Forsaken Priest of the Hero's Party-Chapter 84: The Last Strategy

“Duke, how on Earth did this happen?”

The intensity of the situation lit up the Cidatel Council chamber, even late into the night. Only a handful, reliant on medication, managed to sleep after such unsettling news.

Andolf MacLaren, the Duke of the Cidatel Republic, sat silently in his seat, his voice lost.

Thomas William, a commoner who would normally never attract a second glance from the Duke, the apex of power in the Republic.But given the gravity of the situation, the Duke granted him a private audience.

The Duke’s expression changed as if he had seen a ghost when he heard Thomas’s account of the monster. It was something far more terrifying than any ghost.

Grimudo’s prized monster. The King of Monsters.

It was Phoenix, the mightiest and most unprecedented monster ever seen. Only the ancient Demon King could hope to control such a creature.

“I made a mistake, and I admit it.”

His worst mistake may have been dealing with Grimudo to overthrow the royal family and establish a republic. Even his supporters began to distance themselves, while his enemies seized the chance to attack him.

Of course, they had little choice. The angry expressions on the council members’ faces betrayed their own fear.

“A mistake? Duke, this is a matter of national fate! I may not be as clever as you, but I know this for sure.”

The Duke’s eyes flashed with killing intent. It faded when he saw a council member slam his fist on the table. Had the Duke not borrowed Grimudo’s power, that man would have been dead, his body left to rot unburied in the streets.

The anti-royalist faction had suffered a crushing defeat. Now, it was forced to operate in secret. Despite their many faults, the Cidatel royal family still boasted a large following.

Revolutionary leaders had to make hard choices to ensure their cause’s success. What had these people done while he journeyed to the North Pole to find Grimudo?

And now they refuse to acknowledge his contribution, only blaming him.

The Duke felt deeply frustrated, yet he kept his feelings to himself.

With things having come to this, who would now stand by him?

If the volcano erupts, arguing won’t help.

The Duke tried to stay calm and think of ways to handle the situation.

‘’Grimudo, that being has no interest in us unless we provoke him first. Duke, isn’t it your provocation that has set him in motion?”

‘’Councilor McKill, you’re being too harsh. The Duke surely has a plan to resolve this, this is an emergency. Budget concerns are irrelevant now. I only hope we never come to a point of no return.”

Councilor Gilead Ranbolt, head of the Merchant Union, attempted to restore calm.

He wasn’t defending the Duke per se, but he knew that further argument wouldn’t solve the problem.

The Cidatel Republic was small yet well-organized and firmly controlled. Yet no one had prepared for a disaster of this magnitude, and even if they had, it might not have sufficed.

If the volcano erupts, it will destroy the Republic. Lava and ash will engulf ports, roads, and everything in the mountain’s vicinity. The pyroclastic flow could wipe out everything in its path, and it might also affect Vales City.

No one had ever witnessed an eruption like this before. Whatever unfolds will likely be far worse than anyone can imagine.

Rumble!

Suddenly, The ground shook, causing cups to fall to the floor. Everyone had become used to it now—frequent aftershocks had become a part of life. The Duke had started to believe Thomas’s warning.

The aftershocks grew stronger and more frequent.

Those unaware of the news sensed something amiss and started evacuating. Ships were full, some packed up, and others dug basements to stay safe. No one knew if it would help, but it was better than waiting and doing nothing.

‘’Shouldn’t we be evacuating as well?’’

“The Republic is our home. Where would we go if we left here?”

“We should go to the Empire or somewhere else. Isn’t life more important than possessions?”

was etched on the faces of the council members. Nature cared not for titles or power. When nature raged, nothing was spared.

If they stayed and a major earthquake struck, would they attempt to capitulate to the volcano as ash rained down upon them? Would a white flag shield them from the onslaught of volcanic ash?

There was not a chance, so fleeing was the best option. Even so, those with common sense hurried to gather their families and assets, planning to escape by ship.

Even if the Republic fell, they could make a living anywhere if they had money.

“If we can protect it, then we must.”

But it wasn’t that simple. Abandoning the Republic would spell its destruction. Nature was in control, and there was no room for luck.

“We must remember that this is the foundation of our power. If we lose this, we’ll no longer be council members, just rich people.”

In the Cidatel Republic, a center of commerce, money meant power. Elsewhere, power reigned supreme.

Would these merchant princes maintain their arrogance if they fled to another country?

“Those who would rather be slaves to power can leave, I won’t stop you. I’m old, and I’ve had my fill of the royal family’s reign. Now, I want to hear the Duke’s wise counsel.”

At Jayden Motabil’s words, the other council members fell silent. The Duke bowed his head in gratitude and began to speak.

“Even if you all managed to prepare right now, you wouldn’t be able to pack up all your assets and escape. This isn’t peacetime but an emergency.No matter how quickly you move your assets, losses are inevitable. So if we’re going to lose assets regardless, why not invest that money instead?”

“Invest in what?”

“In the safety of the Republic and our well-being.”

“Duke, that’s not an investment; it’s a gamble. While I avoid sure losses, I’m not afraid of taking risks when there’s a chance to win.”

Jayden replied as he sipped a glass of brandy.

“Go ahead, speak your mind.”

“I’m considering bribing the three Masters recruited by the Republic with a hefty sum.”

“If we pay them to take on such a dangerous task, do you think they’ll agree?”

“Then the money isn’t enough. Haven’t we always said money can buy anything? We can offer enough gold and silver to fill houses—it’s wealth we’d lose anyway if things go wrong.”

Uniting the Republic’s mightiest immortal monsters could delay the eruption. Things could then go back to normal. But they could not waste time.

The worst-case scenario loomed ever nearer, and once a decision was made, swift action would be imperative.

“But Duke, while your plan sounds promising, what if those three can’t overcome the monster? Transcendents are our strongest humans, yet monsters come from another realm, we can’t be sure they match up.”

“That’s why I have a proposal.”

The Duke finally revealed his plan.

“Back when the Republic was a kingdom, they built a massive gate between Vales City and Grandera Island for launching surprise attacks on each other’s capitals.So, both sides must permit the opening of it, and it remains closed in peacetime.”

It was also designed to enable rapid communication between the Empire and the Kingdom. The two were distant, making envoy travel a matter of months.

It also provided the quickest escape route in case of demon attacks from the north. Given the small territory of the Cidatel Kingdom, it couldn’t withstand a full-scale invasion.

But now, the Duke’s rebels had already exploited the gate to escape, Parnell herself had fled through it with her protectors. For the Duke, opening the gate again seemed worth it.

“I’ll propose that we forgive all the Empire’s debts. Remember, Princess Ardein von Illumina once saddled us with enormous debts during her wars. The deal is simple: open the gate and accept refugees, and the Empire won’t refuse.”

“That’s ridiculous! Are you suggesting we just give away our money to beggars? Do you know how much the Empire owes us? You want to forgive it all? What about those like me whose wealth is tied up in Empire bonds?”

One council member protested, but the elder statesman Jayden stopped him. He spoke to the younger members.

“If the Republic falls, will the Empire pay us back? And even if they do, it could take centuries. Be realistic. It would be cheaper for them to hire assassins to kill you than to repay that debt.”

If the Republic fell, those bonds would be rendered worthless.

The Empire would refuse to repay this money. What more could those who had lost their country do if they lay down and offered their bellies for the taking?

Since these bonds were tied to the Empire’s credit, they couldn’t simply say, “We won’t pay up.”

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Those holding national bonds might meet untimely, unexplained ends. Even after protracted negotiations, they might only recover a quarter of what they were owed, with the Empire then washing its hands of the matter.

In that case, it was wiser to prepare for the worst.

“In the worst case, we might lose both our money and our country. Duke, if your plan fails, how do you propose to repay us?”

“Even if I offered my life, you wouldn’t care. My life is worthless.”

Duke Andolf rose, his weathered face etched with solemnity.

“If things go badly, you can take my overseas mines. Should the Republic fall, I fall with it, I have no heirs or kin to inherit my wealth.”

No amount of wealth could comfort an old man with no one to pass it on to. He had lost his child to the Cidatel royal family when he was young.

They called the MacLaren family traitors. His brother had been defeated in a power struggle for the throne. His beautiful wife and children perished under torture, and his remaining relatives either died or disowned him. Though he survived the torment, he was left emasculated.

Who could have known? A man, once released as a pauper, would harness the power of a Northern being to topple a royal family, but that was all in the past.

Having lost his children with no hope of more, his sole solace had been power. Now, it appeared Grimudo planned to wrest that power away.

Since that power had been granted by Grimudo, the Duke was powerless to resist if the Demon King reclaimed it. He knew Grimudo’s power well, and it would be pointless to resent him.

“Duke, are you serious?”

“I do not speak falsehoods. If the Republic dies, I will die with it. After that, do with my overseas assets as you wish, it’s not as though I’ll be taking them with me to heaven.”

The Duke had resolved to be buried with his country, should earthquakes reduce the Cidatel Republic to rubble and lava.

No one could push him further now that he was prepared to die. Someone had to shoulder responsibility for this monumental task. Few desired to bear such an overwhelming burden.

Who would wish to be forever branded as the one responsible for a nation’s downfall?

With the Duke willing to take all this infamy and bury himself alive, what more could they add?

The final strategy for the Cidatel Republic was now set: if successful, the nation would survive; if not, at least lives might be spared.