32 Chapter 32 (2/2)
The Princess and Emperor of the Satellian empire actually bowed!
”Very well, we will start first then...” Nartus spoke up, breaking the ice.
”Speak? About what? You surrendered unconditionally, we decide what to do and get from you!” Alexis interjected with an amused smile.
”Councilman, get the map.” He then ordered the elderly woman next to him who nodded and took out a big map from her Spacial ring...
The map showed the continent, the continent seemed like an oval, from the knowledge he has, the continent had to be a super continent...
The distance from the East to the West was four times the distance between the North and South, and there it was... the biggest and most powerful nation in the world...
The Grand Lunar Empire took all the lands in the north and was reached the central parts of the continent.
To the East was the Satellian Empire, where the dispute was...
It was not even a third of the Empire but the power behind is not negligible, eventhough it was still not enough to defeat the Empire!
The north of the Satellian empire was where the two nations connected.
It was blocked and guarded by a massive fortress that resembled a wall, this fortress moved along the border between the two nations and often considered the last line of defense against the Lunar empire.
Now that Alexis had taken over it, he would demand that the fort be his and the Empire's property!
”We will accept your surrender once you agree to our demands!” Alexis spoke and then pointed his index finger at the Fort that was drawn in the map.
”The fort is ours, we have already taken it...” Alexis said and turned to Nartus who was struggling to accept the condition.
”Your highness, let's just give it...” A Satellian councilman urged him and sighed, the others nodded as Nartus turned to Alexis.
”Very well...” He replied in a low voice.
”The second demand” Alexis then continued.
”THERE'S A SECOND?!” The Satellians shouted in shock and anger but quietened down once their Emperor raised his hand.
”We will take most of your provinces at the north!” Alexis stated and pointed at nine out of the ten provinces that were at the border.
”...” The Satellians went quiet, the north was the industrialized zone of their Empire! What is this man talking about?!
”The last two are...” Alexis paused and took a quick glance at all faces of all the people present in the conference.
”The Lunar Empire demands 25% of the annual budget of the Satellian empire, you will pay us for five years as reparations...
The last one is quite simple, demilitarize your de facto army, your army will be limited to one hundred thousand men, no conscription of soldiers, no supplies and no development in new weaponry unless ofcourse given permission by the Empire.
The Lunar empire will aid the Satellians should it be attacked, threatened or invaded by any of the two great nations, this condition will last even if the ruling party is changed!
That will be all!” Alexis then cleared his throat and took a sip of water from the glass placed at his space of the table.
”I almost forgot, Failure to agree to any of these conditions will be taken as a stand of aggression against the Lunar Empire and immediate measures will be made to enforce these conditions!” He ended his speech and nodded at one of his councilmen who then took out the documents containing the treaty of Enleitz which needed to be signed by Aurelius and the Emperor of Satellia.
Nartus was shocked at these cruel demands and slammed his fist against the table in frustration, the glasses of water fell down as the entire table became a mess.
”...Do you want war, Nartus?” Alexis growled at the Emperor of Satellia as he flared his mana at the group of Satellians that shivered.
Aurelius was shocked, his son was very close to becoming a Divine Duke!
The Moon Paladins took out their swords and pointed at the Satellians and gathered around Alexis protectively.
'Never has our Empire has been this humiliated!' Nartus thought to himself sadly.
His own soldiers and knights gathered around him to protect him from any attacks, they stayed silently considering the fact that they were veterans.
But they too were furious at the things, the Lunar Empire demanded for...
This was equivalent to destroying the Empire from within! With such cruel demands, the economy of the Satellian Empire will be shattered... this will earn the wrath of the masses and thus cause revolutions!
”Your highness, the third demand might prove to have backlash on us... our own economy might be effected due to this, it is not logical to do so...” An elderly council woman advised Alexis.
”It may have backlash, but they are paying us... we can use that money to revitalize our economy if such a thing happens!” Alexis replied to her after thinking for a few seconds.
The council woman sighed and nodded, there was no convincing the crown prince...
He wouldn't listen to her anyway! Maybe it was because she was a woman... no, not that... he just doesn't care, the prince only listens to himself...
She glanced at the solemn looking Satellian councilmen and women with pity in her eyes.
'Poor people... they have no choice!' She added and closed her eyes, giving her thoughts and prayers to those that will suffer in the coming days and months...
This council woman was Helga Ex Solis.
”...please make it 10% of the budget!” A councilman begged Alexis who stared at them indifferently.
”Please! If we suddenly lose a quarter of the budget it will affect the Empire in unimaginable ways!” Another one pleaded.
Alexis shook his head and replied, ”You will pay, accept our demands... unless you want to feel the wrath of the Empire! Besides... You all will be paying us for five years, not more, tap into your gold reserves!” He smirked.
Aurelius shivered at the brutal demands his son had given to the Satellians...
If he were in Nartus' place, he would have just given the entire empire rather than suffer from the consequences of accepting those conditions!
”We will...” Nartus paused and took a deep breath of air, turning to everyone in the room.
”Nartus, remember the war... you lost nearly three million soldiers in just a month of fighting, while we lost less than a million!” Alexis warned him before he could take any rash decisions.
”Father...” Amelia whispered her father's name worriedly...
'This reminds of a treaty back in my previous life... what was it? It happened before those monsters, the Third Reich, won the second world war...' She clenched her fists and glared at Alexis who waved at her with a smile.
”The Satellian Empire, surrenders to the Grand Lunar Empire... we will accept all demands and conditions however-” Nartus spoke unwillingly as his face was overshadowed by his hair...
”You don't have the right to make demands, loser...” Alexis interjected and forced him to shut his mouth.
”The people of the Satellian Empire will be treated humanely and will not be discriminated...” Alexis said and nodded at Aurelius who sighed and got up.
”We are leaving, sign the paper quickly!” Alexis informed them and gave the document to Nartus.
Nartus went through thr documents carefully and nodded, he then took out a pen and turned to the last page.
'I'm sorry...' He apologised to his people and shakily brought the pen to sign the agreement.
The conference was silent, the Satellian soldiers saw their Emperor sign the document, their faces shocked and filled with terror, anger and frustration...
The only thing everyone heard were the distinct soothing scraping noises of the pen against paper.
Alexis took the document and gave the copy of it, this was the document which will be given to the Satellians to keep in order for them to be reminded of the treaty and it's conditions...
-●-●-●-
”Alexis, throughout my life, I've been invited to many peace conferences as an overseer but this one was the most horrible one I have ever seen...
there was no inhumane demands such as the act of taking away one's daughters or wives... but the sheer amount of chaos in those four demands, they make me feel sick in my stomach!” Aurelius sighed and looked down sadly.
”This will boost our power father... it had to be done! The money they send will be used to develop our weaponry that will help us take over the continent...” Alexis explained to him...
”And also, you did a good job of taking my job away from me by giving out those demands! you are lucky we had people to modify the documents...” Aurelius told him as Alexis smiled wryly.
He knew he may have gone too far, but the man has already signed the treaty and going back now would destroy the reputation of the Lunar Empire...