The first two are it’s neighboring Cretian cities, Gehenna and Nemes .
Lezzad’s suzerain, Claris is also antagonistic towards Gehenna’s and Nemes’ suzerains, Alto and Therbae respectively .
They are at odds with each other due to their competition on business influence and maritime trade .
The next two enemy countries are Persis and Povenia .
Hostility with Persis can be said to be only natural due to their history of having waged war against the Cretian city-stattes several times .
However, since Persis hasn’t yet reached the West Tethys Sea, head on collision with Lezzad is not possible .
On the other hand, such violent collision is possible with Povenia .
Povenia is just a stone’s throw away from the Adernia Peninsula . Furthermore, it’s fighting against the Cretians for control over Trisqueria Island which is located on the sea between the continent and Povenia .
Naturally, the three Cretian colonies on the Adernia, which also serve as the front lines against Trisqueria, are always under threat by Povenia .
But then again, it’s not like war is raging at the moment, so it’s not a pressing threat .
Last is Lezzad’s biggest enemy – the Belvedere Kingdom . Several microstates are packed on the area between the two states .
The reason for the existence of these small states is the chaos brought about the power struggles between the native Adernians plus the colonists from Cretia and Povenia .
Lezzad and Belvedere are vying for control over the area and the several small kingdoms in it . Since the influence of even the small states vary wildly depending upon the circumstances, no conclusion could be reached .
This is probably the reason why Lezzad wants an alliance with us .
The Belvedere Kingdom’s population is around 100,000 . Their population is around 60,000 .
Since a huge percentage of their national power is invested on the navy, their army is lacking strength .
As such, their odds of winning a full-on war would be slim at best .
The suzerain, on which they could call on for help, is on the look out for suspicious Persis movements so they won’t be able to help .
However, should they achieve an alliance with our country, things would change .
We would be able to attack from both the north and the south, surrounding the Belvedere Kingdom in a pincer .
At the very least, the Belvedere would be on too much alert against us that they won’t bother to unleash their full force against Lezzad .
This is probably what Lezzad is aiming for .
“We want to pass on the military alliance .
I kick Lezzad’s proposal .
You can see the despair on the MPs’ faces .
However, as if they’d expected such a response, they immediately raised their faces .
“Would it be possible to hear Your Majesty’s reason?”
“We do not want to stimulate the Belvedere Kingdom . It’s not like our country is antagonistic against them, after all . ”
The Belvedere Kingdom is a neighboring country .
I don’t want to complicate relations with them .
I don’t want something building up on foreign affairs even though we haven’t even completed tidying up domestic affairs .
Even if, for example, the Belvedere Kingdom were a vastly inferior country compared to ours .
Besides, the merchants that come and go between my country and Lezzad would certainly need to pass through the Belvedere Kingdom . It would be grave if we were to be embargoed .
“Nevertheless, we won’t have any problems with being bound to a treaty of friendship . We would, however, declare that we would take a neutral stance on the territorial disputes between your two countries . ”
“Neutral, is it…… . . understood . Let us first begin with friendly relations . ”
I shake hands with the Claris Head of Parliament .
Friendly relations are very important .
However, saying something like starting from friends, it’s kind of like lovers, huh . It’s like ‘I like you so let’s first start as friends’ or something?
“Now then, regarding trade and commerce . When our merchants enter your esteemed country, they pay a not insignificant amount of duties . We would like to have these abolished . ”
Lezzad gives the first terms .
In other words, they’re telling me to give Claris’ merchants special treatment .
While it can be said that custom duties are a major source of income, I’m currently monopolizing paper and salt . I also intend to monopolize whiskey and vodka .
Therefore, I think it’s fine to do away with these duties .
Even without them, we’d be able to profit from sales taxes, after all .
That way, with merchants vigorously coming to trade, our income would increase in the end .
However, it’s not like we’d be getting rid of it for free .
“Why not? In exchange, we’d request complete cooperation with regards to Cretian technology and manuscripts . ”
“Understood, we’ll do our best in that matter . ”
Now then, things are about as good as done .
What’s left is something quite like a freebie but… .
“This is something we would like to request but only if possible… . can you teach us about the state of affairs with Povenia and the East Tethys Sea? Although we have gathered a considerable amount of information, as expected, our country has limitations . We would be very thankful if you are to provide us with information . ”
We already know, from information gathered from Cretian merchants, that Persis is constructing a large scale fleet and is performing large scale military exercises .
It’s rumored that a third Cretia-Persis war would break out before long .
Although the Adernia peninsula has quite the distance between the two powers, the influence of such a war is certain to reach the area .
If Cretia were to fall, then the structure of power in the Tethys Sea would be completely redrawn .
It won’t hurt to know more regarding the matter .
“Umm, understood . We will inform you as circumstances change . ”
“Thank you very much . We are in your debt . ”
As such, the talks with Lezzad come to an end .
Next in line would be Nemes and then Gehenna . We would also be visiting them and conducting talks on the same vein as Lezzad .
We aren’t going to be tied to a declaration of friendship with these two countries, but we’ll be getting provisions on customs, economics, technology, and human resources the same way as Lezzad . (Verify)
These two, not wanting to get one-upped by Lezzad, had proactively sent me ‘love calls’ when I became king .
“Uhm, we are heading for Gehenna after this, am I correct?”
“Yes, certainly we plan to visit Gehenna although it would be after Nemes . What about it?”
Ains asks out of the blue .
I thought he had known about our intention to visit all three countries long ago, but… . .
“Please be careful about the tyrant of Gehenna, his Excellency Abraham . ”
Hmm…I wonder what do we have to be careful about…… .
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