Chapter 239: The Emperor’s Choice (2)

Duke Florian’s army deteriorated day by day as they fought against the Republican Army. Forget the food for the soldiers, now, it was difficult for even the commanders to properly procure food. 

Under the worst conditions, Duke Florian’s officers urged him to retreat, but he decided to fight to their deaths. Perhaps it was because he didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that the Empire had collapsed due to him. 

Duke Florian seemed desperate as he fought for victory until the very end, but in the end, reality was inevitable. He eventually became isolated in an encirclement after he was separated from his soldiers who couldn’t keep up with him. The Republicans attacked him en masse after trapping him in their encirclement. 

“A big fish got caught in the net. Don’t let him escape!”

“Wahhh!!”

“Die, Duke Florian!’

Trapped inside the encirclement, Duke Florian clenched his teeth and shouted.

“Come at me, you Republican fanatics!”

Then, he literally fought to the death. The option to surrender never crossed his mind. He continued to swing his sword till his last breath and expended his Aura until it ran out as he fought like crazy. But as long as you are a human, there is a limit. After almost ten hours of fighting wildly, Duke Florian became exhausted. And using that moment, a nameless Republican soldier stabbed Duke Florian in the waist with his spear. 

STAB!

“Keugh…”

And with that, a few more spears struck his body.

Stab stab stab...

“K… Keugh…”

In the end, Duke Florian dropped to his knees and collapsed onto the group. As his conscience faded, he heard the Republican soldiers shouting in victory.

‘There’s… no way… it was my fault. I did it for the Empire…’

Even till the very end, Duke Florian didn’t admit his fault.

Was this his last stubbornness because to acknowledge it would be equivalent to repudiating his entire life?

Later on in history, it became known that Duke Florian’s last achievement in life was to rampage through the last battle and kill more than 1,000 Republican soldiers by himself. 

***

While Duke Florian was blocking the Republican Army, Duke Sebastian decided to deal with the vassal countries’ armies first. Truthfully, in Duke Sebastian’s eyes, the vassal countries were the ones who were the most disgraceful and reprehensible. 

The Republic and the Lester Kingdom were enemies to begin with. So, no matter what they did, there was nothing shocking or anything to be angry about. 

But he couldn’t forgive the vassal countries for betraying the Empire when they had been living with privileges under the Empire’s shadow. Of course, he was sure that the vassal countries had their reasons for doing this, but Duke Sebastian wasn’t a saint to understand or accept it. 

“I am Hector Sebastian!”

Every time Duke Sebastian led his army and attacked, the vassal countries all chose to retreat quickly rather than confront him. Thanks to that, the provincial territories were able to take a breather as the vassal countries temporarily retreated far away. But the problem was what came after.

“As of now, I am commandeering the men and foods of this territory.”

Duke Sebastian confidently demanded supplies from the local lord.

“Your… Your Grace, winter is just around the corner. If you take all our food, then my people will starve to death,, sir.”

The lord begged earnestly, but Duke Sebastian stared at him with stern eyes.

“The Emperor issued a nationwide draft order. And yet, you didn’t obey it. Why?”

“It was… realistically impossible, sir. The enemies were approaching and it was impossible to send supplies and soldiers to the capital, Your Grace.”

“So then, it’s true that you disobeyed the Emperor’s decree. Or am I wrong?” 

“That… that’s…”

“Letting you keep your head is the most mercy I am willing to show you.”

“......”

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll take all the supplies.”

And Duke Sebastian forcibly took the territory’s supplies. The soldiers searched all the homes of the people living on the territory and took away all the hidden food as well as any male who would fight. 

The tearful people tried to beg for mercy but Duke Sebastian was firm. 

“Anyone who rebels is an enemy of the Empire. You can kill them immediately.”

At his command, several of the people who had actually been rebelling were immediately decapitated on the scene. In the end, the citizens who had been saved by Duke Sebastian from the vassal countries lost everything not to their enemies, but to the Imperial Army. 

Duke Sebastian tried to look calm as he looked into the people’s eyes filled with anger and hatred. He also knew that what he was doing was harsh. But if they didn’t win the war, the Empire itself would be finished. He had no choice but to do this.

‘The people of the Empire, please curse and hate me.

Duke Sebastian went on fighting with tears in his eyes.

Because the vassal countries’ didn’t have knights or resources to stop Duke Sebastian, he was able to gradually push their armies away from the Empire. But, regardless of whether they were winning or losing the war, the Imperial people’s lives were becoming more and more impoverished.

***

Duke Florian had chosen to fight to his last breath. Duke Sebastian was waging war by squeezing their own people.

Compared to these two, Marquis Baker Gotham hadn’t even fought properly yet. Although he had been ordered by the Emperor to stop the Lester Kingdom’s attack, he was hesitating.

‘Do we even have a chance of winning this war?’

Even if Marquis Baker Gotham was a Master, he didn’t pose a threat to the Lester Kingdom. 

The official known number of Masters in the Lester Kingdom was five. Even if they compared military power, the Empire didn’t stand a chance against them. Compared to the 200,000 troops led by Milton Forrest, he only had 50,000 soldiers. Even their supply situation was a mess. In a terrible situation like this, even if Antras was to come out of his coffin, there was no way he would be able to overturn it.

“Do we really have to fight a battle when defeat is clearly obvious?”

Marquis Gotham sighed deeply. 

For knights like him, it was an honor to die in a war. But could they force ordinary soldiers to see it as an honor? Marquis Gotham was blind, but he was able to see the reality in front of them more clearly than Duke Sebastian or Duke Florian could.

Once he and his army reached a day’s ride of the Lester Kingdom, he secretly gathered all his officers. And once Marquis Gotham’s knights and his closest retainers gathered, he spoke. 

“As the current head of the Gotham Family, I ask you.”

He turned his head to look around with his blind eyes. 

“Can you trust in me and abide by my decision?”

At that, the commander of his knights was the first one to respond loudly.

“Whatever you decide to do, we will trust and follow you till the very end, sir.”

“There’s nothing to ask, sir.”

“We will follow you to the end, sir.”

The knights, led by the Knight Commander, all swore absolute loyalty to him. 

Then, Marquis Gotham’s treasurer, a close confidant, spoke up next.

“Marquis, for you to say such things here, it seems like you’ve made an important decision. Am I right, sir?”

The treasurer had a rough guess - Marquis Gotham was leaning more towards surrendering to Milton than to fight him.

Marquis Gotham answered calmly. 

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“That’s right. What you’ve guessed but don’t dare to say is most likely my decision.”

“May I ask why you made that choice, sir?”

At that question, Marquis Gotham paused and organized his thoughts before speaking.

“If you think small, it’s for the sake of the Gotham Family. But if you think broadly, it’s for the people who live on this land.”

“......”

“The tide of times has changed. If we continue to fight against the tide to the very end, then there will be more blood to be shed.”

Understanding what Marquis Gotham was saying, the treasurer nodded.

“As your choice isn’t for your self-interest, we will also join you.”

“As the current head of the Gotham Family, I thank you for your loyalty and faith in me.”

Marquis Gotham bowed his head and thanked his retainers. 

***

The next day. 

Milton heard unexpected news from a messenger.

“Who came to see me?”

“Sir, Marquis Gotham is here. He came alone with only a few retainers, sir.”

“......”

When Milton was silent, Count Sabian spoke up from his side.

“I believe things are going to work out well, sir.”

“Is this… that?”

“Yes, sir. It’s that.”

Milton smiled broadly as he spoke to the messenger. 

“I will meet with him immediately.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll bring him over, then, sir.”

The messenger guide Marquis Gotham in. Milton stood up and smiled brightly in welcome as soon as he saw him. 

“It’s nice to see you, Marquis Gotham.”

Marquis Gotham responded to Milton’s welcome with a slight bow.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Grand Duke Forrest.”

“I have no reason to refuse, do I?”

And with that, Milton sat across the table from Marquis Gotham. 

“Well then, what brings you here? I have a rough idea, but I’d like to hear it from your mouth.”

When Milton brought up the subject immediately, Marquis Gotham answered him calmly.

“I came here to surrender.”

“Hmm… is that so?”

“Yes, but I have a few conditions.”

“And what if I rejected those conditions?”

“Then we’ll just have to continue with the war.”

“War… Do you really believe you could beat me right now?”

“No, I don’t believe that at all.”

“And yet, you speak so easily of continuing the war.”

“Even a mouse will bite a cat if it’s cornered.”

“......”

“I believe if I gave it my all to bite you, then I’ll be able to hurt you quite a bit, Grand Duke Forrest.”

Milton grinned at Marquis Gotham’s strong words.

“Yes, I suppose so.”

Milton raised a hand and had an attendant bring them tea.

“Let’s hear your conditions first.”

“I have three conditions. First, please do not plunder or murder the innocent people of the Empire.”

Currently, the Republican and the vassal countries’ armies were thoroughly pillaging and destroying the Empire. Because both of them held a lot of grudges, neither side felt guilty about killing and stealing from the people of the Empire

“As long as it’s feasible, I agree. But know that if the lords fight back, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Marquis Gotham nodded when Milton agreed. 

“Second, stop the Republic and the three kingdoms that are currently invading and destroying the Empire. They’re indiscriminately committing genocide against the Empire.”

“That’s a difficult request.”

“......” 

Marquis Gotham remained silent. Milton thought for a moment before responding.

“As long as my army is occupying the land, I’ll agree to it. But understand that I can’t protect the entire Empire. That’s impossible.”

“Understood.”

Marquis Gotham took a sip of the tea that the attendant had brought before continuing.

“And finally, third. I hope you’ll agree to my request for a duel.”

At that, Jerome and Violet began exuding murderous intent from behind Milton. How dare he come pleading to surrender but ask for a duel? They couldn’t help but suspect that Marquis Gotham had ulterior motives. But Milton raised his hand and calmed them down. 

Marquis Gotham spoke up.

“You don’t have to personally accept it, Your Highness. I’ll be satisfied if Marquis Taker over there accepts it on your behalf.”

“Hm…”

Milton crossed his arms and leaned back into his seat as he thought.

‘He should have seen how strong Jerome is. But he’s purposefully asking to fight against Jerome?’

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