A Delicate Dance of Proposals and Reversals
There was a sliver of room for negotiation, however faint. "If His Majesty the Emperor won't pay in gold, then what can he offer us?"
I wanted to set the board. The emperor probably had only a few choices he'd pick from—it was obvious. But his whims could lead to some bizarre selection. There might be several options, but I needed to block off the rear. If he made some weird proposal, we'd have to start over.
I deliberately snorted, feigning disinterest. If the emperor couldn't pay in gold, if he couldn't offer the North any real gains...
"If it's a new title you're talking about, what could that even be? I'm already the continent's sole duke, a margrave of the frontier, and the supreme commander of the North."
"It's not a title bestowed directly upon Your Grace, but an elevation of status for the entirety of the North."
The envoy from the south let out a sly hee-hee chuckle. His tone dripped with confidence that I couldn't have anticipated such an offer. Jackson smirked faintly beside me. The southern delegation looked downright smug. They were convinced this proposal would appeal to me.
"Until now, the North has splendidly repelled the barbarian invasions. In the south, we have always been grateful for the North's sacrifices."
"Empty words from the mouth. Words you'd forgotten until now."
"Thus, His Majesty the Emperor has decided to let the North's lands and people live in a new nation."
"A new nation?"
They wouldn't try to relocate the northern people. It was impossible to move the entire northern population, and even if they did, the relocated northerners would stir up trouble in the south. Besides, the emperor wouldn't want to create a new power structure.
"Precisely—making this entire northern territory into one nation."
Muller spoke with fervor, but the faces in Winter Castle soured. It was a bombshell statement, yet no one was surprised for a specific reason. I stroked my chin, deliberately keeping a bored expression.
The southern envoys began to glance around nervously.
"I don't know what you think, but can I take your words as coming straight from His Majesty the Emperor himself?"
"Indeed. His Majesty has declared that all matters concerning the North..."
"The empire's laws have crumbled quite a bit, haven't they? Why does it sound like you're telling me to become a traitor?"
"N-no, Your Grace!"
The pressure was already cranked to maximum. A small contingent of northern troops was stationed in Bart territory. Moreover, the Grand Duke's banner flying over Bart Castle spoke volumes of my anger. With Jackson and Roy having stirred up chaos in the imperial palace as well...
"Here's what I think. If the North declares independence, the south figures they won't have to provide any of the goods they've owed us so far, nor the future tribute. That's the calculation, right?"
"N-not at all, Your Grace!"
"Then where are all the support funds and tribute the North was entitled to all these years?"
"Th-that... Just give us a moment."
The southern envoy knew full well. That's why they'd sent Jackson along. The pressure was at its peak. Just the presence of northern troops in the south was enough to make the other nobles tremble. We wouldn't strike first, but the current situation was a powder keg. Factions among the nobles were fracturing, political infighting on the verge of erupting. What started as a war of words could escalate into full-blown war.
The Bart family had their engagement to the Crown Prince broken, reduced to a paper tiger with nothing to its name. And if northern troops were encamped right there... If those troops intervened...
Crossing the mountains with the northern army wasn't impossible. We'd even have a perfect pretext: "internal pacification" to quell southern chaos. The emperor would want to avoid northern troops marching south at all costs. I clearly wouldn't side with him, and even if I did, the North would swiftly swallow up the south.
"This is highly displeasing. It feels like the south views us as traitors."
"I assure you, that's not the case!"
"But there still seems to be room for negotiation."
Muller's eyes lit up. Room for negotiation. I pretended to ponder deeply.
What I wanted from the south was already decided. But for the sake of bargaining, I needed to throw out an excessive demand first.
"How about handing over all the checkpoints and fortresses along the roads to Bart territory?"
"That's beyond the imperial palace's authority! Surely there's another proposal...?"
"If you have something specific in mind, let's hear it first."
Muller cautiously pulled a small letter from his bosom. He handed it to Jackson, then knelt again. The letter that reached me via Jackson bore the imperial seal.
I opened the envelope and read it slowly.
The emperor's grasp of the situation was superficial at best. It praised the North's self-sufficiency in blocking the nomads and permitted recent dealings with the Bart family, promising conveniences for the North. But nowhere did it specify what those "conveniences" entailed.
"It says all conveniences will be granted regarding the gold collected from the Bart family."
"That's not important. And you expect that to cover fifteen years' worth? Laughable."
I passed the letter to Jackson. The handwriting was so odd it was hard to read. Muller seemed to be scrambling for similar proposals. This was why bureaucrats had it rough.
"Then, including that, how about granting full conveniences for all roads leading to Bart territory?"
"That's not for the palace to decide..."
"Using the roads? His Majesty could surely grant that convenience."
"Even if possible, we'd need to consult the other nobles..."
They hadn't anticipated this. Muller was breaking into a cold sweat. He could feel the demands expanding.
But I needed to wedge into that tiny gap.
"You're agonizing over it. Fine, let's do this."
"It's just so unexpected, Your Grace. Regarding this..."
"Exempt all tolls and provide full conveniences on the roads connecting the North and Bart family—for fifteen years."
"Hm..."
This had to be tempting. They still didn't know the specifics of our trade with the Bart family. Even if they did, the imperial family might think they'd blocked it cheaply. Plus, they could believe it gave them a leash on the North.
"Bring a formal agreement to this proposal, and I'll accept it."
"Th-that..."
"Don't come up with alternatives. My patience has limits too."
Muller finally agreed to fetch the agreement. Lending the roads wasn't a big deal, and agreeing to waive fifteen years of payments would be a bigger headache.
I rose first from the Winter Chamber. The rest was for the bureaucrats.
There was no separate feast to entertain the southern envoys. I returned to the office.
Daniela sat in the chair, reading a pocket novel from the trunk. It was Atlas Volume 3, which she hadn't had time for lately amid all the work.
Come to think of it, I'd once asked if she'd like to try writing a pocket novel herself.
"Reading a book?"
"Oh, uh, yes, Your Grace."
She hurriedly closed it. I sat on the edge of the bed. The positions were completely reversed. Normally, I was at the desk handling work while Daniela sat on the bed facing me.
"What are you reading?"
Atlas Volume 3. It's my first time, and it's really fun."
"Yeah? I got the first copy and read it right away."
I absently stroked the bed's edge. This was something Daniela usually did. Something felt off. The dynamic kept flipping.
Daniela rested her arms on the desk, gazing at me intently. I felt oddly embarrassed.
"It's completely reversed, isn't it?"
She said it first. It felt so natural.
"What is?"
I played dumb on purpose. My hand stroked the bed faster.
"Well, normally I'm the one on the bed, and Your Grace is here."
Daniela felt it too. Things were shifting; she was growing more adept. Had she been reading some weird pocket novel lately? Why was this happening?
"But, Your Grace."
"Yeah."
Daniela approached me slowly. Our faces drew close. T-tongue, negotiation resolve. Wait, hold on!
"Why are you getting so embarrassed?"
"N-no. You're just too close."
"You had a strand of hair on your face."
Her long finger brushed near the bridge of my nose. A single hair fell to the floor. Then she returned to the desk.
"Come to think of it, don't we know too little about each other?"
It was a sudden question. But maybe she was right. What I knew: Bart family, southern noble lady. Heroine whose engagement to the Crown Prince was broken. Grand Duke's wife.
"I just saw this in Atlas. Let's play a lovers' game."
She gave a mysterious little fu-fu smile.