Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

The position Faelan took at the table represented Nerathia's stance in the negotiations.

They were neutral!

Carissa couldn't help but marvel once more at the power of a strong kingdom.

The initial stages of the talks were tedious, with the same points being repeated over and over. The translators were busy, their voices echoing with historical debates. This was inevitable, as conceding too early would only lead to further compromises.

As such, the first round of negotiations yielded no agreement. It was simply a test of boundaries.

The second round began the following day. Again, they emphasized the same points.

But after the second repetition, Faelan spoke up, saying, "There is no point in prolonging this. The dispute over the border has lasted for decades. It will not be resolved in a day. Let us set the border issue aside for now. What I wish to know is whether both sides are committed to establishing peace and mutual non- aggression between your kingdoms."

The answer was unanimous. Both parties expressed their desire for a peaceful resolution and hoped to avoid further conflict.

Faelan then presented a stack of papers. On them were detailed lists of goods from both kingdoms-grain, livestock, silk, textiles, handcrafted items, tea, furs, porcelain, paper, and herbs and spices unique to their lands, as well as larger commodities such as rock salt, iron ore, and emerald.

the lists, their initial tense expressions gradually

could be negotiated, and those that couldn't could always be set aside for

knew that focusing solely on agriculture while neglecting commerce was outdated. A balance of both was the true path to prosperity. After

the

Yet, they understood its purpose. Nerathia, with its thriving maritime trade, also

and both kingdoms desperately needed what was being offered. The

the following day,

same challenge. But if this issue keeps dragging both of you into war, the

agreement, recognizing the truth in

negotiations changed. Gone were the endless repetitions of the past, and the discussions shifted to

were still disagreements, and the debates remained intense, but the hostility was gone. Neither side was stubbornly refusing to budge anymore. With Faelan mediating, a consensus was reached by the fifth

the border would be split in half, with Everridge Mountain as the dividing line. Each side would establish its own border gate.

after which the

treaty signed, the two sides eagerly began discussing trade.

"Whi net

could be