Chapter 112 (2/2)

Ares asked Alfredo with a suspicious face

What Alfredo proposed to Ares was athe current situation on the east, he then explained that Istrea is in need of assistance

[When it comes to that, Arcadia En an equal Military Alliance]

After hearing Ares said so, Alfredo looked at the young e an alliance with Arcadia]

[Then, what do you want?]

[If it's possible… I would like to forge an alliance… with Your Excellency and this Schwarzer Frontier Territory]

Hearing that response, Ares was speechless shi+on seee frowned

Alfredo continued on

[We do want ainst Dormadia and Byzerd Certainly if we capitulate to the Empire, they will post an army to protect the new territory However, the safety of the Istrea Royal Clan will be in peril Also, I fear that the land that the royal clan has tended to and developed with utenerations would deteriorate under the newly appointed lord]

Seeing Ares simply listened silently, Alfredo resuh to have their royal clan be spared However, that was only the case… because of you, Your Excellency]

[I see what you mean there Then, do you want me to persuade the Emperor to do the sarateful for Your Excellency's assistance… but as a matter of fact, Istrea cannot trust the Arcadia Ee a secret alliance with Your Excellency as an 『individual』]

[………………]

Ares felt that he has to think this through But shi+on spoke first

[Such a strange idea This tiainst the growing aggression of Doro directly to Arcadia instead The Empire would appreciate it if they don't have to cross swords with Istrea to obtain it And if Milord speaks for you, the Eht be gone, but the essence will still re his head, shi+on then turned to Alfredo

[In this kind of secret alliance you want, Arcadia wouldn't be involved in it Thus they will eventually march to conquer your country By then, Istrea won't be left intact If what you 『truly』 want is to keep Istrea safe 『as it is』…then such an alliance is worthless 『What』 do you actually want?]

[……………]

Noas Alfredo's turn to be speechless Right His intention was easily seen through by those three

Alfredo's original intention was indeed to capitulate to Arcadia If Ares, whom the Emperor placed a lot of favor on, also put soht obtain the best possible concessions

However…his goal changed halfway there It became…

[……………I understand I will not try to cover it up anyht I planned to use Your Excellency]

Alfredo closed his eyes for a short while, before finally speaks with determination on his face

[On the way here, I sa developed this country has become Such a massive development, I don't think a comparable feat has been recorded anywhere in history Also…]

Alfredo glanced out of the

[It's a country where huether Not toon the road All that sounds good when speaking about race equality, but in reality, both the Empire and the church would scrutinize over it]

[……………]

[When it co as His Majesty Sephiros reign over the Empire, this won't beco happened to His Majesty Sephiros… probably Arcadia will fall into great tur to what I heard… Your Excellency has taken His Majesty's daughter to be your wife Then it'll be inevitable that you'll also be caught in the ture responded, Alfredo decided to push forth

[……here isto the empire noill be less profitable What I intend to do is to formally announce our alliance… once you've obtained 『independence』, Your Excellency]

[………you really spoke of so for reatest benefit for Istrea If I decide to join Arcadia now, then when they break down… Istrea will also catch the sparks However, if we ally ourselves with Your Excellency]

[Well, it's not like we'll treat your country bad, correct? At the same time, we can also use them as a smoke screen so that other eastern countries become blind to what happened at the center When Arcadia breaks apart… another great poill take its place I see this as a mutually beneficial relation]

shi+on finally spoke in a follow up to Alfredo's state silently so far, Ares finally spoke up

[But… isn't this the same as if you have sold your own country to ivable act for a retainer of a country But… I've resolved myself The only way to protect my Queen and my homeland… is to rely on you as an individual]

=====

[It becae involuntarily groaned

[It was very obvious, but anyone would want to gain benefit frootiation]

shi+on also added

[Perhaps…that's e et out of this If… If we truly seek to become independent later on, the eastern countries will also beco Istrea on our side will be very beneficial If… we decided to decline the alliance, that o directly to Royal Capital and announce their intention to capitulate Best case scenario, their country will also become part of the frontier… perhaps that's why he chose to visit us first That's a great calculation on his part]

shi+on rarely praises other people, which sho good Alfredo is The silence returned for a while afterward

[Shall we take the bait?]

Ares'broke the silence

[Either e do need to have a foothold in the eastern countries According to the information, it will still be in another one or two years before Dormadia and Byzerd make a move We should settle the proble toward the east]

[But… a secret alliance, huh?]

shi+on also muttered

[That means we'll have to secretly protect Istrea as well When the time comes… we can announce it formally By then, the eastern countries should be ours already]

[And that e can safely advance to the successor war that will coe added

[Istrea… is indeed an attractive offer But thatfellow I'd like to recruit hi so

Perhaps he had judged the situation hiotiation That calculation, and judgment… simply superb

[After Istrea's a with our ent problem We've spent a year in developments It's time for us to move earnestly]

[It's also ti]

[…………I can't say anything against that…]

Ares chuckled afterward

=====

As soon as he arrived back at the inn, Alfredo i about the current state of Grants and Schwarzer Frontier Territory, as well as the result of the negotiation in the letter…he fell on his bed and pondered

Never had he spent so th before

To think he would be so tired froer than hireat change with hie… then Istrea will support him so that he can play as the central character…]

Alfredo muttered to himself