Chapter 195 – New Map (5)

It was a messy time. At the time when the Cairo Kingdom was changing rapidly, Count Gregory, who followed the Kronos Empire, was in prison.

At first, he kept being stubborn as he was being dragged by the soldiers. He yelled loudly, asking if the Kronos Empire would stay still when they would find out that he was being touched, but the situation was becoming worse as the days progressed.

“… is that true?”

“Yes. It is a mess outside. It is said that Roman Dmitry led the troops to the Benedict estate and eradicated the rebels. The Kronos Empire joined with the nobles to attack the Western Front, but the nobles fell so quickly that the Kronos Empire couldn’t do anything.”

“This.”

Inside the jail, one of Gregory’s men gave him the information. His heart sank with each piece of news. As Maquis Benedict’s long-time rival, he knew how well-prepared the man was for this kind of situation.

In addition, his castle was impregnable. Yet such a fortress was destroyed in just a few days, which meant that his own life was at stake. His last hope was the Kronos Empire. If they could take over the Western Front, there was a chance that they could compromise with the Cairo royal family. But…

“…the news just came in. I do not believe it either, but it didn’t just end with the Western Front defeating the Kronos Empire. They opened the gates and followed them out, killing Count Fabio, the commander, and Gustavo, the leader of the 10th unit of the Knights of Kronos. What should we do? Roman Dmitry has dealt with all the dangers of the kingdom.”

At that moment, his head spun. Count Gregory sat down and thought of Roman Dmitry.

‘That monster.’

He knew that guy was odd. He had such a strong presence that even a small well called Cairo was overflowing. Even when he thought that he overestimated the guy, the truth was that he underestimated him.

If the Kronos Empire stepped back, the nobles of the empires and the rebels would not be able to live in this land. And Count Gregory began to get anxious at that point. In a situation where death could fall on him at any time, he couldn’t just sit in prison doing nothing.

And the day the prison doors opened had finally arrived. During the time he was summoned by the King, a guard told him,

“Count Gregory, the Kronos Empire didn’t admit their wrongdoings and asked for Roman Dmitry’s arm for the crime of killing Count Fabio and Knight Gustavo.”

At those words, he smiled. There wasn’t any mention of him dying. And if Kronos wasn’t stepping back, then he might live.

Count Gregory was brought before the King. As he knelt on the ground, he looked at Daniel Cairo with a calm face.

“Count Gregory, you colluded with the Kronos Empire and disturbed the peace of the nation. Do you admit this fact?”

It was the expected question. The moment he admits it, he will lose the power in his hands, and he might lose his head. But…

“I admit it.”

He didn’t step back. Looking straight into the eyes of the King, he said,

“It is an open fact that everyone knows that I follow the Kronos Empire. But is it wrong? Marquis Benedict, who rebelled, had paid for it, but not me. I had nothing to do with it, so why am I being treated like this?”

“So shameless. The fact that you admitted it is a sufficient reason to treat you as a traitor.”

“Your Majesty, you are mistaken. Since Marquis Benedict is from Cairo, it would not be a problem to punish him for treason, but I am someone who has sworn my allegiance to the Kronos Empire. Even if I am a noble in Cairo, I am not in the same position as Marquis Benedict. If you kill me here, will the Kronos Empire stand still? They are hunters. They are even angry that their knight was killed on the battlefield, so how do you think they will respond to my death?”

His attitude changed. There was no way he could live silently. If he had the Kronos Empire behind him, he would make use of it.

“His Majesty, Emperor Kronos, seeks bloody vengeance. If you kill me, you will have to pay a price, so why don’t you just send me to the empire? If you don’t want blood on your hands, then get rid of the dangers in Cairo. We can do that for each other.”

He kept his head up and looked at the King with wide eyes. Even though he was kneeling for his sins, through his eyes, he was showing that he was still higher than Daniel Cairo.

The threat worked. At those words, the King’s expression crumbled.

‘… he isn’t completely wrong.’

Fabius returned, and he learned of the pride that the empire had. Daniel Cairo was worried about Roman, but there was nothing he could do about it. In addition, there was no one else other than the Royal Knights who could protect the kingdom. The opponent was the Kronos Empire, a horrible monster that was much stronger than Count Nicholas.

And so guilt took over him. He was sure that it was the right choice for the kingdom, but he felt it was unfair for Roman to pay the price. From start to finish, Roman did everything for him. If he hadn’t defeated the nobles and the Kronos Empire, then Cairo would have been destroyed, but he couldn’t just let Roman pay for the price alone. There was no solution.

Count Gregory touched the King’s soft spot. The empire’s faction—he wanted to kill all of them. However, thinking that their anger toward Roman might grow, he didn’t want to say anything. He was certainly a King, but he was a weak one.

In the situation where he had to make a decision, he felt confused. At that moment, he turned to Roman Dmitry, and their eyes met.

It was silent. Roman Dmitry stepped forward and asked,

“Can I say something?”

“Yes.”

“Emperor Kronos is not the type of person who takes back what he says. If he said he would make me pay with blood, then it means that he would send people to assassinate me. But it has already happened. Aside from the problems you have to deal with from now on, what is there to be afraid of when I was just warned about being killed? Count Fabio and Knight Gustavo—they are people with good names and worth that Count Gregory cannot be compared to. If so, make a decision and lighten the burden on Cairo.”

Gregory was shocked. And cutting him off before he says anything, Roman Dmitry raises his voice,

“From the moment the ones committing treason were killed, the peace of Cairo has passed. Your Majesty, your choice paves the path we will move towards. Even if Your Majesty’s people die because of it, it will be the right decision to make, and no one will resent that choice. There is no war in which no one dies. If you weigh the lives of your people and let go of something important, then the situation becomes irreversible.”

The leaders present at the Cairo Royal Palace were at a loss for words. Why? Why was Roman Dmitry so fearless? Even though the Kronos Empire spoke of his assassination so openly, there was no fear in Roman Dmitry’s voice.

Daniel Cairo gulped. The weak King was always shaken, but he tried to face reality until the end.

“Cairo owes a great deal of debt to the Dmitry family. Even if this choice makes you the target of assassination, the royal family will not forget Dmitry’s devotion.”

Then he shifted his gaze to Count Gregory. Looking at his puzzled face, he said,

“Count Gregory. Your collusion with the Kronos Empire wasn’t enough. You even dared to reveal the facts in front of us, thus tarnishing Cairo’s honor. Cairo’s chaos has stemmed from neglecting such things. Marquis Benedict, Count Gregory, and Count Denver. From the moment you people only cared about your own interests regardless of the safety of the nation, Cairo fell into absolute chaos.”

“Your Majesty! There is some misunderstanding…”

“Shut up!”

His face was red. Daniel Cairo was no longer a young King. Due to the ongoing fights and after meeting Roman Dmitry, something changed in his heart. He made a decision as King.

Daniel Cairo’s eyes were cold.

“Count Gregory, the traitor, will be sentenced to death for endangering the nation.”

Life was both easy and difficult. Cairo suffered for a long time due to the messy power system, but with Daniel Cairo’s decision, things started to change, and two people would climb the guillotine. At the end of Count Gregory and Count Denver, those who followed them didn’t dare protest.

People flocked to the square in Cairos. But before heading there, Count Denver looked at Roman Dmitry.

“… I was a fool. If I had recognized you as a threat to the empire right from the start, I would have dealt with you before this happened. If it weren’t for you, Cairo would have been torn to pieces and walked down to its chaos.”

Count Gregory was silent. Unlike him, who only looked at the ground in pain, Count Denver hasn’t given up yet.

“Even now, you can swear your allegiance to the empire. Right now, you must be under the illusion of being great, but you are nothing compared to the empire. Knight Gustavo? In Cairo, he is higher than Count Nicholas, but by the standards of the continent, he is just at the 78th. There are so many stronger people in the empire, and you cannot surpass them. Do you think you can handle those monsters?! Are you sure you can stop them if they try to kill your family?”

His voice gained strength. The King had already given the verdict, but he was sure that if Roman changed his mind, he could live.

“Roman Dmitry. You are not stupid. One choice in life determines everything. If you remain a man of Cairo, all your future choices will turn into hardships. But the empire can put wings on your back. Think wisely. Even if you had crossed the river, which you shouldn’t have with Kronos, Valhalla would give you a chance. And if my head is cut off, your chances are over.”

It was his last chance, but no reply came back. Count Denver gritted his teeth in anger as he said,

“The day will surely come when you will regret the choice you made today. The Valhalla Empire will make you pay the price for my life. With one choice, you are turning both mountains into your enemies.”

Clench.

He stopped walking. This scene was something Roman was used to. The words spoken by losers were always the same, and when they struggled and failed, a loss of hope could be seen in their eyes. Just like Count Gregory, who had given up on everything.

As he looked at Count Denver, who still believed he was right, Roman Dmitry smiled.

“I hope so.”

Right, that was it. Those should be the last words a loser should hear, and Count Denver was dragged away with trembling eyes. And then…

Swish.

Clack.

He died in front of everyone’s eyes.