Chapter 414: The Fall of Kronos (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 414: The Fall of Kronos (5)
It was just as expected.
The followers of Marquis Memphis. Had the Marquis been executed immediately, they would have accepted reality. Instead, they had gathered in a secret room, far from prying eyes.
"...What do you all make of this?" Count Carrasco, Marquis Memphis's closest friend, asked with a stiff expression.
When everyone remained silent, their faces grim, he pressed on.
"Marquis Memphis is still alive. If we rescue him and rekindle the embers of rebellion, we can gather the strength to oppose Roman Dmitry. I know all too well how dire our situation is. We couldn't defeat Roman Dmitry even when the Empire's military might was at its peak. Resisting with the few forces we have left offers a slim chance of victory. But we cannot just stand by and watch Marquis Memphis die like this, can we?"
"Indeed. Besides, it's a well-known fact that we are Marquis Memphis's men. A change in regime means that even if we survive, we'll never live decently again."
Their dilemma stemmed from a loss of power. Under Roman Dmitry's rule, their days as the ruling class were over.
Being Marquis Memphis's men had once been an impenetrable shield. Now, it was a brand of treason. This harsh truth had forced them into this hidden room. The simple fact that the Marquis was still breathing made it impossible for them to just accept their new reality.
Count Carrasco spoke again.
"A few days ago, I received a message from Count Snodin of Valhalla. He promised that if we make a move, Valhalla will support us wholeheartedly. From here on out, it is a matter of choice. If we wish to reclaim our rights, we rescue Marquis Memphis. If we intend to accept this new reality, we watch him die. I will follow the consensus."
He lacked certainty himself. It was an agonizing dilemma, and he needed to hear their thoughts.
Finally, one noble spoke up.
"That all sounds well and good. If we rescue the Marquis and secure Count Snodin's backing, we can certainly lay the groundwork for another war. But what is the point? Roman Dmitry is a monster who obliterated a fortress wall layered with magical defenses in a single strike. Even Alexander, a master of 9th Circle magic, could not handle him and has already crossed the river of death. And we're supposed to rely on Count Snodin? How can we trust a man who can't even control Valhalla properly?"
Every single one of them knew the truth. The moment they crossed the line, they would be branded as traitors and face Roman Dmitry's judgment.
"Roman Dmitry is not a man who relies solely on martial might. He didn't execute the Emperor of Kronos publicly, yet he hung Marquis Memphis out in the open like a spectacle. He wants to set a precedent. If anyone crosses the line, he will show them the severe punishment waiting for those who violate the new laws he emphasized in his speech."
"...Even so, Marquis Memphis is our benefactor. We cannot just watch him die."
"Count Carrasco."
Their eyes met. While Count Carrasco was a close friend to the Marquis, the noble speaking now was a blood relative—a cousin of the Memphis family.
"I share the Memphis bloodline. Do you know why someone like me is saying this? Because if we accept reality, we can at least survive, even if we lose our wealth and glory. During his speech at the execution platform, Roman Dmitry explicitly stated he would grant new opportunities. And..."
He clenched his teeth. He hated saying it because it made him sound pathetic, but he had to make them understand.
"I don't want to fight a monster like Roman Dmitry anymore. Just looking at him fills me with absolute terror."
* * *
Meanwhile, a young man stood before the execution platform.
Despite his youthful face, he couldn't hide the raw, murderous intent in his eyes as he stared up at Marquis Memphis.
"Marquis Memphis. What a pathetic sight."
"Who are you...?"
At the unfamiliar voice, Marquis Memphis raised his head. Having been suspended there for days, his vision was blurry and his ears were ringing, but he recognized the speaker almost instantly.
"Heh, you're the child of Marquis Croit. I heard one of his sons escaped when we exterminated your family. To think you'd appear before me alive like this. Life is truly amusing. So, have you come for your revenge?"
It was exactly as he said. The Croit family had faced total annihilation.
Loyal retainers had barely managed to rescue the youngest son, Jowelson, but everyone else had been slaughtered. Jowelson had dreamed of this day every single night. He had vowed over and over again to brutally murder Marquis Memphis and avenge the family that had loved and cherished him.
Now, the opportunity was here.
The moment he raised his dagger and plunged it into Marquis Memphis's abdomen, flesh would tear and blood would spray. It was the moment he had yearned for.
Yet, completely different words spilled from his lips.
"No. I won't kill you."
"You won't kill me? I killed your father! I stabbed him in the gut simply because he defied me! I slaughtered your mother, your sister, and every single member of the Croit family! And yet you won't take your revenge? Jowelson! Kill me! The mortal enemy of your family is standing right in front of you, and you're going to let me off without any pain? Come on! Carry out the revenge you've been dreaming of!"
Marquis Memphis screamed.
There was no way for him to survive anyway. Knowing exactly what Roman Dmitry intended, he desperately wanted to be freed from this agony as quickly as possible.
Suicide was impossible. He had tried biting his tongue once, but a mage had immediately stepped forward and cast healing magic to reattach it. Roman Dmitry's decree was absolute: death by another's hand was permitted, but taking one's own life was forbidden.
This was his only chance.
Seeing the Marquis desperately begging for death, Jowelson let out a laugh tinged with madness.
"This is exactly why I won't kill you. Look at yourself. You, once the most powerful man in Kronos, are begging me with that pathetic face to end your life. Why on earth should I grant your wish?"
Staring at Marquis Memphis, Jowelson turned the thoughts over in his mind.
No matter what his enemy wanted, the urge to kill the man with his own two hands kept creeping up. It felt like the only true revenge.
But he had wise people by his side. The loyal retainers who still followed the Croit family had reminded him that his life wasn't over yet.
"I will rebuild the Croit family. To do that, I must accept the new tide. I am truly grateful that Lord Roman Dmitry is the new master of this land. At least he won't ostracize me out of prejudice just because I am from Kronos. And even if I don't stain my hands with your blood, he will make sure you suffer a death that feels like absolute hell."
He clenched his fists tightly, squeezing so hard his fingernails dug into his palms and drew blood.
"Neither I nor anyone else will violate the new laws. The era of Kronos is over, and we now know what truly matters. Marquis Memphis, today is the last time I will ever come to see you. The next time I visit this place, it will be to look upon your cold corpse."
With those final words, he turned around.
As Jowelson walked away, Marquis Memphis screamed frantically.
"No, wait! Kill me! Please, just kill me! Jowelson! Avenge your family with your own hands!"
He thrashed wildly. He shrieked with venomous desperation. He screamed until his throat tore, but Jowelson didn't look back even once until he had completely vanished from sight.
* * *
The sun was scorching.
He didn't even know how many days had passed. With a hazy mind, Marquis Memphis stared blankly at the sun hanging high in the sky.
Where on earth did it all go wrong?
Over the past few days, countless people had come and gone. Some treated him like a spectacle, while others glared at him with eyes full of rage, just like Jowelson. Yet, not a single person laid a finger on him. The laws established by Roman Dmitry were absolute. Everyone knew the price of violation, so no one dared to cross the line.
And not a single member of the Memphis family came for him.
At first, he'd hoped they might risk the danger to rescue him, but he now realized it was nothing but a futile delusion. It had been a truly hollow life. When he lived as a man of power, he believed his life was perfect. Looking back now, there wasn't a single person he could truly trust.
If he could turn back time, could he have changed this miserable reality?
No, it would have been impossible. The past me would have made the exact same choices. Alexander and the Emperor of Kronos were everything that made me who I was. I could never have imagined that a nameless heir from some remote corner of the continent would bring down the Kronos Empire.
No one could have foreseen this reality.
Roman Dmitry was an anomaly, an existence that defied explanation even now. His mistake wasn't the years he spent living for Kronos, but rather his blind, excessive loyalty. He had never imagined a situation like this could arise. Because he believed Kronos was the entire world, he had never once considered the possibility that a man like Roman Dmitry could completely flip the board.
He gasped for breath.
His consciousness began to fade. The last thing that entered his failing vision was a ragged young boy staring up at him as if watching a monkey in a cage.
And with that...
Thud.
Marquis Memphis's head slumped forward.
* * *
"...Marquis Memphis has passed away."
It was Chris. At the report that the Marquis had drawn his last breath after exactly ten days, Roman Dmitry looked up from the documents he was reviewing.
"The cause of death?"
"It was not homicide. His life force simply ran out."
"Which means no one laid a hand on Marquis Memphis."
"Yes, My Lord."
It was exactly as intended.
The execution of Marquis Memphis was not a simple matter. It served as a symbol that would define the future relationship between Roman Dmitry and the people of the Kronos Empire. Knowing this, no one had dared to touch him. Even though they had lost their families and had so much stripped away by his hands, the fear of defying Roman Dmitry far outweighed their simmering rage.
Roman Dmitry spoke.
"With this, the people of Kronos have fully accepted my existence. Watching Marquis Memphis slowly die, they must have realized that the Kronos Empire can never return to what it once was. From now on, we proceed with the plan. Summon the leaders of the Kingdom Alliance. And in this summons..."
He looked down at the table. Resting there was a document analyzing Valhalla.
"...the Valhalla Empire will also be included."
* * *
The summons.
The decree was delivered. Faced with the reality of Roman Dmitry calling upon Valhalla, Count Snodin's faction could not hide their fury.
"This is preposterous! Even if Dmitry brought down the Kronos Empire, they are still nothing more than a kingdom. How dare they summon an empire? The moment we accept this request, the Valhalla Empire is finished."
"I agree. If the Valhalla Empire bows its head, it's no different from acknowledging them as our superiors."
Everyone was on edge.
Kingdom and Empire. In terms of hierarchy, the Valhalla Empire was clearly superior. It would be one thing if Dmitry were summoned under Valhalla's initiative, but being called to a gathering arranged by Dmitry was a humiliation. Of course, they were well aware that Dmitry had laid the foundation to leap to imperial status. However, their pride as an empire refused to accept the situation.
Count Snodin spoke.
"Roman Dmitry's intention is clear. By taking the lead in a meeting that will decide the continent's future, he intends to redefine the relationship between Valhalla and Dmitry. We will not compromise. Even if we don't attend their meeting, Dmitry has lost its justification to continue the war now that Valhalla has declared a ceasefire. We will suffer some disadvantages because of this, certainly. But if we refuse to dance to Dmitry's tune, we can at least preserve our dignity as an empire."
"Understood."
"We will follow your command."
It was a realistic dilemma. They simply weren't ready to bow their heads. While it was true they had lost the war, they couldn't swallow the notion that Dmitry now stood above Valhalla.
However...
"...Excuse me, but may I say something?"
From one side of the conference room, a communications soldier stood with a troubled expression. As everyone's eyes locked onto him, he spoke carefully, his face deeply strained.
"There is a point that Dmitry emphasized in this transmission. They stated that this summons is not a request, but an order—and if we do not comply, it will be treated as insubordination."
Insubordination.
At that single word, the faces of everyone in the room twisted in grim shock.