The current Dragon King—Valzak Dragonia.
He was fundamentally different from Hermes, who had been chosen by his citizens. The boy standing before him was one of the few true kings, selected by the world itself.
Unlike Hermes, who would be a mere commoner unable to even lift a sword if his title were stripped away, this boy was a powerhouse in his own right.
Reminding himself that he represented an entire nation, Hermes polished his spectacles, took a steadying breath, and spoke again.
"Dragon King, what is your ultimate goal?"
"To kill every last king. The world that remains will likely align with your nation's ideals, will it not? You, the representative of a hollow democracy."
Hermes grimaced at the sharp remark.
Then, a knight stepped forward from behind him.
He was a Three-Star Knight, the pride of the Federation and one of the Odixia Four Heavenly Kings—a silver-haired veteran with an eyepatch named Zeno.
"After Arcadia is destroyed, you intend to annihilate Odixia as well, do you not? What will become of our people then?"
"I will turn them into Blessed Slaves. Though it will only be for a short time, until I have finished killing all the kings."
"……Hmph. Those words are spoken without a shred of deception, then. Just how much carnage must one endure to possess such eyes at your age?"
"Try dying once, and you’ll end up like this too. It is a rare experience, after all."
"You jest."
The old soldier let out a small, dry laugh.
Zeno, a man whose name was feared across the world, found himself being pressured—by an opponent several decades his junior.
"I can solve the problems plaguing Odixia," Valzak continued. "Despite preaching democracy, your country suffers the distortion of being unable to defy an absolute monarch. I heard the previous king was a puppet, for better or worse, but the successor is an utter fool, is he not? Squandering the people’s taxes like water, murdering or violating anyone who dares meet his gaze, behaving as though he were a god. He is surrounded only by yes-men, leaving even a member of the Four Heavenly Kings like yourself unable to defy him. At this rate, your country will perish."
"……It is as you say. Are you truly capable of saving our nation?"
"Lord Zeno!" Hermes cried out.
"Hermes, you know it as well as I do. If we continue like this, our country will crumble, and every citizen will become a Blessed Slave anyway. So tell me, Dragon King—can you save us?"
"I can. I have already killed one foolish king with these hands. Once Arcadia is gone, I will kill your wicked king for you. And once the world is unified, true freedom will be born."
Zeno, the most senior knight of the Odixia Federation, stared straight into the Dragon King's eyes. After a long silence, he nodded.
"……Very well. I accept this operation."
"Lord Zeno…… are you serious?"
"You understand, Hermes. The current king is filth. He is a demon wearing human skin. That he managed to hide his nature until he inherited the King Emblem is the greatest oversight of my life."
"…………I understand."
The Dragon King smirked and poured wine for Hermes, raising his glass in a toast.
"To Odixia."
"…………To Dragonia."
The two men drained their glasses. Immediately, Valzak began to cough and sputter.
"……It’s strong. I truly have no stomach for alcohol."
"Ha! Hahahaha! To think the young Dragon King, the terror of the nations, is a lightweight."
"Quiet. I’m only twelve years old. You there, bring me some grape juice."
Zeno and the Dragon King laughed together, the distance between them closing slightly.
Hermes watched, unable to tell if the boy’s behavior was a calculated performance or genuine. He was an abyss, his true depths impossible to perceive.
"By the way," Valzak said, regaining his composure, "how is the Valhalla Island front? That struggle has been dragging on for quite some time, hasn't it? A stalemate between Osiris of the Five Star Sword and Abeljan of your Four Heavenly Kings?"
"Indeed. Since it is you, I imagine you already have a grasp of the situation, but I will tell you anyway since you would find out soon enough. The other day, we lost the castle on the Eldoro Plains—a position we painstakingly established—to a young knight named Leo. We don't have the full details yet."
"…………Leo."
"What is it? Do you know him?"
"……Heh. I see. So you, too…… are growing. Bring me the map of Valhalla Island."
Valzak issued an order to one of his subordinates and spread the map across the table.
"This man named Leo, the one who took the castle on the Eldoro Plains, is dangerous. Among those in Arcadia, he is in the top ten of those I want dead."
"You value him that highly?"
"Only in terms of his future potential. But let's return to the matter at hand. This man Osiris…… he respects the rules, but he is a man who will casually break them if the benefit is great enough. His approach to talent recruitment is remarkably similar to my own."
Valzak’s mind sank into a deep state of tactical focus. He factored in the personalities of every individual involved, treating every event as a variable. The simulation running in his mind began to reveal the future.
"From here on, I will speak as if I were the Arcadian commander—as if I were Osiris. This…… this clash in the center will decide the outcome of the battle. However, if there is a lateral strike from the flank or the rear, the entire formation will collapse. That is where I would strike."
"Hm? We had the same concern. We’ve stationed two thousand knights there to guard against that very danger."
"Then suppose a Knight Order of ten thousand attacked. What would you do?"
"Naturally, while the two thousand held the line, we would reorganize our main force and send reinforcements. Depending on the situation, we might even have to shift our central formation. The primary battlefield would change."
"Exactly. Now, what would you do if a force of only one thousand attacked?"
"One thousand?"
Zeno paused to consider. One thousand against two thousand—and the terrain was a narrow mountain pass flanked by cliffs. It would have to be a frontal assault.
"The chance of victory would be extremely low. I would assume it was a diversion intended to draw reinforcements away from other sectors. If I were the field commander, I would simply use the two thousand to crush the thousand."
"Hmph, precisely. I would think the same. And that is why, as things stand, your line will be broken. Osiris will deploy the specific personnel and the specific plan necessary to make it happen."
Valzak gave a thin, knowing smile.
"As your ally, I will cooperate. I would be very grateful if this man Leo were to die here."