Chapter 145: Choose Either One (3)
The Northeast Federation.
They were driven to the brink.
I wanted to accept the favor, but I had doubts about the fact that it was Roman Dmitri.
‘Roman Dmitri is now wrapping his intentions with a plausible story. It’s simply a matter of the Northeast area, so you can’t stand by? Nonsense! If Count Douglas and the Northeast Alliance clash, Dmitry would be the one to benefit the most, so there’s no reason to step into a mud fight.’
It was a common sense suspicion.
It wouldn’t have been possible if there hadn’t been a dispute in the past, but even just a few days ago, we wouldn’t have blushed at each other.
I wanted to ask about your intentions.
However, I couldn’t make a hasty mistake because I thought that if I did that, the possibility that I didn’t know might disappear.
‘Now is not the time for us to choose between fire and fire.’
I swallowed my doubts.
Viscount Conrad said with a feeling of grabbing at least a straw.
“… In the meantime, the Northeast Alliance and Dmitri have not been on good terms. In fact, it would be a very natural thing for Dmitri. Every time there was a conflict in the northeast, the Northeast Federation took the side of Barco, and so each other’s ill feelings piled up one after another. I will not deny that relations with Dmitry have deteriorated, especially recently. But we need help now. Even if it’s a truly disrespectful request, I’m willing to do anything if you promise to forget the bad relationship and help us. So tell us what attitude we should show.”
Complex calculations are abandoned.
I thought simple.
If you go to war with the Earl of Douglas.
I can’t handle the situation after that anyway.
If that was the case, it would be better to attract the Dmitri family and promote the future.
‘Roman’s sincerity is not important. If he holds our hand for whatever reason, we can minimize the damage in the war against Count Douglas. If you can do that, you can afford to hold out even if you are attacked by Dmitri right after the war. Now is not the time to talk about pride.’
profit and loss were followed.
It was a business that had much more to do with lowering one’s head than shouting loudly.
How will Roman Dmitri answer?
Because I was still young, I was intoxicated with the feeling that I had won for no reason, and I hoped that you would show me the same amount of mercy.
however.
Roman’s answer was very different from what he expected.
[I will be honest with you about my thoughts since you acknowledge our relationship. In fact, Dmitri’s way of benefiting from not helping the Northeast Alliance. But I don’t want to lose sight of the big picture for small victories. Dmitry Furthermore, the whole northeast area should join forces as one, even considering the situation in Cairo, where a cloud of war hangs over. I’m sure Viscount Conrad knows that too. The fact that the geographical characteristics of the northeast area shine when they join forces.]
Roman is now.
Said pure goodwill.
Naturally, Viscount Conrad, who was expected to react with a laugh, showed a slight bewilderment.
[We know that this choice could put us out of position. Even so, we cannot stand by as the northern forces attack the northeast. No matter what your relationship was like before. Aren’t we the beings who live within one fence called ‘the northeast area’? If you simply stand by and watch the forces inside the fence collapse just because it is a hostile force, the northeast area will always fall into the same path of hell. My request is clear. Please do not ask for substantial compensation from you, but show sincere regret for what you have done so far and your willingness to work together in the future. With that promise, I will forget the bad relationship and as a person who lives within the same fence, I will not turn a blind eye to your crisis.]
Moment.
Viscount Conrad’s emotions surged.
If the opponent showed a calculating attitude, Viscount Conrad would have thought of using the favor without regret.
But it’s pure kindness.
My mind was complicated.
I didn’t know that Dmitri would extend his hand to the Northeast Alliance, which was driven to the edge of a cliff, not by other forces.
‘… What the hell am I supposed to do with this?’
My mouth didn’t come off immediately.
The gaze of prejudice was removed.
Dmitri, whom he only regretted because he was a commoner, now seemed to be a great leader who would lead the entire northeast region.
It was so funny.
To realize the value of Dmitri only when he needs help.
‘It is certainly. Dmitri has the qualities of a leader to lead the Northeast.’
in just one conversation.
The accumulated ill feelings were fading away.
Is that why?
“I will contact you again after sufficiently discussing with the people of the association.”
Even though it was an acceptable proposal, Viscount Conrad chose to take a step back with a rather serious expression.
* * *
Communication ended.
Viscount Conrad’s reply to discuss.
It seemed that they felt their sincerity in their own way, but to Roman, their sincerity was not that important.
‘The Northeast Federation has no choice but to accept my proposal. For them, they would think there would be no problem if they accepted my proposal, but the moment Dmitri helped them, they would lose their roots in the Northeast Federation.’
Northeast Alliance.
They are bat-like creatures.
It didn’t just mean that he was a coward, but that he needed help from those around him to survive.
to them like that.
A new path has been opened.
Dmitri showed an attitude of accepting them just because they belonged to the same Northeast.
‘The Northeast Federation is a necessary evil. If you can’t accept the sincerity of everyone in the world anyway, you can filter out the forces of strife simply by deliberately ignoring existences like the Northeast Federation. But it’s not like they can fight together like before. The people who started to have pure goodwill towards Dmitri because of this incident. They will cause a division of opinion within the Northeast Federation, and the bats will not be able to act like they used to. that the root is lost. Even though they are not actually suffering losses, they will lose their power without even realizing it.’
It was Baek Joong-hyeok’s method.
The heavenly demon, Baek Joong-hyeok.
He did not always accept only loyal servants.
Among the servants who followed Baek Jung-hyeok, there were selfish people who only knew themselves, and there were people who formed a group to protect themselves.
Baek Joong-hyeok embraced all of these diverse human beings. In the process of governing thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people, he acknowledged from the beginning that humans are bound to be diverse.
but.
perfectly controlled.
Open your pores, but don’t think nonsense.
With overwhelming force and rule, the Demonic Cult remained the ruler of Murim until the day Baek Jung-hyeok died.
‘The moment you accept the favor just once. Dmitri can swallow the entire northeast area without much effort.’
Roman was greedy.
He wanted all of the Northeast area.
At that level, he knew that Dmitri could survive in future disputes with the central government.
‘To attack Dmitri, you must pass through other forces in the northeast. It might not have been a big problem for the central government when Dmitri had yet to win public favor, but that’s a different story now. The moment it devours the Northeast Federation. They have to overcome many walls until they reach Dmitri. We can move the battlefield out of Dmitri and help them against the central government, the stronger the unity in the northeast. And then. Forces tied to the northeast are not allowed the option of betraying Dmitri.’
I saw the distant future.
Dmitry’s peasant plots have formed an appallingly perfect governance structure.
so that.
Sincerity was not important.
It would be a good thing if you were sincerely loyal, but even if you didn’t, the result wouldn’t change.
Just one succumb.
That was enough.
Sigh.
I laid down on the chair.
waited for the time
If the Northeast Federation sends a call.
At that time, you will reap the beauty of the species.
* * *
A few days later.
The day of the showdown had dawned.
Earl Douglas really summoned troops and incited the northern lords to go over to the northeast with them.
said the northern nobleman.
“Count Douglas. If you destroy the Northeast Alliance, you need to make sure you calculate.”
“Of course. Why would I talk nonsense about the lords of the north? This war is a golden opportunity. Since the fall of Barco, the northeast area has lost its solidarity, and they are like sand castles that collapse at the slightest touch. Shouldn’t someone take possession of such a bonanza?”
“you’re right.”
“Ha ha ha, just hearing that makes me feel good.”
Lords of the North.
They did not add troops for human relations.
Earl Douglas offered a tangible advantage: the division of the spoils after victory.
‘People think of me as a beast without a front. However, I also do not blindly attack opponents. If it’s a fight I’m going to run into anyway, increasing the odds as much as possible is the way I’ve been able to survive.’
he was wicked
The problem of pride was directly linked to practical gains.
the northeast area.
It was truly Muju Gongsan.
When I was angry, I spit it out and tried it, but looking back, I didn’t have a chance like this.
Starting with the Northeast Federation.
If done well, it seemed like it could devour the surrounding area.
‘Stupid guys. When Barco was under the protection of the central government, I couldn’t act hastily, but it’s a different story now. The Northeast Federation is at a loss. There’s no way the forces in the northeast can help them, so it won’t be that difficult to defeat them.’
Blood boiled.
The stage of the upcoming slaughter.
He hurriedly walked with a face full of anticipation, and before he knew it, the troops of the Northeast Alliance could be seen in the distance.
There is order in the nobles’ wars.
Barco and Lawrence, who fought a siege, were a special case, and usually clashed head-on after deciding when and where to meet and competed with each other.
It was no different this time.
While revealing their intention to go to war with the central government, they gave an option to the Northeast Alliance, and they replied that they would fight here on the plain today.
Finally.
arrived at the scene.
Earl Douglas rode his horse forward and spoke in a menacing voice.
“I am Count Douglas. Commander, come out and answer my words.”
at that point.
Viscount Conrad stepped in.
Unlike Earl Douglas, who seemed to order an attack at any moment, he showed signs of trouble.
“It is not yet the scheduled time. Please wait a moment.”
“Looking at it, it seems that almost everyone has come, but how about starting right away? Or maybe surrendering right now would be a good way. After all, there is no reason to lose strength in a quality fight.”
It was an arrogant statement.
Earl Douglas was already confident of victory, and the northern lords behind him did not differ from him.
but.
Viscount Conrad did not lose his composure.
Despite the opponent’s provocation, he spoke calmly without a change in expression.
“Don’t you know how long and short it is? When the time comes, then we have no intention of avoiding a fight.”
Viscount Conrad stepped down.
Was it because the reaction was different from what I expected?
Earl Douglas looked slightly annoyed.
‘Cheeky bastards.’
I knew it.
I couldn’t forgive them.
He promised to chew them up the moment he won the war.
He too returned to his seat.
how much time has passed
The northern lords, who were chatting with relaxed expressions, confirmed that a strange group was approaching from afar.
“Someone is coming.”
“Did the Northeast Federation call in reinforcements?”
It was relaxing at first.
Then.
The moment they checked the flag fluttering in the wind, their expressions hardened.
“… Dmitry?”
“This crazy.”
that’s really
It was something that should never have happened.
* * *
This war.
There was confidence that Dmitri would not intervene.
She blushed like that recently, but I didn’t know that she would reveal herself to help the Northeast Federation.
At the head of Dmitry.
There was Roman Dmitry.
When he arrived on the scene, Earl Douglas asked in an aggressive tone.
“… What is Dmitri doing here?”
“Is there a special reason for appearing on the battlefield? Just as Count Douglas summoned the lords of the north, I only brought troops for the Northeast Alliance.”
It was an answer that blocked backlash.
this case.
The Earl of Douglas and the Northeast Union were able to weave problems only.
However, Count Douglas summoned the northern lords for a sure victory, which gave the Dmitri family a justification for participating.
If only I had known Dmitri would come out like this.
Earl Douglas would never have given them a justification for participating in the war, even if they were overdoing it.
‘this.’
He looked bewildered.
The lords of the north also looked at each other.
It was then.
“We are ready.”
It was Viscount Conrad.
a few days ago.
The Northeast Association reached a conclusion at the end of the meeting.
“This is an offer with no reason to refuse. If you defeat Douglas with Dmitri’s help, wouldn’t it be a win in every way? At the very least, I think accepting Dmitri as an ally is a much better choice than the northern forces that want to trample on us.”
at last.
They held Roman’s hand.
Although there was a judgment that it was a practical benefit, some people, such as Viscount Conrad, showed a sincere feeling of being moved by Dmitri’s move.
for whatever reason. The fact that Dmitri accepted him as a fence in the same northeast area became an opportunity to look at the Dmitri family from a new perspective.
And now.
Viscount Conrad stood behind Roman.
Roman spoke on behalf of the northeast region in that figure that was hidden behind a powerful protector.
“Choose now. Hand-to-hand combat or great warrior combat. How do you want us to fight?”
From now on.
Roman Dmitry.
It was the turn of the ruler of the northeastern region to prove the meaning of his existence.
