At Blueriver Palace, Prince Baldwin Boris Barlia looks at the report handed to him by the garrison stationed at the western border.
Normally, he doesn't pay too much attention to news from the border. The soldiers there often had nothing to say in the report.
It was an uneventful place.
But this ti, it is different. The report is critical to him.
Why? Ryntum had just bitten off a huge chunk of Blande, swallowing entire territories in one move that no one had anticipated.
Everyone was caught off guard, including him. Never did they expect Ryntum would be so shaless.
The circumstance Baldwin thought never to happen, happened. Barlia and Ryntum now share the border.
Therefore, how could he act as if this was nothing?
Baldwin looked at his ministers below and asked, "What do you all think about this situation?"
The room erupted in voices.
Duke Johann Klover who attended this eting said, "Your Highness, this is an act of aggression! If we allow it to happen now, it will happen again. Ryntum will not stop at Blande. They will expand further, and soon, they will turn their gaze toward us."
Johann's words reek of fearmongering. He purposely does so.
He's inclined toward the war because of unfinished business.
Johann knows the forr Duke of Klover, Percival, and his daughter fled there.
When he heard the news, he was shocked.
After that, Johann was suspicious of everything. The turmoil in the family might have been caused by outsiders.
He wishes to use this opportunity to find the truth.
Of course, no one knows his intention.
The majority in the throne room nodded in agreent.
Baldwin listened in silence, letting them voice their frustrations before posing the next question.
"Then, what do you think we should do?"
The response was imdiate.
"We should send troops to support Blande!"
A murmur of agreent begins to ripple. Many of them seed convinced that military intervention was the only solution.
Baldwin, however, was not so easily swayed. His gaze shifted toward Victor Shena, the general who had previously led Barlia's forces in the south.
Victor, who had been quiet throughout the eting, sensed Baldwin's gaze on him.
He opens his mouth, "We can't send troops. we are in a truce with Ryntum."
Silence followed.
Everyone in the room understood the aning of his statent.
If they were to send military support to Blande now, it would be seen as an open violation of the treaty.
Their reputation would plumt.
No matter how much they despised Ryntum's action, breaking their word would damage Barlia's credibility in the eyes of other nations.
A few ministers look at Victor contemptuously, believing the general has beco ek due to his previous defeat.
"So, are you telling we should sit still?" asked Johann.
"I'm saying we need to tread this carefully. Wars are not just fought on the battlefield. They are fought in politics, in alliances, in public perception."
Baldwin exhaled. Victor has a point.
Military assistance was not the only option available.
"Mark, contact other countries and inform them of Ryntum's deeds. I'm sure no one will be happy to see one country grow in power."
"Leave it to ." Mark Donald happily accepted the task.
As the one who managed foreign affairs for a long ti, he caught Prince Baldwin's purpose.
Ryntum, already strong as it is, should not grow stronger. Let alone bigger.
If left unchecked, they could beco an uncontested power in Jozia.
If one kingdom beca too dominant, it would shatter the fragile balance that had kept the continent relatively stable.
The eting stretched on for several more hours, filled with heated debates and argunts.
Though disagreents arose here and there, the ultimate objective was achieved.
By the ti it ended, everyone was satisfied with the course of action they had agreed upon.
The ministers exchanged nods of approval before rising from their seats.
One by one, they exited the throne room.
Mark Donald, too, was preparing to leave but was held back by Prince Baldwin.
"Wait a second, Mark."
He stopped mid-step and turned around, "Yes, Your Highness?"
"Has Maltida told you anything?"
Hearing the prince asking about his sister, Mark instantly knows what Baldwin is trying to ask.
His sister was not only the princess's lady-in-waiting but also acted as eyes for the prince.
She is responsible for monitoring the princess.
Mark recalls the last ti he spoke with his sister, trying to determine if there was anything he missed.
"So far, there's no noteworthy information."
"Is that so?" He gave a weak nod, not doubting Mark in the slightest. "In that case, you can go now."
Mark bowed respectfully and walked toward the exit.
Baldwin's expression does not ease.
Ryntum had always been an aggressive and expansionist power, but their recent move felt… impulsive.
Not saying Ryntum was careful before, but this ti they were uncharacteristically reckless.
That was what bothered him the most.
Also, there was one undeniable fact he couldn't ignore: King Rizieri of Ryntum and his wife are half-siblings.
He was worried that the princess was secretly communicating with Ryntum behind his back.
....
Mark did not waste ti. As soon as he gets into his office, he pulls out the map of the continent.
To put pressure on Ryntum, he must gather many allies.
His first choice was obviously Blande. They were the ones who had suffered the most.
Next on the list is Cerdeauxia.
His eyes then drifted toward the Kingdom of Naharog. At first, he considered them, but he dismissed the idea.
Naharog was already hopeless.
Surrounded on three sides by Ryntum, they were effectively a vassal state at this point.
Mark sighed.
Looking at the overall situation, he realized Ryntum had surprisingly few true enemies.
So countries had their disagreents with Ryntum, but the hatred was not deep.
Nevertheless, it was worth a try so he put Inver and Inverloch on the list.
To the left of the map, one country stood out.
Mark smiled.
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