Chapter 337 : Chapter 337
Chapter 337. It's a Total Mess (1)
The war was over.
Justice had won, and evil had been defeated.
As always.
Was it justice because it was the victor?
Or was it able to be the victor because it was justice?
Apart from such philosophical questions, the soldiers who had participated in the allied army were just happy.
“It's finally over.”
“I can finally go home now.”
“I was so sick of it. Damn it….”
The leaders of the allied army provided an unlimited supply of alcohol and meat for the tired soldiers.
Thanks to that, the soldiers were able to get drunk and laugh, immersed in a sense of peace for the first time in a long time.
But there were those for whom the war was not yet over.
“So, you're saying that the eastern region of the former Kaisar Kingdom alone is not enough to recover our country's damages!”
“Even so, to ask for the capital of the Flame Kingdom as well is excessive greed.”
“I think it is fairer to evaluate achievements based on the number of participating troops rather than the scale of the damage suffered.”
“Oh, what kind of nonsense is that? Are you saying you have no intention of paying any price for the blood of the noble victims?”
The leaders and staff of each country.
Their war was not yet over.
Rather, the real war was just beginning.
War is a process that consumes a dirty amount of a nation's stamina.
Money, weapons, food, manpower, and so on….
To restore the nation's stamina that has been so immensely depleted and to achieve even greater prosperity than before, one must actively exercise the rights of the victor.
This is why in a war between nations, the contrast between the loser and the victor is usually so stark.
However, in the case of this war, the problem was that there was not one victor, but an alliance.
Of course, the Yusef Kingdom was a big enough prey.
The Yusef Kingdom, which had grown in size by integrating as many as four nations, had been developing stably under the reign of the Hegemon King.
Even so, if you were to ask if it was enough for all seven factions that had participated in the allied army to share?
It was not.
Absolutely not.
So….
“Our Harbor Duchy will absolutely not back down. At least half of the territory of the former Kaisar Kingdom must be our share.”
“No, with the smallest number of participating troops, what gall do you have to say such a thing?”
“Is there any country in this war that participated more actively and sacrificed more than our country?”
“You talk a good game after messing up so badly.”
“What did you say?”
There was no mess like this mess.
And in the midst of it, Grand Duke Schneider sighed and thought.
‘Everyone is only filled with greed.’
A sigh came out on its own.
In fact, the person who could speak the loudest in this place was none other than Grand Duke Schneider himself.
The reason the allied army was able to hold on somehow even while suffering repeated defeats against the Yusef Kingdom was thanks to the Schneider Duchy's allies, the demi-human allied army and the Tower of Truth.
And crucially, it was thanks to the Grand Young Master's wife, April.
On top of that, it was his son who had brought in a large number of Kalaron's subordinates at the moment of final victory and taken the Hegemon King's head.
So if he were to speak up in this war, he would easily obtain at least half of the Yusef Kingdom's territory.
However….
‘Then the situation will only get worse.’
If he were to claim his share, the others would fight even more aggressively over the remaining share.
And even if they managed to reach an agreement somehow, it was obvious that they would exploit the occupied territories to gain as much as they could from the lands they had obtained.
It was not in Grand Duke Schneider's character to claim his share while clearly foreseeing such a result.
He just silently kept his seat, and the others deliberately ignored Grand Duke Schneider and asserted their own shares.
“By the way, where did that kid go?”
Grand Duke Schneider asked Sanson, who was keeping his seat behind him.
At that, Sanson replied….
“He said he was going to take care of some loose ends for a moment.”
“What loose ends?”
“That, I don't know either….”
Looking at Sanson's face, which seemed to say, 'How would I know what that man does?', Grand Duke Schneider sighed.
Yes. Honestly, even he, his father, didn't know what his son would do, so how would Sanson know?
‘There are so many things I want to ask, but where is this kid…. Just you wait until you show up. I'll give you such a lecture….’
“Ah, move it!”
It was at that moment.
A commotion arose from outside the conference room.
At this moment, Grand Duke Schneider shot up from his seat.
This was a place where the leaders of the allied army were gathered for an important meeting.
There are only two types of people who would cause a disturbance in a place like this.
A madman, or….
“Ah, get lost!”
POW!
My son….
* * *
Although a soldier in armor flew into the conference room and crashed, no one even flinched.
Because if they had any sense, they knew who would come in next.
“I said I wanted to come in, so why are you blocking the way? I should just kick you.”
“Master. Shouldn't you say that before you kick them?”
“It's fine. It's fine, the order is not that important.”
“I see.”
The person who came in was, as everyone expected, the Double Dragon, Patrick Schneider.
And behind him, a tall, slender beauty with black hair followed.
She, who was as beautiful as the wives of the Grand Young Master of Schneider, was calling Patrick 'Master.'
‘That monster took a disciple?’
‘And such a young woman at that…?’
‘What did he see in her to choose her as a disciple? Her beauty?’
People's attention was focused on Patrick and the unknown woman behind him.
And Patrick, who entered the conference room, first checked on his father and then….
“Father, your son is here.”
…said with a bright smile.
Yes. Anyone would think he was a son on leave from the army.
Grand Duke Schneider, holding his throbbing head with his hand, said.
“It's a relief that you've returned safely. There are many things I want to ask, but first….”
Grand Duke Schneider looked at the others around him and continued.
“We are in an important meeting right now. Let's have our family talk later.”
“Huh? The war is over, so what meeting are you having? The atmosphere is obviously a mess, just five minutes before it blows up.”
At Patrick's words, some people got upset, but they did not act rashly.
‘Damn it…. Of all people, the Double Dragon….’
‘It would be troublesome to confront that man right now.’
‘Endure. I must endure.’
Patrick Schneider.
That name meant so many things.
The youngest Arcana winner.
That former title had already lost its presence.
The current strongest on the continent.
The great hero of humanity who had taken the Hegemon King's head and crushed the ambitions of the black mages.
To question the rudeness of Patrick's actions was as reckless as trying to pull a dragon's tooth.
No, even if one were to do so, they should absolutely not be the first to step forward and question it.
A person without that much sense would not even have been able to attend this meeting.
“Hmmmm….”
Patrick glanced around the conference room.
And scratching his head, he said.
“First, I'd like to ask, what kind of meeting is this?”
At that, one of the leaders of the allied army stood up and bowed politely.
“I greet the great hero of the continent. I am Marquis Anton Beraton of the Magellan Kingdom.”
“Patrick Sky Schneidahhh.”
“……”
Too much like a gangster.
Marquis Beraton flinched for a moment but passed it over and continued to speak in a polite tone.
“This meeting was to discuss how to rule the fallen Yusef Kingdom.”
“Huh? Why are you guys doing that?”
“Well, since the Yusef Kingdom, which became vacant after the Hegemon King's death, cannot be left alone, shouldn't everyone rule it by dividing it in a reasonable way? Only then can the people living on this land also feel at ease and….”
“Ah, enough. In a word, you were contemplating how to carve it up.”
“Ah… um….”
“Am I right?”
He was right.
He was, but who would answer 'yes' if asked so bluntly?
Patrick stared intently at the leaders in the conference room.
Among them, there were some he knew.
“1st Sage. What are you doing here?”
“I have to keep my seat. Just like your father.”
“And you, the Paladin over there? What was your name again?”
“It is Tanius Owen. I was also attending the meeting.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, the world is coming to an end. A man who claims to serve God is getting involved in a dirty fight over a rice bowl here.”
“It has become shameful.”
Tanius Owen calmly bowed his head.
As a man who served God, how could this be a pleasant place?
But before discussing his duty as a clergyman, he had participated in this war as the representative of the Holy Theocracy.
He had to do what he had to do.
Patrick looked around at the others as well, and then.
He checked the map of the continent in the center of the conference room.
There, messy lines were drawn here and there over the territory of the Yusef Kingdom.
“You've made a complete mess and a rag out of it.”
“Ahem, Double Dragon. How about paying a little more attention to courtesy in your words?”
“Haaaaang?”
Patrick turned his gaze to the person who had spouted nonsense.
Are you talking to me right now?
As he looked at him with that full meaning, a noble who seemed to be participating as a representative of the Venator Empire showed a look of discomfort.
“Those present here are all great figures who occupy important positions in their respective countries. No matter how peerless your martial prowess and how great your achievements in this war, such rudeness… Keok!”
The certain noble who was speaking suddenly folded in half at his side and groaned in pain.
Naturally, the one who had done that was Patrick Schneider….
“Hahaha. It seems our Marquis Jeinderos is very tired. He's been overworking a lot lately, so please understand. Double Dragon.”
…It should have been, but surprisingly, this time it was not.
The one who was dragging the Marquis Jeinderos-or-whatever-his-name-was back, sweating coldly, was the Imperial Sword Saint's grandson, Garcia.
The Marquis tried to say something as he was being dragged away, but his mouth was gagged, so only muffled sounds came out.
Patrick, who had slightly clenched his fist, thought as he opened it again.
‘I'll let it slide this once for your grandfather's sake.’
Although no one knew it, on this day, Garcia had saved the Venator Empire.
“Returning to the main point….”
Patrick looked at the messy map and said.
“In the end, the point is how to divide the territory of the Yusef Kingdom, isn't it? Right?”
Everyone nodded their heads.
And Patrick, with a satisfied smile, said.
“Then it's simple. I'll solve it for you.”
For a moment, the people became tense.
Unlike the good-natured sucker, Grand Duke Schneider, this Double Dragon was not to be trifled with.
If that man, who had both justification and skill, were to claim his share, he might take at least half of the Yusef Kingdom's territory.
‘Damn it, how much is he going to take?’
‘Half, starting from the south? He might even try to take more.’
‘This is troublesome.’
While everyone was tense, Patrick, with a pleased smile, drew a line on the map.
Starting from Evergreen in the far north, all the way down along the territory of the former Kaisar Kingdom to the south, and including the former Decator Kingdom and the territory of the former Flame Kingdom, all of it, that is….
No, this is, in other words, just….
“All mine!”
There was a thief right here.
* * *
Patrick had dropped a bomb in the conference room.
He had claimed that he would take all the occupied territories of the Yusef Kingdom.
At that, the people who had been staring blankly for a moment all stood up at once.
“No, what kind of nonsense is this?”
“There is no such law. Even if you are the Double Dragon, do you think such an absurd act of violence will be forgiven?”
“We will formally protest internationally!”
“We fought and shed blood just the same. And you're saying you'll take all the benefits for yourselves? Is this the way of the Schneider Duchy?”
The leaders of each country, who stood up roughly, with veins popping on their necks, protested.
Among them were the Empire and the Holy Theocracy, which had been favorable to Patrick.
The only one who remained silent was the Tower of Truth.
However, the 1st Sage's face was somewhat stiff.
Patrick, regardless, was cleaning his ears with a 'Is a dog barking somewhere?' expression.
“Prince Schneider.”
In the end, the one who spoke with a heavy weight was the Paladin of the Holy Theocracy, Tanius Owen.
When he stepped forward, the others became quiet for a moment.
And he looked straight at Patrick and said.
“Tell me. Why do you make such a demand?”
“A reason? If you want me to give a reason, I can give you more than ten, but if I were to give the biggest reason….”
Patrick looked around the assembly and said.
“If you guys occupy the Yusef Kingdom now, you're going to squeeze and extort as much as you can, aren't you? Am I wrong?”
“Uh…. Mmmph….”
“No, what do you mean by that….”
To the flustered them, Patrick said.
“Don't beat around the bush, just be honest. Aren't you going to squeeze the occupied territories indiscriminately to cover the supplies and money consumed in the war?”
At that, some people's faces turned red as they said.
“It is unavoidable to collect taxes from the occupied territories. We have to cover the budget wasted in the war and….”
“That's right. And we also have to restore the lands of the Yusef Kingdom that have been devastated, don't we?”
“In the first place, this is the fault of the Hegemon King who started the war by joining hands with the black mages.”
Patrick looked at them, smirked, and said.
Although they were beating around the bush in various ways, in the end, no one said 'no.'
Patrick said to them.
“Well, actually, I don't care. Even if you guys exploit and squeeze the occupied territories, and in the process, children starve to death, women are forced to sell their bodies, and the country's crime rate rapidly rises to the point where the lives of the people of the Yusef Kingdom become as miserable as a living hell, I don't care one biiiit.”
No, we don't plan to go that far.
Are we the devil?
The flustered leaders of each country were about to protest.
But Patrick's words were not yet finished.
“But you see, there's one person in this room who can never tolerate such a thing.”
And Patrick's gaze landed on someone.
That someone was….
“Even if it is a defeated nation, you must not oppress and impoverish the lives of the people living in that country. What crime have they committed?”
Grand Duke Schneider, abandoning his hitherto silent attitude, said with a firm expression.
“Before we discuss the victor and the vanquished of the war, please consider the dignity of human beings first.”
Seeing his father coming out so strongly, Patrick thought.
‘So this is what they mean by 'even a useless dog has his day.' No, 'even a sucker has his uses.'’