Pale golden sunlight casts onto the crimson marble floor through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the three-meter-high spire. The unique style of gold and red columns has a similar aesthetic to the Lamani style, but it is more atmospheric and simple.

The walls are made of white jade stones, and they are adorned with intricate paintings of the Ottolo style, which are encased in delicate frames depicting the virtuous kings of the previous generations.

-- The spaciousness of the room alone gives it the full appearance of an empire.

The main hall, which can accommodate three large carriages traveling side by side, is about ten meters high from the bottom to the top, and it is even more spacious compared to the humans standing in the corridor. The heavy sandalwood chairs on the marble steps of the fifth floor were the emperor's seats, and the polished dark wood chairs could accommodate a person lying on his side. And at this moment, the tall Emperor Ottolo, who was still vigorous even though he was over half a hundred years old, sat on a chair supporting his chin full of golden beard, and looked down at the courtiers below with his eyes unstaggered.

"Indeed, Your Majesty, it is an inevitable fact that the Rumanato Empire will have a bad relationship with our country, and after the revelation of their covert support for Tartara with supplies, they did not even think of sending troops in a grand manner. The Ottolo general, who looked young but experienced in his gestures, knelt down on one knee and reported to the Emperor in strict terms.

"A mere lost dog is so arrogant. The general's scarred face flashed with resentment, and his pronunciation was very much Ottolo's. Originally, Ottolo was a fairly varied language, and because of its pronunciation and phrasing, the official Ottoro language sounded as ornate as the halls of the palace.

"Rest easy, Jays. The Emperor, who just sat there and looked like a giant, spoke in a deep, magnetic voice. His tone was steady, but his deep voice reverberated throughout the hall.

"The emaciated camel is bigger than the horse, and even the empire built by the defeated Lamanites is an adversary worthy of attention. "Perhaps by design, the Emperor's position was decorated with considerable religious ornamentation, and in addition to his high position, the monarch looked as if he were a god to the courtiers who had to look up at him below.

"Send the legions into formation, led by you. But remember not to be impatient, let them mess up first. A fleeting smile appeared on the emperor's face, and the general, who was on one knee, bowed with his fist, then straightened up and walked to the courtiers who had been standing quietly beside him.

"So, what's next. The Emperor asked, and the chief of internal affairs, who was standing next to him, stepped forward to explain.

"Back to Your Majesty, it is the prince of the Kingdom of Yavennella on the west coast, Edward and his party. The Governor mites the words in an Ottolo accent and sounds a little out of tune, and the Emperor nods and speaks.

"Yes, please. ”

......

"......" and several people, including Edward, were a little nervous.

The wounded two knights of the Guards were left in a nearby house, and it took them a full week to reach the capital of the Empire after reaching Ottolo, and the first thing the group had to do in order to meet the Emperor was to make themselves look up to standard.

For this reason, Edward naturally did not break the bank.

It's just that the gold coins of Avenella, a small country, have depreciated very badly in Ottolo, and perhaps the value will increase if the trade between Vavasika and this side is smoother in the future. But for the time being, the large pile of gold coins that His Royal Highness had carried with him, concealed under the supplies, was only one-seventh of the value - that is, only slightly more than the original price of the gold contained in the coins.

Just buying clothes that meet the standards in the tailor shop in the imperial capital cost nearly 10,000 gold coins.

"Da, da. A slight trembling footsteps echoed across the marble floor, and a group of five people, all dressed in formal gowns—a visit of a national level, of great importance to Avenella, who had to work on every detail.

Mira and Minna, with their hair tied back behind their heads, wore white and red off-the-shoulder dresses and long gloves, respectively, and kept their palms crossed over their lower abdomen as they walked forward.

Compared with the proficiency of the blonde girl, Luo Anda Lori looks a little trembling, but it is still decent.

The pure white dress with her hair of the same color looks very fresh and cute, and Minna, who has red lips on the other side, is gorgeous, and the two stand together, which immediately makes many generals standing in the palace look over.

But they didn't turn their heads, and not all of them looked sideways because of the beauty itself.

"......" One of the generals, who was about the size of the emperor, stared at Mira for the longest time of all. His face was calm, but there was a sparkle in his eyes.

Naturally, the girl noticed the man as well.

Because this general, dressed in the gold and red aristocratic attire of Otolo, has the same white hair as her.

"Meet His Majesty the Emperor. The prince said this in the unfamiliar Ottolo language. After many layers of rigorous inspection, dressed in proper dresses, the five of them bowed deeply to the emperor with the Otolo etiquette they had learned along the way.

"Please. Emperor Ottolo didn't embarrass them, much to Edward's slight relief.

The extremely tiring etiquette of bowing can only be lifted with the Emperor's consent, which is a common rule for any visitor, and it is said that the Emperor of Ottolo would often ignore the visitor's dissatisfaction with the visitor's dress or conversation, leaving the visitor to struggle to maintain his posture and suffer, and if you do it yourself before the Emperor can speak, you will be thrown into prison for being disrespectful to the Emperor.

As the master of the empire, how could the emperor rule this huge country if he could not maintain his majesty.

Returning to his standing position, Edward and his party did not have an interpreter who knew Ottolo - because someone else could take on the role.

Mila walked with Minna and Edgar to the area on the left side of the gallery where the visitors were standing, separated from the column of the nobles of Ottolo, while Henry and Edward stepped forward, saluted again, and then spoke with the Emperor's permission.

"What we are here for, your majesty must have already known. No sooner had the sage translated Edward's first words than the Emperor of Ottolo waved his hand and motioned for them to stop.

"I know a little bit about the lingua franca of the West Sea, so I won't bother with this relay. The Emperor said this in a slightly vague Ottolo pronunciation, and Edward was stunned for a moment, then saluted again and began to narrate.

......

“...... That is it, considering that the two countries are on the same side in the face of Padrosi, I hope that Your Majesty will consider forming an alliance with our country. Edward said in the end, already a little lacking in confidence.

His Royal Highness was a man who was good at reading words and feelings, and even from such a distance, he could tell that the emperor was not very interested in it.

This was expected, but it was also what they were most worried about.

- Ottolo is an empire that is always in battle.

Defeated in the civil war, the Lamanites, who had been exiled here, had established many states in the south, large and small, and the nations founded by the Ottolo people who had been divided over the years, and the peoples who had moved from the west coast, the empire was large and unstable, but it was surrounded by powerful enemies.

Even though the empire has succeeded in unifying the vast majority of its tribes and rising to prominence over the past three centuries thanks to many great emperors, and twenty years ago has accomplished the unconquerable kingdom of Loan, they still do not have the absolute right to speak in this vast and fertile land surrounded by the Tambur Mountains.

The dying Rumanato-Empire, the brotherly kingdoms of Teranta and Deranka, the fierce folk kingdom of Tartara, and the kingdom of Rigaszia, which is still in its former glory. These countries bordering Otolo are eyeing the rich empire all the time, and the repeated attacks have directly caused Otolo's borders to expand or shrink all the time.

But this is not a bad thing, on the contrary, the years of conquest have given Ottolo a powerful army that is known all over the world. That's why Padrossi's previous attacks had to be sneaky, and if Ottolo sent troops, even they would have to weigh it.

Because this empire has the most powerful troops in the world.

- Dragoons.

It wasn't that hard to tame the Wyverns, but taming the Wyverns to an incredible number of them could be listed as a separate class, something that even Padrosi couldn't do.

The military is strong, but it is not a win-win battle. Every minute and every second is in the midst of a battle, and the center of gravity is also the Lamanite countries located in the south.

Avenella, a small kingdom that can't even be remembered by name, and needs the governor to mention the emperor to know the reason, is really not taken seriously.

So when Edward made a request for an alliance between the two countries, the group unsurprisingly ran into a cold spot.

"Well, I know exactly what the situation is. The situation became even worse, and the Emperor spoke out in a state of interest that had been most fearful of them.

"But why should my country be allied with you, and not—" Edward swallowed, and Henry next to him keenly noticed that His Royal Highness's hands were clenched into fists.

"Just send troops. ”

The West Coast dialect, which was not as clear as the Avenella people, reverberated through the hall with its deep voice. There was calm in the vast premises, and the nobles of Otolo kept silent with great skill. Edward was speechless, and he couldn't know how to reply, so he subconsciously cast a plea of help to Henry.

The sage nodded slightly, then stepped forward.

He has always maintained an escapist appearance.

Wandering around alone, Henry didn't want to be noticed for some reason.

That's why he's always unknown, and even the mercenaries didn't register until before.

But when he decided to move forward with Mira that day, not only the girl, but also his own life trajectory changed dramatically.

Something that has been avoiding, after this, may no longer be able to escape.

He remembered Bernie's roar and screams before he died, 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.

A smile came to mind, and he strengthened his confidence, then walked past 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 weaker than half a point in the eyes of the other party.

"It seems like you're more than just a translator. There was a hint of deep meaning in the Emperor's words, and when Henry was close enough to see the Emperor's face clearly, the Chief Housekeeper's face changed slightly, and he stepped forward and shouted loudly:

"Rude, here-" The Emperor raised his left hand, and the remaining half of the steward's words were stuck in his throat, and he bowed silently and retreated.

"It's Sexiyutu...... These eyes are really easy to recognize. For some reason, the emperor said this in Otto.

Henry didn't speak, just stood quietly in place.

"I guessed who you were, though I still don't know why you're here. He switched to the West Coast lingua franca and began to speak, "But you are indeed qualified to speak to me like this." The Emperor stood up, and Otolo's imperial capital, Brofarin, was located on the north-south border, and the temperature was a little cold this season, but he just put on a simple velvet cloak and walked down.

"Knock, knock. The Emperor, who was twenty centimeters taller than Henry, walked down the steps and stood in front of him, and this action, along with the key words in his previous words, caused a small commotion among the high-ranking nobles of Otolo around him, but they only controlled themselves with excellent qualities, although their eyes could not help but be fixed on our Sage Sage.

"Try to convince me, sage. The Emperor spoke to him in an almost equal tone.

"As you wish, Your Majesty. Henry, on the other hand, was as calm as ever.

"You shouldn't have sent troops to occupy Avenella, but you shouldn't have taken the other side of the Tambur Mountains seriously. He said.

"The West Coast - or, in the words of the Ottolos: the East Coast, with its size and fertile soil not inferior to the present Ottoro Empire, its only weakness is that its people are separated from each other by their surnames and languages, and although they have established kingdoms, they are in fact still in the tribal mentality of the old times, constantly fighting each other in small circles. ”

"So now they're chaotic and barren, but it's not going to last forever. "The sage has something to say, and there are definitely people among those present who can understand what he means.

"If the Padrossi Empire has seized the Vavasika Pass, and the Ottolo Empire wants to interfere with the only way to transport troops through the dangerous Nightmare Sea-North Ricalo Sea route or to go down through the Rum-Anato Empire and then through the Orc Territory, then it would not be an exaggeration to say that the West Coast is in the pocket of the Padrossi people. ”

And once they were on their feet, they began to expand and unify all the kingdoms. Henry raised his head and looked directly into the pale eyes of His Majesty the Emperor who was close at hand.

"It's not just across the ocean, it's a mountain away from a powerful empire that can threaten Otolo. ”

"This feeling like a stab in the throat, whether Your Majesty will be able to continue to sleep peacefully. It was almost certain that the threatening words caused a small commotion again from the chief of internal affairs and a few of Ottolo's generals next to him, but the emperor himself was calm about this, and the corners of his mouth, covered by a thick golden beard, curled slightly, and then asked again in a deep voice.

"What you say is true, but my second question remains unresolved. Why don't I send troops to occupy Avenella now? He said this unhurriedly, his simple words asking the most fatal and crucial questions.

How Henry answers will determine whether this alliance will succeed or not. The alliance between Avenella and Ottolo had to be equal, and the country had managed to successfully resist the shadow rule of Sivalier for nearly two centuries, and if they wanted to find a new master for themselves, they could have submitted directly to Padrossi, and there was no need to come to Ottolo.

-- This is clear to all of you.

The problem is that the two countries are completely unequal in terms of national strength and military strength, and in this situation of insufficient confidence, even Edward, who has always strutted forward, can no longer be so confident.

Luckily, Henry is here.

He took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.

He didn't answer directly, but told a story in the tone of a story.

"Your Majesty knows the story of the Lamanite Empire. ”

Henry said this, and the sentence seemed a bit nonsense. Even his identity is recognizable, and it is not surprising that he knows the history that has been widely circulated - but the sage is not referring to the gossip and rumors that ordinary people can know.

It's a tangible, past history.

"Please. The Emperor motioned for him to continue, in short words.

"The Laman Empire, indispensable, thousands of years of inheritance, the eagle banner will never fall. The sage repeated the words of centuries ago with a slight sneer: "They had the same military power as the empire they have today, and with this power the Lamanites conquered one city-state after another, kingdom after kingdom." ”

"It's a well-known thing. Henry, dressed in black, shrugged: "But what people don't know is what the Lamanites did with the conquered places. ”

"They sent the governor who was stationed. There seemed to be a flow of brilliance in the sage's gray-blue pupils, and a few words were enough to wake up those who had enough knowledge, and the emperor's expression became serious—he didn't really start thinking until this moment.

"Every city-state, every nation. The conquered lands had their own cultures and peoples, and they needed a ruler, so the Lamanites sent rulers. ”

"Sent, countless rulers. Henry bit down on the word repeatedly.

"As if His Majesty the Emperor was going to do it. Then he shrugged.

"And after that?"

"Outside, there is no military order. ”

"The Lamanite aristocracy, who had lived for generations and became rulers of the local people far from the political center of the Lamanite Empire, were influenced by the local culture while spreading the Lamani way of life, and became—"

"It's more like their people. The sage glanced back at Edward with deep meaning, and His Royal Highness was lost in thought at his words, just like some of the high-ranking nobles of Ottolo in the hall.

"We all know the final result. ”

"......" Emperor Ottolo nodded silently, but Henry's words were not over, he continued.

"Even if you don't think about the future, if Ottolo sends an army to Vavasika. If the Padrossi people found out, they wouldn't have given up easily. ”

"Although the empire has a huge army, it is not a good thing to let the army be scattered all over the place, and it will take more than half a month just to assemble, right?"

He continued, and the dozens of Otolo's generals standing on the left nodded slightly.

"So, this time Avenella's request for an alliance with Ottolo. Henry smiled slightly, then continued, "It's a covenant of 'equality.'" ”

"There is no need to send troops and generals, and the Avenela themselves will rule the land. If something happens, Ottolo's true interests will not be harmed. ”

"In the event that Padrosi attacks, it is not Ottolo's soldiers who shed blood and sacrifices, so why not. The sage shrugged, and the emperor was silent for a moment, smiling slightly, but again asked sharply.

"The situation described in your words is good for Ottolo, but I wonder what good it does for Arvenella. The Emperor asked rhetorically with great perceptiveness: "There is only interest between nations, and you cannot propose an alliance that is not beneficial to Avenella." ”

Henry smiled, then shrugged his shoulders again: "Who says there is no benefit, I would like to ask His Majesty the Emperor, if you are not here, what would you think of hearing the news of the alliance between Avenella and Ottolo." ”

"......" The Emperor and the others thought for a moment, and then immediately after, he smiled sincerely.

"It's a really good move. ”

"People who don't know the details will be like everyone else, thinking that Avenella has found Otolo as a backer, and they will be afraid of it. ”

"Then we have to put some effort into dealing with public opinion and news. "The Emperor's smile resembles that of a sage, like the ill-intentioned smile that Mira would say is a 'bad lord'.

"That's all there is to it, Your Majesty the Emperor. Henry bowed deeply to him, and then glanced at the people next to him, as if muttering to himself, and as if summing up the negotiation.

All Avenella needed was a respite. ”