Chapter 790: Terms for Entry

Selaser waits outside the city lord's residence for more than ten minutes. The captain of the guard beside him finally snaps, "General, this is outrageous! They have no respect for us at all!"

Selaser answers calmly, "Why should they respect us? We're only soldiers from Peace Haven."

"The man inside is Lumir's grand marshal. He outranks me. Making me wait is hardly unreasonable."

"But..."

Selaser silences him with a wave. "Enough. Swallow your arrogance. These nations have survived for so many years because each has strengths of its own."

"Peace Haven's army may be powerful now, but we climbed here from weakness one step at a time."

"They once looked down on us. Somewhere along the way, young people like you became just as arrogant."

"Our lord once said that weakness and ignorance are not barriers to survival. Arrogance is!"

"Learn the difference between pride and arrogance!"

"You're elite soldiers of Peace Haven. You have every right to be proud, but never let pride turn into contempt for an enemy."

The captain lowers his head. "I understand, Uncle."

"Silence! Call me General! Right now, you're my soldier, not my nephew!"

The young man snaps to attention. "Understood, General!"

Selaser turns to the rest of his guard. "Stand tall! Don't let them look down on us. We aren't here to beg, and we aren't here to show off."

"Put away your arrogance. They're neither friends nor enemies. Treat them with a level head."

Inside the city lord's residence, Grand Marshal Clifford listens to the report and asks, "The people from Peace Haven still haven't caused a scene?"

His adjutant shakes his head. "No. They were unhappy at first, but their general put a stop to it. They've calmed down and are still waiting outside."

Clifford falls silent, then sighs. "Peace Haven... What a remarkable place."

"Come."

"We'll welcome them ourselves. Give them a formal welcome, with full honors. Their commander won't be easy to handle. He isn't some reckless brute."

Clifford reaches the gate and approaches with a broad smile. "Please forgive my discourtesy! My subordinates should never have left General Selaser waiting so long."

"I'll punish them later. Please forgive me, General. I should have gone beyond the city to meet you, but the war has left me little time for ceremony."

Clifford offers a formal noble greeting. Selaser smiles in return. "You are too kind, Grand Marshal. You carry a heavy burden. I'm already at fault for disturbing you."

"Having you come out to welcome me in person only leaves me more uneasy."

"You outrank me, and you're my elder. Waiting outside was only proper."

Clifford studies Selaser's impeccable military salute and marvels again at how formidable the general is.

In the reception room, Clifford begins, "We're deeply concerned about your people trapped in Pearl City."

"But you may not understand our situation yet, General. The war is moving against us."

"The calamity nest we found is tying down far too many troops."

"It connects to the subterranean water network, and the enemy has gathered tens of thousands of soldiers there."

"Our armies are converging on the area. For now, all we can do is contain the enemy and maintain a tense standoff."

"We simply don't have soldiers to spare elsewhere."

"You know what it would mean if an organized army of calamity creatures reached the Tranquil Sea."

"If they used it as a resource base, they might open another passage into the subterranean water network."

"That would open a new front and place us under tremendous pressure!"

Selaser replies, "We've considered all of that. Peace Haven has two proposals."

"First, the Southern District can send a standard legion into Lumir to help destroy the calamity creatures."

"This crisis threatens every human on the continent. We should set aside the grudges between our nations for now."

"Joining forces to defeat humanity's common enemy must come first."

Clifford shakes his head. "That won't work. I know it's the best choice."

"No matter how terrible the crisis becomes, some people will cling to every scrap of power in their hands."

"Humanity could stand on the brink of extinction with nonhuman blades at their throats, and those people still wouldn't let go."

"Their only concern would be making sure they aren't the last to die."

"Let's hear the second proposal."

"Peace Haven's army should still enter Lumir, but not from the Southern District. Send troops from the Expeditionary Zone instead!"

"I'm not asking for much. One standard legion and two garrison warbands!"

"They only need to hold one direction, and you can choose where they fight."

Selaser glances at him. This old fox really is formidable.

"Fine. But the Expeditionary Zone is short on troops. Withdraw every soldier from the south bank of the Livel River!"

"We need enough strength to guard against any calamity creatures that appear, not waste it staring down your army."

Clifford's eyes narrow. "You're asking us to surrender nearly half the southwestern peninsula. Is that what you call assistance?"

"It looks more like you're exploiting our crisis! How am I supposed to explain this to His Majesty or the factions back home?"

Selaser scoffs. "Explain it? To whom? When the nation's survival is at stake, who still needs an explanation?"

"Besides, you'll be wary when our army enters your territory, and we'll feel just as exposed."

"You're borrowing troops. Like any loan, it requires collateral."

"You can't control the south bank of the Livel River. We've infiltrated it so thoroughly that your defenses are riddled with holes."

"The Livel River itself is only a natural defensive line you use to slow the Expeditionary Zone's advance."

"Now that the calamity horde is here, that natural barrier has become a deadly burden."

"Why exhaust yourselves holding a line that calamity creatures could strike at any moment? Put it under our control instead."

"We can build fortifications to hold back the calamity horde and give you a logistics base."

"That will also free two of your elite legions to reinforce the Tranquil Sea defensive line."

Clifford takes a sip of tea. "You still have to give me something I can use to silence the opposition at home."

Selaser answers, "Equipment for two standard legions!"

"Not enough! At least eight!"

Selaser frowns. "Grand Marshal, I thought two soldiers could talk without all this political haggling. You're making a deal impossible."

"Then make a counteroffer!"

Selaser considers it. "Equipment for four legions, with two delivered upfront! The Expeditionary Zone and Southern District will each provide equipment for one legion."

"Over the next two years, the Expeditionary Zone will provide equipment for one more legion each year."

"Tell your critics you leased us the land so the Expeditionary Zone could produce equipment there. That should silence them."

Clifford chuckles. "Deal!"

Selaser nods. "Then it's settled. Our people can handle the details. May I see the soldiers you're holding now?"

"No. That's a separate matter!"