I Became the Master of the Empress chapter 130

130 – 134

Clad in shining armor, Johannes gazes at the map of the Duchy of Dupol from the barracks.

Several cities and castles of the Duchy of Dupol have begun to surrender as they cannot withstand the siege.

Though it took quite some time, from Ebesa to Saraden, and even Midren, the stronghold of Nicaea and the Duchy of Dupol have been firmly established.

‘Only Yorent remains now.’

The territory where Duke Leopold stays.

In other words, it can be considered the capital of the Duchy of Dupol.

‘If we capture Duke Leopold, the Duchy of Dupol will be finished.’

“Your Highness Johannes, Councilor Alexander and Viscount Sabinelli have arrived from Roman.”

At this, Johannes’ face lights up.

“Oh, welcome them in quickly.”

When Johannes spoke, his face lit up as he saw the two men entering the tent.

“Long time, no see. Have you been well?” Alexander and Sabinelli greeted Johannes, bowing their heads.

“Thanks to you, I took a good rest in Rome. And congratulations. I heard you’ve almost secured the Duchy of Dupol,” Alexander said.

At that, Johannes chuckled heartily. “hahahaha! It’s all thanks to your efforts, isn’t it? Redirecting William to Rome was a brilliant move to keep us in check.”

The Golden Knights and William.

Weren’t they the heroes of many battles against all odds?

Though slightly inferior to Balorong in personal combat prowess, William was an excellent strategist and a remarkable knight.

Moreover, a general of turnaround who built up numerous military achievements almost as much as Balorong.

Back when they came to Nicaea, the sight of William and the Golden Knights severing the supply lines of tens of thousands of Babylonian Empire troops and ruthlessly beating them left a deep impression on the young Johannes.

If they were in Dupol, such bold strategies wouldn’t have been possible.

“hahahaha. Isn’t all this thanks to you, Your Highness?”

“Indeed. No matter how much I devise plans, they would be meaningless without the help of the gods. Your Highness, it seems my feeble schemes shine thanks to El’s assistance.”

Johannes couldn’t hide his joy as he smiled warmly.

“Enough of that. Now, Sabinelli, take a look at this map.”

Johannes displayed the map brightly.

Sabinelli and Alexander surveyed the map closely.

“Oh, once we occupy Yorenta, Dupol will almost be pacified. Soon, we’ll control the shortcut to Rome there as well.”

At that, Johannes nodded.

“True. Our allies in Dupol, seeing our military might, are scared to join the battle, leaving it almost barren.”

Alexander cautiously spoke up, “Your Highness. Congratulations on realizing your long-standing aspiration. However, Yorenta is likely well fortified. We should quickly take Yorenta and strike at Eren and Bohemi. The current imperial situation is not entirely favorable to Your Highness.”

Johannes burst into a hearty laugh. “hahahahaha. Are you worried I’ll become the nation’s enemy?”

The lives of those declared enemies of the state usually end in two ways.

Either they manipulate the emperor like a puppet, launching intrigues and rising to immense power, or they end up hanging miserably on the execution stand.

But Johannes had no doubt he would be the former.

He would become the ruler of the empire, and his grandson would be the emperor.

“Yes. Indeed. When the imperial summons come down…”

Johannes raised his hand to stop him. “Enough, for now, take a look at this.”

Johannes showed them the report that had come in this morning.

“A report that came in this morning. It says the young lion and William met near Rome.”

Handing a small note to Alexander, Johannes continued, “The foolish lion ordered the disarming and arrest of all the Golden Knights and William.”

Sabinelli and Alexander’s faces stiffened.

Alexander, who had negotiated with Devian and many others for less than a year, felt something was amiss.

‘That sinister figure wouldn’t do something so foolish.’

Devian thinks Alexander is young but not immature.

As someone who has negotiated with him for a long time, Alexander finds it difficult to understand the situation.

Arresting William and the Golden Knights now is like cutting one’s own limb, Alexander thinks.

When Alexander has such thoughts.

Savinelli firmly states as if it’s impossible, “That won’t happen. The Duke is wise and astute. He would never do such a foolish thing. Something is definitely amiss. It’s either a mistake or a trap.”

At those words, Johannes lets out a small smile.

“A trap… that might be. I’m also interested in this matter, so I’ve given orders to Roman’s spies. We’ll soon find out. What kind of trap it is.”

If it is indeed true that William and the Golden Knights have been arrested…

For Johannes, it would be nothing short of a great relief.

In battles, the Knights are responsible for the breakthrough power and firepower, while the mages are responsible for attacking the enemy’s mages.

Normally, to attack the Knights who rampage on the battlefield, one would use other Knights to block them, but there is no Knight Order in the Empire that can withstand the Golden Knights as their rivals.

Even the formidable Giant Legion would find it difficult to fight the Golden Knights head-on.

After all, the Giants are fundamentally heavily armed infantry.

Of course, they are almost like giants, but infantry is infantry.

Strategically, the Golden Knights are undoubtedly superior.

Thinking of Devian, who handled the troublesome Golden Knights, Johannes feels that his era is rapidly approaching.

***

From Noble mtl dot com

Several days later in Yorent.

Count Leopold trembles as he looks at the endless Nicaean army pouring over the castle walls.

“Block them! Prevent the enemies from crossing the walls!”

-Boom!

A mage’s fireball flies over the wall and explodes in the village.

-Save… save me.

Watching the enemies attacking day and night for three days straight, Leopold has a premonition.

-Mother…

-Snap out of it! Pull yourself together!

Seeing soldiers bleeding to death and others comforting them, Leopold realizes it firmly.

‘Damn it… This can’t crumble like this.’

Yorent has enough war supplies, but the troops number barely a thousand.

In contrast, the enemies number in the tens of thousands, taking advantage of their numerical superiority to relentlessly attack and torment them without respite.

Enemies pushing in day and night in shifts.

Opposing them is the valiant Dupol army, with less than a thousand soldiers, who have held them back in three shifts until now.

-Oil! Bring more oil!

-Fireball scrolls too!

-You damn Nicaean bastards! Let us get some rest!

The soldiers shout courageously, but they look visibly more fatigued compared to the first day.

With dark circles under their eyes and sweat streaming down their faces, if not for their armor, they would look no different from beggars.

Seeing soldiers dying with accumulated fatigue, Count Leopold starts to realize the harsh reality.

“I can no longer allow young men to die in my territory.”

Leopold feels desolate as he watches soldiers dying from arrows and crossbows through his helmet.

“Ugh! My… arm!”

[Boom!]

“Ahh!”

The image of several soldiers being blown apart by a fireball between shield walls slowly imprints on Leopold’s eyes.

As he watches young soldiers slowly floating up in the air, spitting blood and dying,

Leopold is consumed by anguish.

“Why did I become the Duke of Dupol? Just because my father passed it down? Because it’s been the title of the Dupol Duke for generations? No.”

Leopold despairs as he sees soldiers much younger than himself bursting out.

“Why… did I become a duke?”

In his late twenties.

Leopold, the Duke of Dupol.

The day before he was to ascend as the new duke after his father, the former duke, passed away.

He fervently prayed to God.

“I will cherish my people as I do my own body. Please grant me the wisdom to rule them justly.”

“Make me a ruler who can protect my people and bring them happiness.”

[Boom!]

Luckily, the fireball hits a shield with magic resistance, causing only a small explosion, and Leopold, relieved, gets lost in thought.

“What is this territory? Why are my people dying like this?”

Uncertain about his fate and that of his lineage…

“Is it worth so many people shedding blood to protect?”

Regret.

“Protect the duke! Protect the duke!”

At that moment, a knight, seeing arrows and fireballs flying towards the duke, urgently shields Leopold and falls to the ground.

“Kwaaang!”

“Duke! Please snap out of it! Duke?!”

“It seems the duke is injured! Medic! Get a medic!”

Leopold, looking at the young soldier’s body beside him, takes the hand of the knight, who is shaking his head with unfocused eyes, and says,

“Raise the white flag…”

The knight, with a trembling voice full of heartache, asks, “Duke?”

Filled with regret, remorse, and sorrow, Leopold, shedding warm tears, continues,

“I surrender. I can’t bear to see my people die anymore.”

Unable to hold back his tears, the knight responds, “Duke, no…”

Grabbing the knight’s shoulder, Leopold looks at the surrounding soldiers and says,

“Raise the white flag! I surrender. Quickly, wave the white flag high!”

At his words, the soldiers freeze in place.

“Your Highness!, No, this cannot be. Are you saying that I, who fought for independence from them, will go back under the rule of Nikea?!”

“Please accept our surrender!”

As the soldiers knelt down one by one, trying to change the Duke’s mind…

The Duke, with a disappointed expression, looked at them instead.

‘Ah… These kind and innocent people… So many loyal subjects have died because of my ambition.’

Watching the soldiers weep, the Duke swallowed his anger and spoke.

“I can’t bear to see my people die anymore. Quickly raise the white flag… Hurry!”

At the Duke’s urging…

The soldiers removed their armor and then their white shirts underneath.

Tears filled their faces as they tied the white flags to their spears.

“Sniff…”

With faces mixed with sorrow and anger, they raised their spears high and began to shake them.

And thus, Duke Dupol surrendered to Johannes.