The Lords of the Emperor’s side centered around Maximilian
They were well aware of their precarious position during this meeting aimed at concluding the war.
Although they hadn’t engaged in direct combat, the loss of power that their leader, the Emperor, faced, which left him literally naked as a jaybird, had significantly weakened the fundamental strength held by the Lords.
During the talks, their voices were barely effective, and even if they presented something resembling the so-called imperial law, any attempt to twist it a little would leave them without a leg to stand on.
Originally, Valenshtein, who had come in place of the Emperor, wasn’t there to represent their interests; rather, he was thinking of using their weakened position as a bargaining chip to end the war.
In this situation, they felt an urgent need to find a new breakthrough, so they were brainstorming among themselves.
And now…
In front of these Lords was someone who held an opposite stance but found herself in a similar predicament.
Athena, the representative of the Kalmar United States, was extending her hand, saying she wanted to join forces with them.
“Athena, is it true that you want to ally with us right now?”
“Yes, it is.”
“But your country, the Kalmar United States, follows the heretical doctrines, doesn’t it? Is it really possible for someone like you, who can be seen as the last bastion of the Church, to join forces with us?”
“Yes, it’s entirely possible. Just look at your leader, General Valenshtein, openly siding with the heretics during this conference, right?”
“Ahem…”
“Mmm…”
“The Franz Kingdom also claims to be the protector of the Church yet is collaborating with heretics. In this situation, is there really a need to fuss about religion?”
“…That may be true…”
To be honest, although no one openly mentioned it, everyone present knew that religion was merely a guise and a means to gain advantages.
Recognizing their thoughts accurately, Athena continued.
“And crucially, the Kalmar United States currently is not much different from you. Our achievements in war are minimal, and our losses are monumental. This should provide a solid reason for us to ally, don’t you think?”
The Kalmar United States had not fared well in the war.
They supported the heretical doctrines, which even led to clashes with the Emperor’s Army in a previous war.
However, despite that, as Athena had pointed out, the Kalmar United States and the Lords found themselves in similar predicaments, feeling the need to change the status quo any way they could.
And in that regard…
The Lords began to lend an ear to a ‘proposal’ put forth by Athena standing before them, nodding slowly in agreement.
“Hmm… That does sound reasonable.”
“It’s dangerous, but if successfully executed…”
Even considering the considerable risks involved, no one outright expressed opposition to Athena’s plan.
Given the circumstances, they felt that taking risks was necessary.
This meeting, attended by the foremost powers of the continent, could indeed set an important precedent for determining the order of the continent moving forward.
If they didn’t take control during this meeting, they would continue to be dragged along by the so-called “winners” in the future.
“To survive, we must act, even if it means taking risks…”
“We can’t crumble like this. We’ve been the Great Lords of the Sacred Empire for centuries. I won’t bow to some nobody named Valenshtein who just rolled off the street.”
“I’m sick and tired of watching that arrogant fool strut about. I will turn the tides!”
Thus, the Lords, consumed by desire, began to ignite their ambitions.
Watching their transformation, Athena, who had effectively become their temporary leader, began to wear a cold smile.
“Now then… with some useful pawns at hand, shall we begin?”
*
Doubt, once it begins to sprout, tends to grow uncontrollably.
And regarding this, their conspiracy started from igniting the spark of suspicion…
*
“Phew…”
“Thank you for your hard work, Chancellor Richelieu.”
“Indeed, you all have worked hard. It seems we might have overextended ourselves today.”
After the meeting, Chancellor Richelieu of the Franz Kingdom emerged with his aides, feeling a deep fatigue.
Though young, wrinkles were starting to appear on his face, and today’s conference had been quite a burden; yet, it was undeniably a productive day for him.
Through negotiations with Valenshtein and Santana, he had successfully gained rightful authority over the Lorraine region.
With this, he believed he had achieved his modest goal for coming all the way to Westphalia.
Though not as large compared to the substantial territory of the Franz Kingdom, the Lorraine region held immense value.
Richelieu was fully aware of its worth.
“The fertile land of the Lorraine region and the abundant iron ore there are essential for our Franz Kingdom to expand into a Great Empire. Plus, securing Lorraine will also make it easier to defend against the Sacred Empire’s offensive.”
The Lorraine region held great value despite its size.
To be frank, he would have loved to claim the neighboring Alsace region as well, but Richelieu knew very well that asking for that in the current situation would be unreasonable, especially if the war dragged on longer.
“Greed is tempting, but stopping here is the right choice. If I get too greedy, I may end up losing what I already have…”
Thus, leaving behind a slight feeling of disappointment, Richelieu was satisfied with his accomplishments thus far.
At that moment…
“Huh?”
“Who goes there?!”
In the next instant, soldiers rushed forward, drawing their swords.
As representatives of a nation, they rapidly readied their weapons and assumed combat stances.
And the very next moment…
“!”
-Clang!
“Ugh!”
A powerful shockwave comprised of magical energy suddenly struck.
The leading soldiers who were guarding were pushed back, while the remaining soldiers felt a dense tension and hastily shouted.
“Protect Chancellor Richelieu!”
“There’s an enemy attack! There’s definitely an assassin nearby!”
Quickly utilizing magical barriers, the soldiers formed a thorough defensive line around Richelieu.
Among them were even ninth-grade High Mages sent by the Franz Kingdom, making their defensive position nearly impenetrable.
With swift responses and thorough preparations, the “assailant,” who had been hiding in the shadows, seemed to realize that attacking was futile and chose not to press further.
After some time passed, the soldiers sent someone to check, and once they confirmed there was no further threat, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness. It seems the assassin has fled. Is there anywhere you feel discomfort?”
“Don’t worry about me; I’m fine. All this is thanks to your rapid response.”
“Damn it… who on earth would have the guts to do this…”
After ensuring the Chancellor’s safety, the soldiers expressed their anger towards the unidentified assassin.
Meanwhile, despite the nearly dangerous situation they had just experienced, Richelieu didn’t lose his composure and began contemplating what had just transpired.
And shortly after…
A calm smile began to spread across his face.
“…This might actually turn out to be quite interesting…”
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