The arguments grew louder and more heated.
General Marcus was now openly threatening to withdraw Aethelgard's trade agreements, painting Veridia as a dangerous, unstable partner.
Thane Borin also spoke of closing borders, citing security concerns.
The air was heavy with tension and bitter with suspicion and distrust.
Veridia was teetering on the brink of isolation.
It was at this critical juncture, when the situation seemed certain to spiral into an irreversible diplomatic disaster, that Lorian stepped forward.
He walked to the center of the devastated hall in calm, deliberate movement.
The whispers died down, replaced by a tense silence as all eyes turned to him.
Suddenly all eyes were on him, and all lips were shut close.
He was no longer the waiter, no longer just the newly introduced scion. He was something else entirely.
He channeled his inner Adrian Sterling.
His voice became much clearer and more resonant than usual as it filled the hall, carrying a newfound authority that surprised even himself.
He envisioned himself in front of his employees and shareholders and partners like before.
It was a voice that commanded attention, honed by a lifetime of negotiating deals and leading ventures in another world.
"Esteemed guests, noble lords, and ladies," Lorian began, while his gaze was sweeping across the faces, meeting each one, "I understand your fear, your anger. What has transpired tonight is an outrage. But let us not allow the true enemy to divide us."
He paused, letting his words sink in.
"For too long, Veridia has stood as the primary bulwark against the menace of piracy that plagues our entire block.
We have, by ourselves, resisted this growing tide, protecting the trade routes that feed your cities, the ships that carry your wealth, and the very livelihoods of your people."
He gestured to the shattered hall, to the bodies of the invaders,
"These are not mere bandits.
This was a calculated strike, designed to sow chaos, to weaken us, and to break the very backbone of our collective prosperity.
They sought to exploit our divisions, to make us turn on each other."
Lorian's voice grew firmer and more impassioned.
"Think, for a moment, what happens if Veridia falls.
Veridia, one of the two most important trading cities in this entire region.
If we, who stand on the front lines, are overwhelmed by this menace... what then?
Do you believe the pirate fleets will stop at our borders?
Do you truly believe your cities, your markets, and your people will remain untouched?"
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes holding the gaze of General Marcus, then Thane Borin.
"No. If Veridia falls, if its defenses crumble, then the entire block will fall.
It will be like a row of standing stones, one pushing the next, until every single one of our cities, every single one of our economies, collapses into chaos.
A domino effect."
A few of the guests, particularly those from more traditional backgrounds, exchanged surprised glances at the unfamiliar term "domino effect," but the meaning, the terrifying implication, was clear. They understood the feeling.
"This is not just Veridia's fight." Lorian continued, his voice now ringing with conviction, "This is our fight. All of us. We share this sea, these trade routes, this civilization. If we allow this cancer of piracy to consume one of us, it will consume us all. We must, therefore, stand together. Not in blame, but in unity. Not in fear, but in resolve."
He extended a hand, a gesture of alliance. "Let us, here and now, forge a true alliance. Let us pool our resources, our knowledge, and our might and finish this menace of piracy once and for all. Let us make these seas safe again, not just for Veridia, but for all our homes, for all our people."
The hall was silent.
Lord Elmsworth and Lady Serena both observed with surprise and awe that the tension in the room had shifted and now was transformed by Lorian's words.
The anger in Marcus's face slowly gave way to a grudging respect.
Borin's suspicious gaze softened into contemplation.
The sheer logic in Lorian's argument, the undeniable truth of his appeal, had cut through the fear and blame.
In front of them, He had presented a common enemy, a shared threat, and a unified solution.
Lorian did not plead for mercy for what happened this evening or the lapse in security.
He did not beg for help for his city to survive against the pirate threat.
No, rather, he presented a common threat, a common enemy, and presented Verdia's problem as a problem of everyone.
He established Veridia's importance, and the projected threat to Veridia is an existential threat for everyone.
Slowly, hesitantly at first, then with growing conviction, the dignitaries began to nod.
Lady Serana was the first to step forward. She had a faint smile on her lips while offering a silent gesture of agreement.
High Druid Oakhaven and Grand Scholar Elara followed suit.
Even General Marcus, after a moment of internal struggle, gave a stiff, almost imperceptible nod.
The imminent and certain threat of a diplomatic blockade that was looming on the fate of Veridia was thus smoothly dissolved thanks to Lorian's clever speech, and now it was replaced by a nascent, powerful resolve.
All the people in the hall—the local nobles, merchants, foreign dignitaries, soldiers, and city lords—all were incited by Lorian's fiery speech, and thus all of them now agreed to help Veridia to finish the menace of piracy once and for all.
The night was supposed to end in disaster thanks to the cruel machinations of enemies. But Lorian Thorne, with his desperate pact and strategic mind, had turned the tide for the night, for the future.
Lord Elmsworth rushed to his son and hugged him tight. Lorian was the son he had always dreamt of having.
His heart had sunk for the past few years seeing his hope, his son, turning into a dumb kid.
This frustration, this pain, had made him bitter.
But now he was relaxed. His son had removed all the accumulated pain and frustration he had over the years.
He felt his son was more than ready to take over the city as a ruler.
Suddenly he felt the urge to entrust all his duty to his son and take retirement.
However, his thought process got broken when Lorian suddenly collapsed in his arms.