episode_0007

There was something intimidating about the horizon filled with a legion of fiery elephants and an army of over a million. I looked up at the figure commanding the legion that covered the grasslands. A man with an arrogant demeanor, gazing down from a luxurious palanquin carried by dozens.

“The unifier of the Western continent. The eternal ruler, Sultan Salakh ad-Din! Bow your heads!!!”

It was Sultan Saladin. A person who appeared to be a courtier by the Sultan’s side shouted in excitement, and the interpreters translated his words.

“Please bow your heads. Sultan Saladin never tolerates anyone who challenges his dignity.”

The interpreters added while interpreting, but I didn’t bow my head. Karim, who followed me, also didn’t bow. This sight made the Sultan’s eyebrows twitch. Interestingly, the Sultan’s eyebrows were connected, making their movements appear very intense.

The interpreters, with pale expressions at my behavior, hurriedly spoke.

“I-It would be better for you to bow your head. Lord Randor!”

“Please convey to the Sultan that I only bow my head to my emperor.”

The interpreters’ expressions turned almost corpse-like upon hearing my words, but I calmly urged them to continue interpreting.

In the end,

“This, this person says he only bows his head to his emperor!!”

The interpreters conveyed my words. Hearing that, a courtier standing next to the emperor exploded in anger.

“How dare this guy think he can stand before anyone!!!!……..”

“Enough.”

The Sultan raised his hand to restrain the courtier. Then he looked straight at me.

“You’re an interesting fellow. I like your audacity. What’s your name?”

Trembling, the interpreters relayed his words, and I responded to his question.

“My name is Randor. And please tell him that I hold a sword in one hand and gold in the other.”

The interpreters, shocked as if they were asking for death, stared at me. But I remained completely calm and simply gestured for them to relay the message.

Upon hearing those words through the interpreters, the Sultan burst into laughter.

“A sword in one hand and gold in the other?”

I smiled when I saw the Sultan’s laughter. Standing tall, I opened my mouth to speak while looking at him. Thanks to the interpreter who trembled but conveyed the message, Sultan Saladin and I were able to have a conversation without difficulty.

“I have 100 dragons and one guardian dragon. And an army of 200,000.”

“Jin has thousands of elephants and a million-strong army. Do you think they can stand against them? Those who hold a sword in one hand.”

“If Your Majesty chooses a sword over gold, then so be it. Just as Sultan presented surrender or resistance as a choice to me, I have also given two options to Sultan. Whether to choose the sword or the gold is Sultan’s decision.”

The interpreters, with expressions akin to zombies, sweated profusely as they relayed the words. But as for me, the person involved, I remained dumbfounded. I knew Sultan well. He was a conqueror and had immense pride, yet ironically, he often showed an attitude of acknowledging those who possessed similar confidence.

As I expected, the smile on the Sultan’s face grew deeper with time.

“Daring enough to offer choices to Jin. It makes me curious whether you are foolish or brave.”

“If you choose the sword, I would like to explain what will happen, and if you choose the gold, I would like to explain what will happen. If it’s alright with you, may I provide an explanation?”

“Explain.”

In response to the Sultan’s words, I pointed to the iron-willed legion of 200,000 standing in the plain.

“If you choose the sword, they will all march into the trade route and begin their siege. The Sultan’s elephant legion that trampled numerous cities and the million-strong army will become utterly useless. It might be different if conquering cities or waging war on open plains, but the Sultan’s army is not suitable for breaking through these narrow passages.”

“Continue.”

“And in the meantime, I will send the former dragons and guardian dragons to set fire to Sultan’s cities. Sultan’s cities will be destroyed by the falling flames from the sky. It is impossible for Sultan’s strongest arrows to inflict any harm on the dragons’ scales. Sultan will suffer unilaterally, and I will destroy him unilaterally.”

The expressions of the attendants, generals, and officials around Sultan turned grim. Some interpreters couldn’t help but wet themselves under the fierce atmosphere as they glared at me with their reddened and angry faces, as if they could tear my mouth apart at any moment.

Karia also reached for the sword at her waist with a determined look. Although everyone seemed ready to fight at any moment, Sultan and I were calm as we engaged in conversation.

No, it was more than just calmness.

Laughter overflowed.

Sultan burst into laughter, waving his hand to calm down the generals and attendants, while I also calmed down Karia, who growled with a raised sword.

“How amusing! Very amusing!! If you choose the sword, it would be a great loss for you, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s right. Unless you open another overland trade route through the Laco Mountains, Sultan’s army will have no chance against me. You could send elephants and a million soldiers through the sea, but during the month it takes to cross the sea, my dragons will burn all of Sultan’s cities.”

“Your words are correct! Hahaha!”

“Unless you have a dragon knight order that can face the Dragon Knights, who knows? But as everyone knows, there are no dragons living in the western continent. Sultan Honey, if you engage in war, you will only suffer losses and gain nothing.”

Sultan continued to laugh, finding me continuously entertaining as he looked at me explaining calmly with a relaxed smile.

“I admit it. You are definitely not a foolish person. You are brave and wise. Since you have come to me after thorough preparation, you cannot be foolish. Choosing the sword among the options you presented would be a foolish act.”

“Yes. It will be of no help to either the Western or Eastern continents. Only blood and tears. Widows and orphans will abound.”

“In that case, I wonder what the outcome would be if you chose gold. If you choose gold, what can you give me?”

I look straight at the Sultan as he speaks.

After changing my expression seriously, I deliver an even more provocative response.

“I will make you a true Sultan of the Western continent, not just a name.”

“You scoundrel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

One of the Sultan’s generals couldn’t bear it any longer and tried to draw his sword, but the Sultan stopped him.

“Explain. Let’s see if your cleverness will save or kill you. Am I not the true Sultan right now?”

“Yes. Can we call something forcibly stitched together from several pieces of cloth ‘clothes’?”

The Sultan’s expression becomes even more serious at my words.

“Explain what you mean.”

“The Sultan unified the entire continent after demolishing cities and kingdoms in the Western continent with elephants and armies. However, they are only nominally loyal to you, not truly recognizing your rule. Instead, they harbor resentment and anger deep in their hearts.”

This was true. In the original novel, this was also how Adran, the protagonist of the Golden Age, defeated the Western continent army.

Realizing that many cities and kingdoms were only superficially loyal to Sultan Saladin and were actually forced to follow him out of fear of his power, Adran secretly sent spies to the Western continent to incite rebellion.

With so many people dying and suffering from the long conquest war, there was already extreme animosity towards the Sultan, who dared to conquer the Eastern continent as well.

Upon hearing Adran’s words that he would prolong the war and prevent the Sultan’s army and elephant corps from returning to the Western continent, the cities of the Western continent rise up in unison, raising their banners against the Sultan.

In the end, Sultan lost control over the western region, and his army, without any supplies, suffered from disease and cold in the unfamiliar cold weather of the eastern continent, ultimately leading to their defeat. It was a well-known passage for those who had read the novel.

“If anyone can talk about that level of problem, the important thing is the solution. How would you solve it?”

“What makes a good ruler?”

Saladin responds as if it were obvious to my sudden question.

“A strong ruler is the best ruler.”

“No, that’s not true. Sultan. A true ruler is someone who satisfies the people.”

“Our thoughts differ.”

“It’s not that Sultan’s thoughts are wrong. Yes, a strong ruler is necessary. But there is no definitive answer in the world. Sultan. What is needed for the Karamba Empire, Sultan’s empire in the current western continent? Is it a strong ruler or a ruler who satisfies the people?”

A smile forms on Sultan’s face.

“Are you saying you can satisfy my people?”

“The eastern continent is a fertile land. Unlike the western continent, which is unsuitable for agriculture due to its deserts and grasslands, there are vast lands suitable for growing crops. The people of the eastern continent do not suffer from hunger as much as the people of the western continent, where hunger is a daily occurrence. I will send the remaining grains to the western continent. Please distribute them to the people in the name of Sultan.”

Sultan bursts into laughter, as if finding it ridiculous. He laughs for a long time, unable to contain himself.

“Do you have the ability to do that?”

“The Emperor of the Eastern Continent trusts me greatly. And I have a firm grip on the merchants of the Eastern Continent. Yes, if Your Highness chooses gold instead of a sword, I can satisfy Sultan’s people. And I will also give Sultan a very useful gift.”

“What is it?”

I take out a map from my pocket and unfold it. It was a map of the western continent.

Among the various cities marked on the map, I point to the city closest to the Rako Mountains with my finger. It was Dagamba.

“It is a city famous for commerce. I will make Daggamba the wealthiest city in the West. And please send your strongest army here, Your Majesty.”

“Hehe! What will happen then?”

“I will make this city the center of trade between the West and the East. All the goods and grains pouring in from the East will spread throughout the entire Western continent, starting from this city. If Your Majesty firmly holds onto this place, other cities will never be able to resist Your Majesty.”

I smiled with a triumphant smile and drove the wedge deeper.

“Many regions in the Western continent suffer from chronic famine. Most of the continent’s people rely on livestock for food, but there are many cities or kingdoms that lack grazing lands for livestock. The Eastern continent’s grains will be their salvation.”

I thumped Daggamba drawn on the map.

“If cities or kingdoms arise that do not heed the Sultan’s words, instead of sending an army, make it impossible for them to engage in trade with Daggamba. The rebellious lords and rulers will realize that hungry masses are more terrifying than the Sultan’s army.”

I paused for a moment and concluded.

“This is the gold I can offer to the Sultan. With this, the Sultan will become the true ruler of the West.”

“Hahaha!!!!! Excellent!! Very excellent!!!!!!!”

The Sultan burst into hearty laughter.

“I don’t change my mind often, but this time I can’t help but change my mind! Good!! Choose gold over the sword!! Was it Randor?!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I acknowledge you as my brother!!”

Upon the Sultan’s words, the generals, ministers, and officials around me began to cheer. I also laughed and looked at the Sultan.

“To be called the Sultan’s brother. It’s an honor. I only hope that my humble opinion has pleased the Sultan’s heart. Will Your Majesty allow me to defeat the Sultan’s legion and grant permission for trade?”

“Hahaha!!! I like it! Very well! Defeat the legion! And I shall grant you permission for trade! Randor!!! My brother!!!!!”

The Sultan approached me and took hold of my hand. I simply bowed politely.

Of course, there was a faint smile on my lips.

“It’s a feast! The philosopher has solved Jim’s biggest worry! Serve them as the king’s guests!”

And me, along with ten interpreters. Karia had to be invited to the Western Continent-style feast. For four days straight, we had to eat, drink, dance, and enjoy ourselves at the hardcore feast.

After drinking too much, vomiting, and repeating the cycle, we were able to return to the Elond Territory with our hands full of the gold and silver treasures bestowed by the Sultan.

“What happened?”

As soon as we returned to the Elond Territory, Karl Hansen, with an anxious expression, urgently asked me why I hadn’t returned for four days.

“Bring all the carriages the Merchant Guild has.”

Instead of answering, I said that.

“Now Elond Territory will become the city in the continent that needs carriages the most.”