Read Novel Full Chapter 562: Threat of War (1)
Chapter 562: Threat of War (1)
Dariel entered with calm, steady steps. Behind him, two tall, burly soldiers in golden robes followed.
His presence instantly silenced the room. The five kings—Darius, Theron, Lucien, Lorcan, and Fenric—quickly approached him, cupping their hands in greeting.
"Welcome, Holy Emperor," they said.
Although they were equal to Dariel in status, even a fool could see that he stood on a different level.
In terms of military strength, the Holy Empire of Valtanir far surpassed their kingdoms.
Only Ragan of the Great Velmora Empire could rival him.
"Thank you for the warm welcome, everyone," Dariel said softly. "I know you are all eager to profit from the Great Velmora Empire. You need not worry—I will help you suppress Ragan later."
A subtle glint flickered in his eyes.
The five kings felt a trace of shame at his words. They had indeed intended to do exactly that. Fortunately, Dariel’s assurance allowed them to relax.
"Thank you, Emperor Dariel. With your help, suppressing Emperor Ragan will be much easier," Darius said with a faint smile.
The other four kings nodded in agreement.
The six of them then chatted casually while waiting for Ragan’s arrival.
Suddenly, the door guard’s voice rang out again.
"Emperor Ragan Lorian has arrived!"
Everyone was startled and quickly turned toward the voice. Ragan stepped inside with an imposing aura.
He wore a black robe that made him look even more imposing.
His white hair was combed back, and his blood-red eyes emitted a faint, cold glint.
The atmosphere turned tense, as if even breathing had become difficult.
"Finally, you’re here, Ragan. Let’s begin the negotiations," Dariel said casually.
Ragan glanced at him but said nothing, giving only a small nod.
The five kings, along with Dariel and Ragan, stood around a round table.
The prime ministers of the five kingdoms stood behind their respective kings.
"All right, Ragan. I came here not to interfere but to act as a mediator among you. So, let’s begin. Tell me what you want," Dariel said calmly, looking at Ragan across from him.
Ragan rolled his eyes. He couldn’t believe Dariel would act so considerate.
Help? That was nonsense.
But he didn’t mind. Even if Dariel sided with the five of them, he wouldn’t be afraid.
"All right, I’ll get straight to the point. Your demands are excessive," Ragan said coldly. "I want them changed."
His words made the five kings’ expressions darken. They were aware of it, but that was their goal—to gain huge profits from the empire.
"Emperor Ragan, I must object," Darius replied calmly. "What we requested is an appropriate price for the loss we suffered. At your party, I lost my second son. He turned into a demon and had to be killed there. As a father, I truly feel that loss."
His jaw tightened as tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.
Seeing this, the other four kings also clenched their jaws and let tears fall. They spoke of lost brothers, delegates, and others, trying to place moral pressure on Ragan.
Dariel merely smiled in silence. He wanted to see how Ragan would handle this.
Ragan remained calm, showing no trace of anger. He tapped the table lightly with his index finger before replying indifferently, "I know I was at fault, and I apologize. But your demands are excessive. You are asking for thirty billion Sharn each, along with several territories belonging to the Great Velmora Empire. That is no different from declaring war on me. Is that truly what you intend?"
His expression grew somber as a faint pressure emanated from his body.
The five kings were momentarily speechless, not expecting him to say that.
War was no small matter. Although there were five of them and they could pressure the Great Velmora Empire, that was as far as they could go.
Instead of gaining profit, they might end up suffering heavy losses. That was a consequence they did not want to face.
"Emperor Ragan, you mustn’t think that way. We only seek compensation—that’s all. We never intended to fight you," Lorcan said with a small smile. "So please, don’t misunderstand."
The others nodded in agreement. But how could Ragan believe such words?
The territories they demanded were key strategic lands of the empire.
Moreover, they were located in the south and east—the two richest regions of the empire.
It was impossible for him to hand over his territories to others.
"I still cannot accept that. I will compensate for the losses, as my prime minister proposed earlier. Beyond that, I refuse," Ragan declared firmly.
What Roswell had proposed was ten billion Sharn for each kingdom, along with various other treasures.
In total, the Great Velmora Empire would pay one hundred billion Sharn. It was an extraordinary sum.
But the empire was rich and powerful, so Ragan did not mind.
Unfortunately, those five kings were demanding some of his empire’s territories, which he absolutely could not accept.
The five kings’ expressions turned pale when they heard this. They exchanged glances, as if silently seeking each other’s opinion.
Previously, they had been able to pressure Roswell because their status was higher than his.
In addition, Roswell had not seemed too stubborn, so they easily won the first round of negotiations.
But now the situation was different. Ragan had come in person, and his status as emperor allowed him to act as he pleased.
"Ragan, I truly don’t understand you. In my opinion, what the five of them proposed is reasonable," Dariel replied with a playful look. "A few territories as compensation is no big deal, right? After all, your empire is vast. I’m sure losing those territories won’t destabilize it. Or... don’t tell me you intend to escalate this matter further?"
His words plunged the room into tense silence. The five kings had not expected Dariel to say such a thing.
Yet they remained quiet. If he dared to provoke Ragan, he must have had his own plan.
They wanted to see how Ragan would respond.
Ragan narrowed his eyes. "You mean war? Fine. If that’s what you want, I’ll accept it."
He then looked at the five kings and declared, "Anyone who refuses my proposal will be my enemy."
His words struck the five kings like a bomb.
A declaration of war... that was exactly what Ragan had just made.
Their faces turned even paler as they exchanged glances once more.
"Ragan Lorian, you are truly arrogant!" Dariel growled in anger. "Are you not afraid of bringing disaster upon the Central Continent?"
Ragan smiled faintly. "Afraid? Why should I be?"