The diplomatic residence where the Imperial Lapellios delegation is staying.

Nobles who visited as Lapellios envoys were gathered in the conference room upon the invitation of Viscount Yucileod.

Taking advantage of the fact that the Viscount had not arrived yet, some nobles spoke in hushed voices, discussing matters while suppressing their voices.

“The plan to send the peace envoy to our home country has been exposed, right?”

“We were supposed to investigate it with Lady Gweinheira, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out.”

Gweinheira was the first concubine of the Emperor of the Lapellios Empire.

They were one of the factions among the numerous concubines divided in the Lapellios Imperial family.

At that moment, Viscount Yucileod, who entered the conference room, looked at the two envoys who were in conversation and sternly asked, “What secret conversation are you having?”

Startled by Johannes’s criticism, the two envoys stiffened their bodies, clearing their throats and straightening up.

“It wasn’t anything special.”

“We were just discussing our concerns about the difficulties in resolving the current Imperial treaty negotiation.”

Ignoring their excuses, Johannes, with a sharp gaze, looked around at the envoys sitting in the conference room.

“I was just about to bring up that topic. It might be better to slightly raise the conditions for the opening of the Berdan Harbor in Rugbeletzet this time.”

Upon Johannes’s nonchalant suggestion, the nobles from Lapellios who came as envoys began to murmur.

“What are you talking about!”

“What reason does our Lapellios Empire have to yield to Rugbeletzet?”

As expected, facing the strong reaction of the envoys, Johannes calmly observed the rebellious nobles.

Although it was uncomfortable for Viscount Yucileod, a member of the Hwanghoo faction, their defiance was ignored, considering his position and influence.

Looking at them with a disdainful expression, Johannes slowly spoke up.

“If the trade route between the empires is opened through the Berdan Harbor, both countries can benefit several times or dozens of times the immediate costs. It’s not just an exchange with a small kingdom; it’s trade with Rugbeletzet, which possesses a landmass and population comparable to Lapellios. If the harbor is opened, both nations can gain astronomical benefits.”

In response to Johannes’s words, one noble raised his eyebrows, impressed, while another noble started to protest.

“That’s what I mean! It’s a mutually beneficial situation for both countries. Why do we need to yield and compromise? Why is Rugbeletzet’s prince so conservative in negotiations…”

As the noble spoke, Johannes furrowed his eyebrows and replied sharply.

“Use your heads a bit. From a practical standpoint, it may be beneficial to both countries, but Rugbeletzet’s Berdan Harbor is in a militarily vulnerable location. If Lapellios were to invade with determination, it could create a hole.”

“Oh, I see.”

When a clueless noble expressed his admiration as if understanding for the first time, Johannes sighed sharply and pointed out their ignorance.
“Viscount Raymond, I am not suggesting an invasion right now…”

Johannes, who spoke thus, scanned the nobles and added with seriousness, “It means Rugbeletzet has to make a choice that involves taking risks. To persuade them, we need to propose better conditions.”

Upon Johannes’s words, the nobles of the diplomatic delegation exchanged glances and let out displeased sighs.

Disgust flashed across Johannes’s face as he looked at the diplomatic delegation.

Imperial factions divided by contemptuous factions and corrupt nobles.

Lapellios, revealing its teeth like a dog, seemed to be in a more precarious state, according to Johannes, despite Rugbeletzet being currently in a delicate situation without an emperor.

Viscount Yucileod was in a position where he faced restraint from other concubine factions due to being part of the Empress faction.

Around the time his mother and Cecilia went missing, the concubine factions were gaining strength.

Perhaps… the attackers who ambushed him and Cecilia when they were riding in the carriage had something to do with this covert struggle.

Memories from his childhood were now quite blurry, but he remembered it distinctly.

The screams of his mother and Cecilia’s cries. The sounds of countless hooves and shouts…

Amidst the assault, Cecilia’s mother, who was holding Cecilia, was thrown out of the carriage, but he somehow survived the attack, trapped under the overturned carriage.

At the time of the attack, he was barely 8 years old and thought it was just a bandit attack.

However, as he grew older, he became convinced that it was no coincidence.

That period was a time when concubine factions restraining the Empress faction joined forces to control the imperial family.

The attack on Viscount Yucileod’s carriage was not unrelated to the unrest.