Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided
Chapter 155. The Offer from Eastern Seaboard

155. The Offer from Eastern Seaboard

“I’d like to offer ten per cent of my production capacity, and set the tariff to zero, in exchange for your flagship being deployed over the Orienic Sea. Should any threat arise, I expect your soldiers to protect my people. In the name of peace,” Rye declared, her voice firm.

Lume’s eyes bulged at her forwarding proposal. His mouth fell open. “That~that’s… bold?”

“Although your offer is tempting, we can hardly spare our flagship outside of our airspace,” Ryusei replied calmly.

“Hmm? If Yamamoto is anchored here, unable to operate elsewhere, what’s the point of it being a battlecruiser?” she stated, raising her hands. “I’m not asking for tangible resources in return, only your strategic deployment against that opposing warband.”

“Sounds like something worth considering, Prime Minister,” Willhelm chimed in, sipping his third cup of tea.

After a long moment of scrutiny, Aurelia finally raised her hand. “Why must it be our flagship? We do have other battlecruisers, such as Zeigerlich,” she proposed, casting a glance towards Sandria.

“You must be joking,” Rye scoffed, crossing her arms. “The Yamamoto battlecruiser has over ten times the capacity and firepower of Zeigerlich. Even after its upgrades, the vessel only doubled its original specs. Four hundred and fifty units, to be exact.” She waved at Sandria. “No offence, Director.”

“None taken,” Sandria replied flatly.

Aurelia choked back a sigh and bit her lip. “Gaia, she’s clearly done extensive research on us…” she thought, exasperated.

“Admiral Sandria is a highly capable individual, and her mostly original crew had a strong combat record even before their reinstatement,” Ryusei added firmly.

“Under the command of a Platinum Knight, sure. But on her own? I’m not entirely convinced,” Rye said, hitting a sore point. Even Sandria drew her lips into a thin line of frustration.

“But just recently, she commanded Zeigerlich to Solis Aeternum without a Knight,” Aurelia snapped back. “Against the Jinlong battlecruiser, which was nearly three times the size. Despite the odds, Sandria and her crew succeeded with only minor injuries.”

Rye shook her head, her ribbon-like tongue flicking out and back. “Without the Darkless Knight, she wouldn’t have made it. Funny, I was hoping to see him at the conference today.” She scanned the room in mock curiosity.

Friederich blinked. “Her intel’s solid. Don’t underestimate her, Aurelia,” he whispered.

Rye let out an exaggerated sigh before brushing her fingers along Lume’s thigh. The man jolted and flushed red.

“Then it seems I’ve wasted everyone’s time,” she grumbled, gripping her chin in frustration.

“I, um… I do think Rye, I mean, High Magnus has a compelling offer,” Admiral Lume stammered, attempting to defuse the tension.

“We should be able to reach a conclusion that benefits us both,” Ryusei added, motioning for Rye to stay.

Aurelia smirked. “High Magnus Rye, it seems you left out a very crucial detail from your report. The real reason for your urgency.” She paused to gauge the reaction. “The leader of the opposing Dunkelheit force isn’t just some

“What... what do you mean? Are you accusing me of lying?” Her voice tightened. “Child, throughout my career and in life, I have never uttered a lie.”

“True, you never lied,” Aurelia said coolly, “but you conveniently failed to mention that the invading army from the north is being led by Platinum Knight… Rhok Wagner!”

The room collectively gasped.

“Child, I don’t know every single detail. I’m a businesswoman, not a warlord,” Rye muttered, her voice faltering as sweat formed on her brow.

“Really? You seemed awfully keen on requesting our most powerful battlecruiser. Your intentions are clear as day, you expect the threat to be overwhelming.”

Willhelm raised a hand, and Aurelia nodded to give him the floor.

“According to our intelligence,” he said, “the rising Platinum Knight has been waging an aggressive campaign. In just a few months, he’s rallied a considerable force. Osten attempted to intervene, but their efforts have struggled. This commander, Rhok Wagner, was it?”

Aurelia nodded grimly.

“Well, Rhok Wagner isn’t just any brawler. That much is certain. We also believe he’s backed by a Celestius, possibly a former Celestius,” Willhelm added, clearing his throat.

Rye fell silent, grinding her teeth. “Well done, child. But what do you gain from all this?” she hissed, crossing her arms defensively, too agitated to remain seated.

“I’m not finished. The way they rose to power, by toppling existing rulers to prevent retaliation. It’s clear tyranny in the making. That’s likely why you’re seeking our fleet instead of waiting for Osten to respond,” Aurelia concluded with a smug smile. She had laid Rye bare, dismantling her attempt to manipulate the room.

“Aurelia… how did you know all this?” Friederich whispered. He looked stunned.

She winked. “I studied politics, of course.”

In truth, she had been delving deeper into political affairs with her father’s guidance. The final piece of the puzzle had come from Ziyue and her web of infiltrators, capable of extracting vital intelligence. As a result, she had all the wildcards she needed to play today.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Rye collapsed into her seat, slapping her hand to her forehead. “How did it come to this…”

“High Magnus Rye,” Ryusei said gently, “now that the facts are out in the open, we’re still willing to discuss our alliance, honestly this time.”

“Thank you, Ryusei. You’re too kind…” she muttered, avoiding his gaze.

“Zeigerlich will be deployed to assist with your national security. You may not be fully aware, but rest assured, my battlecruiser’s upgrade wasn’t just about increasing Armatus capacity. She now exceeds her former capabilities in every metric,” Sandria added in her mechanical tone, offering direct reassurance.

“And in case your border is breached, Zeigerlich will hold the front line long enough for our flagship to be relocated in support,” Ryusei assured, gesturing with an open palm.

Willhelm rubbed his chin. “Well, High Magnus, it seems your enemy is also Osten’s enemy. If needed, I’ll commit myself and my division to support the cause.” He nodded thoughtfully.

“Thank you, Lunarius. And what of your situation at home?” Aurelia asked, remembering her time in Germund with the Hoffmanns.

“We’re rebuilding Germund with the help of a gifted Renaissance Lunarius. However, with our population decimated, our major cities are now Hasenwald, Munich, and South Germund. The fortifications there are concentrated and impeccable, if I may say so.”

Lume exhaled, shoulders sagging. “That’s good to hear, hahaha!” He let out a hearty wheeze of laughter.

“Thank you kindly, Lunarius,” Rye said, her glassy eyes reflecting genuine gratitude. Aurelia, however, remained sceptical of her performance.

Then Rye turned toward the head of the table, visibly tense.

“Then I have no further objections. What do you desire in return, Prime Minister?”

Ryusei offered a friendly smile, “We agree to your original terms. We don’t intend to exploit this alliance. Our people stand to benefit equally.”

Rye gave a graceful nod, almost bowing. With all parties now aligned, the meeting drew to its conclusion.

The treaty was signed beneath the glow of the chamber’s hanging banners, the symbol of Solis Aeternum shining alongside Thylin’s coiled serpent and Germund’s.

A sense of cautious hope settled over the room.

For now, a new alliance had been forged, fragile, but real.

As officials began to file out and aides gathered their documents, Aurelia remained still, her gaze fixed on Rye. She wasn’t convinced of the woman’s sincerity, not yet.

But for today, peace had been won through words instead of war.

At least, that was a start.

***

“That’s amazing, Aurelia,” Friederich complimented the girl, clearly impressed. He strode along the hallway beside her. Ahead of them, Ryusei and Sandria walked as a pair, leading the way toward the dining chamber within the conference dome.

Aurelia laced her hands behind her head lazily. “Oh? I’m flattered, Fried,” she chuckled mischievously.

“And I’ve been wondering what you’ve been up to lately,” Friederich commented with a smile, feeling a quiet sense of pride.

Aurelia tapped her temple lightly. “It’s the power of knowledge. I just feel like I can finally offer something to our people. Wars aren’t won by force alone, you know.” She lifted a finger with a playful, nerdy tone.

“Agreed,” he nodded solemnly, closing his eyes.

“How’s your training with Kagayaki-no-saya going?” she asked, nudging him with her shoulder.

Kagayaki-no-saya, or Sheath of Radiance, was the powerful arc weapon Friederich had inherited from House Eir Regis, a relic dating back thousands of years. Some ancient texts claimed it had been forged for a singular purpose. Destroy.

Friederich looked momentarily flustered. “Yeah… I’ve got a better grasp of it now. Come to the training ground sometime. I’ll show you and Zetius—” He paused abruptly. A wave of guilt washed over his face.

Aurelia gently cupped his shoulder and smiled. “It’s not your fault. It was all a setup by Celestius Nyrethein. You know that, right?”

Friederich bit his lip and nodded. “Please come back soon, my friend,” he murmured, pleading.

They arrived at the dining hall, where soft traditional instruments played in the background.

“Hello! Lunarius Willhelm!” Aurelia suddenly shouted and ran ahead.

“Aurelia, no runni—” Friederich called after her, but she was already standing in front of the elven Lunarius, who seemed to be heading toward the exit.

“Oh! Princess, Prime Guardian,” Willhelm greeted, holding a glass of champagne in one hand and his staff in the other. He flashed a charismatic smile.

“Are you planning to leave already?” Aurelia asked, clasping her hands politely in front of her.

“Not until I finish this glass,” Willhelm replied with a jest, prompting soft chuckles from the girl and the maids in proximity. They glanced at the elven charmer with their indecent eyes.

“Thank you for your support today, Lunarius,” Friederich added, offering a respectful bow.

“Not a big deal. Your princess here put on quite an entertaining show. It’s not every day you see corporate giants lose their cards like that. Honestly, though, politics bore me to the core,” Willhelm quipped, sipping the amber liquid. “Thanks for saving me today, Princess.”

They glanced over at one of the tables to see Lume and Rye chatting more cheerfully than expected. Aurelia grimaced in mild disgust before turning back to Willhelm.

“Oh, by the way,” he added, “another Lunarius claimed to know you personally. I was rather be sceptical, he said he carved that golden statue in your likeness, Princess.”

Friederich abruptly burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. “I can’t… Hehe.”

Aurelia shot him an irritated glare, fists on her hips. “You mean the statue at the Eastern Dam?” she asked to confirm.

“Affirmative. His name is Canis Wolfgang, ring a bell?” Willhelm replied shortly.

“Oh, I remember him! Well… he did say he carved it to inspire others with what I did that day,” Aurelia said, her voice faltering slightly.

“Oh?” Willhelm tilted his head with interest.

“We happened to prevent the dam from collapsing, that’s all. Actually, it was a team effort,” Aurelia added, raising her hand modestly. That moment felt like a lifetime ago, her unsanctioned journey to Germund and the Eastern Dam incident.

“Interesting. I’d love to hear the full story one day. I only caught a glimpse through his song,” Willhelm said, smiling.

Friederich nodded knowingly, “Seems he hasn’t changed at all. Please send him our regards.”

Willhelm gave a respectful nod in return.

“On another note, how’s the Empress? I heard she’s been extremely busy. Is that why you’re representing her today?” Aurelia probed, tilting her head.

Willhelm glanced around, making sure no one else was listening. He leaned closer.

“She’s been working tirelessly on humanitarian efforts. She’s fully engaged in her role and responsibilities. Right now, she’s overwhelmed with matters on the Eurian continent.”

He paused, then added in a lower tone, “I’m not supposed to say this, but she’s currently being treated at Poranthis.”

“She’s unwell—?! Oops!” Aurelia gasped before quickly muting herself.

Willhem nodded playfully, “Let’s keep that between us, alright? Consider it a token of our alliance.”

The Lunarius winked and downed the rest of his champagne. A maid appeared just in time to collect the glass before silently retreating.

The two teenagers nodded vigorously, acknowledging his trust, before Willhelm took his leave and vanished via teleportation.