Chapter 365

365 A Sensitive Period

Selma Payne’s POV:

The so-called Council of Elders, as the name suggested, was a process where the entire Council of Elders voted for a resolution.

Generally speaking, the ministers of the imperial court were composed of two groups: The first group was made up of simple ministers. They might be born as civilians, nobles, or soldiers, but they had no additional political status other than official positions. Members of the Council of Elders held the other part. In addition to their various official positions, they also had the identity of an elder.

Most of the Council of Elders members did not have any official positions. They might have worked in a certain government department or shouldered a certain burden, but time had forced them to retire from their previous positions.

Becoming an elder was essentially the same as becoming an advisor hired by the government, but in terms of ritual, it was a very high status. And the power they held would not dissipate because of retirement. Instead, they would accumulate amazing connections and power in their long-term political life. This was why the Council of Elders had such great credibility and influence on the court and society.

The left and right representatives of the Council of Elders participated in the daily political affairs on behalf of the other elders. They did not need the approval of the Council of Elders to make decisions during normal times. They just had to follow the normal government procedures. However, if there was a serious matter, the Council of Elders might be called to make a decision, and the highly respected and experienced elders would assist the government in making decisions.

Ultimately, it was not as if the Council of Elders could decide anything. The decision still needed to be approved by the court and the King. It would also need to be announced to the public to gather the people’s opinions to adjust the decision.

In short, this was a very complicated and time-consuming process. It could be as short as a few weeks or as long as there was no ceiling. Spending more time and energy would undoubtedly make the final decision more sensible and correct, but the price to pay could not be ignored. Furthermore, there were many variables, and the final result might be completely different from the original proposal.

Could the elven race afford to wait?

Just because the elves were noble didn’t mean they would not care about power and fame. If that were the case, they would not have been divided now. A civil war could start at any time. We couldn’t wait for days, let alone weeks.

If the elves really started fighting, it would have nothing to do with us on the surface. The problem was that Azazel’s party was stirring up trouble in the elven race. Was their ultimate goal the elves? No! It was a sacrifice to Azazel so that he could take revenge on us!

Therefore, no matter what, it was best to avoid a fight among the elves. However, this was not something we could control. While they were still in a stalemate, we should take advantage of the fact that they were still testing the waters and end the battle quickly. We should uproot Azazel’s party in the elven territory.

The Council of Elders’ decision was a waste of time. Even if we really wanted to carry it out, we could only sit at home and do something else while waiting for the decision.

Thus, I was the first to object, and the reason was that it was a waste of time.

However, Arkadius’ reasoning was also very valid. It was more complex than sending a small team to the edge of the elf forest. The elven race was extremely sensitive, and any inappropriate action could become an excuse for them to shift their conflicts to the outside world to avoid a civil war. Once there was friction or even war, who could bear the responsibility and take measures to compensate for it?

“The elven race is divided, but it’s not anarchic. At least on the surface, the government left behind by the Elf King is still running. As long as we can obtain their agreement, no force will have an excuse to make trouble unless they dare to admit that they want to rebel.”

I immediately retorted, “The current elven government is more anxious than us. They needed a powerful excuse to suppress the forces ready to make a move. What could be more suitable than clearing the invasion of foreign enemies? We only need to offer them an olive branch, and they will immediately climb up the stairs.”

“Are you saying that we should use the werewolves as a raft to deal with the internal conflicts of the elves? ” Arkadius asked sharply. “Forgive me for being direct, but that will only push the werewolves to the forefront of the battle and make them the first targets of the fire!”

“Of course not! Who would be stupid enough to sacrifice their race for the sake of an outsider? Our roles are only ‘helpers’ and ‘guests’. We don’t need to be the main driving force in the pursuit of Azazel’s party. Although we were the ones who suggested it, we only need to uphold the attitude of reminding our neighbors of morality.

“The elves have to take the initiative to invite us for help to avoid all the dirty water that ‘invades’ and takes advantage of the situation. Our purpose is to eliminate Azazel’s party. What does it have to do with us if the elves want to choose a new boss?”

Arkadius nodded, then he changed the topic and asked, “You’re right, but the problem is, how can we guarantee that the elves will invite us? They aren’t fools. Don’t tell me they won’t be on guard against us taking advantage of their internal strife to create trouble?”