The Empror's Trap

Ch 43 - Signing the Agreement

She was exhausted. She'd had to maintain an elegant appearance beside Kenji all day, starting from when they received the delegation. She'd worked hard to appear graceful, determined not to embarrass Kenji.

And she hadn't embarrassed him—the only problem was that staying composed for an entire day had nearly done her in.

Without a doubt, the Sal Kingdom ultimately conceded to most of the terms.

They had no choice but to yield. Upon Kenji's orders, General Balinos led a force of fifty thousand soldiers divided into three groups, advancing directly toward Sal's royal court during the diplomatic talks.

According to General Balinos' execution and Kenji's instructions, this operation of Camelot's fifty-thousand-strong army was primarily a demonstration of strategic deterrence. Almost all military actions were seamless, with the plans having already been decided unanimously by Camelot's generals before General Balinos even set out. While Camelot's military factions might squabble over internal matters, they showed remarkable unity when it came to confronting external threats.

As such, General Balinos' fifty thousand troops crossed the river dividing the two nations and entered Sal Kingdom's territory. If the negotiations failed, the army would march northward immediately—though that was the worst-case scenario. Camelot had no desire to escalate this into a full-scale war. However, if Sal remained obstinate, action would become unavoidable.

The open invasion of Sal's borders was also deliberately placed on the negotiation table by Kenji. When Uheya learned of this, her face turned deathly pale. She knew Camelot might not have the resources for a full-on invasion, but who would dare gamble on that assumption?

Eventually, under mutual agreement, Camelot softened its stance slightly. The demand to execute the Sal generals responsible for the attack on Hanyin City was moderated. Considering that among those generals were Tuwa's younger brother and some ambitious lords seeking prestige, Camelot allowed them to spare the lives of those individuals. Additionally, the annual tribute was reduced by 30%.

However, the land ceded to the Sorechin tribe remained non-negotiable.

By now, Uheya had already exhausted her capabilities to their limit. Drafting and revising the peace document took an entire week. During this time, according to intelligence gathered by Kenji, Uheya had barely slept.

Kenji paid little attention to the refugees themselves. His goal was clear: to let these so-called refugees spread misinformation.

Poor Uheya, however, bore the brunt of it. In the days that followed, she was inundated with distinguished guests, arriving mostly at night. If not for the relative seclusion of the inn, onlookers might have speculated that the visiting foreign princess was running a disreputable side business in Camelot. On the day of the signing, Kenji wore his ceremonial battle armor—a rare sight.

The armor was entirely black, adorned with intricate golden tiger patterns etched across the plates. Though it covered him completely, its weight was relatively moderate—barely twenty to thirty pounds. It symbolized his esteemed position as the Grand Marshal, meant more for appearance than practical combat. Nevertheless, its defensive capabilities, reinforced with enchantments, rendered it impervious to ordinary weapons.

Beside him stood Chancellor Long, an elderly statesman who played a pivotal role in the negotiations. Despite his age, he relentlessly debated with Uheya, referencing historical precedents and arguing semantics—so fiercely, in fact, that Kenji occasionally worried the two might come to blows.

Chancellor Long wore his formal red robe embroidered with golden patterns. With his wispy white hair and dignified stance, he exuded an authoritative presence.

The sight of Camelot's Grand Marshal and Chancellor in full ceremonial attire was exceedingly rare.

When Uheya appeared, she looked noticeably haggard despite donning her ceremonial attire. The intricate embroidery and ornate design of her dress couldn't mask her exhaustion.

She ascended the high platform and took her seat.

The signing ceremony commenced promptly.

And that was reality—no matter how hard Uheya fought, it was impossible to reverse the tide.