Dragon Raja: History Simulator

Page 24

“I made a mistake,” the emperor said, not looking at the flawless young woman beside him, but staring intently at the dark clouds outside the window. “A huge mistake.”

Lightning flashed across the sky, suddenly tearing through the dark, inky fabric, followed by a deafening roar of thunder. At that moment, torrential rain poured down, drenching the entire city.

Another pale bolt of lightning cleaved through the darkness obscured by the clouds, illuminating the faces of both the Emperor and Jormungandr with a deathly pale light.

At that very moment when the heavens and earth were enraged, the void at the end of the sky suddenly tore open, and the eight-legged steed Sleipnir stepped out from the crack. Its enormous body was even taller than the two archways of the palace. With each stomp of its iron hooves, the stone slabs beneath its feet cracked, spewing out dazzling sparks.

The deity, clad in dark iron armor and wielding a long spear, silently exuded a terrifying aura as he rode on horseback.

“Odin.” Jormungandr’s voice was a little hoarse. She hadn’t expected her brother to be so close to her at this moment.

"No," the emperor denied, looking at the familiar face approaching from afar. He felt little fear, but rather a sense of relief, as if he understood something.

“It is my chief steward—Odin.”

Chapter 49 The Inevitable Shot

Jormungandr was speechless. He had a hundred complaints he wanted to make, but looking at the terrifying aura emanating from the armored god in front of him, and considering that he himself had not yet evolved into the complete "Xia Mi" state, he ultimately suppressed his thoughts and only said one sentence.

"You're awesome!"

After saying that in an annoyed tone, the dragon girl immediately asked:

"So, my dear Emperor, now that you know my dear brother is coming, what preparations have you made?"

The dragon girl tensed up, her eyes fixed on the god who arrived with the sound of wind and thunder. A black scythe, exuding an aura of death, faintly appeared in her hand. She poked the golden crown on the emperor's head, and armor made of scales appeared on his body, clearly indicating that he was in combat mode.

It just looks like they're about to turn against each other.

After an initial moment of surprise, the emperor regained his composure. He calmly pushed aside the dragon maiden's black scythe, unconcerned about the golden spear raised high in the sky by the deity. He said indifferently:

"How could I, a mere half-blood, be qualified to participate in a war between dragon kings that would burn mountains and boil seas, Your Highness Jormungandr?"

The Emperor, seeing the somewhat exasperated Dragon Princess, patted the crown on her head, which had been slightly damaged by the scythe, and casually set it aside, feeling a sense of relief. Then, he gently covered the Dragon Princess's lips with a finger. A soft, trembling sensation followed.

“Your Highness Jormungandr, I know what you want to say, but this time it really wasn’t me trying to shift the blame,” the Emperor said, staring intently into the Dragon Girl’s bright golden eyes, which reflected his own dark pupils.

"Thinking about it carefully, compared to you, the Dragon King, is it that I, the puppet emperor, am more attractive to the Northern God King?"

Before the Dragon Girl could ponder this further, the Emperor had already slowly turned around. His movements were slow, and he did not yet have a crown on his head, but he was as majestic as if he were followed by a thousand troops.

At this moment, the God-King arrived. He was high above, riding an eight-legged steed, wearing armor, holding a long spear, and bringing thunder and a raging wind.

Full of hostility.

However, upon arrival, he stopped in his tracks. The armor on his head vanished like the wind, revealing his face as a sign of respect. Then, as if by divine intervention, he lowered his head to look at the two monarchs standing side by side in the palace. Surprisingly, the first person he looked at was not his long-lost sister, but the emperor.

"It's been a long time, Your Majesty."

"It has indeed been a long time," the emperor said, not at all surprised. Looking at the monarch standing outside the window, riding a divine horse that was suspended in mid-air, he was also somewhat moved.

“My dear subject… Petronius Maximus.”

Petronius Maximus, a name insignificant in the Senate, merely a member of an "ordinary" family who barely gained a seat through bloodline, is equally insignificant in later historical records. The only record he left for posterity is...

Emperor Valentian III was assassinated by this insignificant nobleman for defiling the wife of a minor nobleman, which led to the death of the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire who was generally considered to be "legitimate".

That's all.

It was precisely because of this that the emperor did not anticipate that such a person was actually Odin, the god-king, and thus entrusted him with the position of commander of the Praetorian Guard.

After all, in a sense, Maximus was the direct culprit behind the emperor's death, but he was also someone who had already revealed his identity.

This was still very important to the emperor, who was at a loss as to who was loyal and who was treacherous.

After several simulations, the emperor's biggest takeaway was that people's hearts are fickle; today's loyal ministers may be tomorrow's treacherous ministers, and those who harbor ulterior motives now may be loyal in the future.

Looking at it from afar, my great Rome was practically a place of "righteousness and prosperity," so how did it become like this?

In short, among the many ministers whose loyalty and treachery were difficult to discern, Maximus was one of the more "handsome" ones.

If he were truly just an ordinary person who assassinated the emperor out of anger, then the emperor hadn't even had a chance to defile his wife yet, so he had no reason to risk assassinating him.

If there really is a huge conspiracy behind him, then the time he chose to do so would be three years later, not now. At least for now, and based on the experience of previous simulations, he still seems "loyal".

But to everyone's surprise, this unassuming nobleman Maximus was actually the King of the Sky and Wind, hiding among humans.

The emperor himself was puzzled by this, not understanding why His Highness the Divine King had to "endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens".

Of course, this kind of future for Maximus...

No, Odin hadn't foreseen it, otherwise he wouldn't be so calm now. After seeing that the emperor recognized him, Odin just chuckled softly and then looked at the dragon girl behind the emperor.

"It's been a long time, my dear sister."

Jormungandr looked at the god-king before him, showing no sign of backing down, yet he had already shielded the emperor in front of him.

"Odin, is this a trap you've meticulously set for me?"

After some hesitation, the Dragon Girl finally believed the Emperor's explanation and thought that Odin had come to find her. As for why Odin was able to find her when she was hiding so well, and whether it had anything to do with the Emperor appointing Maximus as the commander of the Royal Guard, she did not intend to investigate further, since the Dragon Girl did not know this in the first place anyway.

“Yes, Jormungandr, you’ve always been like this, trusting no one. Only you could dare enter Rome,” Odin said calmly, looking at his bluffing sister. Beneath his armor was a strikingly handsome figure with long golden hair, blue eyes, and typical Gallic ancestry.

“You should know that I dare not face your brother Fenrir.”

Jormungandr sneered but did not object.

In mythology, Odin, the king of the gods who was preparing for Ragnarok all year round, lost his life to the giant wolf Fenrir before he saw the end of the twilight. He used his life to sing the climax of the twilight.

Dragons are a race that believes in destiny; history has already been written, in the past, in the present, and in the future.

For this reason, the one Odin targeted and feared most was Fenrir, the king of the earth and mountains, who was also the only dragon bone he devoured besides the White King.

Jormungandr understood this and didn't find it inexplicable that Odin was targeting her. She said:

"You came here targeting me, do you expect those mixed-race people to deal with my brother?"

“No need for that,” Odin replied politely, then raised his gleaming golden spear and aimed it at the dragon girl hiding behind the emperor.

Meanwhile, the city of Rome was ablaze with light, and golden points of light from St. Peter's Basilica shot into the sky before landing on the spear of the God-King. Monks and Roman nobles who had come here for solace knelt on the ground, murmuring, "God has come."

Odin, holding his spear, smiled as he looked at the dragon girl, whose face was pale.

“Sister, this is the end of your life.”

Then he looked at the emperor, still as polite as ever.

"Your Majesty, it is not your time to die yet. Perhaps you can prolong your life for a while longer."

After speaking, the God-King hurled the spear named Gangnir from his hand. In mythology, this spear was "always to hit," bringing with it the judgment of fate.

As the golden spear swept towards her, Jormungandr knew that this was the end of her life. Fortunately, she had already laid down her "eggs," so she didn't need to worry about eternal slumber.

With little resistance, the dragon girl slowly closed her eyes.

Chapter 50 The Song of the Nibelungs

"You've arrived." Attila sat on the bluestone, looking at the Templar Knights who were riding in, along with their leader Trijejus, Pope Leo I, and Elder Avinus, who spoke quietly.

His eyes held neither fear nor contempt; he looked at these people as if they were decaying weeds, his gaze as pure as clear water rather than that of a ruthless "Scourge of God."

Trijejus gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, remaining silent. If it weren't for Elder Avinus stopping him, he would have already charged forward.

Slaying the dragon was an unparalleled honor for him. Compared to these aging Secret Society elders, Trejejus still possessed a passionate heart.

However, his enthusiasm meant nothing to the Dragon King. The Dragon King didn't even look up at them, but simply swept his gaze over the crowd before dejectedly lowering his head again.

"Aetius didn't come."

Aetius was his friend, and even defeated him in the Battle of the Chalons. In Attila's mind, Aetius was also a very special opponent.

Pope Leo I coughed. They were currently in a boiling pool of mercury. The steam rising from the mercury was an indescribable poison, whether for these hybrids or for the Dragon King.

However, Attila the Dragon King sat by the pool of mercury and did not step into it himself, so this bit of poison gas was nothing to him.

The Templar Knights and these hybrids had all come with a death wish, and at this moment they had no time to care about these insignificant mercury mists.

Leo I looked at Attila and replied, “General Aetius is not fit to be here. If we die, he will continue to lead the people of the city in holding out.”

Attila laughed, looking at the mixed-race people whose faces showed a determination to die, and then slowly said, "Now, those in the city who are determined to die are probably all gathered here, right? Once you die, I think the city will surrender!"

Trijejus stepped forward first, his eyes filled with excitement, staring intently at the dragon king before him. Attila looked so ordinary now, completely different from the thin boy he remembered in the Roman court.

He couldn't help but shout, "Attila, do you remember me?"

Attila turned his gaze over, shook his head slightly, and said in a calm, soft voice, "I have no impression of you."

This is not an exaggeration. Although the Dragon King has an extraordinary memory, he would not deliberately remember those who are unimportant to him.

There is no doubt that Trijejus belongs to this category.

The Roman general took a deep breath, his face showing no displeasure at being slighted.

He gazed intently at Attila, looking into the man's dark eyes and the short robes commonly worn by the Huns, and said again in a deep voice:

“My name is Trijejus. Twenty years ago, in the Roman court, I struck you on the head with my sword, Attila. Do you remember?”

After saying that, Trijejus's lips curled into a mocking smile: "Attila, you have truly fallen now."

Twenty years ago, you were in the Roman court, and even with a sword to your head, you were still wearing a magnificent robe.

But look at you now, nestled among these barbarians, dressed in such tattered clothes, yet you shamelessly call yourself an emperor, when in fact you only dare to claim to be the emperor of these barbarians.

"If it weren't for Her Highness protecting you back then, hmph, I wouldn't have given you the chance to go back alive."

Trijejus's sarcastic words did not stir any ripples in Attila's heart. Instead, they acted like a key, unlocking the door to his memories and making him involuntarily recall the scene of his first encounter with Princess Honoria. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

He looked at the Roman general without the slightest hint of annoyance in his eyes.

Instead, he said sincerely, "I should thank you, but not because of those splendid robes and these tattered clothes I am in now, but because it was through you that I met Honoria."

Having said that, he slowly stood up, his gaze not falling upon the Romans who harbored such hostility towards him, but instead speaking in a deep voice:

“I know why you have come, and I know exactly why you have come, and you also know why I am here.”

At this moment, Elder Avinus shouted sternly, "You are here to destroy Rome! You have destroyed countless such kingdoms along your journey!"

Attila scoffed at this and said, "No, I only want to return to my homeland, and of course, to marry Honoria. It's just that you're in my way."

At this moment, Attila finally displayed the demeanor of a dragon king, instead of the foolish boy being bullied in the Roman court.

Leo I gazed at the dragon king before him and slowly said, "God told me that you will only bring destruction."

Attila remained nonchalant, replying calmly, "If that's what your god says, then he should have died long ago, he should have died long ago."