Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 1823, page 1795: Betrayal at the Negotiation Table

In fact, Lann was extremely interested in Aden's affairs.

After all, the rebel army established by Sachia, with whom he had a deep cooperative relationship, was based in Aden and now occupied Phrigen, an important border city of Aden.

Of his Ember Knights, fifteen still play important roles in the rebel army.

However, on the one hand, given the current information asymmetry at the negotiating table, and the fact that no one else knows about this, Lan En certainly cannot reveal the information himself.

Making it difficult for others to understand your intentions is a major advantage in negotiation.

On the other hand, Lann had great confidence in the rebel army established by Saqia.

The rebels' ideology is very advanced by today's standards.

The slogan of racial equality can unite most rational non-human races, such as the Scoia'tael party like the Iofis.

Although many of them harbored hatred towards humanity, they were also well aware that humanity had become the dominant species on the continent.

To seek retribution and revenge against the entire human race is not only unrealistic but also irrational.

Racial equality is the most optimistic future vision they can foresee.

On the human side of the rebel army, the farmers of Aden had been suppressed and deceived time and time again by their nobles.

There were uprisings every year, but every year they were appeased and then suppressed.

But intelligent beings that gather in groups tend to forget past mistakes and learn from past defeats.

Without a strong leader to expose the nobles' charade of 'never keeping their promises and never forgiving rebellions,' people will always naively believe that obtaining the nobles' promises and then surrendering will lead to a better future.

But Sakia and Iofis are people who have absolutely no prejudice against nobles. One is a green dragon who has taken human form, and the other is a reformed squirrel party member.

The Ember Knights sent by Lann repeatedly emphasized this point to the rebels: surrendering and accepting amnesty is an easy path, but it is by no means the right one.

This is why Demavi sensed that this group of rebels was unusual even before the war started—they were too determined!
This is a completely different attitude from the peasant uprisings that occurred in Aden in the past!

In the past, when noblemen wanted to negotiate, peasant rebels had little suspicion or will to resist and would immediately accept, only to fall apart under the skillful manipulation of the nobles.

However, aside from necessary military negotiations and the exchange of prisoners and corpses, the Adenese nobles did not successfully conduct any other negotiations with this rebel group in Saqqa.

Such a force will not be easily dispersed or suppressed by Aden again.

In reality, at this negotiating table, Lann will show that he doesn't care about Aden, but at the same time he will try to drive the Cordwinians out of Upper Aden.

Let the rebels expand within Aden first, without provoking more enemies.

"ladies and gentlemen,"

Just now, he silenced the conference table with a single sentence, as if he were the one hosting the negotiations. His tone was calm, clear, and firm, making everyone unconsciously patient and listen carefully to every word.

"According to the agenda, our meeting will last a week to define the world order after this war." The Witcher looked around. "This order must be just, or at least appear just. Otherwise, it will collapse again in a short time, like a pile of loose sand. Is this what you all want to see?"

Lan En didn't explicitly state his inclination, and seemed impatient with the issue, so he just randomly sided with a seemingly reasonable camp, as if he just wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible.

Ambassador Oyestalan of Nilfgaard gave a polite, light clapping.

The northern kings, meanwhile, put pressure on Henselt with their disapproving looks.

The Boar King now truly resembled an enraged boar, yet he dared not actually display his rage here, or in front of anyone.

So he could only turn red-faced and glare fiercely at Foltest and Mew, the two kings who had held a secret meeting together at Haji Fortress.

At that time, especially Mivi, every king was wary of the battlefield influence and charm of this witcher at the negotiating table.

But now, the two of them are on the witcher's side and have turned against me!
Meanwhile, DeMave was still adding insult to injury from the sidelines.

He looked calmly at the Nilfgaardian ambassador across the table, the one who had invaded his land, his gaze almost amiable.

“For the sake of the people’s well-being and for the sake of maintaining peace, I am willing to recognize the autonomy of Dol Brettanna. But not as a kingdom, but as a duchy. Francesca shall pay tribute to me and pledge allegiance, and shall dedicate herself to maintaining the common status of men and elves.” “These are the words of a true king!” the Nilfgaardian ambassador immediately responded solemnly.

“However, I must add one more thing.” Demavie looked at the furious Henselt, “Dole Brettanna’s special permission is a one-time exception. I only recognize this territorial change; I refuse to accept any others! My scribe will later produce an official draft for everyone to review and sign.”

"Hensette?" Foltest looked at the other person with a questioning gaze.

"No way!" Henselt jumped up and shouted like a gorilla that had been stung on the butt by a wasp. "I will not hand over Upper Aden! No one can force me, no one!"

Lan En didn't even bother to look at him, and went on to move on to the next topic as if the previous topic had already been discussed.

That concludes the discussion.

“That fool, I’ll show him who can!” Sabina Glivichger cursed from the second-floor room. “Don’t worry, ladies. I’ll have his army withdrawn from Upper Aden within ten days, and if any of you think I can’t, I have every reason to consider it an insult!”

Philippa and Shir Tansavier nodded their thanks to her, while Ashley wa Anashin responded with a smile.

“Demawi has already made a huge concession,” the beautiful Francesca said with a smile, “but I will not bow down to him, nor be bound by oaths of loyalty and vassalage.”

“I’m willing to give him everything he wants, but the Valley of a Hundred Flowers must be delivered in the form of a free and sovereign state.”

“What about the right of succession?” Philippa asked. “If you insist on freedom and sovereignty, then Demavi will demand that you guarantee that the principality will not split.”

“Demavie,” Francesca laughed again, “He might be fooled by my skin and figure, but I’m well past the elven reproductive age. He doesn’t need to worry about the inheritance, because I won’t be dealing with his great-great-great-great-grandson, but his great-great-great-great-grandson.”

“I don’t know about that,” Aisire var Anashin looked into the elven sorceress’s eyes, “but what about the Scoia’ratna? What about those elves who fought alongside the Empire? If I’m not mistaken, Lady Enid, most of them are your subjects, aren’t they?”

The valley daisy's smile vanished. She looked at the silent Ida Emin. But the Blue Mountain elf avoided her gaze.

“For the public good…” she began, then immediately stopped. Ashley nodded solemnly, indicating she understood.

“What can we do?” Ida Emin said slowly. “Everything has a price. War requires sacrifice. As it turns out, so does peace.”

Thus, in just a few words at the negotiating table, the fate of the Scoia'tael party members, whose fervor for war and revenge had been stirred up, was already sealed after the war.

Two months after the conclusion of the negotiations known as the 'Sintra Talks', thirty-two officers of the Velehed Brigade were captured by the Nilfgaardians and handed over to the Northern Kingdom.

The northerners held a mass execution, but a few brave elves and dwarves resisted fiercely during the execution, and some were even shot dead on the way to escape.

...At least that's what the official line was at the time.

Francesca and her Valley of Flowers have betrayed the officers of the Virud Brigade; it is a done deal.
-
An evening during the conference.

“Did I hear that right?” Hilard Fitz Oyestalan’s face showed obvious doubt. “Or are you kidding me?”

Opposite him stood Berengar Loireden, the emperor's special envoy. He did not respond to the questioning, but simply leaned back in his chair, swirling the lemonade in his glass.

Oyestalan felt a little annoyed; he even wondered if the emperor's envoy was making fun of him.

So he put on a contemptuous expression.

"Let's take this into consideration. The Empire has already made so many concessions on the border issues, the Scoia'tael commando unit, and the officers of the Virylhard Brigade. Are we really going to accept their unreasonable demands for the deportation of immigrants?"

“Your understanding is spot on, sir.” Lowarden continued swirling his glass, even taking the time to admire the wine clinging to the glass. “I admire that.”

“Great Sun! Lord Lowarden!” The ambassador himself had no time for pleasantries and compliments, and simply opened his mouth wide, “Don’t you people in the City of the Golden Tower know anything about the current border situation?”

"The Yankees are already clamoring about their victory, claiming that they have triumphed and defeated us! They say the Empire is a giant made of clay on two feet!"

"Does Your Majesty understand that further concessions will only lead to more excessive demands? Does Your Majesty understand that this action will be seen as weakness? And in the future, weakness will have terrible consequences? In the end, does Your Majesty understand what fate awaits the thousands upon thousands of immigrants who have already migrated to the north?"

Loyalden stopped swirling his wine glass and looked at the ambassador across from him with indifferent, charcoal-black eyes.

"I have already informed the Baron of the order. When the Baron returns to the City of the Golden Tower, he can question His Majesty about why such an unreasonable order was issued. Even arguing and cursing are not out of the question, but only for you personally. I will not get involved in this matter."

(End of this chapter)