Chapter 108
I summoned the officers and relayed the news from the south.
"The south is in danger..."
"Even though the elves are a bit crazy, I didn't think they'd declare war on us to this extent."
"Is His Excellency Gerhart alright?"
"Considering the time it takes for a letter to reach here, battles might be ongoing right now."
"Oh no..."
The officers who mainly reacted to this news were those from Gerhart's 10th Corps.
"...So, do we have to withdraw from here?"
"It would be possible to capture Ordova Castle, but if they start abandoning the castle and fleeing, we won't have time to catch them."
"..."
I was disappointed too, but it couldn't be helped.
The Esperian Kingdom, already powerless and holed up in their capital, would take a long time to recover their strength, but the 'Black Dragon' can absorb the forces it directly defeats, so it grows in power very quickly.
Moreover, we'd have to face high-ranking orcs and elves who actively use magic, which would be difficult for soldiers who haven't yet been supplied with guns.
"It seems best to consider negotiation."
For now, the best course of action is to stamp them out directly before they grow larger.
"...Understood."
"If it's the Corps Commander's will, we'll follow."
The officers agreed with my opinion, but couldn't completely hide their disappointment.
So,
"Of course, the Esperian Kingdom will have to pay an appropriate price."
The Esperian Kingdom would have to prepare a price sufficient to alleviate our regrets.
"That's right. At the very least, they should definitely hand over the occupied territories to us."
"Shouldn't we secure up to the southern border?"
We will decide whether the price they've prepared is sufficient.
I discussed the negotiations with the Esperian Kingdom together with the officers.
***
Two days had passed since we promised the Esperian Kingdom, and,
"I've brought His Majesty's proposal."
Emilio visited again, carrying the king's letter.
"...I'd like only Corps Commander Viktor to read it."
He passed the letter to me with a strange whisper.
Curious about what content it contained to make him say that, I silently read the letter, but,
"...Haha."
The proposal contained in that letter was laughable just by looking at it.
"This isn't something I can decide alone, so I'll read it out."
"...!"
After skimming through the contents once, I stood up and began reading the letter aloud.
Emilio's face turned pale blue.
"First, we express deep regret for the series of military frictions with the Dragonian Empire. As the independent movements of the kingdom's nobles caused this situation, I hope not to continue this fight any further."
"Independent?"
"Huh..."
As the letter began with excuses from the very beginning, the officers' reactions were not good.
Even if it said they acknowledged responsibility and would do their best, it didn't hold much meaning in the current situation.
"...Therefore, as war reparations, we will pay 13% of annual revenue for 5 years, and we wish to hand over the main culprits who caused this situation to the Dragonian Empire, leaving them to your country's judgment."
I skipped over the numerous flowery words and praises written at the front that seemed to try to flatter me, and only read the important treaty contents.
"...We recognize Al Cante and the Vitabeya Plains up to the occupied territories, and La Tredo in the southern part of the kingdom as territory of the Dragonian Empire, and completely renounce sovereignty rights."
"..."
"...This seems to be the king's official proposal so far."
When I paused the reading for a moment, Emilio looked at me with a bright expression, but,
"There's more content below."
When I mentioned the additional content written separately below, his face quickly turned pale.
"...We will pay 13% of the revenue, but if Corps Commander Viktor wishes, it will be written in the official document that we pay 12% of annual revenue. We wish to coordinate the delivery process and method later. ...it says."
"!"
The officers' eyes widened at the blatant proposal, and Emilio lowered his head and rubbed his face.
"Let me know if you want to read it later. It doesn't seem to contain any useful information."
"..."
"What do you think?"
I put down the letter on the desk and looked around at the officers.
"...This is an insult to Corps Commander Viktor."
Surprisingly, Anna was the first to speak.
"I find the very idea that Corps Commander Viktor would be conscious of bribes unpleasant. To dare make such a proposal, to dare..."
Her hand holding the pen trembled.
"That's right! To try to move the Corps Commander with mere money, do they even know how many times the General has received and rejected such proposals!"
"You should be ashamed. While the kingdom's nobles might accept it, Corps Commander Viktor is different from such frivolous people."
"..."
The officers who came with me from the Rus Kingdom also reacted strongly to a part I hadn't even considered.
As their words, close to criticism, lengthened, Emilio's head dropped lower and lower.
"It means that the Esperian Kingdom desperately wants to negotiate that much."
"Even so..."
"Well, wouldn't General Volker have accepted? I can understand their thinking to some extent."
"Hahaha!"
As I didn't intend to not negotiate at all, I mediated at a level I thought appropriate.
"...Aside from the resentment, the proposal itself is reasonable."
"Although the intention of handing over La Tredo is suspicious..."
As the proposal to hand over La Tredo, which we hadn't occupied, and pay 13% of annual revenue was quite radical in its own way, other officers mainly mentioned that, but,
"Count Silva."
"...Yes."
"What's the list of main culprits like?"
I was curious about who these people lumped together as main culprits were.
Emilio, who had looked completely resigned, suddenly raised his head.
"They are those who caused conflicts at the border or instigated war in the court..."
"That's enough explanation."
"...There's no definite list decided yet."
"Oh."
I was quite pleased with his words that there was no definite list decided.
"Can I interpret that as saying the list can be negotiated?"
"...Pardon?"
"I have some people in mind."
"..."
Emilio seemed to be in great conflict.
At least it meant he couldn't completely refuse, so,
"Is Duke Francisco Casas on the list?"
"He coordinated the court divided into war and peace factions..."
As I recited the names of Esperian Kingdom nobles in my memory, I focused on Emilio's expressions and small movements.
After several verifications, I could roughly grasp his habits.
"That means he's not. How about Count Fernando Nash?"
"He..."
His eyebrows would tremble finely when mentioning nobles who were still influential, and,
"What about Baron Alejo Banderas. I think I've heard that name."
"His name is on the list. From the beginning..."
He seemed to consciously lower the corners of his mouth when speaking of those who could be sold out.
After mentioning several low-ranking nobles to ease his tension,
"...Then, what about Count Sancho Gonzales?"
"!"
I mentioned Sancho, who had made me the most tired.
"He is our kingdom's trusted commander. He only went to the battlefield following His Majesty's orders..."
Emilio hurriedly made excuses, but I could see the corners of his mouth drop slightly before he opened his mouth.
Giving us the right to dispose of them essentially meant selling them as sacrifices.
The fact that they weren't unwilling to put Sancho on that list made me feel strange, but whether it was because personal emotions had accumulated, or for various practical reasons.
Or maybe because the situation felt somehow familiar,
"...In the previous court, he..."
"I understand well."
"...?"
It wasn't entirely unpleasant in a strange way.
I smiled slightly.
Although Emilio had only come as a messenger, and it would only become certain after talking with those in real power,
"If you're willing to negotiate the list of nobles to be handed over to us, send a negotiation team to our camp tomorrow morning."
"...! Understood!"
This time, I had a good feeling.
---
"...How was the response?"
"Positive. They say they're willing to negotiate right tomorrow."
"Oh, that's fortunate."
As Sancho had voluntarily gone into seclusion, the voices of nobles who had been calling for engagement had completely subsided.
Julio, whose goal was to somehow maintain the state, sighed visibly in relief.
"Were there any special circumstances?"
"...It would have been better not to write the last proposal. Viktor disclosed our proposal in detail in front of his officers, and the officers reacted strongly."
"...Tsk. But didn't you say he responded positively?"
"That's right."
Emilio chose his words carefully, recalling his conversation with Viktor and his attitude.
"He said he wanted to negotiate the list of main culprits. That..."
"Hmm?"
After briefly looking around,
"He seemed particularly interested in Count Gonzales."
"...Count Gonzales?"
"He said if we hand him over, he won't touch any other parts."
Based on the fact that Viktor had only smiled once, he delivered his words appropriately inflated.
"Hah..."
"That's unacceptable! To hand over a general who gave his all for the country to an enemy nation, what kind of..."
"What's unacceptable about it? If it were me, I'd be willing to sacrifice myself for the country."
"In the end, he's a defeated general too. He must take responsibility for the defeat."
"Y-you people..."
Francisco's voice, who had bet on Sancho's victory until the end, was small, and the nobles who still maintained money and power had enormous speaking power.
If Sancho had been present at this place, there might have been at least some supporters, but he was staying in a small private residence.
"Count Gonzales would volunteer himself!"
"Anything is better than shells falling on the castle right now!"
"Hmm..."
Julio's weight, who had been pondering while touching the armrest of the throne, gradually tilted to one side.
"...Prepare a letter."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
In the end, Julio ordered a letter to be sent to Sancho.
Francisco was in despair, but he had no way to turn back the hearts of the nobles that had already tilted.