Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: This Is Peace Negotiation (4)
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Henri Aide looked puzzled as he listened to my words.
"You're not a politician of the Franco Republic, General. How exactly do you plan to drive out the war faction for the sake of us peace advocates?"
Seeing Henri Aide's face brighten up so much that no one would believe he'd been on the brink of crisis just moments ago when he asked me how to oust the war faction...
They had lost the war anyway, putting not just the war faction but themselves in a corner too. It might look like his eyes were blinded by the sweet offer of a victorious nation's representative giving them justification to purge the opposition and seize power.
But in the current situation, bargaining with me was hopeless, so he was probably just putting on an act to at least earn my goodwill and soften the negotiation terms a bit.
"The excommunication of the Republic will be lifted immediately upon the signing of this war reparations treaty, by order of His Holiness the Pope."
At those words, Henri Aide grabbed my hand and shook it vigorously, even though this was practically an official diplomatic venue.
"Thank you so much."
"His Holiness the Pope, though the Republic has violated Deus's teachings and laws, will embrace its government and people like a father if they repent. It's only natural that this measure be lifted if you show proper sincerity and repentance in this reparations treaty."
"As a member of the peace faction, I've been tormented by the fear of going to hell after excommunication, but now I finally feel some peace."
In the 21st century, when you see politicians professing faith in religion, you assume none of them truly believe it from the heart.
But on the continent of Europa, in this era between the Renaissance and the early modern period, kings, nobles, and commoners all genuinely believe in God, and even Laura says you shouldn't have sex on the Sabbath according to Church teachings.
Of course, that's what they say they try to do whenever they have leisure time outside of wartime.
'There are too many stray cats around you, General. You know what I mean, right?'
So that must be Henri's genuine sentiment.
In any case, I continued like a storyteller reading from a fairy tale book, emphasizing "but."
"But His Holiness the Pope and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of the Reich Empire believe that the war faction among the Republic's congressmen despised and hated God, blinding the good peace faction and the people, leading to this horrific tragedy."
Henri nodded eagerly at my words implying that all moral responsibility for the war and the purges would fall squarely on the war faction.
"Yes, yes, exactly. We bear no guilt whatsoever. This is all the fault of those wicked war faction bastards."
If the politician here had been from the war faction instead of the peace faction, I would have said something like this:
'The war faction wanted war because the peace faction deceived you. Therefore, we do not doubt your true intentions.'
I would have handed them the key to escape moral responsibility and the stigma of heresy.
"Therefore, the wicked war faction politicians must be strictly judged not only in secular courts but also in ecclesiastical courts (the Inquisition tribunals overseen by heresy inquisitors). Thoroughly and definitively."
"That's right, General."
"So after we conclude peace negotiations, we will hold the war faction specifically accountable for starting the war. And His Holiness will command the removal of the heretics."
As I spoke, Congressman Henri gazed at me with an expression of overwhelming joy, like a boy confessing to the girl he'd been pining for.
"Then what should we do afterward?"
"I'll speak frankly, very frankly."
"Yes, please do."
With that, I leaned in and whispered carefully into his ear.
"The peace faction bears some responsibility too, so the current top leadership will all be sidelined as old fogeys or forced into dishonorable retirement. Wouldn't that allow wise and young figures like you, Aide Henri, to seize power in the Republic?"
"I see. Our seniors will somehow save their lives but will have no choice but to take responsibility and retire."
"Let's be honest, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Henri. How about we start negotiations on that premise?"
He nodded and extended his right hand in lieu of a verbal reply, and I gripped it firmly.
Then I unrolled the map and placed it on the desk.
"How far are you willing to concede?"
"How about up to Brumath Castle? That's 1.5 times the area we initially offered."
Brumath—securing up to there would already give us more than double the land demanded by His Imperial Majesty for General Venner and me.
But after pushing this hard, it felt too wasteful to settle for just that.
So I decided to press Aide Henri a little more.
"Ah, Aide, there's one thing I forgot to mention."
"What is it?"
I whispered carefully into his ear as he showed curiosity.
"If you make an offer that doesn't satisfy General Venner and me, we'll have no choice but to extend the same proposal to the war faction. And right now, I'm quite displeased due to the lack of sincerity and apology."
At those words, Undersecretary Henri's eyes widened in shock and fear, and he trembled as he replied.
"......We lacked sincerity. Understood. Then, Osfelt..."
"......You've worked hard. I'll take my leave now."
"Understood! We'll cede all territories east of Bitsche, Saverne, and Strasbourg. Ambassador Pierre, who holds full negotiation authority, will surely—surely understand once he hears all these terms."
Territories east of Bitsche, Saverne, and Strasbourg amounted to land the size of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg adjacent to us, all gained from a single war.
It was about three times the territory targeted by His Imperial Majesty.
Even so, I considered pushing further, but that might risk derailing the peace treaty altogether, so I decided to settle here.
Instead, I needed to threaten thoroughly to motivate Aide Henri to persuade even harder.
"Very well, we accept. This is a major concession on our part."
"Th-thank you."
"But don't forget: besides negotiating with the war faction, we have one more option. We can continue the war."
With that, I picked up the stack of already prepared documents and left the room.
My steps felt incredibly light.
Nancy Castle reception room.
A room furnished with porcelain and silk rugs crafted far away in the East, portrait paintings so lifelike they seemed photographed, and opulent sofas and desks exuding grandeur.
Inside, the two nations' negotiation representatives—Congressman Pierre and General Venner—were chatting amiably, like old friends.
"Haha, that's why I had to pass the family to my nephew. I only have one daughter."
"Is your nephew up to the task? I have only daughters too, so I might have to do the same with my nephews. Doesn't feel like someone else's story."
"He's a major in his late twenties. Not lacking."
"Sounds like you don't need to worry about succession. I'm jealous. My nephews are all empty-headed idiots..."
I approached Marquis Venner, who was engaged in this conversation, and whispered that the meeting was over.
He immediately pulled me to a secluded corner and asked,
"So, how much did you squeeze out of them? Since it's you, I trust you didn't pull some idiot move and fail to secure even the land His Imperial Majesty demanded."
I made a slightly regretful expression, conveying my true feelings.
Seeing that, Marquis Venner looked disappointed, assuming I hadn't hit the jackpot.
"We didn't secure up to Sarguemines as you initially demanded, Father-in-Law. We settled for all territories east of Bitsche, Saverne, and Strasbourg."
The moment he heard my words, the marquis's jaw dropped in astonishment.
"I always knew having you as my son-in-law was the best. Just know that. If you were someone else's, I'd be suffering chronic stomachaches. Now, give me a cute grandchild with Laura, and I'll have nothing left to wish for."
After that, I detailed the agreements and process to my father-in-law the marquis.
Once he heard everything, he looked at me with eyes filled with shock, as if I weren't human.
And naturally, the treaty was concluded exactly as I wanted.
All territories east of Bitsche, Saverne, and Strasbourg ceded by the Republic.
200,000 gold in atonement to the Pope (money to atone for sins), 300,000 gold in reparations to the Reich Empire.