In the conference room, the formal talks were finally about to begin.
...Before that,
"Here you are."
A lady's maid made the rounds, setting tea before everyone present.
"Mm. Well done."
The Duke thanked the lady's maid and took a sip of the tea.
Almost simultaneously, Chancellor Bayax Gear and Foreign Minister Ben Lutraga also tasted theirs.
"You may drink as well."
The Duke then extended the offer to Gajue Tsuga's party.
"Thank you, we gladly accept."
Gajue Tsuga and his companions took a drink as well.
"This is quite delicious tea."
"...Is it not?"
The Duke nodded emphatically.
Gajue Tsuga glanced sideways toward Manon. She gave a subtle wink with her left eye.
This was their agreed-upon signal, confirming the tea had not been laced with any drugs or poisons.
"Now then, we did not gather here merely to drink tea....Chancellor, you will facilitate the proceedings."
"Yes, Your Majesty. Right away."
Clearing his throat with an intentional "Ahem," Chancellor Bayax Gear addressed the room once more.
"Well then, I declare the formal conference between the goodwill mission from Avalon and the leadership of the Jagus Principality open."
The Duke of the Jagus Principality offered a silent nod.
"First, to the envoys of Avalon: please state what it is you seek from our country."
So this is how the Jagus Principality conducts its talks, Gajue Tsuga thought with mild intrigue. Knowing it was time to focus entirely on negotiations, he echoed the Chancellor with a quiet throat-clearing of his own.
"Then allow me, Gajue Tsuga, to speak on our behalf....To begin, the fundamental philosophy of Avalon is 'world peace.'"
Hearing this, the Duke remained silent, but let out a derisive snort.
"Alongside that, we champion ideals such as 'coexistence and mutual prosperity' and 'mutual aid.' Our visit today is one part of that pursuit."
"I see. Quite the grandiose ideal," the Duke remarked with a cold smirk.
"Aiming high is all well and good. However, reality is not so accommodating. Peace? What even is peace? Put two or more people together, and they will almost inevitably come to blows. A world without conflict simply cannot exist."
The Duke pressed on.
"Therefore, everything you say sounds like nothing more than fanciful nonsense to my ears."
Gajue Tsuga, however, did not back down.
"What you say may indeed hold truth. Humanity may never truly rid itself of strife; perhaps that is simply our karma. Even so, we possess the capacity to strive toward our goals. And it is that very effort that possesses true nobility."
"Hmph. Pure platitudes."
Once again, the Duke scoffed.
"Strife, you say?...There is no notable strife within our borders, is there? It is tranquility itself. Our nation knows no conflict, nor does it harbor any disgruntled factions."
"...And yet, a dispute seems to be taking place with your neighbor, the Norha Principality, does it not?"
When Gajue Tsuga pointed this out, the Duke merely grinned.
"Domestic affairs and foreign affairs are entirely separate matters. I bear the solemn duty to protect, maintain, and develop my country and its people."
To the ear, it certainly sounds plausible enough, Gajue Tsuga mused.
"You mentioned development, did you not? Forgive me, but I would think meaningful development is rather difficult to achieve within a closed nation, is it not?"
"What?"
"Among the words passed down by the one known as the 'Magus,' there is a proverb: 'Three people together bring the wisdom of Monju.'...Monju is said to be a deity of knowledge and wisdom."
In truth, Manjushri Bodhisattva was not a deity but an enlightened Buddha; however, as the concept of a 'Buddha' did not exist in this world, he was referred to as a 'deity.'
"In short, it means that when people gather and pool their wits, those ideas can be elevated into something far greater. Which is to say, only by cooperating with one another can mankind reach greater heights."
The Duke, however, showed far more interest in a specific name than in the argument itself.
"Ho, the 'Magus,' you say? I have heard that name before. Tell me, what manner of person was he?"
It seems tales of the 'Magus' have reached the Jagus Principality as well, Tsuga realized.
With that in mind, he provided a concise summary of who the 'Magus' was.
"I see. He was truly a figure worthy of being called the 'Magus.'"
The Chancellor nodded, looking thoroughly impressed. It seemed that even here, the 'Magus' was regarded with deep respect.
"Even so, is living an affluent life truly a virtue?"
The Duke's tone turned skeptical.
"One could easily argue that material abundance is precisely what breeds the divide between rich and poor. Even as humans strive to enrich their own lives, they are creatures driven to kick down anyone in their path."
"...Your Majesty's views bear a striking resemblance to those of the Magic Federation."
Gajue Tsuga watched closely to see how he would react to the name.
"Hm, the Magic Federation? I have heard of them. You claim my thoughts mirror theirs?"
"Indeed. The Magic Federation rejected material civilization in pursuit of spiritual evolution. However, as living biological beings, humans are inherently tethered to the material. In the end, they could not truly cast worldly goods aside."
"...Ho. So that was their end, was it? How fascinating."
Exchanges of this nature went back and forth, broken only by a midday meal, as the conference pressed forward under a persistent veil of tension.
Back on Hourai Island, Laojun monitored the proceedings, carefully reviewing and analyzing the telemetry sent by Manon.
'For now, there appear to be no attempts to brainwash Gajue Tsuga's party.'
That had been its primary concern.
According to Laojun's analysis, it was suspected that one reason foreign merchants agreed to clearly one-sided trade agreements was due to subtle, low-level mental manipulation.
However, concrete proof had yet to be found.
'Hm. Given how many trace their origins back to Mitsuho or Fusou Island, it makes sense that the name of the 'Magus' is so widely recognized.'
What came as a surprise, however, was the Duke asserting that material abundance was what created the divide between rich and poor.
'Even so, it does not appear they have had any direct contact with the Magic Federation.'
Where the Duke had acquired such an ideology remained unknown for the time being.
'The Duke, the Chancellor, and the Foreign Minister are all still hiding their true colors.'
Laojun evaluated them as far more difficult negotiating partners than the other three principalities.
"Difficult," of course, for Gajue Tsuga and his party—not for Laojun itself.
Gajue Tsuga could also tell that the leadership of the Jagus Principality had yet to reveal their true intentions.
What Avalon had laid on the table consisted of two main points: one appealing to the Jagus Principality, and one undesirable.
The appealing offer was the transfer of technology; the undesirable demand was the renunciation of war.
Without knowing what the Jagus Principality ultimately sought, Avalon could not put forth any further conditions.
At this point, Gajue Tsuga decided to play one of his trump cards.
"Are you interested in the outside world?"
"...What?"
"Allow me to rephrase: do you have any interest in foreign exploration?"
"...And what if I say I do?"
"Then I would say: let us discuss how we might assist you."
And so began the second round of negotiations.