"That, or we can just kill you all and do all of that from the top of your graves."
Even before I said that I knew that uttering those words was akin to treading a fine line between discouraging Etaria's cooperation and actually using this open threat to entice her instead.
But in all honesty, this statement allowed me to avoid the one thing that would be far worse than throwing a threat or two the princess' way.
It allowed me to avoid the issue of not knowing how to end the conversation. And while, in terms of our negotiations it wouldn't mean anything, the impression left by my sudden social ineptitude could bring forth results far worse than just treading on thin ice for a while.
"By how much you are repeating that part, I'm starting to consider whether you are really capable of that," the princess responded after taking some time to carefully select her words. She then followed with a long and deep sigh that she didn't even try to hide by cutting the connection.
"I believe we've discussed enough for the day," Makary, noticing I was starting to struggle, came in with a clutch. "We will work to construct the list for the ransoms for the rest of the day. Once we are done, we will send someone over to your side so that you can translate and write it all down."
"Understood. When is the surrender going to take place? And how do you imagine it happening?"
Now that the focus of the topic switched to the obvious desire, shared by both parties, to conclude the negotiations, things started to move at a much faster pace.
"There's hardly any need to make it into a ceremony. Just have your men disarmed and grouped by a hundred so that it will be relatively easy to manage them. And as a sign of goodwill from our side, we are willing to let the officers go right away, thrusting that you will prove your good faith and provide the ransoms agreed upon at a later date."
Bit by bit, Makary rapidly clarified the issues I would likely have to talk about for ages to deal with.
"So, tomorrow?" The Etaria suggested quite an outrageous timeline.
How were we supposed to prepare to receive several tens of thousands of people in just a single day?
"Tomorrow works for us," Makary replied before I could voice my protest.
"When will I know anything about the problems you agreed to solve?" Etaria pressed before Makary could properly conclude the talks.
'Right, it would be weird if she wasn't worried about those two issues.'
For Etaria, the matter of Chai and finding a way through the starlight plain were of absolutely utmost importance. Whatever prosperity I claimed my presence would bring would only come much later.
No matter how well we would use the manpower we just got, it wouldn't take a day or even a week for the effects of their more efficient labor to show up.
'Just organizing them all into working groups will take ages. Solving the issues of keeping them fed and healthy will slow things down even further...' Even though my knowledge of the topic was extremely limited, I tried to make a rough guess in my head. 'In two to three months we should be able to make this place self-sufficient, not reliant on its connection to the earth.
For only when we reach that level can we speak about any form or progress.'
Two, maybe three months before all the efforts, resources, and attention we were to focus on this area would start to bear fruit.
And given the drastic degree to which Etaria was willing to go in order to secure the future of her lineage, things in the empire had to be bad, really bad.
'I guess it's not every day when yesterday's enemies and vital threat to the superpower of an empire are offering their help in maintaining the very empire they fought with.'
"Makary?" I asked out loud as I raised my eyes to the man.
"We won't be able to help if we don't know what's the problem. And there is a great chance that you, as someone at the very top of the imperial society, have no clue of what the actual issues are. So yes, I can delegate some men for the task, but ultimately..."
When Makary paused his words, I squinted my eyes a bit.
This didn't feel like a hesitation on his part causing the stop to his words.
No!
The man was clearly trying to build up some anticipation!
"Whether or not you guys will implement the changes we will suggest, whether or not you will dare to trust in the word of our advice," Makary shook his head, "It ultimately is all up to you, for we have no desire to directly meddle with the empire. As my dear friend pointed out, we are only interested in getting filthy rich.
And if it takes saving your empire and sharing the wealth we can all gain to make it happen, then so be it."
In the end, given our goals and desires, having a single entity at least remotely aligned with our cause would be of much greater use than having it collapse and shatter, forcing us to step on a war path just to secure access to the areas we would find interesting.
Once again, it was much easier and simply cheaper to pay the empire some scraps in exchange for the right to mine the resources they never knew the value of than trying to conquer those lands, pacify the local population, and then face the hostility of all the successor states around.
"Then, about the pass over the forest and towards the lands beyond its borders," Etaria mentioned, bringing up the other topic she wasn't willing to give up on.
"It's still just a rough estimate, but I was planning to gather a group of companions and challenge the starlight plains," I announced. "I've been there while much weaker, so I have all the rights to believe I've now grown strong enough to actually cross it."
A moment of silence.
"If you want to cross those plains, then I will be going with you," Etaria announced.
"No fucking way," I shot her request down right away. "I might be strong, but I'm not strong enough to contain you. Taking you along is too risky."
"Then, how am I to believe you even set off on your journey if I cannot supervise or, at least, observe it?!"
I took a deep breath as I ransacked my mind in search of a valid answer.
For Etaria's point was pretty damn valid. If this really was a matter as vital to the livelihood of the empire as she made it out to be, it would be akin to treason if she allowed for such an expedition to go through without imperial oversight.
"Then..." I muttered, not exactly sure whether what I was doing was smart. Instead, I simply followed my wits, what my instincts told me.
"Then, Claudy Moretto," I suggested. "Is he good enough to act like the empire's delegate for this little adventure?"