Chapter 51. Another Alliance (1)
Algiers, the capital of the Berber Kingdom.
It was a massive city where houses stretched all the way to the horizon, and its prosperous trading port had ships constantly entering and leaving.
An inn in front of the Royal Palace of Algiers.
Chief of Economy Diego was sitting on the windowsill.
He stared at the endless rows of shops outside and sighed.
Ugh. I’m going crazy looking at the same scenery for over a month.
Diego had even bribed an official at the royal palace, yet all he had been told was to wait while he remained stuck in the inn.
It was not as though he was waiting blindly.
Every morning, he went to the royal palace to check his request for an audience.
During that process, he could learn how many people were waiting ahead of him.
However, for the last two days, the number had not decreased at all.
Did something happen to the royal family? Why did they stop holding audiences?
There was no point thinking about it by himself, since he would never find the answer.
Diego gave up and considered going out to eat.
Chloe, on the other hand, had been busily going in and out ever since they arrived in Algiers, constantly meeting various people.
Did Lady Chloe go out again today? Do I have to eat alone again? That’s a difficult challenge. Should I ask the soldiers to eat with me?
For some reason, he felt like someone being excluded by everyone, which made him reluctant to go eat.
The escort soldiers accompanying them also seemed uncomfortable sharing a table with someone as highly ranked as him.
I’d hate it too if I were them. Ugh, I’ll just starve.
While he was grumbling internally,
Knock, knock, knock.
“Yes, who is it?”
“Chloe.”
Diego immediately smiled brightly and hurried to open the door.
“Lady Chloe, please eat with me today at least...”
“We received a message from the royal palace. Change into clean clothes.”
“Ah! Yes!”
Diego initially thought their turn had finally arrived.
Then he realized something was strange.
“Lady Chloe, shouldn’t there still be about half a month before our turn?”
“Really? Then why are they calling us early?”
Chloe thought for a moment, then shook her head.
“We won’t learn anything standing here. We’ll know once we get to the audience hall.”
“Yes!”
Exhausted from waiting, Diego eagerly prepared himself despite the suspicious summons.
* * *
The audience hall of the Royal Palace of Algiers.
Chloe and Diego stood waiting inside a large, long hall.
Just as both of their legs were beginning to ache, a door at the back of the hall opened and several royal palace officials entered.
“His Majesty will enter shortly. Kneel and lower your heads.”
Diego was about to put his knees on the floor when Chloe stopped him.
She answered the official almost challengingly.
“We are not subjects of the Berber Kingdom. We will show proper respect, but we cannot kneel.”
“L, Lady Chloe.”
Diego nervously looked between Chloe and the official.
However, the palace official seemed accustomed to situations like this and did not even frown.
“Hmm. But you are not formal diplomatic envoys of the Franche Kingdom, are you?”
“This matter will benefit not only the Marcel Territory but also the Berber Kingdom. I believe that makes us economic diplomatic envoys.”
“Didn’t you come to request a royal patent from His Majesty so you could earn money?”
“It will benefit both sides.”
“Both sides, you say... Fine. I’ll allow it for now. But if His Majesty becomes angry, I know nothing about this.”
Chloe nodded even after the official made it clear he would take no responsibility.
Diego, who had been wondering whether his head would be cut off today, sighed in relief.
“Phew. Lady Chloe, you nearly took ten years off my life. Where do you get that courage?”
“Diego, just because someone orders you to do something doesn’t mean you have to obey everything. You need to study nobles more.”
“Studying never ends.”
“Hehe. About ten years should be enough.”
“Ten years...”
Diego’s eyes naturally fell toward the floor.
At that moment, the palace official guarding the door spoke.
“His Majesty is entering. Everyone, lower your heads.”
The two immediately bowed their heads.
Soon, the King of Berber entered under the protection of knights and attendants.
He walked slowly, as though lacking strength.
The moment he sat on the magnificent chair placed on the raised platform, he spoke.
“Are you the officials from the Marcel Territory? You may raise your heads.”
Chloe slowly raised her head and looked at the King.
The King had deep shadows beneath his eyes.
His complexion was poor, and he had lost enough weight that his jawline looked sharp.
He was known to be forty-two years old, yet he looked older than his age.
Something happened to the royal family. I need to be careful.
After examining him in an instant, Chloe answered.
“Yes, Your Majesty, King of Berber.”
“I don’t know whether you were informed before coming here, but a royal patent is a privilege granted only to a precious friend. It is different from the guild system of the Northern Continent.”
On the Southern Continent, the word ‘friend’ referred to a friendly nation or something close to it.
It meant a relationship where both sides had promised not to draw their swords against each other.
A ‘precious friend,’ however, meant an alliance.
It meant that if one side faced danger, the other would lend them its sword.
Chloe was briefly confused when the King used the words ‘precious friend.’
As far as she knew, royal patents were not granted only to allies.
Why did he suddenly raise the barrier to entry?
As Chloe hesitated, the King of Berber studied her expression and continued.
“How long has it been since you last contacted the Marcel Territory?”
“A little over a month. We have not sent any separate messages from here.”
“Then you probably don’t know yet. A lighthouse magic item operator from Alexandria arrived in Marcel several days ago. I hear he will maintain Marcel’s lighthouse for a year. The Fatima Dynasty also intends to grant Viscount Eric Marcel an honorary title.”
A lighthouse? Why is he telling me this? And the Berber royal family has planted a spy in Marcel? Why?
Chloe pushed aside the questions appearing one after another in her mind and answered.
“We have not received any news about that yet.”
“Of course. Then let me ask you this. Does the Marcel Territory intend to form an alliance with the Fatima Dynasty?”
Chloe felt her heart drop.
This is bad! Berber and Fatima have been bitter enemies for generations. One wrong answer and I really could lose my head!
After thinking for only two or three seconds, Chloe answered.
“How could a mere territory like Marcel form an alliance with a nation such as the Fatima Dynasty?”
“I did not ask for a general answer like that.”
“...As far as I know, no. The only territory currently in a formal alliance with Marcel is the Veneto Territory of the Odoacer Empire. Even that is merely a marriage alliance, and naturally, it contains no military alliance.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
A short silence followed.
Tension filled the entire hall.
Then the King of Berber spoke again.
“Those uncivilized Fatima bastards who worship something as useless as the Moon God are trying to become friendly with Marcel before us. As fellow worshipers of the God of Abundance, I find that deeply unpleasant. Wouldn’t you agree, Chloe Berbier, Chief of Foreign Affairs?”
This time, Chloe nearly suffered an actual heart attack.
Very few people even in Marcel knew the surname Berbier.
The intelligence gathering ability of the Berber royal family left her speechless.
They even knew the exact position held by an official from a tiny territory.
Still, she could not collapse in fear here.
“Marcel is a region of religious freedom, but House Marcel has worshiped the God of Abundance for generations. Our lord has even received a blessing from the God of Abundance. I believe Marcel and the Berber Kingdom can become friends.”
Chloe deliberately used the word ‘friends.’
She meant that they wanted the royal patent and friendly economic relations.
The King smiled faintly.
“I would prefer us to become ‘precious friends.’ Am I perhaps unqualified?”
Chloe felt like screaming.
If I refuse, I’ll die right here. But if I form an alliance on my own authority, His Lordship might kill me instead.
She thought of Eric.
Still, she decided that dealing with Eric was better than dying here.
At least Eric was the kind of person who would hear her explanation before cutting off her head.
“As Your Majesty wishes. Marcel also hopes to become a ‘precious friend.’”
“Excellent. Then let us draw up an agreement immediately.”
Before the King could continue, Chloe hurriedly interrupted.
“However, I would prefer for our bond to be one of blood.”
She was suggesting a marriage alliance.
Among alliances, it was one of the weakest in military terms.
With the other side’s intentions still unclear, it was the safest way to minimize the damage.
There was also another reason.
A tiny viscount family had just dared to suggest a marriage alliance with a royal family.
Part of Chloe hoped the King would reject the proposal out of pride.
Yet the King of Berber neither looked offended nor refused.
“I hope you keep those words.”
“What?”
The reply escaped Chloe’s lips before she could stop herself.
Her eyes widened like those of a calf.
He was aiming for a marriage alliance from the beginning! Why the hell does the Berber Kingdom want a marriage alliance with Marcel? Wouldn’t it make more sense to ally with the Franche royal family instead...?
Ahem.
A cough sounded from somewhere.
It was a royal official warning her.
Realizing her rudeness, Chloe quickly regained her composure.
“It will be an honor for Marcel.”
The king of an entire country wants a marriage alliance. If we reject him, he could destroy us just to save face. He could also cut off trade with Marcel. We export a lot of Canada to the Berber Kingdom. If that market disappears, we’ll have to reduce production, and Marcel’s finances will suffer. His Lordship will understand. He will. Right? He has to.
While Chloe’s thoughts became increasingly complicated, the King rose from his seat.
“Then I will consider the marriage alliance agreed upon. I will send the appropriate officials to discuss the details, including the royal patent. I need to rest now.”
Then he simply left the audience hall.
Thud.
The tension left Chloe’s body.
She fell to her knees and lowered her head.
“Ah... Why did I ever come to Marcel? If I’d just stayed in Westfalen, I wouldn’t have to suffer through this shit...”
A palace official approached and smiled teasingly.
“You refused to kneel before His Majesty, but you kneel as soon as he leaves. Hahaha.”
“Ugh! Sir! What the hell is going on here?”
“I don’t know either. I’m merely a low-ranking noble in charge of the audience hall. Wait here for a moment. Didn’t His Majesty say he would send the appropriate officials?”
Soon, everyone left the audience hall except Diego and Chloe.
Diego looked at her curiously.
“Isn’t forming an alliance a good thing? Lady Chloe, you traveled all over the place trying to arrange marriage alliances. Why do you look so depressed?”
“...What if His Lordship wanted an alliance with the Fatima Dynasty? We just formed another alliance without knowing anything about the situation.”
“His Lordship seems like he would understand.”
“You have no idea how terrifying Eric can be.”
“What?”
Chloe had once nearly been killed by Eric.
Diego knew nothing about that.
Eric was also the man who had ‘cleaned up’ all the violent thugs in Westfalen.
Chloe had watched that entire process.
Remembering it made her tremble.
At that moment, the doors of the audience hall opened again.
Several people who looked like administrative officials entered.
“Are you the officials from Marcel?”
“Yes.”
“We will negotiate the royal patent and marriage alliance with you. First, let us move somewhere else.”
Following their guidance, Diego and Chloe left the audience hall.
Only Chloe’s exhausted sigh seemed to remain behind.
