"Do you want me to stay for the meeting, or disappear?" Rosie asked once we had taken our seats in the tent, waiting for the arrival of the envoys, who were about to arrive. We had continued to talk about the cities while we waited for them, but focused on more pertinent details, like what they would demand, and what they could give.
"You need to stay," I decided after some consideration. "I still know too little about the dynamics of the cities to navigate it without warning, not to mention dealing with any possible trade offer. And, I have a feeling a bunch of self-styled knights won't respect someone trying to make trade deals."
"An accurate point," Rosie reflected, then paused. "It'll be tough enough for them to accept you as a lord —"
"Regent," I cut her off. "I changed my mind after listening to your explanation. I'll call myself the regent."
"Why the sudden change?" Rosie asked. Harold, waiting at the entrance, said nothing, but his gaze showed the exact same attitude.
"Expediency based on the cities that are visiting us," I said. "Asterion is a city of knights, so they will probably see being defeated by a mere regent more shameful than challenging the ruler of a town," I said. "Also, it will probably make my status as a blacksmith more palatable."
"Makes sense," Rosie admitted. "And, I can see how it'll affect Vessalia. Declaring that the town is still ruled by an elite mage should be helpful for their pride. However, Drakka might act negatively about it. They will have treated you better if you're a lord … well, as much as anyone that couldn't command troops in battle."
"That seems inevitable unless we have kept Thomas alive as a puppet," I replied. "How would the guilds react?"
"They will probably appreciate it," Rosie answered. "If there's anyone that understands ruling through a proxy, it's them."
I nodded, but before I could answer, Harold cut in. "They are almost here," he said.
Rosie stood up and moved behind me. "It'll look better if you were to greet them," she said. Harold gestured to one of the guards to raise the flaps of the tents, allowing us to see their approach.
I examined them as I sat at the head of the makeshift table in our diplomatic tent, my seat slightly higher than the others. I felt tenser than I did before I dived headlong into the monster army. At least, back then, there were no questions about how to act.
Right now, I was about to meet the envoys that represented a military power whose limits I had no idea about. A perfect definition of being unqualified.
Unfortunately, there was no one else that could take over. Eleanor and Maria were still away, Rosie was far more effective with her abilities without being pushed forward, and Harold lacked the raw power to handle the position.
As for putting one of my students … they would have been eaten alive.
I continued examining the group. It was smaller than I had expected. Twenty-three people, though based on their armor, only three of them seemed to be the actual diplomatic party, rest of them were the guards. The guards wore solid plate armor, with the only ornament on their right shoulder, displaying a black sword in front of a shining sun.
As far as the symbolism went, it was quite obvious.
I turned my attention to the three that wore silver-alloy armor with large, lavish tabards carrying the same symbol, with only the color of the sword changing. For two of them, the sword was silver, while for the last one, it was gold.
Their attitude confirmed that it reflected the hierarchy between them.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Curious whether that extended to their armor, I silently used Observe on them, doing my best to channel through the metal floors, careful to keep the intensity low, as I had long learned that using them directly was disrespectful. While I was not examining their levels, just their armor, the same principle still applied. But, the newly constructed floor had enough mana fluctuations to hide it. And, since they had no mages with them, it was an acceptable risk.
Unfortunately, it only worked for the guards, as the other three had some kind of magical effect to bounce it. Not a surprise. I spent a few seconds examining their armor before I stopped the effect.
My first judgment. It was good enough to surpass my works before I had upgraded to Shaper, with several additional enchantments to make it even more superior.
No wonder they were famous for their armor.
As much as I wanted to examine their armor in more detail, I had to turn my attention to the leaders of the party. All three were young, probably younger than twenty, which I would have appreciated if it wasn't for the smug curl of their lips as they looked around. The condescension in their attitude couldn't have been more obvious if they shouted.
Young and arrogant. Never a good combination, but it was particularly ill-fitting for a diplomatic meeting, which gave me a good idea of how they positioned the situation.
Harold cleared his throat, preparing to announce them, but one of the two with the silver blade symbol spoke first with a sharp sneer, just shy of disgust. "We are Sir Roland and Sir Evan, envoys of the glorious city of Asterion. And, this is Lord Leona Asterion, the glorious leader of our mission."
"You're welcome under the flag of parley," I said. I gave Harold a signal to pull back. I didn't know the exact social structure of the city, but either way, having a young lord carrying the same name as the city was not good news. "As the regent of our town, I promise no blade will be raised as long as you respect our peace."
"Are you the blacksmith?" he asked.
"Yes, my Lord. I have that fate," I replied.
The disgust that appeared on the face of Leona Asterion didn't fill me with confidence about finding a satisfying diplomatic resolution, nor the speed his expression twisted. "Where's your Lord, so that I can discuss his annexation properly," he declared, not even bothering to take his seat.
And, just like that, the embers of my hope had died as well. "Unfortunately, my Lady is currently not in town, and I'm not authorized to make such decisions," I said.
"What if I insist," he said as he took a step forward threateningly, his hand on his blade. At the same time, a pressure slammed at me, which I recognized as Charisma. I felt my body tighten as the fear invaded, making it difficult to focus.
Behind me, I could feel Rosie ready to act, but I was able to move enough to give her a signal to stand down. His Charisma was significantly more intense than Thomas, but that didn't mean I was helpless. Especially since he didn't block my External skills.
Also, as I didn't collapse under his spiritual pressure, his disgust was lessening significantly, which I counted as a benefit.
I decided to push my luck to one bet, one that relied on that he was just as brash and arrogant as he had been displaying, and it was not a gambit. The emotional awareness given to my Wisdom told me that it was a genuine reaction, but I couldn't assume it to be absolute.
"Then, with my great regret, I would have to take that as a declaration of war, and act accordingly," I declared.
"You think you can stand against the might of Asterion!" he declared, his voice sharp. Roland and Evan joined him with their glare, but without the metaphysical pressure of Charisma, it was easier to ignore.
"No, Lord Asterion, I expect to die, along with every single person in the town," I responded. "But the honor my lady extended by declaring me her regent deserves nothing less."
Naturally, if it came to that, I fully expected to stay alive and protect them, but I was betting that they wouldn't risk killing me, not when they had come here for those resources, and playing the honor angle would suddenly turn any attempt to take over the town into a total war.
His flash of frustration confirmed the viability of my path, one that I could have detected even without the assistance of Wisdom, which further confirmed his poor viability when it came to diplomatic activities.
That said, I couldn't help but question why I was dealing with him rather than any other opponent. Was it a good way to send a future leader away to get some experience, or a way to keep him away from the city?
"I accept those terms, but you have to face one of my soldiers in a duel. Of course, I'm not an unfair lord. All you have to do is last for a minute. If you can't even that much, there's no point in waiting."
Immediately, I was sure that the threat of annexation had been delayed until the return of Maria. I didn't expect to be defeated. Also, if I could be defeated in single combat despite all the advantages I stacked, there was no point trying to resist either. As for resisting for a minute, it was a given. Their weapons wouldn't be enough to breach my armor, so unless they had Mythic skills, there was no risk.
"As you wish, honored lord," I replied as I stood up, wondering who I would face.