Chapter 462: Epilogue, New Days (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 462: Epilogue, New Days (6)
Sliding a blank sheet of paper across the table, the man made his proposal. Had it been anyone else, Chris would never have taken it seriously. But this was Marquis Valentino.
'He's absolutely serious.'
A few months prior, an incident had occurred involving the Marquis.
There was a piece of art he coveted, but the owner refused to sell, claiming it was a cherished heirloom left by his late father. It wasn't a mere ploy to drive up the price. The owner was infamous for his stubbornness, and everyone assumed that even Marquis Valentino would have to back down this time.
A few days later, however, Marquis Valentino closed the deal.
The owner had harbored an absurd dream of owning his own island. Learning this, Valentino purchased an uninhabited island in Odelia and offered it to him—complete with a luxurious villa where he could spend the rest of his days. The owner had no choice but to accept. For days, people gossiped about the blindingly bright smile on the man's face when he signed the papers.
That was Valentino.
Known as "The Collector" of greed, he was now staring at Chris with dead-serious eyes.
Chris finally spoke.
"I understand your determination, Marquis Valentino. I know this deal is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but even if you offered the world, I could not accept. It is not merely due to the symbolic value of a sword bestowed upon me by His Imperial Majesty Roman Dmitry. Even strictly judging the performance of the blade itself, I do not believe I could ever find a better weapon in my lifetime."
"I agree with that assessment. But I will find you an alternative."
"An alternative won't cut it. If you've looked into me, you must know what it is I pursue."
The annual Ranking Match.
Chris stepped onto that stage every single year.
Crushing the challengers who coveted his position, he repeatedly attempted the impossible challenge of surpassing Roman Dmitry. Every time he did, a certain conviction gripped his mind: if he was already lacking in skill, he would stand absolutely no chance if his sword's performance was also inferior. Unlike Kevin, who refused to sell his sword solely because it was a gift from Roman Dmitry, Chris's reasons were purely practical.
Therefore, no matter what terms Marquis Valentino offered, Chris never had any intention of considering the deal.
"When two people are evenly matched, the outcome is decided by the thinnest of margins. If such a moment ever comes, I would regret selling this sword for the rest of my life. I understand your feelings, Marquis Valentino. If I ever do decide to sell this blade, I will make sure you are the first person I contact."
"...Will such a moment ever come?"
"You never know what will happen in life. Once I defeat His Imperial Majesty and am recognized as the First Sword of the Continent, I won't have to be bound by the performance of my weapon anymore."
At those words, Marquis Valentino's face contorted.
Chris spoke as if it were a tangible path, but everyone in the world knew how absurd that dream was.
"Oh, please, Sir Chris. I thought highly of you, but this is too much. If you don't want to sell it, just say so. Why make up such nonsense?"
There was no need to even calculate the odds.
The day Chris's dream came true would simply never arrive.
* * *
The commotion finally came to an end.
Yet, even right up until they parted ways, Marquis Valentino clung on tenaciously.
"Sir Chris. Obstacles always find their way into a person's life. When you are too exhausted and need to catch your breath, or when you fall to the ground and feel like you can't get back up... turn your head and look for me. I will always be by your side. If you reach out to me, I will gladly take your hand and help you move in the right direction. Keep this in mind: I am always on your side. Of course... the price for this blind devotion is merely the First No-Name."
He was truly an extraordinary man.
As Chris walked away, he mused that perhaps it was precisely this obsessive nature that had made Valentino the wealthiest man on the continent. In fact, that was the truth. If he hadn't encountered Roman Dmitry's swords, which fueled his insatiable desire as a collector, Marquis Valentino would have lived out his days trapped inside the small well of Cairo.
Chris turned and headed to his office.
Now that his morning training was over, it was time to handle the mountain of paperwork piled up under his name.
'Recently, the relationship between Valhalla and Hector has been unusual. I suppose their past ill-will is continuing to fester. As Hector expands its power as a magic kingdom, it is bound to clash with the Valhalla Empire.'
It was a sensitive issue.
Chris and Kevin belonged to independent units.
While Fernando, as part of the Royal Guards, was responsible for protecting the imperial palace, Chris and Kevin moved solely under Roman Dmitry's direct orders. Chris handled external affairs, while Kevin dealt with covert operations. Since the friction between Valhalla and Hector fell squarely under Chris's jurisdiction, he needed to prepare for any contingency in advance.
Sure enough, just as he arrived at his office and flipped through a few documents, a soldier rushed in with urgent news.
"Sir Chris! We have a problem. It looks like Hector and Valhalla are about to go to war!"
Tap.
Chris set his pen down.
Leaning back in his chair, his expression turned cold.
"Is that so?"
The world was at peace, but conflicts over interests and power were a different matter entirely.
* * *
The dispute between the two nations stemmed from a single incident.
A few days prior, Count Kazri, who ran a trading company in Valhalla, was conducting a transaction with Baron Stuart, a noble of Hector. Up to that point, there had been no issue. However, just before the deal was finalized, Baron Stuart backed out to trade with someone else who offered better terms. That was when things took a serious turn.
Such betrayals were a common occurrence in the business world, but Count Kazri reacted with immense fury at the other party's brazen attitude.
"How dare a mere baron screw me over?"
The nobles of Valhalla were citizens of an empire.
Although they were no longer the hegemons they used to be after their defeat by Dmitry, they still retained their imperial pride. Hector had touched a sore spot. It was an issue that could have easily been brushed aside, but Count Kazri couldn't help but feel he was being looked down upon because Valhalla had fallen from grace.
It was an explosion of an inferiority complex.
As Valhalla's characteristically bellicose nature flared up, he felt this anger could only be resolved through violence.
He attacked Baron Stuart's carriage.
He disrupted the trade caravan and slapped Baron Stuart across the face when the baron demanded to know what he was doing. Fortunately, there were no casualties. If this had happened three or four years ago, the incident would have ended there. However, King Edwin Hector, who currently ruled Hector, reacted with great fury the moment he received the report.
"This is clearly Valhalla's fault. If Valhalla does not personally apologize for this matter, I, as the King of Hector, will absolutely not stand idle."
That was the current situation.
With the King of Hector personally stepping in, Count Kazri found himself in hot water. He was immediately summoned to the Valhalla Central Government. Expecting a severe reprimand, he instead heard something completely unexpected from the Emperor of Valhalla.
"Hold your ground."
"...Pardon?"
"This issue was never meant to escalate into a conflict between nations. Why do you think Edwin Hector is blowing this out of proportion by personally stepping in? He needs a pretext. A plausible pretext to spark a direct conflict with Valhalla and somehow elevate Hector's status."
Recently, Valhalla and Hector had been clashing at every turn. While there hadn't been any major conflicts yet, the tension was palpable.
As Hector expanded its influence as a magic kingdom, it stopped treating Valhalla with its former deference, inevitably causing friction. It was a period of testing each other's boundaries. If Valhalla backed down here, the empire—which was already an empire in name only—might find itself completely overshadowed by Hector.
Count Kazri and Baron Stuart were merely pretexts.
Since Hector was escalating the situation by backing Baron Stuart, the Emperor of Valhalla declared that he would not back down either.
"In this world ruled by Dmitry, the nation that stands by its side will enjoy wealth and glory. Cairo and Hector secured their priority during the Continental War, but that does not mean their positions are permanent. Valhalla must prove the strength of the empire and claim the spot next to Dmitry."
His voice was powerful.
He had absolutely no intention of antagonizing Dmitry. However, he had no intention of giving up his pursuit of power either.
"I will carry out your orders."
Count Kazri smiled.
With Valhalla backing him, nothing could be better.
But his joy was short-lived.
When Valhalla failed to officially resolve the matter, Hector requested a magic communication just a few days later.
* * *
On the communication screen, Edwin Hector appeared.
Having formally inherited the throne, he stared down the leadership of Valhalla with a cold expression.
"Nowhere in the world is it acceptable to attack someone just because a deal fell through. It is a simple matter. Count Kazri committed a wrong, and we demand an apology. If you persist with your current attitude despite such a clear-cut situation, Hector will have no choice but to question your intentions."
He pointed out the wrongdoing directly.
The atmosphere froze instantly.
At Edwin Hector's accusation, the Emperor of Valhalla, seated at the head of the table, spoke up.
"King of Hector. This is a personal matter. If Baron Stuart had personally requested an apology from Count Kazri, we would have made an effort to resolve the issue. However, because Hector stepped in directly, we can no longer do so. Even if Count Kazri was in the wrong, it is Hector's fault for turning this into an international dispute."
"So you are saying you will not apologize?"
"Correct."
"Valhalla is mistaken. Empire and kingdom... though I show respect, those titles have lost their meaning, save for the Dmitry Empire. For Valhalla to sweep this under the rug simply because you cannot bear to admit fault is an insult to us. Emperor of Valhalla, do you truly believe this is right?"
He had crossed the line.
It was as expected. Even if Hector had a valid pretext, this was now a matter of national pride.
"Do not cross the line any further."
"Understood."
Edwin Hector's expression hardened into ice. The negotiations had broken down.
"I hope you do not regret this choice."
Click.
The communication was cut unilaterally.
Staring at the black screen, the leadership of Valhalla fell silent.
* * *
"...Was this the right response?" one of the high-ranking officials asked.
Edwin Hector's final words left a lingering sense of unease. The man known as Hector's Star was not someone who would take a blow lying down.
As the eyes of the leadership focused on him, the Emperor of Valhalla met their gazes with unwavering conviction.
"Valhalla is currently on a downward path. We were defeated in the Continental War, and we swore allegiance to His Imperial Majesty Roman Dmitry while doing what we believed was right. That is how the Valhalla of today was made. To reclaim our past glory, to revive the romance of Valhalla... that is why we stand here."
His expression shifted. Once a mere noble, he now carried the heavy dignity of an emperor.
"No matter what happens in the future, maintain the dignity of the empire. Exist as warriors. To protect our position, there will come moments when we must endure even things we believe are wrong."
Everyone in the room knew the truth.
This issue was entirely Count Kazri's fault.
However, neither Hector nor Valhalla had any intention of resolving the root cause of the problem. It was a battle of pride. Hector had picked a fight, and Valhalla simply refused to back down.
It was then.
Bang!
"Your Majesty! We have an emergency!"
A knight burst through the door. Seeing his pale face, everyone's attention immediately locked onto him.
"Just moments ago, Hector crossed Valhalla's border!"
That made it certain.
Crossing the border the exact moment negotiations broke down could only mean one thing.
From the very beginning, Edwin Hector had absolutely no intention of mending relations with Valhalla.