Chapter 110

Chapter 110. The cost of war is a bitter law (3)

‘This war was annoying, but I got something to gain.'

I got the additional territories I needed.

And we have secured enough people.

Rather, it can be said that I got it sooner than the time I assumed.

Ironically, it means that I have something to gain from the war.

Of course, it's not in my hands right away, but I have to officially download the award, so I have to wait a little longer for these to actually come into my hands.

How much longer do you have to wait?

“Big 8? Hee hee I”

So, everything went well with this.

I was delighted in anticipation of the big pictures to be drawn in the future.

From now on, only the endless development of my estate and my comfortable life.

While there were those who laughed out loud, drunk with the joy and gains of admiration, there were, of course, those who cried at the bitter taste of defeat.

“Damn it.... They look like Ernesia guys...

King Hezen of the Kingdom of Damaniel has been grinding his teeth while making noises like this three times a day lately.

It wasn't even a crowd.

In the war, he suffered a crushing defeat, and as a result, he had to pay a huge amount of compensation, so he suffered from headaches all day long.

“Your Majesty... You will only injure your body.

Please calm down.”

“Does it look normal? My teeth grind when I still think of the faces of the Grenesia guys.”

It's even coming out of my dreams lately.

What happened when an envoy from the Kingdom of Ernesia with a high-spirited face requested a huge amount of compensation in the course of post-war negotiations.

At the negotiating table, they proudly demanded that they pay the price if they did not want more war.

At that time, the blood disappeared from the complexion of him and other servants in an instant.

Even the compensation they demanded was 2 million gold coins.

Of course, it wasn't a one-off payment.

Even the kingdom of Damaniel couldn't pay that much in one go.

Even if he managed to scrape it together, it was sure to go bankrupt immediately.

It is an amount that will have to be repaid over the next several years.

What will happen to the kingdom of Damaniel if he signs this negotiation document?

Until the reparation is paid off, you will continue to suffer from financial difficulties, and even after paying it off, it will be difficult to recover for decades.

‘Because they look like damn bastards....

I wanted to break the nib and throw it away right away, but I couldn't.

If he did that, then the army of Ernesia would attack.

And the king, Hezen, knows best that they have no means to stop them.

I had no choice but to put up with the humiliation and sign the papers.

There was no other way to survive other than this.

If they do not sign, they know very well how much revenge the Kingdom of Ernesia, full of rage, will take on them this time.

No matter how humiliating it is, shouldn't we keep our breath somehow?

“It’s all my fault!!”

There were those who fell on their faces and pleaded with the grievous king.

They were nobles belonging to the pro-war faction, including the Duke of Elgizen and the Duke of Seville, who had previously advocated war.

It started when they argued that there was no other way but war.

“Our stupidity has had irreversible consequences!”

However, since they created this result, it is a mistake that they dare not raise their heads.

Most of them are ready to resign their posts or be executed on the spot.

The king glared at the prostrate servants.

At that time, the memory of the meeting was coming back.

....If I still remember that time.....

His fists unknowingly tightened.

“Raise your head...

but the king did not choose to reprimand such servants.

Declaring surrender and changing the language was decisive.

During the course of negotiations with the Kingdom of Ernesia, what they demanded along with huge reparations was to officially cancel the declaration of war.

Since there was no choice but to comply with the negotiations, the emperor himself had to officially explain once again that everything in the past was a misunderstanding.

Of course, it was the people who were angry at the words.

What's wrong!

Do you know how many citizens and slaves were sacrificed because of the emperor's misunderstanding!!

The emperor, who was revered by the people, suddenly turned into a swindler...?

And he was treated like a murderer.

Of course, most of the criticism went to him as the emperor was the one who shouted the declaration of war at the forefront.

“...I expected it since I sent the surrender papers to them.”

If he had won the war, he would have been a hero, but if he had been defeated, he would have been a mere liar.

In addition, the Empire had to offer a considerable amount of territory and reparations to the Kingdom of Ernesia in exchange for this war.

It is strange that the people who have been deprived of their livelihood in an instant are not angry.

Suddenly, a war broke out, and the war was lost.

Then, this time, the people of the enemy country who fought bloody with their own country come and give up this land and disappear or ask them to become citizens of their country as it is.

Of course, how crazy would that be?

In the end, the impatient people continued to criticize the emperor.

The problem was not only that.

Previously, the Three Kingdoms had demanded a new recruit from Ernesia as a hostage in exchange for surrender.

In the process of negotiating as a retaliation for that, the Kingdom of Ernesia demanded something similar from the Merman Empire.

“Sending Her Highness to Ernesia Kingdom to study abroad for the next 10 years in order to clear up misunderstandings and strengthen friendship... The

Grand Duke later gnashed his teeth in anger.

Isn't studying abroad just a pawn?

At this opportunity, Ernesia Kingdom had the intention of properly seizing the reins of the empire.

Of course, knowing that the empire was sharpening its sword behind this defeat, it was intended to prevent it in advance.

But can't complain.

Aren't they themselves the ones who did this in the first place?

It came back intact to the extent that the word self-employment was just right.

“It's all my fault... the

only thing the emperor could do was a deep sigh.

“?...your majesty.”

After seeing him, Huin couldn't say anything else, but his shoulders trembled.

In fact, there is another reason why we can't do anything about the people who were angry before.

Due to the current war, he had lost quite a few knights, so he lacked the power to subdue them.

Even if it wasn't, due to the responsibility of the war, they took away a lot of land and lost a lot of slaves as a labor force.

The reality is that neither of these can be done now that the aftermath of the defeat still remains.

“...It's Jim's responsibility.”

He continued to sigh in exhaustion.

In the end, the people's dissatisfaction continued, and soon after, the emperor of the current empire was forced to step down due to health reasons.

And the new Emperor of the Empire was succeeded by his eldest son.

However, it was far too insufficient to correct the savage public sentiment within the empire.

It took a long time for them to replenish what they lost this time.

Finally, the Principality of Sefen.

The position of this country, which is the only one of the three kingdoms and not an independent state, was no less embarrassing than other countries.

“this this. It really embarrasses me.”

Grand Duke Adran let out a bitter laugh as he read the letter.

There is no one here who does not know the meaning of that smile.

“dismissal.... What is it called in your home country?”

With a worried face, Count Liwen, one of Adran's aides, asked a question.

What he is reading now is an answer from his home country.

Unlike the other two countries, the Principality of Sezefen is in the position of being a vassal state of the Peron Kingdom.

Therefore, unlike the other two countries, the post-war process was a bit cumbersome.

Part of the responsibility for the war had to be asked even to the home country of the Peron Kingdom.