Egil was stunned for a few seconds when he heard the other party say this. After that, he laughed with a "poof": "Ahahaha......" but it made the envoy on the other side feel inexplicable.

"This ...... Your Majesty, do you not trust the sincerity of our country?" asked the envoy with a slight dissatisfaction.

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant at all. Egil still had a smile on his face. At the same time, small movements such as shaking his shoulders violently and wiping away tears from the corners of his eyes can also prove that he was really happy just now. It's not the joy that comes from getting what you want. It's the joy of hearing funny jokes. At the same time, it also has a little bit of "hehe" (qnmlgb) that comes when you hear something ridiculous.

"So, what does Your Majesty want?" the envoy wondered. But I don't know what Egil wants to do.

"In my opinion, there are three disadvantages of being called emperor. Egil held up three fingers.

"This ...... Augustus, infinite glory, king of kings, how can it not be needed?" the messenger sighed in his heart, knowing that this time it was really not easy. But he still argued.

"The first bad is that it means that after becoming the emperor, the degree of use increases, if it does not increase, it will make people laugh, and if it increases, it will ...... Although Norman had a small amount of savings, if taxes were increased, the people would suffer. Second, now all the countries of Europa are called princes, and only two are called emperors, and now Norman is suddenly called emperor, and he will be hostile to the nations. Thirdly, if an empire is like Holy Rome, it doesn't matter if it's like Eastern Rome...... Hum. ”

Egil's first two sentences are clear, but the third is a little vague. The envoy, however, knew that this was to save face for the Papal States - if it was like the Eastern Roman Empire. Then even if you don't need the Pope to be crowned, you can be the emperor, if it is like the Holy Roman Empire, you still need to kneel in front of the Pope and let the Pope intervene in many domestic affairs. Then this emperor is not deserved.

That's it. Egil's words denounced the title of emperor as worthless. In fact, deep down I wanted it - I had already asked from Aurora. The benefits that can be obtained after officially claiming the title of Emperor are staggering: firstly, because he is the first monarch, Egil will receive the surname of the Founding Monarch, and all special people will receive the surname of the Founding Hero, loyalty +2, army morale +2, popular support +15% prestige +3, and secondly, the orthodox surname will remain constant at 100 points. There would also be a diplomatic advantage for other countries (with the exception of Holy Rome and Eastern Rome).

In this way, the negative caste that Egil had previously acquired after his defeat with Joan of Arc (two consecutive escapes, morale -1) would be resolved at once. Don't worry about cutting that Lu ...... before What's coming, so the loyalty of the generals has dropped.

That's it, even if it's just for these two bonuses, Egil is desperate - but just asking for a capital and a fair exchange, such a person is a fool. As long as you work hard, squeeze the surplus value to the death and maximize the profits. That's what smart people should do.

So continue to scare the Holy See - this gang of monasteries all over the continent is eating all over Europe, and this is all over Europe, plus indulgences and other things. The whole Holy See was rich. At this time, if you don't chop off a large piece of meat fiercely, wouldn't you be sorry for yourself.

"So, you need a promotion fee to send troops. Military pay is needed, pensions are needed for the dead, and bounties are needed for winning battles. What is this......" Egil looked at the messenger and was still stupid and not rubbish. That's how I reminded him. The messenger of such a simple matter naturally understood at once: this is reaching out to ask for money!

The matter of money was easy to say, and the messenger breathed a sigh of relief, just as Egil himself had guessed before. The Holy See lacks everything, that is, it is not short of money. As I said before, eating the offerings of the whole of Europe, any bishop will be rich. It's just that you don't have to have money these days - you have to have land. The feudal knights recognized the territory. Only by giving land can people work hard. And although the Papal States are very rich, their territory is pitiful, and it is only a small piece of Central Italy, a small land. There was really no land to recruit knights.

Speaking of which, although rich, the territory is small. This is a common problem in northern Italy. It was also the reason for the prevalence of mercenaries and professional troops in Italy. Because both of these only require commissions and liking salaries. No need for land.

So, come up with a sum of money and find yourself a thug to save your life. This kind of thing was done by the Papal States a lot. It's not bad this time.

So, Egil nodded, and tentatively said a number: "Five million?"

"Smack!" the envoy slapped his thigh, "yes! it's five million!" The pleasure made Egil feel the urge to ransack the entire Papal States -- [***] the Norman kingdom had no more than five million dollars a year! Feelings Egil is still cheap!

"I'm talking about five million a year!" and Egil immediately changed his words: "For every year the war goes on, the Normans are to receive a reward of five million gold coins from the Pope!"

“...... This. The messenger hesitated again.

If the five million were a one-shot deal, then the messenger would have already made a decision at this time. But these five million a year...... Egil said it was a reward, but it was actually a commission. Five million, hire a country to fight for itself for a year...... Such a big deal...... "But think about it, is war such a thing as a war that is said to be fought and stopped?" If the fight broke out, he would have a feud with the Greeks in the Eastern Romans. It's not that easy to stop...... When the time comes, when the danger of the Papal States is lifted, this agreement will be useless......"

The envoy thought about it for a moment. After that, he gritted his teeth: "Okay, on behalf of God's spokesman on earth, the Pope agrees to His Majesty's request." ”

Then the two sides talked for a long time, for there was no such thing as coffee for a refreshing moment, and Egil was really unaccustomed to drinking the tea foam that had been transported from the East. So the two of them could only hold on to the cold wine one by one.

And just like that, I didn't sleep all night. Wait until the east is white. The biggest deal of the Middle Ages was made.

In addition to the huge mercenary money of five million a year mentioned earlier, there is also such a title as the so-called "Emperor of the Northerners" offered by the envoy. Egil also received two - or three promises - from the Papal States.

First, the papal envoy promised to canonize Joan of Arc after deliberations, and at the same time promised to canonize Egir after his death. Another point is that the Papal States did not specify which lands were to be given to Egil. A vague assurance: "The Papal States will support the occupation of all the territories that Egil has acquired from the Eastern Roman Empire". That is, Egil wanted land. No question how much land he could get from Eastern Rome, then it would be his.

With that, Egil stood up and stretched. Then he smiled apologetically at the messenger: "Really, I can't imagine that it has been so long. Your Excellency must be tired too. ”

"Thank you Your Majesty for your concern. It's still up to nowhere. "The envoy has finalized such an agreement, and I am afraid that all the gold that will be paid will be piled up into a small mountain. It hurts a lot. In addition, the emissaries were not too young - in Europe, people in their forties and fifties could already be reduced to old age. Negotiated for a night in a row. Coerced, lured, fooled, and frightened. The messenger felt physically and mentally exhausted to death. It's almost unbearable.

"Well, let's hurry up and get it over then. After that, let's take a break. Egir said this, and then walked to the side and shook the little bell hanging on the wall. Then the door opened. Two civilian-dressed men were holding parchment scrolls, which listed the same agreement that Egil had made with the messenger the previous night.

"Your Majesty...... What is this?" the envoy was slightly surprised.

"Oh, they, they're my clerks. Specially drafted the documents for me. Your Excellency, please take a look at this and see if there is anything wrong with this. If you don't have one, please sign it. ”

The Special Envoy politely accepted a document from a clerk. Take a closer look: the Entente was written in two copies, one in Latin, and one in the new Norman script, the official language of the Norman kingdom after the unification of the script. It begins with the following words: "Under the witness of the greatest, greatest, all-knowing and all-powerful God, Egil, the supreme and noble king of the Normans of the north, and Pope Innocent III, the heavenly apostle who walks on earth, ......" followed by all the treaties negotiated last night.

As a bishop, the envoy was familiar with Latin. However, Norman's words had just appeared, so the envoy did not understand them at all. But it's pretty much the same.

"There was nothing wrong with that. The messenger laughed.

"That's good. Egil chuckled, and then took the two more contracts from the messenger, and stamped it with his heraldic ring in ink. The envoy also walked over and stamped the seal of the Key of Heaven given to him by the Pope, which represented the Papal States.

"To be on the safe side, write the names of both parties as well. Egir said this, then turned to his clerk and said, "Write your names as witnesses." ”

"Your Honor, Your Lord. The clerk replied.

"That's as it should be. ”

Eventually, the two treaties were signed, with the seal of the White Bird on a blue background, the Keys of Heaven, the Norman King Egil Skadergrímsson, the Bishop of the Papal States, Hildebrand, and the names of the other two dragons......

(To be continued)