Radiant Dragon’s Otherworldly Reincarnation - Chapter 250 : Chapter 250

Chapter 250. Just Accept It (3)

“What do you intend to do with that food?”

For a moment, Patrick didn’t understand.

What do you mean, what do you do?

Food is for eating.

And right now, Latenop was full of starving people. In that case….

“We must distribute it immediately.”

“……”

“Is there some other use for it?”

At that, Noah smiled as if he knew it would come to this and said.

“And then?”

“…Huh?”

“After you distribute the food to the citizens, what will you do then?”

“……”

“You didn’t think about it. You were just trying to put out the fire at your feet. Tsk tsk, is the brain in your head just for decoration?”

I want to hit him.

That smug face and smile are awakening the sleeping Black Fire Dragon within my fist. But….

‘Endure it. I must endure it. I have the dignity of the Radiant Dragon Great Master, how can I break my own word?’

“Tsk tsk tsk, if I had just given you the food and left, you would have been ruined in less than a month. What a foolish bastard.”

Come to think of it, does anyone here know I’m the Radiant Dragon Great Master?

Forget honor and promises, if I just plant my fist in that detestable face, it would feel quite refreshing.

As Patrick was having such thoughts, Noah spoke.

“If you distribute the food I brought, you might be able to appease the citizens of Latenop for now.”

“That’s right.”

“But that does not lead to victory in the war.”

“…Keep talking.”

Patrick, beginning to feel there was value in Noah’s words, asked again.

And Noah continued….

“Even if you distribute the food, the limit will come. To win this war, you must capture the king of the Harbor Kingdom who emptied the capital and fled.”

“I know that too. I know, but….”

“Right. While you were wasting time, tricked by a foolish ploy, the king of the Harbor Kingdom has already hidden himself perfectly.”

“……”

“So, the first priority is to find where the king of the Harbor Kingdom is. This food must be used for that purpose.”

“Wait, used for that purpose? What does that mean?”

“First….”

Noah calmly explained his plan to Patrick.

Patrick’s face was stiff the entire time he listened to the explanation, but he did not interrupt.

“…This is my plan.”

“……”

“You look like you don’t like it.”

Patrick shouted in a burst of anger.

“Of course I don’t like it! Your strategy is no different from pushing civilians into the war.”

“That is correct.”

Seeing Noah’s expression, which seemed to say, ‘so what?’, killing intent radiated from Patrick’s body.

Noah flinched for a moment, but he bit his lip hard and said.

“Stop acting like a child. You damn brat!”

“……”

“A war where no one dies and no one gets hurt? Do you think such a thing exists in reality?”

“……”

“If you were not prepared to see blood, you should not have started a war. No matter what shame and humiliation you had to endure, you should not have chosen war.”

“……”

“The best choice a monarch can make during a war is to win with little bloodshed. Those who hesitate in their choices, hoping for more than that, end up causing more blood to flow than anyone else.”

There was nothing he could say.

Noah had seen through the essence of Patrick as a person and identified his weakness.

Just like Duke Krupa.

What was fortunate was that Noah was now in a position to lend Patrick his strength.

‘The path with the least blood spilled….’

Yes. That would be right.

It would be right.

After much thought, Patrick opened his mouth.

“Civilian casualties must be minimized. That is the condition.”

At that, a momentary expression of contempt appeared on Noah’s face. And Patrick calmly received that gaze.

The two men, staring directly at each other.

The one who broke the silence first was Noah Gregory.

He placed his hand on his chest, bowed his head politely, and said.

“I will do as you command.”

“……”

***

Patrick gave the operational authority to Marquis Noah Gregory.

The allies were momentarily shaken upon hearing this, but after seeing the massive amount of food Noah Gregory had brought, they soon understood.

In this situation, the food Noah had brought was so desperately needed that they had no choice but to welcome it, whether it was an embedded stone or not.

The Schneider fiefdom’s army immediately distributed the food to the citizens of Latenop.

“Line up. Line up….”

“Children and the elderly first.”

“There is enough, so don’t push.”

The situation improved considerably after appeasing the citizens by distributing the food.

The capital’s citizens were bewildered even as they received the food.

“Wasn’t there no food?”

“I know, right.”

“Could it be that they were hiding it until now and are just distributing it?”

“That might be it.”

To the citizens having such conversations, an elf who was supervising the food distribution stepped forward and spoke.

“This food is from the provisions that King Derius’ army, currently stationed outside the capital, had.”

“What… did you say?”

“As you know, King Derius forcibly confiscated food from this capital before leaving. Is that not so?”

“Well, that’s….”

“We have recovered a part of it. So, this was originally yours.”

At the elven warrior’s words, the capital’s citizens nodded as if they finally understood.

To those citizens, the elven warrior said.

“But it is a big problem. This food will also run out soon….”

“What did you say?”

“Is that really true?”

To the startled citizens, the elven warrior said.

“I heard it will all be gone in three days at most.”

“Ah…. Is that so….”

“How can this be… then… then what are we to do?”

The most cruel way to make a person despair is to give them hope and then take it away again.

For the citizens of Latenop, who had suffered from severe starvation, the words that the food would run out now were like the end of the world.

To them, the elven warrior said.

“We are also operating our reconnaissance network to its fullest to find King Derius. If we find him, we will be able to find the food that was taken from you.”

“Ah…. Umm….”

“I see….”

“Ahem….”

The citizens had reluctant expressions.

No matter what, King Derius was their king.

For the citizens of the capital, who had lived in a more affluent environment than other regions, the words that they had to capture King Derius did not sound entirely pleasant. But…

“We are facing difficulties due to a lack of manpower, but we will do our best. We have also put a bounty of 10,000 gold, so maybe a tip will come in….”

“10,000 gold?”

“Is that really true?”

“A tip…. so you mean if we just find where he is and tell you, we get 10,000 gold?”

The citizens reacted with surprise.

At that, the elven warrior readily nodded and said.

“Of course. Considering the treasures left in the royal palace, 10,000 gold is nothing.”

“I… I see.”

“Ahem…. ahem….”

The citizens who had heard all of the elven warrior’s words cleared their throats and walked away.

And their walking pace gradually quickened, and soon they began to run.

‘10,000 gold.’

‘It’s enough money to change my life, no, even my descendants’ lives.’

‘I will definitely find him. I will find him no matter what.’

Humans, when their greed is stimulated, show surprising tenacity.

That day, the rumor that Patrick had put a 10,000 gold bounty on the search for King Derius spread quickly.

And within that day, 10 percent of the capital’s population slipped past the city walls and went outside, and the next day, 30 percent, and eventually, nearly half of the people went outside the city walls and began to search for King Derius.

***

Human-wave tactics.

It is a simple and crude, but effective strategy in various situations.

From actual combat to sabotage, facility construction, and even searching….

The effectiveness of most military operations increases with the number of heads.

If you gather about 10,000 people and make them dig, it’s even possible to level a mountain.

That is the power of numbers.

You can only truly realize its power when you are on the receiving end.

“Your Grace, Krupa. Those who have discovered our formation are fleeing.”

“Capture and kill them. Do not let them escape!”

“Yes!”

Duke Krupa, having given the order to the knight, bit his lip hard.

“Double Dragon…. So this is how you’re going to play?”

He had never imagined that he would incite the capital’s citizens to launch a large-scale search.

The effectiveness of the search network, mobilized with at least hundreds of thousands of people, was tremendous.

Even though he had reduced the escort forces to a minimum and set up a formation in a secret hideout, people who discovered this place appeared every other day.

Duke Krupa captured them and asked about the situation in the capital, and he could not hide his astonishment.

‘To think he would use such a tactic. Did I misjudge the man?’

He didn’t know where the food came from, but his skill in subtly manipulating the citizens with that food was extraordinary.

Making the source of the food King Derius’ army.

Placing a 10,000 gold bounty.

Using the elves as the face of this information manipulation.

He had put effort into even the smallest details to confuse the people.

‘The same words have higher credibility coming from an elf than a human.’

It’s not that elves don’t lie.

But the baseless superstition that elves don’t lie was widespread among the common people, and it was also true that they lied less than humans.

When he launched an information war with such elves at the forefront, such a clear effect was produced.

Beside Duke Krupa, King Derius spoke with an anxious voice.

“Alexander, what are we to do now?”

“……”

Duke Krupa thought.

‘At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before our main camp’s location is discovered. Then it’s over.’

He had abandoned the thick castle walls and thousands of guards and set up camp in a hideout with only about 100 soldiers.

All of this was done under the grand premise that he would never be discovered.

If his location were discovered, the Double Dragon would immediately come crashing down.

At that time, the forces present here could never protect the king.

‘I must strike first before it’s too late.’

Duke Krupa, having made up his mind, said.

“Your Majesty, we must immediately send orders via the communication sphere to various locations to attack the capital.”

“You mean to abandon the siege that is holding back the Iron Mountains?”

“We must.”

“Ummm….”

If he were to release the dwarves he was barely holding back, the time and military expenses consumed so far would all be for naught. But….

“It is far better than Your Majesty being captured by the enemy here.”

“Hoo… it can’t be helped. This is all because of my worthless son.”

King Derius decided to follow Duke Krupa’s plan.

It was now time to mobilize the entire army and have a head-on confrontation with the Double Dragon in the capital. But….

Kwaaaaaang!

A loud roar and a faint vibration.

The impact was so great that the cave chosen as the hideout shook.

For a moment, the faces of King Derius and Duke Krupa hardened, and at the same time, a knight ran in and said.

“Your Majesty, it is an enemy attack. The Double Dragon has appeared in person.”

Duke Krupa’s eyes squeezed shut.

***

“These bastards, acting like moles, were hiding in here.”

The entrance was a narrow cave just barely big enough for a bear to enter, but inside, a very wide space unfolded.

Judging by the artificially refined traces, it seemed to be a hideout prepared for this purpose.

A cave entrance that was extremely difficult to find.

But conversely, there was also an advantage.

“Kirioth, there’s definitely only one entrance, right?”

“Yes. I confirmed it through the wind spirit.”

“Good. A king in a bottle.”

The corners of Patrick’s mouth lifted.

“I’m going in. Everyone, just secure the entrance.”

“Got it. Well, it might not mean much to say it, but be careful.”

“A truly meaningless thing to say.”

And Patrick entrusted the defense of the entrance and charged into the cave alone. And then….

“Enemy!”

“Block him, no, kill him!”

Naturally, knights poured out like a swarm of bees from a disturbed hive.

Though few in number, these were elite knights, carefully selected to protect the king at close range.

Most of them were at the 5-star level or higher, and among them, a few 6-stars could be seen. But….

“Die!”

What meaning did that have in front of Patrick Schneider?

In an instant, a flash of light flickered, and the heavily armored knights were sent flying like wooden dolls.

“Keoheok….”

“Kuaaaak!”

After lightly sending the knights in front flying, Patrick charged forward.

“Anyone who blocks me dies!”

At Patrick’s momentum, the knights flinched for a moment, but they still carried out their duty to the end.

“Blo… block him!”

“Uwaaaaah!”

“Double Dragoooon!”

The knights of the Harbor Kingdom were also desperate.

It was natural.

They were those who had been trained to not hesitate to give their lives to protect the king.

But there was too great a gap between them and the Double Dragon to be filled with willpower.

Patrick advanced without hesitation, swinging his sword, and with each swing, the knights of the Harbor Kingdom fell like autumn leaves.

And finally, Patrick could see them with his own two eyes.

The two men glaring at him with gritted teeth from behind the last defensive wall formed by the knights.

Upon confirming the two with his eyes, Patrick paused for a moment.

And he rested his sword on his shoulder and said.

“Which one of you is His Majesty King Derius?”

At that, a middle-aged man with dark brown hair stepped forward and said.

“I am Derius Michael Harbor III.”

In the shabby refuge of a cave, though the situation was not good, his dignified appearance had the majesty befitting a monarch of a nation….

“You son of a biiiiitch!”

Poooong!

It was there, and then it was gone.