History of the Greatest Territory Design - Episode 184
184fury. Long live the sultan (1)
‘Somehow, this doesn't seem like an unfamiliar feeling..’
A smile appeared on Lloyd's lips..
It was closer to a bitter smile than a smile..
Where his gaze is directed.
The door inside the reception hall was open..
Another man who appeared to be a palace official walked through the open door..
I gave a mechanical bow in this direction..
He said with an expressionless face.
“Thank you all for your hard work in coming a long way. Now, please sit this way..”
The official pointed to the reception table..
It was an ordinary table with no decoration..
The same goes for the chairs placed around the table..
A wooden chair that can be found just about anywhere..
It was common to see it even in the homes of commoners, not nobles..
In other words, it was not at the level of a recommendation to a special envoy sent by the king of a country..
The special envoy, Count Ventura, looked embarrassed..
“Huh. There seems to be some mistake now..”
“If you say it's a mistake?”
“I think you've taken us to the wrong place..”
“I don't know what you're talking about..”
The sultanate official tilted his head..
His face was still expressionless..
Count Ventura protested in an even more embarrassed voice..
“It seems like this happened because they didn't receive the message properly, and we are the king's special envoys personally dispatched by the great King of Magentano, Alicia Termina Magentano. This means that we have come all the way here to convey the wishes of His Majesty the Sultan to your Sultan. But such a cramped and shabby reception hall. How could it be that we were greeted by a low-ranking official rather than the sultan? I don't understand.”
“Why do you say you don't understand??”
“Because it doesn't fit the standard. Go back to your superior right now and ask again. Have you taken us to the wrong place?.”
“Sorry, but you are correct..”
“That's right? This place? This means that this cramped and shabby reception hall is a proper place.?”
“That's right.”
“what is that…….”
Count Ventura's expression wavered..
The sultanate's junior official spoke in a still mechanical and expressionless manner..
“It is correct that you have received proper guidance. Are you not a special envoy sent by the King of Magentano??”
“The special envoy is right. I definitely should have said that.”
“yes. Then you are correct that you have received proper guidance..”
A low-level official who repeats the same thing like a parrot..
The envoy Count Ventura's eyebrows furrowed..
“No way, your intention to return home is to insult His Majesty the King.?”
“I don't know that part. It's just that I'm just following instructions from above..”
“Call your superior immediately.!”
Count Ventura roared..
But even so, the sultanate's lower-ranking officials did not blink an eye..
Still nodding with a stiff attitude.
“All right. Then please wait a moment.”
A low-level official stepped down..
Count Ventura bit his lower lip..
“What a bizarre and absurd thing…….”
Am I trying to control my rising anger?.
Or is it that I just can't understand this situation?.
‘Probably both.’
Lloyd's bitter smile deepened as he watched the situation..
‘Everyone is slow to understand the situation. Well, I guess it can't be helped. These are probably people who have never been treated this way in their lives..’
Lloyd's gaze turned to the special envoy, Count Ventura..
We looked at the special envoys accompanying him..
They were all high-ranking people.
They were from a family that was said to be snoring in the royal capital to their core..
‘So I guess I've never been ignored like this in my life. That's why I'm slow in understanding the situation. I'm not used to it. Because it’s unfamiliar.’
A bitter smile that inevitably keeps flowing out.
Through that laughter, I remembered the time I lived in Korea..
In particular, memories of the time I lived in a gosiwon bloomed..
‘Back then, being ignored was the norm..’
I didn't have much.
There was nothing to show.
Having lost the boundaries of family, I was struggling to make ends meet day by day..
Of course I never dreamed of decorating myself..
As a result, I gradually lost confidence..
I couldn't erase the withdrawn attitude that was naturally reflected in my facial expressions and gestures..
That's why.
Wherever I went, I was implicitly ignored..
At the gosiwon, every time the secretary saw us, he would say as a greeting, 'You won't be short of money this month, will you?'.
That wasn't all.
‘Dear special envoys, have you ever tried to get on a crowded bus and received a notification that the balance on your transportation card is insufficient? Have you ever been so embarrassed by that comment that you rummaged through your pockets to pay for the bus fare with cash, and dropped the coins? Have you ever said sorry to people and picked up all the coins, only to find that you were only 100 won short of bus fare? So, have you ever been unable to get on a bus and got off through the front door while people were glaring at you?.’
Even thinking about it now, it was an experience that made my duodenum tremble..
It was thanks to the fact that being ignored like that was once part of everyday life..
Lloyd was able to get a feel for it right away from the moment the group was led into this shabby reception room..
How does the Sultanate plan to treat the special envoy?.
How are you trying to come out?.
I was able to figure it out in an instant first..
Because this atmosphere wasn’t unfamiliar.
Because I'm used to being ignored.
‘Maybe it will come out more shamelessly.’
Well then, let’s see if this prediction is correct..
Lloyd sat down at a table in the corner..
While he was taking a step back and calmly observing the situation, a person who appeared to be a high-ranking official of the Sultanate entered the reception room..
“I heard that the special envoy was looking for me..”
“exactly. I found it.”
Count Ventura, who was pacing around the reception room with nervous steps, reacted immediately..
I spoke to a senior official with a calm face..
“I guess I just can't communicate with lower level staff..”
“Hmm, what made you uncomfortable??”
“Except this place. There seems to be a small but serious mistake..”
“Oh, I've already heard that you expressed dissatisfaction with the reception room. But unfortunately, this is the reception room assigned to your special envoy..”
“……what?”
The senior official smiled politely..
Count Ventura's eyes were colored with embarrassment..
“What is that... … Then what about the Sultan? You're not welcoming us.?”
“Unfortunately, that's the way it is now..”
“Unfortunately? now?”
“yes.”
“What does that mean??”
“Because the great and almighty Sultan is so busy with his projects. In other words, there is a lot of work to be done, so it is difficult to welcome the special envoys right now..”
“But we have Magentano's…….”
“I know. They are a special envoy sent by the King. But what I can't do is I can't help it.”
“what… … This doesn't make sense.!”
A vein of blood appeared on Count Ventura's neck..
“Let me see. Isn't this too much? What country in the world would welcome its king’s special envoy like this! This is not in accordance with diplomatic conventions and is against morality.!”
“But I really can't help it.”
“That can't be helped! How can I accept that?!”
“If you don't like it, just go back..”
“……what?”
Count Ventura pauses, unable to believe his ears..
The corner of the senior official's mouth rose subtly..
“We have already fully conveyed our position. I tell you once again, it is difficult for the great and almighty Sultan to face you right now..”
“Well then, just wait.?”
“Now you are finally understanding my position. That's right. If you wait, it will be resolved naturally..”
“How long do I have to wait??”
“It will take at least 6 months.”
“radish…….”
“As I said before, there is nothing we can do. Because the great and almighty Sultan is such a busy man..”
“You're trying to play a trick on us now.?”
“no.”
“Then what on earth!”
“I ask for your understanding..”
“What kind of ridiculous understanding is this?……!”
“If you don't like it, you can go back..”
widely.
The senior official smiled faintly..
I took out a round card made of gold from my chest..
I put it down on the table..
“The choice is yours. Are you going to return like this, or are you going to stay here and endure the wait? We have no intention of forcing you to choose either side..”
“……But what is that?.”
Count Ventura pointed to the golden plaque with his chin..
The senior official grinned..
“This is a hand-given gift to you from the great and almighty Sultan..”
“gift?”
“yes. This is a gift you can receive if you choose to wait..”
“……Please explain.”
“The name of this golden plaque is Padashar. The purpose is simple. With this, you will not need any money during your stay here in Ahinsha..”
“Why??”
“This Padashar is the grace of the great and almighty Sultan. This is because it is a proof of the Sultan's promise to provide all the funds you will need..”
Official Seluk's explanation continued..
“With this, you will never have to pay for food wherever you go in the capital. The same goes for buying clothes, hiring camels and porters, and finding a place to sleep..”
“……They plan to treat us like beggars outright.?”
“It's a misunderstanding. How could that possibly be the case??”
A senior official raised the corners of his mouth openly..
Count Ventura's eyelids fluttered..
“Then, I will give you time to think about it. I'm done.”
While everyone in the special envoy was engulfed in anger and embarrassment, a senior official bowed politely and left..
The stain around Lloyd's mouth also darkened..
‘also. That's right.’
sultanate.
They are blatantly ignoring the special envoys..
If you don't want to wait, go back.
If you're going to wait, do yourself a favor.
In other words, don't negotiate unless you're willing to throw your pride on the ground..
They're just talking about breaking up the negotiations like this..
Otherwise, there is no way the King's envoy would be treated in such an attitude..
‘Are you saying you will deny responsibility for the Monster Domino incident until the end?.’
I guess it seemed like that..
So it was a little difficult.
‘If negotiations break down, it's a war, this is it.’
He was strong.
Because war must be avoided.
Because waking up won't help anyone.
In particular, it was clear that there would be significant damage to the Frontera territory..
‘So how do you plan to respond?.’
It's important from now on.
The rude attitude of the Sultanate.
The outcome of the negotiations will vary depending on how the special envoys accept and react to that attitude..
But Count Ventura and the special envoys just slumped their shoulders..
“Phew. What should I do with this?…….”
“That's right, special envoy..”
“I never thought we would be greeted this way. Does this even make sense??”
“I think the same thing. This is unfair. This is something that needs to be called in again and reviewed seriously..”
“okay. I guess so. But if our protests don't work,?”
“How about publicly condemning the sultan??”
“Hmm, but this is hostile territory..”
“Then, how about sending a letter to your home country?.”
“what kind of letter?”
“How about requesting an additional, larger special envoy to report in detail the unfair treatment they have shown?.”
“Does this mean increased diplomatic support and pressure??”
“That's right. Because practically there doesn't seem to be much we can do here..”
“Hmm…….”
Count Ventura smoothed his beard with a worried expression..
“I don't know what to do with this situation. However, if you give up on negotiations and go back, Your Majesty will be disappointed. Even war will become inevitable... … But what are you doing??”
One of the Count's eyebrows twitched..
His eyes turned to the corner of the reception room..
Lloyd was sitting at the table there..
He grinned at the count's question..
“Ah, I was just taking a look at this..”
Before he knew it, there was a golden plaque in his hand..
It was a padashar left behind by the sultan's official..
Count Ventura's eyebrows twitched even more..
“Hey, is that really what you want??”
“I'm just curious.”
“Oh my gosh. This is something the Sultan handed over to bring shame to us. By any chance, I hope you don't get curious. rather than that-”
Count Ventura's eyes became strict as he looked at Lloyd..
“You must have seen their attitude just now.?”
“yes.”
“Then, do you have any opinions to suggest??”
“Umm, not really.”
Lloyd shrugged..
A look of disapproval flashed across Count Ventura's face as he looked at him..
‘He seems like such a snob.’
Actually, Count Ventura didn't like Lloyd that much..
The subject, who was from a country estate, caught the king's eye.?
I find it disgraceful to see such sudden success.?
That wasn't it..
He also recognized Lloyd's ability and reputation..
However, I disliked the snobbish nature that young friend sometimes showed..
For example, like now, he is happily looking at the golden plaque that the sultan gave him as a joke..
Count Ventura looked at Lloyd intently..
“May I give you one piece of advice??”
“yes of course.”
“It's the golden plaque you're holding. Stay away from that item as much as possible. Don't give your reason to greed. Don't sell your pride for personal gain. Please, don't mess up everyone's business with your foolish actions..”
“yes. All right.”
“Is that answer sincere??”
“It's okay. Rest assured that I will never mess up everyone's work..”
“Thank you. Because you understand what I mean.”
“It was nothing.”
Did I finally feel a little relieved?.
Count Ventura nodded with satisfaction..
Lloyd also responded with a smile full of trust..
And that night.
Lloyd's full-fledged ultra-luxury money-making party has begun with the Sultan's golden plaque in hand..
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