He laughed. But negotiations had always been like this. Whether it was shifting the meaning or taking words out of context, as long as you got caught up in my rhythm, things were bound to go this way. Fim understood that all too well, so he never wasted time chatting about irrelevant things during negotiations. After all, you only had to keep your eye on one thing.
That was: What do I stand to gain by working for you?
Focus on the benefits, and you wouldn't be distracted.
White Winged Duke, did you think he was one of your kind?
Hahaha, you're wrong... This fellow...
He's clearly... just like me.
Winning people over—that's what this fellow... is best at.
Chapter 55: Rimuru Is a... Big Liar!
The Dead Apostle Ancestors reacted in different ways. Whether they were moved, indifferent, or disdainful, Rimuru took it all in with a sweep of his eyes. A handful of old foxes like Fim and Zelretch hadn't been swayed by him, but that wasn't important. What mattered most now was White Winged Duke's opinion.
So Rimuru turned his gaze back to White Winged Duke. The other man's eyelids drooped as he considered things, but he showed no sign of nodding in agreement.
That wasn't good news for Rimuru, but it was within his expectations.
White Winged Duke might not have spotted Rimuru's small, unintentional trick as easily as Fim had, but as a ruler—an immensely powerful being capable of leading a faction—he naturally had an unshakable heart.
He was as steadfast as a rock.
He might agree with you, understand you, and even admit that you made a good point and were right, but... he would rarely change his mind because of it.
That was fine too... Rimuru lowered his eyes slightly and chuckled.
After all, White Winged Duke was White Winged Duke. If he could be persuaded too easily, Rimuru would have to wonder whether he was plotting something. Besides, it would be far too easy.
White Winged Duke didn't ponder for long. In a short time, he had gathered his thoughts, and after a brief pause, he replied, "You may have a point, but an assumption is still just an assumption."
"Besides, Altrouge, who hasn't experienced my betrayal, might not support you so wholeheartedly. And after experiencing my betrayal, she wouldn't continue to trust me if I returned."
"As you said, she has you now, so my position would be challenged. That would work against me. Why should I agree to your proposal and give up my ambition to claim the top spot?"
"Leviathan, a god among the Dead Apostle Ancestors, I have never believed in so-called hopes, nor do I ever place my expectations in others. I have no intention of continuing to argue with you about Altrouge's right to rule. The choices of the past cannot be changed, but now we sit as equals. If you want me to do as you wish, you must give me a reason that can convince me."
White Winged Duke himself wanted the two sides to unite; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken the initiative to invite Rimuru. But the two of them clearly had different ideas. White Winged Duke wanted them to rule together: they would leave each other alone while forming a defensive alliance, and Altrouge would make concessions in certain areas.
But Rimuru obviously wasn't willing to do that. If they ruled together, White Winged Duke's Dead Apostles would never feel any loyalty to Altrouge, making it far harder to bring them into the fold. That meant that once the external threat disappeared, civil war could break out at any time!
Like... well, those two allied parties from the past.
Altrouge had to be able to suppress White Winged Duke, or even destroy him. That was the most basic condition for Rimuru's willingness to help the Dead Apostles rise. The Princess of the Black wasn't hostile toward humanity, and neither was White Winged Duke. But he, like The Church, supported the supremacy of Dead Apostles—or, more broadly, of vampires.
So he was the first to lay down a central red line, asking, "No matter what, the Dead Apostles shouldn't be divided any further, should they?"
"Indeed. But the threat of unification may not be any less than that of division." White Winged Duke turned the argument around and tried to persuade him. "Leviathan, let's return to our original point of disagreement. You said you believe the Dead Apostles can have only one king, but you're the one who's wrong about that."
"The Ancestors may be powerful and immortal, but there have always been plenty of beings capable of standing against them. The sheer number of humans also gives them a vast pool to draw from. Even if only one person like Zelretch comes along in a million, the strength of humanity over a thousand years is not to be underestimated."
As he spoke, White Winged Duke glanced at the Jewel Swordmaster. "A truce between us and a temporary alliance might still be within their tolerance. But if I truly submitted to you—once a real war began, have you considered the consequences?"
White Winged Duke's argument sounded like cowardly talk that emboldened the enemy and undermined his own side, but Rimuru knew it was merely a card he was playing to persuade him to agree to shared rule.
"I have never underestimated humanity, but you think far too highly of them, White Winged Duke."
At that, Rimuru chuckled. "Even the Dead Apostles, despite being outnumbered, can't unify. Why bother imagining that the far more numerous humans will unite?"
"The Mage's Association and The Church will never truly put their hatred aside, and humanity will never truly unite, Your Excellency."
"Humans are partly responsible for dividing the Dead Apostles. But if they can divide us, we can turn around and divide them, too."
"And, quite the contrary, White Winged Duke, I'm standing here negotiating with you because Altrouge has the standing and strength to do so. And I challenged the Black Winged Duke not only to win his support, but also to demonstrate my strength."
"I'll say it again: negotiations require equal standing." Rimuru held out a hand, gesturing between their two sides as he spoke softly. "A weaker race has to stand united to oppose the mainstream. If you want vampires to earn the world's acceptance, strength alone won't be enough."
"You have to be able to make your voice heard, to reach ordinary people who've been deceived by their leaders, and to change their minds."
"And that kind of power can only be won through struggle." Rimuru glanced at all the Ancestors, then suddenly smiled. "It's true that quite a few mages can stand against the Ancestors, but they're just as divided as the Ancestors—and... the hatred between them and their conflicting positions are even more complicated than ours."
"What if we can't stand against them?" White Winged Duke asked gravely.
"If two Ancestors can't do it, then make it three or four." Rimuru lowered his voice. "The Dead Apostle nation I envision is one where all the Ancestors can unite around a common goal—not a mere contract that creates an alliance in name while a rabble of factions fights behind the scenes."
"Ha, what you want is no different from what I once wanted. But I've already—"
"Just because you couldn't do it doesn't mean I can't."
"Arrogant!"
"Perhaps. White Winged Duke, I'm not underestimating you. But whether you admit it or not, give me a hundred years, and I'm confident I can reach your level and stand as your equal." Rimuru met White Winged Duke's gaze without flinching and smiled. "You might say I don't have the time, or that I'm overestimating myself."
"But White Winged Duke, open your eyes and look at the world as it is today. The times are changing."
"You say humanity can't be underestimated, but you've overlooked the fact that humanity has now embarked on two different paths."
"The mages you fear are in decline. What truly frightens me, however, is the light of technology coming from North America."
"You've focused your attention on Europe and ignored the changes taking place across the world. The Mage's Association and The Church? Heh. In another decade or so, they'll probably be struggling to survive." Rimuru let out a disdainful chuckle. Seeing White Winged Duke furrow his brow, he suddenly changed tack, his voice settling into a calm tone.
"But it's precisely the rise of ordinary people that has shown me an opportunity. The ordinary people we once looked down on are gradually gaining a say in the world, and their pursuit of power, their desire for strength, is unparalleled."
An eerie crimson glow slowly seeped through the openings in Rimuru's mask. All the Ancestors couldn't help but lift their heads.
"In Cornwall, I turned everyone into vampires. But can you imagine it?"
"They all chose it willingly, knowing the road ahead was hell and still leaping into it without hesitation."
"That's proof of the nobility of the Dead Apostle bloodline!"
As he spoke, Rimuru's hidden mouth curled beneath his mask. He began another round of performance.
Throughout history, nothing had stirred people up more than racism and populism!
If White Winged Duke wouldn't agree, Rimuru would start from his belief in vampire supremacy and use it to move him. After all, the best way to persuade someone was to...
Find their weakness, then... threaten them or tempt them with a reward.
The flames of fervor blazed in Rimuru's eyes, and his voice rose with them. "Tell me, White Winged Duke."
"Why should we—immortal beings whose physical abilities and individual strengths are many times greater than those of humans—scrape by in such wretched conditions?!"
"Is it because of our numbers? Any ordinary person can become our subject. Is it because of their will? I believe that, faced with the temptation of eternal life, they would willingly take that risk!"
"White Winged Duke."
"Would you rather call yourself king in a nation of tens of thousands of subjects, ruling together?"
"Or would you rather rule over hundreds of thousands, millions, even hundreds of millions of subjects... as the lord who stands above all but one and above countless others?!"
Rimuru's speech was one-sided. For example, he could ignore the existence of ordinary people who would resist, as well as conceal his own presence. He painted a picture but never mentioned the risks hidden within it.
He said the changing times were bad for mages, but didn't mention that they were just as bad for the Dead Apostles—perhaps even worse.
He talked about the Dead Apostles' ability to convert people and expand by force, but didn't mention that mystery was finite, or that the Dead Apostles' conversion rate and efficiency had their limits.
Everyone tried to focus on the benefits and overlook the drawbacks. As a leader, White Winged Duke would naturally be accustomed to analyzing his opponent's words in reverse, searching for what they had left unsaid.
But... so what?
Rimuru lowered his eyes. Beneath his outward fervor lay a coldness as deep as an abyss. Under his mask, he curled his lips and sighed softly.
There were plenty of clever people in the world, so why were there still people who fell for scams?
Was it because there were so many fools? No. It was because when someone's words matched what you wanted to believe deep down, you deliberately ignored all the things that didn't stand up to scrutiny.
White Winged Duke believed himself to be perfectly rational, but as he listened to Rimuru, he still couldn't help swallowing. A sharp light blazed in his eyes.
"You... really are one of my kind."
"Of course. My ambition is no smaller than yours, White Winged Duke. In fact... it's even greater. You want to carve out a territory for the Dead Apostles in Southern Europe. I want them to... sound the call for a counterattack."
Rimuru's cool voice brought all the distracted Dead Apostle Ancestors back to the present.
Zelretch, the Jewel Swordmaster, lowered his head, a look of amazement in his eyes. For some reason, despite knowing Rimuru wasn't a Dead Apostle, he was suddenly filled with anticipation for what would happen next.
Fim merely shook his head, while the other Ancestors, like him, looked at White Winged Duke with complicated expressions.
They knew: White Winged Duke had been moved.
Every Dead Apostle knew White Winged Duke's beliefs. He acknowledged the superiority of vampires, and the Dead Apostles were the most powerful among them. Naturally, the principle of racial supremacy was the belief he held most firmly, one he would never abandon. But it was also his softest spot, the easiest one to exploit.
Appeal to what someone loves, and you can strike a fatal blow.
The hall fell silent once again. Only Altrouge, watching Rimuru's proud figure, suddenly felt a little sorry for White Winged Duke. Her gaze toward Rimuru grew even more complicated.
In a hundred years, for the first time, someone had voiced the purpose behind her endless search for a contractor. For the first time, someone had understood her heart after knowing her for just a month, recognizing the anguish she endured and the strength of her resolve.
She had to admit, when Rimuru spoke of her goal—the goal she had held onto until this day—her cold heart was suddenly stirred. It was the kind of feeling that came from being understood.
She knew all too well how difficult it was for someone at the top, someone with an unwavering heart, to find a person who understood them.
But for that very reason, when Rimuru took on the role of someone who understood White Winged Duke and made his eyes burn with anticipation, she suddenly understood.
Ah, yes.
Seeing through other people's hearts, understanding them, and then drawing them into his rhythm... Hadn't I known that all along?
I'd always known... that this was what my White Knight, Rimuru, was best at.
At the thought, she gave a bitter smile. Her feelings for Rimuru had grown even more complicated, and she couldn't help looking at White Winged Duke with pity.
Heh, did you think he was like you, someone who championed vampires?
Don't make me laugh... He...
Was a human, after all!!
His ultimate goal was to save humanity!!!
"What's wrong?" Rimuru noticed that the Princess of the Black was acting strangely. He hesitated, thinking she had been affected by his words. He reached out to pat her head and comfort her as usual, but suddenly felt a sharp pain in his hand—
Tss.
Altrouge had bitten him. Her little face was full of displeasure, and as magic power surged around the wound, a voice no one else could hear flowed through the blood and into his ears:
"Big liar!"
Altrouge was clever, but because she was so clever, she understood all too well that perhaps...
To Rimuru, she was no different from White Winged Duke. They were both merely objects to be used. Even the way Rimuru acted in front of her might just be an act.
More than once, she had seen Rimuru at night, gazing at the world with utter indifference, as though... he were an observer standing apart from it.
Chapter 56: What I Promised, I'll See Through to the Death.
White Winged Duke briefly closed his eyes, hiding the eagerness in them completely. Even so, he didn't readily give in. Rimuru's words had certainly moved him, but only moved him. A simple promise of grand rewards couldn't make him decide, so he asked in a low voice, "Then what exactly is your plan?"
"What were you trying to achieve by declaring Cornwall independent and searching for the sheath?"
"Cornwall was a pawn we were willing to sacrifice. The sheath was a smokescreen."
Bullshit. Merem Solomon raised an eyebrow and cursed inwardly, but he didn't show it.
"If Cornwall was a pawn, why did you make such a fuss about wanting me to hold it?"
"Because Your Highness's dignity could not—fine. It was to put pressure on you, create favorable conditions for Her Highness, and deal them a painful blow."
"Austria couldn't be abandoned. But if we made our move there directly, aside from whether the damage from the first wave of attacks would leave certain regions devastated by war, there was another, more important consideration: we couldn't retreat. An outright battle to the death would put us at a disadvantage."
"But if we first made them suffer losses by holding our ground, then decisively withdrew once they committed more troops..."
"It's unpleasant to strike at a target that turns out to be cotton, isn't it?"
"More importantly, when we invade Austria again using the same approach, they'll be unable to figure out our intentions and will slow their advance."
"Then why choose Cornwall?"
At that, Rimuru raised a hand and explained, "Cornwall is part of the UK, a region the Mage's Association can't tolerate losing. Choosing it would provoke an immediate response from them, such as a Grand Resolution."
"Britain is close to Germany, so that would put the greatest pressure on you as quickly as possible."
"There's another reason: Cornwall is the Mage's Association's territory. The Church can't extend its reach there—or, even if it does, it won't be able to control things. Then, if we quickly strike The Church's people while deliberately sparing some members of the Mage's Association, the unequal losses would easily cause resentment within The Church."
"The Mage's Association isn't our mortal enemy. Just as we can make concessions in Germany, we can tell the Mage's Association we're withdrawing from Cornwall to show them some respect. Austria, however, is The Church's territory. If we lay siege for a long time and the losses are unequal, The Church will inevitably feel the Mage's Association hasn't done enough, aggravating their conflict."
"It was just a move to keep in reserve. Better than nothing."
Before you continue