Published: March 12, 2025
CHAPTER 547: Greatly Weakened
Interests, everything is for the sake of interests! The orc tribe launched this war for profit, while the church of light plotted against the orcs also for their own gains, and the Roson Empire was likewise motivated by interests.
Talking about feelings with these major powers is a completely foolish act. Even the straightforward orcs fight for benefits; if they gain nothing, who would willingly go to war? The orcs enjoy fighting because they can reap benefits from war, while humans dislike it because they see no gain. It's that simple.
The negotiations proceeded very smoothly. The beast king wanted this result; they needed food, affordable food, to secure more benefits for the orc tribe.
Of course, they were also aware that if they conquered the human race, they could obtain a continuous supply of grain. However, they knew full well that it was impossible to conquer the humans. They might gain some benefits in battle, but to conquer the humans is out of the question; the cultures of the orc tribe and the human race are too different. The orcs could not rule over the humans for long, so they preferred this agreement to sell grain at a fair price.
However, after discussing food prices, the orc tribe put forth another demand. They insisted on severely punishing the church of light since this war was instigated by them.
Regarding this request from the orc tribe, the representatives from various countries had differing opinions. Some sided with the church of light, while others did not.
But if they did not agree, the orc tribe would not leave and might continue fighting. Even if they ultimately drove the orcs away, what would they gain? Nothing at all, which was precisely what the representatives did not want to see.
After discussion, the representatives decided to initially agree to the orc tribe's demands. After all, once the orc tribe departed, they could do as they pleased.
After obtaining a satisfactory result, the orc tribe returned to the grasslands with a large amount of grain compensated by the Aksu Empire. However, matters for the human race were far from over.
The Aksu Empire was greatly weakened this time, but the Roson Empire could not aid the Aksu Empire for free. They weren’t going to help resolve a problem that the Aksu Empire had caused and then let it pass without any consequences. That was impossible.
Thus, the Roson Empire also raised their demands to the Aksu Empire. One was financial compensation, and the other was other demands. This time, the Roson Empire did not ask for monetary compensation; they only requested that the Versailles Principality be granted to the budah family as a fief.
The budah family was indeed a noble of the Aksu Empire, but the enmities and grievances between the Aksu Empire and the budah family were well known throughout the continent. People no longer regarded the budah family as part of the Aksu Empire.
However, despite this, the budah family still held a marquess title and a piece of land within the Aksu Empire, so if one were to consider it, they were still technically part of the Aksu Empire.
But the Roson Empire's request put the Aksu Empire in a difficult position. If they refused to grant it, the Aksu Empire was currently at its weakest, while the Roson Empire had suffered no losses and could use this as an excuse to seize territory. If that territory were located near Lifeline Canyon, the Aksu Empire would be in trouble.
On the other hand, if they agreed, they would effectively be allowing the Roson Empire to drive a stake into the Aksu Empire. Under such circumstances, the future for the Aksu Empire would likely not be pleasant.
Along with the Roson Empire, the other three countries also put forward their demands. They did not ask for land since they were too far from the Aksu Empire, and having an enclave would be of no use. Instead, they demanded huge financial compensation, which left the Aksu Empire unsure of how to respond.
This time, it wasn't just one empire pressuring them but rather four empires acting together. Even if they wanted to resist, it was impossible. Most importantly, their domestic military strength was nearly exhausted, which undermined their confidence in negotiations with the other countries.