Chapter 445 - Hungover Politics (2/2)

”Pfft, Fools, if Byzantium was able to dominate their enemies in North Africa with the old weapons you gave them, imagine what they will be capable of with the new ones. I doubt it will end well if those fanatical fools declare a Jihad!”

Berengar chuckled when he heard this before making fun of the moderate Sultan.

”Oh so, Granada will not answer the call to Holy War?”

The young Sultan immediately glared at Berengar for making such a jest before declaring his intent.

”I do not need to get involved in the religious conflict; I have other concerns to deal with. I still have to maintain my control over Granada and Portugal, rebuild from the damage we have caused in our invasion, and secure my borders against my Catholic enemies. If those fools want a Holy War, then they won't be able to count on me to support them...”

Berengar smiled in silence; he took another sip from his coffee before switching the subject to something more personal.

”Since I will be leaving within the next few weeks, I will be taking your sister back with me to Kufstein. Are you sure you will be alright without your big sister to take care of you?”

Hasan scoffed once more at this snide comment before wearing a proud smile on his face.

”I am not a little kid who relies on his big sister to get by in life; besides, I have two wives to keep me company. I'm sure whatever grief I may feel with my sister's departure can be appropriately treated by the two of them. Speaking of which, I hear you have a beautiful young sister who will soon be of age. Why don't you marry her off to me?”

A stern frown appeared on Berengar's face as he heard this before placing his ceramic cup down upon the table. After doing so, he made a short but bold statement.

”Don't even think about it!”

Hasan chuckled lightly before slapping Berengar on the back in response to this.

”I see you have a sister complex, huh? Just remember, your taboo thoughts are fine, but you should never act on them... Sooner or later, you will have to wed your precious little sister off to some other man!”

Berengar immediately shrugged his friend's hand off his shoulder before chastising the man.

”I have a sister complex? You are one to talk!”

Hasan merely laughed at such a defensive comment and began to sip from his coffee once more. He had enough fun at Berengar's expense, any more, and the King of Austria might actually get mad, and the young Sultan of Granada was all too aware of what happened when Berengar was angry.

Thus the two men continued to banter for some time. After a while, breakfast was brought to the table, and the seats were filled with Yasmin and Hasan's two wives who gazed lovingly at their men. Berengar had drunk more than his fair share of coffee during this process to help overcome his hangover.

With this new phase of the War in Iberia, Berengar would soon return home. A semi-permanent unit would be stationed in Granada, who would regularly rotate with other soldiers to ensure that Berengar's Army maintained some form of combat experience between his effective campaigns.

While Berengar planned to conduct combat operations in Portugal, the Aragonese King worked hard to unite his Kingdom and his neighbor Castile. Though the fighting had been fierce, soon, a new Kingdom would arise in Iberia, and in the end, there would be two powers fighting for control of the peninsula in the years to come.

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