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

could be negotiated, and those that couldn't could

knew that focusing solely on agriculture while neglecting commerce was outdated.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

both kingdoms agreed to temporarily halt the

distraction. Yet, they understood its purpose. Nerathia, with its thriving maritime trade, also sought to secure access

what

the following day,

especially over border lines. Every kingdom faces the same challenge. But if this issue keeps dragging both of you into war,

recognizing the truth in

the tone of the negotiations changed. Gone were the endless repetitions of the past, and the discussions shifted to more substantive matters, focusing on

side was stubbornly refusing to budge anymore. With Faelan mediating,

line. Each side would establish its own border gate. Since trade was to follow each kingdom would also be responsible for maintaining

last for twenty years, after

the two sides eagerly began discussing trade. But these talks were still only discussions-nothing could be finalized

"Whi net

could be traded and