Chapter 163:

“What kind of blasphemous address is that? I have been single since birth! You Transia barbarian, show me some respect!” Since her entrance, Shani had remained unruffled, facing Tris, a veteran of the vampire world, without the slightest timidity. During negotiations with the Transia lord, she even displayed the demeanor of a great general. However, she was slightly thrown off guard by Murphy’s address of “Madam Shani.” The main reason was that she didn’t understand the peculiar aesthetics of the little players and thought Murphy was mocking her as an incompetent housewife. But that wasn’t the case. “I apologize for my inappropriate address,” Murphy said with a gentle smile, standing half a body behind Tris and speaking softly, “But as my grand duchess and I just stated, any negotiations regarding Transia territory are unacceptable! Is my answer clear enough? And if you don’t intend to leave now, why don’t you relax and listen to the conditions I’m about to propose?” “Of course, negotiation is a back-and-forth process,” Lady Shani revealed an interested expression and raised her glass to Murphy in an extremely dignified manner, while beside her, Tris imitated Murphy’s usual posture, resting her chin on her intertwined fingers, with a “let’s see” expression on her seductive face. This posture made Shani slightly uneasy. But Murphy had already begun speaking. “First, the Kingdom of Nordtov must release the armed blood servants in your custody. I don’t care if they caused an uprising or some other damned situation under the Winter Wolf Army’s watch! You took 6,000 people from Transia, and you have to return 6,000 people. Not a single one less! Secondly, the Kingdom of Nordtov must provide enough firearms and ammunition for the official army to be formed in the Transia region to deal with the Black Disaster threat. If you can provide cannons, we would welcome that even more. Finally, until the Black Disaster is resolved, Fort Crimea cannot interrupt the food supply agreement with Transia for any reason. We won’t take it for free from you. We will pay with gold, and if we can’t afford it, the mining region in the southern part of Transia, which serves as collateral, will be enough to compensate for your losses. Additionally, on a personal note, I have a small request to report to the ‘Wolf Queen.’ I hope the Wolf Queen can issue an official decree, conferring upon me the title of ‘Governor of Transia,’ with full authority over all affairs in the Transia region!” Spreading his hands, Murphy continued eloquently under Shani’s strange gaze: “The Portia Federation was also recognized by all human powers after the First Black Disaster when it was formed, so I believe an official decree from a queen would better reinforce my claim of authority in the Transia region. Even though I don’t actually need it. As for what you can gain from this deal? First, before we are all devoured by the gnolls, I can ensure that not a single gnoll will enter your territory. You can sit in your luxurious palaces in the North Wind Citadel and treat the brutal battles happening on the Transia lands as distant stories. Use them as backup topics for your ladies’ afternoon tea gatherings. Secondly, I promise you and the Wolf Queen behind you that Transia will never side with the Goldflower Kingdom. We will do our utmost to remain neutral and fulfill our role as a military buffer zone between the two kingdoms until you have digested the gains from this war and are ready for the next clash to vie for the position of continental overlord. Then, we will decide which side to join.” “Are you done?” Shani shrugged and asked. Murphy nodded and smiled at her. The latter drank a small sip of her drink elegantly, exhaled, and said, “Do you think I’m a fool? Murphy, what qualifications do you currently have to make such outrageous demands in front of me, and still expect me to agree? I admit that Lord Payne’s recognition does exert considerable pressure on the Blood Clan. But such recognition is based on your ability to make sufficient contributions to withstand the Black Disaster, and I don’t think you can meet Lord Payne’s expectations in your current situation. As for the pressure from the Goldflower Kingdom you mentioned, well, Nordtov won’t enter into more intense confrontation with the Goldflower Kingdom just for this worthless Transia region. But I think that if it’s just a matter of removing an ignorant lord, King Louis wouldn’t wage war over it. So, to use your own words against you! If you want to negotiate, show some sincerity. If not, shut up.” “Little Murphy, these conditions are indeed outrageous. Even I feel they’re excessive when I hear them,” Tris chimed in at this point, “Show some sincerity, or Aunt Shani might really get angry.” “You two are doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Lady Shani narrowed her eyes and said coldly, “Tris, I respect you as an ancient one, but don’t go too far! Is a woman’s age a topic that can be casually joked about? Especially in this kind of situation. You two are truly the most unreliable Blood Clan leaders I’ve ever encountered. Even the little Blood Dread clan leader Baburo, hiding as a pirate in the Misty Coast, is more composed than you two.” “She’s angry. Someone in this room is angry, but I won’t say who. I admit that Tris and I are ‘atypical vampires,’ but for people of our standing, personal attacks are too unbecoming,” Murphy snorted. This time, he solemnly took out a small notebook from his spirit bag, flipped through a few pages, glanced at Shani, cleared his throat, and said: “Then let me propose a different condition, as the territorial issue is still off the table, that’s the bottom line. But in addition to the previous three conditions, the Nordtov Kingdom’s Treasury will lend the Governorate of Transia a sum of money to purchase military supplies needed to withstand the Black Disaster from factories within the Nordtov Kingdom. Our captured armed blood servants can also be redeemed through ‘ransom.’ This loan will be repaid to the Nordtov Kingdom over the next ten years, and if interest is required, it cannot exceed the median rate of official commercial loans within your kingdom.” Consumption! Consumption is the most important link! Every bullet we fire at the gnolls means an extra order for your arsenals. The more we spend, the higher your productivity will be pushed. Until the quantitative change triggers a qualitative change. This is the force the Wolf Queen needs most, not just a few reformed armies. What era is this, that you only think about territory but not higher-level needs? As I said, Lady Shani, your mindset is not well-suited for this kind of thinking. You’re too practical. Always overly focused on details and unable to view the bigger picture, dooming you to be an excellent executor but struggling to be a commander. But please believe me, this condition benefits both sides. And so I think today’s discussion can come to a close. Please convey my opinions to the Wolf Queen. The sooner, the better.” A few minutes later, the dazed Grand Duchess Shani returned to the lodging prepared for her by Lady Tris, and the previously imprisoned Count of White Mountain had also been released. At this moment, he was facing his ancient ancestor in a shameful posture. However, Grand Duchess Shani had no mind to deal with this unimpressive descendant in her eyes. She was now fixated on understanding Murphy’s strange theory, which sounded reasonable but still felt flawed to her in some way. “Your Grace, do you have any troubles?” Young Andrei noticed Shani’s preoccupation and cautiously asked. Shani glanced at him and said, “I intended to rebuke you for messing up a simple task! But I suddenly realized that in the face of our current predicament, your little failure has become irrelevant. You once received the so-called ‘modern’ education at the Circle Tower. Come here, I need your help to sort out some muddled thoughts.” “Uh, Grand Duchess, I majored in literature at the Circle Tower Academy,” Andrei felt somewhat embarrassed. But he still sat beside Shani at her request and listened to her complete description of her negotiation with Murphy and Tris. A young mind works better than a “ancient one” over three hundred years old, and the Count of White Mountain quickly found the flaw in Murphy’s theory. He said seriously, “His argument in the first half is sound, Grand Duchess. Her Majesty has indeed been wanting to galvanize the domestic forces desiring reform, and starting with commerce and industry is an excellent method, as proven by the reform experience of the Goldflower Kingdom. However, the problem lies in the fact that Transia will not always be content to be our debtor and dumping ground for goods. They will develop too! And once this region achieves self-sufficiency, the goods we produce will face the risk of accumulation. At that point, we will have to find the next dumping ground before our domestic economy runs into trouble, or we will face the same big troubles that the Silan Kingdom previously encountered.” “Hmm?” Shani immediately understood but then asked, “You say the Silan Kingdom also encountered the same problem during its reforms? They faced a similar situation? How did they resolve it?” “War!” Andrei looked at his clan leader, and after a few seconds, he said in a low voice, “Thirty years ago, the current King Louis waged war on the Isa Kingdom under the pretext of his father’s assassination! He won. And so all the problems he encountered were solved. Ten years ago, after King Louis completed the integration of his country, the reforms of the unified Goldflower Kingdom restarted. The newly empowered nation needed new territories and victories to resolve its contradictions. Their lords craved more manpower, and their factories needed more cheap resources. So, under the pretext of an old faith rebellion, they spent ten years swallowing up more than half of the Portia Federation’s fertile and resource-rich territories. I don’t know when the next war will come. But I believe that if our decaying nation doesn’t catch up soon, then the next time, the ravenous King Louis and his increasingly greedy country will view us as a sumptuous cake. My sister will undoubtedly agree to Count Murphy’s proposal. For the danger that my inferior intellect can perceive, she, who has inherited the true will of the Hero King, will see even more clearly. Nordtov needs Transia! At least at this stage, not only because of security concerns but also a real market. The cunning Murphy is aware of this, so he dares to open his mouth like a lion. And you... Forgive my bluntness. You lost, Grand Duchess. At least in this negotiation, you lost miserably.”