Chapter 2247: The negotiator |
The Sorcerer Zargul, the damned Darvion, the Vast-Whatever Empire, and the Continuous-Farting Empire...
All of those things had begun to seem incredibly small, insignificant problems occupying tiny corners of an endlessly larger picture that Robin had been forced to glimpse over the past few months.
"...?" Caesar found Robin’s question and expression strange when the topic of Mid Sector 101 came up, especially because the old man rarely spoke about ongoing wars with such detached indifference unless something much larger was occupying his thoughts.
So he turned completely toward him.
"Hey, I know that look. Don’t make any impulsive decisions you’ll regret."
"Relax." Robin chuckled. "I was just thinking that their situation has dragged on for too long, that’s all."
"They’re millennial empires that survived and expanded for millions of years, or Behemoths with galactic spirits backing them. Show them some respect. The Seven Thrones Empire alone has put me through hell for centuries, and it still refuses to go to hell no matter how many times I try to push it there. Those kinds of entities don’t disappear just because you find them annoying, and they certainly don’t collapse simply because someone becomes impatient."
"Perhaps..." Robin kept his gaze fixed on Haros’s eyes, as though the conversation with Caesar had merely reminded him of something else entirely. "But the problem of the Continuous Chaos Empire will disappear because I want it to. It must disappear for the sake of Planet Donara."
"Give me your orders." Haros responded immediately to that declaration, not daring to question whether such a thing was possible or impossible.
But as the saying went: tie the horse where its owner wants.
If His Majesty wished to dedicate all his forces, resources, fleets, commanders, and efforts to that war, then Haros would do everything within his power to make it succeed, regardless of the odds standing against them.
At the very least, he would try.
"I only want you to prepare." A small smile appeared on Robin’s face. "Contact all your wings and halt any unnecessary campaigns. Gather every soldier and every vessel you can get your hands on, pull in reserves if necessary, and begin a terrifying military parade in the near future that can be seen and heard across half the sector, but do not make further moves."
"Understood." Haros nodded firmly without hesitation.
"Theo." Robin turned toward his side. "Speak with the Emperor of Vast Ice. He’s one of our wings now, correct? Tell him he’ll be accompanying someone into the Ever-Chaos Empire. His only job is to accompany that person and ensure his protection and extraction if the situation escalates. He won’t need to say anything, negotiate anything, or strike anything."
"That won’t be easy..." Theo stared into his father’s eyes. "The oath Lord Glacion took doesn’t obligate him to obey orders like that."
Naturally, oaths differed from one person to another.
The oath of a defeated individual was not the same as that of a volunteer.
The oath of the strong was not the same as that of the weak.
As for Glacion’s oath, the Guardian who had joined without war, it was extremely loose and very limited, granting him an unusual amount of freedom compared to most people who entered Robin’s sphere of influence.
"And who said anything about giving him orders?" Robin shook his head. "Give him some money so he can buy whatever he wants. A few fleets, perhaps, or some nice toys for his children, maybe even a gift or two for his subordinates while he’s at it... one billion pearls should be enough for this mission."
"....." Robin’s grandchildren exchanged cautious glances.
They had just received that exact amount as a welcoming gift moments ago.
Each of them!
And now Robin was casually preparing to hand over the same amount simply to persuade someone to accompany a traveler.
"Understood. I’ll work something out with him." Theo nodded. "Who will be going with him?"
Then he looked around.
"Servon is the best negotiator we have. If you want to send someone better, then who would it be? Kristan? A committee of senior elders? Haros himself?"
"Tsk, tsk~" Robin shook his head. "What has negotiation achieved besides more negotiation, more delays, more discussions? We have a man imprisoned there. This time I want someone who will deliver my final message, along with a small threat and a calm declaration of what will happen if the stalemate continues."
Then he looked in another direction.
"You’re going. Begin your preparations."
"....?" Theo frowned deeply at that choice, unable to immediately understand why his father had selected him for such a role.
Meanwhile, Caesar unfolded the arms crossed over his chest, his expression growing increasingly displeased as he looked back at his father with obvious suspicion and growing certainty that something troublesome was already taking shape inside that old mind.
"You really aren’t planning anything good!"
"Ha ha, why? I think he’s a good choice." Robin chuckled, then looked in that direction once more, his eyes lingering on Holak for a moment as though he genuinely could not understand why everyone seemed so concerned by the selection. "Isn’t that right, Holak?"
"An excellent choice, Boss! I’ll negotiate over his underwear if you want me to!" Holak slammed a fist against his chest proudly, his voice carrying across the area without the slightest trace of hesitation or self-doubt.
The five Imperial Guard commanders, however, did not share the same confidence. Instead, all of them sent strange looks toward Holak, exchanging glances with one another as though silently asking whether they had all heard the same thing.
He... would be the one negotiating... For peace?!
"Father..." Zara looked extremely concerned, to the point where she almost seemed ready to object outright.
"Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing." Robin smiled gently, then looked back toward Holak. "Take a cross-planet instantaneous transfer array with you. When the negotiations take a turn for the worse and they attempt to keep you there, use it to escape to the nearest planet. Theo will provide the array, secure the destination planet for you, and Glacion will be enough to buy you a few seconds to escape."
".....?!" Everyone turned back toward Robin with questioning looks and furrowed brows.
Had he just said when it failed, not if?
The distinction was small.
But nobody present was foolish enough to miss it.
"Got it." Holak nodded. "I’ll destroy a wall or two before that."
"Destroy three for all I care." Robin chuckled.
Then he turned toward Haros.
"When you receive Holak’s message announcing failure, use the forces you’ve gathered to protect our assets. If you require any ancient or modern arrays, inform the Shadow Swords and they’ll bring them to you. I don’t want shortages, delays, or excuses once things begin moving."
"Protection only, Your Majesty? Not for an attack?" Haros asked, unable to completely hide his confusion.
"Mhm." Robin looked back toward Holak. "There isn’t time for a millennial planetary war that drags on for decades or centuries. The Imperial Guard and the men of the Burton Family will handle the offensive this time." Then he continued while looking toward the gate and the countless ongoing movements surrounding it. "From what I can see, half of the Guard’s numbers are currently necessary thanks to Althera’s assistance, and until she completes her breakthrough, the other half can go play somewhere else."
"Ha ha, no objections from me!" Holak laughed loudly.
These negotiations were going to be very short.
At least, that was his intention.
He would personally make sure of that.
After that enthusiastic declaration, Robin nodded and returned to observing the gate in silence, a faint smile resting on his face as though everything was proceeding according to expectations that only he could fully see.
Afterward, Holak, the Guard commanders, Haros, Theo, and Caesar began discussing how to carry out the orders with the fewest possible losses, going over routes, contingencies, reserve deployments, communication methods, and the countless practical details required whenever forces of such scale were moved.
Then, within minutes, Holak and the Guard commanders departed to reorganize the forces and split them into two halves in preparation for the worst possible outcome, while Haros knelt once more before departing to arrange the military parade Robin had requested, already beginning to calculate how many fleets, soldiers, banners, and formations would be necessary to create the desired effect.
Only after the atmosphere settled once again, and after the surrounding activity gradually faded into the background, did Robin finally open his mouth.
"Zara."
"Yes!" Zara stepped closer with a gentle smile, immediately setting aside her previous concerns.
"How is the Fifth Generation Note Family project progressing?" Robin asked in a low but clearly audible voice. "I understand the delay regarding the Sovereignty Note, since it still requires more and remains dependent on resources and decisions that cannot yet be finalized, but the fifth-generation modifications to the standard vessels aren’t significant enough to require centuries to implement. Are they ready yet?"
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