Chapter 598 - 377: The Dragon Rider Arrives
Chapter 598: Chapter 377: The Dragon Rider Arrives
"What are your thoughts on this war?"
Leaning back in her red velvet chair, Elizabeth crossed her fair legs with an air of utter indolence. The empress possessed a unique aura; her every move exuded elegance and nobility.
She was a completely different person from the night before last.
For a moment, the council hall was utterly silent. The envoys kept their mouths shut, speaking only with their eyes.
After all, a single wrong answer could get one branded a spy for the Persian Gulf Empire and sent to the gallows.
Levi sat in the main seat for the Debei delegation, nonchalantly munching on an apple as he surveyed his surroundings.
The hall’s long tables were arranged in a circle, with the three parties each occupying a section.
The Lord’s gaze shifted toward the Sith Kingdom delegation, where he noticed Elizabeth looking his way. He immediately offered a flawless smile, but she gave him a cold look and quickly turned away.
"I believe this war is, first and foremost, to liberate the suffering slaves of the Persian Gulf Empire. Secondly, it is to depose Fern I, who seeks to disrupt the peace of the Middle Ages Continent. A mad Tyrant has no right to remain on the throne; his reign only brings suffering to countless commoners."
Prince Luo Fu, having quickly composed his speech, spoke with an air of righteous conviction.
He had voiced what everyone was thinking but dared not say, and they rewarded him with unreserved, thunderous applause.
The council hall instantly erupted with life again, the clamor of discussion loud enough to tear the roof off the dome.
"That’s right! The citizens of the Jade Continent have suffered under the oppression of the brutal Persian Gulf Empire for hundreds of years. It’s time for them to return to the embrace of civilization!"
"King Fern I has gone mad. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have committed so many absurdities that have incurred the wrath of the Gods and the hatred of the common folk."
"The people of the Persian Gulf Empire are just as you’d expect from the descendants of pirates—robbers to the bone! By choosing to go to war with us, they will only be forced to return the lands they have stolen!"
Perhaps no one present was a renowned military strategist, but they could all do basic arithmetic. Putting themselves in the Persian Gulf Empire’s shoes, they couldn’t imagine any way to fight three major powers, no matter how hard they thought.
Between the three of them, they could easily assemble an army of a million men—a force capable of steamrolling three minor duchies with ease!
Thus, the leadership of the Three Kingdoms widely agreed that Fern I’s decision to proactively declare war on Debei at such a time was a grave error, no different from suicide.
Elizabeth tapped lightly on her chair, and a scribe beside her immediately called out in a loud voice, "Silence."
"According to the latest intelligence from the Sith Kingdom’s Minister of Intelligence, the Persian Gulf Empire has trained nearly all of its domestic slaves into soldiers for this war. Even the few remaining freemen, including those with noble patrons, have been conscripted for mass iron smelting and weapons manufacturing."
"In other words, this Fern I has decided to wage a total war against us. However, a sea separates us from them, and simply crossing it presents a major problem."
"If it were a narrow sea, our Priests of Talisi could use Magic to freeze it, allowing our Warriors to cross. But the Hurricane Sea is simply too vast," the Talisi envoy said with some regret.
As the nation with the most numerous and powerful Mages among the Three Kingdoms, they had the confidence to freeze an entire sea.
"Our ships in Debei are also inferior to those of the Persian Gulf Empire. If we were to fight them at sea, we would certainly be at a disadvantage," Prince Luo Fu said with a sigh of resignation.
In truth, Debei has always excelled with its Combat Qi Knights, and that’s where it has focused its efforts. As a result, while Debei’s Armored Cavalry were unmatched in the Seven Kingdoms, its naval power was a step behind.
Although the Eastern Territory has an established Navy Corps, its ships are significantly inferior to those of the Persian Gulf Empire in both size and speed.
"Well then," Elizabeth clapped her hands, a smile finally gracing her lips. "Since none of your fleets hold an advantage, how about the Sith Kingdom provides the ships? Our Sith Kingdom has recently developed the Furnace Main Ship. It’s equipped with forty-eight Magic Crystal Cannons, features a Magic Defense Barrier, and can carry three thousand soldiers."
The representatives from Talisi and Debei fell instantly silent—not out of disagreement, but out of a shock so profound they were momentarily speechless.
They knew the Holy Sith Kingdom’s mastery of Alchemy was profound and that its armaments would surely outclass theirs, but they had never imagined the gap was so immense.
"I can provide the ships for you free of charge. No compensation will be necessary," Elizabeth said slowly, watching their reactions. But everyone present was an old fox, a veteran of court politics for decades. Though their minds were reeling, their faces remained impassive.
’Only the Lord was practically drooling with envy. If High Cliff Castle could get its hands on a vessel like that—basically an aircraft carrier from an Otherworld—he couldn’t even imagine how fast those good-for-nothing pirates would flee.’
"Our only condition is ownership of White Whale Harbor on the Jade Continent." Her Majesty the Empress had finally revealed her true motive.
As expected, there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and good fortune certainly didn’t fall from the sky.
This was especially true in a meeting between three kingdoms, where every word and deed was simply laying the groundwork to justify their slice of the cake.
White Whale Harbor was the Persian Gulf Empire’s largest port. The number of large merchant vessels docking there each day was nearly incalculable. One could say the port single-handedly funded a fifth of the Persian Gulf Empire’s entire military budget.