Leila immediately sensed something was wrong.
"Wait, why can't this be announced publicly here?"
"We in Great Han are only responsible for providing the wired connection. The actual decision came from the E.U. Central Committee."
Anna stepped up beside Leila. "We'll go together."
The reception officer did not object. Once everyone had entered, the meeting room's door closed, and all the delegation's communication terminals simultaneously lost access to external networks. Only a single line to Paris remained, routed through Great Han's security system.
When the screen lit up, it showed a committee secretary-general Leila knew. He belonged to the pro-peace faction jointly backed by Free Iris and the Royal Isles, and had spent the past several months pushing for a ceasefire with Britannia.
"Major Leila."
Leila did not return his greeting.
"I need an explanation, Secretary-General!"
The secretary-general avoided her gaze and opened an electronic document.
"In light of the provisional negotiations for a comprehensive ceasefire between the E.U. and the Holy Britannia Imperium following the Kashgar incident, the committee believes it is currently inadvisable for personnel with pronounced pro-war leanings and excessively close ties to special military units to continue representing the E.U. in Eastern affairs."
"So?"
"Delegation No. 1138's mandate is suspended effective immediately. You are relieved of your position as delegation head, and your diplomatic immunity is temporarily frozen. All delegation personnel will be subject to a joint disciplinary investigation."
Anna asked incredulously, "We arrived less than two hours ago."
"Precisely because you have only just arrived, the committee believes the diplomatic damage caused by a timely adjustment can still be contained."
Leila stared at the expressionless face on the screen, her voice growing calmer instead.
"Who proposed this, Secretary-General?!"
"The only thing I can tell you is that this was a collective decision by the committee."