The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 202

Edwin Hector frowned as he stepped into Roman Dmitry’s office. Sunlight streamed through the tall window, making dust motes dance in the air, but Edwin felt a chill despite the warmth. He was completely confused.

“Didn’t Roman Dmitry understand?” Edwin thought. “We both hate the Chronos Empire. My plan is to destroy them! Why is he acting like this is a bad idea?”

A common enemy should bring them together, not push them apart. Edwin had come to Dmitry with a hand outstretched in friendship, a plan to finally crush the Empire that had brought so much suffering. So why was Roman Dmitry’s face so hard, his eyes so cold?

“To be honest, I don’t understand what Roman Dmitry is trying to do,” Edwin thought. “The Dmitry Duchy invited the Kingdom Alliance to discuss the future. They involved the Kingdom Alliance in the Chronos Empire incident, proving that the power of neighboring countries is essential to counter the Empire’s ambitions.”

Dmitry and Hector shared a common goal: stopping the Chronos Empire. They had a common enemy, so Edwin thought they should work together.

“I won’t deny that Hector is weak,” Edwin admitted to himself. “In just one year, we haven’t been able to solve the damage from the poor harvest and the aftermath of the war, and there are still many starving people in Hector. But what does that matter? If even one person is willing to help overthrow the Chronos Empire, it’s beneficial for Dmitry. It means they’re willing to take on a war that you should be fully responsible for. And Hector’s plan is an extension of Dmitry’s involvement with the Kingdom Alliance, isn’t it?”

Outside the office, friendly conversations filled the party hall.

Clinking glasses and discussions about the kingdom’s future filled the air as people smiled at each other, pledging to join forces against a common enemy.

Before this meeting, everyone thought Dmitry and Hector would become allies. They had even talked about it in public. Edwin thought this meeting was just to make it official.

Therefore, Roman’s rejection was unexpected.

Roman Dmitry was a hard man to predict even on the battlefield, but Edwin didn’t realize he would be this troublesome outside of it.

Roman Dmitry began to speak.

“That’s right. With the Empire as a common enemy, the Kingdom Alliance must unite to survive. But I’m talking about a more intimate relationship than that. Prince Edwin Hector, do you trust the Kingdom Alliance? You may be backing each other up for your own safety right now, but there’s no guarantee that this situation will last forever.”

There are no eternal allies.

Based on that idea, Roman Dmitry wanted clear benefits for each other for a solid relationship.

“From now on, I’ll tell you how I would dismantle the Kingdom Alliance if I were the Chronos Empire.”

Human relationships are complicated.

If you show unwavering trust to your own people, you constantly doubt and distrust those outside the fence.

Alliances, coalitions. In order to form such solid relationships, it is necessary to be convinced that not only the purpose but also the relationship itself is beneficial.

Hector only had a clear purpose. He was not an influential figure.

“Recently, the situation in the Umberto Kingdom is not very good. They are facing Chronos across the border at the very forefront. They are suffering the most damage from the frequent battles, and as a result of the fatigue, complaints are leaking from within. If I were the Chronos Empire, I would try to appease Umberto first. If Umberto were to succumb to that appeasement, the Kingdom Alliance would inevitably collapse from the cracks that arose from within.”

One possibility.

“In the Redford Kingdom, the king is addicted to gambling. He puts the country’s safety aside and squanders the national treasury, and his subordinates try to solve the problem, eventually resorting to the Golden Bank. As you know, the Golden Bank exerts influence throughout the continent. If they start to put pressure on them, the debt-ridden Redford Kingdom will try to find a new solution, and that may be betrayal.”

Two possibilities.

“Do you think you can trust Frank and Odelia? No, absolutely not. Like Cairo in the past, their power structure is divided. The fact that Frank neglected Phoenix’s support was also a disaster caused by forces following the Empire inciting the king. Cairo found stability by purging Marquis Benedict and the aristocratic faction, but we cannot be sure that the same miracle will happen to them.”

Four possibilities.

Lastly.

“What about Hector? The four kingdoms of the Kingdom Alliance have enough weaknesses for Chronos to exploit. Hector is the same. What if starvation reaches its limit? Or, what if Valhalla suddenly declares war? Can you be confident that you can withstand it then? I’m asking if you, who say you will take revenge against the Chronos Empire, have the strength to not be shaken even in changing circumstances.”

Kingdom Alliance. It was just a sandcastle.

They had formed such an unstable relationship that could collapse at any moment.

“Dmitry has no intention of making the mistake of breaking the relationship with the Kingdom Alliance first. We hope to maintain a friendly relationship with Hector in the future, but participating in Prince Edwin Hector’s plan is a separate matter. The price of excessive trust is fatal. Dmitry will not be shaken in any situation if we assume that neighboring countries may betray us at any time, but if we trust each other, then the problem is different. Because there is a role we want from Hector. That void is bound to be fatal for us.”

Edwin struggled to understand. Roman was saying, “Yes, we can work together,” but also “No, I don’t trust you.”

It was confusing and hurtful.

Looking at Edwin Hector, who couldn’t accept the situation, Roman Dmitry said in a subdued voice.

“I am not unaware of the sincerity of the Hector Kingdom. Unlike other kingdoms, Hector, which has a clear purpose of avenging the Chronos Empire, has sufficient justification to be accepted as an ally. The problem is whether Dmitry is worth treating Hector sincerely. The role that Hector can play is important. If Hector only talks about avenging Chronos in the current poor environment, Dmitry has no reason to treat Hector sincerely. Because there is little that can be gained from Hector anyway. Rather, it is a wise way to trust and follow oneself without taking risks.”

Future plans. He needed confidence in Hector.

If they prove their worth, then he will consider how to utilize Hector from then on.

And.

In the first place, Dmitry was the subject of the plan, Roman Dmitry argued.

“I’ll ask again. Is there any reason why Dmitry should sincerely join hands with Hector?”

Roman Dmitry’s words were correct.

Hector was weak.

Yet, Edwin Hector didn’t know his place and talked about the plan first.

“…Thinking about it, the fact that the Chronos Empire is the main culprit is not a very important issue.”

Chronos. They were not plotting behind the scenes while showing a friendly face, but were the same on the inside and outside.

They always talked about conquering the continent.

It was infuriating that they had dried up Hector’s land, but considering the things they had done to openly try to bring Hector down politically, they were originally like that.

The truth only gave him conviction.

The reality he had to face did not change.

The Hector Kingdom wanted to defeat the Cronos Empire, but they were too weak to do anything. They only talked about it, but did not take real action.

“How cruel you are.”

He laughed, but it sounded empty and sad.

The truth. It was devastatingly harsh.

Edwin Hector smiled, but it was a sad smile that showed he didn’t think much of himself.

“In truth, I, too, am aware of the truth. Hector is spiraling towards ruin, and if things continue as they are, it will collapse on its own, even without an attack from someone else. Perhaps that is why revenge feels so desperate. While Hector still has some strength left, there is also the desire to avenge the Cronos Empire, which brought Hector to this state, and the greed to solve the kingdom’s problems with their wealth.”

Hector’s worth. It was pathetic. It had the power to burn brightly just once, but one couldn’t call it great.

“Hector is not qualified to lead the plan. If a continental war breaks out and the kingdom alliance wins, Hector will be there, but it cannot be said that the victory was achieved by Hector’s power. But that doesn’t mean I intend to give up on revenge. From the moment Hector’s people clutched their starving bellies, collapsed on the ground, and died lonely deaths, Hector became an entity that could not coexist with Cronos.”

His voice grew louder, and he started to gesture with his hands.

He looked straight at Roman Dmitry, putting strength into his voice.

“You asked for a basis to draw out Dmitry’s sincerity? I can promise you one thing. As a prince of the Hector Kingdom, I will risk my life and do my best to bring down the Cronos Empire. It doesn’t matter if we are not the main players. If we can bring down Cronos and promise Hector’s future, Hector will be at the very forefront. War is about who can last longer and wear down the enemy. Dmitry needs someone to take risks and make sacrifices to start the war, right?”

Roman Dmitry. The conversation with him had convinced him that if he was such a meticulous man, there was no one more perfect than him for his plans.

He believed it, so he volunteered to sacrifice himself.

“Even if Hector reduces Cronos’s power by only one-hundredth, it would benefit Dmitry. How about doing it this way instead? Dmitry, please help Hector. We don’t ask for much. If you provide the troops with food and armaments, we will use them as a driving force to fight against Cronos. If you are just strong in name only and don’t really help, please help us. Hector knows exactly what we want – to destroy Cronos. This is better for your plan than just a group of kingdoms that look strong but are not really united.”

It was a bold proposal. When asked about his worth, he conversely hoped to be given worth. Edwin Hector’s eyes were filled with venom.

While digging into the cruel truth, he accepted his fate as a prince of the Hector Kingdom. Therefore, he risked everything on this. If he didn’t bring down Cronos, Hector was doomed anyway.

“Remember the promise you just made. Keep that in mind.”

It didn’t mean a perfect ally. However, he had confirmed that Hector, no, Edwin Hector, was worth accepting.

“Dmitry will help Hector regain its strength from the shadows as much as possible.”

Following Cairo, he had formed a second alliance. Not just a kingdom alliance that only talked, Hector would take a place in the future plans. Of course, he would always prepare for variables, but Hector’s meaning had changed from before.

Before leaving, Edwin Hector said.

“When I first met Roman Dmitry on the battlefield, I felt for the first time that I couldn’t handle it. Hector at that time had lost the war, and I have been thinking a lot over the past year. Why did the perfectly prepared plan fail? Is it right to accept the failure simply due to the existence of Roman Dmitry, just one person? People say that I met the wrong opponent. But I can’t say the same thing while facing Cronos, so I don’t want to avoid responsibility with such excuses.”

The prince of a nation. The life of Edwin Hector, whom people looked up to, was so fiercely competitive that it was suffocating.

“I lived in the heavens and worked hard to become a person who creates variables himself. It’s no different now. Hector will become stronger than he is now. I will somehow increase Hector’s value so as not to be swayed by excuses, so Roman Dmitry, please create a stage for us.”

He gritted his teeth. That was Edwin Hector’s last appearance.

As he watched him leaving the reception room, Roman Dmitry looked at the place where he had left.

‘The Hector Kingdom. They are worth bringing into the future plans with just Edwin Hector alone.’

He looked deeper than just Edwin Hector’s appearance. He understood what kind of person Edwin really was.

Explosive magical power boiling inside. As his understanding of magic increased through Pelles, he knew how great Edwin Hector’s value was. His growth rate was explosive.

In the war against Cronos, Edwin Hector was definitely a person who would play his part. It was fun. From enemy to ally. The wheel of fate connected the two.

And at that moment, another relationship led by Roman Dmitry’s fate stepped into the vortex of destiny.