Chapter 94

After the meal, both Alister and I had tea.

I took two teaspoons of sugar, while Alister took three, and added milk as well.

She took a sip of the tea and then began to speak to the point.

"Actually, I have come to you, Sir Ike, with a secret mission from His Majesty the King."

"A secret mission...?"

It was not surprising, but it was an interesting story.

"I would like to hear the details, but before that, why did you come to me? If it's an important matter, it would be faster to negotiate directly with His Majesty the Demon King."

"That... is..."

She hesitated in her words.

"It takes time to reach the Demon King's castle, Dovolberg. Besides, I did not have the courage to cut through the territories controlled by the Demon Army and meet the Demon King. I didn't have the time for that either."

Indeed, that would require courage.

For a woman to cut through the territories controlled by the demons with only a few companions, if she were to encounter a demon who didn't understand the situation, she could be captured or even killed.

It would be a foolish move to take such risks.

"Then, is there a reason why you didn't go to the other army commanders? There are other strongholds of army commanders on the front lines."

"......"

She remained silent for a moment, then nodded as if making a decision.

"To be honest, when I last met Sir Ike, I was deeply impressed."

"Deeply impressed...?"

"Yes."

Alister looked at me with her straightforward eyes.

"After Sir Ike stole the confidential documents, I had intended to die. No, I had been thinking about when I should die. I had lost many subordinates in battle, advised the king, and was confined. I had greatly tarnished the name of the Rottemeyer family. I thought that only by dying could I atone for it."

But, she continued.

"At that time, Sir Ike told me that there is luck in war and that I should not die. Because of those words, I am alive today and can serve His Majesty the King."

In other words, she felt that it was easier to talk to me than to the other commanders.

With that interpretation, I encouraged her to continue.

"So, this mission is for the sake of His Majesty the King?"

"Yes."

"And what is the content of this mission?"

Alister answered calmly.

"His Majesty the King wishes for peace with the Demon Army."

"Peace?"

It was an unexpected statement, but I did not show any surprise.

This was a diplomatic setting.

It was not appropriate to show emotions like she did.

I should act and speak only in the interest of the Demon Army.

"Is it His Majesty of Rozaria who wishes for this?"

I asked to confirm that she was not acting on her own initiative.

"Yes, King Tristan III wishes for peace with the Demon Army. I have come here as his envoy."

"Peace... That's sudden."

I couldn't help but say that.

We had never been approached with such a proposal before.

Perhaps the Alliance of Kings is in a dire situation.

Or perhaps they want to negotiate while they still have the upper hand and secure favorable terms for peace.

It was a difficult decision to make.

While my subordinates sometimes treat me like a prophet, I do not have the ability to foresee everything.

I can make predictions to a certain extent, but they can also be wrong.

I couldn't understand the true intentions behind this proposal.

However, just because I didn't understand, I didn't have the right to ignore the offer.

Alister was just an envoy, but I should still gather as much information from her as possible.

I continued the conversation with her.

"However, Rozaria is a kingdom with a long history, known as one of the great powers on this continent. I can't imagine King Tristan proposing peace to the Demon Army now."

"Indeed, His Majesty is a proud man, but he is also a lover of peace. He said that rather than letting the war drag on unnecessarily, peace with the Demon Army is necessary."

"But the Demon Army has occupied half of Rozaria's territory. And currently, the situation is slightly in our favor."

"......What are you trying to say?"

Alister asked.

"In other words, if we are to make peace, it should be on terms favorable to us."

That was only natural.

If the situation were unfavorable, it would be a different story, but now the Demon Army is in a favorable position.

Since the other side is proposing peace in this situation, we should take full advantage of it.

This is a common diplomatic tactic.

Moreover, there will be army commanders who oppose the peace.

Especially the commander of the 2nd Army, Ghermua, will strongly oppose it, and the other commanders will not be pleased either.

If we mishandle this, it could lead to internal strife within the Demon Army, and the worst-case scenario could occur.

—That possibility cannot be ruled out.

Even if we make peace, it will be meaningless unless all members of the Demon Army are satisfied with the outcome.

I asked her about this, but surprisingly, Alister seemed to be aware of it.

"Of course, I understand that. Since we are the ones proposing peace, His Majesty is prepared to make concessions."

"Specifically?"

"We will cede all the territories currently controlled by the Demon Army to the Demon Army. Additionally, as a token of peace, we will offer gold coins for several years."

Upon hearing this, I couldn't help but exclaim, "Hmm."

This was a condition that could be interpreted as a complete surrender.

If we could accept these terms, it would not be a bad deal, especially for someone like me who is tired of the constant warfare.

"Can you provide me with a written document of this proposal?"

When I said this, Alister took out a document from her pocket and said, "Of course."

"This is a provisional treaty. It has not been formally signed yet."

She handed it to me.

I read through it, and it was indeed as Alister had described.

The seal appeared to be written by Tristan himself.

From this, I could see that the King of Rozaria was willing to come to the negotiating table.

Understanding this, I said to Alister,

"Understood. I will take this document."

"Really!?"

When I said this, Alister leaned forward over the table, coming closer to me.

It wasn't unpleasant to have a beautiful face so close, but I didn't intend to let her beauty influence the success or failure of the treaty.

Moreover, this was not just a matter for an army commander, but for the entire Demon Army.

I could not decide this alone.

The decision on this treaty should be made by His Majesty the Demon King.

I said, "I will consult with His Majesty the Demon King. Can you wait for a few days?"

She smiled and said, "Of course!"

Her face showed no ill intent.

Even without using the mind-reading magic, I could tell that her words were sincere.

—But what about the person behind her?

The King of Rozaria may not be a capable ruler, but there might be excellent strategists or chancellors behind him.

I intended to believe Alister's words, but I did not trust the Kingdom of Rozaria as a whole.

In any case, this was a matter that could not be decided at the army commander level.

As I had declared to Alister, I went to the transfer room in Ivalees to consult with my former superior.