Best Spokesperson

"Explain."

A deathly silence.

The hall was completely silent.

Just moments before, the indignant pillars of the nation were heartbroken for Goth, and through roundabout means, insinuations, or Cathay pronouncements, they denounced the schemers of China, the demons whose names should not be spoken, the evil Easterners who used Forbidden Spell spells to blackmail and bully other nations, and who had ulterior motives and sins.

Now, they silently gaze upon the Sword of Deterrence, the Dragon of Cathay, the Guardian of Chang'an, the old friend of the Goth People, the Enemy of Twilight Moon, the great Prince Kang De, remaining speechless.

The brothers who fought alongside Count Cassat all kept their mouths shut.

The opinion leaders, suddenly drenched in sweat, were left at the forefront of the charge.

"Damn it," Kang De said calmly, "I told you to speak."

"I... you..."

Having received the empire's promises, guided by the beacon of hope, and fighting for the dignity and true prosperity of the common people, while also receiving funding and rewards from friendly international forces, Count Cassat once spoke eloquently, but now, many of his passionate words were stuck in his throat.

There may be tough guys in the world, but tough guys certainly don't charge money.

The count's expression changed rapidly, like a face-changing act, from disbelief to horror, from horror to despair. He subconsciously turned his head to look at the ruler on the throne, the one he had once vehemently rebuked.

"Your... Your Excellency..." he pleaded, "Please say something!"

Grand Duke Reknos opened his eyes, and a chilling murderous intent suddenly flashed in his calm, lake-like gaze; the sleeping lion had awakened.

But he simply said, "Count, please finish what you were saying earlier."

Count Cassat looked around. The nobles who had previously shared interests with him and his "comrades" had all turned their gazes away, some even quietly taking two steps back to show that they were drawing a line between themselves and the enemy.

In an instant, the opinion leader was transformed into a tyrant and traitor. Overwhelmed by fear and fueled by rage, he became hysterical, losing his reason. Suddenly, he revealed a look of utter exasperation, glaring fiercely at Kang De and roaring, "Kang De! You think you've won just like that?!"

Everyone was startled, then they saw Count Cassat spread his arms wide and roar, "Everyone here is against you! The Grand Duke has placed Princess Tina under house arrest! The generals are uneasy about your interference in Germany strategy! The bureaucrats are furious that you have dragged Goth back into the abyss of war!"

"You have insulted the Council's envoy; even the spellcasters of Danfeng Lucerne are indignant!"

"You've shown absolute hostility towards the Empire, yet half the nobles here are related to the Empire's vast noble lineage! That's not the point! The point is you've tied Goth to your war machine! You've helped us temporarily repel the elves! But you've offended the dragons! The Empire! The Council! The whole world!"

"We barely managed to save our family and business, and now you want to put us in danger!"

Even ordinary people oppose you! They just want a peaceful and stable life! That's all!

"So look! Kang De! Everyone opposes you, everyone fears you! A man who can raze this city to the ground at any moment! A man who can impose his will on us at any moment!"

He pointed at the crowd like a madman, one by one. "Do you think you can win? What other way do you have besides using Forbidden Spell to kill both sides? The envoys of the Empire are here! The envoys of the Council are there! The representatives of the great nobles in the north of the Empire are here! They have offered a solution that will satisfy everyone! As long as that mysterious substance is shared with the whole world, there will be no war! No more danger!"

"And that's exactly what we want! What everyone here wants! Even those lowly people outside the square want! No one stands with you except your equally cruel and bloodthirsty fiancée! Did you think you had everything under control after you came back? No! You're alone! Always will be!"

The count roared madly, his voice twisted and venomous.

He was hesitant at first, but he became more fluent and more reckless as he spoke.

Those he pointed at, those he dragged into the conversation, all frowned, filled with extreme dissatisfaction. But upon hearing Count Cassat's roar and his words, no one dared to refute or argue.

Because... that's indeed the case.

Nobody wants to fight anymore.

We have all experienced the risks, cruelty, and consequences of war.

In the silent hall, only Count Cassat's heavy breathing after his outburst could be heard.

Kang De remained expressionless, looking from left to right and from right to left.

After a few seconds, the Cathayan raised his hand.

A sudden, deafening roar startled almost everyone, causing them to take several steps back.

"Don't be afraid, it's an itch." Kang De scratched his head and nodded, "You all truly love peace."

Before Goth People could feel embarrassed or angry, he continued, "Then, regarding the remarks made by this Count Cassat, those who have differing opinions, please step forward and say a few words."

The group looked at each other in bewilderment.

Today's court assembly is intended to force the emperor to abdicate.

Most of those present were compromisers. The real hawks and radicals had already been thwarted by the powerful lords through various means, such as blocking information, inciting civilians to block the gates and petition, or creating unexpected political events to prevent them from escaping. There were very few die-hard supporters of Teldrassil among those present.

Furthermore, the so-called staunch supporters are nothing more than people with deeply intertwined interests. Kang De's actions can be described as a classic example of perverse behavior, threatening everyone's livelihood and peaceful lives. Where would he find any supporters?

Therefore, they had already reached a tacit strategic consensus: to win the war today and force the Grand Duke to sign the Open Treaty, thus achieving a fait accompli and preventing the evil Cathayan from manipulating the peace-loving Goth People. After all, Goth is the Goth of the Goth People, not the Goethe of the Cathayan!

... And then that's when things got awkward.

The intense power struggle had reached its most critical moment. Just when it seemed the Grand Duke's position was being shaken, Kang De appeared like a divine warrior, suddenly dominating everyone's position.

Moreover, he openly asked who among those present supported him and who opposed him.

There needs to be a process of ideological preparation before they can hastily embroider the Hongqi. Everyone here is a respectable nobleman; under the watchful eyes of everyone, how could they possibly do something as embarrassing as betraying their country on the spot?

Everyone remained silent for about thirty seconds before Kang De said, "Silence is also a sin. Since you are not speaking, I will take that you all agree. Very well."

Count Cassat had gone all out. In his extreme fear and despair, some people immediately became terrified and collapsed like mud, while others, driven to desperation, acted recklessly, determined not to let him be the only one to die.

He roared, "What? Does the noble Dragon of Cathay intend to use Forbidden Spell to kill all those who oppose you? Here are representatives of the Empire, representatives of the Council, and countless Goth people outside. You want to subdue us by force? Then try it! The elves can't do it, and neither can you! We..."

Kang De said calmly, "If you utter another word, I'll agree to your conditions: open up the mining rights of Paradox Element, share them with other countries, set quotas, and make a fortune together. The only condition is that I'll cut your family into a thousand pieces right in front of you, mince them, and then force-feed them all to make you die from overeating—aren't you patriotic? Don't you want a small but dignified country? Would you agree to such a condition?"

He leaned forward, revealing a warm smile.

"Do you think your comrades will agree? Will your master agree?"

The count's face turned as pale as a corpse. He took a few steps back, all his excitement and hysteria vanishing instantly. Usually, Public Intellectual and opinion leaders fight against heaven and earth, calling for various demands and struggles. The reason they are so spirited is because it is never them who are fighting and bleeding.

Kang De looked at him, his smile as gentle as ever.

"Don't be afraid," he said. "I will make sure you live a good life."

The Earthling straightened up and looked at the clay and wooden puppets present. "Since none of you have anything to say, then I will speak! This is Goth's audience hall. I've heard that foreign guests have arrived. Excellent! Let's entertain the foreign guests first, and then we can talk about our own affairs!"

The foreign envoys in the crowd were already filled with deep regret.

Damn it, they should have started a day earlier, but those Goth bastards were all too timid and hesitant. After placing Princess Tina under house arrest, they waited for three whole days, and seeing that Kang De still hadn't made a move, they finally mustered up their courage again.

And now? You're dumbfounded, damn it.

Although I was cursing these Goth People in my heart for being more than capable of ruining things, I still had to bite the bullet and stand up since things had come to this point. This is the self-discipline of a diplomat: to be able to act arrogantly and to be silently humiliated.

Their hearts pounded, and then they heard Kang De call out.

"Empire!"

The crowd automatically turned to look, pointing the way to Kang De.

You damn Goth bastard.

The imperial envoy forced a smile and stepped forward.

He was not the Imperial Ambassador to Goth. That guy sent a few letters to the Emperor at Kang De's request, accompanied by a Forbidden Spell from the Broken Isles, which slapped the Emperor in the face. A few days later, news spread that Kang De was trapped underground. Goth was under international pressure from all sides, and his envoy rushed westward from the capital. In addition to the Emperor's secret mission to cause trouble, he also brought an order to dismiss the original ambassador to Goth.

I never expected this.

He politely placed his hand on his chest and bowed, preparing to offer the Dragon of Cathay the respect due to the empire. Before he could even exchange some skillful diplomatic words, Kang De's voice rang out.

"I don't know how slow news travels in your empire, but you probably don't have fax machines. Important intelligence should be presented with both text and images. I'll provide that for you now."

--What's the meaning?

Before the bowing envoy could straighten his back, he heard the whistling wind.

He subconsciously looked up and saw Hong San, who was next to Kang De, raise his hand. Then a white object flew in front of his eyes and hit his face. The force was not too light or too heavy, but it hurt a little.

The next moment, the imperial envoy realized that he had been struck in the face by a stack of white paper scraps. The scraps flew and swirled before falling to the ground, a blatant display of contempt and humiliation.

Blood rushed to his head, anger rose, and before he could even voice a protest, the messenger's face suddenly turned pale, for the white paper had flipped over, revealing a colorful picture on the other side.

Exquisite, realistic, and lifelike, he would surely be amazed if he saw it under normal circumstances. Only the most skilled painter could depict such realistic waves, blue skies, and... the Valencia-class battleship.

Damaged.

A profound unease arose within him. He reached out and grabbed the fluttering pieces of paper, his face growing paler. He saw a twisted, grotesque monster spread its wings, like a demon, and clamped down on a battleship. Purple veins spread like blood vessels, like endless parasitic evil.

What's this?

One after another.

Burning warships, warships fleeing in panic, warships controlled by monsters unleashing terrifying firepower on other imperial warships, and people constantly falling into the water.

And, a silver-white super battleship cutting through the waves.

What's this?

One photograph after another showed him exploding warships and warships cut in half—all Imperial warships. He even saw a picture of one such warship.

The painting depicts the flagship of the Fourth Subfleet, the Black Pine Forest, covered in purple flesh and viscous liquid, now blazing with raging flames. Closer in, presumably from the perspective of the silver warship, numerous long, tubular magical devices spew forth terrifying flames and breath. The painting captures a blazing moment: Flame erupt, shockwaves blast, and splintered wood and burning flesh scatter in all directions.

Yes, he recognized it as the Black Pine Forest, the flagship of the Fourth Subfleet.

Because the captain and fleet commander... is his younger brother.

His second son served as his brother's adjutant.

"Go back and inform your emperor that this afternoon, your Fourth Subfleet, which invaded the Goth Sea, lost six battleships, including the flagship. I don't remember the other smaller ships, but about two-thirds of the crew died. The rest have surrendered. Most of the naval officers are dead; the highest-ranking one was a coward who couldn't even speak properly. Before I send them underground to mine, you'd better send someone to settle things."

A huge uproar ensued.

The Goth People had been in a deep silence almost all gasped in surprise.

Those nearby bent down to pick up the photos from the ground, passing them around in fear.

War has broken out!?

The envoy's hands trembled, his eyes bloodshot. He abruptly raised his head and roared, "This is a complete declaration of war! Kang De Cathayan! The Empire will not remain silent! You will..."

"Idiot."

Kang De scoffed, "It seems you all don't understand me, Kang De. Those who do know me understand that if it were truly a full-scale war, what you see in the photograph would be your capital."

The other party revealed a look of rage, then astonishment. "Then what is this...?"

Kang De sighed and waved to Hong San.

Hong San bowed slightly and said in a gentle tone, "Your Highness means that a mere envoy is not worthy to hear his explanation. Regarding the Empire Fleet's encounter, I believe the spies in Distant Harbor have already reported the truth to your Emperor. However, seeing is believing. For the sake of your country's national security, and to prevent your Emperor from making irrational decisions due to his personal limitations and causing serious consequences, Your Highness has sent the following footage to your Emperor as a warning."

Kang De remained expressionless, but was quite satisfied.

Hong San then said, "Your Excellency, please proceed with your journey. If your emperor still has any doubts, please send a princess of sufficient stature, clear-headedness, calmness, and humility to inquire."

???????

What the hell?

Kang De almost jumped up, but luckily he had amazing self-control. Having done so much showing off, he was extremely good at managing his expressions, and he managed not to give himself away. After all, this time his showing off was very successful, with perfect emotional build-up and atmosphere control. He couldn't afford to break down here.

Even with a hundred questions swirling in his mind, Kang De sat there proudly, his expression calm.

But Goth's side was in an uproar.

Even the silent Grand Duke looked over in astonishment, a murderous glint gradually forming in his eyes. The other Goth People were also utterly astonished, and even a sense of fear arose spontaneously within them.

The introduction of an imperial princess signifies breaking the monopoly.

How terrible.

The imperial envoy, frozen in place, looked at Kang De with a mixture of bewilderment and inexplicable surprise.

... Hold.

Kang De decisively stripped Hong San of his right to final interpretation, ending his conversation with the imperial envoy with crisp words. "You may leave now, Imperial. Take these photos to your emperor, and tell him to prepare his money and his face to come and talk to me... Remind him that it will hurt."

The envoy was already in a state of turmoil, as this was beyond his authority. He silently bent down, picked up the photos from the ground one by one, took the one from Goth People's hand, bowed to Kang De and the Grand Duke, and then left the audience hall dejectedly. The Valentan soldiers did not stop him.

Kang De started calling out numbers again.

"The Council."

In the deathly silence, the Council's envoys emerged, the same two as before. In the last negotiation, they had endured humiliation from Kang De, yet remained dignified and maintained the Council's dignity. This time, the councilors granted them permission to serve again as a reward, a reward for regaining face as victors.

There were two messengers, the same two as before. Hong San raised his hand and tossed out two stacks of photos.

The middle-aged monk stood motionless, letting the photograph slap against his face.

But a protective atmospheric shield suddenly deployed beside him, stopping the paper pieces dancing in mid-air. The young, ambitious spellcaster could not bear such humiliation.

The older envoy's expression suddenly changed, and he exclaimed, "Wait..."

With a deafening roar, the young and impetuous envoy was sent flying, his body hanging upside down. He staggered a few steps, spitting blood, and collapsed to the ground. How could the extremely weak atmospheric shield, designed only to block the incoming photograph, withstand a large-caliber bullet enchanted by Paradox Element? The proud mage was blasted in two with a single shot.

Hong San sheathed his spear and said coldly, "To strike you is His Highness's grace, your honor. Take the blame. Your rude words and actions of trespassing will be forgiven. If you want to block, you can."

The air was thick with the stench of blood; the charred flesh emitted a nauseating stench, and faint sounds of retching could be heard. Those who were worldly-wise were fine, but the elegant nobles covered their mouths and noses and tightly closed their eyes.

But no one dared to say a word.

Kang De said calmly, "The Azure Fleet didn't sink any ships, but several were badly damaged. They were manipulated by the Aberrant Dragon, and many people died. They all surrendered. Take these photos and this idiot back to your Council and ask them if they want to be like him or like you."

The other person silently picked up the photos, used magic to roll up the two broken pieces of the corpse, sealed them with solid ice, and even used magic to dispel and eliminate the bloodstains on the ground and the stench in the air.

The Council's envoys left in silence.

Kang De called out to the last person, "The northerners of the empire have arrived too, haven't they?"

The poor debt collector was trembling with fear.

He was neither a full-fledged envoy under the Holy Empire's emperor with a diplomatic mission, nor an envoy backed by the Council and representing the dignity of the Land of Arcana. He was merely a errand boy, sent to take advantage of Goth's encirclement to demand repayment of the debts Princess Tina had incurred to support Goth's war effort, preferably in the form of shares in the mining rights to that mysterious substance. He was there to take advantage of the chaos.

I've never seen anything like this before.

He was short and had small eyes. His former shrewdness had been replaced by cowardice. In the face of power, his little tricks and schemes were useless. He had already made up his mind that even if Kang De wanted to renege on his promise and trampled on him and spat on him, he would lie flat and not resist, and nod in agreement.

To everyone's surprise, Kang De said gently, "Don't be afraid."

"..."

Kang De said, "When Tina needed help, you provided her with the food, troops, and weapons she most desired. Although it was a loan, I am still very grateful. But ultimately, this loan was taken out for the Goth-Moon War, and it should be repaid by the beneficiaries of the war, all the Goth People..."

He would say something, and the debt collector would nod, like someone pounding garlic.

"I see," the short representative suddenly realized. "They're trying to teach Goth a lesson, shifting the enormous debt directly onto Goth, while Kang De and Princess Tina are washing their hands of it, letting these idiots who chose the wrong side enjoy themselves. But what does this have to do with me?"

He nodded and said, "Understood, then we..."

Kang De raised his hand, and the other person immediately shut up.

"I haven't finished speaking—that was my original plan, but if Goth were to shoulder this enormous loan, Tina would definitely be worried and heartbroken, and wouldn't stand idly by. I don't want to put her in a difficult position, so I've changed my mind. So..."

The Fire Thief's voice rose instantly.

"Therefore, I hereby declare that all loans obtained by Princess Tina-Taidariel from the nobles and wealthy merchants of the Goth empire during the Goth-Moon War..."

The voice carried an unyielding will.

Kang De declared firmly, "The Empire and the Council been returned!"

"..."

"..."

A suppressed but violent cough erupted from the debt collector's mouth, nearly causing him to choke.

"They will pay it back," Kang De said kindly. "Go back and discuss with the creditors. Compile all the loans into a figure and report it to the Emperor's cabinet and Council. You can inflate the figure a bit."

So, during the Goth-Moon War, His Majesty the Emperor stood by and watched, even scheming against Goth, while we secretly borrowed money from Princess Tina for our own benefit. Now, to collect our debt, we're asking His Majesty the Emperor for money?

The debt collector whispered, "Your Highness, Your Highness, we are willing..."

Kang De said, "I am clear about my debts and repay them all. I will return the money Tina borrowed to you, because a loan is a loan. But you took advantage of my misfortune and I caught you. I will teach you a lesson. Leave now, Imperials, or do you insist on collecting your debts from me?"

The other party eventually slunk away; it was beyond his control.

Without warning, the imperial envoys, Council representatives, and representatives of the northern nobles all left.

Kang De leaned back in his chair, surveying his surroundings with disdain.

"The Imperials are gone, the Council gone, the debt collectors are gone, now, only you are left."

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: Six thousand words... Please excuse my poor writing yesterday. Writing poetry is indeed good for physical and mental health.