Continental Conference (5)
"The first item on the agenda concerns the adjustment of salt prices in the Salina Kingdom."
The scribe's voice echoed through the chamber.
The king of Salina rose with a tense expression.
The old king's hands trembled faintly.
"As you all know, Salina supplies 40% of the continent's salt production. But recently, due to rising sea levels, our salt flats have been flooded..."
His quavering voice filled the conference hall.
In the end, what he was saying boiled down to a proposal to raise salt prices by 15%.
Salina's salt was renowned as the finest on the continent.
They had sustained their kingdom on salt alone for centuries, with techniques and quality unmatched by any rival.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Cassius drummed his fingers on the table as if bored.
"15%... Quite greedy."
Just those words drained the color from the Salina king's face.
"But as you know, we in Salina take pride in the fact that our salt is superior to any other."
Desperation laced the king's voice.
"Restoring the salt flats will cost a fortune. If we keep prices the same, our people will truly suffer."
"10%."
Cassius raised a hand lightly, cutting him off.
His golden eyes held no emotion.
"10% seems fair. What say you, Your Majesty?"
It was phrased as a question, but everyone knew it was an order.
The continental conference always went like this.
Weaker nations desperately pleaded their cases, presented logical arguments, begged earnestly.
And in the end, the great powers decided with a single word.
Astra gazed out the window, listening with one ear and letting it flow out the other.
These trivial matters had nothing to do with him, and there was no reason to challenge Cassius's rulings just yet.
Balderic, beside him, stared straight ahead with equal boredom.
Occasionally tapping the table was her only sign of impatience.
The Salina king's fists trembled.
Veins bulged on his aged hands. But he drew in a deep, very deep breath and...
"...Thank you."
He bowed his head nearly to the floor.
The talks dragged on in this monotonous fashion.
Trade disputes, border adjustments, resource allocations... Dozens of agenda items were processed mechanically, like products on a conveyor belt. Cassius uttered a word, it was decided, and they moved to the next. Astra and Balderic remained silent.
And finally...
"The final item on the agenda."
The scribe cleared his throat.
"The declaration of war by the Kingdom of Beltria against the Kingdom of Carmen."
Here it comes.
Astra slowly straightened in his seat. Balderic's fingers stilled.
Unexpectedly, Cassius spoke first.
"The reason I advanced this continental conference for this agenda item is simple."
His voice resonated through the hall.
"The continent has enjoyed decades of peace. Is there any need to start a war and upset that balance?"
He paused, scanning the room.
"This is the Empire's judgment, and I called this meeting early to inform the conference."
Several kings nodded at once.
They wanted to avoid war just as much.
For small nations especially, war was nothing short of a catastrophe.
But for Beltria, the victim, it was unacceptable.
"King Leonid of Beltria. May I speak?"
"This is a forum for discussion. Speak freely."
That false smile made Leonid's blood boil.
Leonid clenched his fist, then slowly released it. This was not the time to show emotion.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Leonid drew a deep breath.
"Beltria did not declare war without just cause. Carmen invaded our territory and illegally occupied the mines in Crimson Gorge. They are mining the rare mineral known as the 'Tears of the Red Star' without permission."
His voice grew firmer.
"This is a clear act of provocation."
At that moment, Carmen's King Zahir shot to his feet.
"King Zahir of Carmen. I've heard Beltria's claims, but..."
He paused, looking around the room.
"Regrettably, we have not occupied Crimson Gorge. This is a clear misunderstanding."
"I expected that, so I brought evidence."
Leonid turned.
"Jin."
At his father's call, Jin stepped forward.
Something gleamed in his hand.
Shing—
The dagger plunged deep into the table.
A sharp metallic ring cut through the hall, drawing every eye to it.
"Do you recognize this dagger?"
Zahir's eyes flickered at Leonid's question. He tried to compose himself, but it was too late.
"...A Carmen dagger."
"Not just any dagger."
Leonid's voice was ice-cold.
"It's a special dagger used only by Carmen's royal guard, the 'Red Fangs.' Look at the emblem on the hilt. It's the Carmen royal crest, complete with serial number."
The hall buzzed.
Several kings stood to examine the dagger closely.
"Finding this in Crimson Gorge is clear proof that Carmen's elite forces were there."
All eyes turned to Zahir.
But contrary to expectations, his expression was calm.
"Ah, that one?"
Zahir sighed.
"Thieves recently broke into our kingdom. Items were stolen from the royal armory, including that dagger, it seems."
Silence fell over the hall.
"Interesting that a stolen item ends up there. I suspect the thieves and the gorge occupiers are the same group. We're victims too. Shall we investigate together?"
Jin's brown eyes gleamed coldly. His green hair shifted slightly as tension rippled through his shoulders.
Lying so brazenly without a twitch...
As he stepped forward, Leonid held up a hand to stop him.
"Stolen?"
Leonid's voice echoed, calm but laced with sharp suspicion.
"Yes—"
As Zahir began to reply, an unexpected voice cut in.
"I can vouch for that."
It was Cassius.
The air in the hall grew heavy at his intervention.
"When the theft occurred in Carmen, they requested aid from the Lunaria Empire. They submitted a list of stolen items, and..."
He paused, pointing at the dagger on the table.
"That dagger was on it."
Leonid's shoulders sagged slightly. Jin's hands balled into fists.
Cassius finished and turned his gaze aside.
Toward Astra.
Was I worried for nothing?
Having witnessed his interest in Jin firsthand, Leonid had hoped Haven might aid Beltria.
So he watched Astra silently.
But Astra merely bowed his head and listened.
Good.
The emperor's lips curved faintly.
Everything was proceeding smoothly without Haven's interference.
Leonid fell silent.
There was nothing more to say.
With the Lunaria Empire's direct guarantee, it was over. Carmen had flipped from perpetrator to victim, and Beltria's justice crumbled in an instant.
Is this the end...?
The old king's wrinkled hands trembled faintly. Was the kingdom he'd guarded for decades, his ancestors' legacy, his people's future, to collapse so meaninglessly?
Jin gritted his teeth and bowed his head. Green hair hid his face, but his shaking shoulders spoke of his rage.
And then, a saving voice rang out.
"Something's off."
* * *
I couldn't help but chuckle at the unfolding scene.
Cassius, you're as shameless as ever.
That dagger was a fake crafted by Cervantes from the start.
In other words, it wasn't stolen—Carmen never had any thieves.
Cassius had given his false guarantee the moment he confirmed I wouldn't intervene.
"Something's off."
My words froze the hall.
Kings who had been packing up, assuming the talks were over, startled and turned to me.
I felt Cassius's flustered gaze from the side.
"Captain, what do you mean?"
Cassius asked in a composed tone.
But wariness flickered in his eyes.
"Let me recap King Zahir's claim."
I continued slowly.
"Thieves entered the kingdom, items were stolen—including that dagger. And it was found with those illegally occupying Beltria's mines. Correct, Your Majesty?"
Zahir, meeting my gaze, sweated profusely as he replied.
"Y-yes... that's right."
I nodded.
"But here's my question: Why are you so sure this is that exact stolen dagger?"
"Because of the... serial number..."
The moment he spoke, I looked at Jin standing behind Beltria's king.
"Jin, was it?"
He flinched at the sudden call.
"Yes, that's me."
"Bring me the dagger."
Jin glanced at Leonid.
At his father's subtle nod, he carefully picked up the dagger and approached me.
I checked the serial number engraved at the hilt's end.
Small but clear digits.
61245
"I've confirmed the serial number."
Holding the dagger, I slowly turned toward Zahir.
The air in the hall grew oppressively heavy.
"Let's verify if it's truly the stolen one. Tell me the serial number, Your Majesty."
"Th-that..."
Zahir's eyes instinctively darted to Cassius.
A desperate plea for salvation. But Cassius merely observed with a cold, expressionless face.
Silence crushed the hall.
One drop,
Two drops.
Sweat beaded on Zahir's forehead and fell.
He wiped his brow with a trembling hand and said,
"Forgive me. I don't... With so many stolen items, I can't remember them all..."
His voice trailed off.
"That can happen."
I nodded.
"But without you reciting the serial number, there's no way to confirm this is that dagger. So this agenda isn't settled yet."
I slowly turned to Cassius.
"What do you think, Cassius?"
The emperor's golden eyes wavered faintly.
Behind his perfectly controlled expression, calculations raced. He stared piercingly at me, then his lips curved slightly.
"Indeed. The captain is right. For something this serious, we need certainty."
A smooth response.
I turned back to Carmen's king.
"Even Emperor Cassius agrees. We'll give you time—go verify it quickly."
Zahir's face paled.
He couldn't produce a serial number from a nonexistent theft list.
"I-I'd have to return to the palace to check..."
"You mean,"
I cut him off coldly.
"you're asking Lunaria and Haven to wait on your convenience?"
Mentioning both the Lunaria Empire and Haven made Zahir tremble visibly.
"N-no! I'll find out as fast as possible!"
"You'd better."
I spun the dagger between my fingers as I spoke.
Its sharp blade caught the light.
"This is a matter that could spark continental war."
Zahir staggered to his feet and fled the hall.
Heavy silence descended on the chamber he left behind.
Everyone held their breath, watching this unforeseen turn of events.