Chapter 382: The Second Continental War (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 382: The Second Continental War (5)
A few days ago.
Knight Commander Jonathan had heard a strange story from Lucas.
"Ares has been weighing on my mind."
"……What exactly do you mean by that?"
It was a highly sensitive matter.
Seeing Knight Commander Jonathan immediately stiffen, Lucas carefully looked around before speaking in a hushed voice.
"As the one in charge of Dmitry's security, Knight Commander Jonathan, I will speak frankly. As the head of the information guild, our Lord tasked me with the role of inspector. My duty is to suspect everyone within Dmitry. If there are suspicious circumstances, I must uncover the truth, even if it means digging into their private lives. Naturally, the people I have watched most closely of late are those who passed the private soldier recruitment. Since so many actual spies applied, we couldn't rule out the possibility of one slipping through among the successful applicants."
"Has any evidence come to light suggesting Ares is a spy?"
"No. That is not the case."
Lucas shook his head.
If there had been any hard evidence, Roman Dmitry would have executed Ares in front of everyone before departing for Valhalla.
"Ares is a flawless individual. His past is clean, and there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding him. Furthermore, after his recent brilliant achievements in defeating Valhalla's rankers, even I honestly thought he was beyond suspicion. The problem is this current trip to Valhalla. When our Lord departed for Valhalla once more, Ares claimed he was fatigued and chose to remain in Dmitry."
"Well, didn't he just accomplish a monumental task?" Jonathan countered.
"Knight Commander Jonathan, the work of an information guild begins with suspicion. Even with the ordinary people passing by on the street, my role is to secure information by questioning who they are and why they are wandering here. If even one out of a hundred suspicions turns out to be true, we have successfully fulfilled our duty."
Until then, Knight Commander Jonathan had dismissed it as mere speculation. But the words that followed increasingly stirred ominous thoughts in his mind.
"What I am about to say is based on a 'what if.' If the Kronos Empire planted a spy within Dmitry to plot against us, who do you think would be the most threatening? With our Lord, Chris, and Kevin all away from Dmitry, Ares is the one person who absolutely must not be a spy. That is why I began to suspect him. Because he could be truly fatal to us, I closely monitored his every move. Of course, the results were clean. I found no concrete evidence to suspect him. But I still cannot understand why he did not accompany our Lord. Valhalla is his homeland. If a mission were to be carried out there, Ares would obviously be more suited for the journey than anyone else."
Putting himself in the enemy's shoes, Lucas shifted his perspective. From the enemy's standpoint, Ares was in the perfect position to lead them to victory.
"If, by some chance, something goes wrong with this trip to Valhalla, then we must treat our suspicions as near-certainties. The moral dilemma of doubting a comrade does not matter. We cannot comprehend why Ares did not leave for Valhalla, but if a war breaks out, his potential danger increases exponentially. Therefore, as the one in charge of Dmitry's security, you must shut down Ares's actions the moment you spot even the slightest suspicious behavior."
"……This is indeed a complicated matter."
Jonathan felt deeply troubled. There was no evidence, but the logic was sound. The reality of having to suspect a comrade left his mind in a tangled mess.
Then, a sudden thought occurred to him.
"Have you reported this to our Lord?"
If there were grounds for suspicion, Roman Dmitry would surely have laid out a countermeasure. As expected, Lucas had reported it the moment his suspicions arose, but the response he received had been highly unusual.
"Yes, and that is why I have come to you, Knight Commander Jonathan."
* * *
It had been the exact same conversation.
Lucas had relayed his exact words to Roman Dmitry, but Roman had shown no signs of agitation.
"Lucas."
"Yes, my Lord."
"How many informants do we have deployed within the Valhalla Empire?"
"About ten thousand. Most operate in decentralized cells, blended into various parts of Valhalla as ordinary citizens."
"Indeed. We have infiltrated over ten thousand spies into Valhalla. While Valhalla might uncover the identities of a few, they will never find all ten thousand. That is the dilemma of a ruler. As one's power grows and enemies multiply, a ruler must accept the fact that their territory will crawl with spies. No matter how massive a purge is conducted, spies will always exist. In that case, knowing where they are but not exposing them is actually the best way to thwart their intentions. We can read their motives through their movements. As long as we are always prepared for the existence of spies outside our field of vision, we can respond to any variable that arises."
"……I understand what you mean, but the price of Ares's betrayal is far too dangerous."
Lucas wasn't wrong.
Ares. Under Roman Dmitry's tutelage, he had made astronomical leaps in progress. Though unspoken, the people recognized him as Dmitry's second-in-command. The strength he displayed during the private soldier recruitment was staggering—even Chris had been pushed back against him, causing Dmitry's hierarchy to be newly restructured around him.
If such a man were to betray them, it would be a catastrophic disaster.
Roman Dmitry was not ignorant of this fact.
"No evidence of Ares being a spy has been found. It is mere suspicion, and therefore, I will not inflict any harm upon him. Lucas, in the process of Dmitry's growth up to this point, every entity we accepted carried the possibility of being a spy. The Northeast Association, Marquis Valentino, Count Fabius, Fernando, and even someone like Fred, whom we accepted despite knowing he was a spy. They became the foundation of Dmitry. If we had rejected and purged everyone simply because they were suspected, Dmitry would absolutely not have reached where it is today."
It had been the same in his past life. As the scale of a faction grew, danger followed hand in hand.
"I do not wish to be a frog in a well. I dream of a great empire, not a small kingdom, and I will bring the entire Salamander Continent under my rule. If I were to suspect every single person without evidence while ruling over the countless millions who fill that vast land, what would happen? Distrust breeds discord. Acting on uncertainties erodes trust in me. That is why I trust my people. Blind trust carries risks, as you said, but that does not mean we do not prepare for variables. That is the reason I granted you power. Trust the people, but you must suspect everyone. Even if I, of all people, were to become a madman eating away at the nation like the Emperor of Valhalla, you must incite the people and raise a rebellion."
Lucas's role was vital.
An empire as vast as the great ocean had to embrace both suspicion and anxiety, and thus, it was not an ambition just anyone could achieve.
Roman Dmitry continued.
"And if Ares truly is a spy, Dmitry must not show itself so weak as to crumble from the betrayal of a single person. We must thwart his intentions, drag him back like a dog, and prove to the world what happens to those who betray Dmitry. Even if someone infiltrates Dmitry with a spy's mission, we must show them consequences so severe that they would never dare to carry it out. If we begin to hesitate out of uncertain anxiety, Dmitry cannot move forward."
That day, Lucas had looked up at the sky.
Roman Dmitry's caliber was immeasurably vast. Seeing his absolute conviction that variables were simply things to be managed, Lucas had bowed his head.
"I will uphold your will, my Lord. I, Lucas, will suspect every matter and block every variable."
And a few days later, he went to see Knight Commander Jonathan.
To prepare for even the slightest possibility. For the absolute worst-case scenario.
* * *
Remaining in Dmitry.
The Second Continental War.
And Ares's suspicious behavior.
The puzzle pieces clicked together in his mind. With Kronos poised to attack Dmitry, Jonathan could no longer let his suspicions of Ares remain mere doubts.
Knight Commander Jonathan spoke.
"I admit my words may sound offensive. However, Sir Ares, as the Commander of the Dmitry Knights, I am charged with overseeing Dmitry's security and the castle's defense. I assigned you a specific role. Why are you not at your post?"
"So, you are throwing such accusations at me based on nothing but mere suspicion?"
Ares's face contorted. Knight Commander Jonathan had just crossed the line.
Ares spoke with clear anger lacing his voice.
"If you have misunderstood my actions to that extent, I have no excuses to offer. However, I believe I have done far too much for Dmitry to be treated this way based on simple suspicion. When retrieving the prisoners of war, when departing for Arcadia, and when executing the operation to defeat Valhalla's rankers—I did not spare my life for Dmitry. So what is the problem? Do you truly think it is right to treat me as a spy simply because I did not go to Valhalla, and because I am not at my designated post?"
"Do not twist my words. If you had followed orders, my suspicions would never have been voiced."
Knight Commander Jonathan did not back down. The moment he voiced his suspicion, he had to see it through to the bitter end. Even if he were to suffer severe consequences for this, he had no intention of compromising. Just like when he, a highly promising talent, had chosen Dmitry long ago, he possessed a stubborn, unyielding streak.
With a resolute face, he spoke firmly.
"Regarding this matter, I will accept whatever punishment is deemed fit through proper procedures once Young Master Roman returns. So, if you have no intention of causing discord, obey my orders for now. The order is simple. Hold your position atop the right wall until the very end. If you remain there and fulfill your duty, I will bow my head and personally apologize to you once this war is over, regardless of the outcome."
The right wall. It was far from the castle gates. If Ares's true goal lay at the gates, this was the perfect way to block his intentions.
"If you disobey my orders and leave your designated position, from that moment on, I will have no choice but to suspect you."
Compromise was out of the question.
At the firm tone, Ares wore a peculiar expression. All eyes fell upon them. Those who did not know the context thought this was a clear mistake on Knight Commander Jonathan's part, and that he would pay a heavy price for it later.
And yet.
"……You really make things difficult."
Ares's expression shifted, revealing a fierce, menacing look completely different from before.
* * *
A very long time ago.
Alexander had fallen into deep thought. Though he had chosen the path of magic, he had always yearned for martial arts.
"Advent of the Heavenly Demon, Submission of Ten Thousand Demons!"
"Advent of the Heavenly Demon, Submission of Ten Thousand Demons!"
The Absolute of the Demonic Cult. Alexander could not shake the image of that supreme being receiving the roaring cheers of the masses from his mind.
Even while mastering black magic and steadily preparing for continental conquest, he could not give up his reputation as Alexander, the pioneer of Aura. Therefore, he changed his approach. If his own talent in martial arts was lacking, if his physical abilities could not achieve results grand enough to surpass his black magic, then why not put forward another entity to take his place? Even if he could not personally become a supreme existence like the Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult, he wanted to achieve his dream, if only through vicarious satisfaction.
It was a deep-seated desire buried deep within his heart.
He waited patiently for a suitable candidate to appear. Then, one day, Alexander discovered a brilliantly shining talent.
Ares.
That day, Alexander took in a disciple to inherit his will.
* * *
Back in the present, Ares no longer hid his true colors. He clearly displayed his displeasure.
"There shouldn't be a single shred of evidence that I'm a spy, yet you pathetic bastards are incredibly quick-witted."
He laughed coldly.
During the private soldier recruitment exam, Alexander had sent in his 'pieces.' When individuals like Fred were filtered out, people believed all the spies had been weeded out. However, there was no way to detect Ares. He had not been subjected to mind control from the start. With a sound mind and a spotless past, Ares naturally blended in as a loyal member of Dmitry.
The others had been mere bait. When Alexander planted Ares as a spy, he gave him a highly specific goal.
"Ares. While becoming the weapon that will bring down Dmitry, learn every single one of Roman Dmitry's martial arts."
People used to say that Ares was someone who defied the existing system. That did not stem from his own creativity, but rather because Alexander wished for him to forge a different path from his own. The greatest genius of the continent—that was Ares's secret. Stern Valhalla, Duke Vieto, the Master of the Sky Magic Tower, and now even Ares. No matter how deep one looked, there seemed to be no end to Alexander's evil reach.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
Dmitry's soldiers immediately surrounded him, their expressions hardening.
Ares, a traitor? This was an absolute disaster. The entire defense system could collapse from the inside out because of this single man.
Ares sneered.
"Knight Commander Jonathan. It would have been better for you to just remain ignorant and be stabbed in the back. Do you really think you can stop me and the Kronos Empire here, while Roman Dmitry is absent? Thanks to Roman Dmitry, I have obtained power far greater than before. Which means the likes of you cannot possibly stop me."
Shring!
He drew his sword. His presence was overwhelming.
As Knight Commander Jonathan warily watched Ares, his face tense, several figures stepped forward from the surroundings.
"Indeed, perhaps we alone cannot stop you."
Whoosh!
Fwoosh!
Flames erupted. The sight of blazing fire dancing around his body exuded a tyrannical presence. It was none other than Rodwell Dmitry.
He was not alone. Fred, Logan, Felix, Nox, and the other prominent figures of Dmitry drew their weapons one after another. This was Knight Commander Jonathan's failsafe. To prepare for any contingency, they had already positioned themselves for battle.
"But Dmitry will not fall so easily."
Those words were the catalyst.
The moment Rodwell Dmitry spoke, Ares and Dmitry's swordsmen lunged at each other in unison.
Boom!
Rumble!
And at that exact moment, beyond the walls, the soldiers of the Kronos Empire began their violent surge toward Dmitry's ramparts.