Chapter 241: True Responsibility (2)

Marquis Gotham flinched at Milton’s words. Milton’s words stabbed him enough that he even thought if he had known this would happen, he would’ve smacked Milton around a bit during the fight earlier.

Milton poured himself more wine as he continued to speak.

“Whether it’s honor or practical interests, it’s because you’re trying to do both that you failed. In fact, now that you’ve come this far, do you still think you can die honorably?”

“That’s because you stole the opportunity from me, Grand Duke Forrest.”

“And a good thing I did too.”

“......”

Now, Marquis Gotham was thinking it’d be alright if he chopped one of Milton’s arms off.

Knowing how uncomfortable Marquis Gotham must be, Milton smirked. 

“Think about it. Let’s say that you surrendered and prevented the meaningless loss of 50,000 men that you’ve been leading until now. But is that the end?”

“......”

“I’ve invaded… occupied… attacked? Hm, no matter how I say it, it doesn’t sound good.”

Perhaps it was because he had drank a bit, but Milton had become a bit too honest. In fact, it was because he had consciously decided to relax. He knew that it would be impossible to convince the man in front of him with clumsy lies. 

Spiritual Eye LV. 9 (Max): The ability to perceive things without vision. It is also possible to understand a person’s state of mind from their voice or behavior.

Milton didn’t know to what extent Marquis Gotham could understand his inner thoughts, but the important thing was that a mixture of hypocritical words or lies wouldn’t work on him. If he wanted Marquis Baker Gotham, then he had to throw a curveball. That was why Milton was purposely drinking in a private setting while letting go of his mental brakes and saying whatever he wanted. 

But, it was also the correct answer. With slightly unfocused eyes, Milton spoke self-mockingly.

“Either way, we’ll continue to attack in order to take over the territory. Each time, there will be local lords who will fight against us and they will tragically be killed.”

“Then, wouldn’t it be alright if you showed them mercy, Your Grace?”

“If everyone surrendered because I showed them mercy, then saints would be governing this world with compassion and wisdom. But is that the reality?”

“......”

Of course it wasn’t. Even if Milton showed mercy and recommended them to surrender, there would always be people who fought back. And each time, the ones who shed blood meaninglessly would be the innocent soldiers. Each one of those men would be someone’s father and son.

“Hu….”

Marquis let out a deep sigh before speaking.

“What are you trying to make me do/”

“The vanguard of my army.”

“......”

“And for you to take the lead in persuading the lords who are in the path of my army’s advance.”

“How cruel of you.”

Marquis Gotham was in a dilemma. Milton was telling him to take the lead and cooperate in handing over the Empire. For Marquis Gotham, who valued his honor above his own life and had been planning to commit suicide for his country during the duel, it was a truly cruel request. He decided to refuse it as the one request he would never do, but before he could...

Thud.

Milton knelt on the ground and bowed with both his hands and head touching the floor. 

“Please, Marquis Gotham. If you do this for me, I can stop the meaningless bloodshed.”

“......”

Marquis Gotham’s entire body stiffened for a moment.

‘What on earth is going on right now?’

Although Marquis Gotham’s mind and body were highly trained, he wasn’t able to keep up with Milton’s actions right now. That was how unconventional Milton’s actions were. 

Milton Forrest. He was the monarch of the Lester Kingdom, which was, perhaps, the strongest in the continent now. At less than 40 years old, he was the hero of the era who left his name distinctly in the history of the continent.

But now, that Grand Duke Milton Forrest was kneeling and begging him. He was only a knight of a dying Empire. 

“Grand… Grand Duke. What are you… Please, get up.”

Finally understanding the situation, Marquis Gotham tried to get Milton to get up. But Milton didn’t budge. 

“First tell me you’ll accept my request.”

“... I don’t understand. Why… Just why are you doing this? You are a member of the royal family. Think of the royal family’s honor. How could you kneel down before a general who surrendered? Don’t you find that shameful?”

Perhaps it was because he was baffled, but Marquis Gotham shouted at Milton. But Milton wasn’t agitated. He merely responded calmly.

“It’s for the same reason as you.”

“......”

“Whether it’s for my Lester Kingdom or the Andrews Empire, if it would reduce the number of innocent soldiers’ dying, then how could I dare care about sullying my honor?”

“Ah…”

At that moment, Marquis Gotham could feel himself losing all his strength. Without realizing, he almost collapsed, but he clenched his teeth and pulled himself together.  

He finally realized that just like Milton had said, he had been too half-hearted. To save his soldiers while dying defending his honor? What a half-baked and half-hearted idea. No wonder such shallow thinking had been seen through.

He looked at the young monarch before him in comparison.[1] Milton was kneeling down in front of him, someone who was no different than a defeated general, in order to save the lives of the soldiers. Not only his soldiers, but the soldiers of the enemy, the Andrews Empire, as well.

‘He’s different. This man… no, this gentleman is a completely different person from me.’[2]

Marquis Gotham felt guilty that he even considered comparing himself to Milton when the differences between them were so stark. Marquis Gotham, who had begun to feel guilty about daring to look down on Milton, knelt down himself and bowed his head.

“Please raise your head, Grand Duke Forrest.”

“......”

“Your Highness’s request… no, your order, I will carry out your order, Your Highness.”

“You truly mean that?”

“Yes, sir. From this moment on, I, Baker Gotham, will serve Grand Duke Milton Forrest as my liege, and until the moment this body fails, will devote all my strength to serve me. I pledge my eternal loyalty to you, Your Highness.”

“Thank you for your decision.”

Milton smiled happily as he held Marquis Gotham’s hand. And thus, the Empire’s Marquis Baker Gotham came under Milton’s command.

Later on, historians will judge Marquis Gotham in two different ways for his decision. One will say that he was a great man who quickly grasped the tide of war and chose a path that would shed the least amount of blood, saving millions of lives. Another will say that he besmirched his honor by selling his country in order to preserve his own life. No one besides Marquis Gotham, who was living in the time, would know which was correct, but later on, history will give him mixed reviews. 

One thing that was certain was that the change that happened after Marquis Gotham surrendered and pledged loyalty to Milton. Despite joining in the war the latest, the Lester Kingdom, was able to advance much quicker than the three kingdoms and the Republic. 

***

The effect of persuading Marquis Gotham to stand at the vanguard was amazing. With just the mere fact that he was at the front, most of the Empire’s local lords lost their fighting spirit. On top of that, because he had been entrusted with authority, Marquis Gotham, on his own volition, persuaded the lords to surrender.

Milton readily accepted all the surrendered lords and guaranteed them their existing power. And just in case, in order to prevent possible mishaps, he gave out an order to the entire army:

[Those who hurt the citizens of the occupied territory will be severely punished regardless of status. Don’t disturb a single grain of wheat or a single handspan of their land.]

The command Milton gave to his men was quite forceful. Considering the absolute authority that was contained in all of Milton’s orders, this wasn’t necessary. But doing this showed that Milton was paying careful attention to the stability of the occupied lands.

Because of that, there were no issues with the lands that surrendered the Lester Kingdom’s army, instead, Milton even contacted the Lester Kingdom to provide food and supplies for the territories in poor conditions.

With Marquis Gotham’s Clout and Persuasion, and Milton’s realistic response, the occupied land’s lord and people readily cooperated with the Lester Kingdom. And as this information spread, the territories that were along the Lester Kingdom’s army’s route all scrambled to surrender. 

In all honesty, they didn’t have much choice. It was obvious that the Empire was weakening and in such a situation, the three allied kingdoms and the Republic were destroying the lands they took over and committing brutal massacres. Only the Lester Kingdom was protecting their rights and lives by implementing conciliatory politics. 

Even if they were Imperial nobles, it was natural for them to make this decision if they wanted to live. Of course, there were some lords who rebelled, but Milton left them alone for now. 

‘The important thing is to get to the Imperial capital first.’

Milton picked the shortest path to the Empire capital, and as long as the lords on that path weren’t too rebellious, he ignored them. His goal was to get to the capital before Siegfried.

***

“Your Imperial Majesty, the Lester Kingdom’s army has arrived in front of the capital.”

“......”

Emperor Gilbert sat on the throne with a devastated look on his face. He sat in silence for a long time before speaking.

“Any sign of attacking?”

“No, sire. Just…”

“Just what?”

“They’re requesting to meet with you, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Hmph, so they think it’s finished now?”

Emperor Gilbert smirked.

Truthfully, he knew it as well. He knew that the times had greatly changed in his generation.

The era of the Empire was now over. He had failed to contain the Republic, and now, Milton Forrest, someone described as the hero of troubled times, was trying to seize dominance of the era. 

In the midst of this, he had been wondering what kind of decision he should make as the emperor of the Andrews Empire. After thinking it over, this was his decision.

“I should at least stop innocent people’s blood from being shed any further.”

It was time for him to put his ambition to rest. All that remained for him to do as the emperor was to pick the option that would best benefit the Empire even in its defeat. 

“Bring in the envoy from the Lester Kingdom.  We have to decide where to meet.”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.”

A moment later, an envoy from the Lester Kingdom appeared before the Emperor. 

He laughed bitterly once he saw who it was. 

“So this is how we meet, Marquis Gotham.”

“...Forgive me, Your Imperial Majesty.”

With a calm expression, Marquis Gotham knelt before Emperor Gilbert.

The guards protecting the royal family stared with furious eyes when they saw him. From their perspective, it was only right for them to be so enraged when Marquis Gotham was a traitor and a turncoat. 

Marquis Gotham left the cold atmosphere, but he remained calm.

‘Since this is the decision I’ve made, I can only endure the hatred and resentment.’

From the moment he had decided to follow Milton, he had already been prepared for this. Marquis Gotham wasn’t someone who would waver from his decision with just this.

“Your Imperial Majesty, Grand Duke Forrest would like to meet in person. The location he has picked is the Square of Glory so that all the citizens of the capital can watch. He has also said that the Lester Kingdom’s army will stand guard, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“You traitor!”

“What did you just say?!”

The imperial family’s knights and the attendants couldn’t stand it any longer and began shouting at him. 

There wasn’t a single person who didn’t understand the meaning behind what he had just said. At this point, a meeting between the two sides would eventually lead to a declaration of surrender from the Empire. 

Marquis Gotham was telling the Emperor to surrender in a square where all the citizens could watch him do so. And for the Lester Kingdom to take over guarding that square meant for the Emperor to open the outer gates of the capital and allow the Lester Kingdom’s army to enter. They had turned it into a process and made it seem like a request, but this was no different from telling the Empire to surrender immediately.

“Dishonorable.”

At Emperor Gilbert's one word, Marquis Gotham bowed his head.

“Please, for the Empire’s sake, please make a wise decision.”

“Shut up, you traitor!”

“How dare you?! Who do you think you’re talking to?!”

“Your Imperial Majesty, please give me the order. I’ll immediately slit that traitor’s throat, sire.”

Everyone in the hall was angry; the chief of the royal guard was so angry he looked like he would attack Marquis Gotham at any second. Of course, even if he attacked Marquis Gotham, it was a fact that he wouldn’t be able to handle the unarmed Marquis but regardless of the outcome, he just wanted to attack in his uncontrollable anger,

However, the Emperor wasn’t foolish enough to make a mess out of things because of his anger.

“All of you, quiet down.”

“......”

In a calm voice, the Emperor calmed down the hall before speaking to Marquis Gotham. 

“What will the Lester Kingdom do if I don’t accept your request?”

“......”

Marquis Gotham didn’t respond, however, it was obvious what his silence meant.

If the Emperor refused the meeting, then the Lester Kingdom would try to capture him by immediately mobilizing their army. If a fight were to break out, how much damage would the capital incur? And even if the Empire could handle the damage, this wasn’t a war that could be won just because the Empire could endure.

Ultimately, if the Emperor refused the meeting, then meaningless blood would continue to cover the Empire. 

1. The raw had:거기에 비해 눈앞에 있는 젊은 군 주를 보라. - By comparison, look at the young monarch in front of him. I changed the sentence structure but kept the overall meaning of the sentence to make it fit better with the overall flow and structure of the other sentences.

2. The raw has 남자 and 이분 which is playing around with the formality, but since English doesn’t really have that (unless you consider calling a grown male ‘boy’ to demean him) I adjusted it accordingly.