Chapter 63
Chapter 63
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: The Surrender Negotiation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kramphus rolled his yellow goat-like pupils as he asked back.
"...What?"
"I asked if you had no intention of surrendering."
"I don't get what you're saying. Looks like winning once has made you arrogant, but overall, we're still in a favorable position."
"...Hmm."
Seong-un fell silent for a moment.
Of course, from his perspective, Lunda was practically out of the fight.
He couldn't ignore the 200 Renaar cavalry riding the surviving giant stoats, but stoats that had exhausted themselves fleeing at full speed for days weren't much of a threat.
What remained for Seong-un was the siege of Deimerit, the Satyros capital.
And just as Lunda had anticipated, Seong-un won the siege with little difficulty.
In his mind, wiping out the Satyros army and seizing Deimerit wasn't a bad option.
But if two players are effectively on the brink of elimination, the remaining three will form an alliance.
The other players will see me as too dangerous.
Plus, the front lines would inevitably expand.
Blackscale hasn't even properly fortified the current borders.
For the time being, there's no reason for me to take more land.
Population was critically low, not just among Lizardmen but all races. If the other three players attacked while he defended, and Kramphus and Lunda rallied rebels for a counterattack, it could get exhausting.
Besides, even if I win against the remaining players, Hegemonia is on the opposite side of the continent. We'll have to fight eventually, but I don't want to meet them after burning through my troops like that.
So Seong-un had proposed surrender to Kramphus.
Preserving Kramphus's forces would maintain balance among the three-way split, and serve as a buffer zone against Hegemonia while he focused on internal affairs.
But Kramphus talks like he has no idea what happened in my fight with Lunda. They're clearly still allied. Only one conclusion.
Seong-un realized Lunda was having second thoughts.
Lunda had downplayed her losses for self-preservation and kept it from Kramphus.
Seong-un could guess what Lunda was thinking.
This could be... fun.
As Seong-un muttered to himself and stayed quiet, Kramphus spoke up.
"Is that all you have to say? You block whispers the whole time, then try talking now, and that's it?"
"Sorry. Didn't mean to upset you."
"Anyway, if that's a formal surrender request, consider it rejected."
"Got it. I'll think it over and get back to you."
Once the connection cut, Kramphus grumbled.
Flames burst from his mouth with every word.
"I can't figure out what that guy's thinking."
"Haha, that's why I told you not to engage."
Lunda laughed it off, but cold sweat trickled down her back.
...Did he notice?
Lunda said,
"Kramphus, I need to check on my forces for a bit."
"Sure. I've got to inspect Deimerit's defenses for the siege too."
Lunda moved to her own territory, then whispered to Nebula.
Nebula, Seong-un hasn't responded in ages.
Please pick up.
Finally, Seong-un allowed the whisper, and Lunda spat curses.
"You bastard! What do you want?"
"No need to get mad, right? We're the ones who got ambushed out of nowhere."
"You weren't ambushed."
"Almost being ambushed is still upsetting, isn't it? Anyway, if you're just here to argue, I'm out. I'm busy."
Seong-un cut the whisper.
Lunda seethed and whispered again.
"Uh, what's up?"
"Not your friend. Drop the attitude."
Seong-un admired Lunda's unyielding nature despite her disadvantage, but since it didn't bother him, he let it slide.
People were generous with insults when in a superior position.
Calming her anger, Lunda asked,
"What do you want?"
"Don't cry and speak slowly?"
Lunda suppressed the urge to scream.
"...Fine. You proposed surrender to Kramphus, and when he didn't accept easily, you ended the chat?"
"And?"
"Why?"
"No point. I was gonna get surrender, a no-attack pact from the five players for a while, and some material gains. But it seemed easier to just smash both your nations and take all the land."
Hearing Seong-un's plan snapped Lunda back to rationality.
"Your front lines would expand too much. At the current civilization stage, population's too low to defend borders properly."
"Probably. But there's negotiation. I take Satyros land, divide Renaar land among the other three players."
"Not easy. They won't like one huge nation emerging."
"Nah. Peninsula, wasteland, north coast are narrow compared to central continent. No one's gotta complain if I take more. Plus, the other three get land for free, so they'll be thrilled."
"...Ugh."
Seong-un's casual plan wasn't simple, but far from impossible.
"But wide territory means holes everywhere. What if me and Kramphus lead rebels? Other players might attack in the chaos?"
"Huh, I don't recall saying that."
"Saying what?"
Seong-un replied,
"When did I say I'd let you and Kramphus live?"
Lunda solidified her view of Seong-un in her mind.
Crazy bastard.
Lost World had alliance victories, so players tended to be lenient toward each other, subtly or not.
Top ranks required ditching that mindset, but reciprocity didn't hurt your game.
Lunda swallowed and said,
"...I know that's a threat."
"Not a threat. You were curious, so I listed one thing I could do."
"You said 'one thing I could do,' right?"
"Yeah."
"So you're considering other options?"
"Maybe."
"Back to my first question. What do you want?"
Seong-un said immediately,
"Information."
"What info?"
"On Renaar and Kramphus."
"Fine, that much..."
"And on the Trolls."
Lunda frowned.
The Troll god was Wisdom, one of the three central continent powers dominating alone.
"Nebula, you're mistaken. I'm not allied with Wisdom."
"But you plan to soon?"
"...Why ally with hostile Wisdom when I've got Kramphus right there?"
Lunda feigned reluctance, and Seong-un answered.
"Long-term, your alliance with Kramphus is shaken by this attack. Yet you didn't tell him the truth or help actively—you hid the damage."
"Ugh."
"So when I proposed surrender, he acted clueless. Means you're scheming. For a new ally, it'd be me or Wisdom sharing borders. You'd pick Wisdom over distant, hostile me. Right?"
Lunda tried other excuses, but panic stalled her brain.
"Suppose... you're right."
"You are."
"But Wisdom might not ally. So I can give solid info on Renaar and Kramphus, but nothing more..."
"You're misunderstanding me again."
"What?"
"I'm saying ally with Wisdom and get the info. How you do it is your business."
It took Lunda time to process.
She got the meaning instantly, but accepting she had to do it? Longer.
"You want me to approach not just Kramphus, but Wisdom too, and actively dig for info?"
"Now you get it?"
Lunda growled.
Baring teeth, furrowing brow, shaking the video chat.
"You bastard, don't make me laugh. I'm no sucker ally! What makes you think I'd accept this nonsense? Think one win makes you invincible? I'll show you dogfight to the end!"
"You're mistaken. It's not just because I won."
"What do you mean?"
Seong-un pointed at Lunda's face with his index finger.
"Lunda, that lying mouth of yours is the problem. I don't need to lift a finger. Tell Kramphus our battle details, warn Wisdom you're a liar so don't ally—done."
Then Kramphus would ditch Lunda and fend alone; Wisdom wouldn't trust her for alliance. Level 5 Lunda survives central continent teeming with levels 10 and 9 divinities.
"Do what you want. I'm not cooperating."
"You sure?"
Lunda cut Seong-un off and ended video chat.
Then pondered her next move.
Think. There's a way. There has to be.
Below Lunda sprawled Minaini, Renaar capital.
Far from borders, no war terror in their faces.
The messenger reporting defeat hadn't arrived yet.
Renaar bustled between log houses, chatting, working.
One prayed at a small shrine for their god.
Not war-related—a carpenter thanking for injury-free day.
Lunda's faith resource rose by 1.
...Damn it.
Lunda whispered Seong-un again.
Seong-un said calmly,
"Done thinking?"
"...I'll cooperate."
Lunda thought,
No choice. Emotional thinking means no next chance. Lie low for now. He won't trust me fully, so no excessive demands beyond what he said.
Eldar would've called that a huge mistake if he knew.
Seong-un said,
"Then let's start with info on Renaar and Satyros?"
Kramphus laughed incredulously at Nebula's renewed whisper.
"What?"
"Let's end the war."
"Now?"
Seong-un said,
"Truth is, my lobsters are stirring trouble in one territory. Gotta head back."
Lie.
On the central island capital, exiled Asthasidian Rubo drunkenly waved claws, singing Blackscale praises with imported fruit wine.
"Ha, so you're backing off now that it's bad?"
"Dunno. Fighting me now won't gain you much."
"Even if we wipe your army?"
"Satyros intact? Other players won't leave you alone."
"Pretty bold proposing truce first."
"We're in 'equal positions'."
Seong-un smiled then, hidden by mask from Kramphus.
He added,
"You've got two sides? Need agreement. Think it over."
Kramphus consulted Lunda after.
He opposed truce—not just that, but strike while true, if Seong-un's words held.
Lunda barely dissuaded him, claiming it might be a trap.
She urged truce due to suspicious other players' moves.
Kramphus insisted on gains even in ceasefire; Lunda dissuaded to avoid irking Seong-un.
Damn guy, no need to mention lobsters? Pretending weakness just riles him against me.
Lunda fumed but powerless.
Plus, busier from her own mess.
Had to hide battle logs from chattering survivors from Kramphus somehow.
Autocity, banquet hall.
Four famed waterwheels spun outside open windows, but those inside now dismissed them casually.
All seated were used to the view.
Hwikyung at head table said,
"The war's over?"
"Yes."
A Satyros merchant replied.
The merchant continued,
"My son arrived this morning—says Lizardman army's heading for Autocity."
"Faster intel than Blackscale's messenger."
"Well... merchants are everywhere."
Hwikyung nodded.
Thus seating merchants from across the nation here.
New group, but profited in Blackscale's war with other two races.
Spread fake news via merchants: Lizardman army at Autocity.
Hwikyung said,
"Then let's pray once, start the real meeting. Everyone has their tokens?"
Merchants nodded, replying yes.
Hwikyung and merchants drew small metal bronze tokens fitting in palm.
Tokens shaped like beetles symbolizing the Blue Insect God.