla's proposal was of the sort that could not, by any common sense, be rejected. Of course, the past incident was bound to cause anger. It wouldn't have been strange if Roman had taken Count Bragan's head right then and there, but Count Bragan had set out for Dmitry confident that he could successfully complete his mission through logic.
Any rational human being would have no choice but to compromise.
If relations with Valhalla broke down, Kronos, watching from afar, would reap all the benefits.
The relationship between the three nations—Count Bragan targeted the vulnerability arising from that very dynamic.
However...
"Is that all?"
Something was wrong.
Seeing Roman Dmitry's completely unfazed reaction, Count Bragan opened his mouth to explain the situation once more, but Roman cut him off.
"If that is all, then I see no reason to keep you alive."
"...?!"
In that instant, Count Bragan's eyes widened.
He tried to hastily rise from his seat, but something pressed down heavily on his shoulders.
Grip.
"Sit."
It was Kevin.
Looking behind him too late, he saw Kevin's blood-stained face and his own escort knights sprawled across the floor.
Only then did he realize.
No matter what words he spoke, Roman Dmitry had never had any intention of compromising from the very beginning.
* * *
Marquis Belfir's office.
Marquis Belfir was receiving a report from his subordinate.
"Duke Vieto has begun gathering the rebel forces in earnest. A total of eighteen Valhallan nobles have answered his call, and their troop count is estimated to be around 200,000. The only top-tier ranker among them is Valderas, ranked 10th. The rest are ranked outside the top ten, so we do not need to be overly concerned."
"So he is finally going through with it."
The gathering of the rebel forces.
The civil war was becoming a reality.
An army of 200,000. It was a staggering number. It was a jaw-dropping scale to be mobilized by a mere eighteen nobles, but this was an empire, not a kingdom. Compared to the empire as a whole, it was only a fraction.
It was only because Duke Vieto had once been the core of power that he could mobilize 200,000 troops, but the Emperor of Valhalla's forces were ten times that size. Furthermore, all the top-tier rankers sided with the Emperor. Although public sentiment favored Duke Vieto, this was why those in power were absolutely certain of the Emperor's victory. No matter how much the common people took up arms and cried out for the romance of Valhalla, there was no way for them to defeat the Imperial Army, which was overwhelmingly superior in both quality and quantity.
Marquis Belfir spoke.
"What is the situation in Hernad?"
"We have gathered our forces there in anticipation of an attack by the rebels."
"Order them to stand by and monitor the situation for now. True to his nickname, 'Giant Rock,' Duke Vieto is a cautious man who does not move rashly. However, once he strikes, he does not hesitate in his decisions. With their current strength, there is no way they can defeat the Imperial Army. He is likely just putting on a show to secure public support, so simply reinforcing the defenses of Hernad will be enough to prevent any mishaps."
"Understood."
Hernad.
It was a rear territory. It served as a gateway that Duke Vieto had to pass through to march on the capital, and the Imperial Army had gathered there behind the walls of a sturdy fortress. Duke Vieto's move was obvious. Facing an overwhelming disparity in power, his only option was to incite the people to rise up in rebellion.
"Tsk, tsk. Foolish Vieto. If he had just remained content with reality, he could have spent his old age in peace. Why did he make such a choice?"
He clicked his tongue.
The probability of the rebellion's success was dismally low. Even if unexpected variables arose, the Valhalla Imperial Court possessed the power to completely overwhelm him.
He dismissed his subordinate.
He was about to put the rebel issue aside for a moment and handle other matters, but before long, his subordinate returned.
Knock, knock.
"May I enter?"
"Come in."
The subordinate entered. However, unlike before, he held a box in his hands.
"This arrived via magic mail. We have confirmed that there are no dangerous elements inside the magically sealed box. It bears Count Bragan's official seal with a message to deliver it directly to you, Marquis Belfir."
"From Count Bragan?"
This morning, Count Bragan was scheduled to meet Roman Dmitry. Thinking that it might contain good news, Marquis Belfir opened the box with a smile.
In that moment—
Thud.
Roll, roll.
Something fell out and rolled across the floor.
The moment he identified what it was, Marquis Belfir's face contorted like a demon's.
"Roman Dmitry, you son of a bitch! I'll tear you to pieces! Prepare a carriage immediately! Summon the leadership, we are going to see His Majesty the Emperor!"
The object on the floor was none other than the severed head of Count Bragan.