Chapter 357

“One of the unsolved mysteries.”

“Like how the land is forbidden to the elves?”

“Ah, that’s a bit…”

Fernandez sighed briefly. Rene made a bold move from the start. This was no longer a subtle game of nerves. It was a fight between wolves, ready to bare their fangs and tear each other apart.

A calm before the storm settled over the hall. The imperial knights subtly checked if their swords were still in their scabbards, while Leia’s Wild Princes quietly stretched their fingers and coiled their bodies.

At this moment, only two people could truly enjoy the banquet as a banquet. Aeren and Freya. Aeren was giggling as if she found the atmosphere quite amusing, while Freya, seemingly indifferent, was mixing mashed potatoes and salad and shoving them into her mouth.

Watching this scene, Fernandez felt a new prejudice forming about the North. Whether god, human, beast, or king—wasn’t that simple attitude toward life something worth emulating?

“It feels refreshing to join hands with you again, Emperor. Especially if it’s once more for the sake of war.”

“I am simply grateful for your help, Serpent Queen. Your assistance has indeed been invaluable.”

“Well, we just transported people instead of cargo across the sea. I had hoped that if we were to establish diplomatic relations with the Empire, it would happen at a more moderate table. Our previous account hasn’t been settled yet, has it?”

Leia’s fleet had once provided significant support to the Empire during the Karadskar Northern Campaign, turning the tide of battle with their overwhelming firepower. However, after the battle, Abel’s sudden withdrawal from the battlefield forced the Guimerin fleet to return to the sea without any gains, as they couldn’t land their capital ships inland.

Now, half a year later, Leia’s assistance to the Empire was also driven by the desire to collect interest on the debt from that day.

“My subordinates aren’t familiar with your faces. We do engage in mercenary work, but we don’t do unpaid labor.”

“The Empire may not have much to offer you, but…”

Rene, sinking into her chair, glanced at the imperial ministers sitting in the corner of the banquet hall. All the officials were holding their breath, listening intently to the conversation. The Minister of Foreign Affairs was shaking his head vigorously, his face pale.

They likely hadn’t fully established their diplomatic strategy for such formal diplomatic activities. Rene chuckled and looked at Leia.

“Speak. Remember, you are addressing the sole and legitimate sovereign of the most powerful nation on the continent.”

“Hahaha! Emperor. It seems you’ve forgotten that you’re speaking to the most powerful nation on the seas. Do you think gold and jewels mean anything to us?”

Leia burst into laughter. She had a rough understanding of the Empire’s structure. The Emperor was elected, and the wealth of the Empire never flowed entirely to the Imperial Palace.

How much damage had the Imperial Palace suffered from the last war? No matter the amount, the Imperial Palace could not be wealthy now. But the elves—the Guimerin Dynasty, which unified the Elven Triarchy—were unmatched in wealth, even if the entire world were turned upside down.

The Elven Fleet could be hired with money. But the Elven Dynasty could never be bought. Leia’s pride shone brightly as she declared this.

“Then what do you want from the Empire?”

“Land and titles.”

Elves cannot tread on land. Rene tilted her head, looking at Leia. Leia lounged in her lavish chair, crossing her legs on the table and laughing. The knights seemed agitated by her impudence.

“A permanent port and the title of Duke. The Elven Queen saved your nation and has yet to claim her reward. With interest, I think this is fair.”

Hearing this, Fernandez let out a short sigh of admiration. It was a brilliant move.

Elves are a long-lived race. While they might not directly run for the imperial throne or challenge the Duke’s Council, having voting rights would allow them to exert immense influence across the Empire. It meant they could have an eternal supporter.

Any Duke aiming for the throne would have to consider the Elven royal family’s stance.

And a permanent port—currently, the Empire’s trade ports are all tied to the North Sea Port, except for three inland ports. This meant that all the Empire’s trade routes depended on the North Sea.

Among the North Sea Ports, only five remain unfrozen in winter. Securing just one would give the Empire a significant advantage in international trade, as Gur once did. But the opponent was the elves.

Given the elves’ dominance at sea, a port ruled by them would be perceived as safer than any other port in civilized society. Merchants, who dislike risk, would find such a port irresistibly tempting.

In the past, Gur’s ruler was a powerful Duke and the Empire’s Emperor. Thanks to that, Gur became the premier port of the North Sea. If a Duke’s port could achieve that, what about a port personally managed by the Elven Queen? It goes without saying.

Asking for a port and a title carried this meaning. Of course, granting a foreign noble who had earned merit a certain amount of land and title was possible. Such events were common throughout history. But the issue was the uniqueness—the uniqueness of the elves.

“Well, inland territories are useless to us, so we don’t need them. Minor titles would make it seem like I, the Queen, am kneeling before you, which would look odd to my subordinates.”

“The title of Duke cannot be transferred, Serpent Queen. But land is possible. Fine. I will open a port for you soon. Will this satisfy you?”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs let out a long sigh. Fernandez stroked his chin, reflecting on the conversation. They couldn’t grant a title, but they could give land. That would be the maximum concession.

By not accepting the port as part of the Empire, it wouldn’t be treated as imperial territory. The elves would have to protect and manage it themselves, which might seem advantageous as they would be exempt from taxes. But that wasn’t the case.

Since it would no longer be imperial territory, the port would have to pay tariffs when trading with the Empire. If Rene granted land in the middle of a trade route, ships passing through that port would face double taxation when crossing imperial territory.

Rene would undoubtedly do this—not out of revenge, but to counterbalance the Elven port. Naturally, trade would dry up, and the people would scatter.

Yet, Leia shrugged and nodded readily.

“A satisfactory deal. Truly befitting the continent’s greatest.”

“It would have been better if it weren’t a deal born of war. I rose to the throne for the sake of peace, but peace seems nowhere in sight.”

“Ah, peace. That’s one of the superstitions you humans believe in.”

Leia chuckled and took a sip of her drink.

Watching her, Aeren clinked her glass against Leia’s and said, “A superstition worth aspiring to.”

“A superstition worth risking one’s life for.”

Rene, looking at Aeren and Leia, chimed in and clinked her glass against theirs.

The Northerners, lacking oceanic capabilities, boarded the Elven fleet and crossed the North Sea.

The elves, unable to tread on land, gained a port in return.

The Empire, without a pretext to intervene, could deploy troops to the east without shedding a drop of blood.

Under the condition that all profits from the east would go to the Northern warriors, a secret pact was formed.

The alliance of the three sovereigns was complete.