Dragon Raja: History Simulator

Page 23

She has been in the city for a long time without any news.

Chapter 47 Intrigue and Heroes

Trijejus was fully armed, with pure gold armor forged by alchemy tightly covering his entire body and constricting his neck, a constant reminder of the dangers ahead.

The general held the holy sword, which would later be named Durandal, tightly in his hand. He was not on horseback; he stood alone in front of the city gate.

His soldiers were not yet ready, and everyone knew that this was a one-way journey, requiring more time to deal with his own affairs.

The wind and sand blow, dazzling the eyes.

Dark clouds loomed overhead, pressing down like a heavy weight on one's heart, making it hard to breathe.

The city gates were already sealed off, and Trijejus knew that Attila's massive army was right outside the city.

"Perhaps I will die," Trijejus thought, and then he laughed.

That's a stupid question. The answer is obvious. Does he really expect to come back alive?

"General, why are you laughing here?" A voice came from behind Trijejus.

He turned around and saw that the person who had come was Avinus, the chief of the Senate.

Unlike Trigejus, Avinus was not fully armed or clad in armor.

On the contrary, he was dressed in a magnificent silk robe from the East, the fabric shimmering and radiant, making him look less like someone about to face a perilous negotiation and war and more like someone preparing for a leisurely outing.

Trijejus didn't care about this, after all, in his opinion, how could someone like Avinus, who held the positions of both chief of the Senate and leader of the Secret Party's elders, personally go to the battlefield and charge into battle?

It is truly commendable that they dare to go to the front line even knowing the dangers involved.

“I’m laughing at my own foolishness, laughing at my own folly, Elder.” Trejejus laughed more and more as he spoke, his laughter seemingly containing endless complexity. As he laughed, tears welled up in his eyes.

But this was not born of fear, but rather stemmed from his anticipation and longing to see an even greater Rome in the future.

Trigeius was a true Roman nobleman who had been well-versed in literature since childhood. The books he read depicted Caesar's heroic conquest of Gaul and the empire's glorious eastward campaigns, a far cry from the present situation where war had mercilessly reached the gates of Rome.

When ideals collide fiercely with harsh reality, one side will eventually perish.

Trijejus resolutely chose to face reality, willing to risk his last breath to fight Attila the Dragon King.

He knew in his heart that without Attila's Hunnic army, Rome was not afraid. Perhaps Rome could seize this opportunity to revive and regain its former glory.

Avinus remained silent, gazing calmly at the impassioned general before him, his expression serene, his heart as still as a stagnant pool, utterly unmoved.

After Trijejus had finished laughing, he looked at the elder in front of him and suddenly asked, "Mr. Avinus, why did you choose to come and negotiate with Attila? You should know in your heart that this is not a negotiation, but a war. In fact, you have the right to refuse."

He looked at the elder who was fully prepared and ready to go, his eyes full of curiosity.

He had assumed that Avinus would sit calmly in his luxurious estate, playing chess leisurely with the nobles around him, waiting for news from outside the city, and then casually remark, "The young ones have defeated the enemy."

As for the emperor's orders, Avinus had many excuses to use to evade them.

After all, when an empire is on its last legs, don't expect the emperor's orders to be as readily obeyed as they used to be; his subjects have plenty of ways to deviate from the emperor's original intentions.

As the chief of the Senate, Avinus was one of the most prominent nobles in the empire, and as an elder of the Secret Party, he also controlled a handful of terrifying violence.

With his dual identity, even if he openly deviated from the emperor's orders, the members of the Senate and the tribunes of the plebs would work together to cover it up for the sake of the empire's "greater good."

Even Trijejus, under normal circumstances, would not bring up this matter to the emperor.

Of course, if the emperor himself inquired, he would tell him the truth, but he would also add a word of advice, imploring the emperor not to deal with Avinus lightly.

After all, in this crumbling empire, every move by any faction has far-reaching consequences, and any rash decision could be the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

However, he never had that opportunity.

“General, in fact, this war may be fraught with danger for you, but for those who are determined to survive, it is not difficult to live on,” Avinus said meaningfully.

This statement sounds utterly absurd at first glance.

After all, Attila the Dragon King wouldn't care whether you're a nobleman or have a prominent position.

Under his sharp claws, whether the blood flowing is that of commoners or nobles, in his eyes they are all the same, nothing more than obstacles to his progress.

"Where my horse has trampled, no new grass will grow again."

Unlike later Mongols, the Mongols knew how to recruit artisans and abduct women and children, understanding that these could be used for their own purposes.

Attila, however, was consumed by destruction and had no interest in Roman culture, even though he was born into the Roman court.

He went on his way, leaving destruction in his wake, like a merciless storm.

This dragon king is unable to empathize with humans; in his dragon clan's value system, he only cares about a handful of people who are right in front of him.

For example, the princess who accompanied him through his childhood, the Hunnic soldier who taught him to ride a horse in his childhood, and the Grand Marshal Aetius who fought alongside him in his youth, etc.

These humans are his friends, and perhaps out of royal pride, he will grant them and their relatives a life.

But no one else is within the scope of his pardon.

Trijejus slowly shook his head, his gaze returning to the slowly opening city gate, then sweeping over the approaching soldiers behind him, and Pope Leo I at the head, before speaking softly:

"I have no intention of getting involved in your complicated conspiracies; I am only thinking about whether I can personally take Attila's head."

"I haven't forgotten that was a battlefield you meticulously prepared beforehand, a lake formed from tens of thousands of tons of mercury, enough to bury any life, even the high and mighty Dragon King."

“That’s true.” Avinus nodded.

What he didn't say was that, since the beginning of recorded history, there has never been a precedent of a Dragon King being killed by a human single-handedly. A review of all the records of the Dragon King's death revealed that, without exception, there were other unknown forces behind it.

By this time, Leo I had already led his Knights Templar to the city gates. They were the main force in this war, which was later recorded as a "negotiation."

The monk looked at the fully armored general and said:

"Let's go, it's time to embrace the mission the Lord has given us."

Chapter 48 My Grand Steward - Odin

“My Emperor, aren’t you going to see your generals and soldiers off? I think that would be a good way to win back the hearts of the troops,” the girl in the white and brown nun’s habit said softly.

At this moment, Jormungandr sat upright in a quiet room, surrounded by ancient, dusty books.

As she casually flipped through the pages, trying to find clues about her brothers and sisters among the yellowed paper, she teased Emperor Valentine III, who had been staying with her for quite some time, with a half-smile.

Since announcing and making the negotiations public, the emperor has remained "hidden" in the palace for several days, and even to this day...

To be precise, he was hiding beside her Jormungandr.

This filled the Dragon Girl with doubt, making her feel that this mysterious emperor might know some secrets that she did not.

The atmosphere in the quiet room was somewhat somber, with only the girl's soft voice slowly flowing through the air. The emperor frowned slightly and turned away.

"They went to attack your brother Fenrir. Shouldn't you be worried about that?" The emperor did not respond directly, but quickly changed the subject.

The dragon girl chuckled softly, her arrogant smile barely concealed by her simple nun's habit. "Do you really think that a bunch of half-bloods can kill my brother, kill a dragon king?"

The nun put down her book and nimbly moved closer to the emperor.

The emperor was sitting by the window, gazing at the garden outside, his eyes visibly filled with unease.

She whispered softly in his ear, her voice as gentle as silk:

"Compared to that, Your Majesty, I am more curious as to why you have stayed by my side these past few days and refused to leave. Let me think... Your Empress has urged you several times, but you have remained unmoved, haven't you?"

The emperor shook his head, then slowly said, "Odosia is an ordinary person. She shouldn't have been affected by the war, so whenever there is war, I always subconsciously keep my distance from her."

Upon hearing this, Jormungandr's gaze froze instantly, his pupils contracting slightly, and he asked, "Do you feel that you are currently in a dangerous situation?"

Miss Dragon Girl almost couldn't help but curse, and in her heart she thought to herself: What kind of bizarre situation is this? Normally, when the emperor is at peace, he and his wife are affectionate and playful with each other, and he also teases his daughter, enjoying the bliss of family life.

But when faced with danger, they didn't hesitate to hide next to Jormungandr. This behavior is truly outrageous!

Even though they have already forged a blood pact, which is theoretically the closest alliance in the world, it is still really infuriating.

calm down!

Jormungandr admonished himself in his heart.

She looked at the emperor, her gaze now devoid of the feigned tenderness, replaced by icy coldness. "Then, Your Majesty, could you tell me what you perceive as dangerous?"

Miss Jormungandr knew in her heart that, as one of the central figures in the vast alchemical matrix of Rome, the Emperor was actually in an extremely safe position.

Even she wouldn't want to take the emperor's life without any preparation.

When Pope Leo I left the city to negotiate with the enemy, the phrase "one of them" could even be crossed out. The emperor was the unique central hub of Rome, this alchemical matrix, and there was simply no one who could replace him.

Killing the emperor at this moment would be tantamount to openly making an enemy of the entire Alchemy Matrix, a situation even she, the Dragon King, was unwilling to face.

The only threats that could make the emperor uneasy would undoubtedly come from those of equal or higher status.

Although she didn't want to admit it, Jormungandr knew that compared to her brother Fenrir, she was as fragile as a child, and had no advantage over the other dragon kings.

Perhaps... she could bully Constantine, that underdeveloped little kid.

The cunning dragon girl could only offer herself this futile consolation, but at the same time, she also realized the danger involved and subconsciously wanted to find a way out.

"Stop looking," the Emperor said softly, his tone light. "I think it's all too late. Trijejus and the others have already left the city, and the alchemical matrix inside has been sealed off again."

"Miss Jormungandr, my future queen, you can't escape now either."

The Dragon Girl completely ignored the Emperor's teasing about being called "Empress." She was first stunned, as if time had frozen at that moment. Then, her face darkened slightly, like the gloomy sky before a storm.

She glared angrily at the emperor, her gaze seemingly burning him.

"So, you blocked my escape route from the very beginning?" Miss Dragon Girl thought angrily, her anger surging like a tidal wave.

The emperor looked at the indignant dragon princess, smiled, and pointed to the dark clouds piling up outside the window. "I only wanted us to live and die together. To share the same bed in life and the same grave in death, what's wrong with that?"

Looking at Jormungandr, whose face was flushed red and who lacked any aristocratic bearing, nun-like demeanor, or dragon king-like presence, the Emperor added:

"Besides, Jormungandr, do you really intend to run away?"

The dragon girl fell silent. She wasn't worried at all about her brother Fenrir, who was being attacked outside the city, because she knew that the real danger was never outside the city but inside.

The more she stirred up trouble in the city, the safer her brother became outside the city, and the safer she became, having placed the "cocoon" on Fenrir long ago.

Therefore, she wasn't as angry as she appeared.

So what if I die once? I can get some more sleep. It's not a big deal.

Dragons have never been creatures that fear death.

The dragon maiden quickly smiled sweetly and asked, "Then, Your Majesty, why are you in such a panic, even seeking refuge here?"