Chapter 2324 Extreme Concessions

Chapter 2324 Extreme Concessions

Once the decision was made, Rui needed to devise a strategy for winning over Guildmaster Bradt.

Even if they had a good relationship, it wasn't something that could single-handedly win over the guildmaster to their side. At most, the man would be more pleasant to Rui than to the alliance. That was all Rui had going for him. He needed to figure out the rest for himself.

"His greatest predicament must be the fact that he loses everything to the alliance if he picks a fight with them," Rui quickly discerned the man's circumstances. "In which case, it will be very difficult to convince him otherwise."

"That is indeed what has been holding up our talks," Emperor Rael calmly replied. "I do not necessarily blame him. He would be a fool to throw away the foundation of his business that easily."

"But it is that sense of self-preservation that is holding him back from allying with us."

"Correct, I wasn't able to make too much progress. He is indeed a tough nut to crack," Emperor Rael remarked. "I haven't hit the limit on the offers that I am able and willing to make, but I decided that I shall entrust them to you. It is best that you personally make the offer to Guildmaster Bradt as a sign of our sincerity."

"I thought you already sent a diplomatic team to negotiate with him, like with all other nations." Rui raised an eyebrow. "I suppose that for Sage-level nations, you communicate with them more directly?"

Emperor Rael shook his head. "Towns can be built. Once we win the war, our power and prestige will reach unprecedented heights. With the treasures that we have thanks to you, we will be the most powerful military and Martial force in the entire continent by far. We will be able to break past the Great Limit and achieve unparalleled prosperity. In comparison to that..."

He firmly met Rui's gaze. "One or even two port towns are nothing. The Kandrian Empire shares an absolutely enormous border with the Great Nam Ocean. After we win the war and complete our rise, we will easily be able to build many more port towns along our eastern coast and proceed with no problem whatsoever."

Rui mulled over that.

This is not new information, of course. In theory, even Rui knew that there wasn't any limit to what could be sacrificed to win the war as long as they still had their treasures. Even then, selling off a hefty piece of one's territory was a taboo that one did not do too easily. However, it appeared that his father was entirely willing to make the sacrifice.

"I mean, you could have just offered him a lot of breakthroughs instead," Rui muttered with a hint of dissatisfaction. "It's more valuable than land, and it doesn't take anything away from us except for a bit of my time."

Emperor Rael shook his head. "You don't understand Bradt entirely if you think that. Do you think I haven't offered him breakthroughs? It was the first thing that I offered him. Yet, he refused, as I had predicted. The foundation of his business is something that he has spent more than forty years creating. He is deeply unwilling to let it go, not even for breakthroughs and not even for longevity potions. In a sense, his company is his only offspring. His desire to preserve the oligarchic dominance of his company exceeds his desire for power and even self-preservation."

Rui stirred at his father's words as he understood the reasoning behind his choices. "...So that is why you are willing to offer him a port town. A port town will directly benefit the foundation of his business, right? Thus, even if he loses the connections or his distribution and transport routes and chains, he will still be able to preserve the enormous market share that his nation has."

"Correct." His father nodded. "That is why all the things that I'm willing to offer are in some way or another related to empowering and enriching the core of his business."

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