Herald of Steel

Chapter 792

The tactic Alexander discussed with his retainers regarding how to receive the envoy was one of displaying strength and inflexibility 

It was to give him the idea that Alexander was going to march towards the capital and take it any moment now.

So as Alexander placidly gazed at Lord Theony to continue, all the others followed the twenty or so eyes thus seemingly exerting great pressure on the man.

Though such petty techniques had little effect on the man.

He was a veteran politician, and this was not the first Tibias had fought a war, nor was this the man's first foray into the wolf's den. 

"Esteemed Pasha, let me first begin by saying how much we at the court are impressed by your skill of the military command."

"Truly you are once in a thousand year born conqueror. A great hero."

It seemed that before getting to his main point, Lord Theony was working to nicely butter Alexander up, as he continued, 

"And it is a fact I can personally attest to."

"You may not know it but I came to the city with reinforcements for Lord Ponticus just two months ago. I stayed right here, in one of the rooms on the second floor." He said pointing his right index finger up, 

"And in that night battle, it was I who led that frontal army."

"So I personally saw with my own two eyes the way you foiled Lord Ponticus's flanking attack and then arranged your troops to neutralize my elephants."

"It was truly sublime."

"Although I lost, I feel proud to have lost to an impossible general like you, hahaha." Lord Theony sounded very frank in his opening speech.

And at the recount, Alexander did not know exactly how to feel.

Should he be flattered?

Should he rudely sneer and urge him to get to the point?

Or should he politely accept and return similar cordial words?

And after thinking for a bit, he chose the last option, thinking you could not really go wrong with good manners.

"Lord Theony is being too humble. It was Lord Ponticus's attack that was truly sublime. That attack from the rear woods at pitch black darkness would have caught ninety nine out a hundred armies off guard."

"It was only foiled because some of my nearby scouts spotted the light from their torches."

Alexander here chose to embellish the truth a bit.

Instead of saying it was pure, dumb luck that Remus had spotted Lord Ponticus, Alexander made it sound like he had already deployed scouts nearby.

And that it would have been only a matter of time before Lord Ponticus was spotted, far ahead of the man's scheduled reveal. 

And this is what the history books would write, in order to flaunt Alexander as an ever prescient, infallible general.

But as Alexander said this, it made him truly wonder just how twisted the history he had been taught in his previous life truly might have been.

He was not even talking about large, bold changes, but about just the many tiny 'adjustments' done at the spur of the moment by the chroniclers. 

Although Alexander very well knew history was written by the victor, with a few nuances, but even still, knowing something and actively manipulating it was totally different.

It both felt wrong but sinfully attractive, like using a cheat code in a game.

So Alexander experienced a small epiphany then, only managing to extricate himself a bit later, where he finished by saying, 

"And even your elephant charge was very well timed. It was simply that your king had already shown that trick before. So my trained soldiers knew how to counter it." Alexander referred to how Menes had lost in almost an identical way to how Lord Theony had.

Alexander 's way of answer managed to do both things right, it both praised the Tibias for their great defense but also simultaneously worked to show off that he was in fact ultimately better, thus establishing his prestige.

"Hehe, indeed, indeed," And how could the shrewd politician not understand this?

But he was more than happy to stoke Alexander 's ego.

The man had earned so.

Then with the pleasantries out of the way, Lord Theony finally got to delivering the messages he had made the huge more than six hundred kilometers journey for.

"*Ahem*," Clearly his throat, he took out a paper letter, the material very much surprising Alexander , as Lord Theony then read,

"In recognition of Pasha Alexander - Ruler of Zanzan's remarkable military prowess, 'We'- The ruler of the Western Riverlands, the Protector of the Woodlands and the Overseer of all things on land, in water and sky- Perseus of Parthenigh, relinquish the control of the city of Thesalie as well as its nearby lands to you, Pasha Alexander - the First of His name, Ruler of Zanzan."

"Furthermore, we are willing to pay half the cost of the raised army, as well as recognizing any loot taken from the city as constitutionally belonging to the victorious Pasha." 

"For this, all we seek is to sign a ten year truce between our lands."

"May peace prevail."

It was a very short letter, one which took Lord Theony less than two minutes to finish.

And even that was with all the theatrics and flair he added to the read to put emphasis on certain points, thus padding out the time.

"Heh! Peace? You drunk on horseshit or something?" And the moment Lord Theony finished, he was greeted with his disdainful, rude scoff.

It was uttered by Alexander 's newest addition- Jamider (Earl) Yuusiq and this man was perhaps one of the most hawkish people when it came to Tibias.

And following him, many others too joined the castigation, rebuking the envoy for even daring to come up with his sorry excuse of a deal.

"What a what of our time." One noble spat.

"The only thing we got out of it was more earwax to clean our ears later." Another one mocked, even poking his right pinky into his ear to mimic what he said.

"Such a waste of good paper, To think you people would be so wasteful even when you are in so dire economic strains." The last noble scorned, making it sound like Tibias was not ever going to financially recover from this one improper use of a small sheet of paper.

While the target of all this ridicule, with did inch even an inch.

Like the vituperation being thrown at him was empty air.

He stood proudly, spine erect, his well oil moustach glistening under the ambient sunlight, his eyes clear and limpid.

While his counterpart, Alexander waited for the various lords to have their fun, and once the room finally calmed down a bit, he gave his response, the official one. 

Alexander began, 

"Lord Theony, I pity you, for you have to follow such a delusional king."

"Lord Theony, I feel sorry for you, for you had to travel so far to bring such a meritless message, filled with the ravings of a madman."

Yes, Alexander did call Perseus a madman straight to his envoy's face.

And it was not just Alexander saying this.

For next to him sat a scribe, who was writing all this down.

Thus the things Alexander was saying would be the formal, official response.

And it was typically considered improper to have such rude words in a formal discussion, no matter the kind of things discussed.

This was because when people started cursing, they tended to let their emotions get involved and when people started talking through their rage, negotiations and talks were always the first thing to fly out the window,

It was also because of that that Perseus was so cordial, though perhaps it was more so because he was currently weak and defenseless.

But Alexander decided to eschew any such formalities.

Because although he did not directly show it, he was just as angry hearing the terms being offered as the nobles sitting by him.

So he continued, now turning to address Perseus, 

"Oh, Ruler of Tibias Perseus, how long do you think you can hold onto that title?"

"How long do you think you can sit on that throne?"

" For a huge, undefeated army marches. It marches straight towards your capital even as I write this."

"It is filled with men full of zeal after taking the fortress of fortress."

"And they sing this as they come one step closer to you - 'We have taken the Bastion.'

                                               'We will take the capital'

                                               'Who do we have to fear?'

                    'Not Perseus, not Parthenigh, not the spirits of his Predecessors, hohoho' 

"And what do you have to try and survive against this unstoppable juggernaut?"

"A nation devoid of men."

"A treasury as empty as a bird's next."

"A royal court tearing itself apart with petty bickering."

"Surrender!"

"You have no other way."

"Relinquish all clams to the throne and swear it to me- Ruler of Zanzan, Conqueror of Thesalie, and soon to be Master of Tibias."

"Spare us the needless loss of lives and I swear to the gods that I will all spare you and your family."

"I am even willing to marry one of your daughters, one of my choosing."

"And I will name your son, The Crown Prince as Overseer of the city Thesalie for the next five years."

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