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Glancing over, Chairman Bruno appeared utterly exhausted. They must have been deliberating from the morning meeting until well after dark, so they must be tired.

“At your age, presiding over such lengthy meetings must take a toll on the body. We are pressed for time, though if there are no objections, you may rest and leave tomorrow without any offense. We wouldn’t find it impolite.” (Yuri)

“…Your concern is deeply appreciated.” (Bruno)

Chairman Bruno replied.

“However, the direction of the meeting has already been decided, so I will remain here.” (Bruno)

“I see… Of course, that presents no issue on our end.” (Yuri)

I said this and returned my gaze to Ovelin Octar. He was young and exuded confidence.

“There is a question regarding the treaty’s content, specifically about the Shanti slaves.” (Ovelin)

“Yes.” (Yuri)

“Article 14 states that the Albio Republic prohibits the sale and ownership of Shanti slaves, but currently, there are many who own Shanti slaves in this country.” (Ovelin)

“That may be so. However, if we aim for long-term and amicable relations, it would be preferable.” (Yuri)

This had been discussed in the morning.

“However, does the Shaalta Kingdom not have slaves of our race… the Kuran people? According to reports, a black girl entered the inn you’ve reserved today.” (Ovelin)

‘Ah, so he’s steering the conversation this way. Still, he’s quick on the uptake.’

“Is this what you’re referring to?” (Yuri)

I pulled out two torn pieces of paper from my pocket.

‘Heh, I’m glad I torn it.’

“Indeed, I purchased her. However, I do not own her as a slave. I liberated her from slavery. She came to the Shaalta Kingdom of her own free will and will likely engage in paid labor.” (Yuri)

“I see…” (Ovelin)

He probably hadn’t anticipated it had already been torn beforehand. Ovelin Octar wore an embarrassed expression.

“Of course, you are welcome to bring an interpreter who understands her country’s language to verify her intentions. If you propose favorable conditions, such as arranging for them to return home on their own, she might reconsider and choose that life instead. I have absolutely no objections to that.” (Yuri)

“I see, Your Excellency. I understand your thoughts.” (Ovelin)

‘I mean the ideology itself.’

“However, regarding our arrangement for the exchange of 53,000 prisoners for cash including the nobles, not all of them will be able to pay their ransom. Furthermore, not every country will necessarily pay comprehensive compensation to retrieve the prisoners. Wouldn’t the remaining prisoners ultimately end up in forced labor?” (Ovelin)

‘Are you probing into that?’

“That’s not the case either. They will repay their ransom through labor. Essentially, the ransom becomes a debt, and they work to repay that debt. Of course, once the ransom is paid off, they will be released. Even for ordinary soldiers who are below the status of common citizens, if they perform the simplest manual labor, they will be released after working for 25 years. For those who are released after paying their ransom, we intend to provide them with their earned wages before their release to prevent unpaid labor.” (Yuri)

“Hmm… Thank you for your answer. So, the Shaalta Kingdom does not own slaves.” (Ovelin)

“Exactly. Well, I suppose you could go so far as to say that the work I just described was slave labor.”

‘I took precautions.’

“However, we believe compensation is necessary for those in our country who currently hold Shanti slaves.” (Ovelin)

“I understand that. Since they did not acquire slaves by violating national law, they cannot be seized without compensation, correct?” (Yuri)

“I am honored that you understand.” (Ovelin)

“In that case, could we split the cost of compensation evenly between your country and ours?”

When I said that, Ovelin Octar frowned.

“This is not the same as saying half and half.” (Ovelin)

“Well then, how do we determine the amount of compensation? Pay the original purchase price at the time they were bought? Buying back an elderly person who has worked as a slave for 50 years at the price they were bought?” (Yuri)

“I am not suggesting that.” (Ovelin)

‘Since each slave has a different value, negotiations must be conducted individually. If I were to pay the full amount, they would probably charge me an exorbitant price. Although the number of Telor speakers on our sidehas increased here, they are still a rarity, so it is impossible to negotiate with the owners individually.’

“You would handle those price negotiations, correct? If our country were to pay the entire amount, there would hardly be any room for bargaining. If you share half, it would reduce your country’s losses. We can expect fair negotiations.” (Yuri)

“We will handle that part even if you do not share the burden. We hope you trust us.” (Ovelin)

“Are you saying that we should trust a country that sent a ship to try to seize our country after we requested dialogue? That would be quite strange.” (Yuri)

‘There’s no way I can trust you.’

I was slightly assertive because I had the Hou Household’s soldiers with me.

“I apologize for that. However, it seems unfair to demand 50% of the compensation when our country has done nothing wrong.” (Ovelin)

“Then, let’s do this.” (Yuri)

Saying that, I paused for a moment.

“Our country will cover up to 80% of the expenses. In return, slaves who have been in servitude for over 30 years since their purchase will be released without compensation.” (Yuri)

“What…?” (Ovelin)

Perhaps not considering that condition, Ovelin Octar frowned.

“On what grounds do you propose this?” (Ovelin)

“They have endured 30 years of slave labor. The owners should have already made sufficient profit. Besides, even though they are Shanti, once they are over 50, they appear worn-out. It should significantly lower their value when calculated.” (Yuri)

‘It was a bit of a forced argument, but it should be understandable. In reality, slaves with no hope of liberation in slave labor also lose their motivation. Therefore, it is often heard that they are released after working for 20 to 30 years. In the case of the Shanti, it is only customary not to release them because they have no destination to go to even if they are released.’

“I’m not trying to take slaves who were bought yesterday and are in their twenties today. The owners will let them go after making enough profit. This cannot be considered unreasonable.” (Yuri)

“… Is this a compromise proposal?” (Ovelin)

“Asking for further concessions would not benefit your country either.” (Yuri)

‘It’s about time to compromise. I’m getting tired of talking like a king.’

“I must admit that some members of the Grand Council here also own Shanti slaves.” (Ovelin)

‘Well, that’s expected.’

“According to their views, some slaves have taken on significant roles through long-term service. For example, some are trusted servants who know every corner of their household.” (Yuri)

“So what? Let them be released and set free. If it’s an attractive job, they’ll stay. If they’re being mistreated, they’ll leave. It’s their freedom.” (Yuri)

“Is it acceptable for them to stay?” (Ovelin)

‘Is that what you wanted to hear?’

“I’m not interested in acquiring slaves. Instead of buying slaves, I want to set them free. Honestly, I don’t expect any national benefit from around 1,000 slaves in your country. However, if Shanti slaves remain in your country, there will be factions in our country who cannot tolerate friendship with yours. This is not just a possibility. It will definitely happen. Those people will resent your country and attack me, who tries to maintain diplomatic relations with your country. Anticipating that complication, I am focusing on freeing the slaves now. I trust that my wise colleagues in politics will understand its importance.” (Yuri)

‘I wish you would just understand. Even though it’s a republic, it’s probably impossible because it’s an aristocratic republic.’

“The 20% I mentioned earlier should be seen as a contribution to removing obstacles to friendship. As for the answer to your previous question, if the freed slaves are given the same rights as free citizens, then of course I have no objection to them staying here.” (Yuri)

“I see… And finally, one more thing.” (Ovelin)

‘There’s still more?’

“As for the prohibition order, I cannot implement it immediately with penalties included. It will take one year to issue and make it known, and another year to fully implement the release. The penalties will only be applied starting two years from now.” (Ovelin)

“I think that is practically unavoidable. I have no objection.” (Yuri)

‘That’s inevitable, I suppose. Even if you say do it tomorrow, it’s an impossible task.’

“Well then, after 30 minutes of discussion as per regulations, I will call for a vote. It will take about an hour until voting and counting are completed, so please bear with us.” (Bruno)

‘They decide in thirty minutes, is it? Well, that’s the case with any parliament, but wasting time unnecessarily won’t help.

“Very well. I will step out. I hope our actions will help to secure Albio.” (Yuri)

I emphasized once more and then left my seat.

—

One hour later.

When I returned to the Grand Chamber…

“The proposal has been approved. Congratulations on the conclusion of the treaty. And thank you.” (Ovelin)

Ovelin Octar said so, and Chairman Bruno extended his hand with a relaxed gesture.

‘It’s a handshake.’

After shaking hands with the elderly man, applause erupted from somewhere. The applause from nearly 370 people echoed loudly in the room. After releasing hands, the applause subsided after a while.

“Here you go.” (Ovelin)

A parchment treaty approval document was placed on the desk. It was only a few pages long, but it was bound like a thin book. I flipped through it to check, and it seemed to be sewn and bound in the middle with two parchment sheets folded together. It was a booklet.

“I’ll need to verify the contents.” (Yuri)

Saying so, I flipped through the pages to ensure there were no mistakes. Both booklets contained identical content.

“My signature will suffice. If your country desires something formal, I can affix the national seal after our young emperor ascends to the throne and return it to you.” (Yuri)

‘There’s no national seal here, and my current position is delicate, so whether my signature holds the authority of representing national sovereignty is questionable.’

“That will suffice. Shall I accompany you, participate in the ascension ceremony, and take one of the approval documents back with me?” (Ovelin)

‘They’re coming along, huh? Well, that’s fine. However, it must be separate from the ship with the navigator. I don’t want anyone to see the chronometer.’

“I don’t mind. It would be an honor to invite esteemed members of the Grand Council to the coronation ceremony. It would be an honor for our country as well. Let’s proceed with that plan.” (Yuri)

I stood up and shook hands with Ovelin Octar once again.

“We’ll set sail tomorrow. I apologize for the rush.” (Yuri)

“Yes. We’ll be in your care for a while. Best regards.” (Ovelin)

—

After parting with Ovelin, I entered the Embassy of the Entak Dragon Kingdom.

“Your Majesty Yuri Hou! Welcome!” (Hakim)

The ambassador Hakim Halsawek greeted me enthusiastically.

“Please refrain from calling me ‘Your Majesty.’ In truth, I am nothing more than a lord of a frontier domain.” (Yuri)

‘The only correct part about my current position is that I am the head of the Hou Household. If I were addressed as a king and gifts were sent, it could complicate matters.’

“Oh? Then should I address you as ‘Your Excellency’?” (Hakim)

“Lately, everyone seems to call me that.” (Yuri)

“Then, Your Excellency! Please come this way! And your guards as well!” (Hakim)

‘Whether it’s ‘Your Majesty’ or ‘Your Excellency,’ it seems to make no difference. There seems to be a clear understanding that I am the de facto ruler.’

I followed Hakin and entered the embassy.

Passing through a corridor with an exotic décor that was different from the typical style of the Albio Republic, there was a room with a lit fireplace with chairs woven from reeds or something similar. These had created a slightly mismatched combination.

‘Is this their cultural norm?’

Instead of two sofas with a table between them, there were two armchairs each accompanied by a side table, easily accessible even when reclined halfway.

“Please, have a seat.” (Hakim)

“Thank you.” (Yuri)

When I leaned my back against the spacious backrest, the vine netting supported my body with elasticity. Surprisingly, it was quite comfortable to sleep on. I thought it would be diplomatic trouble if I ignored their invitation and left, but I didn’t plan to stay long.

“Would you like something to eat?” (Hakim)

“No, I’ve already eaten.” (Yuri)

“Then, how about a drink?” (Hakim)

I took out my pocket watch to check the time. It was past 7 PM.

“I’ll have a little.” (Yuri)

In the Entak Kingdom, the Cocolulu teachings don’t prohibit drinking alcohol, but they do stipulate that alcohol should only be consumed after 7 PM.

‘It seems to mean that they shouldn’t drink alcohol in the middle of the day.’

Hakim lightly raised his hand, and a servant-like figure who had been waiting approached.

“What kind of alcohol would you prefer?” (Hakim)

“Something local to your country, something rare that’s hard to come by here.” (Yuri)

“Ah, in that case… we have a rare liquor called Kururan. How about that? Is fiery liquor alright?” (Hakim)

“That’s fine. I’ll take that.” (Yuri)

From the context, it seemed to refer to distilled liquor.

“It has quite a distinctive taste…” (Hakim)

“It’s interesting to try something with a distinctive flavor. I wouldn’t find much excitement in drinking grape wine on such an occasion.” (Yuri)

“Understood.” (Hakim)

Hakim whispered something to the servant, who nodded lightly and went to fetch the drinks.

“…By the way, Your Excellency, I was talking about the dragon rider who you had defeated.” (Hakim)

“Yeah.” (Yuri)

“He’s Meharam Kruik, who fled to the Papal States after losing in our country’s political struggle. I apologize for the inconvenience he caused to your country.” (Hakim)

‘So, he was indeed a fugitive.’

“I don’t consider it an inconvenience. In a country as great as yours, a person or two like him may emerge. It’s inevitable.” (Yuri)

“I’m relieved to hear that.” (Hakim)

“However, it’s intriguing that such creatures inhabit your country.” (Yuri)

“In Kukuruan, wild dragons are no longer so abundant. With the spread of firearms, hunting them has become much easier.” (Hakim)

‘Is that so?

In the Dragon King’s Chronicles written by King Ananta I, it was mentioned that wild dragons often attacked people. Dragons grew indefinitely large as they age, and those over a hundred years old are said to reach monstrous sizes, so it was commonplace for entire villages to be destroyed by their whims.

‘Well, King Ananta I lived over a thousand years ago, so times must have changed.’

“I see. However, they were beautiful creatures. Despite their attacks, it’s somewhat regrettable that they’ve disappeared from the wild.” (Yuri)

“That’s true.” (Hakim)

Clearly, praising dragons still brought pride to Hakim, who smiled happily.

“In our country, there’s a saying that ‘slaying a dragon is the honor of a hero’. It used to be the pride of us nobles, the rulers, to slay evil dragons rampant in the wilderness and attack our people. But now, if a town makes a request, contractors come with big guns, sneak up on the dragons while they sleep, and make a business out of slaying them. It’s undoubtedly beneficial for the people, but for us nobles, it has become a somewhat lonely time.” (Hakim)

There seems to be a lot going on. As a nation, they couldn’t simply prohibit it just because dragons attacking towns causing deaths was a tradition.

“That’s why, in this day and age, Your Excellency’s achievement of slaying a dragon with just a spear is truly great.” (Hakim)

‘He’s praising me again. It’s a bit embarrassing.’

“I’m not sure about being called great…” (Yuri)

“It’s a fact that without extraordinary courage, it wouldn’t have been possible.” (Hakim)

‘Well, in diplomatic situations, it’s strange to belittle oneself when being praised. I should accept their respect here.’

At that moment, the servant from earlier arrived with a tray of drinks. He passed Hakim over and brought it to me.

“Please choose one of the cups. I’ll use the remaining one.” (Hakim)

Hakim said.

‘Such customs are common in many countries.’

I picked up the cup on the left.

The servant gestured to the side table, where I placed the cup, and the liquid was poured from the bottle. The bottle was made of dark-colored glass, but the liquid that came out was a clear green color.

“It’s called Dragon Liquor. It’s strong.” (Hakim)

“Is this wormwood liquor?” (Yuri)

“Oh! You’re quite knowledgeable.” (Hakim)

‘Absinthe, right? Since green liquor reminded me of absinthe, which is made from wormwood, I just mentioned it, and it seems like this is indeed made from wormwood.’

I kept an eye on it while a drink was prepared for Hakim on the side table. Hakim took a sip of the drink.

“Dragon liquor is a fitting name. It resembles the hue of those emerald scales.” (Yuri)

“That’s right. It’s somewhat lighter in color, though, and doesn’t quite reach that shade.” (Hakim)

‘Certainly. I can still remember those smooth, green scales.’

I had Lilica investigate if it was a specialty in the south and imported some small items, but when it arrived, it turned a different color. Apparently, the lustrous green hue fades quickly when applied to leather, which was disappointing.

“Shall we?” (Yuri)

I tilted the glass and took a sip. It tasted unbelievable. It didn’t make me cough, but it stung my nasal membranes.

‘Too strong. It must be around 70% alcohol by volume.’

“Would you like to try diluting it with water?” (Hakim)

Hakim suggested and added water from a small pitcher on his side table.

There was a pitcher on my desk too.

‘It must be a dedicated tool.’

Following his lead, I added water to the glass, and the green liquid turned cloudy white.

‘It seems to cloud when water is added. Whiskey and other spirits usually reduces its alcohol content to about 40% with spring water, but they probably sell it at a high proof because it clouds when you do that.’

When I tried it, the taste seemed a bit smoother.

“Do you like it?” (Hakim)

“Well, it’s the kind of drink where you start to appreciate it as you drink it.” (Yuri)

‘After all, wormwood liquor isn’t supposed to taste good.’

“Rather than the taste, it’s said to have distinctive effects on intoxication.” (Hakim)

‘It seems that’s true after all. When it comes to absinthe, I remember it’s a liquor that was banned for sale because it was said to cause hallucinations if you drink too much or maybe not.’

“If you’re willing, let me give you a box of souvenirs.” (Hakim)

‘Hmm. Well, it’s probably a rare liquor, so I’ll accept it. I can’t really refuse.’

“Thank you. As a token, I have prepared a gift for you as well.” (Yuri)

I signaled to my guards, and they brought over a box.

“It’s nothing much, but I hope you find it satisfactory.” (Yuri)

“Well then…” (Hakim)

Hakim opened the box.

“Oh, these are… feathers from that large Eagle, aren’t they?” (Hakim)

“In our country, these are considered the finest for arrows. We thought a gift like this would be suitable for a nation that values martial prowess.” (Yuri)

“Oh, this is…! Thank you very much! I will send this to our king! He will surely be delighted!” (Hakim)

He seemed greatly moved. It was simply a matter of pulling out the feathers of the eagle I had brought along and neatly placing them in a fine box.

‘Well, as for the 12 tail feathers, they are quite valuable items even in Shaalta.’

“Well then, I should take my leave soon.” (Yuri)

I stood up from my chair.

‘This wouldn’t be considered diplomatic rudeness.’

“I see. Are you leaving so soon…? Since you’ve come all this way, I thought you might stay overnight.” (Hakim)

“No, I’d prefer not to impose. We’re setting sail tomorrow.” (Yuri)

“…I see. It would be rude to insist. At least allow me to escort you to the entrance.” (Hakim)

Hakim also stood up and began to lead the way. We retraced our steps and reached the gate at the entrance of the embassy.

“Then, please accept this.” (Hakim)

The box with the bottles was handed over to the guard soldiers.

‘It must be absinthe.’

“Thank you. It was an enjoyable time.” (Yuri)

“The honor was ours to host Your Excellency.” (Hakim)

I extended my hand, and Hakim and I shook hands.

“Well then.” (Yuri)

I parted ways with Hakim and walked towards the pier.