Chapter 218
**CHAPTER 218**
Shouts of anger resonated within the banquet hall of Dulacan Castle louder than ever, due to the increasing intensity of the confrontation between the Balto Nobles’ Alliance and the imperial delegation. The negotiations, which were expected to end in a few months, had dragged on for half a year without any notable progress, limited to repeating worn-out debates. With the patience of the imperial delegation at its limit and after adopting an inflexible stance, a tense atmosphere began to reign in the place, suggesting that combat could break out at any moment.
—I am beginning to doubt the intentions of the Northern Nobles’ Alliance, and whether they truly have a genuine desire to conclude a truce treaty in the first place —spoke Theodosius Leon, the Emperor’s chief steward and leader of the delegation, in a sarcastic tone, and continued—: Could you not be trying to buy time in these negotiations to observe the situation and return to the side of the traitors if the opportunity presents itself?
—Cease those exaggerated suspicions at once! —an immediate response erupted from the Balto Nobles’ Alliance—. We only demand a minimum of security guarantees. As we have repeatedly said, if the autonomy previously enjoyed by the northern nobles is guaranteed, we are completely ready to stamp our seals on the treaty document.
—I believe the Empire’s response to this request has been transmitted to you clearly and sufficiently —Theodosius exhaled a tired sigh as he pressed his temples in frustration, and continued—: The Balto Nobles’ Alliance already turned its back on the Empire once. His Majesty has been kind enough to forgive and decided not to hold you accountable for that crime, but he made it very clear that the main cities of Balto will be subject to the supervision of administrators sent by the Empire for a period of time.
—And that “period of time” means until when exactly? —asked a young man from the northern nobles who was sitting quietly at the far end of the table with his arms crossed.
The Emperor’s chief steward shrugged indifferently:
—That is something that depends on how quickly you regain the trust of the Empire.
A hostile tone covered the faces of the Balto nobles due to the arrogant attitude of the chief steward, but the man continued to speak with a condescending approach without showing any bewilderment:
—These negotiations are the last mercy that His Majesty grants you. The Northern Nobles’ Alliance has only two paths: to accept His Majesty’s proposal with humility, or to pay the price of disloyalty.
—Stop using that tone that implies you are doing us a unilateral favor —spoke an old northern count who had remained silent the entire time, in a serene voice—. Does His Majesty the Emperor not also wish to end the war as soon as possible? Do you think we do not know that the rulers of the other regions feel deep discontent?
—I must remind you that this discontent is also directed toward Balto —the man responded severely—. The entire continent of Loviden is suffering due to the rebellion that broke out in Balto. If everyone finds out that you neglect this responsibility and only concern yourselves with securing your positions, where do you think the arrows of their anger will be directed?
The old count closed his mouth at the man’s observation. The chief steward did not stop there, but continued to press hard:
—If this war does not end soon, Balto will be stigmatized as the common enemy of the continent of Loviden.
One of the northerners struck the table hard in response to this flagrant threat:
—It was His Majesty the Emperor who proposed the truce negotiations! Is this the mercy you speak of; directing such threats toward us, who came here trusting in His Majesty?
—The Northern Nobles’ Alliance raised its swords against the Empire! Despite that, it was His Majesty who first extended the hand of reconciliation and forgiveness. But you respond to that by imposing ridiculous conditions! How long do you expect His Majesty to tolerate your insolence?
Shouts of anger erupted from the imperial delegation, whose patience had also been exhausted, transforming the hall in an instant into a scene of chaos.
From a distant seat, Eric, the second son of the Bliston family, observed this scene with a heavy sigh. It seemed that the negotiations were on the verge of total collapse.
—Can this situation really be solved? —whispered Cedric, his nephew, who was sitting beside him anxiously while shifting in his seat.
Eric contemplated the faces of the nobles surrounding the long table with a gaze lost in thought. Due to the victories of Björn Blodar Heimdall, the northern nobles had become more skeptical regarding the truce treaty. Since the hostility of the citizens of Balto toward the Empire had reached its peak, they feared being branded as “traitors to the nation” if they imprudently allied themselves with the Empire at this moment. However, the imperial delegation showed no intention of backing down even a single step amidst this uproar; they feared damaging the dignity and prestige of the Empire more than anything else.
—Certainly… in this situation, raising the issue of marriage could turn out to be counterproductive —Eric admitted reluctantly. Although the ruler of the east enjoyed a close relationship with the imperial family, convincing the stubborn Emperor and his loyal retinue would not be an easy task.
“Should we adjust the plan?”, Eric drummed his fingertips on the table as he recalled the young Duke of the East, who looked as if he were sculpted from ice. He was a young man with a strong combative inclination, unlike his delicate features in which the blood of the Osirians stood out. Could that “novice,” who seemed a bit coarse and reckless, handle this complex situation with skill?
While Eric stroked his chin with a skeptical expression, he rose from his chair. Despite the rumors saying that the Duke of Shierkan and the Crown Prince were like brothers, the news about the tension in their relationship following the failure of his marriage project with the First Princess was widespread.
“Perhaps it is better to look for another way out.” Eric said in a voice full of confusion after reaching this conclusion:
—It seems that staying here is a waste of time. Let’s go.
And just as he was preparing to leave with his nephew, someone entered the negotiation hall. All the nobles held their breath as they instinctively turned toward the door. The man of unrealistically beautiful features entered the hall, guided by two knights who appeared to be his aides. Muffled gasps escaped from the mouths of some nobles who recognized his face.
—The Duke of Shierkan…
It was Varkas, the ruler of the east, who had been transferred to Dulacan Castle a few weeks ago in a state close to death. Dozens of terrified eyes examined the sculpted face and robust body of the man. According to the soldiers’ testimonies, a longsword smeared with venom had pierced the side of that man and exited through his back. Did the rumors not say that his condition was so serious that his recovery was not guaranteed despite the immediate intervention of the High Priest? However, there was no trace at all of the injury on the figure of Varkas, who was crossing the hall.
—I apologize for my sudden entry without having requested prior permission —said Varkas, taking the main seat as a matter of course, while sketching a calm smile—. I was overcome by an irresistible curiosity to know how the negotiations that have been stagnant for half a year are going.
—…We heard that it has not been long since you woke up. Is it appropriate for you to be moving around like this already? —asked the Emperor’s chief steward with a gaze full of caution.
Varkas took a glass and moistened his lips, then said in an affable tone:
—As you can see, I have already recovered my health completely.
—That is something that truly invites joy. His Majesty will also feel relieved.
—It is a true pity that I caused concern to His Majesty the Emperor —spoke Varkas in a dry tone as he leaned his back against the chair and loosened the buttons of his rigidly tailored jacket. His posture recalled that of a feline predator that lowers its body silently before pouncing on its prey.
Eric sat down again after having stood up. It seemed that the Duke of Shierkan intended to fulfill the promise he had made to him. It was not a bad idea to wait to see how this man would handle the situation before deciding on the next destination. While thinking about it with his hands clasped on the table, the man continued to speak in a relaxed tone:
—Do not worry about my presence and continue your conversation. I am very anxious to know in what result these negotiations will end.
—Does Your Excellency not hold the position of Commander General to suppress the rebels? Should you not be taking care of that aspect instead of these negotiations…?
—What dry words. Are you asking someone who has just saved himself from death to return to the battlefield as soon as he opens his eyes? —Varkas let out a sarcastic laugh as if he had heard a funny joke, then raised an empty glass toward the servant behind him. The servant hurried to fill the silver glass, and the man took a sip, only to say with a sleepy smile toward the Emperor’s servant—: Does His Majesty perhaps wish for me to have an early death in this land?
—How can you say that…! —the Emperor’s chief steward raised his voice in astonishment—. Are you holding the Empire responsible for your injury? All of that was due to…
—My injury is the result of my own negligence. Do you really believe I would blame His Majesty the Emperor for something like that? —Varkas interrupted the chief steward’s words in an indifferent style, and then placed the glass on the table with a force that produced a resounding sound.
An intense tension appeared on the chief steward’s face. Just a few moments ago, he was shouting that the nobles’ discontent was directed at Balto and not at the Empire. And now, one of those nobles, the Duke of Shierkan, was expressing his discontent openly, which placed him in an extremely awkward position. After moving his eyes with somber expressions, the man said in a conciliatory tone:
—His Majesty the Emperor deeply values the Duke’s sacrifices. And he has repeatedly recommended sparing no effort in providing all necessary support to restore your health.
—Those are words worthy of gratitude, truly —murmured Varkas in a tone devoid of emotions, then leaned his body toward the table—: But what I need is not a healer, but to put an end to the war. If His Majesty truly cares about his subjects, I would be more grateful if he did everything possible to end this war.
The young chief steward’s face tensed. In contrast, signs of rejoicing appeared on the faces of the northern nobles; they believed that the situation was beginning to tilt in their favor. The man examined their faces with dry glances, then spoke again:
—The longer this delay is prolonged, the more the cohesion of the Empire will weaken. Is it not illogical to continue ignoring this evident truth?
—So, are you asking His Majesty the Emperor to humiliate himself before the traitors now? —said the young chief steward while gritting his teeth. As the son of a loyal family that served as the Emperor’s right arm throughout generations, it seemed he could not accept the Duke’s statements that appeared to challenge the imperial authority.
The young Duke calmly looked at the man on whose forehead veins were bulging as if he had witnessed high treason, then exhaled a sigh full of weariness and said:
—How could I do that? —And he continued his speech in a gentle tone—: The core of my words is to stop this stupid behavior of clinging to a dispute over pride that achieves no real gain, which makes us lose the essence of the Empire’s security. The Roim Empire was founded on the principles of unity and harmony. Even our people, the people of “Kan,” who opposed the Empire for long years, the founding Emperor “Darian Rom Guerta” welcomed them as part of the Empire. And now, while the Roim Empire faces the danger of division, we need to revive that spirit of harmony once more.
A strange silence reigned in the hall following this eloquent speech that came from the mouth of a man known for his silence. After the chief steward remained stunned for a while, he asked in a somewhat nervous tone:
—What exactly do you mean to say?
—I mean to say that to end this conflict, we need a symbol of union that intertwines the Empire and the North once again.
At that moment, the young chief steward’s eyes widened as if he had finally understood what he was aiming at. Amidst the murmuring of the attendees in the hall, the Duke continued his words fluently:
—The Empire needs a guarantee that the North will not rebel again, and the North wants secure guarantees that they will enjoy the same position they had before as part of the Empire. The union between the daughter of a family that represents the North, Talia, and His Highness the Crown Prince; does there exist a symbol to re-establish unity stronger than this?
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