Chapter 45: Joining the War (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 45: Joining the War (3)
The destruction of the Flare was the signal to retreat.
Roman and his soldiers withdrew as quickly as they had appeared, leaving Barco's forces staring helplessly in their wake.
“Huff, huff.”
It had been an absolute whirlwind. Chris panted heavily, his breath catching in his throat.
He was a complete mess. He had swung his sword like a madman just to keep up with Roman, and Barco's soldiers had been utterly helpless against his Aura-blazing blade. Because of the sheer carnage, his golden hair—which usually gave him the refined look of a noble young master—was completely drenched in blood. Chris roughly wiped away the droplets, unsure if they were sweat or blood, and suddenly let out a chuckle.
'I'm sure of it. My lord's way was right.'
In this battle, Chris had wielded his Aura differently.
According to the common sense of this world, maximizing the power of Aura through an explosive emission was the standard. But after facing Roman, he realized that wasn't the answer. After much deliberation, he had reduced the physical size of his Aura. He focused entirely on condensing it as much as possible. Thanks to that, his Mana consumption remained low despite the ferocity of the battle.
A smile crept onto his face.
Though others looked down on him for choosing to follow Roman, Chris was steadily carving out his own path to growth.
He calmed his breathing.
Taking in his surroundings, Chris quickly realized that his current condition was a luxury compared to the others.
“Huff, puff...”
“I feel like I'm seriously going to die.”
“Blegh.”
Roman's soldiers lay collapsed on the ground like corpses.
If someone of Chris's caliber could barely keep up with Roman's pace, the rest of the soldiers had to grit their teeth and push themselves to their absolute limits just to avoid being cut off and isolated. The battle had been short, but those intensely violent moments had completely drained their stamina. Some of the men collapsed on the ground were burying their faces in the dirt and throwing up.
Fortunately, there were no casualties.
Not a single one of the thirty soldiers had been left behind, and no one was seriously injured.
They all knew exactly why they had made it out unscathed.
Despite their exhaustion, the soldiers couldn't take their eyes off Roman as he stood alone, scanning their surroundings.
'Is he not even tired?'
'He's a real monster!'
Roman's breathing wasn't disturbed in the slightest.
Even though he had taken on the most dangerous role at the very vanguard, he showed absolutely no signs of exhaustion. It was a sight they could barely believe, even after witnessing it with their own eyes. Roman had slaughtered dozens of soldiers single-handedly. When the man who appeared to be the leader of the Berge Mercenary Group rushed him, Roman had dispatched him as easily as a mere foot soldier.
Monster.
No other word could describe him.
They had experienced Roman's strength firsthand during the private soldier examination, but today's battle was on a level that defied all common sense.
Awe washed over the soldiers as they looked up at Roman, who was thoroughly drenched in blood.
Rather than finding him cruel, the sheer power of their liege made their hearts swell with pride.
Once everyone had recovered enough to stand, Roman spoke.
“Our role is finished. Let us return to Lawrence.”
It was time to head back.
As the heroes who had sounded the drums of victory, it was time for a triumphant return.
* * *
Thud.
The castle gates opened.
At the sight of Roman and his soldiers marching proudly inside, the people of Lawrence lining the streets erupted into passionate cheers.
“Kyaaaah!”
“Roman! Roman!”
“Roman! Roman!”
“The Hero of Dmitry!”
His reputation had completely flipped.
Looking at Roman Dmitry—the man once mocked as the Fool of Dmitry—the people cheered as if welcoming a legendary hero of history. It was only natural. Their perception hadn't been shaped by this single event alone. Ever since the subjugation of Blood Fang, the public opinion of Roman had been gradually shifting within Lawrence. Saving them from this crisis was simply the crowning achievement.
The Hero of Dmitry.
It was a fitting title.
Appearing like a knight in shining armor to destroy the Flare had left a powerful, indelible impression on the citizens of Lawrence.
“We survived thanks to you! Thank you so much!”
“Lawrence will never forget Roman Dmitry's grace for as long as we live!”
“I love you!”
The women were in an absolute frenzy.
Seeing them crowd the streets, reaching out just to brush against Roman, Viscount Lawrence smiled bitterly.
'What a terrible waste.'
Roman was an outstanding talent.
Although the Viscount had recognized the young man's extraordinary nature from their very first meeting, today's destruction of the Flare proved his talent was far greater than imagined. He hadn't been able to see every detail from a distance. However, he had clearly witnessed Roman slaughtering Barco's soldiers at the vanguard, wielding an Aura powerful enough to shatter the Flare with his own two hands.
Dmitry had sired a tiger.
And if things hadn't gone awry, that tiger would have been his son-in-law.
He swallowed hard.
Watching Roman Dmitry's confident stride filled him with a deep sense of longing, but the Viscount forced himself to face reality.
'I promised to respect Flora's life from now on. No matter how covetable and attractive a man Roman Dmitry is, marrying him is a choice for Flora to make. Therefore, there is no reason for me to step in.'
He suppressed his regrets.
As Roman approached, the Viscount welcomed him with a bright smile.
“The Hero of Dmitry! It is a pleasure to see you again like this!”
The welcoming ceremony was brief.
The war was not yet over. Roman walked into the keep amidst the passionate cheers of the crowd.
It was then that a familiar voice called out from right behind him.
“…Thank you.”
It was Flora.
Her appearance was a mess from the fierce battle.
The hem of her dress was torn, and her face was smudged with soot, but she spoke without minding her state in the slightest.
“We failed to play our role as bait properly, just as planned. Even if you had abandoned Lawrence, we would have had no right to blame you. Yet, you didn't abandon us, nor did you turn a blind eye to Lawrence's crisis. I wanted to sincerely thank you.”
Her face flushed red.
Since her first meeting with Roman hadn't exactly been pleasant, expressing her gratitude to his face was more than a little embarrassing.
Still, she had to say what needed to be said.
If not for Roman's help, Lawrence would have fallen by now.
Roman replied, “I merely fulfilled my role as promised. And Lawrence played its part exactly as I expected.”
“…!”
At Roman's words, Flora felt a sudden surge of complex emotions.
He was truly an enigmatic man.
He could have just accepted her gratitude, yet he went out of his way to draw a cold line by framing it strictly as the fulfillment of a promise.
She didn't get angry.
No matter what Roman said, the fact that he had saved them remained unchanged.
Roman was Lawrence's savior, and Flora was genuinely grateful for his intervention, regardless of his underlying reasons.
“I'm glad to hear that Lawrence played its part as expected. You may think you don't need my gratitude, but as a representative of Lawrence, I truly wish to repay this debt. So, if there is anything you want, feel free to ask for it during the upcoming meeting. Even if my father hesitates, I will unconditionally take your side to ensure you receive your reward.”
She was completely sincere.
While firing arrows from atop the castle walls, Flora had realized just how grueling a battlefield truly was.
That was why she was so grateful to Roman.
For saving Lawrence from the brink of destruction.
For keeping his promise to the bitter end, even when abandoning them would have been the easier choice.
Roman looked down at Flora.
There was a significant height difference between them, and seeing her staring up at him so intently, he let out a faint chuckle.
“Let us head to the conference room first. If your desire to repay this debt remains unchanged regardless of what I say in there, then I won't refuse.”
The conference room of Lawrence.
The leadership had gathered there.
Led by Viscount Lawrence at the head of the table, the family's vassals sat on either side, veins bulging in their necks as they heatedly voiced their opinions.
“We must send a messenger to Barco immediately! Their morale must be crushed after their defeat in the siege, and since they have lost the Flare, continuing the assault is impossible for them. Now is our chance. We should offer Barco a suitable carrot and stick to bring this territory war to an end!”
“Indeed. Barco still has a large force remaining. Rather than inviting further crisis by needlessly provoking them, we must let bygones be bygones and seek peace. That is the only way for Lawrence to survive.”
The vassals' opinions were unanimous.
Peace.
They just wanted the war to end.
Even now, recalling the moment the castle walls had nearly crumbled made their legs tremble and their mouths run dry.
Pride was no longer important.
Having confirmed just how formidable Barco's military strength was, they desperately wanted to avoid another battle at all costs.
Viscount Lawrence spoke up.
“Your opinions are valid. Although we were able to win this first battle with the help of Roman Dmitry, Lawrence's strength alone cannot hold off Barco's attacks indefinitely. Therefore, prepare a messenger immediately to—”
“May I speak?”
Roman cut him off.
Normally, the vassals would have flared up in anger at such an interruption, but given Roman's monumental achievements today, they only looked at him with startled eyes.
This was an internal meeting of Lawrence.
In truth, Roman was only attending out of courtesy; he was in no position to dictate their territory's politics.
“Speak.”
“Thank you.”
Roman stood up.
As everyone's eyes focused on him, he slowly paced around the table and began to speak.
“Seeing that you initially chose a defensive siege against Barco, I believe Viscount Lawrence accurately understands the advantages of a war of attrition. Barco is likely suffering from severe financial pressure. To repay their massive debts, they must conquer Lawrence at all costs. That remains true even now that the Flare has been destroyed. If you send a messenger to negotiate peace... I dare say that what you receive in return will not be a treaty, but the blood-soaked head of your messenger.”
“Ahem.”
Several men awkwardly cleared their throats.
They had tried to turn a blind eye to that terrifying reality, but just as Roman said, the probability of Barco accepting peace was extremely slim.
“Actually, that is not the important part.”
Roman's voice shifted.
A low, suffocating tone pierced the ears of everyone in the room.
“Barco forged documents to justify attacking Lawrence. Even though Lawrence did nothing wrong, countless people had to die. Even now, your soldiers are carrying corpses outside the castle walls. Do you feel nothing when you see that? We must not forgive Barco. If you wish to live a peaceful life within the boundaries of Lawrence in the future, you must clearly show the world exactly what kind of vengeance awaits those who dare lay a hand on your home.”
It was a direct rebuke of the vassals.
Though phrased politely, he was clearly pointing fingers at those begging for peace and calling them cowards.
Why did they feel no anger, even after seeing the corpses of their own soldiers?
At Roman's words, which simmered with intense conviction, the vassals of Lawrence flushed red but could find absolutely nothing to say in response.
Only one person—the lord representing Lawrence—dared to speak up.
“We are not ignorant of that! We also want revenge. We also want to make Barco pay the price for touching Lawrence! But what can we do when we lack the power? Barco still commands hundreds of soldiers and the Berge Mercenary Group. Continuing to fight them in open warfare is nothing short of suicide.”
It was the cold, harsh reality.
Because they were weak, Lawrence had been plundered, and even in victory, they lacked the strength to seek revenge.
Roman spoke.
“There is exactly one way.”
At that moment, his eyes met Flora's.
Like a single droplet falling onto still water, a great ripple spread through her gaze.
“Propose a Great Warrior Battle. That is the only way to exact revenge on Barco while completely bypassing the difference in military strength.”
A Great Warrior Battle.
A sacred duel where champions represented their respective houses to decide the outcome of a war.
At Roman's proposal, the conference room fell into a shocked, breathless silence.