Radiant Dragon’s Otherworldly Reincarnation

Chapter 253. You Think I Don’t Know That? (3)

He owed him a debt of gratitude.

It was King Derius who had recognized his abilities and appointed him to a high position when he had not been making much of a name for himself in the Harbor Kingdom and was thinking of leaving for another country.

Duke Krupa genuinely felt a debt of gratitude to the King, so much so that he had thrown himself in front of him to protect him when Patrick was beating him.

“Tell me. What will it take for you to spare his life?”

Although he was drunk, Duke Krupa’s eyes shone sharply. And Patrick spoke.

“If you accept my terms, I will not only spare King Derius’ life but also promise the continuation of the Harbor Kingdom.”

“The continuation of the Harbor Kingdom.”

“How about it? Isn’t it a groundbreaking offer? This is all because I’m a good person….”

“You’re just not ready to swallow it whole at once.”

“……”

“Right?”

“No?”

Although Patrick denied it, he was subtly avoiding eye contact. And Duke Krupa said with a sly smile.

“The Atronia Kingdom and our country do not share a border. To use the northern land route, the Magellan Kingdom is in the middle, so for direct exchange, we have to use the Denver sea route for maritime trade…. Oh dear, neither side has a port to move large quantities of goods and personnel. Hohoho.”

“……”

“In such a situation, it would be quite difficult to annex and rule a distant territory. Wouldn’t it?”

“Tsk, this is why smart people are hard to deal with.”

That’s right. Duke Krupa had accurately pinpointed the part that Patrick was agonizing over.

Even if he completely annexed the Harbor Kingdom, it wouldn’t be easy to rule this land smoothly.

Geographically, the conditions were too unfavorable.

The Magellan Kingdom was in the way of land travel, and for sea travel, neither country had a suitable port.

On top of that, isn’t Patrick’s hometown, the Schneider fiefdom, adjacent to the Great Forest at the very eastern end of the Atronia Kingdom?

Ruling a land that can only be reached after traveling far to the west and then crossing the sea?

This was difficult in many ways.

‘In the first place, it was because of these conditions that I only brought 1,000 elite soldiers.’

He had won, but conquest was difficult.

It was obvious, but they were very different.

A war between nations and a power struggle between sects were so different in many ways.

And for that reason….

‘This meeting is all the more important.’

Patrick drove out the alcohol with his internal energy and spoke.

“Even if conquest is impossible, I can still devastate it if I have to.”

“……”

“Without the Dwarf clan and with all the 7-star knights having defected, if I take as much as I can from the Harbor Kingdom, will the neighboring countries just leave it alone?”

Duke Krupa let out a sigh.

In fact, this was something he was also aware of.

‘He’s not entirely naive.’

One-on-one.

They had each poked at a sore spot.

And at the negotiation table, which had reached a stalemate, Duke Krupa, who had been fiddling with his empty glass, spoke.

“We will pay war reparations. We will also acknowledge Prince Dawson’s mistake and officially apologize. In return, help us continue the royal lineage.”

“In what way?”

“We will offer the territory of our Harbor Kingdom’s eastern coastal region as reparations.”

“You’ll pay with land instead of money?”

“And we will change our country from a kingdom to a duchy.”

“……”

This was surprising.

Duke Krupa had just said they would lower the status of their nation.

This was an even more groundbreaking statement than ceding territory.

“In return!”

Duke Krupa slammed his glass down hard and spoke.

“You must promise to protect the Harbor Kingdom and ensure its continuation.”

Hearing those words, Patrick was lost in thought.

He was trying to figure out the hidden intention behind these words. And after a moment of thought, he came to a conclusion.

“Is lowering your status to a duchy to gain me as a shield?”

“……”

“Giving up the territory would be to station troops there and get quick support in case of an emergency. As you said, since there are no decent ports, there’s a limit to bringing troops across the sea.”

At Patrick’s words, Duke Krupa smiled bitterly and spoke.

“This is an era of war. In times like these, the top priority is not to win, but to survive.”

Duke Krupa had boldly given up what he had to for the survival of the Harbor Kingdom.

He created a pretext for protection by lowering its status to a duchy, and he gave up the western territory to create a base where stationed troops could stay.

So that even if another country attacked the Harbor Kingdom, they could receive help immediately.

The best part of this proposal was that from Patrick’s perspective, there was nothing to lose.

‘Receiving territory is not easy. How to negotiate with the Atronia royal family is a separate issue, but opportunities like this are rare.’

The western coastal region of the Harbor Kingdom was a massive area, about a quarter of the entire territory.

It was large enough to establish a small country.

If he received it as war reparations, he could gain much more than the amount he had originally intended to receive.

However, the fact that he had to protect the Harbor Kingdom was a bit of a nuisance.

“I have one condition.”

“What is it?”

Patrick stated that one condition.

And Duke Krupa, after initially showing reluctance upon hearing it, spoke after a long period of conflict.

“Give me some time to think.”

“I can’t give you much.”

***

A middle-aged man with a still-swollen face.

This man, who was still the monarch of the Harbor Kingdom, was King Derius.

Even if a king of a nation was under detention, a minimum level of courtesy must be observed.

So, he was confined within the royal castle, which was originally his home.

As long as he was accompanied by guards, his movements were also relatively free.

Duke Krupa came to visit him.

“Oh, Alexander. How did it go?”

“The general terms have been accepted.”

“A blessing in disguise.”

The conditions proposed by Duke Krupa in the meeting with Patrick.

From reducing the nation’s status to a duchy to handing over the eastern coastal region.

Most of those conditions were matters that Duke Krupa had already coordinated with King Derius.

They were such groundbreaking conditions that he was reluctant, but he had allowed it after Duke Krupa persuaded him that it would be difficult to even sustain the kingdom without such conditions.

In the first place, no matter how much authority he was delegated, the clauses were too groundbreaking to be considered a decision made by Duke Krupa alone.

“At any rate, we will survive. Hooo….”

Instead of the best method, he had succeeded in avoiding the worst-case scenario.

At that result, King Derius let out a sigh of relief.

And Duke Krupa felt a bitter emotion seeing his lord like that.

‘Your Highness….’

This shouldn’t be.

Although things went according to his authority, in the end, the Harbor Kingdom was reduced to a duchy, and King Derius’ rank would also fall to that of a duke, with a huge territory taken away.

In this situation, the first emotion he feels is relief?

It shouldn’t be like that.

If he were a monarch, the first emotions he should feel at a time like this would be humiliation, and then anger. But….

‘He is too soft.’

To Duke Krupa, King Derius was a grateful benefactor who had scouted him and trusted him completely.

The loyalty and fidelity he felt for him were sincere. But on the other hand….

‘I am only human after all.’

Duke Krupa knew.

The wars that were breaking out sporadically across the continent were still just a prelude.

The Hegemon King of the northeast, Cierion Baisus Yusef.

The supernova of the southeast, Patrick Schneider.

Two heroes had distorted the established balance of the continent.

And the full-scale clash between the two major powers, the Empire and the Holy Theocracy, had begun.

Future historians will describe this era as a whirlwind of turmoil.

And having been born in such an era, he too wanted to leave his mark on the world as a strategist.

That aspiration and desire existed clearly within Duke Krupa.

And that was….

‘It would be impossible with this person.’

To Duke Krupa, King Derius could be a good friend, but not a great lord.

If King Derius had wept and wailed, screaming in frustration, there might have been a sliver of hope….

“Hahaha. You’ve worked hard. As expected, there is no one I can trust but you, Alexander.”

Not even a bud of hope could be seen.

Duke Krupa, gently removing King Derius’ hand that was patting his shoulder in praise, spoke.

“Your Highness, the Double Dragon added one more condition in exchange for accepting the terms.”

“What is it?”

“…He made me a recruitment offer.”

In an instant, King Derius’ face hardened.

“You?”

“Yes.”

King Derius hesitated.

If he had asked for more territory, he wouldn’t have given it much thought.

But to demand Alexander Krupa?

He knew.

He knew that the reason he, an ordinary man, could manage to play the part of a king was because of the advice of the extraordinary talent, Duke Krupa.

Even though he had lost the war and suffered great losses, his trust in Duke Krupa had not wavered in the slightest.

In fact, at this point, it should be called dependence rather than trust.

“Is there no other way? Why would he try to recruit you? Are you not my subject?”

“Your Highness….”

“Alexander, try to find a way. I can lose everything, but I cannot lose you.”

Tears even welled up in the eyes of King Derius as he clung to him desperately.

An ordinary subject might be moved by this sight, feeling that the king cherishes him.

But Duke Krupa had been with King Derius for decades and they knew each other as well as anyone could.

Those were not tears of sorrow for fear of losing him.

Those were tears of dependence, like a child abandoned by its parents and feeling anxious.

Seeing that, Duke Krupa realized.

He realized that the relationship between him and King Derius, which he thought was bound by absolute trust, was not as ideal and beautiful a lord-vassal relationship as he had thought.

‘I was not a good subject.’

A subject should be under the king, assisting him and enabling him to carry out his will.

But Duke Krupa, on the contrary, carried out his own will through King Derius.

He strengthened the royal authority and created a strong centralized system, presenting it to the king, but King Derius’ will was not in it.

The king was just like a baby bird, opening its mouth and eating the food Duke Krupa brought him.

He didn’t even know what was going into his mouth.

He just ate because it was put in his mouth, growing bigger in size.

“Ha…. Hahaha….”

Laughter escaped him out of sheer absurdity.

Having let go of everything and stepped back to look at himself objectively, he couldn’t lift his head in shame.

A competent but treacherous official.

At best, his identity was only that much.

He thought he had served King Derius wholeheartedly, but when he came to his senses, he realized he was ruining the king even more.

Duke Krupa hardened his heart and spoke to King Derius.

“Your Highness, I will go as a vassal of the Count Schneider family.”

“Alexander!”

“Although I am leaving Your Highness’ side, I will offer my last counsel for Your Highness. Although our status has been lowered to a duchy and our territory has shrunk, our country still has enough potential to aim for a comeback. Please conserve your strength and wait for the right time.”

“But I need you for that, don’t I? Without you, how can I….”

“Do not speak so weakly!”

“……”

Duke Krupa suddenly shouted.

King Derius was startled by the loud voice. And that surprise soon turned into shock.

“You mean to say you’re abandoning me? How could you… to me….”

Seeing King Derius like that, Duke Krupa’s heart felt like it was about to tear.

But no.

He knew now.

Even if the Double Dragon’s offer hadn’t been made, he would have had to leave King Derius’ side.

As long as he stayed by his side, King Derius would forever be a half-wit, unable to spread his wings as a monarch, and would rot away.

Duke Krupa steeled his heart and spoke.

“Thank you for everything until now. Your Highness.”

“Alexander! Alexander! Don’t go. Please don’t abandon me!”

And he cruelly turned his back and left. From behind, he could hear King Derius desperately calling his name, but he deliberately pretended not to hear.

And only after closing the door and leaving….

“Your Highness, please do not forgive this incompetent and disloyal subject.”

He was able to prostrate himself and wail.

His youth.

He had dreams of a bright future and tried to display his abilities, but he was frustrated by the harshness of reality.

At that time, the one who extended a hand to Alexander Krupa was the then-prince, Derius.

[They say you were the top graduate of the law faculty this year, don’t they? But why couldn’t you get a position?]

[What, you were pushed out by a faction? That’s absurd. Then would you not serve as my direct secretary? Ah, you ask who I am?]

[For now, I am the first prince of this country. If things go smoothly, I will probably become the next king.]

At that time, King Derius, regardless of his ability, had passion.

To find talent to assist him, he always kept his ears open, personally went out, saw with his own eyes, and recruited people.

Duke Krupa was also a pearl in the mud, discovered by the passion of Prince Derius.

But as time passed, King Derius lost his passion to strive.

And Duke Krupa also lost the purity of assisting the king and carrying out his will.

If they had continued to hold on to the passion and purity of their youth, their present might have been different.