The pale golden sunlight shines through the three-meter-high spire floor-to-ceiling windows onto the crimson marble floor. The unique style of gold and red columns has an aesthetic similar to the Laman style, but it looks more majestic and simple.
The walls are made of whole pieces of jade and white stone, with Otolo-style precision paintings hanging on them. Wrapped in exquisite frames, they represent the virtuous kings of the past generations.
——Just based on the spaciousness of the interior, it fully demonstrates the style that an empire should have.
The hall, which can accommodate three large carriages traveling side by side, is more than ten meters high from bottom to top. Compared with the humans standing in the corridor, the space appears even more vast. The thick sandalwood chair on the five-story marble steps is the emperor's seat. The polished dark wood chair can accommodate a person lying on his side. At this moment, the tall Emperor Otolo, who was still energetic even though he was over fifty years old, just sat on the chair and propped up his chin covered with golden beard, looking down at the courtiers below calmly with his eyes.
"That's true, Your Majesty. The conflict between the Rumanato Empire and our country is inevitable. After the secret support of Tartara with supplies was exposed, they openly sent troops without even thinking." It seems that. General Otolo, who was still young in appearance but mature in his movements, knelt on one knee and reported to the emperor in strictly prescribed terms.
"A mere lost dog can be so arrogant." A look of displeasure flashed across the general's scarred face, and his pronunciation and diction had the charm of Otolo. Originally, Otolo is a very changeable language. Because of its pronunciation and wording, the formal official Otolo sounds as gorgeous as the halls of this palace.
"Be patient, Jiaaisi." The emperor, who looked like a giant just sitting there, said in a low and magnetic voice. His tone was calm, but his strong tone made his voice echo throughout the hall.
"A skinny camel is bigger than a horse. Even the empire established by the defeated Lamanites is still an opponent worthy of attention." Perhaps due to deliberate design, the emperor's location has quite a lot of religious decorations, plus his body Occupying a high position and having to look up at his ministers from below, this monarch seems to be as powerful as a god.
"Send the legions into formation, and you will lead them. But remember to be patient and let them get into trouble first." A fleeting smile appeared on the emperor's face, while the general kneeling on one knee supported him with his fist. He bowed, then straightened up and walked to the courtiers who had been standing quietly beside him.
"So, what's the next thing?" the emperor asked, and the chamberlain standing next to him stepped forward to explain.
"Your Majesty, it's Edward, the prince of the Kingdom of Avenera on the west coast, and his party." The steward said these words with an Otolo accent, which sounded a little different, and the emperor nodded and said.
"welcome."
…
"..." Several people, including Edward, felt a little nervous.
The two injured knights of the Guards stayed in a temporary house nearby. After arriving in Otolo, it took them a full week to arrive at the capital of the empire. In order to meet the emperor, the first thing the group had to do was Make yourself look up to par.
Edward naturally spent a lot of money on this.
The gold coins of Avenella, which is just a small country, have devalued extremely seriously in Otolo. Perhaps in the future, if the trade between Vavasika and this side can be smoother, the value will also increase. But at present, the large pile of gold coins that His Royal Highness carries, hidden under the supplies, only have one-seventh of the value left - that is, only slightly more than the original price of the gold contained in the gold coins. .
Just buying clothes that meet the standards at the tailor shop in the imperial capital cost nearly 10,000 gold coins.
"Ta, da." Neat and slightly trembling footsteps echoed on the marble floor. All five people in the group were wearing extremely formal dresses - this was a national-level visit, and for Avenella It is extremely important and requires great effort in every detail.
Mira and Ming Na had their hair tied back. They were wearing white and red strapless dresses respectively, and long gloves. They kept their palms crossed on their lower abdomen while moving forward in small steps. .
Compared to the blond girl's proficiency, Luo An looked a little shaky, but she was still decent.
The pure white dress paired with her hair of the same color looked very fresh and cute, while Ming Na, who had red lips on the other side, looked extremely gorgeous. The two stood together, which immediately attracted the attention of many generals standing in the palace. Come over.
But they didn't turn their heads, and not all of them looked sideways because of the beauty itself.
"..." One of the tall generals, who was about the same age as the emperor, stared at Mira the longest among all the people. His face was calm, but his eyes were filled with brilliance.
The girl naturally noticed this person.
Because this general, who was wearing Otolo-style gold and red noble clothing, had white hair exactly like hers.
"Meet His Majesty the Emperor." The leading prince said in the unskilled Otolo language. After many layers of strict inspections and wearing attire that conformed to the rules, the five people bowed deeply to the emperor with the Otolo etiquette they had learned along the way.
"Please get up." Emperor Otolo did not embarrass them, which made Edward feel a little relieved.
The extremely tiring bowing etiquette can only be lifted with the emperor's consent. This is a common rule for any visitor. It is said that the emperor of Otolo often ignored the visitor if he was dissatisfied with the visitor's dress or conversation. The visitor can only maintain his position and suffer. If you lift yourself before the emperor speaks, you will be immediately thrown into prison for disrespecting the emperor.
There is no rule without rules. As the master of the empire, if the emperor cannot maintain his majesty, how can he rule this huge country.
After regaining his standing posture, Edward and his party did not bring a translator who understood Otolo language - because someone could fill this role.
Mira, Minna and Edgar walked to the area on the left side of the corridor where the visitors were standing, separated by a column from the Otolo nobles. Henry and Edward took a step forward, bowed again, and then stood in front of the emperor. Allow me to speak.
"Your Majesty must have known why we are here." The sage had just translated Edward's first sentence when he saw the Emperor of Otolo wave his hand, signaling them to stop.
"I know a little about the lingua franca of the West Sea, so I won't bother you with the explanation." The emperor said this in a slightly vague Otolo-style pronunciation. Edward was stunned for a moment, then saluted again and began to narrate.
…
"... That's it. Considering that the two countries are on the same side when it comes to facing Padrosi, I hope that your Majesty can consider forming an alliance with our country." Edward said at the end, already showing some lack of confidence.
His Royal Highness is a person who is good at observing people's emotions, and even from such a long distance, he can see that the emperor is not very interested in this.
This was expected, but it was also what they were most worried about.
——Otolo is an empire that is always in battle.
The Lamanites who were defeated in the civil war and were exiled here established many countries, large and small, in the south. Together with the countries established by the Otolo people who were divided in the long ago and the people who moved from the west coast, although this empire was huge and unstoppable. , but it is surrounded by powerful enemies.
Even though the empire has successfully unified most of the tribes and risen in the past three centuries due to many outstanding emperors, and accomplished an unparalleled feat twenty years ago by conquering the so-called unconquerable Kingdom of Luoan - in this In the vast and fertile land surrounded by the Tambur Mountains, they still do not have the absolute right to speak.
The Empire of Rumanato is dying day by day; the brotherly kingdoms of Dranta and Dranca; the Kingdom of Tartala with its strong folk customs; and the Kingdom of Rigaschia, which still maintains its former glory. These countries bordering Otolo are always eyeing the wealthy empire, and attacks again and again directly cause Otolo's borders to be in a state of expansion or contraction at all times.
——But this is not a bad thing. On the contrary, the years of fighting have given Otolo a world-famous powerful army. This is why Padrosi's previous attacks were sneaky. If Otolo sent troops, even they would have to think carefully.
Because this empire has the most powerful arms in the world.
——Dragoon.
Taming flying dragons is not very difficult, but taming flying dragons in such an astonishing number that they can be individually listed as a unit is something that even Padrosi can't do.
The military is strong, but it is not always victorious. There is fighting every minute and every second, and the focus of the fighting is also on the Lamanite countries in the south.
A small kingdom like Avenella, separated by a mountain, whose name cannot even be remembered and whose origins need to be mentioned by the steward to the emperor, is really not looked down upon.
Therefore, when Edward made a request for an alliance between the two countries, the group of people encountered a cold reception as expected.
"Well, I understand the situation exactly." The situation became even worse, and the emperor spoke with interest, telling them what they had been most worried about.
"But why should our country form an alliance with you instead of -" Edward swallowed, and Henry next to him keenly noticed that His Highness the Prince's hands were clenched into fists.
"Sending troops directly."
The West Coast dialect, whose pronunciation is not as clear as that of the Avenella people, echoed throughout the hall with his rich voice. There was silence in the huge place, and the high-ranking nobles of Otolo maintained silence with excellent qualities. Edward was speechless. He thought hard and couldn't figure out how to reply, so he subconsciously turned to Henry for help.
The sage nodded slightly, then took a step forward.
He has always maintained a secluded appearance.
Wandering around alone, for some reason, Henry didn't want anyone to notice his existence.
This is also the reason why he has always been unknown, and even the mercenary did not register until before.
But that day when he decided to take Mira with him, not only the girl, but also his own life trajectory also changed greatly.
Some things that I have been avoiding may no longer be able to escape after this.
He thought again of Bernie's roar and screams that reached the sky before he died that day. How long had it been since the last time someone who could be called a friend trusted him like this and entrusted everything to him without reservation?
Someone's smile appeared in his mind, and he strengthened his confidence, then passed Edward and walked directly in front of the emperor, and then raised his head.
"..." The tall black-haired sage stared at the emperor of Otolo with his gray-blue eyes, and his aura was not weak at all when he met his eyes.
"It seems that you are more than just an interpreter." There was a hint of deep meaning in the emperor's words. When Henry got close enough to see the emperor's face clearly, the housekeeper's expression changed slightly, and he took a step forward and shouted loudly:
"You rude fellow, here you come -" The emperor raised his left hand, but the steward's remaining words were stuck in his throat, and he bowed silently before retreating behind him.
"Is it Sekesiyutu...? These eyes are really easy to recognize." For some reason, the emperor changed to Otto language and said this.
Henry didn't speak, just stood there quietly.
"I have probably guessed who you are, although I still don't know why you are here." He switched to West Coast lingua franca and spoke: "But your words are indeed qualified to talk to me like this. "The emperor stood up. Brofalin, the imperial capital of Otolo, is located on the border between the north and the south. The temperature was a bit cold this season, but he just wore a simple velvet cloak and walked down.
"Dong, dong." The emperor, who was twenty centimeters taller than Henry, walked down the steps and stood in front of him. This move and the key words in the previous words made the surrounding high-ranking Otolo nobles There was a small commotion, but they just controlled themselves with excellent quality, although their eyes couldn't help but stare at our Mr. Sage.
"Try to convince me, sage." The emperor spoke to him in an almost equal tone.
"As you wish, Your Majesty." Henry responded as calmly as ever.
"You shouldn't just send troops to occupy Avenella; but you shouldn't be like this and ignore the other side of the Tambur Mountains," he said.
"The west coast - or as the Otolo people say: the east coast, has an area and fertile soil that is not inferior to the current Otolo Empire. Its only weak point is that the people are separated from each other by surnames and languages. Although We have established a kingdom, but in fact we are still in the tribal thinking of the old era, constantly fighting each other in a small circle."
"So now they are chaotic and barren, but all this will not last forever." There was something in the sage's words, and there were definitely some people present who could understand what he meant.
"If the Padrosi Empire seizes the Huavasica Pass, the Otolo Empire can only intervene by transporting troops through the dangerous Nightmare Sea-North Ricar Sea route or by traveling down through Rumanato. If the empire continues to detour through the orc territory, then it is not an exaggeration to say that the west coast will be in the possession of the Padrosi people."
"And once they stabilized their position, they began to expand and unified all the kingdoms." Henry raised his head and once again looked directly into the light-colored eyes of His Majesty the Emperor, who was very close at hand.
"Then it's not just across the distant ocean. There is a powerful empire that can threaten Otolo just a mountain away."
"This feeling like a thorn in the throat, will your Majesty be able to continue to sleep peacefully?" The words that were almost certainly threatening caused the housekeeper and several Otolo generals next to him to start a small commotion again, but the emperor However, he remained calm about this. The corners of his mouth covered by his thick golden beard slightly raised, and then he asked again in a deep and deep voice.
"What you said is indeed reasonable, but my second question has still not been solved. Why don't I send troops to occupy Avenella now." He said this unhurriedly, simply The words asked are the most fatal key questions.
How Henry answers determines whether this alliance can succeed. The alliance between Avenella and Otolo must be equal. This country has finally successfully resisted the shadow rule of Silvalier for nearly two centuries. If it wants to find a new master for itself, They could have surrendered directly to Padrosi, there was no need to come to Otolo.
——Everyone present understands this.
The problem is that the two countries are not equal in terms of national or military strength. In this situation of insufficient confidence, even Edward, who has always held his head high, can no longer be so confident.
Fortunately, Henry is here.
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
He didn't answer directly, but told a story in a tone that was like telling a story.
"Your Majesty, does he know the story of the Laman Empire?"
When Henry said this, this sentence seemed a bit useless. Even his identity can be identified, and it is not surprising to know these widely circulated histories - but the sage is not referring to the rumors and rumors that ordinary people can know.
But it's the actual past history.
"Please speak." The emperor gestured for him to continue speaking in short words.
"The Laman Empire is arrogant and has been passed down for thousands of years. The eagle flag will never fade." The sage repeated these words from centuries ago with a hint of ridicule: "Back then, they also had the same world-famous empire as today's empire. Unparalleled military strength, and with this strength, the Lamanites conquered city after city and kingdom after kingdom.”
"This is something everyone knows." Henry, who was wearing a black dress, shrugged: "But what people don't know is what the Lamanites did to the places they conquered."
"They sent a stationed governor." There seemed to be light flowing in the sage's gray-blue pupils, and a few words were enough to wake up people with enough knowledge. The emperor's expression became serious - he had not really realized it until this moment. The ground began to think.
"Every city-state, every country. The conquered places had their own cultures and their own people. They needed a ruler, so the Lamanites sent a ruler."
"Sent out countless rulers." Henry bit the word repeatedly.
"Just as His Majesty the Emperor intended to do." Then shrugged.
"And what happens after this?"
"The general is outside, and military orders are not obeyed."
"The Lamanite nobles who have lived far away from the political center of the Lamanite Empire for generations and became the rulers of the local people. While spreading the Lamanite lifestyle, they were also influenced by the local culture and became——"
"More like their people." The sage looked back at Edward with a profound look, and His Royal Highness the Prince fell into deep thought because of his words, just like some of the high-ranking nobles of Otolo in the hall.
"We all know the final result."
"..." Emperor Otolo nodded silently, but Henry's words were not over yet, he continued.
"Even if we don't consider future problems, if Otolo sends troops to Huawasika, if the Padrosi people find out, they will not give up easily."
"Although the empire has a huge military force, it is not a good thing to disperse the army to various places, and it will take more than half a month just to assemble it, right?"
He continued, while the dozens of Otolo generals standing on the left nodded slightly after thinking for a while.
"So, this time Avenella made an alliance request to Otolo." Henry smiled slightly, and then continued: "It is an 'equality' covenant."
"There is no need to send troops and generals, if the Avenela people themselves rule this land. If something happens, Otolo's real interests will not be harmed."
"If Padrosi attacks, it will not be Otolo's soldiers who bleed and die, so why not." The sage shrugged, and the emperor was silent for a while, smiled slightly, but once again hit the nail on the head. rhetorical question.
"The situation described in your words is indeed good for Otolo, but I want to know what good it will do for Avenella." The emperor asked with extreme sensitivity: "The relationship between countries There are only interests in this world, and it is impossible for you to propose an alliance that is not beneficial to Avenella."
Henry smiled, and then shrugged again: "Who said there is no benefit? I would like to ask His Majesty the Emperor, if you were not here and heard the news about the alliance between Avenella and Otolo, how would you feel. "
"..." The emperor and several others thought for a moment, and then he showed a sincere smile.
"This is really a good move."
"People who don't know the details may think, like others, that Avenella has found Otolo as a backer and be wary of him."
"Then we have to put some effort into handling public opinion information." The emperor's smile was very similar to that of the sage, just like the kind of malicious smile that Mira would say was a 'bad master'.
"Well done, Your Majesty the Emperor." Henry bowed deeply to him, then glanced at the people next to him, as if muttering to himself, or making a summary of the negotiation.
"What Avenella needs is just a moment to breathe."
