I, who was eager to retire, became an Imperial General.

Chapter 268 The Desire to Invest, the Demon King Candidate Achieves a Win-Win Situation
"..."

Watching Ram walk away, John felt not only powerless, but also confused and bewildered.

In fact, in his existing memories, his impression of Ram was limited to the fact that he had discussed academics and magic with her, and most of the time it was Ram who took the initiative to ask him questions.

But one day, for some unknown reason, the other party's attitude towards him changed drastically, and they eventually cut off all contact.

As for Professor Barn, whom the other party had just mentioned, and the matter of giving up his first candidate for Demon King, he had absolutely no recollection of it.

He had never heard of the name Johann von Maslow that Ram mentioned.

"The most crucial point is that when I was fooling Bob, I just made up a candidate for Minister of the Eye of Truth. How did I suddenly become the top candidate for Demon Lord, and even get rejected?"

"Furthermore, the matter of the drow elves is also problematic. I only fabricated the history based on the plot information, so how did I actually create a story of recognizing my ancestors when I went to explore Galil? And how did I even obtain two drow elf artifacts because of it?"

"What the hell is going on here?"

Surely you can't have some kind of cheat code that guarantees success, right?
If that were the case, then if I wished to become an Imperial General, displaying great military prowess and never retiring...

Wouldn't that be enough to jinx yourself into becoming a government executive officer and successfully retire in just three years?
"That's a bit too much..."

John rubbed his temples, looking somewhat troubled, his handsome face filled with melancholy and helplessness.

However, he also knew that the situation in Faokeng had completely slipped out of his control. If nothing unexpected happened, the orcs of the Saga Kingdom would only grow more hateful towards the Empire under the indiscriminate bombing by the conservatives.

Correspondingly, the challenges of governing the Faoken region after the war will increase unprecedentedly.

The thought that his policies would not only fail to gain traction but would also face strong resistance from local residents was unbearable.

John felt an uncontrollable throbbing pain in his head.

This is truly a terrible development!

John sighed inwardly. Just as he was about to bid farewell to Irias with a heavy heart, arrange for his troops to rest and recuperate in the Golden Lion Territory, and inquire about the situation of Bob's Third Navy, he was filled with worry.

The next second, Irias's voice slowly entered his ears:

"Major John, it seems that your story with Major General Ram is more extensive than I know. To be honest, I was quite surprised to hear that the Ice Prison Executioner was once your follower."

Looking at John's worried face, Arias's expression was full of amusement. However, before John could try to brush him off with old grievances, Arias said something that left John stunned:
"However, I have no interest in knowing about the story between you and Major General Ram, who were classmates. Rather than such personal matters, I have a collaboration I'd like to discuss with you. I wonder if you'd be interested?"

Cooperation?

Upon hearing this word, John paused abruptly, a sense of unease creeping into his heart.

But after careful consideration, he didn't refuse outright. Instead, he tentatively asked the other party:

"May I ask, Commander, what kind of cooperation are you referring to?"

"It's very simple. I want you to give up some military merits for my good-for-nothing son in order to save face for the Beatrice family. After all, even if I use vague words to erase the fact that Dolan was cowardly, and His Majesty William does not pursue the matter, without actual merits, the other nobles of the empire can know the inside story simply by checking the military intelligence report."

"In addition, my forceful use of the Divine Revenge Order has already displeased the Conservative Party, so I am somewhat worried that they will use this as an excuse to put pressure on His Majesty William and thereby strip the Beatrice family of their current power."

Seeing John frowning in thought, Irias paused slightly, then added:

"Of course, I know that transferring military merits is an insult to a genius commander like you, so I will give you appropriate compensation."

"In fact, as a rising star of the Reform Party, and having experienced obstruction and even assassination attempts from the Conservative Party in Walden and Faoken, you must be very aware that even though you have won amazing merit for the Empire this time through your wisdom."

"However, given the current intensity of partisan politics in the empire, even if His Majesty William and the reformers value you highly, it is unlikely that you will receive a reward that truly matches your achievements after you return to the capital."

"Even if one obtains the corresponding military rank and command, a great deal of time will be needed afterward to screen and purge any potential spies within the unit. Furthermore, during the training phase of the new army, various problems may arise, causing significant delays in the formation of the unit. There may even be instances where generals disobey orders, ultimately leading to unexpected defeats when leading troops into battle against the enemy due to the incompetence and betrayal of their subordinates."

"But if you choose to accept my invitation to cooperate, I can offer you three corresponding compensations in my capacity as the current patriarch of the Beatrice family, the former commander-in-chief of the Imperial Rhine Military District, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Empire, and the current senior professor of the Army Department of the Imperial Rhine Military Academy."

Meeting John's surprised and uncertain gaze, Irias smiled slightly, then extended his index finger and spoke calmly:

"First, I can leverage my existing political power and the connections with the vassal nobles to secure the honors and rewards commensurate with your upcoming appointment, and also resolve any potential unrest from the conservative faction that may arise later."

"Secondly, I can use the connections I've built up over the past thirty years in the military region and teaching resources, and even directly mobilize the students I personally teach to join you or serve under your army. And if we maintain a good and mutually supportive relationship, I can swear to you in the name of the honor of the Beyat family that they will never be disloyal to you."

"Third, I can use the resources of the Beatrice family to provide you with continuous financial support under the guise of business cooperation, as well as a large amount of military supplies that can equip five army groups, with guaranteed quality and quantity, and absolutely no defective products. I can even apply for no fewer than five super-ranked high-level magic specialists under the pretext of providing commercial technical guidance to conduct intensive training for your new recruits for no less than three months."

"Of course, you may need to provide the funding for the latter's hiring yourself, since I have now retired from the military, and not all the conservatives are idiots."

"While I would very much like to see the Beatrice family engage in deeper cooperation with you, it's best to be cautious in such matters to avoid potential risks and unforeseen circumstances, wouldn't you say?"

Seeing John's pupils constrict and his face filled with astonishment and surprise, Irias realized that his offer had successfully swayed the legendary major. A smile crept across his face, but his tone remained calm.
"So, Mr. John von Maslow, what are your thoughts on the cooperation I just proposed?"

What do I think?
What the hell can I think?
If you were to dump this huge cake on me, if I had even a little bit of a spine, I'd probably kneel down on the spot right now and tearfully tell you, 'Godfather, I want to take care of you in your old age!'

"But why did Irias suddenly change his tune and take the initiative to befriend me? Moreover, in the story, wasn't Irias Beatrice's profile always described as cautious, selfish, ruthless, and having a keen eye for investment?"

"Wait, a keen eye for investment?"

John was startled by the thought of the other party's attribute, and then a thought that he himself found absurd arose in his mind:

Could it be that the reason Old Deng chose to invest in him, besides recognizing his leadership abilities, was because of something else?

The most crucial point is not because Ram's previous words revealed that he had been appointed by Principal Deng as a candidate for the next Demon King, but voluntarily gave up this right of succession.

So, with the combined support of strategic talent and personal combat talent, he finally decided to provide unprecedented support to himself?

John, who vaguely guessed the reason for Irias's change in attitude, was filled with disbelief.

However, his guess was actually correct.

Because, ever since I heard Ram reveal John's past in a fit of resentment and disappointment.

Irias then precisely targeted the terms 'Demon King's Trial' and 'First Successor'.

As a veteran Grand Rank powerhouse of the Empire, or rather, a former Grand Rank powerhouse.

Even now, with the development of the times, the strength of an individual seems insignificant in the face of the weaponization of magic and the rapid progress of magical technology.

However, as someone who has reached the pinnacle of power in the eyes of ordinary people, Irias clearly knows that a Grand-level being can still change, or even determine, the course of an entire large-scale battlefield.

As the undisputed strongest being among the Grand Rank in the previous era, Trolowski, known as the Demon King, could easily annihilate a great nation within days, regardless of enemy armies, provided his magical resources were plentiful. After all, the Empire's current terrifying territory of over 3000 million square kilometers owes its existence to the 1086 million square kilometers of land successfully conquered by this Demon King.

Unlike sending magic soldiers to forcibly occupy land, which would render the land unusable and render it an invalid territory, this method also applies to other land-use systems.

The Demon King's Legion, led by Trolowski, not only left the territories conquered for the Empire unpolluted, but also preserved a large number of buildings, people, minerals, and other resources.

Apart from Heliostra, the capital of the already destroyed Kingdom of Eranas, which was destroyed along with the city by an unprecedented forbidden spell cast by the enraged Demon King after someone successfully assassinated Trolowski's newborn daughter.

The capitals of the Kingdom of Mosa Thur and the Kingdom of Lunas, which were successfully conquered by the Empire in the last century, have been preserved intact. After eighty years of cultural integration and the intimidation of the Demon King's absolute power, they have been perfectly integrated into the Norman Empire and have identified themselves as imperial citizens.

Single-handedly, he successfully added half of the empire's territory within a century; this is the true value of the title "Demon King."

Even though times have changed, the Allied forces have developed so-called magical technology units and even shown signs of developing other technologies.

But in Irias's view, these so-called technologies are nothing but paper tigers that crumble at the slightest touch in the face of true power.

Even though everyone knows that Trolowski, the former Demon King, is nearing the end due to the curse that prevents superhumans from living forever, and it is unknown how much longer he can live.

However, as long as the other side continues to exist, its Demon King Legion, independent of the Empire, will always remain loyal, and even if the allied forces were given a hundred times the courage, the other side would never dare to launch a full-scale attack on the Empire.

After all, even though the empire is currently engaged in constant border wars, most of the war zones are not within the empire's existing territory, but rather in the territory of enemy countries.

Therefore, even if the territory was captured by the enemy, it was only because the conquered territory could not be defended, and the empire's existing resources were not fundamentally damaged.

This is the fundamental reason why the conservative party dared to betray its own intelligence to the enemy during wartime in order to fight for factional interests.

Because the empire has ample resources to bleed itself dry, even if it significantly reduces its own military strength, as long as one of the two parties completely eliminates the other and achieves final party unification.

What awaits the Allied forces then is the arrival of the iron hooves of the imperial conquests of the previous era.

Before the previous Demon King died, he successfully identified a successor and passed the Demon King's test, obtaining a total military force of 300 million. Due to the promise of the previous emperor, he has always maintained a high degree of autonomy and the right to inherit the Demon King's army.

With the terrifying fighting power of the Demon King's army, which has been poised for battle for forty years and has not yet set out on a campaign, the empire will surely usher in an even more glorious era than it has today!
And it was precisely because he saw this clearly that, after learning that John had once been considered Trolowski's top candidate for Demon King, but had refused for some unknown reason.

That's why Irias didn't hesitate to make an unprecedented investment in John personally in such an almost all-in manner.

He wasn't gambling; rather, he chose to believe in the vision of the former Demon King, who, compared to himself—a eliminated Grand-ranked powerhouse—had once single-handedly shaken the entire world, crushed countless geniuses underfoot, and whose contemporaries had no one who could even come close to him.

Those who can catch the other party's eye are by no means ordinary geniuses.

Moreover, John has now proven the opponent's excellence with his talent in command.

If the other party still possesses the talent for power comparable to the previous Demon King, even if it's only half of that level, it would be enough for Irias to invest everything he owns in him.

Because this is an investment that is destined to have no losses and a return far exceeding the initial investment.

If handled properly, the Beatrice family might even surpass the other thirteen hero families besides Perus in the future. It's even possible that, due to the Allied forces' continuous development of anti-magic technology and the decline of magic soldiers, the Beatrice family could become the strongest family, surpassing the Caster family, when the next emperor ascends the throne.
This is the fundamental reason why Ireas invested in John!
"Of course, all of this is on the premise that John Maslow does not die before completing the Demon King's Trial, and even less that his progress is stopped by some accident."

"And to ensure this, I must make the corresponding arrangements."

"For this reason, we are willing to break with the conservatives in advance, or even forcibly take back the military power in our hands!"

Looking at John, who remained in shock and disbelief, Arias's smile remained unchanged, but his mind began to contemplate various possibilities and conduct risk assessments for the corresponding paths.

"..."

John was naturally unaware of Irias's thoughts.

Furthermore, due to what appears to be an unexpected lack of information, he has no way of knowing the true meaning behind the title of Demon King.

However, based on the existing intelligence analysis and multiple assessments of Irias's objectives, it was confirmed that the cooperation would be entirely beneficial to them.

Once he agrees, he will be closely bound to the Beatrice family, and even the useless Dolan will be included. In the future, he will need to take good care of him as the son of his sugar daddy.

After only a moment's thought, John readily agreed to Irias's invitation for cooperation, which seemed like a 'request' but was actually a 'support' offer:
"If the Beatrice family can truly provide me with the three types of support mentioned above, then I am willing to accept your cooperation and offer Lieutenant General Dolan a merit that is sufficient to prove the Beatrice family's achievements. For example, leading a force of less than three hundred men to successfully capture three cities of the Dark Moon Clan with sparse defenses in one night, and killing three enemy city lords. What do you say?"

“I was surprised that my son could be so brave, but since he has inherited the glorious bloodline of the Beat family, it is only natural that he can do so on the battlefield. I am very pleased.”

A hint of appreciation flashed in Elias's eyes as he listened to the terms John offered.

He knew very well that the honor of this victory was far greater than its actual effect. After all, compared to defeating a famous enemy general or leading troops to a great victory in a desperate counterattack, this victory, which involved taking advantage of the enemy's weak defenses and sneaking around to launch a surprise attack on the enemy's main force while they were engaged in battle with the enemy's main force, was more like an opportunistic act.

It was a merit that many generals disdained to take away.

But the Beat family needed this kind of empty fame, and the merit of such a flanking attack to capture a city, because of the forced march and the fact that it was not under the command of the general, would be more troublesome and difficult to prove afterward.

The Beat family only needed to arrange for their core troops to coordinate their testimonies, and with the cooperation of General Johann von Maslow, they could successfully establish that Lieutenant General Dolan had bravely led his troops in a surprise attack on the enemy city and captured three cities in succession.

Even if the conservatives suspect something, it will be difficult to find any useful clues.

In Irias's view, this arrangement was practically perfect.

Of course, this was just a small bonus; compared to his good-for-nothing son, he had much more faith in the young man in front of him.

It seems likely that his insightful investment will soon bring substantial returns to the Beatrice family as the company grows.

Thinking of this, Irias's smile deepened. Then, unusually, he abandoned his superior status and extended his right hand to the lowly major before him, speaking in a meaningful tone:

“My Lord John von Maslow, I am very satisfied with this cooperation, and I look forward to a win-win future for the Beatrice family and you.”

"And I believe that day isn't too far off, is it?"

"Yes, Mr. Ireas."

"Snapped!"

Inside the council hall, the smiling Marquis of Torture and the Demon King candidate with furrowed brows and a reserved yet slightly doubtful expression each grasped the other's hand.

At this moment, sunlight streamed through the window, filling the entire room and dispelling all the shadows, as if silently proclaiming a bright future.

……

(End of this chapter)