For the trip to Valhalla, just like Kevin, the ones like Henderson expressed their intention to follow Roman. However, looking at their reaction, Roman came to a decision.
“This is a fact that everyone knows, I was invited to Valhalla. Valhalla intentionally spread rumors about this incident in case I refused. If it is the Kronos Empire, now that my whereabouts are clear, do you think they will just give up this chance and wait for another one?”
“They will definitely move. I don’t think there is any reason for those who openly proclaimed the assassination just to stand still.”
On the way back to Dmitry, he knew it wouldn’t be safe. That was why his men said they would follow him, but Roman Dmitry had a different idea.
“The fact that I left for Valhalla means that I am not in Dmitry. The Kronos Empire is a nation that wants to be victorious in the smallest disputes. If that is the case, there is a high chance that they will attempt to assassinate me and attack Dmitry as a means to set an example for other kingdoms. In general terms, Kronos would judge that crossing the border is wrong, but they have taken the steps to render the border issue meaningless with the shadows. I will ask you now. While I leave for Valhalla, if Dmitry is attacked by Kronos, do you think this place will survive with all the forces outside with me?”
“…Not possible.”
“Right. It isn’t possible. From now on, we must judge and act as a nation and not as an estate.”
The theories gave birth to new theories. If Kronos was going to attempt an assassination, they could not rule out Dmitry as an option.
Heavenly Demon, Baek Joong-hyuk. He was someone who had risen to the top. People who looked up from below had no choice but to make judgments based on their limited gaze, but Baek Joong-hyuk was a being who ruled the entire wide world of Murim.
In a world where many people make different claims, under the rule of Baek Joong-hyuk, the entire Murim found stability. This wasn’t to say that there was no conflict. Fights for personal gains continued, but at least there was someone who could control the unreasonableness of the world.
So he knew the intention of Kronos. If he were in Kronos’s position, he would do the same. In a situation where he wanted to conquer the entire continent, he wouldn’t have watched the Dmitry Duchy, which was like a thorn in the eye, grow.
By the time the thorns grew into a full tree, it would be too late. So it needed to be trampled on ahead of time to curb that growth, and Roman Dmitry’s absence was the perfect chance to attack. Based on a single thought from the invitation from Valhalla, he arrived at that conclusion.
Roman Dmitry expanded his thoughts. While calculating his opponent’s options, he thought about how to act in advance. Some might say it was pointless. Theories were just theories, and things that would never happen would just consume his heart.
But still, he had to do it because he was responsible for the lives of those who followed him. Roman Dmitry knew the duty of those in power.
“You stay in Dmitry, and if Kronos attacks, make sure that they will pay for the price.”
No further questions were asked. If their heavens commanded it, then that was the law that they had to follow.
Ten minutes ago.
Rustle.
Flora opened the map. It was the map of Dmitry’s land, and Flora looked at the people and said,
“A fortnight ago, mysterious beings began entering Dmitry. During the interrogation, it was proven that they didn’t cause any special problems, but as a result of looking through the information guild, there were those whose presence was unclear. That means that someone is infiltrating people into Dmitry, and now that Kronos has launched an open attack, it is possible that they are the assassins.”
There has already been such a case—the assassins who infiltrated Dmitry to attempt an assassination but were crushed by Roman Dmitry. But now and then were different. In the absence of Roman Dmitry, they had to take matters into their own hands.
“There are three points that the enemy will target. The first is the warehouse. If they set fire to the food and war supplies, we would have to move away from the castle walls. The second is the gate. Siege warfare is all about opening the gates, and the enemy’s attack will be fatal inside. Finally, the fame. Regardless of victory or defeat in the siege, they can get a clear result just by killing important people.”
Everything was thought of quickly. As a book handler, Flora continuously reflected on situations like today. With just fragments of information and knowledge in her head, she was able to grasp the situation.
“The wall is the place for the Knight Commander and Sir Felix. What we need to do now is block the variables that will occur inside the castle. We need to kill those who step into Dmitry without fear.”
She had cold eyes. She personally couldn’t kill anyone. But to this day, she doesn’t show any mercy to those whom she considers her enemies. It was a detailed plan, and the people nodded their heads. Then Flora grabbed the map and stood up.
“Then let us go to our designated places.”
The first point. On the way to the warehouse, there were many houses where people lived. The shadows crept into the darkness through the alleys and moved cautiously toward the warehouse.
As they were about to open the door of a house with the intention of hiding, they heard a huge explosion.
Thung.
Boom!
In the sky, bright firecrackers lit up. In an instant, the shadows sensed that something was wrong.
“This.”
Their location had been discovered. The shadows quickly moved, wanting to disappear into the darkness, but then they were suddenly attacked.
“How dare you?!”
Puak!
It was Henderson. Henderson and McBurney appeared with their troops, and as soon as they confirmed their position through the fireworks, the shadows were subdued. The shadows’ counterattack had no meaning.
They were outnumbered by Dmitry’s troops, and they had already mastered how to subdue the shadows. But what was that firecracker? It was a measure that came from the order issued the other day. Roman Dmitry spoke of the role that ordinary people should play during internal fights such as assassinations.
“The battles in Dmitry aren’t irrelevant to the common people. I will not order them to fight, but if a fight breaks out in the center, normal people should lock their doors and set a trap that sets off the firework when the door is touched. It would be a form of sign. There is no reason to open the door if it isn’t the enemy trying to enter. So Dmiry’s soldier will be able to locate the enemy at once with that signal.”
The Ten Thousand Mountains. The Murim people wanted to capture that place. However, the reason they failed each time was because of the normal people living below the mountains.
They followed the Demonic Sect. They were uncooperative with the Murim Alliance and didn’t bother choosing any means or methods to help the Demonic Sect.
And Roman Dmitry’s instructions were similar in a way. If Dmitry and the people were a community, he hoped they would play a minimal role. It didn’t have to be a huge thing. The smallest one could make a difference.
Dmitry’s land. They had the advantage of being in their homes. The people who were watching the surroundings set off the fireworks at their homes, and the location of the shadows ended up being discovered. Furthermore…
“Block the pathway of the shadows along the short alleys.”
It was McBurney. His presence shone there. He was once an instructor at the Southern Training Center, so he knew how to move the troops in such situations. The one-armed swordsman’s true ability wasn’t in his sword. He controlled the troops and drove the shadows, while Henderson and the other people from the northeastern area grasped Dmitry’s land and took advantage of it.
They had the ability to complement each other’s flaws. Hence, they were deliberately paired together. The shadows were aiming for the warehouse, but they were cornered at a dead end, and the shadows chose to struggle.
But it was all meaningless. The shadows that were aiming for the first point were cleared out quickly.
The second point. No special plans were needed to stop the enemies from attacking the gate. With a single purpose, Rodwell Dmitry was leading the forces to guard the way so the enemies couldn’t move.
“Rodwell Dmitry.”
“He is someone on the list. Kill that guy and open the gate.”
They were the shadows, and they revealed their intent to kill. Rodwell Dmitry felt pain in his eyes at the sight of all of them rushing in.
‘What more can I do for the future of Dmitry?’
In the past, during the time of his growth, Rodwell Dmitry, who had been fighting for Cairo on the front line, came to his senses and came back to the Dmitry Duchy. It wasn’t because he wanted to covet the place of Roman Dmitry.
He accepted that it was entirely his brother’s, but the problem was that he wandered too long and lost the meaning of life.
No more. There was no need for him to prove anything for Dmitry. Because of Roman Dmitry, people didn’t push Rodwell into doing anything.
He had free time. Rodwell Dmitry, who thought a lot outside the eyes of people, knew what he wanted to do in the future when Dmitry and Kronos started to fight. And even though he wasn’t interested in power, he didn’t want Dmitry to collapse.
As Dmitry moved, he thought he had to do his part. It was a simple thing. He was a blood relative of Roman Dmitry. Unlike normal relationships, theirs was one where trust could be formed because they shared the same blood.
Roman Dmitry told him what he should do in the future.
‘In your absence, I will fulfill the responsibilities and duties as a Dmitry.’
He threw away his eyepatch. Showing the scar across his eye, Rodwell looked at the new reality.
“Die!”
Kwang!
Roar!
As the shadows were rushing at them, Rodwell kicked the ground and rushed in the same way.
While a battle was happening there, just as Flora had expected, there were beings trying to enter the city. Their numbers were huge. Half of the troops that infiltrated Dmitry were sent to the warehouse and the wall, and the other half to the castle.
Their purpose was too basic. Even though victory or defeat depended outside the walls, the reason they came inside was that the Dmitry Lord was inside.
In front of the castle, shadows flocked. They didn’t bother hiding their presence and revealed their killing intent instead.
“Open the way.”
Roar! Roarrrr!
Aura rose from all sides, and just from watching the surroundings stained with shadows, darkness moved that brought in fear. However, the expression of the guard who was outside the castle was calm. In addition, the soldiers who were lined up there showed no signs of fear, even after confirming the shadows.
“Kronos, you are crossing the line.”
Shhh.
He drew his sword. If someone asks, in Dmitry, who was the strongest swordsman besides Roman Dmitry? Of course, it was Chris. The steps Chris had taken until now couldn’t be accomplished by anyone else except Roman Dmitry.
However, that didn’t mean Chris was the best. Even though his public fame was inferior, recently, there was one more individual who was building his name.
Kevin? No.
A man wearing silver armor aimed his sword at the enemies.
“You cannot take a single step from here.”
In the Dmitry Duchy, the leader of the Royal Knights who was guarding the place, Fernando, revealed his presence.
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