In the imperial palace of the Gabella Empire, the council hall was brightly lit with candles. Emperor Antonio Griffin sat on his throne, flanked by cabinet ministers and core members of the Arcane Society.
The rulers of the empire are meeting to discuss a very important matter: during the day, an envoy sent by the Papacy arrived in the capital, expressing a desire to negotiate peace with the empire.
At that moment, a servant entered and said, "Your Majesty, Ms. Marianna has returned to the capital."
Antonio raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Quickly invite her to our meeting." As a member of the Council of Ten, Mariana's opinion was very important.
The group continued discussing how to respond to the Papacy. Less than an hour later, the door was pushed open, and Mariana walked in, dressed in a dark mage's robe. Her travel-worn appearance could not hide the complex expression on her face.
" Ms. Marianna, how did the trip to Northwest Bay go?" Antonio spoke first, his tone filled with anticipation for recruiting Paul Greiman. If they could bring this rising lord under their wing, it would be a significant asset in both unifying the human nations and dealing with future demonic invasions.
Mariana stepped forward, bowed, and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I have conveyed your offer of recruitment to Paul Greiman as instructed, but... he has clearly refused."
"Refuse?" Before the words were even finished, Ambolov, the general of the royal guards, spoke up, his tone tinged with disdain. "A local lord of the Aldor Kingdom, who has only won a few battles by luck, dares to refuse His Majesty's offer? He is simply arrogant! Your Majesty, in my opinion, it would be better to show Gabella's authority, make him suffer a bit, and force him to submit!"
Ambolov's words resonated with those around him, who echoed his sentiments.
"That's right! Paul Greiman only managed to defeat the orcs by sheer luck; he has no idea how high he can climb!"
" Northwest Bay is far away, but we can send a Spellcaster there secretly to teach him a lesson."
Mariana glanced at the men with their tough stances, silently noting their names in her mind. She then turned to Antonio and said, "Your Majesty, while Paul Greiman refused to recruit us, he did indicate that he wouldn't rule out cooperation if necessary. His attitude isn't entirely tough. Moreover, the Northwest Bay army should not be underestimated. They are equipped with firearms and cannons, and their combat power far surpasses that of other forces in Aldor."
Antonio raised his hand to signal his ministers to be quiet, then looked at Mariana and said with a smile, "I understand. Marquis Glaeman has his own reasons for his confidence. He is young and impetuous, so we don't need to worry about him for now."
His tone was calm, showing no concern for the distant lord's disobedience.
Antonio's fingertips casually traced the delicate carvings on the armrest. The discussion about Paul Greiman had just ended, and he turned the conversation to a more pressing issue.
" The Holy See of Light has sent messengers who wish to negotiate peace. Now I ask you all, should we accept this truce proposal, or continue our advance into the heart of the Papacy's territory until we completely wipe their influence off the continent?"
General Ambolov of the Imperial Guard stepped forward first, the clanging of his armor echoing: "Your Majesty! I still stand by my previous opinion. The Fire Dragon Legion has annihilated their war elephants, and their military might is at its peak! The Papacy's soldiers are having difficulty even crossing our border defenses, so why should we stop? If we persist, we will eventually break down the gates of their Holy City!" Several military ministers echoed his sentiments, their eyes gleaming with a desire for complete victory, given Gabella's clear advantage in the confrontation with the Papacy.
"Ahem, I was asking for Ms. Marianna's opinion," the Emperor gently reminded him, but he was clearly not angry at Ambolov's interruption.
He turned his gaze to Mariana: "Madam, you've just returned from Northwest Bay. You must have gathered a lot of information along the way. Please share your thoughts."
Mariana nodded slightly, the hem of her dark mage robe brushing lightly against the ground as she stepped into the hall. Her gaze swept over the assembled officials, and she slowly spoke: "Your Majesty, my suggestion is that if an agreement favorable to Gabella can be signed this time, then we should accept a truce."
This statement silenced some of the discussion. Ambolov frowned, about to retort, but the emperor raised his hand to stop him.
Mariana continued, " The Holy See of Light is neither a beastman tribe on the plains nor a loose lord. They have been rooted in the continent for nearly a thousand years. From royalty and nobles to farmers and commoners, countless people believe in the Lord of Light. Even the laws of many city-states are inscribed with their doctrines. Such a force can never be completely eradicated in a single war."
A faint blue light gathered at her fingertips, outlining a simple contour of the continent in the air: "But the Papacy first lost a lot of troops in the Horn Bay War, and then was defeated by the Fire Dragon Legion on our land. Most of their war elephants are dead, and their treasury is empty due to the long war. Their strength is shrinking - considering the loss of the two crucial places, Horn Bay and Gabella, this is almost irreversible."
"And what about us? The Arcane Society has moved from the underground to the forefront, more and more children with magical talent are being sent to magic academies, and even ordinary people are beginning to recognize the value of Spellcasters. Our power is growing every day."
"With the tides turning, time is on our side." Mariana's blue light faded, and her tone became more resolute. "If we continue the war now, what will be the price we pay? Resources that should have been used to build magic workshops will be used to forge armor and weapons; teachers who should have been instructing new mages will be sent to the front lines to support the army. But if we make peace, we can concentrate our resources on training new Spellcasters and perfecting the magic system. In five years, or even three, when our Spellcaster legions can be built up to ten, and when every province is sending talent to the magic academy, when we fight the Holy See again, the cost will be much lower, and the victory will be more complete."
The council chamber fell silent, and even the most radical military generals lowered their eyes, beginning to consider the weight of these words.
Antonio nodded slowly: "You're right. A temporary victory is nothing; long-term advantage is the key. We can negotiate peace, but we must set the conditions. They must recognize the independence of the church within Gabella and compensate us for half of our war losses."
He stood up, the shadow of the throne stretching across him. "As for us, from today onward, the budget for Spellcaster training will be doubled. All children who discover magical talent, regardless of their social status, will be sent to the academy. In this game with the Holy See, we must win in the long run."