I Became a Level -99 Vicious Lord

"I apologize for my unexpected visit at such a late hour, Count Tormund."

A thick bushy beard.

A large scar on the face.

He was…

‘Huh?'

Otto immediately recognized the person who had come to see Tormund.

‘Divine Spear Bayaba?'

Bayaba.

A master of spear techniques.

He was one of the foremost figures in the Cherokee Kingdom, a trusted confidant of King Kalmar, ranking among the top five in strength.

‘Kalmar has begun to make his move.'

Otto instantly understood why Bayaba had come to see Tormund.

‘He wants to keep us, Lota, in check as soon as he ascends the throne.'

The conversation unfolded as Otto had expected.

"Please forgive me for coming to you at such a late time of the night, as I must avoid prying eyes."

"Hehe. What brings you to me, Divine Spear?"

Tormund asked.

"Yes, Count Tormund. I'm here with a secret letter from His Majesty King Kalmar, who has just ascended the throne."

"King Kalmar's confidential message…"

"Let me see it."

Bayaba extended the confidential message, and Tormund broke the seal to examine its contents.

"Hmm."

Tormund's face hardened.

"This… you're asking for me to ally myself with an enemy kingdom? To sell my country to the Cherokee?"

"You need not think along those lines."

Bayaba soothed Tormund.

"As you know, there is no hope for the Kingdom of Loredin at the moment, and at this rate, the capital will soon fall to the Kingdom of Lota."

"Hmph."

"Since you can't even handle the rebellions that have broken out in various parts of the Kingdom, how are you going to stop the Lota Kingdom?" Bayaba questioned.

"….."

"In that case, it would be better to surrender to our Kingdom."

"What do you mean by better?"

"His Majesty King Kalmar."

Bayaba smiled.

"He is willing to recognize the autonomy of the Loredin Kingdom."

"…..!"

"Of course, it will be in the form of a vassal state, but the Kingdom will not be completely destroyed."

"Heok."

Tormund gulped at the enormity of the proposal.

Considering the current situation, turning the Kingdom of Loredin into a vassal state instead of destroying it was nothing short of an enormous act of mercy.

"Count Tormund, all you have to do is rally the nobles into a group favorable to my Kingdom, persuade the military commanders guarding the borders, and our army will be able to cross the border with ease, and you will have nothing to worry about after that."

"And what do you plan to do after that?"

"Our army will replace the Loredin Kingdom's army and drive the Lota Kingdom's forces from this land forever."

It was a tempting proposal.

Of course, the lands of the Loredin Kingdom would become a battleground between the Lota Kingdom Army and the Cherokee Kingdom Army.

"Our army is already prepared and in combat readiness, ready to launch an attack on the borders of the old Slaine Kingdom."

"Th-That!"

"It would be wise for you to surrender to your own kingdom now and maintain your Dynasty."

"No."

Tormund replied in disbelief.

"How can you come to me to discuss such an important matter, and not to His Majesty the King?"

"Count Tormund."

Bayaba chuckled.

"We know full well that the current king is not a man who would surrender to any Kingdom."

"…..!"

"The only person capable of proposing surrender is Count Tormund, who holds the trust of most of the nobles."

"Hahaha."

Tormund burst into a bitter laugh.

This meant that the Cherokee Kingdom had also completed gathering information on the political situation and key figures in the Kingdom of Loredin.

"And."

Bayaba continued.

"If you accept this offer, His Highness Kalmar will grant Count Tormund the title of Grand Duke."

"G-Grand Duke!"

"I believe this offer should satisfy Count Tormund sufficiently. Please consider it carefully and make a wise decision."

Meanwhile, Otto, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, was becoming increasingly anxious.

The proposal from the Cherokee Kingdom was so enticing that it seemed entirely plausible for Tormund to be completely swayed by it.

‘Isn't this situation getting complicated?'

While Otto was having such thoughts, the conversation between Tormund and Bayaba continued for quite some time thereafter.

The only good thing was that Count Tormund didn't give him a definitive answer.

"Could you give me about two days to think it over?"

"Of course."

Bayaba did not pressure Count Tormund.

"However, if the decision is delayed too long, it will also pose difficulties for us. The Lota Kingdom army is advancing towards the capital even as we speak."

"I will keep that in mind."

Count Tormund ended the conversation there and dismissed Bababa.

‘You're not going to bite this?'

Otto was surprised that Count Tormund did not readily accept the offered deal.

With such a tempting offer, it wouldn't have been unreasonable for Tormund to betray Otto right now.

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The next morning.

"Your Highness, are you awake?"

Count Tormund visited Otto.

Otto, unable to sleep due to eavesdropping on the conversation all night, tensed up as soon as he saw Tormund had come.

‘Am I about to be betrayed like this?'

If Tormund changes his mind now, Otto and Camille would undoubtedly find themselves in a very dangerous situation.

Of course, there were 100 magic swordsmen waiting nearby.

"Your Majesty."

Tormund addressed Otto.

"During the night, Knight Bayaba from the Cherokee Kingdom came to visit."

"What?"

Otto wasn't ‘pretending' to be surprised.

That was genuinely surprising to him.

Knowing that Bayaba had come wasn't that surprising.

However, Tormund admitting the truth about Bayaba's visit was definitely surprising to him.

"If it's Bayaba… isn't he a knight of the Cherokee Kingdom, a master spearman?"

Pretending not to know, Otto asked Tormund.

"That's correct, Your Majesty."

"Why did he come?"

"He came to persuade me to surrender to the Cherokee Kingdom."

"Hmm."

"To be honest, it was quite a tempting offer to me."

Surprisingly, Tormund recounted the conversation with Bayaba from last night to Otto, without missing a single detail.

"Why are you telling me all this?"

Otto asked.

"It must have been a hard temptation for you, Count Tormund, to refuse and I see no reason why you should tell me."

"There is."

Tormund responded.

"At least I don't want this land to become a battlefield."

"….!"

"If I surrender to the Cherokee Kingdom, this land will become a battleground between the Lota Kingdom and the Cherokee Kingdom. But if I surrender to Your Majesty, at least this land will not become a battleground."

Tormund was correct in his statement.

The Lota Kingdom army has already entered Lowredin and is engaged in conquest activities.

In contrast, the Cherokee Kingdom is deterred from making a move by the rugged terrain of the borderlands and the presence of the Loredin army.

In this situation, if they surrender and open their borders to the Cherokee Kingdom, it would only be a matter of time before the Loredin Kingdom would collapse.

"Our people are already exhausted from prolonged hunger. In this situation, I cannot turn this land into a battlefield to maintain the royal dynasty and to further enrich myself."

"Ah!"

Otto understood once again that Tormund was a true patriot.

For the sake of his people, he would refuse such a sweet offer.

Even if it meant betraying the Dynasty, it was a decision he couldn't make without a strong determination to not betray the people.

"Moreover, Your Majesty showed me trust by risking yourself and coming to me directly. How could I turn my back on such a person?"

"I am very grateful."

Otto squeezed Tormund's hand firmly, thinking it was the right decision to come to visit him in person.

"You have put your faith in me, and I will do my best to bring peace to this land." Otto promised.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will also do my best to live up to your expectations," Tormund replied.

"That's why I'm asking you to…."

Otto opened his mouth softly, a thought running through his mind.

‘If I do this right, this could be a boon.'

Tapping his mental calculator, it seemed like a golden opportunity to him.

"Could you surrender to the Cherokee Kingdom first?"

"Huh?"

Count Tormund blinked in confusion at Otto's sudden remark, but soon understood the meaning behind it. He then slapped his forehead in exclamation.

"N-No way!"

"Yes."

Otto nodded his head.

"In any case, the Cherokee Kingdom is a potential enemy. They've been looking for an opportunity to invade the Loredin Kingdom for a long time, and haven't they invaded it before?"

"T-That's right."

"Let’s nip it in the bud at this stage, if the Count does a good job, we can do a lot of damage to the Cherokee Kingdom

"Ah!"

Count Tormund was greatly impressed by Otto's impromptu strategy on the spot.

‘He plans to lure the Cherokee army and annihilate them!

If the plan goes through, the damage to the Cherokee Kingdom force will be enormous.

"Are you willing to try?"

Otto asked Count Tormund.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Count Tormund nodded his head.

"Leave it to me, my lord."

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The Cherokee Kingdom sent an emissary to Tormund to stir things up in Loredin, and they began to mobilize their forces in earnest.

Being a Kingdom with strong military power, they were capable of a diversionary tactic to attack both the mainland of the Lota Kingdom and the Loredin Kingdom at the same time.

The Cherokee Kingdom's army intended to launch a surprise attack on the border of the former Slaine Kingdom, forcing the Lota Kingdom's army that was attacking the Loredin Kingdom to pull back.

This was a calculated move that would give them the advantage in the war that was taking place inside Loredin's territory.

*Stomp!* *Stomp!* *Stomp!* *Stomp!*

Thus, the Cherokee Kingdom's army advanced boldly towards the borders of the former Slaine Kingdom.

This news quickly reached the ears of Helmut, the Border Commander.

"Your Majesty was indeed right!"

Helmut recalled Otto's instructions to strengthen border defenses and thought that the moment had come.

Not forgetting Otto's instructions, they had tripled the number of scouts. If they hadn't done so, wouldn't they have been completely unaware until the Cherokee Kingdom's army reached the border?

"All troops stand in formation and prepare for enemy attack."

"Aye, Commander!"

Helmut immediately prepared to welcome the Cherokee army.

That wasn't all.

"General Amukan."

"Yes, Commander."

Helmut called Amukan aside and gave him his orders.

"Prepare to lead your cavalry and disrupt the rear of the Cherokee Kingdom at once"

"Leave it to me!"

The cavalry of the Lota Kingdom's army was composed of nomadic warriors from the Haver Prairie and Tatar-bred steeds, possessing unparalleled mobility and combat power.

Amukhan's cavalry was a force that rivaled, if not surpassed, that of any other great power.

Given their capabilities, turning the rear of the Cherokee Kingdom into a chaotic mess was not an impossible task.

Of course, there would be significant risks involved in advancing deep into enemy territory, so it certainly wouldn't be easy.

*Tacata!!* *Tacata!!* *Tacata!!*

Nevertheless, the Amukan and the nomadic warriors set out without a single word of complaint.

They were fierce and belligerent people, who revel in danger and never feared it.

While Helmut made preparations for war.

*Stomp* *Stomp* *Stomp*

The Cherokee Kingdom's army boldly crossed the border and advanced into the Lota Kingdom.

Toward the fortress where ‘He' Helmut stood.

** ** **

TL/N:

1. Decided to change Clip-clop into Tacata! for this one. (Credits to James Chapman)