Chapter 46: The Great Warrior Battle (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 46: The Great Warrior Battle (1)
The atmosphere in the room turned ice-cold.
The Great Warrior Battle.
It was a format where three swordsmen representing each family fought in single combat. The first side to secure two victories claimed all the glory. At first glance, it seemed like a highly rational way to minimize casualties. However, those who understood the true nature of a Great Warrior Battle wouldn't dare stake their family's fate on it so easily.
A vassal of Lawrence spoke up.
"A Great Warrior Battle... Very well. If we were certain of victory, there would be no simpler way to end this. The problem is that we need experts capable of securing at least two wins out of the three duels. Our opponent is Barco. With their connections in the Central Government and the massive loan they secured from the Golden Bank, there is no telling what kind of master they might have recruited. A proxy battle is, ultimately, a battle of connections. The fact that they initially tried to steer this war toward a Great Warrior Battle proves they have a trump card up their sleeve."
There was no rule stating that the duelists had to be members of the family. Since it was common practice to recruit external masters, Lawrence had every reason to fear the unknown variables.
To begin with, the disparity in their martial strength was severe.
While Barco possessed a 3-Star knight—just like Dmitry—Lawrence only had a single 2-Star knight to their name. When their visible strength made it a hopelessly uneven match from the start, how could they possibly accept a Great Warrior Battle?
The vassal continued.
"Roman, thanks to your help, Barco's siege engines have been destroyed. They will struggle to breach Lawrence's walls, and the longer this drags on, the more the situation favors us. It is only a matter of time. Even if it is grueling, if we commit to a siege defense, Lawrence will survive. But the moment we open the gates and accept a Great Warrior Battle, we lose control of the situation. A Great Warrior Battle is an all-or-nothing gamble. If Barco wins and demands Lawrence's land as compensation, we will have to hand it over without a single word of protest."
The other vassals nodded in agreement.
What they feared were the unknown variables. Having finally secured the high ground, they didn't want to throw it all away by needlessly accepting a duel.
Roman understood.
Lawrence's judgment fell perfectly within the bounds of common sense. But that was precisely why they were herbivores—why, despite possessing fertile lands, they had never once lived as predators.
Roman finally spoke.
"I understand your concerns. But as you just said, if we are certain of victory, there is no better option than a Great Warrior Battle. From this moment on, I will give you that certainty."
Three duels. Three outcomes.
Although the format required three individuals, a Great Warrior Battle was ultimately decided by just two powerful experts.
"Consider the possibilities available to both Barco and Lawrence. Barco likely views their 3-Star knight and an external master as their guaranteed winning cards. Having suffered heavy financial losses from renting the Flare, they do not have the resources to perfectly prepare all three fighters. On the other hand, what options do we have?"
A single person came to everyone's mind.
It was none other than Roman Dmitry.
"I will step forward as the first duelist representing Lawrence. Whether the opponent is Barco's knight or an external master, I guarantee the first victory. Once that happens, the enemy will be driven into a corner and forced to send out their strongest expert for the second duel. A Great Warrior Battle is a game of wits. No matter how great your expert is, winning once and losing twice is meaningless. As for the third duel, my subordinate, Chris, will finish it. Even if the opponent sends out a 3-Star Aura Swordsman as their final card, Chris is more than capable of bringing home the victory."
Roman's words made perfect sense.
However, the plan wasn't flawless. If Roman were to lose to an unknown master, their momentum would shatter, and the match would effectively be over.
"Do you think I will lose?"
To Roman's question, no one could offer a rebuttal.
The sight of him striking Barco's rear guard and decapitating Berge had displayed an utterly overwhelming martial prowess.
He would win. Roman's strength, at least, was unquestionable.
"Then we have already secured one victory. Aren't those quite favorable odds? If we analyze the possibilities and arrange the matchups properly, we can win the Great Warrior Battle and restore Lawrence's honor, which has currently fallen to rock bottom. I will not try to persuade you any further. This is as far as my help goes. The final decision is yours."
At that moment, everyone's eyes turned to one person.
Flora.
In the wake of this crisis, her voice in the conference room had gained significant weight.
Roman was a dangerously eloquent speaker. He always analyzed situations with cold logic, boldly laying out reality to force agreement from others.
It was the same now. Seeing him reduce Lawrence's vassals to silence, Flora suddenly recalled the conversation they had shared over the magic communicator.
'It is simple. Sacrifice yourselves for the plan. If the Lawrence family is willing to bleed first and set the stage, I promise on the name of Roman Dmitry that I will assist you with all my might. For our conversation to proceed smoothly, you must first promise me that.'
The words he had spoken back then.
Roman had demanded 'Lawrence's sacrifice.' For the sake of his own personal revenge, he wanted Lawrence to bleed to set the stage.
It was no different now. On the surface, he appeared to be acting for Lawrence's sake, but underneath it all, Roman was once again demanding their sacrifice.
'He is a dangerous man.'
There was a flaw in Roman's plan.
What if Barco hired a master strong enough to defeat Roman? Or what if they recruited external masters for all three slots? It would mean Lawrence's absolute defeat.
It was the absolute worst-case scenario, and if it came to pass, Lawrence would have no way to salvage the situation. Of course, the probability of that happening was slim. The fact that Barco had not deployed the Flare from the very beginning meant their financial drain was immense. They, too, were squeezing out every last drop of their strength for this war.
Exactly two.
Preparing two guaranteed winning cards was the absolute best Barco could do. If that was indeed the case, then just as Roman had said, it was entirely possible to defeat Barco without major casualties through clever matchups.
The problem was...
'Roman is whispering sweet words to us right now. He says an expert like himself, the man who defeated Berge, will step forward as our proxy warrior, so Lawrence should bear the burden of any unforeseen variables. What should we do? If we choose a siege defense, we will eventually survive even if it takes a long time, but that choice will undoubtedly set Lawrence back years. Both the Barco and Lawrence families will inevitably end up miserable. However, if we accept Roman's proposal and win, even if casualties are minimized, all the glory of victory will go to Roman, not Lawrence.'
She felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
Roman was a fox. Knowing that Lawrence was in no position to choose, he had set the board to his own advantage.
Always seeking the maximum benefit with the minimum sacrifice, Roman didn't even bother to hide his dark intentions.
'What an irony that his blatant dark intentions actually make him trustworthy. Seriously, Roman Dmitry is a damn bastard.'
Gratitude for his help? It was only fleeting.
Just as Roman had said, this was a transaction. For Roman's benefit, and for Lawrence's benefit, they were merely reaching a mutually beneficial compromise.
Flora spoke.
"I agree to the Great Warrior Battle. If there is a way to end this war quickly, I believe we must take it, even if it is a gamble."
She avoided Roman's gaze.
Going along with his plan despite knowing his true intentions—that was the only price Flora could pay him.
* * *
At that same time, the Barco camp was in an uproar.
"Roman Dmitry! Why did that son of a bitch show up?! Under what possible pretext does he dare interfere in our affairs?! Arghhh!"
Thud!
Crash!
His face flushed with rage, Viscount Barco smashed everything inside his tent. He overturned the desk, kicked the chairs, and unleashed his violent temper for a long while, yet his anger showed no signs of subsiding.
Pant. Pant.
He breathed heavily. Slumping into a chair, he stared up at the gray ceiling of the tent. Only then did the harsh reality of his situation set in.
'How on earth do I resolve this situation? With the Flare destroyed, our means of ending the war quickly has vanished. The Berge Mercenary Group has lost all will to fight due to their leader's death, and renting another Flare carries far too much risk. The remaining money from the Golden Bank loan was meant for emergencies. If I spend that and the plan still fails, then everything is truly over.'
It was bleak.
Roman Dmitry. The moment that bastard decapitated Berge flashed through his mind.
It had been overwhelmingly brutal. At first, seeing Roman approach from a distance, he had thought it was a crude, reckless charge. But the moment Roman's sword flashed, over a dozen soldiers were slaughtered before they could even scream. And then there was Berge, who had charged in so confidently. Viscount Barco, who had pinned his vain hopes on the man, had watched an A-rank mercenary recognized by the Cairo Kingdom get cut down in less than ten seconds.
Just why... why did this happen?
He could not comprehend Roman's martial prowess.
'There is only one way to turn this disadvantageous situation around. A Great Warrior Battle. But Lawrence has no reason to accept it. Since they've already secured the upper hand, they have no reason to take such a risky gamble.'
His mouth felt bone-dry. His mind was completely blank. He had no way out, nor did he know what to do.
Right then, the tent flap fluttered open, and a soldier rushed in with a frantic expression.
"My Lord! Lawrence has sent a messenger!"
Viscount Barco's thoughts turned dark. I am already at the edge of a cliff anyway. Since I am cornered, I will cut off the head of this insolent messenger and send it back. Although sparing messengers was an unspoken rule of war, Viscount Barco was blinded by rage.
However, the message snapped him back to his senses.
"Lawrence formally proposes a Great Warrior Battle to the Barco family."
A Great Warrior Battle.
For a moment, he almost burst out laughing. Viscount Barco barely managed to suppress his glee. Just moments ago, he had been racking his brain on how to steer them toward a Great Warrior Battle. He never expected them to propose it first.
'Lawrence is digging their own grave.'
The fools didn't know about Barco's hidden hand.
The Golden Bank had lent them far more money than expected, and the last remaining funds had been set aside for a situation exactly like this. If Lawrence had refused a Great Warrior Battle to the bitter end and chosen a siege defense, Viscount Barco would have been forced to use that money to rent another Flare.
But now, there was no need for that.
The enemy had swallowed the bait.
He was no longer worried about Roman's presence. While the martial prowess Roman had displayed was certainly overwhelming, Viscount Barco possessed a guaranteed winning strategy that defied common sense.
Therefore, after sending the messenger back with a feigned excuse that he needed time to consider the offer, he immediately summoned his subordinate and barked an order.
"Contact him right this instant! Tell him we are sending the down payment. He will step forward as our proxy warrior!"
His mind finally found peace. The end was in sight.
Without a doubt, the Great Warrior Battle would be decided in the first two duels.