Even if Emperor Deorte did not want to, the things that he used were bound to be luxurious. His actions, appearance, and every single thing he used was directly associated with the face of the empire. If a modest king were to wear worn-out clothes in a worn-out palace, what would the other kingdoms say about them?
[He is a modest king!]
[We must follow his example!]
Would they actually say that? No way.
[It seems like that’s how much money the Lyndis Empire has.]
[Tsk tsk, how can an emperor be like that? How demeaning.]
In a way, social phenomena could be seen as extreme brainwashing and mind games. Logic did not work most of the time. This hadn’t changed from ancient times to modern times, not even in Davey’s past life.
“They are amazing pawns.”
“They are made from the horn of a single-horned elephant. It’s a rare animal with small horns, so dozens of elephants are needed to make one set of these pawns.”
“It’s a luxury.”
“That’s right.” Emperor Deorte chuckled.
It seemed like he actually wanted someone who could have a conversation with him without being afraid of his rank.
“All the princes, too. Everyone finds me difficult with the exception of that Alberth.”
“It is because your gravity is well-known in the Lyndis Empire as well.”
“Tsk tsk… Fools.”
“Which will you take: first or second attack?”
“A pro yields the first attack,” answered Davey.
Then, both Davey and Emperor Deorte spoke at the same time.
“I will take the second attack.”
“I will yield the first attack to you.”
As a short silence blanketed across the meeting room, the servant who was observing them from afar let out a dry cough. He seemed to be bewildered by the fact that someone could behave so recklessly in front of an emperor of an empire.
“...”
“Alright, I will take the first attack if you are confident. However, we only have a deal if you receive punishment upon losing.”
“What would you like?”
“If you lose, become engaged to the youngest princess of the Lyndis Empire. It would be an official marriage between kingdoms.”
“Is there a reason why you are judging a prince of a small kingdom so highly?”
Emperor Deorte scoffed at Davey’s question. He said, “I think you know that better than anyone.”
“I know better…”
“From what I’ve seen, your actions seem like you are building something great step by step. Am I wrong?”
“Well, alright,” Davey answered calmly.
Emperor Deorte, looking slightly surprised, said, “Your confidence is incredible.”
Davey grabbed the cavalry pawn out of the several Olde pawns that were in front of him and took it out. He asked, “Do you think that I will lose?”
“Ha… Hahahaha!!!” Emperor Deorte laughed loudly as he became filled with the desire to win. “Good! I will watch you myself! And I will show you how difficult it is to dare challenge an emperor of an empire.”
“I’m going to.”
Clack!!
Davey’s eyes shone as he placed a pawn on the Olde board without hesitation.
* * *
“I heard you caused a big scene at the Boltis Empire.”
Clack!
The pawn Emperor Deorte had placed on the board was quickly advancing.
Clack!
However, it wasn’t long before its advancements were blocked by the formation Davey had created.
“The citizens support me and follow me. And I will protect my citizens in my own way in return,” answered Davey.
Emperor Deorte stared at Davey, who then added, “This would be the usual best answer, but…”
“Are you saying that you don’t think the same way?” Emperor Deorte asked.
“I am just overprotective. I just can’t stand seeing someone mess with my people.”
Emperor Deorte chuckled. “I heard you did not really hide that fact. The commoners may not know, but people like me have already heard the news.”
What kind of lunatic would go to a country, determined to turn it upside down, just because he wanted to save three people out of the countless citizens in his territory?
“It was quite peaceful.”
To be exact, Davey didn’t touch the Boltis Kingdom; all he destroyed was the black market.
After that incident, Davey had purposely let the rumor spread to people who would hear about it and had hired the Echo Guild to kill all of them. He didn’t have to do it himself as it wasn’t difficult for them to slaughter the organization related to the black market.
“It seems like there is something you want to ask me directly.”
The general flow of the game led to Emperor Deorte fiercely attacking. However, unlike how Davey had given confident answers before, his formation was barely able to defend against the emperor’s attacks.
“I took your palace. If you lose the protection of your wall, the only thing left are the priests and unprotected cavalry,” Emperor Deorte said as he knocked down one of Davey’s priests. “How old are you this year, Prince?”
“Seventeen, Your Majesty.”
Davey would be considered an extremely young boy on Earth, but here, he was at the age of those who should be entering society.
“Hm, it seems like you have a lot of experience with the world considering your age. Usually, kids your age have a limit in perceptual thinking no matter their intelligence.”
That was the reason why King Krianes of the Rowane Kingdom was not giving Baris the throne just yet and was teaching him state affairs. This was also why Prince Sullivan intensely protected and hid Illyna behind him even though she was the leader of a large army called the White Bird. There were other reasons, but a major reason was that they lacked real-world experience due to their young age.
“Haha, alright. That aside, your Olde skills are below expectations.”
“My turn is complete.”
Now, Davey’s formation was heavily minimized. On the other hand, Emperor Deorte’s formation was incredibly strong and threatening. It was clear that he was quite smart, since he was an emperor of an empire.
After a short silence, Emperor Deorte asked Davey, “Let me ask you a question.”
“Please.”
“Do you know about warriors?”
After a moment of silence, Davey said, “I am not sure.”
“There is someone who has a holy sword recognized by the Holy Empire. They are also stopping malicious acts within the Eastern and Central Continent.”
“Is that enough to call someone a warrior?”
“They are a warrior that the Holy Empire has approved of. Furthermore, the level of that warrior is different from the commonly-seen mercenaries.”
They were a competent Swordmaster; in terms of experience, they were more than that. The fact that a person of unknown origin was stronger than a Swordmaster, and was stopping malicious acts from happening with no regard for their own body, made the rumor of them being a warrior that much more convincing.
“In secret, I helped the rumor spread far and wide. Why do you think that is?”
Whatever Emperor Deorte’s intentions were, Davey could tell one thing for sure: he was trying to feel him out.
“No matter how low crime rates may be, criminal activity is bound to happen. It’s an inevitable thing if people live there. However, it would be different if there was a ripple.”
There was a being who stopped malicious acts; they showed up everywhere, and they simply punished evil acts without caring about the complicated problems with governments and money.
Such a being would actually pose a great threat to the monarch, because the citizens would begin to follow the warriors and not the emperor.
“If you went out of your way to make a decision like that when the Lyndis Empire has a deep-rooted monarch…”
The warrior’s affiliation with the empire, or a strong relationship equivalent to that, or…
“Probably…a symbol.”
It was a way for Emperor Deorte to have justification and increase his approval ratings. However, if he was talking about the warrior that Davey was thinking of, Emperor Deorte had it wrong. A symbol…
‘Only works when they are alive.’
—...
“Ha…hahaha!! Hahahaha!!” Emperor Deorte laughed heartily as if he liked Davey’s answer. Then, he stared at Davey with a serious face. “There was some resistance in the kingdom. To be honest, the reason why I accepted the warrior is that they took care of what had happened in the kingdom.”
“...”
“What would you have done?”
Davey then offered his usual answer. “I will not care if it does not challenge me. Those who have much to protect cannot make too many enemies.”
“The person I know has enough strength to ignore that, does he not?”
“Do you know who is the first person to die in a war?”
Emperor Deorte was silenced by Davey’s question.
On the Olde board, Emperor Deorte’s pawn at the forefront was quickly surrounded. Davey had made a dramatic move that completely changed the game. He had gone from struggling in the game to defending against attacks to becoming the winner.
“The ones who boast at the frontlines. Your life will be short if you are brave. It is my victory, Your Majesty. You were a brave ruler, Your Highness, but you did not have enough cards up your sleeve.”
If one wanted to stand and lead at the front, they should only do so after considering and solving the worst case scenarios that could happen. It was a very cowardly approach, but it was the safest. And the speed at which someone could create those scenarios was what set apart a great strategist from a mediocre one.
Emperor Deorte’s eyes widened at Davey’s criticism. He muttered, “What a blow…”
* * *
Emperor Deorte El Lyndis calmly accepted his defeat. No matter how much he thought of it, he had been driven into this trap so absurdly. However, it was extremely difficult for a human to understand the game dozens of moves ahead and create a game in their favor.
Realizing that he had been played from the beginning, Emperor Deorte soon acknowledged his defeat. Of course, if there was a bet, there had to be an exchange of a prize.
Now, Davey didn’t have to do the most uncomfortable thing that could happen in the Lyndis Empire. After all, him winning meant that he didn’t need to become engaged to the princess.
Princess Aeria was the person that Davey found the most difficult in the world. She was an innocent and kind girl, so pure that he felt like he would taint her if he were to reveal his worldly, corrupt standards. However…
“P… Prince Davey.”
Davey stared at Emperor Deorte like he required an explanation. Right now, Princess Aeria was greeting him with a flushed face. He didn’t have a problem with her presence itself but the crown that she was wearing. It was none other than a crown that people wore when publicly declaring an engagement. And…
“Please take this, Your Highness.”
Then, a person who seemed to be the royal attendant of the Lyndis Empire handed Davey a golden brooch. So, in the Lyndis Empire, they gave the man an engagement brooch and the woman a tiara for an official royal engagement.
“Your Majesty?”
“Yes, I accept my defeat. I will allow you to become engaged to Aeria.”
‘This guy?’
As Davey stared at him with a slight frown, Emperor Deorte attacked Davey with words. “Do not forget, the one who first proposed an engagement with Aeria is…”
It was none other than the Rowane Kingdom, and although Davey was doing whatever he wanted, he was still the First Prince of the kingdom: a prince who had forfeited the right to the throne.
‘You should know what that means,’ Emperor Deorte thought.
Emperor Deorte was using King Kriannes’ proposal for Davey to marry the princess as a means to stab Davey in the back.
“I was going to refuse. To take my precious and treasured Aeria with an engagement… There was no way. But you won the bet. I have no choice.”
“It is an excuse. You said that I would have to marry the princess of the empire if I lose…”
Davey flinched as he saw the princess tearing up as he spoke.
“Yes, I did not tell you to marry her. Marriage if I win, engagement if I lose.”
Emperor Deorte was not going to give Davey a way out. And he knew full well that Davey could not ignore this in order to have justification for what he was planning to do.
Davey felt his head starting to hurt from the emperor’s ridiculous wordplay.
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