[Elena POV]
When I woke up, we were already in the middle of a retreat.
After that woman suddenly vanished, everyone seized the opportunity to pull the entire fleet back to the City of Tusculum. Furthermore, I questioned Uncle Raymond about the black-winged man. However, he said that the figure who helped us disappeared into thin air after doing something that made the enemy we were facing vanish.
I haven't told him that the person who assisted me was a member of the Heretic Group. It remains a mystery why he helped us then, but I won't tell anyone about this until I know what his objective was.
We reached the city harbor at night. The troops guarding the city were shocked to see how few ships returned compared to when we set out to attack. Of the 800 ships that sailed toward Florentia Island, fewer than 100 returned to the city.
We lost one hundred thousand troops in this assault. All of this was due to the appearance of that creature, which slaughtered much of our fleet. Currently, our total force is approximately only 20,000 men. We have reported this to request reinforcements from the capital, but it seems additional troops will not arrive quickly, considering we conducted a massive recruitment drive previously.
All military officials subsequently discussed the events of that day—how a victory that should have been easily achieved quickly turned into a tragedy that cost us hundreds of thousands of lives.
But the bad news didn't stop hitting us. A few days later, alliance forces were reported landing 100 km from Tusculum. We hurriedly abandoned the city and retreated toward the Fortress City of Regium before the alliance forces could surround Tusculum.
With this, the war's positions returned to exactly where they were five months ago. The Alliance forces did not pursue us to besiege Regium. Perhaps because the city's distance is close to our border, they feared our reinforcements would arrive and crush their forces here.
Both sides maintained these positions until the war entered its sixth month. However, a few days later, something surprising happened. An envoy from the Alliance forces requested entry to negotiate.
The envoy met with Marshal Salazar and several other high-ranking military officials. The meeting lasted for three hours. After the envoy departed, Marshal Salazar announced that the Venetian Republic had offered peace negotiations.
The military leaders of both sides will meet to negotiate again tomorrow regarding the conditions for both conflicting parties to agree on peace. The meeting place will be at the Temple of Diana complex, located 50 km northwest of the Fortress City of Regium. The temple authorities will act as mediators in these negotiations and will serve as witnesses once an agreement is reached.
Will the war truly end this time? I hope so, because if it continues, the Empire's casualties will only increase without achieving any objectives this time.
***
[Siena POV]
After receiving word that the Empire agreed to negotiate, we began drafting a proposal to present to them.
The primary reason we decided to offer peace negotiations first—despite just winning a major victory—is that the Empire has not yet fully deployed its forces. The total troops deployed by them in this war were approximately 200,000 men, which is only four percent of their current total population.
This means the Empire could still send up to 100,000 more reinforcements to continue the war. On the other hand, the Alliance side no longer has many citizens to recruit for additional troops. At most, we could only add about 10,000 people by next year. For that reason, we are capitalizing on this momentum to gain an advantage in the upcoming negotiations.
At the meeting place, each side is only allowed to bring 50 guards, and only three people from each side will participate in the actual negotiations.
After traveling for several hours, we finally reached the Temple of Diana complex. We were directed by the Priests here to the meeting hall. The fifty guards were also directed by the Priests to their respective stations. We then entered a building and were led into the negotiation room.
The three people entering from our side were Antonio di Margarette—Minister of Defense, Zucini di Mateo—Minister of Foreign Affairs, and myself. On the other side, I saw the three envoys from the Empire were Marshal Salazar de Cordova, Marquis Diego de La Hoya, and the Imperial Envoy who originally declared war on us, Lancel de Artagnan.
"Please be seated, Gentlemen and Lady," said a Priest sitting at the center of the table. "This time we are holding peace negotiations between the Aragon Empire and the Venetian Republic regarding the conflict that has lasted for half a year. I hope both parties can immediately reach a ceasefire so that casualties from both nations do not increase further."
All envoys sat in their respective chairs. In previous discussions with the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs, our limit in this peace treaty was not to lose the territories captured by the Empire. The rest could be negotiated to end the conflict.
"Very well, the party requesting these negotiations is the Venetian Republic," said the Priest, looking toward the three of us. "Therefore, please present the conditions desired by the Venetian Republic to end this conflict."
I nodded and began to state our conditions.
"First, we will retract the previous policy prohibiting semi-finished goods from the Empire from passing through the Vetucini Path, but with the tax increased from the previous one percent of commodity value to two percent. Second, the Empire must accept the commodity price regulations implemented by the nations of the western lands. Third, the Empire is required to build production facilities in the western land nations. This aims to create price stability by meeting the demand for specific commodities."
I then continued with the points requested by diplomats from the nations of the continent's western lands. In this war, although only the Greco Republic supported us militarily, the other western nations also supported us in non-military fields, such as logistics and weapons. Furthermore, our nation did not want to be on bad terms with those countries.
"And finally, the Empire must return the captured territories and pay war damages amounting to four million Gulden!"
Hearing the peace offer I presented, the expressions of the Imperial delegates turned grim.
"Are you serious about negotiating peace while writing these conditions, Miss Siena?" Lancel de Artagnan asked me. "Not only would we be at a disadvantage, but we would gain nothing after hundreds of our troops fell in this conflict! If the peace conditions you offer are like this, it's better we meet again in battle—and let's see if you are still that confident presenting such terms!"
I knew the Empire would not accept the conditions I mentioned. However, peace negotiations are like bargaining for goods; it is only natural for me to offer a high price first before lowering it to gain a better advantage.
"We will gladly slaughter your forces again if blood is the path you desire!" Mr. Antonio said, countering Mr. Lancel's previous statement.
"Ha! You've grown arrogant because you won with the help of that mysterious creature! But now that creature is gone, and we could conquer your capital at any time!" This time, it was Marshal Salazar who shouted.
It seemed they didn't want to appear weak in this negotiation session. Of course, if you appear to have a weakness, the enemy will exploit it because they know your limits and will make an offer you cannot refuse.
"This is the proposal we have drafted, Mr. Lancel," I said, trying to lower the tension. "You may offer your own conditions to end this conflict."
Hearing my words, Mr. Lancel snorted and then coughed to clear his voice.
"Our conditions to end the conflict are: the Venetian Republic lifts the ban on finished and semi-finished goods from the Empire, the Venetian Republic stops sabotaging our trade activities, and the territories captured by the Empire will permanently belong to the Aragon Empire!" Mr. Lancel smiled at us after stating the Empire's peace terms.
"How insolent, boy! As long as we—the Venetian people—live, we will never allow another nation to occupy the territory we have built with the blood and sweat of our ancestors!" Mr. Antonio thundered in anger again.
"Then why don't you take back the cities we still occupy?" This time, Marquis de La Hoya spoke. "Ah, you can't do that because you're afraid our reinforcements will suddenly arrive, aren't you!?"
The tension in the room rose again. Must every peace negotiation always be like this? It's very troublesome.
"Gentlemen! Please cool your heads! Our purpose for meeting here is to discuss peace, not to increase our hatred!" the mediating Priest reminded both sides.
Ultimately, the negotiations ended after four hours of verbal sparring. We then left the room after signing a peace agreement between both parties.
After completing the meeting, we intended to return home to report the results to the council in the capital. However, on my way out of the building, I saw a black-haired man standing there, staring at me with his one eye.
So, he survived, did he? I thought.
"Miss Siena, what is it?" noticing I had stopped walking, Mr. Antonio called to me.
"It's nothing, you two can go ahead to the departure point," I ordered them. They both nodded and left me there alone.
After they left, I walked over to the man. It seemed he was here as one of the fifty guards brought by the Empire for these negotiations.
"Is there something you need from me, Miss Siena?" the man asked.
I didn't answer him and only stared at him sharply.
"Even though this war has ended, the business between the two of us is still far from over, Raul de Garcia," I told him coldly.
However, despite my intimidation, the man smiled, reached into his uniform pocket, and pulled out an object.
"Ah, you're still upset because I took this from you, aren't you?"
He intentionally held the locket right in front of my face. Was his goal in doing this merely to annoy me? If so, just wait for my coming revenge, Raul de Garcia.
However, as I was thinking of a way to retaliate, he suddenly released the locket. I caught it by reflex and stared at him with a question in my eyes.
"Why are you giving it to me?"
Hearing my question, his expression seemed confused.
"Huh? Isn't this yours? Don't you want me to return this artifact to you?"
I couldn't find the words to reply and could only remain silent. He then smiled again and simply walked away, leaving me there. What exactly was that man thinking?
I stared at his retreating back. Raul de Garcia... That man is a complete mystery. Not just in his knowledge, but also in terms of power. This was the first time I had met someone I couldn't read at all.
He is truly an enigma to me.
***
[Raul POV]
Legacy of the Mieren Tribe...
The ability of this artifact is to take someone's magic or Nature Mana and make it usable by the artifact's owner. It is an artifact equivalent to Excalibur in terms of utility. Why? Because it can grant its user the power sealed within it. In other words, Siena can use the Nature Mana possessed by the Demigod—Celestia.
Of course, I gave the artifact to the only person who can use it. It requires a true descendant of the Mier national hero to activate the artifact. On the other hand, this power will be useful for Siena if the Demon King's army begins to attack this continent. With half of a Demigod's power in Siena's hands, the Demon King's forces will surely find it difficult to attack the Venetian Republic.
I then returned to the gathering place for the guards who came here. Once the peace negotiations were over, it wouldn't be long before all the troops could return to their respective homes.
In these negotiations, both sides agreed to end the war under the following conditions:
The Empire will return the conquered territories and pay two million Gulden in war damages to the Venetian Republic.
The Vetucini Path will be reopened to Imperial traders; both finished and semi-finished goods will be free to enter, but with double the previous tax.
The Empire is required to establish at least one production facility in the nations of the continent's western lands.
The Venetian Republic cancels its investments in the western land nations.
There will be no price monopoly from the Empire for commodities they export to western nations.
This agreement will be known as the Neapolis Pact, named after the place where the negotiations were held.
With this, the war between the Aragon Empire and the Venetian Republic Alliance officially ends.