The Villain Who Made the Empire Prosper

Grilling the Sultan

The elephant corps filling the horizon and an army of 500,000 had something intimidating about them by numbers alone. I was looking up at the figure commanding the army that covered the plains. A man with an arrogant expression looking down at me from an luxurious palanquin that required dozens to carry.

“The Unifier of the Western Continent. The Eternal Lord Salah ad-Din! Bow your heads!!!”

It was Sultan Saladin. The person who appeared to be a eunuch beside the Sultan shouted, and the interpreters translated his words.

“Please bow your head quickly. Sultan Saladin never tolerates those who offend his pride.”

The interpreters added this while translating, but I didn’t bow. When I didn’t bow, Karia who followed me also didn’t bow. At this sight, the Sultan’s eyebrows twitched. Peculiarly, the Sultan’s eyebrows were connected to each other, making their movement appear very intense.

The interpreters’ faces turned pale at my behavior and they hurriedly said,

“Y-you should bow, Lord Randor!”

“Tell the Sultan that I only bow to my Emperor.”

The interpreters’ faces turned almost corpse-like pale at these words, but I calmly urged them to translate.

Finally.

“H-he says he only bows to his Emperor!!!”

The interpreters conveyed my words. At these words, the eunuch standing beside the Emperor burst into anger.

“How dare you, in front of whom!!!….”

“Enough.”

The Sultan raised his hand to stop the eunuch. Then he looked straight at me.

“Interesting fellow. I like your spirit. What’s your name?”

When the trembling interpreters conveyed these words, I answered.

“I am Randor. And please tell him that I am one who holds a sword in one hand and gold in the other.”

The interpreters looked at me in shock as if they’d rather be killed. But I remained completely calm and just gestured for them to relay the message.

The Sultan, upon hearing these words from the interpreters, suddenly burst into laughter.

“A sword in one hand and gold in the other?”

I smiled along with the Sultan’s laughter. I straightened my back even more proudly and opened my mouth while looking at him. Thanks to the interpreters who conveyed the words despite trembling, the Sultan and I could converse without difficulty.

“I have 100 wyverns, one guardian dragon, and an army of 200,000.”

“I have thousands of elephants and an army of 500,000. Do you intend to face them? Man who holds a sword in one hand.”

“If the Sultan chooses the sword over gold, then I will have to. Just as the Sultan has given me the choice between surrender or resistance, I too have given the Sultan two choices. Whether to choose the sword or gold.”

The interpreters conveying the message were sweating profusely with zombie-like expressions, but I, the actual party involved, remained composed. I knew the Sultan well. He was a king of conquest with tremendous pride, but ironically, he often showed an attitude of acknowledging people who, like himself, had strong confidence.

As I expected, the smile on the Sultan’s face was deepening as time passed.

“A man who dares to present choices to me. I wonder if you’re foolish or bold.”

“I would like to explain what will happen if you choose the sword and what will happen if you choose gold. Will you allow me?”

“Explain.”

At the Sultan’s words, I pointed to the 200,000-strong Iron Blood Corps positioned on the plain.

“If you choose the sword, they will all enter the trade route and begin to fortify. The Sultan’s elephant corps that trampled numerous cities and the army of 500,000 will become useless. It might be different if you were conquering cities or waging war on plains. But the Sultan’s army is not suited for breaking through such a narrow place.”

“Continue.”

“And in the meantime, I will send wyverns and the guardian dragon to burn the Sultan’s cities. The Sultan’s cities will be destroyed by fire falling from the sky. Even with the Sultan’s strongest bows, it’s impossible to wound the dragons’ scales. The Sultan will be unilaterally damaged, and I will unilaterally destroy.”

The expressions of the ministers, generals, and eunuchs around the Sultan turned grim. Some of the interpreters finally couldn’t hold it and wet themselves with the murderous atmosphere of those who were glaring at me with reddened faces as if they would tear my mouth right now.

Karia, not to be outdone, put her hand on the sword at her waist. Everyone was acting as if a fight would break out at any moment, but the Sultan and I, who were actually conversing, were calm.

No. Beyond calm, we were overflowing with laughter.

The Sultan burst into laughter and waved his hand to calm the generals and ministers, and I also calmed Karia who was growling with her sword drawn.

“Interesting!! Very interesting!! If I choose the sword, I would suffer greatly?”

“Yes. Unless you break through another land trade route passing through the Lako Mountains, the Sultan’s army will have no chance against me. You could send elephants and an army of 500,000 via sea route, but during the nearly month-long sea journey, my wyverns would burn all the Sultan’s cities.”

“Correct! Hahaha!!”

“I might not know if you raise a dragon knight corps capable of facing the wyvern knight corps, but as everyone knows, dragons don’t live in the Western Continent. So if the Sultan goes to war, you will only suffer losses and fight a battle with no gain.”

The Sultan continued to laugh at me as I explained leisurely with a relaxed smile.

“I admit it. You are certainly not a foolish man. You are bold and wise. Having made all preparations thoroughly before approaching me, you cannot possibly be foolish. It would be unwise to choose the sword among the choices you’ve offered.”

“Yes. It would be foolish and would not help either the Western or Eastern Continents. It would only result in blood and tears, widows and orphans overflowing.”

“Then I’m curious about what the result would be if I chose gold. If I choose gold, what can you give me?”

At the Sultan’s words, I looked straight at him.

After changing my expression to a serious one, I delivered an even more insulting answer.

“I will make you a true Sultan of the Western Continent, not just a Sultan in name.”

“You bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

One of the Sultan’s generals who finally couldn’t stand it tried to draw his sword, but the Sultan stopped him.

“Explain. Let’s see if your tongue will save you or kill you. Are you saying I’m not a true Sultan now?”

“Yes. That’s right. Can you call something that’s forcibly stitched together from several pieces of cloth a garment?”

At my words, the Sultan’s expression became even more serious.

“Explain what you mean.”

“The Sultan unified the entire continent after toppling various cities and kingdoms of the Western Continent with elephants and armies. However, they are only nominally loyal to you, not truly acknowledging your rule. Rather, they probably harbor grudges and anger deep in their hearts.”

This was true. This was also how the protagonist of the original novel, Adran of the Gold, defeated the Western Continental army.

Realizing that various cities and kingdoms were only nominally pledging loyalty to Sultan Saladin, but in reality, were forcibly following him out of fear of his military might, Adran secretly sent spies to the Western Continent to instigate rebellion.

As if the numerous deaths and injuries from the long conquest wars weren’t enough, public resentment toward the Sultan had reached its peak as he set out to conquer the Eastern Continent.

Following Adran’s message that he would drag out the war to prevent the Sultan’s army and elephant corps from returning to the Western Continent, the cities of the Western Continent unanimously rose up against the Sultan.

Eventually, the Sultan lost control of the West, and his corps, without any supplies, slowly succumbed to disease and cold in the unfamiliar harsh weather of the Eastern Continent, ultimately facing defeat.

This was a passage that anyone who had read the novel would recognize.

‘Anyone could point out such problems. What’s important is the solution. How would you solve it?’

‘What makes a good ruler?’

To my sudden question, Saladin answered as if it were obvious.

‘A strong ruler is the best ruler.’

‘No, my Sultan. A true ruler is one who keeps their people well-fed.’

‘Your thinking differs from mine.’

‘I’m not saying your thoughts are wrong, Sultan. Yes, a strong ruler is needed. But there are no absolute answers in this world, Sultan. Yesterday’s right answer could be today’s wrong answer. In today’s Western Continent, in your Karamba Empire, what is needed – a strong ruler or one who feeds the people?’

A smile appears on the Sultan’s face.

‘Are you saying you can make my people well-fed?’

‘The Eastern Continent is a breadbasket. Unlike the Western Continent with its deserts and steppes unsuitable for farming, there is much land for growing grain. The people of the Eastern Continent don’t go hungry as often as those in the West where hunger is commonplace. I will send the surplus grain to the Western Continent. Distribute it to the people in your name.’

The Sultan bursts into laughter as if it’s utterly ridiculous. He laughed for quite a while, finding something extremely amusing.

‘Are you saying you have the ability to do this?’

‘The Emperor of the Eastern Continent trusts me greatly. And I have a firm grip on the Eastern merchants. Yes, if Your Majesty chooses gold over swords, I can make your people well-fed. And I will give the Sultan a very useful gift.’

‘What is it?’

I unfold a map from my chest. It was a map of the Western Continent.

I pointed to Dagamba, the city closest to the Rako Mountains among the various cities marked on the map.

‘It’s a city famous for commerce. I will make Dagamba the wealthiest city in the West. And send your strongest army here.’

‘Ho ho! And what happens then?’

‘I will make this city the center of trade between East and West. All the goods and grains flowing in from the East will spread throughout the Western Continent from this point. If you maintain a firm grip on this city, other cities will never be able to defy you.’

I added the finishing touch with a knowing smile.

‘Many regions in the Western Continent suffer from chronic famine. Most continental residents live off livestock, but there are many cities and kingdoms without pastures for grazing. The Eastern grain from Dagamba will be their salvation.’

I thumped the Dagamba marked on the map.

‘If a city or kingdom disobeys the Sultan? Instead of sending armies, make it impossible for them to trade with Dagamba. The rebellious rulers and city leaders will realize that hungry citizens are more frightening than the Sultan’s army.’

I paused briefly before concluding.

‘This is the gold I can offer to the Sultan. With this, you will become the true ruler of the West.’

‘Hahahahaha!!!! Excellent!! Very excellent!!!!!!!’

The Sultan burst into delighted laughter.

‘I rarely change my mind, but this time I cannot help but change it! Good!! Between sword and gold, I choose gold!! You said your name was Randor!!’

‘Yes, my Sultan.’

‘I acknowledge you as my brother!!’

The generals, ministers, and eunuchs around began to murmur at the Sultan’s words. I too smiled while looking at the Sultan.

‘To be the Sultan’s brother – what an honor. I only hope my humble opinion has pleased the Sultan. Will you withdraw your corps and permit trade?’

‘Hahahahaha!!! I like you!! Very well! I shall withdraw the corps! And grant permission for trade! Randor!!! My brother!!!!!’

The Sultan approached and grabbed my hand. I merely bowed my head respectfully.

Of course, I wore a broad smile on my face.

‘A feast!! My greatest concern has been resolved by a wise man!! Treat them as royal guests!!’

And so I, along with the ten interpreters and Karia, had to attend a Western-style feast. We had to spend time eating, drinking, dancing, and enjoying ourselves during the hardcore celebration that lasted nearly four days.

After repeatedly drinking too much, eating, vomiting, eating, and vomiting again, we were able to return to Elrond’s territory with loads of gold and silver bestowed by the Sultan.

‘How did it go?’

Karl Hansen, looking haggard as if he had been worried during our four-day absence, urgently asked me as soon as we returned to Elrond’s territory.

‘Bring every cart the merchant guild has.’

Instead of answering, that’s what I said.

‘From now on, Elrond’s territory will become the city that needs the most carts on the continent.’