A Treacherous Courtier Manages the Empire Well

7 – Roasting the Sultan

The horizon was filled with a formidable army of fifty thousand elephants, their very presence enough to intimidate anyone. I looked up at the commanding figure overseeing the vast army that covered the grassland. It was a man who appeared arrogant, his imposing figure perched on a luxurious howdah carrying dozens of people.

“The unifier of the Western continent. The eternal ruler, Sultan Saladin Al-Din! Bow your heads!!!”

It was Sultan Saladin. The person next to him, who seemed to be an official, shouted, and the interpreters conveyed his words.

“Please bow your heads. Sultan Saladin does not tolerate anyone who challenges his dignity.”

The interpreters added as they translated, but I did not bow. Kalia, who had followed me, also did not bow. This sight made the Sultan’s eyebrows twitch. Strangely enough, Sultan Saladin’s eyebrows were connected, making their movements appear extremely fierce.

The interpreters, pale-faced at my defiance, hastily spoke.

“It is advisable to bow your head. Lord Randor!”

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“I will only bow to my Emperor, tell that to the Sultan.”

The interpreters almost turned into corpses with their pale expressions, but I urged them to continue interpreting.

Eventually…

“This man will bow only to his Emperor!”

The interpreters conveyed my words. The official standing beside the Emperor, infuriated, burst into anger.

“How dare this man!!!…”

“Enough.”

The Sultan raised his hand, silencing the official. Then, he stared straight at me.

“You are an interesting person. I like your audacity. What is your name?”

Trembling, the interpreters conveyed his words, and I replied with a smile at his remark.

“My name is Randor. I am someone who holds a sword in one hand and gold in the other.”

The interpreters, shocked and awestruck by my words, looked at me. But I remained calm, gesturing for them to convey my message.

Upon hearing those words through the interpreters, Sultan Saladin suddenly burst into laughter.

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

Seeing the Sultan’s laughter, I smiled along. I straightened my back even more confidently, opened my mouth to speak, and thanks to the interpreters who had conveyed my words despite trembling, Saladin Sultan and I were able to have a conversation without difficulty.

“I have a hundred dragons and one Guardian Dragon. I also have an army of two hundred thousand.”

“If you think you can stand against thousands of elephants and a half a million army under my command, as someone who holds a sword, then you may do so.”

“If Your Excellency chooses a sword over gold, then so be it. Just as Sultan presented surrender or resistance as my options, I also present two choices to Sultan. It is Sultan’s decision whether to choose the sword or the gold.”

The interpreters, with expressions akin to zombies, cold sweat streaming down their faces, conveyed my words. But I remained calm. I knew Sultan well. He was a conqueror and had great pride, but ironically, he often acknowledged those who displayed confidence similar to his own.

As I had expected, the smile on the Sultan’s face was growing deeper as time went by.

“You dare offer me a choice, Jhim? I am curious whether you are foolish or bold.”

“If you choose the sword, I will explain what will happen, and if you choose the gold, I will explain what will happen. May I explain if it is alright with you?”

“Explain.”

In response to the Sultan’s words, I pointed to the 200,000 loyal legionnaires standing in the plain.

“If you choose the sword, they will all enter the trade route and begin a protest. The Sultan’s elephant legion that has trampled numerous cities and the army numbering over 500,000 will become useless. It may be effective in conquering cities or waging war on the plains, but the Sultan’s army is not suitable for breaking through this narrow place.”

“Continue.”

“And in the meantime, I will send dragons and wyverns to burn the Sultan’s cities. The Sultan’s cities will be destroyed by the flames falling from the sky. It’s impossible for even the Sultan’s strongest bow to harm the dragons’ scales. The Sultan will be defeated unilaterally, and I will destroy everything unilaterally.”

The expressions of the courtiers, generals, and officials around the Sultan became grim. Several interpreters couldn’t help but wet themselves and soil their pants, glaring at me with fierce, reddened faces as if they would tear me apart at any moment.

Karia also grasped the sword at her waist, and everyone was ready to fight at any moment. However, the Sultan and I, who were having a conversation, remained calm.

No.

Not just calm, but overflowing with laughter.

The Sultan burst into laughter and waved his hand to calm the generals and officials, and I also calmed Karia, who growled with the sword in her hand.

“It’s interesting!! Very interesting!! If I choose the sword, I will suffer a tremendous loss, right?”

“That’s correct. Unless you open another overland trade route through the Lako Mountains, the Sultan’s army will not stand a chance against me. You could send the elephants and the 500,000 soldiers over the sea, but during the month it takes to cross the sea, my dragons will burn all of the Sultan’s cities.”

“You speak the truth! hahahahaha!!”

“Unless you cultivate a dragon knight order that can confront the wyvern knight order, I’m not sure. But as everyone knows, there are no dragons living on the Western Continent. Honey Sultan will only suffer losses and never gain anything from fighting.”

Seeing me calmly explain with a relaxed smile, the Sultan continued to laugh, unable to understand what was so amusing.

“You are right. You are not a foolish person. You are a bold and wise individual. You wouldn’t come to see me after thoroughly preparing everything if you were foolish. Choosing the sword among the options you presented would be a foolish act.”

“Yes. Choosing the sword would be foolish and would not benefit either the Western or Eastern Continents. It would only result in blood and tears. The widows and orphans would overflow.”

“In that case, I am curious what the result would be if you choose the gold. What can you give me if you choose the gold?”

I looked straight at the Sultan in response to his words.

After changing my expression to serious, 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, unable to contain himself any longer, drew his sword, but the Sultan stopped him.

“Explain. Let’s see if your cleverness will save or kill you. Are you saying that I am not a true Sultan at this moment?”

“Yes. That’s correct. Can you even call the garment forcibly sewn together from many pieces of fabric an actual piece of clothing?”

As I spoke, the Sultan’s expression became even more serious.

“Explain what you mean.”

“The Sultan unified the entire continent after destroying the cities and kingdoms of the western continent with his elephants and army. However, they are not truly recognizing the Sultan’s rule, but merely showing nominal loyalty to him. On the contrary, they hold resentment and anger deep in their hearts.”

This was true. This was also how Adran, the protagonist of the original novel, defeated the Western Continent Army.

Adran, who realized that many cities and kingdoms showed only nominal loyalty to Sultan Saladin and actually followed him out of fear of his power, secretly sent spies to the Western Continent to incite rebellion.

The hatred towards Sultan, who dared to conquer even the Eastern Continent amidst the long conquest wars that had already caused countless deaths and injuries, had reached its peak.

Upon hearing Adran’s words that he would do everything in his power to prevent Sultan’s army and elephant corps from returning to the Western Continent, the cities of the Western Continent rose up in unison, showing their opposition to Sultan.

In the end, Sultan lost control over the West and his army, without any supplies, suffered from diseases and cold in the unfamiliar weather of the Eastern Continent, eventually suffering a defeat.

This was a crucial scene that anyone who had read the novel would know.

“That’s a problem that anyone can point out. What’s important is the solution. How would you solve it?”

“What makes a good ruler?”

Saladin answered as if it was obvious to him, in response to my sudden question.

“A strong ruler is the best ruler.”

“No, not necessarily. It is the Sultan who satisfies the people that is the true ruler.”

“Our thoughts differ.”

“It’s not that Sultan’s thoughts are wrong. Yes, a strong ruler is necessary. But there is no correct answer in the world. Sultan, what is needed for your Karamba Empire in the current Western Continent? A strong ruler or a ruler who satisfies the people?”

A smile formed on Sultan’s face.

“Do you have the ability to satisfy my people?”

“The Eastern Continent is a fertile land. Unlike the Western Continent, which is unsuitable for farming due to its deserts and grasslands, there are plenty of lands suitable for cultivating crops. The people of the Eastern Continent do not starve as much as the people of the Western Continent, for whom hunger is a daily occurrence. I will send surplus grains to the Western Continent. Please distribute them to the people in the name of the Sultan.”

Sultan burst out laughing, as if finding it ridiculous. He laughed for a while, not knowing what was so funny.

“Are you saying you have the ability to do that?”

“The Emperor of the Eastern Continent trusts me immensely. And I have a firm grip on the Eastern Continent’s merchants. Yes, if Your Majesty chooses gold over the sword, I can satisfy the Sultan’s people. And I will also give you a very useful gift, Sultan.”

“What is it?”

I took out a map from my pocket and unfolded it. It was a map of the Western Continent.

I pointed to the city closest to the Laiko Mountains among the various cities marked on the map. It was Dagramba.

“It is a city famous for trade. I will make Dagramba the wealthiest city in the West. And please send your strongest army to this place, Sultan.”

“hahahaha! What will happen then?”

“I will make this city the center of trade between the West and the East. All the goods and grains pouring in from the East will spread throughout the Western Continent, starting from this city. If you firmly hold onto this place, other cities will not be able to resist the Sultan.”

I smiled with confidence and drove the wedge in.

“Many regions of the Western Continent suffer from chronic hunger. There are countless cities and kingdoms that rely on livestock for food, but lack the grasslands for herding. The Eastern Continent’s grains will be their salvation.”

I thumped my finger on Dagramba drawn on the map.

“If there are cities or kingdoms that do not listen to Sultan’s words, instead of sending an army, make sure that the city cannot trade in Dagramba. The rebellious rulers and city leaders will realize that the hungry people are scarier than Sultan’s army.”

I took a moment to rest before finishing.

“This is the gold that I can offer to the Sultan. With this, the Sultan will become the true ruler of the Wild West.”

“hahahahaha!!!!! Excellent!! Very excellent!!!!!!!”

The Sultan burst into laughter, filled with joy.

“I don’t change my mind often, but this time I cannot help but change my mind! Wonderful!! Choose gold over swords!! Randoor, was it?!”

“Yes, Sultan.”

“I acknowledge you as my brother!!”

At the Sultan’s words, the generals, advisors, and officials surrounding him began to cheer. I too, smiled and looked at the Sultan.

“To be called the Sultan’s brother. It is an honor. I hope my humble suggestion has pleased the Sultan. Will you defeat the Sultan’s legion and allow the trade?”

“hahahahaha!!! It pleases me indeed!! Excellent! Defeat the legion! And I will grant permission for trade! Randoor!!! My brother!!!!”

The Sultan approached me and grabbed my hand. I politely bowed my head.

Of course, I had a smirk on my face.

“It’s a feast!! The biggest concern of Jim has been solved by the wise man!! Treat them as the king’s guests!!”

And me, and the ten interpreters. Kalia had to be invited to the grand feast of the western continent. For four days straight, we had to eat, drink, dance, and enjoy ourselves at the hardcore feast.

After drinking and vomiting repeatedly, we were able to return to the Elond Territory with the treasury of gold and silver provided by the Sultan.

“What happened?”

As soon as we returned to the Elond Territory, Carl Hanson, with a worried expression on his face, urgently asked me why I had not returned for four days.

“Bring all the merchant guild’s carriages.”

Instead of answering him, I said that.

“Now, Elond Territory will become the city with the most carriages in the continent.”