After being tied up by the royal guards again, I was dragged out of the underground dungeon. As we exited, a group of soldiers approached us. Judging by their insignia, they weren’t part of the royal guards but had likely been drafted to guard the palace during the war.

“We’ll take over from here,” one of them said firmly.

“Oh, uh, sure,” the guards replied.

The soldiers, holding their spears tightly, exuded an intimidating presence that made the guards flinch. Andrei had already left ahead of us, so the guards hesitated before finally handing me over.

“Are you alright, sir?” the man leading the group asked once the royal guards were gone.

“I’m fine,” I replied.

“Damn those nobles…” one of the soldiers muttered under his breath.

As they escorted me into the palace, the soldiers whispered encouragement, their loyalty evident. They guided me to a guest room within the palace and quickly disappeared.

Was this their own doing? Or was there someone higher up pulling the strings?

I didn’t have much time to ponder it, as a group of palace maids soon entered the room.

“Wow, it’s really him!” one of them exclaimed.

“Viktor! I’ve always wanted to meet you!” another chimed in.

They practically carried me to the bath, despite my weariness.

“We’ll take care of everything! No need to respond!” one maid said cheerfully.

Once I was in the large tub, they expertly stripped off my dust-covered clothes and began washing away the grime clinging to my body.

“Look at his hair! It’s all damaged,” one maid observed.

“And his skin is so rough! What happened in the dungeon?” another asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Though their chatter faded in and out as I relaxed in the warm water, I didn’t pay it much mind. The maids, despite likely being daughters of noble families, were surprisingly gentle and kind.

Once they finished cleaning me, they helped me dress in an elaborate military uniform and guided me back to the room. After they had left, I glanced down at the royal military uniform they had dressed me in. It was much fancier than anything I wore on the battlefield, where comfort and practicality were more important than formality.

As I sat down, another older maid approached, placing a bowl of soup before me.

“Please eat something.”

Though I wasn’t particularly hungry after so long without eating, the smell of the soup was enticing. I picked up the spoon and carefully took a sip, and the maid smiled in satisfaction before bowing and leaving the room.

“Hmm,” I mused.

This level of care was unexpected. Even when I visited the palace in my role as commander, I had never been treated like this.

It wasn’t the nobles’ doing. They were the ones who wanted to get rid of me, after all. And Andrei certainly hadn’t planned for me to be treated like royalty. It had to be the soldiers and the maids themselves, perhaps out of personal admiration.

I hoped they wouldn’t get into trouble for showing me such kindness.

“Phew…” I sighed.

Despite the situation, their support lifted my spirits. It gave me confidence, a renewed belief that my decisions so far had been the right ones.

They had shown me courage, and I would honor that. After finishing the soup, I leaned back in the plush chair and closed my eyes.

---

*Bang, bang, bang!*

A loud knock startled me awake. Judging by the sunlight streaming through the window, I hadn’t been asleep for long, yet I felt as if I had rested for an entire day.

“Viktor! Are you in there?” a familiar, brash voice called out.

I sighed.

Without waiting for a response, Andrei barged into the room.

“Hiding in here, are you? Your guests are waiting in the hall!”

“The negotiations…” I began.

“They’ve already finished. Finally, the day has come,” Andrei said, practically gloating.

His energy was through the roof, while the royal guards who followed him into the room seemed far less enthusiastic. Once again, Andrei was holding a bundle of ropes, his obsession with restraining me apparently still alive and well.

Dressed in shining ceremonial armor and wielding ornate swords, Andrei and his men looked impressive. But it was obvious to me—and likely to anyone with experience—that they had never been in a real battle. The way they wore their gear and moved was all wrong, betraying their lack of combat experience.

I pinched my thigh, shaking off any remaining drowsiness.

From now on, I had to stay sharp. First impressions were crucial, and I needed to carefully craft how I presented myself to the empire.

“You’re probably too weak to stand after skipping so many meals. Help him up,” Andrei commanded his men.

The moment I heard him say that, my mind raced. How should I present myself to the imperial delegation?

Did I have anything to feel guilty about? Anything to fear from these people? The ones who had come were from the emperor’s faction, so no.

Was I truly so weak that I needed help to stand? Despite the lack of food and sleep, I felt fine. In fact, after that soup, I felt better than ever.

And what was my current image? So far, the empire had only heard of my military achievements. They knew very little about me as a person. Likely, the delegation saw me as a competent general of the Ruth Kingdom, nothing more.

In that case, the way I behaved now would shape their perception of me going forward. I quickly made my decision.

I would be the stoic, loyal commander, unwavering even in the face of adversity. A man who would not bend or bow easily, no matter the circumstances.

“Understood—” one of the guards started, but I cut him off.

“No.”

Before the guards could approach, I stood up from my chair.

---

The soldiers standing nearby hesitated, unsure of how to react. Despite being tied up for days, I moved with purpose, showing no signs of weakness. The guards, already intimidated by my reputation, were too stunned to make a move.

“I’ll walk myself,” I said firmly.

“What the—” Andrei sputtered.

Still reeling from our earlier encounter, Andrei tried to regain control, furious that his men were so easily cowed by my presence.

“I said—” he began, but I cut him off again, stepping closer to him.

Andrei was completely confused. The guards he had sent to confine me had reported losing me to strange soldiers, and it had taken him hours to locate me among the palace’s many guest rooms. To make matters worse, here I was, freshly cleaned and dressed, staring him down as though I had never been captured in the first place.

My voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone as I approached. “I said, I will walk.”

Though Andrei was surrounded by his guards, he couldn’t maintain eye contact. My words, spoken with cold authority, silenced him. The guards, though larger than me and dressed in heavy armor, took an involuntary step back, unnerved by the tension in the room.

“I’ll go myself,” I repeated, stopping just in front of Andrei.

“F-Fine! Fine!” Andrei finally snapped, stepping aside and shouting in frustration.

Without another word, I strode out of the room, Andrei and his guards trailing behind me. 

As we made our way through the palace corridors, Andrei barked at passing servants and guards, trying to save face. But even they couldn’t hide their amusement, sneaking glances at him while pretending to bow out of the way.

Unable to do anything else, Andrei seethed with frustration, his impotent rage simmering.

---

Moments later, we arrived at the massive, ornate doors of the palace’s main hall, where the negotiations had taken place.

“This is the place,” Andrei muttered, still fuming.

Just as he reached for the ropes to restrain me once again, I stepped forward and pushed the doors open myself. Stunned, Andrei froze in place, the ropes still in his hands.

As the doors swung open, a wave of whispers rippled through the hall. Ruth Kingdom nobles, clustered on the left side of the throne room, were caught off guard. Viktor, who should have been dragged in, bound and defeated, was instead walking in confidently, dressed in his military best. On the right side of the hall, the imperial delegation, clearly intrigued, watched with interest as I made my entrance.

Andrei and his guards followed me inside, but they remained quiet, unwilling to make a scene in front of so many eyes.

Ignoring the stares, I walked straight toward the throne, where the young king sat.

Standing next to the king was Count Vladimir Sabinkov, who glanced at Andrei with a sigh that seemed to convey a mixture of frustration and disappointment.

“Commander of the Ruth Kingdom Army, Viktor. Reporting in,” I said, dropping to one knee in front of the king and bowing my head.

The young king, clearly confused by the situation, darted his eyes around the room. This was not what the nobles had prepared him for. Unable to react on his own, he cast a pleading glance toward Count Sabinkov, but the count offered no assistance.

“...Stand,” the king finally stammered after a long, uncomfortable silence.

“Your Majesty,” I responded, rising to my feet.

As I stood, I scanned the room, noting the nobles who avoided my gaze, shifting nervously or looking away. The imperial delegation watched me with curiosity, their eyes lingering on me as if assessing a valuable asset.

Having seized the attention of everyone in the hall, I spoke again.

“Your Majesty

, as the commander of the kingdom’s army, I have important matters to discuss regarding the war.”