Chapter 126
Chapter 126
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: This is Peace Negotiation (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Upon hearing that, Aide Henri broke out in a sweat, his eyes darting left and right in shock and tension.
Before long, he started pretending to be nonchalant, like a high school kid caught watching porn who whistles awkwardly to play it off, and replied.
"P-Pro-peace faction? Pro-war faction? The Franco Republic is a republican nation built by nobles and commoners uniting their strength to topple the oppressive Cafe dynasty. We're all one. How could you make such a tasteless joke about dividing us into factions..."
Watching him say that, I inwardly wanted to advise him to wipe the sweat dripping from his forehead and neck before lying.
But since he was here as the Reich Empire's top-grade pushover—though he had to maintain dignity in this diplomatic setting—being too blunt might hurt the aide's pride.
Ah, well, since I didn't need to worry about reading the room, I could just say it outright, but anyway.
That guy was going to be sweating bullets all day until he was drenched anyway, so there was no need to tell him to wipe it off.
"Isn't it common knowledge even among the lowliest serfs in the Franco Republic? That the Republic is divided between pro-war and pro-peace factions, holding meetings every day and engaging in endless debates whenever their goals differ, just to find some compromise."
Endless debates, my foot—what I meant was they bicker as a baseline and will stoop to anything to undermine the opposing faction's position.
Hearing that, Aide Henri—who had become a master of diplomatic euphemisms after years in the field—
replied to me with a calm expression, a far cry from the tension he'd shown just two minutes earlier when I mentioned negotiating with the pro-war faction.
"Haha, even a young general and renowned commander of the Reich Empire doesn't know much about the Franco Republic, it seems. We may have differing opinions, but we're all of one mind in hoping for the prosperity of the Franco Republic. So we're united."
"Is that so? Then I've been rude. I mistakenly thought that while pro-peace faction members could set aside their views for the national interest, pro-war faction members might sell out their rivals for their own survival. My mistake— I apologize deeply, and I'll make it up to you personally later."
"Our political systems differ from the Empire's, so such misunderstandings are natural. Your sentiment is enough."
As he said that, Henri smiled brightly, thinking he'd regained the upper hand.
He figured I'd probed once about the Republic's leadership being split into two factions and failed.
So he planned to use that to gain the advantage in negotiations, but if he thought I'd go down that easily, he was gravely mistaken.
I looked at his beaming face and replied in the same cold tone and expression I used on the battlefield.
"If the Franco Republic's pro-peace and pro-war factions were truly united, they wouldn't stop the war just because an army of a mere 100,000 was defeated. So even if we signed a peace treaty now, wouldn't the Republic mobilize over 200,000 troops next time for revenge? The Reich Empire doesn't want a chain of wars like that."
"So it would be wise to offer us more generous terms. What do you say? Settle for around Sargminne Fortress. If you accept ending the war on those terms, I'll personally give you 30,000 gold. And if you want, some Franco beauties as well."
"A tempting offer. Very well, let's do this."
Hearing that, Aide Henri thought he'd extracted concessions from me, the Reich Empire's negotiation aide, and would be greatly promoted for it.
He grinned at me like he'd already jetted off to Hong Kong, but what I—and the Franco Republic—could offer that bastard was the finest Ulleung Island honey candy they couldn't even imagine.
Here, have a taste.
"Then, can I call in the assemblymen affiliated with the pro-war faction right now and ask them this?"
"Ask them what? Ah, if you want to test whether the assemblymen of the Franco Republic can unite for the national interest despite differing political beliefs... be my guest."
"Yes, I don't particularly enjoy war myself. If I can just confirm that both factions can join forces even in dire straits, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor will consider your opposition and soften the terms considerably."
Then I beckoned him to lean in, and when Henri brought his ear close to my mouth, I whispered.
"That the pro-peace faction has signed a treaty designating all pro-war nobles as heretics to lift His Holiness the Pope's excommunication—one of the preconditions for these peace talks—and summoning pro-war leader Chairman Robespierre and several standing committee members to the Papal Inquisition Tribunal."
Hearing that, Aide Henri went beyond sweating profusely; it was like his sweat glands had burst, pouring down like rain.
If I were in his shoes, I'd have reacted the same—or worse.
Because if tensions between those two factions escalated into civil war, the neighboring Barcelo Empire, our Reich Empire, and even that herring-pickling island nation up north wouldn't miss the chance to invade.
They'd only agreed not to wage outright civil war, but they constantly schemed with lawsuits and accusations to erode the opposing faction's seats, and even resorted to assassinations without hesitation.
What I'd just told those bastards was this:
'The pro-peace faction has handed you and your families over to the Inquisition to save the great Franco Republic! Now the women will be raped and tortured to death by inquisitors, and the men tortured then executed! But it's for the nation, so you'll accept it, right?'
Even parents and children would cut ties and pull knives over a betrayal like that—let alone rival factions?
The answer was obvious. Civil war would erupt nationwide, centered on both factions.
And the Reich Empire and other nations wouldn't let the chance slip to carve up the Franco Republic's fertile lands—the jewel of the Europa continent.
Then the pro-peace and pro-war factions alike would be wiped out cleanly within five years, or the Cafe dynasty might revive amid the chaos.
Incidentally, whether the republican assemblymen fell or the dynasty returned, all the current politicians and their families were doomed to die.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Aide Henri suddenly grabbed my hand and pleaded with a near-tearful expression.
"Y-Yes, Brigadier General Jaeger..."
"Ah, then since I don't want war, I'll go tell General Venner that it's crucial to confirm if both your factions are willing to continue the war. If you're truly united for the national interest, surely this won't shake your solidarity? Then we can offer more lenient terms to minimize our own losses."
"Ah, ah..."
If the pro-war assemblymen, out of patriotism, accepted their wives and daughters being raped and sexually tortured to miserable deaths by inquisitors.
And if the Republic's leadership steeled itself for war, things would head straight to the worst-case scenario.
In that case, I'd give up on promotion myself, even if it meant no major general stars for a decade, and beg His Highness the Crown Prince and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor to settle for the bare minimum from the Franco Republic.
Because if the pro-war and pro-peace factions showed such iron will for war, this operation would devolve into a total war—the kind that ground down Earth's Germany, consuming every life and resource in the worst way.
If the Reich Empire clashed in total war with the Franco Republic, whose population dwarfed ours by tens of millions... we might not even win.
No, if the Franco Republic went all-in on total war, neighboring nations would see their chance and pile on the Empire, leaving no country for me to pin my stars on after getting ganged up on.
Well, not that it'd ever come to that.
With that, I actually started toward the meeting room door, documents already prepared in hand to leave.
That's when Aide Henri dropped to his knees before me and began begging.
"Spare us, please. I have six children, including my youngest daughter who's only ten—the apple of my eye and my very embodiments. I'll persuade the assemblymen who came here to negotiate and convince the assembly to meet your nation's demands as much as possible..."
At those words, I inwardly sighed in relief.
Because while His Imperial Majesty had said any threats were fine for the Empire's benefit, if Aide Henri hadn't caved?
The backlash could have splashed onto me too.
"Do you really want to live?"
"Yes. Please, spare me."
Grinning, I replied.
"Then make peace with me. In return, we'll even give you the pretext to sweep away the pro-war faction and rule supreme."