"Why would you tell this dangerous story openly? Are you sad that you will die soon? That can't be."
Why did he insist that he would move in this situation?
The Duke's head must be complicated by the dizzying situation. One of the few moments when the Duke's judgment was short-lived.
Was it really a coincidence that he moved at that moment?
"I was sending hints to the Duke all along."
"..."
"I left a successor."
Bang! The sound of a desk being struck was heard from beyond the communication stone.
Daniel added, giggling like a child who succeeded in a prank.
"I handed over all the knowledge, including the remarks I made earlier. Even though time was tight, the extremely loving and bright child absorbed it in an instant."
"..."
"This will not lead to personal anger towards the Emperor, but it will continue the anger from 'unfairness.'"
The Revolutionary Army's core ideology was 'creating a world where everyone is equal.' In the sense that it was for the majority, it would be the same as already gaining the support of the majority. Who would reject an ideology for their own sake?
Since the importance of education was emphasized to the child, this ideology will continue unabated even when the child became the leader. In the end, 'anger' will continue as long as the unfairness of the 'class system' did not disappear.
"... You used my troops to cut out the cancerous mass inside the Revolutionary Army."
"Didn't you use my troops to put pressure on the Emperor before? Didn't you use the Emperor to keep the Revolutionary Army in check?"
He shrugged, mentioning an incident where Saerin once incited one of the leaders of the Revolutionary Army to lose 1/9 of its strength.
From a distance, those who gathered in anger against the Emperor were no different from the cancer of the Revolutionary Army. As the first leader of the Revolutionary Army, he had to sort this out for future leaders. In the end, half of the troops that Daniel brought out had committed embezzlement and corruption, such as stealing and selling self-made bombs from within the Revolutionary Army, or were buried in the goal of killing the Emperor, ignoring even the words of the leader.
"And His Excellency the Duke was also an obstacle blocking the Revolutionary Army's path forward."
"I understand that you are trying to cut off the leash that is tied to you with this, but... do you think that if I take your life, I will let the rest go? And those with dangerous ideas? That's foolish."
"Why do you think I came to the point of death, even leaving a successor?"
The premise was wrong.
Daniel did not come here by creating a successor and sacrificing his life just to remove the cancerous lump.
"What is that..."
"Duke, there's a urgent report!"
"Oh, I guess the news has finally arrived."
Before he died, he wanted to see the Duke's reaction and die, so thanks to this, his small wish came true.
He could hear the rustling sound of paper unfolding. Soon, an exasperated shout came out through the communication stone.
"Daniel!!"
"Hearing your reaction, it looks like we did the right thing."
Why did Daniel come here?
It was to focus the Duke's attention on this area.
So that the majority of the troops near the Duke were concentrated here. So, to make it easier for the Revolutionary Army to move their base and raid each of the Duke's territories to deal a blow to his troops.
In the end, the main purpose was to get rid of the peacock, and the secondary purpose was to clean out the cancerous mass inside. The goal was to shake off the Duke, so the life of the leader should be put on the line as bait.
"I have calculated to reduce it by at least half, but I am curious what the result will be. Did that really happen?"
Since this side also lost half of its troops, the other side also needs to give up at least half of its troops to make it worth it.
Of course, the pitfall was that what this side lost was useless troops.
"For your information, the Duke's location is the very last location in the raid plan."
Kwaaaang!!
No sooner had he finished speaking than an explosion was heard from the communication stone.
Daniel raised the corner of his mouth lazily, looking at the confused enemies around him. Perhaps the Revolutionary Army will not be able to kill the Duke. Still, his troops will definitely be reduced. That's enough.
While the Revolutionary Army is gaining strength, the Duke will also be busy gathering himself and will not be able to target the Revolutionary Army.
"The leash must be definitely taken off. Isn't that right?"
By now, the Revolutionary Army's base would have already been moved.
Since the leader of the Revolutionary Army, who was the only one who could contact and follow the Duke, would die here, there was no longer a link between the Revolutionary Army and the Duke.
'It's impossible to create new links.'
The first leader died due to the 'Duke's betrayal', so there would be no way for the second Revolutionary Army's leader to join hands with him.
It was truly a clean break.
"Kill him now!"
Daniel smiled faintly as he looked at the weapons coming at him from all directions, thinking that it would be enough to kill just one person. Perhaps because of his thick scarf, they appeared to be targeting his heart instead of his neck.
Out of frustration, he let his thoughts out and provoked people to think that he was a person who must be killed. So as not to distract the Duke's senses and prevent him from taking him hostage. Daniel himself was well aware of the value of the first leader.
Daniel had dared to use the killing under the pretext of protecting the future of the Revolutionary Army.
'Paul.'
Who within the same Revolutionary Army had the authority to arbitrarily decide the life or death of others? He, who polluted the ideology of the Revolutionary Army, would die along with those who were buried in personal emotions, so he hoped that he would move forward with pure anger towards the 'unfairness'.
No regrets.
Oh, maybe one thing. There was something that bothered him.
'I didn't get to give back the gift my mother gave to me.'
***
Could it be that the love for one's children is connected by one thread?
Even before the news of Daniel's death was delivered, the mother who lost her child was already crying.
Who helped her realize her ideals? When did she say she wanted his sacrifice?
Was he really saying that he, a clever person, did not understand the meaning of what this mother said when she gave him the scarf she knitted herself?
"You foolish thing, you foolish thing...!"
What was left for someone who had lost their beloved spouse?
What did he think she had seen and lived so far?
She didn't have to make it big, so she just hoped to survive.
Watching her son grow and live had been the joy of my life.
She killed him.
"I am a sinner..."
She felt like her heart was being torn apart. Even if her body and limbs were torn apart alive, it wouldn't have been this painful, so she couldn't control her body and ended up sitting down and shedding tears.
He always thought he could never beat her. One thing was wrong.
Was it for no reason that it was said that no parent can beat their child? If she could have defeated him, she would have defeated that dangerous Revolutionary Army a long time ago.
She was eventually defeated by the way he moved around with a lively face and full of motivation, so she just left him alone.
"I am a sinner..."
She shouldn't have said that in the first place. She should have refrained from making comments that might raise questions about the caste system, and even if she had said it, she should have at least prevented it from being put into action.
"... This mother will soon follow."
What should she do if her child, who had many enemies, was still being harassed by vengeful spirits even after he died?
She took out the poison that she had once requested from Daniel. She heard footsteps outside, so she poured it into her mouth and swallowed it without hesitation.
Not long after the liquid passed down her throat, she quickly felt drowsy. As she fell asleep without pain, she felt Daniel's own efforts as he could not bear to give his mother false medicine, so she smiled faintly and closed her eyes.
'Did you think that a mother would not know what her child is thinking?'
This was a child born after being carried for ten months and raised with love. As a mother who anxiously watched every step he took, she knew what was going through her son's mind.
He probably wanted to leave this mother to the next leader after his death. He probably said it already. The sound of urgent footsteps like that was the proof.
"... But Daniel directly asked me to look after his mother. Even if I postpone the arrangement a bit, I have to personally come and apologize and take care of her."
The sound stopped at the door.
Knock.
"This is Paul, Daniel's successor. Can I come in?"
"..."
"... Why aren't you answering... Mother? Are you there?"
"..."
"Mother?"
"..."
"... Excuse me!"
Suddenly. The door opened and he rushed in, then stopped.
"... Please call Representative Iram."
"Yes?"
"Come on!"
An urgent, muffled voice was heard, as if submerged in water.
Was it necessary to entrust oneself to an organization without a son? It was clear that as time passed, the handling of it will become an embarrassing burden that one cannot bear to throw away.
'My son must retreat like this until the end...'
It seemed like he had planned a new start, but he left behind the remnants of the past like this.
That was the last thought she had.
***
[Side: I will protect you even if I die]
The revolution of the Revolutionary Army must not succeed.
Because Deon is under the protection of the current Emperor.
However, it cannot lead the Duke to victory, either. Because the Duke is trying to kill Deon.
A situation in which both the Revolutionary Army and the Duke were trying to harm Deon Hardt.
So he calculated it.
Takkak.
Chess pieces went back and forth. The thick, bony fingers stretched out comfortably grabbed the pieces of both sides and moved them alternately.
While the mysterious green eyes watched this, the horses moved without stopping.
The black horse attacked the white horse. The white horse did not lose and ate up the black horse. The black horse pushed the white horse away and sat down, but then the other white horse pushed it away and sat back down.
Tak.
"Checkmate."
The leader was dead.
Cruel picked up the black king that was lying on its deathbed and rolled it in his hand. A pensive green eyecaptures the chessboard where the war ended.
The winner was White, but considering the pieces remaining on the chessboard, Black had the advantage. Unlike White, who lost most of its operational troops, Black only lost some of its pawns.
A Revolutionary Army that has lost its head but not its main strength was still alive.
A Duke who has lost his troops but not its head was still alive.
The two must be pitted against each other. It would be best to completely destroy each other, but since that won't happen, it would be better to calculate the damage so that it was as big as possible. If they're too busy taking care of themself to even pay attention to Deon, it's a success.
Cruel was prepared to die from the moment he stepped onto the tightrope of psychological warfare with the Duke. It wouldn't be surprising if his life were cut short at any time, so why would he believe it and wait until Deon Hardt dies naturally?
He acted as if he was only going to live for today, and so he had the distant future in mind.
'I have to find a way to keep Deon safe even after I die.'
A future in which Cruel himself was not dead.
Looking at the times, it would be difficult to achieve complete safety, so at least some of the countless dangers in the child's path should be removed. So he shook his head.
Since he couldn't do anything about the demon realm, just look away. With his eyes set on the Empire, he looked for the child's greatest threat.
'The Duke and... the Revolutionary Army.'
Even just the Duke would be trouble, not to mention the Revolutionary Army.
The gloom was short-lived. Daniel was the leader of a group called the Revolutionary Army, and the Duke was a skilled politician who rivaled the Emperor. They were not bound by promises based on affection or trust, but were joining hands for their own benefit.
The calculation was done quickly.
'Did the Revolutionary Army leader's mother say she wasn't feeling well?'
After investigating, he also found that she suffered from hemoptysis..
Cruel thought for a moment that he paused as he remembered his weak younger brother.
'The leader doesn't know about it yet.'
He heard that at her request, all the Revolutionary troops serving her kept quiet. But even that had its limits. It was certain that it would be discovered at some point.
He didn't even have to look to know the psychological shock that the leader of the Revolutionary Army would suffer at that time.
He gave an order.