Ch.233233. Mediation (2)

When the Priestess accepted Phoenix’s proposal, the French government forces and the Phoenix revolutionary army immediately ceased combat operations and began coordinating a negotiation venue.

However…

“The negotiation venue must absolutely be in the Mare district.”

“That’s impossible! Let’s set up the negotiation site in the outskirts of Créteil instead!”

They were struggling with the venue issue before negotiations could even begin.

Naturally, both the French government forces and the Phoenix Cult wanted to hold negotiations on their home ground, and both sides strongly advocated for their preferred locations to secure more favorable negotiating conditions.

Though it seemed neither side would yield on the venue selection, this was, as usual, nothing more than light verbal sparring akin to WWE theatrics.

The reason they had readily agreed to negotiations in the first place was…

“I will mediate your negotiations. In the name of the Dragon God, I swear that the negotiation venue will provide equal conditions for all parties.”

“Ha. Who would have thought the Queen of England would step in at this timing? Since Her Majesty has spoken, I have no choice but to take a step back.”

“The Phoenix Cult respects the will of the Dragon Priestess who follows the Dragon God. The Priestess’s will is the Dragon God’s will, so we gladly step back.”

Both the French government forces and the Phoenix Cult had already internally decided on the outcome of the venue dispute.

In other words, they both knew each other’s internal circumstances, making this a scripted argument that might appear meaningless to outsiders.

However, the first reason for this seemingly meaningless display was to gain a more advantageous position in negotiations, and the second reason was…

‘This will make the Lord Protector and the United States think I still want war.’

‘We must minimize foreign intervention now.’

It was to put on a show for external enemies who sought France’s mutual destruction.

If the Priestess, who had always projected the image of a strong leader, suddenly adopted a submissive posture, others would likely conclude she was seeking a ceasefire and might interfere with the negotiations.

To prevent this, the Priestess maintained her strong leadership image and displayed her authority as Western Europe’s leader until entering the negotiation venue. This bluff seemed to work, as there was no movement from the Lord Protector’s side.

However, regarding the United States…

“They seem suspicious.”

“Do they?”

“But seeing my involvement, they’ll likely back off appropriately.”

Using the CIA’s intelligence network, the US had noticed that these negotiations were heading in the opposite direction of their intentions.

While they expressed doubts about the negotiations, upon learning that the Dragon God Bahamut was involved, the United States decided to withdraw at an appropriate time.

“They’ve probably atoned enough.”

From the American perspective, Europe was a region of vested interests, and interfering with those interests was burdensome even for the United States.

The Priestess’s momentum had been curbed, and with the emergence of the Phoenix Cult opposing her, they seemed content to be satisfied and withdraw.

“Can’t we force unfavorable conditions on the Priestess?”

“That’s up to the Phoenix Cult. I’m merely neutral and acting as a mediator in these negotiations.”

“That’s disappointing.”

However, it seemed they wanted to continue attacking the Priestess until the very moment of withdrawal. They moved their special envoy Steven, stationed in Seorabeol, to request that Bahamut establish an unfavorable agreement for the Priestess.

Fortunately for the Priestess, Bahamut declared neutrality and announced he would conduct fair negotiations. Steven had no choice but to back down.

With America’s tacit consent, Alicia’s mediation proceeded quickly, and the negotiation venue was…

“Buckingham Palace. The very palace the Lord Protector so desired.”

“Thank you for the teleportation, Lord Bahamut.”

Buckingham Palace in London… the official residence of the British monarch.

This choice would not only announce Alicia’s name to the world but also send a message about her serious mediation of the Phoenix revolution, while reassuring British citizens that their Queen was still alive.

Though it was inconvenient for the two French factions to travel to London, this inconvenience was quickly resolved by Bahamut preparing teleportation magic circles.

“It’s easy for me. The magic circles used will be destroyed the moment you return, so there’s no need to worry about security issues.”

Bahamut helped each faction’s negotiation team enter Buckingham Palace without interference using temporary teleportation magic circles. Each delegation completed their preparations in their assigned rooms and proceeded to face each other at the central balcony for negotiations.

Considering this an important negotiation requiring her personal attendance, the Saint of Orleans appeared on the balcony wearing magnificent armor.

Her splendid armor and incomparably beautiful appearance made people perceive her as a holy priestess, but unfortunately, her beautiful face was deeply marked with fatigue.

“So you’re the new Fire Priestess.”

“Hello, Saint of Orleans.”

On the opposite side appeared Teresa, wearing a neat nun’s habit with a red cloak symbolizing Phoenix’s flame.

The cloak, emblazoned with the Phoenix emblem, was so striking it drew everyone’s attention, and the eyes of the one wearing the red cloak seemed to burn like flames.

However, perhaps due to the fatigue of prolonged war, those flames now appeared more like smoldering embers than a blaze.

“I imagined I would speak words of hatred if I ever saw you, but rather…”

“It seems there isn’t much hatred between us. Or rather, we’re not in a position to hate each other.”

“Yes. More precisely, we must set aside our grudges because a common enemy has appeared.”

The two leaders looked at each other.

Just a few months ago, they had been rushing to stab each other’s hearts, but now there was only serenity instead of hatred between them.

They greeted each other warmly, as if meeting old friends, while mentioning their common enemy.

“I’ll admit it. My hastiness made the United States our enemy, and even worse, I was betrayed by the Lord Protector I trusted, bringing France into a major crisis.”

The Saint of Orleans took a step back in these negotiations, acknowledging her mistakes while shifting all blame to the Lord Protector.

The first statement was crucial, and seeing the Priestess swallow her pride and adopt a humble posture, Teresa smiled, believing the negotiations would proceed smoothly, and revealed her intentions.

“There’s no reason for us to fight each other anymore.”

“Yes. If we continue fighting, we’ll face mutual destruction in the worst case. I admit that.”

When Teresa mentioned there was no reason to fight, the Priestess emphasized the risk of mutual destruction and stressed that further fighting would be futile, while simultaneously…

“If we can make concessions to each other here, I wonder if we can find a compromise. What does the Phoenix Union think?”

“Concessions?”

The Priestess began to express her true thoughts, saying that if both sides made concessions, they could find a compromise.

“The achievements you’ve built up until now. Yes, though it pains me, I’ll recognize them all. If you acknowledge Paris’s supremacy and withdraw cleanly, this peace treaty will end very smoothly.”

She was requesting to preserve what she currently had, while offering to recognize all the intangible benefits the revolutionary army had gained so far.

For Teresa, having their revolutionary struggle fully recognized was already a sufficient gain from this war, but…

‘I’m feeling a bit greedy.’

She was seized by the desire to end the negotiations on even more favorable terms if she pressed the Priestess here.

With such concessions being offered, shouldn’t she gain something more?

Moreover, since the other side had requested recognition of Paris’s supremacy as a condition for peace, she could make at least one demand.

“Then what can you offer us?”

“What do you want?”

So Teresa…

“Then please recognize our revolution.”

She wanted this revolution to be acknowledged as legitimate.

She believed this would honor the lives sacrificed for the revolution.

Teresa wanted to preserve the purity of the revolution initiated by the Phoenix Cult, but…

“…I don’t like that. I don’t want to call it a revolution. We want to conclude that we resolved and compromised on the rebellion you committed.”

The proposal was firmly rejected as it was linked to the extension of the Priestess’s regime.

While speaking in a coldly composed voice that she could not recognize the revolution…

“If the Phoenix Cult demands something else, I am prepared to consider that proposal and accept it rationally.”

“Hmm.”

She left room for compromise, saying she could accept anything else.

When the Priestess rejected this proposal while leaving room for compromise on other matters, Teresa began to contemplate.

If the Priestess had firmly rejected everything, signs of division would have immediately appeared, but since she left room for negotiation on everything except that one point, Teresa didn’t feel the need to forcibly break the negotiations.

If there was a proposal that could satisfy the Phoenix Union forces, excluding one that would topple the regime…

“Then, is it possible to establish guilds to protect regional interests?”

“Ha. You’re saying you want to create legitimate warlords.”

It was about establishing guilds as interest groups to protect regional interests.

Though this was a system that had long collapsed in modern times, Teresa requested the Priestess to allow the establishment of guilds to protect regional interests, which the Priestess mocked as creating legitimate warlords.

But…

“I don’t mind.”

“Eh?”

For some reason, the Priestess readily permitted the establishment of guilds.

The Priestess surely understood that if military power emerged in the regions, it could oppose the central government, yet she inexplicably accepted Teresa’s proposal.

Teresa, who had intended this proposal as a sort of check, was perplexed, but from the Priestess’s perspective, she considered it an inevitable fate.

‘Eventually, guilds protecting the interests of the Awakened will emerge regardless. Even in Seorabeol, which is already transitioning to an Awakened-centered society, numerous guilds have been born internally, causing incidents. In other words, this is an unstoppable social change.’

Yes, as time passed, the number of Awakened would gradually increase, and powerful Awakened would establish their own guilds to protect their interests from the government.

Sooner or later, the government would be unable to prevent Awakened from gathering for their interests, so the Priestess’s plan was to quickly formalize this and bring it under government control.

“But as you know, this strengthens regional independence. So I think I should leave an official document acknowledging the central government’s supremacy.”

“T-that’s certainly possible.”

But from Teresa’s perspective, it seemed like a deliberate concession.

When the Priestess spoke as if making a major concession and requested recognition of central authority, Teresa accepted without any resistance.

“Regarding this matter, our staff will draft the initial agreement. If we contract using the special contract Lord Bahamut developed, this agreement would be more trustworthy.”

“Are you referring to the Geass Scroll?”

“Yes. In exchange for the central government permitting the establishment of regional guilds, I want the regions to acknowledge central supremacy through a magical contract.”

As the negotiations were wrapping up smoothly, Teresa mentioned the Geass Scroll developed by the Dragon God Bahamut to finalize the contract.

It was a proposal to sign a sacred contract that no one could violate, and the Priestess began to contemplate this suggestion.

From Teresa’s perspective, it was a proposal to check the Priestess who might later pressure the regions with different words, and the Priestess, who was certainly aware of this mysterious contract, began to consider it, but…

“Alright. Let’s make the contract.”

After consideration, she decided to allow it.

The Priestess, who had raised her evaluation of Teresa, swore to sign the contract that imposed rules to give her counterpart confidence.

“Then, in the name of the Dragon God Bahamut, I will observe and mediate your contract.”

There was no problem since there was a safeguard preventing both sides from doing anything suspicious.

The name of the Dragon God was a weighty law, and the moment anyone discovered manipulation of the contract…

“Lady Alicia, this contract is not equal for both parties.”

“Then I authorize modifications.”

The moment this was reported to Alicia, who had volunteered as mediator, it could be immediately corrected under her observation. Both staffs began meticulously examining the contract and drafting the initial agreement.

“With this, the draft of the Geass Scroll is complete. In a few minutes, I will provide you with a copy of the Geass Scroll. After reviewing it with your staff, if both sides find no issues, we will formally conclude the contract two days later after announcing this to the public.”

Thus, the draft contract was completed, and the first round of negotiations concluded successfully.