King

"Marshal, the Minister of the Frankish Kingdom, Marquis Landry, is here."

Hudson was not surprised when he heard what the attendant said. In recent days, the Franks have been mediating the conflicts between the Alpha Kingdom and the Five Steppe Nations.

As one of the powerful people in the kingdom, if the other party doesn't come to him, there will be a problem.

"please!"

In the current diplomatic situation, the Kingdom seems to have an advantage, but in fact it cannot really do anything to the Five Prairie Kingdoms.

The Alpha Kingdom needs the five grassland countries to be cannon fodder to buy time for its own war preparations.

It seemed that the charges against them in the Alliance Council were very serious, but precisely because the charges were too great, they could not be dismissed.

Once the charges are confirmed, the dignitaries of the five grassland countries will no longer be able to survive among the human race. Why should they continue to fight hard?

In essence, the current battle on the prairie is a group of powerful people working hard for their own reputation and the glimmer of hope of restoring the country.

The kingdom is now clinging to their grip, mainly to exert pressure so that the powerful people on the grassland will not dare to run away easily.

It would be even more perfect if we could receive their inheritance.

…

"Marshal, the overall situation is important!"

Faced with a burst of output from Minister Frank, Hudson just drank tea calmly, and after a while he slowly said:

"Your Majesty the Marquis, it is for the sake of the overall situation that we cannot give up easily.

What the Five Grassland Nations are doing now is a bad start for our human race. If we are not severely punished, what will happen if everyone follows suit in the future? "

Pretending to be dumbfounded, he is a professional. The Five Prairie Kingdoms are indeed very important to the Alpha Kingdom now, but the conditions still need to be negotiated.

The farce caused by the Five Prairie Nations at the Human Alliance Council did not appear to be at a disadvantage for the Alpha Kingdom, but in reality, its international reputation was greatly affected.

The absence of evidence does not mean that the matter does not exist.

Affected by the farce, the perceptions of the Alpha Kingdom in various countries in the Northern Continent have changed. The original plan to integrate the military forces of various countries can only be postponed for now.

One step is slow, each step is slow.

Originally, Hudson had little confidence in integrating the military forces of various countries, but now the probability of success is even lower.

It can be said that this immature political action of the five grassland countries is a lose-lose situation.

"Your Majesty, Marshal, the five grassland countries have realized their mistakes. They not only apologized to the two majesties, but also promised to provide support when the two countries regain their independence in the future.

At the same time, the five countries also announced that all family visits would be suspended during the mainland war.

Today I came to visit you. In addition to mediating previous misunderstandings, I was also entrusted by the five countries to negotiate the refugee issue. "

Marquis Landry's direct showdown made Hudson realize that the other party was well prepared.

The Alpha Kingdom can bribe the representatives of the two countries, and the other party can also bribe the kings of the two countries. As long as the victim does not pursue the case, then the unpleasantness that happened before can be a misunderstanding.

The transfer of family members stopped, and the accusation of "deserting" was untenable.

The current negotiations are possible mainly for the sake of profit.

Given the choice, no one wants to die. The dignitaries of the five grassland countries were even more unwilling to be buried with their new country without much emotion.

"Your Majesty the Marquis, it is a good thing for the entire human race that the five grassland countries can find their way back. I am also very pleased.

It's just that for this kind of thing, you should talk to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not to me, the military leader! "

Hudson is indeed very interested in refugees, but the more he wants to take over the people of the Five Prairie Countries, the less he can show it at this moment.

The other party came to him, obviously wanting to use him as a bargaining chip to put pressure on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We will naturally talk to your Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Today, on behalf of the five countries, I came to visit the Marshal. The main reason is to hope that the Marshal can accept some refugees."

There is no shame in talking about interests.

Sometimes it is easier to reach an agreement by simply laying out the conditions.

"Your Excellency, there is no problem in accepting some refugees. But in my opinion, these are just symptoms and not the root cause.

What follows represents my personal views only and has nothing to do with the Kingdom.

The misunderstanding between us and the Five Prairie Nations can be easily resolved, but the trouble is the aftermath.

The destruction of the Principality of Shillong and the Principality of Omega alone caused the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. A large number of people either died under the butcher's knives of the orcs or died on the long escape route.

The current war situation on the prairie is very unfavorable to the five prairie countries, and the front may collapse at any time.

Once a defeat occurs, more people will be displaced.

Instead of waiting for the tragedy to break out, it is better to move ordinary people to the rear and make proper arrangements.

When the Five Prairie Kingdoms are restored, these preserved manpower will also be the main force in building each country.

Considering the difficulty of population migration, as the closest big country to the Five Kingdoms, I think the nobles of the kingdom will definitely be happy to help.

Of course, I suggest you discuss the specific operations and some details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom. "

Hudson suggested with a smile.

He can give suggestions, but he will never get involved in the specific negotiation content.

It is simple to entrust the Alpha Kingdom to take care of the people of the five countries. I am afraid that until the war is over, these people will become Alpha people.

Return the population and just listen. If it were really implemented, how could we spit out what we had eaten?

How much you can pay back depends entirely on everyone's moral integrity. Even if the population is returned, it will only be a group of old, weak, sick and disabled people who have lost their labor force.

Disputes and disputes in the future are almost inevitable.

Even in order to preserve the interests it has obtained, it is not impossible for the Kingdom to obstruct the restoration of the Five Grassland Kingdoms.

"Marshal, you just talked about the people's issues, but what about the armies of the five grassland countries?

We all know very well about the current situation that the Five Prairie Kingdoms cannot defend themselves for long.

The various countries of the human race are busy with continental wars and are unable to provide them with more material help. Even if the orcs don't launch an attack, it won't be long before the defenders are trapped in supplies and collapse.

Once strategic supplies are exhausted, evacuation becomes an inevitable choice. "

Marquis Landry asked with concern.

Compared with the serfs at the bottom, the big shots obviously pay more attention to the army. These are investments from the major forces behind the Five Prairie Nations, and no one wants to directly waste them.

The most practical issue is that national restoration requires strength.

If there are no soldiers in hand, even if the orcs are driven out, a bachelor king will not be able to control the place.

"Your Majesty the Marquis, it's really time for the five countries to evacuate, and the continental war has reached its most critical moment.

It can be said that every piece of military power is precious to the human race and cannot be left idle.

Considering that the Five Prairie Nations need to preserve seeds and prepare for the subsequent restoration of the country, middle- and high-level noble officers can leave with their families, but ordinary officers and soldiers must stay. "

Hudson said as if he was thinking of others.

If you didn't know that these soldiers were going to be recruited by the Alpha Kingdom, you might actually think they were doing it out of justice.

He wanted to open his mouth to refute, but Marquis Landry took it back when he reached his lips.

The matter has been spread in the Human Alliance Parliament. If the five grassland countries continue to withdraw with a large number of troops, I am afraid that the discussion of "deserting crime" will be put on the agenda again.

If we cannot afford this crime, then the number of evacuees must be controlled. At the very least, it should look like it was a lucky breakout to the outside world, instead of running away.

The power that is destined to be given up, falling into the hands of the Alpha Kingdom is also a good choice. The war situation in the northern continent suddenly collapsed, which affected the strategic layout of the Frankish Kingdom.

"Your Excellency, Marshal, it's not enough to have high-level and middle-level officers. You have to leave some bodyguards for the five monarchs just to show off!"

Marquis Landry said with a smile.

If you pay attention, you will find that his fingers are moving, which seems to be hinting at something.

Hudson didn't answer directly, just smiled and said nothing. He naturally knew the kingdom's bottom line, but he would never reveal it in advance.

What kind of outcome can be negotiated depends on the subsequent diplomatic game between the two sides.

…

After sending Marquis Landry away, before he had time to adjust his thoughts, he was dragged to the palace for a meeting.

"The Holy See Navy Fleet intends to head north!"

Focusing on the war with the orcs all year round, the kingdom's maritime power mainly comes from the private armies of coastal nobles. The kingdom's navy can be regarded as an "existence fleet."

It's okay to occasionally attack pirates, but if you want to compete with the Holy See's navy, the disparity is too big.

Even if the power of the coastal nobles is added, there is still a certain gap between the two sides.

Of course, if the Holy See fleet really comes and kills them, as a local snake, it is not completely without the power to fight back.

By gathering the kingdom's maritime military power and mobilizing some experts, there is still a chance of severely damaging the Holy See Navy.

What's more, the labor expedition consumes a lot of money, and the Holy See also has its own maritime interests that require fleet protection, and cannot stay on the coast of the kingdom for a long time.

Even when relations between the two parties were at their worst, the Holy See did not form an expeditionary fleet to come over.

For a moment, "military blackmail" came to Hudson's mind. This wave of actions by the Holy See is obviously supporting the Kingdom of Light.

After all, this country is filled with a large number of descendants of the Holy See's dignitaries. Unlike other countries, although the background is not small, most of them are collateral children of various families.

"The Holy See sent a note. They are cracking down on pirates and want to send troops to help us clear the ghost ships in the foggy waters to ensure smooth shipping routes."

As soon as Count Francis finished speaking, everyone's expressions turned ugly.

Although there is no claim to control the sea in the Aslant continent, everyone still acquiesces to their respective spheres of influence. The behavior of the Holy See clearly oversteps the limit.

“We are using both soft and hard tactics to force the kingdom to make concessions!

However, this is a period of continental war, and the Holy See should not dare to provoke a civil war among the human race without authorization.

The search for the ghost ship must be accelerated. If it is still not found, the search operation will be suspended.

Negotiations with the Five Grassland Nations cannot be affected. As long as we compromise once, there will be countless threats.

The Holy See fleet wants to go north, so let them come up!

The Alliance Council is watching. Even if the route is clear, does the Kingdom of Light dare to run away? "

The Prime Minister, the Grand Duke of Newfoundland, said with a sneer.

It would be a great humiliation for the kingdom to let the Holy See enter the realm of its own strength, but no matter how great the grievance was, it was still better than a direct compromise.

Without being able to start a fight, there wasn't much the Holy See fleet could do other than show off its force.

"Prime Minister, won't we fight back?"

Caesar IV asked rather unhappily.

This kind of useless decision was not suitable for a king to make, but the prime minister's self-assertion still made him unhappy.

Of course, what made him even more angry was the provocation from the Holy See.

The kingdom suffered a loss, and the first thing that bore the brunt was the loss of his authority as the king. In the time of Caesar III, the Holy See had never done anything like this.

"Your Majesty, the overall situation is our top priority!"

"Your Majesty, the situation in the kingdom is difficult..."

…

The ministers persuaded him one after another, which made Caesar IV want to cry without tears. Isn't it just a way to vent my inner dissatisfaction? Why is it endless?

Hudson pretended not to see the grievances of his own king.

In the past, conflicts with the Holy See were all confrontations between two major forces. To put it bluntly, they were all business matters.

The two major forces clamored loudly, but the impact on the individuals among them was not that great.

The center of this dispute is the descendants of the powerful people of the Holy See, and personal grudges have been involved.

What's more, the missing treasure hunting team was also blamed, which intensified the conflict between the two parties.

Fortunately, the Holy See was only guessing about the artifact. If confirmed, their reaction would be even more intense.

What's more, the Holy See fleet heading north was a humiliation for the kingdom, but it was an opportunity for him personally.

The ghost ship has never sailed once since it followed him, and the ghosts who love robbery are feeling aggrieved.

He was embarrassed to do evil things to his own people, but he had no pressure to trick the Holy See. Anyway, they are here to encircle and suppress the ghost ship, so it is reasonable for them to be attacked by the ghost ship.

Having made up his mind to lure people from the Holy See over, Hudson naturally wanted to add fuel to the fire and help them make up their mind.

"Your Majesty, the prime minister's proposal is very pertinent. We must not compromise with the Kingdom of Light at this moment.

For the sake of the Kingdom’s reputation, not only can we not lower the conditions, but we must specifically raise the requirements for the Kingdom of Light.

It doesn't need to be too extreme, just a little higher than the others.

Maybe with such a stimulus, the other four companies will directly reach an agreement with us. The remaining Kingdom of Light will be unable to survive alone and will definitely not last long.

As for the Holy See's fleet going north to destroy the ghost ship, let them do it.

Send someone to let the outside world know that the ghost ship is lurking in the depths of the foggy sea, and let them go in and search for it.

Even the most experienced captain cannot guarantee free access to the foggy waters.

If they are unlucky and get lost inside, they can’t blame us!”

After hearing Hudson's suggestion, Caesar IV looked shocked and thought for a moment.

If the Holy See stirs up trouble at this time, the Human Alliance will definitely interfere.

For the sake of the Kingdom of Light, they may not be able to withstand the pressure.

After all, the Alpha Kingdom is only targeting ordinary soldiers and serfs, and will not hurt the second generation at all.

Even if a parent becomes angry, he or she will not immediately fall out.

But if it involves the "Glory Scepter", it's different. Unless he handed over the artifact immediately, people from the Holy See would come looking for him sooner or later.

Caesar IV, who was already feeling guilty, had now concluded that the news about the artifact had been leaked. It was just a test made by the Holy See who was not yet sure that the thing was in his hands.

"The Holy See's fleet is heading north, and we really can't stop it. But is the foggy sea really that dangerous and capable of burying a powerful fleet?"

Caesar IV asked uncertainly.

When it comes to professional knowledge, the Minister of Military Affairs, Archduke Efiero, stepped forward and replied:

"Your Majesty, the foggy sea area itself is not dangerous, and there are no powerful sea monsters occupying it. The danger lies in the fact that the area shrouded in fog is too huge.

Once a ship enters it, all navigation tools will lose their effectiveness. There are no points of reference except for a poisonous dragon island in the center.

Many times it seems that we are heading in one direction, but due to the fog, we may veer off course without even realizing it.

Even if the same fleet enters it together, ships can get lost.

If the Holy See's fleet goes deep into it, I can't say that it will definitely get lost, but heavy losses are inevitable.

Of course, this is when the place is unfamiliar.

If there is a guide who is familiar with this sea area to lead the way, and a magician on board the ship to drive away the fog along the way, there is hope of escaping unscathed. "

After hearing this explanation, everyone turned their attention to several coastal lords, hoping to get a definite answer.

"His Excellency the Grand Duke is right. Under normal circumstances, as long as the Holy See is fully prepared, it can come out of the foggy sea.

But the situation now is a little different. There are still three extremely dangerous ghost ships entrenched in the foggy waters.

Our people have seen their figures at the edge of the fog. The coalition forces tried to go in and encircle them several times, but finally had to give up.

The fog will not affect the actions of these monsters, but in order to avoid accidentally injuring one's own people, the magic crystal cannon on the ship has lost its use.

If anyone from the Holy See dares to enter, they will definitely pay a heavy price.

After all, no matter how many magicians they have on board, it is impossible to dispel the fog in the entire sea area, which will always leave opportunities for sneak attacks by the ghost ship.

No matter who wins or loses, there is one less hidden danger for the kingdom.

Even if the Holy See really destroys the ghost ship, the Holy See fleet will suffer heavy losses.

If we're lucky, maybe we can go up and make the final cut. "

Earl Pierce said murderously.

The last time they encircled and suppressed the "pirates", the Dalton family suffered heavy losses. I paid a heavy price, but in the end I didn't get even a hair.

Pirates were trained by the Holy See, so this debt will naturally fall on them.

Especially since the matter also involves artifacts. If there is a conflict between the kingdom and the Holy See in the future, the Dalton family will definitely bear the brunt.

They are destined to face each other. Instead of waiting for the enemy to come to them, it is better to make arrangements in advance to severely damage the Holy See's maritime power.

Even if the Holy See wanted to retaliate, it would have to build another fleet. The shortest time period would be years.

What's more, the enemies of the Holy See are not only the Alpha Kingdom. Once the maritime fleet suffers heavy losses, their overseas trade will be severely hit.

When maritime trade is damaged, fiscal revenue will inevitably decline, and accordingly the military expenditures that can be invested in the navy will also decrease.

Many maritime powers have declined after suffering a major defeat. It's not that they don't want to struggle, it's mainly that they have no way to restore their strength in a timely manner due to a vicious cycle.

One step at a time, and all the benefits will be divided up by others. The gap in strength between the two sides has widened, and the probability of regaining the original benefits has become increasingly slim.

After hesitating for a while, Caesar IV finally nodded.

"good!"