The Kingdom of Thrace

"W-we..." Dayev gritted his teeth, his expression grave. He had been dispatched by Wilhelm primarily to gather intelligence on the Cinder Empire. He possessed little diplomatic authority and was in no position to make such grand promises. Yet from the conversation he had just overheard, he realized the tremendous peril confronting the Kingdom of Thrace. This rising red dragon and this burgeoning empire were far more terrifying than he had anticipated. If they formed an alliance with the Kingdom of Cassander and launched a pincer attack against Thrace, the consequences would be catastrophic—it could even spell the kingdom's doom! He could not allow that to happen! In the end, his resolve hardened. A flash of determination crossed his face, and he answered through clenched teeth, "Your Majesty, our Kingdom of Thrace is willing to offer an equal amount of gold, along with a portion of magical resources." "Oh?" "And what of the two-thirds of your territory?" Cassius asked nonchalantly. Dayev refused decisively. "That is entirely out of the question, Your Majesty. The Kingdom of Thrace will not surrender a single inch of sovereign territory. "I am certain you understand that His Majesty Wilhelm would never agree to such harsh terms, so there is no reason to raise them." "That's not necessarily true." Cassius grinned again. If you want to open a window, you must first threaten to tear off the roof. Human nature was always inclined toward compromise. Such negotiation tactics never went out of style, no matter the place or era. "If so, since you cannot match their offer, why should I give up the feast already set before me?" "Your Majesty, the Cassandrians have deceived you," Dayev replied in a steady, forceful tone. "In their rhetoric, the Kingdom of Thrace is made out to be a lamb awaiting slaughter, easily destroyed—yet the reality is nothing of the sort. "I admit your empire is formidable, but what you have displayed thus far is not enough to defeat Thrace. "His Majesty Wilhelm commands sixteen god-blooded dukes whose might rivals legends, along with hundreds of Sun Warriors who have undergone the Ascension. "They once fought across countless battlefields alongside the old emperor, campaigning across planes such as the Nine Hells, the Abyss, and the Gray Waste, winning illustrious renown and spreading the glory of Holy Fadlan throughout the multiverse. "If we make a desperate, last-ditch stand, your empire will suffer catastrophic losses. When that happens, the Cassandrians will only gloat over your misfortune. They have always been contemptible and shameless like that." Cassius narrowed his eyes slightly. "You seem to make a fair point. "Yet... empty words alone are still not enough to convince me." "..." The atmosphere instantly froze. Dayev felt he had laid out all the stakes and done everything within his power. If even this could not sway the red dragon, only war awaited the Kingdom of Thrace. He lowered his head and fell silent before speaking in a heavy tone, "Your Majesty Cassius, is there truly no room for negotiation?" "Well..." "What a headache. As I've said before, I have always been a monarch who loves peace, yet I see no sincerity from your Kingdom of Thrace. "How about this? We shall both compromise. I only ask for two million gold coins from you, but you must surrender the Katepa Hills south of Anstica. How... about that?" "Th-this..." Dayev's expression turned somber as he lowered his head in thought. Although the Katepa Hills covered a fairly vast expanse, they were negligible compared to Thrace's immense domain. Furthermore, the region was hardly prosperous; it was infested with wild beasts and monsters, practically an ungoverned wasteland within Thrace. The kingdom had only claimed it to maintain a link to Anzeta. If yielding it could foster peace along the front, or even buy a little time, ceding the Katepa Hills would be well worth it. On the other hand, Wilhelm had not granted him the authority to sign treaties, let alone cede territory. Moreover, once the Cinder Empire gained that land, Thrace's northern flank would be left in an even more precarious position. For a moment, Dayev was caught in a dilemma. After hesitating for a long while, he spoke solemnly: "Your Majesty Cassius, speaking for myself... I am willing to accept these terms. "However, this agreement concerns the kingdom's territory, a matter of paramount importance. I must return and seek His Majesty Wilhelm's approval." "I know." A mocking smile played across Cassius's face. "Go tell Wilhelm that he may choose to have my friendship, or he may choose an ambush launched out of self-interest." "Yes... Your Majesty Cassius," Dayev answered, feeling as though a weight had been lifted. *What a greedy, cunning red dragon...* Dayev thought to himself. In any case, he had temporarily stalled the Cinder Empire and bluffed the red dragon before him, giving the kingdom better odds in the southern campaign. Next, he needed only to persuade King Wilhelm to make a few trifling "sacrifices." Yet Dayev had no idea that everything he had heard was merely the red dragon's diplomatic extortion. Cassius wanted to intimidate both kingdoms without paying any price at all, maneuvering between them to extract profits from both sides. In colloquial terms: getting something for nothing. *** Tinia stared after the departing Dayev, her eyes wide and her jaw hanging slack. "Master, y-you're just going to make him hand over two million gold coins like that? Won't he renege on the debt?" Cassius gazed into the distance and gave a faint smile. "Just wait, Tinia. "Soon enough, you'll see a formal diplomatic mission, magical contracts, and wagons loaded with gold arriving from the south." Tinia indulged in foolish daydreams, drool nearly dripping from the corner of her mouth. "Two million gold coins..." "Master, will you let me see it when it arrives? I've never seen so much money!" The white dragon hopped up joyfully, rubbing against the red dragon's leg with an obsequious expression, wagging her stubby tail ceaselessly. *Smack!* A sharp slap resounded. Tinia crouched on the ground, clutching her reddened cheek with a claw, and asked meekly, "Master, you only said a few words. Why are they willing to give up so many gold coins?" Cassius gently clenched his claw, and an illusory three-pan scale materialized in midair. The scale hung in perfect equilibrium, weights resting on each pan—one holding a larger weight, while the other two held smaller ones. "This is the current situation. "The powers of the three kingdoms are balanced, and this war will remain in a stalemate for a long time. Every side wants to break the deadlock. "All it takes... is a little intervention from an outside force." Cassius snapped his claws. *Snap!* A new small weight was added to one pan of the scale. The three-pan balance instantly lost its equilibrium, tipping entirely toward the side with the added weight. "That is the role the Empire plays in this: an external force capable of upending the entire board. "For now, though, I don't want any of them to emerge victorious, so I shall merely watch from the sidelines." Tinia nodded half-comprehendingly, her eyes brimming with eagerness. "I think I understand! So as long as I talk like you do, Master, I can earn two million gold coins?" "..." The retainers in the palace hall fell silent once more. Cassius looked toward the sky, watching the sun slowly sink. Strangely, it was barely past noon, yet the sky outside looked like dusk. "Sure enough... just as I expected, the order of the sun has gone awry. Amaunator, the god of law and the sun, revered as the Keeper of the Law and the Guardian of Time, can no longer sustain his own stability and is about to fall into slumber... "An era of chaos is about to begin." Beneath the lingering glow of the setting sun, Cassius's eyes shone with brilliant radiance.