Your Meaning - Chapter 21

Negotiations with the Sarmans proceeded at a rapid rate.

Sarman’s prince opposed a few matters, but on the whole, he did not create a fuss.

Asanka smiled with a scrunched expression.

“You’re wringing every last drop from us,” he said.

“Aren’t these excellent terms? Think of it as responsibility for losing. If you want to say that it’s unfair, you shouldn’t have waged a war,” the emperor said detestably, his face not changing at all.

The officials from the department of foreign affairs felt their hearts shrivel in fear that a fight would break out at this diplomatic negotiation.

However, Prince Sarman was not a man so easily provoked. He didn’t seem angered at all as he replied, “Let me clarify that I was against the war.”

The emperor smirked as if he found it interesting. Then, he asked, “Why do you oppose war? I heard that the Sarman royal family scorns the empire.”

Altius had done nothing to deserve that hate. The empire had waged numerous wars of conquest against various countries over the past three hundred years and expanded its territory, but it had never attacked Sarman first.

It was because the empire was not interested in Sarman. Their land had no supplies or geographical advantages. All they had was people. Powerful, outstanding warriors.

Prince Asanka replied, “Can a small nation fight against a larger nation and win? It is wrong for both the soldiers and the subjects to fight a war because of pride.”

There was no shame or groveling on his face as he spoke of defeat. As a result, the emperor rather felt that he had even more dignity.

He was a true warrior and someone who acted like royalty.

Mikhail liked him, but he didn’t show his favor outwardly at all and said derisively, “I’d like to tell your father and brother exactly what you said. I hope you will succeed in persuading them. For the sake of your precious soldiers and subjects.”

Ah, Your Majesty, please! Please, control yourself…

The foreign affairs officials wanted to block their emperor’s mouth.

As vassals of the emperor, they said nothing when he attacked their mentality thus, but showing this attitude to the prince of another country was too much!

The Sarman delegates, who initially were furious, now looked at the Altius bureaucrats with sympathy as if they understood the emperor’s style.

The emperor was competent and spoke correctly, but he had an excellent knack for provoking people with his words.

This time, though, the emperor changed the subject.

“Prince of Sarman. I have great respect for your wisdom. And, to be honest, I like you. So, I’ll give you special advice.”

“What is it?”

“Conquer Kesick.”

“……”

Kesick was a land of indigenous people without a ruling dynasty at the eastern end of the continent. The territory was not large and was geographically isolated. However, resources were plentiful and the land was fertile, creating enough food to be self-sufficient.

“What are you trying to say?”

Asanka, who had only been calm and unshaking until now, had a sharp glance.

“Do you think there is a future in your land now? You will never last long from where you are.”

Asanka did not reply to the emperor. However, the people present felt that he was affirming those words with his silence.

“You are representative of Sarman’s peaceful faction. But would you fight a war you can win? The choice is yours and your nation’s, but if I were your king, I would have abandoned your land and conquered Kesick long ago.”

The prince’s gaze as he stared at the emperor was quiet and composed. He was waiting for the emperor’s next words.

The emperor continued speaking with a small sigh. Looking back at the prince, the emperor’s eyes emitted the aura of a wise but arrogant ruler.

“I don’t know why Sarman continues to wage war. You all were born under conditions that forced you to plunder. It’s impossible to run a country with just herding livestock through poor, arid land. However, isn’t it time you realized that you’ve picked the wrong opponent?”

The emperor looked a little bored as he said this. His expression was so honest that his officials felt embarrassed.

“Of course, Kesick might be too far from your land. But doesn’t Sarman boast about its oh-so-amazing horsemanship? It’s the most basic of basics that a country cannot grow without rivers or fertile territories. Or, lacking that, there has to be some geographical advantage for people and supplies to come and go. But neither applies to Sarman.”

Saying this much, the emperor looked at the prince’s expression and shrugged.

“Think carefully. No matter how tenacious your people are, you cannot sustain your nation with your current way of life, and you will eventually lose control of the central power.”

It was not only the Sarman prince who looked serious at the emperor’s words but the officials of Altius as well.

The emperor of an enemy country should not have said those words, but even still, Mikhail wasn’t wrong.

Sarman was suffering from a long food shortage.

All nations on the continent have experienced rises and falls over the years. Some could not grow and disappeared into history, while others like Altius developed splendidly.

Sarman had done neither.

It endured thus far with its strong survival skills, but as the continent’s civilization continued to progress, it was reaching its limits. Their war arose from a sense of crisis.

However, Asanka shook his head with a stiff expression.

“What you say sounds reasonable, but it’s practically impossible to realize. The royal family has discussed conquering Kesick several times, but we abandoned it because it would be impossible to have enough supplies.”

The emperor nodded as if he expected as much.

“I’ll make you an offer. If Sarman promises to end the war and enter a peace agreement, we will pave the way and help with supplies. The royals of Sarman will oppose this, so your role will be important.”

The conference room became agitated.

“I should say that this proposal is very advantageous for Sarman. It is made in good will, knowing that you have consistently opposed the war against Altius. I hope you will consider it seriously.”

Prince Asanka of Sarman was briefly speechless.

He didn’t often get surprised. However, the emperor often surprised people. The emperor of Altius was a man who made plans that no one else could predict.

“Why are you trying to help?” Asanka asked with genuine curiosity. The emperor shrugged with a not-very-serious attitude.

“Because I’m a little busy these days.”

The assembly was silent, though the emperor paid no mind.

“It’s better to have just one enemy. I don’t have enough time to even fight the temple now. You might not know this, but they’re rather tenacious. I thought the ancient high priest would croak any day now, but his lifeline is long. Honestly, it’s really annoying.”

As the emperor grumbled, and the minister of foreign affairs pinched his forehead with a pale face. The lower-level bureaucrats averted their gazes and coughed at the emperor’s unfiltered remark.

This was a diplomatic meeting. So they had to watch their words, pretending things didn’t happen, pretending things did happen, and using all sorts of political rhetoric.

However, the emperor’s unhesitant remarks were so tactless that the ministers felt a little ashamed to face the foreign diplomats.

Sorry… Were you surprised? …Our emperor is a little like that… He sometimes beats people up with his words. Still, His Majesty is actually holding back in front of you guests right now, you know?

Asanka nodded with a serious face.

“I will sincerely consider your offer.”

“You should. I don’t want to ruin the mood, but I’m warning you clearly: Don’t try anything funny. If we fight, it will definitely be Sarman who loses the war again.”

At the emperor’s cold statement, the air in the conference room became taut. But the emperor, who only stated the facts, did not care. He tiredly waved his hand for them to leave.

The envoy left, leaving the Altean bureaucrats behind. The emperor held his chin, seemingly lost in thought.

The bureaucrats glanced at each other. A young official, whose authority was second highest after the minister of foreign affairs, carefully spoke up.

“Your Majesty, why did you make such a favorable offer to the Sarman prince? It’ll be troublesome if Sarman grows too large. They will target Altius again, as proven by their long history of aggression.”

The emperor was a bit pent-up, but he answered the official sincerely. He was generally understanding to his competent and passionate vassals.

“That may be the case, but if we leave them to starve, they will wage war again. So, should we maintain the status quo? The empire’s citizens who live at the border have been harmed too greatly for a long time.”

Dully, the emperor continued, “That’s why I plan to toss them to a corner where we won’t have to see them. Aren’t they picking fights because they’re right next to us?”

Truthfully, the emperor was a little tired. They were so prideful despite having nothing to their name. They were tenacious though, so they persevered while countless other nations fell.

The emperor was not interested in Sarman, who wasn’t in the same weight class as Altius. He wouldn’t wage a war where there was nothing to be won anymore. The age of conquests was coming to an end, and the emperor was a practical person. The emperor, who was more weary than anything, shook his head, feeling a bit fed up.

“How many times have we been at war with them? Is Prince Asanka the only one with a brain in Sarman? Do they not get tired of war…? I’m just sick of Sarman now.”

The ministers, sympathizing greatly with the emperor’s words, smiled bitterly. The older ministers had even more memories of war than the emperor did. However, the emperor again said something that the ministers had never thought of.

“We will completely end the war. As I thought, it will be more useful to us if the second son becomes king rather than the firstborn.”

“Your Majesty, you mean…”

“Ah, I’m just saying. It’s just the facts. There’s nothing certain yet.”

But none of the ministers took it as just that. Their emperor would not say such words without any intention behind them. The emperor intended to make the second prince a king.

But how? Sarman was a nation with firm principles of primogeniture. But how would His Majesty interfere in the internal affairs of another country, especially regarding matters of succession? The officials did not even dare to guess what the emperor was thinking.

As the emperor shooed them out with his hand, the ministers quietly left the ballroom in ones and twos, each with questions and concern in their minds.

That was when the commander of the imperial guard came to the emperor, saying that he had something to report alone.