Steel and Mana

Chapter 366 – Signing

The following morning was just like any other—not for most of the others, of course, but for me. I had breakfast with my kids, and then we took a simple stroll within the castle. I took them down to the library I had also visited under Pascal's watchful eyes. It was nice to be back here and wear clothes this time around. While Prince Veron and Princess Fila escorted my twins, I walked towards the vault with Mirian strolling on my right.

The reason I was really here was to see where Pascal kept the skull of the last Vasa. I was here to see if I would feel anything or not.

"So?" Mirian asked, eying me as I circled the now-empty pedestal.

"Nothing. Sasha may pick up on it, though..."

"Then bring her over next time. What's about her dream?"

"Maybe," I muttered, trying to focus, but there was nothing really. Sometimes, I could... feel a tingle. It did not exactly feel like magic, going by the others, but I could sense when it was being used close by me. A kind of sensitivity did arise in me that day, but, assuming my blood was too thin, it was only like having a better nose than others. "As for the dream, she never fully grasped their voice. But she is certain that they called for her."

"It is a chilling thought that they still live..." Mirian muttered, crossing her arms. "Especially with my vision and the fact that you found monsters with humans attached to them."

"I wouldn't even call those humans," I answered, straightening my back. "But yes, with your warning in mind... it does feel creepy."

"We should start heading back. The assembly should be coming in soon," she said, changing the topic and turning away from the vault.

"I'll leave the kids here. If you are fine with that, of course."

"Um." She nodded, "No problem."

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Only half an hour later, seated at the head of the room, Mirian projected an air of absolute confidence, no sign of the uncertainty she had while we were within her library. Before her straightly sitting figure was the parchment of the Union’s foundation, which she explained calmly while her aides continued distributing a copy before everyone present. I sat silently, arms folded, my eyes scanning the rest of the delegation, waiting for someone to raise questions or for their voice to go against what we put onto paper. Beside me, Lucca maintained his usual stoic demeanor while Merlin idly twirled a quill in his fingers, his gaze looking somewhat bored.

Across the table, the representatives were watching just the same, mostly eying me or Mirian.

"That would be all." After finishing her words, Mirian stood, drawing the room’s full attention. “I explained the details of the document before you, but do read it for yourselves. Then... we should discuss it, mend what needs mending, and then sign our collective, more prosperous future.” She let her words settle over the reading crowd before continuing. “Let me repeat it: This document ensures that no single nation can dominate another, that the internal affairs of each member state remain untouched by external influence, and that collective decisions will be made through fair representation.”

"Yes, yes..." King Vizsla from Nonia spoke up, his voice a bit accented, making me smile a little because it made his tone more questioning and aggressive than it intended to be. "But that representation is not actually fair, is it?"

"It is balanced to be fair." Mirian gestured to the parchment. “The High Council will be composed of representatives from every member state, each given a seat. The weight of votes will be, once again, balanced—larger nations will have a greater share, but not to the extent that they can overrule the collective will of smaller states."

"On paper..." Huren from Sprinland muttered louder than he thought, making Mirian look at him with a smile.

"Military conflicts between members will be strictly prohibited. Not just on the paper. The worst that could happen,” she sighed, shaking her head, "Is that the Union fails, and we go back to killing each other."

A murmur passed through the room immediately, as nobody really wanted a war. They just wanted to ensure that signing this concordant would place them in the most advantageous position.

"Only a few countries would be able to afford to go to war right now." Emperor Ahnud Sar said with a stern voice, looking at me before throwing a glance at Queen Nuen IX, who, as always, maintained a quiet smile, her fingers tapping lightly against the armrest of her seat. The High Cardinal Damar had his hands folded before him, showing his support of Nuen, gazing back at Ahnud with a steeled expression... but the three eventually nodded, signaling they were ready to sign Mirian's proposal.

Then, as expected, the pushback finally came. And from the side, I was most sure would do so now that Geth was no longer at the table.

From the Scorc delegation, President Dai leaned forward, his expression hiding most of his actual feelings. His voice was smooth when addressing us, but I could notice that it carried a healthy amount of distrust, too.

“A grand vision, soon to be ready,” he said, his gaze flicking toward me. “But tell me, Lord, sorry... Sovereign Leon, what assurances do we have that this is not merely a well-constructed net designed to entangle the rest of us under Avalon’s rule? Just like how Atuvia became part of your... budding Empire.”

"I am not growing an Empire." I met his gaze evenly. “If I were, do you think I would waste my time with a document this intricate? Conquest is far easier than diplomacy. I walked straight into this city once... I could walk into yours.”

Well... That silenced everybody for a moment, but I did my best to reign in my smirk.

“That may be true," President Dai continued, his voice becoming a bit... softer. "But I find it difficult to ignore certain… coincidences. Your close advisor, Lucca," he pointed towards him, "was once an Ishillian general, and we all know of the infamous generals of the Mad Pascal. What about the others? Like... the Butcher named Kiva. What of him? Is he lurking somewhere in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to resurface and finish his genocide of the Scorc people? Or is he already here, hidden behind this Union, as a means to regain his grip on us after being chased away?”

Here we are... I was waiting for this. It was best to address the issues openly before anyone signed anything.

"No." I exhaled slowly, then leaned forward, speaking clearly, holding his gaze. “The Kiva you speak of is no longer present.”

"..." The President, hearing my answer, narrowed his eyes at once. “That is an awfully vague answer, Sovereign Leon.”

“It is an honest one,” I countered. “The man you remember as the Butcher of Ishillia is gone. He died when Pascal tried to sacrifice him against us.”

Watching my eyes, hearing my answer, President Dai's lips pressed into a thin line. He knew he would get no more out of me, but the unease in the room was now much more tangible as he turned back to Mirian.

“This is our concern, Queen Mirian. You say this Union is built on cooperation and mutual trust, yet I can't get a straight answer to a simple question. Can we truly believe that the balance of power will remain as equal as you claim in this document?”

"If Sovereign Leon says the man you ask about is gone, he is gone." Mirian did not hesitate. “As for your implication... The alternative is a divided continent where war remains inevitable. If not now, then in five years. Ten. Maybe twenty. I reformed my Empire... What I am trying to do is break this region's bloody history and reform it as well. We shed enough lives... If we continue, we will never advance; we will only regress."

"Ishillia and Avalon did announce your country to be free once again, drawing out all their people from Scorc, didn't they?" King Doromo from Clauria asked, looking at the President.

"They had no other choice," Dai answered him sharply.

"The flying fortress of Avalon could have brought order very easily," Lord Iscariot from Lacri chimed in, quickly showing that the three western kingdoms were on our side, on the Union's side.

"It doesn't matter," Mirian interjected quickly, looking at the President. "Of course, if you would rather operate in perpetual suspicion, then you are free to do so outside this Union. But understand that while we extend a hand in peace, the world does not wait for stragglers.”

The implication was clear... This Union was happening, either with them or without them.

The President looked to his fellow Scorc delegates, murmuring among themselves for a brief moment before finally, he inclined his head slightly.

“We will accept the terms.”

Inaudibly, a slow exhale escaped Mirian’s lips. That was as much as she could ask for.

"I concur." Emperor Ahnud Sar spoke next. “The terms are reasonable. I have no further objections.”

"Same." Queen Nuen IX smiled faintly. “This could prove most beneficial for all of us. You have my signature.”

"Just as mine." The High Cardinal finally spoke up, too, “As long as faith is honored, so too shall our alliance work with everyone present.”

The remaining delegations gave their conditional acceptance one by one, and soon, everyone's signature was on one long parchment, something that may be worth a lot in the future.

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As the assembly began to disperse, the tension in the room shifted from the formalities of diplomacy to a quieter, more personal dealmaking one. Mirian remained seated in her spot, her eyes scanning the room as delegates from various nations gathered in small clusters, still in talks, making arrangements for the very first occasion of their time, working together. Watching her, I leaned slightly toward her ear.

“You handled that well. You should have been Empress earlier.”

"I had to kill my own Father for this spot, who was just as twisted as Kathrien was," Mirian answered, her gaze distant. “I may be a defective Ishillian.”

"If you are the defective one... Then I am a princess. I would say you are the first sane Ishillian I knew."

"I do have my less sane side." She chuckled, touching her wedding ring.

"Excuse me for the interruption," Lucca’s voice interrupted us, looking at me. “But, Sovereign... what of Kiva? The question won’t go away simply because we wish it to. Scorc will keep prying about him.”

"Let them try." My voice was sharp, though I kept it low, so I didn't draw attention to us, “Kiva is no longer a factor. That’s the end of it.”

In answer, Lucca raised an eyebrow, looked around, took a deep breath, and continued.

"Peace is our main goal, to prepare for a possible beast invasion. Something at a scale we have never even seen before. Something that nobody did. If that peace is and future cooperation is endangered because of our mere presence... Kiva would understand."

"I am aware of that." I said, watching his eyes, "But I also honor my promises and words. No matter who I give it to. It is a quality that can be worth more than gold. People often forget that honoring one's promises is more important than always looking for more and more profit."

"For a long time, my ancestors forgot that part." Mirian agreed, watching Lucca's frown increase before it began smoothening out.

"I value loyalty above all else." I said firmly, "What I told President Dai is the truth. The Kiva he asked about died when Pascal betrayed his loyalty. I am not Pascal. I won't betray my people, and I don't renege on my promises. Kiva asked for a quiet life, and I am granting him that in exchange for teaching the young of Avalon. If Scorc doesn't like that... They can complain, but their people will stop making a fuss about it the moment they start feeling their lives begin to improve."

"I... Understand. And thank you, Sovereign." Lucca said, nodding his head and dropping the topic.

"Don't thank me. I am not Pascal, that's all."

"No... you are not." He muttered, saluting once, before heading towards Merlin, as he was, once again, in talks with the delegation from the three most minor parties of our future Union.

"Well, it went well... It is finished...!" Mirian stretched, but I shook my head.

"Not exactly." I smiled, "There is still one country that will be a late party to join us."

"You really think Geth will reapply?"

"No... I know it... for a fact." I answered, leaning back in my chair and stretching a little.