Her Graceful War Song

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.

Both sides picked up the lists, their initial tense expressions gradually easing.

When there were significant mutual benefits, some issues could be negotiated, and those that couldn't could always be set aside for now.

With years of war having drained their treasuries, both kingdoms needed to recover. Based on Nerathia's own experience, they knew that focusing solely on agriculture while neglecting commerce was outdated. A balance of both was the true path to prosperity. After all, taxes on commerce were steep.

With Faelan's list in hand, both kingdoms agreed to temporarily halt the border discussions and return to their respective courts for further deliberations.

In truth, it was clear to everyone that this was a strategic distraction. Yet, they understood its purpose. Nerathia, with its thriving maritime trade, also sought to secure access to both kingdoms' goods.

This was Faelan's open maneuver, but all involved willingly stepped into it. Everyone stood to gain, and both kingdoms desperately needed what was being offered. The continued trade interests between the two kingdoms made it possible to resolve many of the issues with ease.

When negotiations resumed the following day, the topics had shifted.

Faelan spoke first, saying, "Disputes between neighboring kingdoms are inevitable, especially over border lines. Every kingdom faces the same challenge. But if this issue keeps dragging both of you into war, the losses far outweigh the gains."

Both sides nodded in agreement, recognizing the truth in his words.

From that moment, the tone of the negotiations changed. Gone were the endless repetitions of the past, and the discussions shifted to more substantive matters, focusing on where each side could make concessions.

There 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 day of talks.

The mountain range near the border would be split in half, with Everridge Mountain as the dividing line. Each side would establish its own border gate. Since trade was to follow each kingdom would also be responsible for maintaining roads on their side to accommodate caravans.

The agreement would last for twenty years, after which the border issue would be revisited.

With the border treaty signed, the two sides eagerly began discussing trade. But these talks were still only discussions-nothing could be finalized yet. Decisions

"Whi net

goods could be traded and which

were restricted were beyond the

authority of Carissa, Kendrick, or Davis. noveldrama

However, Orivenia was able to provide a list of goods and their prices, which they could take back to Starhaven.

Meanwhile, Orivenia's officials, both

civil and military, had mostly set aside their hostility toward those from Starhaven. Their respect for Lisandra had also grown significantly after seeing how this

profit. And the ones who would benefit first were the nobility and ministers, who all had ways to carve out a share for themselves.

agreement would bring realne

In the following days, Liam took the Starhaven delegation on a tour, showing them various workshops, medicinal herb markets, emerald mines, and livestock farms.