Chapter 750 A short meeting

Chapter 750 A short meeting

The situation on the field remained largely unchanged, with both sides maintaining their strategies. The opposing forces, however, began to shift tactics, focusing on conserving their weaponry. This cautious approach lasted until the early hours of the seventh day, when an unexpected change unfolded, altering the course of the battle.

{Sir, they are attempting to initiate communications with us,} Nova's voice echoed, pulling Aron's attention away from the display tracking the war's intricate data streams.

Aron paused for a moment, processing the unexpected shift. "Okay, that wasn’t on the top of my list. So, what are they trying to communicate to us?"

{They are suggesting we initiate a temporary cease-fire in order to discuss what they want to propose,} Nova replied, materializing the contract in front of him. The terms were clear: the cease-fire would take effect the moment the agreement was signed, halting all hostilities for either one week or until a settlement was reached, whichever came first.

The contract was clear-cut, leaving no visible loopholes to exploit. It even preempted the possibility of the empire dragging out the ceasefire indefinitely without resolution. Aron narrowed his eyes as he scanned the terms, considering the potential benefits and risks.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he summoned a meeting with the heads of the various ministries, intending to hear their perspectives and weigh their opinions on the proposed ceasefire before coming to a decision.

"Let's see what everyone thinks," Aron muttered to himself, preparing for the discussions that would soon follow.

The two ministers nodded in agreement with John’s suggestions, signaling that the proposal had solid backing. Now, it was up to Aron to give his final decision.

"Let’s proceed with this plan," Aron said after a brief pause. "But leave the period at seven days."

A ripple of surprise passed through the room, visible on the faces of the human ministers. However, Aron pressed on, unfazed.

"Include clauses that ensure no new vessels or individuals from the Conclave—or anyone in contact with them—can enter this sector to provide aid during the ceasefire. The agreement will be bound by a mana oath and signed through our own means of assurance to prevent any underhanded tactics from either side.”

Upon hearing Aron’s reasoning and realizing they had a solid means of preventing the other side from exploiting their extensive experience with mana oaths, the ministers' earlier concerns began to fade. With their confidence restored and a clear course of action outlined, John, in conjunction with the military AIs, immediately got to work initiating the negotiation process.

It took a full day before both sides reached a temporary ceasefire agreement that they were mutually satisfied with. This lengthy negotiation underscored the reality that any proposals moving forward would likely require more than a few days to finalize. Despite that, the outcome would either be an agreement that left both sides feeling content, an outcome were one side is happy and other disgruntled or a resolution that left both slightly disgruntled.

Alternatively, they might choose to wait for the ceasefire period to expire, leading to a return to fighting until one side decides that the conflict was no longer worth the effort and either call for further negotiations, retreat, or surrender if push come to shove.

Once the terms were agreed upon, both sides had to send representatives to the center of the conflict, where hostilities had momentarily ceased to facilitate the situation. This was crucial for the swearing of the mana oath and the signing of a runic contract. The mana oath could be performed regardless of distance, allowing for a flexible assurance of commitment. However, the runic contract mandated a physical presence, as it had to be signed on a specially prepared docuement.