Warhammer: Return of the Dragon.

"Please don't make humorous jokes, Your Majesty the Phoenix King..." Kurt reminded quietly. Ludwig had received Imrick's invitation several months ago. He only got it now. Doesn't it mean that he is not as good as the Emperor Champion?

"No, I'm serious... I'm just kidding."

The Phoenix King had his eyes half closed, making it difficult for Kurt to tell what he wanted to say. He could only raise his hand and make a request.

"Regarding your captain of the royal guard, can you ask him to stop fighting the dwarves? The emperor is pleased that two outstanding warriors have appeared in Altdorf, but..."

"Often the word 'but' means that what was said before was nonsense. Perhaps the emperor should also consider resolving the summit dispute in a warrior way. I no longer have the patience to stay in the empire..." Imrick paused for a while, and in Kurt's face, he told the truth mercilessly: "Your incompetent political game makes me laugh. If my old friend Magnus were still alive, no elector would dare to offend the emperor's authority."

"There is only one pious man in the empire, and there is only one Karl Franz..." Kurt wanted to discuss the differences in their political ideologies. He deeply recognized Karl in his heart, but compared to Magnus, it seemed... as if Karl was nothing.

"He is a politician with good means, not a devout believer... and a fighter with conviction."

Marshal Rick, who was unable to refute directly, was very angry about these words. Carl was the emperor who had the greatest hope of reaching the glory of the Magnus era in the past hundred years. How could he become so unbearable in the mouth of the Phoenix King?

Fortunately, Imrik didn't really have any problem with Karl Franz... although he was somewhat dissatisfied with the emperor's habitual way of manipulating politics, thinking that everything could be solved by means of the court.

"Arrange a meeting with Karl for me tomorrow... I am very busy and I want to go back to Ulthuan to see Menil. Don't tell me that the Emperor is also very busy. If he wants to gain real benefits, he should know how to do it."

By the time Kurt's expression improved, Imrick had already shouted towards the ruins of the port: "Okay, stop fighting, Creon."

…………

An hour later, after hearing Kurt's report, Karl Franz rubbed his hands thoughtfully. While Marshal Rick was angry at the Phoenix King's evaluation of the Emperor, he was very calm.

"Do you think the Phoenix King looks down on me?"

Kurt nodded without hesitation and said firmly: "He is a Caledor elf. Perhaps his sophisticated political tactics make people a little confused about his identity. I think he still advocates the logic of the supremacy of the strong and looks down on politics...

Over the past two hundred years, the only emperor he could truly call a friend was His Majesty Magnus. They had fought side by side in Kislev... According to our investigation, His Majesty Thorgrim, Agrim and others had fought side by side with him. There is currently no opportunity for the Empire and the elves to fight together. Perhaps you should prove your strength to the elves..."

Prove your strength to the elves...

Carl blinked in confusion, hoping that the marshal was right. The emperor did not think that holding the Dragon Fang Sword meant that he could defeat the Phoenix King. The legends about Imrik circulating in the empire were much more exaggerated than the records, such as flattening a city with one sword and annihilating an entire army with one strike...

"I'm just proposing a military idea. The specific arrangements are up to you." "I know, but Kurt..." Carl hesitated for a while, but ultimately did not say what was in his mind.

He had no confidence. Compared with the monarchs of the dwarves and elves, the emperor of the empire who had been crowned for only a few years was like a child. Imrik and Thorgrim could often guess what each other's proposals wanted with just a glance.

There is indeed a slight gap between him, who can call on the High King of the Mountain Kingdom and the monarch of all elves, and the emperor who is only active in Reikland.

"Your Majesty, please listen to me." Bairshazer stopped fiddling with the book, the candlelight shining on his golden mask. "Marshal Kurt's idea is correct, but the method is a bit radical... Based on my recent communication with the Supreme Mage Teclis, you only need to show your determination to the Phoenix King, rather than... your martial arts, which are not as good as those of legendary warriors."

These harsh words made Carl think... But shouldn't the monarch's duty be to lead those who are good at fighting and maximize their abilities? Not everyone can be like in some countries where military force is supreme, and the monarch is trained to be a military leader since childhood.

"Well, you will come with me to tomorrow's meeting, Bairshazer."

"clear."

Another meaningless meeting ended due to the unreasonable insistence of the Mad Count... Marius Redolf, an Iverland noble who is no longer an Elector. This was because the cowardly Baroness Marin von Alptraum did not dare to refute a proposal for Iverland, hoping that 15% of the annual output of the Empire's granaries would flow into Kislev.

"This is absurd! Our food should be provided to the Sons of Sigmar, to every goat and sow, just like wild horses galloping on the grassland. Only when it circulates in the empire will the food of Ivy County be meaningful!"

In the meeting hall, Leidolf screamed and jumped in front of the Phoenix King like a clown, his tall two-color feather round-brimmed hat swaying with his posture. Although the proposal was made by Catherine, everyone understood that Kislev would never dare to make such a strong request if it were not for the elves' support behind him.

Katerin had gradually adapted to the atmosphere of the meeting. She raised her delicate chin and said, "Sir Redolf, Kislev is not asking Averland for free support. These grains will be sold at a suitable price to exchange for minerals, wood, fur and other resources needed by the empire. I believe this can effectively improve the quality of life of the people of Averland."

"It's ridiculous. Without food there is nothing, no wine, no bread, no milk for the children!"

Imrick and Thorgrin looked at each other and asked clearly, "Is he really stupid, or is he pretending to be crazy?"

"I feel like he's just pretending to be crazy. Human nobles aren't usually that stupid."

Baroness Marlene von Alptraum was slightly tempted. Although she had a large amount of food, she was far less wealthy than Wissen and Rick. There were many reasons for this... The main one was that the Electoral Council had always been curbing the food prices in Ivyland according to the industrial development plan formulated by His Majesty Magnus.

Among them, Reikland played the most critical role. Several emperors verbally expressed their support for Iverland in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests and supporting the reasonable increase in food prices, but each time they were "forced" to accept the decision of the Electoral Council and then got the most food.

Leidolf pretending to be crazy made Carl very embarrassed. The emperor made an extremely difficult choice and announced that the meeting would be temporarily suspended and reconvened tomorrow. (End of this chapter)