The Betrayed Master Betrays In Turn

✦  Chapter 8 – Viktor, Loyalist of the Kingdom (2)  ✦

「Translator – Creator」

𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝​

The first thing I did upon entering the grand hall was check my minimap. It displayed the locations of allies and enemies, but it also served as a useful tool for gauging the intentions of those around me.

Green indicated those who considered me an ally.

Red, those who wished me harm.

And Gray represented everyone else—those who were neutral or whose intentions were unclear.

The colors shifted automatically, reflecting the target’s current disposition; by comparing an individual’s location with the color displayed on the minimap, I could get a sense of their attitude towards me.

As always, the nobles of the Kingdom of Rus were marked in red, which was of no concern to me. The focus lay on the Empire’s delegation, standing a bit apart from the nobles. The delegation consisted of two members — a man and a woman — marked in red and gray, respectively. 

The man, dressed in the formal attire of an Imperial general, was likely a seasoned soldier who had witnessed my exploits on the battlefield firsthand; the woman, her attire more typical of a noblewoman, was likely the diplomat.

Abandoning hope for the man, I decided to focus on persuading the woman.

Those marked in gray often belonged to a broad category, meaning they could be swayed more easily than expected. If she were indeed sent by the Emperor, she would likely ensure I was safely brought before him unless I gave her a reason to do otherwise.

Nevertheless, I had no intention of appearing ordinary.

I intended to give it my all.

As I imagined the situation, I thought about being a capable general wholly devoted to the King.

Suppose I had won the war, only to see it thrown away by incompetent nobles who knew nothing of battle.

What if, after obeying the King’s orders and enduring days of solitary confinement, I emerged to find those same nobles negotiating my surrender, bargaining away my freedom for their own selfish gain?

How would I feel?

I would be enraged by their incompetence, disgusted by their betrayal.

I would be frustrated with the King being swayed by them.

I would be sorrowful, saddened by the realization that his kingdom, weakened by internal strife and corruption, was doomed to fall.

I channeled those emotions, allowing them to color my expression, my voice, my every movement. I focused my gaze on the King, allowing a flicker of… disappointment, even a hint of… pity, to shine through.

“…Speak.”

“Your Majesty, victory is within reach.”

When I’d been arrested, I’d maintained a calm demeanor, assuring Anna and the soldiers that everything would be alright.

A commander who valued peace, regardless of his personal beliefs, was more likely to earn the respect and loyalty of the Kingdom of Rus’ largely conscripted army.

But now… now was not the time for passivity.

If I meekly accepted my fate, allowing myself to be bound and surrendered without a fight, after enduring unlawful arrest and solitary confinement… well, it wouldn’t exactly inspire confidence in my… resourcefulness.

This was merely a tool, not someone deemed reliable.

Especially in an empire where meritocracy was paramount, a passive attitude from a high-ranking commander was a considerable drawback. To earn the Emperor’s trust, one needed to speak up when necessary.

Now was the time for me to show the passion befitting my role.

“The enemy is starving, freezing. Their supply lines have been cut off for weeks, and they lack proper winter gear. They’re reduced to wrapping themselves in tent canvas just to stay warm.”

“Viktor, you’re overst—“

“Our army, though outnumbered, is well-supplied and eager to fight. With their reinforcements routed, our victory is assured. We need only pursue and eliminate the remnants of their army.  The Empire, with its vast borders and countless enemies, has few reserves to spare. They will be forced to retreat, to abandon their conquests, and beg for mercy.”

Even when someone tried to interrupt, I continued speaking relentlessly.

At this moment, I needed to appear as if emotions were at their peak, interrupting my flow would only detract from that appearance.

While I could have lashed out at the noble who tried to speak, showing aggression toward allies would negatively impact my evaluation, so I chose to ignore them entirely.

“The young men of our kingdom have shed too much blood. Their sacrifices must not be in vain. This war… this war must end in victory for the Kingdom of Rus.”

I gestured towards the members of the Empire’s delegation, who watched me with interest.

Until this negotiation was over and I was handed over to the Empire, I needed to appear as the loyal Viktor of the Kingdom of Rus. It would also be strange to treat the enemy delegation gently just to impress the Empire.

“They should be groveling at our feet, begging for mercy, not sitting there with their heads held high.”

“General…”

“We have nothing to concede! We have no reason to yield! Our kingdom—“

I appeared to be choked up with excessive emotion and shut my mouth tightly. Pretending to wipe tears from my eyes and bowing my head, I then knelt before the king once more, arms outstretched in a passionate appeal.

“We… We can still win this war…!” 

My voice, trembling with feigned anguish, echoed through the silent hall. I spread my arms wide, a gesture of both supplication and defiance, then knelt before the throne.

Throughout my performance, I’d kept my gaze fixed on the King. I knew, of course, that true power lay with Count Vladimir Sabinkov, the king’s father-in-law, and that the nobles held sway over all matters of policy. But needed to emphasize that my… ‘loyalty’, my unwavering devotion… that belonged solely to the King.

If the Empire were to hire me, it would be the Emperor herself.

“Just give me a week. If our brave soldiers strike at their flimsy encirclement—”

“That’s enough. The negotiation is already concluded.”

Conveniently, Count Nikolai Similov stepped forward from amongst the nobles.

“Count Similov, I was addressing His Majesty.”

“Haha.”

Nikolai was the epitome of a typical Kingdom of Rus noble. What that meant was,

“His Majesty needn’t concern himself with such trivial matters. We chose to negotiate… due to your incompetence, General.”

“…What did you say?”

Unlike Vladimir, who knew everything and had reasons for getting rid of me, Nikolai genuinely believed the kingdom was in a disadvantaged position. He neither chose his words carefully nor had the intelligence to do so.

Nikolai approached confidently, looming over me.

“You may not understand as a commoner, but the Imperial Army numbers in the hundreds of thousands.”

His tone, as if instructing me, and his habitual class discrimination were apparent. He was the perfect target to demonstrate my fury for everyone to see.

“They say there are forty thousand soldiers participating in that so-called flimsy encirclement. Even if we gather all our forces, we don’t reach thirty thousand.”

Viewing the war as mere numbers was evident from every word he spoke, but I chose not to retort. Instead, I clenched my fist, trembling as if barely holding back an outburst.

“And do you know how expensive war is? Food, supplies—they leak like a broken pot. You, a mere…”

Nikolai punctuated his point by reaching out with his right index finger to tap my forehead, providing the perfect pretext for my reaction.

*Smack!*

“Ugh!”

“…I understand.”

I stood up and grabbed the hand he had extended toward me, twisting it.

“Aaaaaargh!”

“Scum like you have blinded His Majesty. So that’s what it was.”

As I twisted his wrist just enough not to break it, I noticed the rings studded with precious gems—rubies, sapphires, emeralds glittering in various colors. The sight of those rings gave me an idea, which I immediately put into action.

“You hide behind excuses… whining about expenses and dwindling supplies…”

I yanked off a few rings from his fingers, then shoved him aside, his pained cries echoing through the hall.

“Your hands are filled with greed, Count. Surely you’re aware that a single one of these gemstones could purchase hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of arrows!” I said, holding up the stolen rings, their surfaces glinting in the light of the chandeliers.

I let my gaze sweep over the assembled nobles, lingering on each of their faces; they squirmed under my scrutiny, instinctively covering their own jewelry with their hands. 

“Since we are before His Majesty, I will spare your life, but… ha.”

“Y-you! How dare yo—Ah!”

Still defiant, Nikolai pointed a shaky finger at me. I tossed the rings back at his face. Scrambling to pick up the scattered rings, he hurriedly got up and fled among the nobles. Judging from the atmosphere, it seemed maintaining this level of gravitas was sufficient.

I knelt before the King once more, my head bowed.

“Your Majesty!”

“Y-yes.”

“The Captain of the Royal Guard informed me… that my arrest… was intended to… facilitate my surrender to the Empire. Is… Is this true?”

I already knew the answer and could predict His Majesty’s response, but I asked anyway, deliberately trembling and letting tears pool in my eyes.

“…It is.”

“And the Empire’s condition for maintaining their occupied territories and pausing the war for a year was to send me to them. Is this also true?”

“Yes.”

I allowed my voice to rise, filled with burgeoning emotion. The king had clearly prepared his responses, gripping the arms of his throne tightly but answering without hesitation.

“…Your Majesty?”

We had reached the final act.

I needed to reveal a vulnerability that the Empire could exploit.

If they perceived me as someone unwaveringly loyal to the King, they might not even consider attempting to employ me. Loyalty like mine isn’t easily swayed, but exceptions always exist.

“Is it truly your intention, Your Majesty? To send me to the Empire in exchange for a year’s truce?”

“…………”

“Yes, it is.”

The King, nervously blinking, responded exactly as I anticipated.

“…Ah.”

I let out a prepared sigh of despair.

Now it was undeniable.

By his own admission, the King had agreed to sell out his loyal general. A leader who abandons his subordinates first — whether in the past or present —is gravely viewed.

Once such a precedent is set, subsequent betrayals become easier. A leader who sells out a subordinate loses their trust entirely.

And what if that subordinate was… blameless?

Such a betrayal would cast doubt on the ruler’s competence, his judgment, his ability to lead.

Meanwhile, the betrayed subordinate… well, he’d effectively be absolved of any wrongdoing.

He could switch allegiances, even raise his sword against his former liege, and few would condemn him. Some might question his methods, but his desire for revenge… that would be universally understood.

This… this was the outcome I’d been hoping for.

I’d made it abundantly clear that the kingdom held the advantage in the war.

I hadn’t committed any transgressions, made any strategic blunders.

I was being sacrificed, not because of my failings, but because of the machinations of the nobles and their puppet king.

And it wasn’t as if I was being sent to a neutral third party, a peaceful haven far from the battlefield. My destination was the enemy’s capital, the heart of the Empire I had fought against for so long.

It was a blatant betrayal, a death sentence disguised as a diplomatic solution.

Even more insulting than the infamous empty lunchbox.

While I could bear this betrayal, what would a genuinely loyal general feel? 

Betrayal?

Despair?

Injustice?

“……….”

Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words.

I let my head hang low without uttering a single word. 

A quick glance at my minimap revealed that the gray dot, representing the female diplomat, had turned a vibrant green.

Feigning utter despondency, I let my body go limp.

Seeing my state, the guards approached cautiously to restrain me.

↤ END OF CHAPTER ↦

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