Chapter 125: This Is Peace Negotiation (2)
A week later, some officers of the Reich Empire, including Duke Benner and me, were invited by the Francois Republic to negotiate at the nearby Nancy Castle.
Despite the country being in a dire state due to excommunication and defeat, it seemed they wanted to demonstrate their resilience by any means.
Inside the castle were luxurious carpets, chandeliers, furniture made from fine woods, and desks carved from marble, creating an opulent and extravagant scene.
The attendants of the Francois Republic, who were to assist Duke Benner, me, and our accompanying officers during the peace negotiations, were also dressed in the finest silk garments.
If they revealed their lack of funds through their outward appearance
Duke Benner must have been preparing to exploit their weakness and impose unfavorable conditions on them.
While imagining how the negotiations would unfold, the door opened, and the Francois Republics negotiator entered and greeted us.
Thank you for coming to Nancy Castle. I am Pierre von Trois, a member of the Republic and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, who has been entrusted with the negotiations for this war. This man beside me is Henri de Regis, who serves as my assistant.
Hearing this, Duke Benner and I stood up to greet him and engaged in small talk for a while.
It was a trivial conversation about the high level of literature and culture in the Reich Empire and the delicious cuisine of the Francois Republic.
Such diplomatic formalities were necessary as a pretense of getting to know each other.
It was like having a meal on a blind date with someone you didnt like, just to save the face of the person who set it up.
Now, lets start the negotiation in earnest, Deputy Minister.
Alright, lets hope for a negotiation that everyone can agree upon.
Then, we will propose our conditions first. We have considered the Empires interests, so I think you will find them agreeable.
The words exchanged on the surface were amiable, but the underlying meaning was roughly this,
Enough with the nonsense. How much will you pay for your lives? Propose first. If I dont like the offer, be prepared for us to flip the table.
After that, Pierre, the assistant standing next to the Deputy Minister, unfolded a map of the Francois Republic for everyone to see.
Then the Deputy Minister drew a line from Metz Castle to the city of Belfort with his pointer and said,
We propose to cede the territory and all its inhabitants from the eastern border with the Empire, extending from Seltz Castle to Sargminne Castle, as reparations. Additionally, as war indemnity, 300,000 gold, and 200,000 gold for the ransom of prisoners. In total, 500,000 gold. How does that sound?
The territory from the east to Seltz and Sargminne was 1.5 times the size of the Bisochea region, a vast land equivalent to two dukedoms.
Moreover, this region, with its fertile land and favorable climate, could support a population of over 700,000 once the devastated fields were restored.
Considering the luxury goods such as wine and other fruits produced there, along with the vibrant trade and established trade routes, its value was more than four times that of Bisochea.
Honestly, this war indemnity includes compensation for the excommunication of the Francois and the loss of livelihood for over 300,000 citizens of the Reich Empire.
Frankly, 500,000 gold and territories spanning Seltz and Sargminne were quite a fair amount.
However, if our side was determined to push hard, continuing the war to the capital Goblen might be too much, but it was possible to claim land three times what that gentleman offered.
And since the other side knew this, they seemed to be planning to haggle a bit with us and then finalize the deal with a little more money on top of what was here.
Duke Benner and I have already decided to start by asking for four times the conditions proposed by His Majesty the Emperor.
Haha, thats a difficult condition for us to accept. From Seltz to Sargminne, that area is so devastated by our Francois Eastern Expeditionary Force that it may take years just to rebuild the villages.
Then, how far would you like us to compromise?
Duke Benner hummed thoughtfully for a moment, then smiled amiably and spoke.
Shouldnt you cede from Colmar to Metz Castle? And lets just take 500,000 gold as compensation.
He spoke with a smile, but this was akin to a threat to cut off an arm or leg of the Francois Republic.
Because the land he demanded was four times the size of Bisochea and also superior in terms of usability, it was like taking a valuable piece of Francois territory.
And if we use all 500,000 gold given by Francois as compensation?
Effectively, from the Empires perspective, we could perfectly rebuild the territory received from Francois without spending a penny.
The Deputy Minister, who had been brimming with ease and smiles until a moment ago, could no longer hide his anger, but he tried to suppress it and spoke in a natural voice.
We cannot cede such vast territory to you. Please adjust to a reasonable level.
We are only trying to obtain proper compensation for the harm done to our Empires citizens. We cannot adjust further. Surely, you are not thinking of negotiating even the cost of absolution for excommunication, are you?
Ah, the conditions demanded by both countries are too different. This calls for a cup of tea, doesnt it? I happen to have some precious coffee beans with me. How about a cup of coffee?
At this, Duke Benner, the opposing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other accompanying officials all stood up to leave.
However, the opposing assistant and I could not follow them.
This was because when the opponent suggested going for a cup of coffee, it meant that the assistants of the negotiators should have a sincere conversation in a place where no one else was present.
After spending a few hours talking and understanding the opponents true intentions, we finished our discussion and could only then report that the document organization was complete.
Next, I naturally reported to Duke Benner that we had reached an agreement with the other side on these terms.
Then, based on the agreement reached between the two assistants, some additional discussions would take place to finalize the reinforced negotiations.
Deputy Minister, I will join you after sorting out these documents here.
General, I apologize, but me too.
Saying so, the two of them naturally left, telling us to take our time and not to rush.
When only the two of us were left, the opposing assistant, Henri, looked at me with a serious expression and asked.
Lets talk honestly according to diplomatic customs. Does the Empire really want the land from Colmar to Metz?
To be honest, the condition His Majesty the Emperor commanded Duke Benner was not to take the land from Colmar to Metz, but just to accept the land initially offered by them.
However, His Majesty said that we could extract a little more than the minimum territory and compensation at our discretion.
The plan was to start big and then gradually ease the conditions, like feeding fish.
It seems we can reduce it a bit more.
How much exactly? No matter how I think about it, from Colmar to Metz is too much. Isnt that almost like giving up a territory the size of a duchy?
Since Duke Benner happens to be my father-in-law, and His Majesty the Emperor might grant more mercy if the Republic hands over a few criminals just to maintain appropriate compensation and prestige. Or rather, he will.
Since this was such an obvious condition, the assistant in his mid-40s in front of me made a sullen face.
Only by sending the person responsible for leading the Francois Republic to excommunication to the Papacy to undergo a heresy trial and be executed could the Republic be forgiven and the excommunication lifted.
Furthermore, from the Emperors perspective, since those responsible were dying for their actions, his prestige was maintained, and it provided a pretext to reduce the compensation and land demanded from them in exchange for the lives of a few politicians.
Understood. Then, after ceding the territory, we will hand over those among our ministers and generals who are guilty to His Holiness the Pope
However, I interrupted him with a laugh and said,
What are you talking about? His Holiness the Pope is already aware that both your pro-war faction and pro-peace factions are deeply involved in the pillaging of the Reich Empire, which led to your excommunication. So isnt it important now to show how much more appropriate your apologies to the victim, the Reich Empire, are?
Specifically, the pro-war faction clamored for an attack on the Reich Empires territory, which was busy with a northern conquest, while the pro-peace faction opposed it, arguing that attacking the Empires territory without a declaration of war could lead to excommunication.
Later, I heard that the pro-war faction passed the decision by offering a few parliamentary seats to several nobles of the pro-peace faction.
So, strictly speaking, both sides were involved.
Honestly, the Empire could decide which of the two factions should first apologize to us and contribute to lifting the excommunication of the Francois Republic.
Furthermore, if adequate compensation is not provided, we are considering breaking off the peace negotiations and negotiating with the pro-war faction instead of the pro-peace faction to which Assistant Henri belongs.
This was a card I could play without barely overstepping the authority granted to Duke Benner.
Now, lets see how sincerely you want to live.
Visit freewe𝑏n(o)vel.𝑐𝘰𝑚 for the best novel reading experience