Book 8: Chapter 117: Peace talks failed
“Duke Yodel, Duke Masalan, I propose to your two countries on behalf of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce to stop this war and sign the ceasefire treaty.” The Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s foreign affairs department’s chief Feven pushed up the gla.s.ses on her face and looked at the two people sitting there with serious looks, as she gave the reason for her coming here.
To bring these two dukes from the Lampuri Kingdom and the Marlow Empire in charge of the frontlines together and have them sit down for a talk, even if it was the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, they had to spend quite a bit of effort.
It was fine for the Lampuri Kingdom side. The chairman Freya just had to talk to King Raymond about this.
But the Marlow Empire didn’t agree to the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s request at first. The Frestech Chamber of Commerce had to go through many contacts and finally went to the Marlow Empire’s finance minister Duke Southgate before the Marlow Empire agreed to meet.
This meeting was the first meeting between the two frontline commanders, so it was very significant, but the atmosphere wasn’t good.
Hearing Feven’s words, the Marlow Empire’s frontline commander, Duke Masalan gave a cold snort, “Your Frestech Chamber of Commerce wants us to reach a truce? What a joke! Why should we listen to you?”
Feven looked at him and wasn’t surprised by his response at all.
According to the reports, Duke Masalan was one of the representatives of the militaristic faction of the Marlow Empire that endorsed military action.
To make him agree to a truce was harder than ascending to heaven.
“Your Frestech Chamber of Commerce isn’t embarra.s.sed to say that you wouldn’t meddle in the war of other countries? When the Marlow Empire was at a disadvantage, why didn’t I see you come out? Now that we’ve finally reversed the situation, you immediately jumped out to mediate a truce when the Lampuri Kingdom is at a disadvantage?”
Duke Masalan’s face was filled with disdain. There was a clear aggression when he looked at Feven, not hiding it at all.
“Our Lampuri Kingdom is at a disadvantage?” Hearing his words, the Lampuri Kingdom’s frontline commander, Duke Yodel gave a cold laugh, “Don’t think that just because you’ve won a few insignificant battles that you can act this arrogantly. Do you really think that we can’t beat you?”
“Can you?” Duke Masalan glared back at him, “If you don’t accept it, we can go back right now. Do you believe that I won’t beat you until you run away in the mud?”
After saying this, he looked at Feven and gave a cold laugh, “Don’t think that now that you have the Frestech Chamber of Commerce helping you, you can act arrogantly. Let me tell you, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce guards are a bunch of rookies that haven’t seen blood in many years, so what if they join the war? I think that the people who say that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce are scary are just scaring themselves, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce hasn’t been as strong for a long time, right? Otherwise, they would have directly sent troops to attack our empire like when the previous chairman Xu was in charge. Would there be a need for all this useless gib?”
“Duke Masalan, take care of your words. The principle that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce has always followed is peace for everyone and mutual development. When there’s no need, we won’t easily use military force.”
“When there’s no need?” Duke Masalan gave a grating cold laugh, “When the Lampuri Kingdom fellows were about to reach our Marlow Empire’s land, why didn’t I see your Frestech Chamber of Commerce come take any action? Now that we have defeated the Lampuri Kingdom, why do you feel there is a need? Hei, having a king as a son really is different……”
Hearing the final words, Feven’s expression greatly changed.
Duke Yodel flew into a rage and stood up. He slapped the table and pointed at Duke Masalan as he roared, “Shup up! You are only just a duke, don’t you feel shameless saying such words?”
Duke Masalan narrowed his eyes to look at him before giving a cold laugh, “What? Are you afraid because I’m right?”
Duke Yodel angrily reached into his chest and took out a Magic Pistol that he pointed at Duke Masalan.
“Immediately take back your words or don’t blame me for being impolite!”
Duke Masalan wasn’t afraid, he even gave a shrug with a smile on his face.
“Fire then. See if I’ll blink or not.”
The guards behind the two of them took out their guns and pointed them at each other, causing the atmosphere to become even more tense.
“Please stop.” Feven’s voice rang out.
In such a tense atmosphere, her voice was very calm, instantly easing the tense atmosphere.
“The two of you, we’ve invited you here today to discuss peace talks between your two sides, not to continue this war.” Feven turned to look at Duke Masalan, “Duke Masalan, our Frestech Chamber of Commerce choosing this time to mediate a truce, I think you should be clear on the reason. If it wasn’t for your Marlow Empire’s excessive actions, our Frestech Chamber of Commerce wouldn’t meddle in the dispute between your countries.”
Duke Masalan’s expression froze a bit.
Of course he understood.
The reason the Frestech Chamber of Commerce acted now was naturally because of the refugee camp incident.
Whether the Marlow Empire’s Magic Airships made a mistake or not, the fact is that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce had lost a hundred guards and some workers, as well as this large scale refugee camp. It made the Frestech Chamber of Commerce lose their halo of being able to protect refugees which was like a large slap to the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s face.
If the Frestech Chamber of Commerce didn’t react at all, that would be strange.
The Marlow Empire was most worried that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce would use this excuse to join the war, allying themselves with the Lampuri Kingdom to fight the Marlow Empire.
If the Frestech Chamber of Commerce chose to do this, it would be a lot of pressure on the Marlow Empire.
Although through many years of development, the Marlow Empire’s magic machine industry was close to perfect, even being freed from the influence of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce in most places. It wasn’t like twenty years ago where the two empires together couldn’t resist the Frestech Chamber of Commerce. However, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s power was one that people feared and it would be best if they didn’t offend them.
“Our company is worried that if this war continues, with the scale of war between your two countries, there would be more and more similar incidents. Not only would it affect the peace of the entire continent, it would seriously hurt the interests of our company. So we seriously proposed this truce to your two sides.”
Duke Masalan gave a laugh. He thought that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce really was direct. They are saying that their interests were being hurt, so they requested that they come to a truce.
But the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s interests were not the interests of the Marlow Empire.
Duke Masalan stood up, “Manager Feven, the Marlow Empire definitely will not agree to the truce. If your Frestech Chamber of Commerce wants to ally with the Lampuri Kingdom, please act as you wish. Give your chairman Freya a few words for me. She is not her father, chairman Xu Yi and the Frestech Chamber of Commerce isn’t the same Frestech Chamber of Commerce that the two empires can’t do anything against. She should have some self awareness, that would be for the best.”
After throwing these words down, Duke Masalan left.
Duke Yodel stared in the direction Duke Masalan left in for a while before turning to look at Feven.
“Chief Feven, this……”
He never would have thought that the Marlow Empire’s att.i.tude would be this strong.
Could it be that they really weren’t worried about the Frestech Chamber of Commerce?
But thinking about it, Duke Masalan’s words were a bit reasonable.
It was different from twenty years ago. The magic machine industry in each country of the continent had developed quickly, so the gap between them and the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was very small.
In terms of military magic machines, the powerful countries had put all their efforts into developing them and they cut the gap with the Frestech Chamber of Commerce. It was even possible that there was no gap at all.
Otherwise, why hadn’t the Frestech Chamber of Commerce acted after all these years?
Even if there was any military action, it was just bullying those primitives on the Magic Cloud Continent that hadn’t experienced the magic machine industry before. According to the reports, the battle power that they demonstrated was very normal.
If this was true, then the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s battle power really wasn’t as great as it was in the past.
The Marlow Empire’s current att.i.tude could be understood.
Duke Yodel’s unstable expression was seen by Feven, so how could she not guess what Duke Yodel was thinking.
But she didn’t want to explain anything, so she just said to Duke Yodel with a nod, “Relax, our company will not give up trying to broker a truce. Duke Yodel, I hope that your Lampuri Kingdom will cooperate with us.”
Duke Yodel revealed a bitter smile.
Cooperate? How?
The negotiations between countries were only based on power.
If the Frestech Chamber of Commerce with the Lampuri Kingdom couldn’t suppress the Marlow Empire, it was considered a waste of time no matter how they negotiated.
The Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s power was still a mystery, so not only did Duke Masalan have his doubts, even Duke Yodel had his doubts.
What if the Frestech Chamber of Commerce guards were already very weak, how could the Lampuri Kingdom depend on them?
What Duke Yodel doubted even more was the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s approach this time.
If it was the past Frestech Chamber of Commerce, if a hundred of their guards were killed, chairman Xu would have directly declared war on the Marlow Empire without a single word. How could it be like now where they sent people first to waste effort on trying to broker a truce?
To other people, this was simply a display of weakness.
Thinking of this, Duke Yodel couldn’t help fondly remember the previous Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Xu Yi.
If it was still Xu Yi who was in charge, no matter how bold Duke Masalan was, he would have dared to be this arrogant, right?