Chapter 458: Epilogue, New Days (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 458: Epilogue, New Days (2)
Ten years ago, Daniel Cairo had been nothing more than a puppet.
He was a ruler devoid of agency, dragged this way and that by the external forces gnawing away at Cairo, utterly powerless to do anything. It was the textbook reality of a ruined nation. Believing that if Daniel was the future of this country, Cairo itself would inevitably fall, Ballon had abandoned any hope of the king helping him avenge his younger brother. Instead, he had chosen to enter closed-door training.
Yet, seeing him again after a decade, he was a completely different man.
With a resolute expression, Daniel dismissed his attendants. They bowed their heads deeply, instantly obeying the king's command.
It was in the subtle details. Ten years ago, even the servants had looked down on Daniel Cairo. Now, genuine respect for the king was evident in their expressions and demeanor. And Daniel accepted this reverence as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Sensing the quiet strength of a veteran who had weathered countless storms, Ballon realized just how much had changed.
Daniel sat down on the floor.
Gesturing to his former attendants that it was fine, Daniel Cairo asked, "Where have you been all this time?"
Ballon had once been a promising swordsman. Along with Count Nicholas, he had been hailed as the future of Cairo, and when he vanished, people couldn't help but lament the loss.
The two of them conversed. Though they hadn't been particularly close ten years ago, they listened intently to each other's changed realities. Ballon spoke in a rush, pouring out how desperately he had struggled to survive, and how he no longer knew how to live now that his lifelong goal of revenge was complete.
His heart felt lighter.
Having unburdened himself of everything, Ballon looked at Daniel Cairo with a questioning gaze.
"I heard what happened to Cairo—that you joined forces with Dmitry to defeat Kronos. It might be presumptuous of me to ask, but was it not a difficult decision to accept Dmitry as our suzerain? To those speaking with the benefit of hindsight, it might seem like an obvious choice, but at the time, it certainly could not have been an easy one."
Daniel Cairo smiled.
The world had changed. In a world now centered around Roman Dmitry, prioritizing Dmitry was taken for granted. But just as Ballon pointed out, Daniel Cairo had made a profoundly difficult decision. In fact, he had reflected on it countless times—swearing to never forget his past and to always make the best possible decision for Cairo.
Daniel Cairo spoke.
"It was not that difficult of a problem for me. Knowing how lacking I was, I had to choose the best alternative to resolve my shortcomings. His Imperial Majesty Roman Dmitry is someone who never abandons those who believe in him. I saw the future of Cairo in his ability and character, and I simply staked my position and Cairo's future on him."
"...Are you still satisfied with that choice?"
"No. While I admit it was the best choice, it would have been far better if Cairo could have resolved its own problems independently. Ballon, the world has changed a lot while you were gone. I feel deep gratitude toward His Imperial Majesty Roman Dmitry for what happened in the past, and so, as long as I live, Cairo will do its utmost as a loyal vassal state. But that does not mean we will rely solely on Dmitry to solve all of Cairo's problems forever."
The national cemetery was located on high ground.
Watching the sun set in the distance, Daniel Cairo revealed his true feelings.
"Human life is a continuous series of hardships. Just as Kronos, which seemed absolutely invincible, was brought to its knees, a time will eventually come when Cairo must face its own problems alone. When that day comes, I hope Cairo can stand on its own two feet. I want us to overcome external threats without relying on anyone else's help."
He looked at Ballon.
The swordsman's eyes, which had been lost and wandering, were now shaking violently with a sudden rush of emotion.
"That is the future I envision for Cairo, and that is how I will fulfill my duty as king."
That day, Ballon saw a new future.
The matured Daniel Cairo was a man worthy of receiving the life Ballon had left over after his revenge was complete. It was a story the rest of the world would never know. The fruit of his ten years of desperate struggle was laid at Daniel Cairo's feet as Ballon swore his absolute loyalty on the grass beneath the setting sun.
* * *
Around that same time, a problem arose in Arcadia.
Following the migration of the Dark Elves to Arcadia, conflicts began breaking out with the regular Elves who had settled the land first.
The leader of the Elves, Tersha, spoke.
"We are fine with everything else. However, we cannot tolerate them crossing into our territory and committing slaughter. This is not the first or second time this has happened. When we heard that the Dark Elves were migrating to Arcadia, we welcomed them with open arms, but if they continue to cross the line, we can no longer endure it."
Her voice was firm.
With the representatives of each race and Rodwell Dmitry, the Lord of Luna, watching closely, Tersha put strength into her words.
However, the Dark Elves did not accept the complaint so easily. Darkan, the representative of the Dark Elves, scowled deeply, openly displaying his displeasure.
"The Elves' demands are highly unreasonable. They might be able to survive on nothing but grass and fruit, but the Dark Elves cannot. We must eat meat. And in this Arcadia, which is only now recovering its original form, there are very few lands suitable for hunting, and most of them lie within the Elves' territory. Of course, we could raise livestock to solve the food issue, but if we resolve every problem through peaceful means, the combat instincts engraved in the very bones of our people might fade. Therefore, we must go out to hunt periodically."
"That is a contradictory statement. You brought up the food issue, but in the end, you just want to hunt, do you not?"
"That is the very instinct of the Dark Elves. If we told you that you were no longer allowed to commune with nature, would you be able to accept that?"
A heated debate ensued.
Dark Elves and Elves. Neither side backed down a single inch.
Yet, unlike the two who were arguing with flushed faces, the other representatives did not seem particularly concerned. The relationship between the two groups had been antagonistic from the very beginning. Though they shared the same roots, everything else about them was fundamentally different, meaning they were bound to clash at every turn as they lived together in Arcadia.
Every time they did, a racial council was convened. As the Lord of Luna, Rodwell Dmitry was responsible for managing this land, and he was tasked with making the final ruling before the representatives of all the races.
Ultimately, it fell to Rodwell Dmitry.
"Flora. What are your thoughts?"
His gaze turned to his side. Flora, who had been handling the administrative affairs of Arcadia, spoke in a calm, measured voice.
"For coexistence in Arcadia, we cannot accommodate every single demand. However, a reasonable compromise is possible. To address the Dark Elves' need for meat and hunting, how about we periodically host hunting competitions in the surrounding neutral areas? If they refuse to accept this even after we propose a reasonable solution, we can only interpret it as a pure intention to trespass on the Elves' territory. Of course, if the Elves refuse to allow any game caught in their territory to be taken, then both sides must share the blame."
It was not a perfect solution.
It did not grant the Dark Elves the unrestricted hunting they wanted, nor did it completely prevent bloodshed within the Elves' territory. It was not the ideal outcome for either race, but they could not reject it. In a situation where they had to coexist regardless, she had presented a pragmatic way to resolve the surface-level issues.
Furthermore...
"The current issues will be resolved with time. Once the Dark Elves' territory is fully established, such disputes will naturally disappear."
She emphasized that this was merely a temporary measure. Once the land, which had been frozen by the cold, fully recovered its original state, the Dark Elves would be able to satisfy all their needs without having to cross into the Elves' territory.
Having heard her lay it out so clearly and logically, there was nothing more to say. Seeing the representatives of both races fall silent, Rodwell Dmitry smiled and delivered his ruling.
"Then, we shall settle this matter in accordance with Flora Lawrence's opinion."
Bang, bang!
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Arcadia. At least on this land, Rodwell Dmitry was a figure trusted by all.
* * *
That evening.
Rodwell Dmitry was in the training ground. His entire body was drenched in sweat from repeating the same grueling movements countless times.
"Rodwell. Are you really planning to enter the tournament?"
At the edge of the training ground stood Flora Lawrence.
Hearing the sounds of his practice as she passed by, she had come to find him. At her appearance, Rodwell Dmitry stopped his movements and looked at her.
"Before I am the Lord of Luna, I am a swordsman. If the Ranking Match is a place where I can prove myself as a swordsman, then it is worth putting aside my position to challenge it."
"...Impressive."
Flora Lawrence chuckled softly.
Three years ago, the two of them, who had both chosen to come to Arcadia, had become friends due to their similar ages and their shared life-and-death experiences on the Western Front. Publicly, of course, they were merely lord and advisor. But when they were alone, they spoke comfortably, and as time passed, they became close enough to share their deepest worries with each other.
Rodwell Dmitry walked over. Setting his sword aside, he wiped his sweat with a towel and spoke in a casual tone.
"Once this tournament is over, I'm going to make a formal request to the Lawrence family."
"For what?"
"Our marriage."
Flora Lawrence flinched. For a moment, she showed a genuinely startled reaction. As she stood speechless with trembling eyes, Rodwell Dmitry looked at her with an unwavering gaze.
"Until now, because my eldest brother had no intention of marrying, I suppressed my own desires. But now that Lauren has gone and made his move, I can't wait any longer. So, just be prepared. Once Lauren's wedding is over and the tournament is finished, I'm going to visit your father and tell him how I truly feel."
Rodwell Dmitry's sincerity. She had known of it for a long time.
Ever since she had rejected him three years ago, Rodwell Dmitry had consistently proven his feelings, showing her through his actions that it was not a mere political marriage, but true love.
If she had disliked his feelings, she would have rejected him again. But now, three years later, Flora Lawrence found herself smiling brightly without even realizing it.
"Alright. Let's do that."
* * *
Currently, Dmitry was in a festive mood.
Lauren Dmitry, the third son of the Dmitry family, had announced his marriage.
In truth, as Roman Dmitry kept postponing his own marriage, everyone had been eagerly waiting for good news. Yet, it was Lauren Dmitry, the third son—not even the second—who had suddenly made his move. One day, he had simply brought the woman he loved to the family estate and declared to his parents that he truly wished to marry her.
Now, it was something they could laugh about, but at the time, the sudden announcement had thrown the family into an uproar.
After all, what was Dmitry? It was the imperial family.
Since marrying Lauren Dmitry meant aligning with the imperial family, Romero Dmitry had gathered the family members and pondered the matter deeply. The conclusion was to grant permission. Having had a terrible experience with political marriage himself, Romero was fine with whoever his son truly loved, as long as they were a good person.
Provided, of course, that there were no flaws in her character.
Fortunately, the woman Lauren Dmitry brought was an exceptionally wonderful person, and from then on, everything proceeded at lightning speed.
And so, the day of the wedding arrived.
From early morning, a massive crowd gathered to congratulate Lauren Dmitry on his marriage. Since it was such a monumental occasion, Knight Commander Jonathan of the Imperial Knights personally took charge of greeting the guests at the gate.
"Welcome."
"Welcome to Dmitry."
"Allow me to guide you inside."
Key figures from various nations, individuals of immense status and power, arrived one after another.
Following the Conquest of the Demon Realm, the world had truly become Dmitry's world. Unlike the days when Kronos and Valhalla stood as the two great powers, people now genuinely acknowledged and revered Dmitry. Dmitry was an empire worthy of such respect. Rather than simply shifting all the world's burdens onto other nations, they had demonstrated the true dignity of an empire, just as they had by leading the Conquest of the Demon Realm from the front.
For that reason, attending this event was an absolute must. It was not only a joyous event for the Dmitry family, but also a golden opportunity to build connections with the most influential figures on the continent.
A venue of opportunity. People flooded in endlessly.
It was then that Knight Commander Jonathan's face brightened as he spotted two figures entering together.
"Marquis Fabius!"
"Oh, it has been a long time."
The influential power player of Dmitry, Fabius.
He shook hands with a bright smile, and right beside him stood a figure of equal importance. He did not possess a massive faction like Fabius, but in terms of social standing—and especially for this specific event—he was a highly significant figure.
He was the dean of the Cairo Royal Academy, and the cousin of Amy, the woman betrothed to Lauren Dmitry.
Indeed.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Knight Commander Jonathan."
Henry Albert extended his hand to Knight Commander Jonathan with a wide smile on his face.