I Am The Swarm-Chapter 695: Confrontation

However, neither the situation on the ground nor the rank of these staff officers allowed them to dwell on or investigate the strange aspects of the orders.

After the Swarm Empress appeared, both the staff officers in the rear and the personnel on the front lines felt their adrenaline surge. Everyone knew that the real battle was about to begin.

“Welcome, Your Majesty, Empress of the Swarm.” As the highest-ranking representative of the Confederation for this signing ceremony, Ambros, accompanied by several Ji elders and high-ranking officials from the inner-circle civilizations, stepped forward to greet Sarah. He even used the honorific “Your Majesty,” showing a level of humility that suggested the Swarm had been elevated to a status equal to their own.

It was worth noting that when dealing with mid or outer-ring civilizations, Ambros and his ilk often acted like imperious overlords, even influencing the power dynamics of some civilizations. His current demeanor immediately caught the attention of the representatives from the outer and mid-ring civilizations present as mere accessories. What they might infer from this was anyone’s guess.

The reactions of these accessories and background figures naturally did not attract the attention of the esteemed Swarm Empress. Seeing the Ji elders approaching her, Sarah’s stern face broke into a faint smile.

“Greetings, Elder Ambros, and everyone,” Sarah replied courteously. “However, Elder Ambros, you are standing on Swarm territory. It is I who should be welcoming you.”

Sarah’s words caused Ambros’ smile to stiffen slightly. He inwardly grumbled that this territory had been seized from Confederation members. But this was not the time to dwell on such contentious issues that could strain their already fragile relationship.

“Ah, yes, my words were indeed flawed. It is an honor to be here, and I thank Your Majesty for your gracious hospitality.”

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“Gracious hospitality is an overstatement. I am well aware of the treatment we’ve received. However, none of us are here to idle away our time. Let’s proceed with signing the agreement promptly so we can all return to our duties without delay.”

Sarah, true to the Swarm’s straightforward style, cut through Ambros’ pleasantries and steered the conversation directly toward signing the agreement.

“Haha, I’ve long heard of the Swarm’s unique style. Seeing it today, it certainly lives up to its reputation.” Sarah’s words caused Ambros’ smile to remain stiff. Truth be told, among the Confederation representatives present, aside from the Ji elders, few were actually busy with work.

Even the Ji elders, due to the need for hibernation during interstellar travel, had long since delegated their responsibilities. Given their current administrative structure, even if they neglected their duties for a decade or two, nothing would go awry.

Of course, there was no need to elaborate on this. The Swarm Empress surely knew that “delaying work” was merely an excuse. However, now was not the time to rush.

“Haha, no need to hurry. There’s still plenty of time before the ceremony begins. We can use this opportunity to exchange ideas. I have long admired the Swarm.”

Sarah glanced around. She knew that ceremonies of this level rarely started early or late. Her earlier remark had been merely rhetorical. The verbal sparring between the two sides had begun the moment Ambros extended his host-like welcome. She needed to disrupt Ambros’ rhythm.

However, she hadn’t expected Ambros, as the Confederation’s representative and a Ji elder, to be so shameless. Despite her pointed remarks, which bordered on rudeness, Ambros continued to steer the conversation back with a smile.

“Exchanging ideas won’t be necessary. I am weary from my long journey and would like to rest. It would be unfortunate if I were to behave improperly during the ceremony due to fatigue.”

Ambros’ expression stiffened further. He hadn’t anticipated Sarah’s outright refusal, leaving him no room to save face. However, having held a high position for many years, he was not without his own temper.

His smile faded slightly, and his expression grew more serious. “Your Majesty, the misunderstandings and conflicts between us stem from a lack of communication. Your Majesty is often occupied with state affairs and rarely seen. Now that we have this opportunity, we should take the time to communicate and avoid similar conflicts in the future.”

Sarah’s already stern expression grew colder. “Elder Ambros, are you threatening me?”

“Your Majesty misunderstands. The Swarm was once a member of the Confederation. It was due to misunderstandings that we ended up in conflict. As a Ji elder, I am deeply saddened by this. Had we realized earlier, we might not have reached this point. However, given the current situation, some grievances have taken root and are difficult to resolve. Still, I believe that the Swarm’s departure from the Confederation was not intentional. I wish to understand the details and work actively to resolve the misunderstandings between us.” Ambros sighed with apparent sorrow and continued.

“Your Majesty, the Swarm is an integral part of this region of space, and that cannot be changed. For the Swarm to develop in the future, it cannot afford to have only enemies and no friends. These are my sincere words, and I hope Your Majesty will consider them carefully.”

Listening to Ambros’ seemingly heartfelt and well-meaning words, Sarah didn’t believe a single punctuation mark of it. However, she seemed to recall something and, after a moment of contemplation, responded in kind: “In that case, let us exchange ideas. The Swarm is a peace-loving race and should work to resolve misunderstandings with its neighbors.”

Sarah’s words caused the Confederation representatives to inwardly scoff. The Swarm, peace-loving? That might just be the funniest joke of the year, the century, the millennium, or even the past ten thousand years in the Confederation.

But Ambros was inwardly pleased and quickly said, “Exactly! Come, let me introduce you to these representatives from some of the Confederation’s pillar civilizations. It would be good for you to get acquainted and foster closer ties in the future.”

With that, he led Sarah to one side, with Tella and several close guards following closely, keeping a vigilant eye on the Confederation delegation to prevent any untoward actions.

Ambros, along with the inner-circle representatives, were all seasoned diplomats. Their mutual flattery quickly heated up the conversation. Even Elder Beladuka, who had been wearing a sour expression from the start, chimed in occasionally to keep the atmosphere lively.

To an uninformed bystander, it might have seemed like a gathering of old friends reuniting after years apart. But beneath the surface, the lively atmosphere concealed darker intentions.