Gacha Kingdom Building-Chapter 241: Peace Talks

Since obtaining [Gacha Kingdom Building] as my Gift, I've accomplished many things that I'm proud of.

One such thing, and perhaps the example that makes me the happiest, was Isabella's situation.

When I arrived in this world, I saw the determination she had. The girl was willing to do anything to seize a better life and the future she dreamed of, no matter how much fear she felt, or the consequences she would have to face.

For better or worse, she had immense potential.

She faced a harsh reality, and from the start, I couldn't do everything for her.

However, at least we tried hard to ensure she wouldn't lose sight of herself and end up becoming a person she'd regret.

Looking at her now, I see that my efforts have paid off, and she's become a wonderful prin-

Isabella: "...After wasting hours of my time, these are the terms you have to offer? Is this an attempt at an insult... Or a joke?"

Haah...

My wonderful little monster's words provoked everyone on the other side of the room.

The men, upon hearing her nonchalantly belittle and provoke them at every turn, were at their wits' end, their eyes filled with rage as they readied their swords.

Our side could hear the clicks of the swords stopping short from leaving their scabbards.

We answered it in kind.

Weapons were not yet drawn, but it was obvious from a glance that any spark could ignite the entire room.

All the while, our princess had her eyes locked on the man she was discussing with, a gleaming, unconcerned smile on her face, as if she was oblivious to the mood around her and the impact of her every sentence.

Of course, her being oblivious was far from the case. In fact, she had already predicted this.

This very scenario was exactly what she wanted.

The centerpiece of the insane plan she somehow talked me into.

As for how things came to this...

It all started a month ago.

After the downfall of the fortress guarding Maides Island and its conquest by our army, Isabella grew curious about Hamperlon's king and the war they'd once fought against the Snow White Wolves.

Unfortunately, there was no easy way to get information on this.

King Gerbil was the only one who knew the truth, so I assumed we'd have to capture him before learning anything.

However... One event changed that.

I had divided the Northern Army for the conquest of Maides Island, but to continue our campaign on the continent, I had to bring most of the men back, leaving only a few to defend the place.

After so many battles, I judged it was time to let the army rest a little and resupply, ensuring we were on top form for the battles to come.

Thus, we made the journey from the frontlines to Terith's capital to see for ourselves how well logistics were being handled.

Once we arrived at the capital's palace, we found a messenger from Hamperlon with a letter in hand.

After reading the letter and hearing the messenger out, Isabella came up with her brilliant idea.

Isabella: "Hm... I see... You may return to your king. Tell him I accept the invitation."

Messenger: "...Oh, of course! I'll be on my way."

I'm not sure who was more surprised in that moment, me or the messenger.

All I know is that he ran as fast as he could after hearing Isabella's confirmation, still in disbelief that she so easily accepted to meet Hamperlon's King for peace talks.

Miwen: "...Why did you accept? They are on the end of their ropes, there's no need to listen to them. And it might be dangerous."

Isabella: "That's true. Counterpoint, though. I don't have anything to fear if you're by my side, do I? And this presents us with a good opportunity."

Miwen: "...Oh. You don't plan on going, you just want to drag them somewhere else so we can freely attack them while-

Isabella: "No? I felt like this would be a good chance to get some answers from them. And even if we don't... We can have fun humiliating them, right? Since this is as much Mia's revenge as it is yours, I thought you'd be happy seeing them desperately trying to reach an agreement."

The shock I felt previously was nothing compared to what it became after her explanation.

She was willing to go out of her way just to watch her enemies struggle. To crush every last bit of hope before finishing them.

And this was her best self.

The woman who became the Umbral Duchess in name only, without ever succumbing to her dark side.

Isabella: "I also know you love your theatrics, so... Let's have some fun together?"

She also had a damn good read on me.

Just thinking of what she could've been like were she to truly become the Umbral Duchess sent chills down my spine.

However... She still fell a bit short.

Miwen: "I refuse. We are not doing that."

Isabella: "E-Eh? Why not?"

Miwen: "I told you, it's dangerous. I don't want to risk you or the others getting hurt."

She was right about everything she said.

But she miscalculated a little.

After seeing how much of a threat Hamperlon can be, I valued the girls' safety more than the satisfaction of her idea.

And so...

In the following days, quietly, she brewed a revolution against me.

One by one, she convinced the girls to participate, to the point that they were willing to go even without me.

With no choice left... I tried to appeal to her brothers.

She had always respected them a lot, and I hoped they'd take my side when it came to protecting her, but...

I was a little too late.

Isabella had already made her move, and the two were fully prepared to back her up, even in enemy territory.

As such... I had to go along.

Hamperlon was surprisingly considerate. The meeting was scheduled to take place in a castle in the North, bordering our controlled territory, thereby providing us with a reasonably safe route back home.

It was also far away from Elizabeth and her pet dragon.

We first arrived in a plain near the castle, and then we were escorted by a small group of knights, numbering seven in total.

No incidents happened, and we safely entered the castle, almost instantly greeted by Gerbil and his entourage.

He was kind enough to show us around, and perhaps in an attempt to lower his guard, Isabella was very friendly. Enthusiastic, she always wore a gentle smile on her face, and she engaged in every topic brought up, to the point where she almost seemed like an innocent young girl.

I could tell Gerbil wasn't yet sold on her act, especially due to a small mistake on her part.

However, since he did not know about Isabella's true nature, it felt like he simply believed this act of hers to be an attempt at being polite and well-mannered, which went along perfectly with his intentions.

The first day was spent leisurely, they pretentiously talked about the history of the castle and the region, some details about the geography, and nearby villages and cities.

He was careful not to leak any important information, so the day ended without anything of value.

Clearly, this was all planned in detail.

Well executed, too.

He made sure not to come across as desperate and to make his guests, even if enemies, as comfortable as possible before touching on the sensitive matters.

And so, with their roles and fields set, the match between the two liars began on the second day.

Gerbil: "...While I thoroughly enjoyed your company yesterday, Queen Isabella, I fear we find ourselves in delicate circumstances. You'll forgive me, I hope, for not granting more time to rest from your journey."

Isabella: "Of course. When the intent is sincere, even small gestures are worth cherishing."

My ass.

No matter what he says, someone so worried about time wouldn't have the entire morning glazing someone else's accomplishments and ascension in ranks.

Gerbil: "How gracious. But it's as expected of the daughter of Evretis. You know, my house and yours have fought side by side before, when you were but a child..."

Isabella: "I do remember. And let me assure you, we are ever so grateful for the support you provided at that time."

The biggest accomplishment of Isabella's father during his independent reign was the conquest of a few tribes in the south.

One such tribe, however, was a little more resistant than the others, and their war took longer than anyone expected.

Surprisingly, the ones to rescue Evretis were Hamperlon.

They sent a small force of their army to push the tribe back and occupied some of its territory.

When their leader was finally captured and the tribe forced to surrender, Hamperlon, in a move very unlike them, handed over the territory they occupied without arguing or trying to negotiate any conditions.

Their intentions have never been clear on this, but to me, it's obvious they didn't do it out of the goodness of their hearts.

While they did gain favor with Evretis, and this action helped them diminish their reputation as a warring nation that sees only conquest, upon hearing this story, I believed that they were planting the seeds for an attack against Evretis, by claiming that territory as legitimately theirs in a future that never came to be due to Terith and Evretis thrones reuniting.

In any case, while the two were playing their meaningless game, something else worried me a lot.

There was no way we'd leave Isabella and Gerbil to talk alone. We knew nothing about this man, and the clues we had about him all pointed to a cruel, cunning, and disgusting man.

However, with Isabella being heavily guarded by her brothers, the girls, and me, there was no way their side would allow their king to be alone either, which meant that their men were also present for the talks.

They were mostly silent, we could only infer their emotions by their reactions and small movements made before they corrected themselves to hide their thoughts.

The only exceptions were two knights whose faces we couldn't see. They didn't expose any skin, and not once moved their arms, legs, or even their necks.

They were perfectly still, almost as if not even breathing.

And the color of their armors, one black and the other white... Well, we already had a good idea of who they were.

The unfortunate part of this was that Mia, who was also present in the room, was forced to watch the person she believed to be her mother.

And well... While I say it is unfortunate, ironically, she was adamant about coming. She was the first one Isabella managed to convince. Her determination was what moved the others.

Isabella: "...Is everything alright?"

Mia was doing her best to maintain her posture, but there were things she couldn't help.

Her breathing became more rapid and uneven, her eyes never once shifted from the white knight, and her hands were shaking a bit.

She was controlling herself as much as she could. So much so that, normally, those things wouldn't be noticeable. It's just that, in this context, unfortunately, she stuck out like a sore thumb.

Gerbil: "...Oh, it must be due to one of my knights. They fought on Maides Island. Unfortunately, they are among my most trusted, so forgive me for not removing them."

Isabella: "I am the one who should apologize. She's usually much quieter... I'm sorry, mister...?"

Isabella left her seat, walked right in front of the white knight, and bowed in apology.

Every single knight in the room, except the black and white ones, was surprised and visibly tensed up.

For a Queen like Isabella to act in this manner was certainly unusual, and it was simply impossible for one not to react...

Isabella: "Oh... No need to... Um... Sorry, what is your name?"

The white knight put her hands on Isabella's shoulder, signalling her to stop bowing, and instead, she was the one to bow and apologize.

That movement was performed right in front of our eyes, and with Gerbil in front of us, it gave Beatrice the best chance she could hope for to analyze and gather any relevant information from the brief exchange.

At the same time, keeping her act up and asking for the knight's name while knowing they couldn't give it to her forced Gerbil's hand.

Gerbil: "...To show their loyalty and determination, these two have cut off their tongues. It signals they will never conspire against their home, and that they are willing to offer their entire lives."

It was obviously a lie, but due to the men's reactions and the fact that on Maides Island, the other two undead knights still commanded the people, even though they also couldn't talk, we could infer that this lie had already spread to their ranks, and that they knew how to obey and coordinate with the knights even without spoken words.

More importantly than that, Mia seized the opportunity, and although she was already by my side, she took a step closer, reaching for my hand behind our backs.

Throughout the two snakes' exchange, she maintained a strong grip. Sometimes, it became intense enough that I felt like she would shatter my hand.

Nonetheless, I never complained.

I knew what this meant for her.

She was steeling herself, holding tight onto what she could trust, literally and figuratively.