Chapter 208
Chapter 208
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 208
Chapter Title: War is Diplomacy (3)
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Right now, I was the full ambassador to Swedia, representing the Emperor of the Reich Empire.
The man before me was in the same position, acting on behalf of the King of Swedia as their Foreign Minister.
In such cases, since the Foreign Minister outranked me and was several decades my senior, it wouldn't be a diplomatic breach to speak to him a bit more casually.
That's why people tend to use polite but neutral forms like "honored sir" in these situations without coming off as rude.
He looked at least thirty to forty years older than me, and as Foreign Minister, he commanded respect equivalent to a field marshal or higher in military terms.
Yet here he was, speaking to me with the deference one might show a superior. Honestly, it felt burdensome.
More than burdensome, it struck me as him declaring that he'd pull out all the stops against a "wet-behind-the-ears kid" like me.
"It is an honor to meet the esteemed diplomat of Swedia, Your Excellency Brahe. I am Lieutenant General Peter Jaeger, representing His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of the Reich Empire."
"I'd heard the rumors that you're not even thirty yet, but if someone told me you were graduating from the Academy next year based on your looks alone, I'd believe it. You're handsome, a Sword Master to boot—so your stamina must be top-notch—and young on top of that. I'm quite envious."
"You're too kind, Your Excellency Foreign Minister."
Brahe, the Foreign Minister, showered me with flattery to put me at ease, and I responded with half politeness, half sincerity.
"Haha, my apologies. I happen to have a grandson just about your age, so I got carried away... I've let the small talk drag on too long. Shall we get down to business?"
At that, I placed the pre-drafted negotiation outline before him and said,
"We ask that you terminate your alliance with the Kingdom of Stockholm and halt any plans to occupy the northern Imperial territories. If you agree to this pledge, we will pay 200,000 gold as compensation. What do you say?"
Though I'd opened with 200,000 gold, His Majesty had authorized me to offer up to 1.2 million—thirty percent of the Imperial budget—at my discretion.
But I'd started low figuring that if I could seal the deal cheap, it'd maximize the payoff for minimal cost.
So I'd thrown it out there on a whim...
"200,000 gold is no small sum, to be sure. But we cannot betray our promise to the Kingdom of Stockholm for a mere pittance like that. Even if you offered a million, we couldn't accept. Do you intend to insult His Majesty the King of Swedia's honor?"
"Nothing of the sort, Your Excellency. Allow me a brief explanation to help you understand our proposal. Will you hear me out? You can decide afterward."
"Speak, but know that our kingdom will honor our alliance with the Kingdom of Stockholm to the end."
On my way here, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Wolfgang had told me that diplomats' confident declarations were invariably lies or nonsense.
So if I stayed calm and explained methodically, I could sway him.
"As you must know, Your Excellency, this alliance offers Swedia no real benefit."
"The Kingdom of Stockholm has promised us half of the Reich Empire's northern territories. And with the alliance in place, we border nations won't be at war, freeing us to focus on rebuilding internally. Doesn't that sound like a win for us?"
"If the Kingdom of Stockholm keeps their word, perhaps—but you know full well they won't, Your Excellency. Expecting them to honor it is less likely than a heathen sultan converting to the Church of Deus."
Between people or companies, there's the law and the state to enforce promises, so even if it's costly, they tend to follow through.
But between nations on the continent of Europa, there's no mediator to settle disputes. If breaking a promise seems more profitable, betrayal is commonplace—alliances be damned.
Proof? When the Franco Republic was excommunicated, we burned all the 50,000 gold worth of weapons and debt certificates from their merchant guilds headquartered there.
Without legal grounds for claims, defaulting on those debts became the smarter play.
Brahe listened, remaining composed but lacing his voice with anger as he replied,
"Are you saying, then, that His Majesty the King of Swedia is a mere puppet, tricked and used by those vile Stockholm dogs? Speak such an insult, even as the Emperor's proxy, and you may not leave here alive."
At his signal, two knights guarding the door rushed me—whether to intimidate or kill for real, they pressed swords to my throat in an instant.
Sure, I held the Sword Master title, but unarmed as I was, facing two well-trained knights solely focused on me was terrifying on a visceral level.
But showing fear here would disgrace me as an officer, so I feigned calm.
"Are you trying to demonstrate your knights' prowess to me, Your Excellency? Have them lower their blades."
"Apologize for that nonsense, and they will."
"Will you hear a bit more of what I have to say? I've come with tidings that benefit both Swedia and the Reich Empire."
Deciding there might be value in hearing me out, Brahe signaled, and the knights withdrew their swords.
"First, a question: Since you've allied with the Kingdom of Stockholm to strike north, you've surely shared intelligence on the northern situation. About two months ago, did you hear that Ishtaven—who'd been colluding with Stockholm—fled there with the forty tribes loyal to him?"
Brahe's expression wasn't outright anger or agreement; it was the shock of someone who hadn't known, only now realizing.
A diplomat of his caliber could feign expressions effortlessly, even without washing his face in the morning. But to my eye, there was genuine flicker of unease.
He really hadn't known.
"It might be so obvious it hardly bears mentioning, but Ishtaven leading forty tribes to defect—before any real fighting between the Reich Empire and Stockholm—happened because I'd fully pacified the north's chaos."
If some other Imperial minister or general said that, this old Foreign Minister would doubt it until verifying with his subordinates.
Logically, forty tribes vanishing from the north's 170-odd would gut a quarter of the population and livestock, creating massive vacuums.
The remnants would fight endlessly over them.
But in the north, I was second only to His Majesty the Emperor in authority: the Khan Slayer.
So I leveraged that reputation, personally warning them that infighting over the empty spots meant death. And they've behaved ever since.
A few chieftains occasionally offering pretty daughters as concubines to curry favor was a minor issue.
"They didn't even share that vital intel with their ally Swedia. You must not know this either: After I—the Khan Slayer—took command of the Northern Army, northerners began serving normally in the Imperial forces. In other words, the people up there now aren't the opportunists you knew, Your Excellency. March in blind, and you'd have taken heavy losses."
Foreign Minister Brahe nodded at my words and replied,
"The circumstantial evidence is compelling. I'll hear you out fully now."
"To be frank: Even if Swedia invaded our northern territories now, you'd gain little. Those wicked Stockholm schemers plan to seize half the lands Swedia earns under the alliance treaty. Later, vying for northern hegemony, the two nations would war—and with Swedia's smaller population and fewer troops, you'd be at a disadvantage. Better to punish those Stockholm plotters now."
"Punish how?"
I smiled brightly and said,
"I learned something as a commoner once: Anyone aiming to stab you in the back must be prepared to lose their head to your sword. The Stockholm king has insulted His Majesty the King of Swedia. Isn't it a vassal's duty to make them pay back a hundredfold, a thousandfold?"