Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 349 Breach of Faith
Court Minister Gwen led a negotiating team to the border, where, as agreed, the two sides would exchange resources. Winterfell's soldiers gradually withdrew.

An announcement will be issued stating that the Arcane Empire has extended a helping hand and found the wandering Duke Rhodes. The North will remain under the control of the Salim family, but there will be reinforcements from the Arcane Empire. The two sides will reach an alliance to jointly resist Isildur.

The Arcane Empire appears to be militarily strong, but a declaration is still necessary; otherwise, it would lack a morally sound basis.

Regardless of the opinions of the continental nations, just considering the control of the northern border, if the Arcane Empire rashly occupies it, the nobles and commoners will not be convinced, and may even panic and flee. The Arcane Empire occupies territory but has no way to govern it.

The effect would be different if a puppet were supported, or if it were the successor of Salman who had ruled the North for hundreds of years.

Many free people at the bottom of society cannot distinguish between the truth and falsehood of the rumors. Those nobles lie every day just to maintain their rule. Even if they say that Rhodes is a traitor and a villain, isn't he still a duke recognized by the kingdom and a nobleman of mankind?
If we seek refuge with him, we won't be completely wiped out; we'll have a way to survive.

The kingdom, on the other hand, reasoned that Rhodes was, after all, a duke of the North, and that the Arcane Empire's assistance was only temporary. At least they hadn't openly ceded territory or paid reparations, and they'd gained a powerful reinforcement—why not?

It's obvious to anyone with eyes to see that the North is no longer defensible. If a large number of legions are tied down here, the Isildur army in the hills will advance unimpeded and once again attack the heartland and the capital. This time, without Sunset Fortress, what will they use to defend it?

The nobles in Parliament were also helpless; in these difficult times, they had no choice but to cut their losses and survive.

The Witcher Marshal was also in a hurry. It was said that Isildur had sent a golden dragon army to raid the valley, destroying many newly built barracks and turning many new recruits who had not yet seen the battlefield to ashes in the dragon flames.

This morning, I urgently ordered the cavalry legion to rush to the aid. In any case, the withdrawal here is a foregone conclusion. At that time, the Knight Commander will also pass through the Xilin Plain and head to the front line in the hills.

Gwen waited for about an hour, but the Arcane Empire's delegation still hadn't appeared. Just as he was getting impatient, a group of mages dressed in black robes came up from the snowfield. They were fully armed, and there weren't even any resource vehicles behind them. They didn't look like they were there to negotiate at all.

The leader was the orange-robed witch Medea, who was greatly promoted by the Void Cult after successfully bringing back the magic lamp and had become one of its high-ranking members. She was also in charge of the relevant matters for this meeting.

Of course, the so-called talks were more accurately described as accountability talks.

Gwen was somewhat bewildered: "Orange-robed witch, it's you? Where's the mage from the Ring Tower who was supposed to negotiate peace? And what about the promised resources? What does this mean?"

Medea smiled coldly, then cast a spell, revealing a magical image and telepathic message of the border city.

It contains scenes of Brody arresting Imperial citizens and enslaving them; scenes of spearmen mercilessly killing goblins in the city's dungeons; and records of human guards intercepting the United Merchants' vehicles and destroying their goods.

"My Arcane Empire, with good intentions and mindful of our thousand-year friendship with the Kingdom of Elton, extended a helping hand to find the wandering Rhodes, send troops to guard the northern border, and jointly resist Isildur's illegal invasion."

I never imagined that you humans would be so treacherous, not only ungrateful but also plundering the people of the Empire, forcibly seizing goods from the United Merchants Association, and creating conflict.

After deliberation, the Circular Tower cancelled its alliance decision. It dispatched the Lord of Gods and Monsters to punish the invaders and temporarily annexed the northern lands, placing them under the joint administration of Duke Rhodes.

Upon hearing Medea's words, Gwen was utterly shocked and repeated incredulously, "Impossible! Our generals wouldn't do that. There must be some misunderstanding."

I need to see the mage of the Tower of Circles! I need an explanation!

As the court ministers were speaking, they suddenly broke through the encirclement, activated their magical power to launch command arrows, and shot them into the sky with lightning speed to transmit a dangerous signal.

If Gwen still doesn't understand what the Arcane Empire is thinking by this point, then he has truly wasted his time as a court minister.

He didn't actually have any personal opinions; everything he did was to unite all forces and act as a mediator between Congress and the nobility. He understood many things clearly.

The Arcane Empire overturned the peace agreement, and its target is definitely Winterhold. The Knight Commander has just had part of his troops reassigned, and if he is attacked, he will likely be in danger.

"Your Arcane Empire is a disgrace to the Tower for your treacherous faith! You've abandoned your reputation for the sake of a single city. I wonder who will dare to cooperate with you in the future!"

Gwen had come to take over the duties, so he didn't bring many guards. He hadn't expected the Arcane Empire to suddenly back out. As a result, his men were quickly subdued by the Void Archmage, and there wasn't much bloodshed.

However, Gwen changed her previous timid demeanor and, even when bound, rebuked the other party for their lack of integrity.

Medea watched Gwen unleash a warning message spell but didn't intervene, showing no concern for its potential impact. "That's not something you should worry about. Our Arcane Empire is magnanimous. Even if you ambushed us, our envoy won't kill you rashly. We'll release you back to the capital to deliver the message."

But those atrocities committed by military leaders cannot be forgiven!

Upon hearing Medea's words, Gwen's heart skipped a beat, and she felt a sudden sense of panic.

The other party is so confident that they must have made all the arrangements. Winterfell is in danger!
……

Conrad stood atop Winterfell, overlooking the snowy plateau. In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, the human principality's city appeared so small.

He had visited the Principality of the North more than 10 years ago, where he was received by old Salman, drank with the heroes of the North, fought in the snow, and enjoyed the magnificent scenery of the North.

Although the duchy was showing signs of decline and was facing a shortage of talented young people, under the leadership of Duke Salman, it was at least able to unite and fight against external enemies.

Even a powerful dragon like the Arcane Empire doesn't dare to be too arrogant. In many trade and negotiations, both sides take a step back and give each other face.

If pushed to the brink, the Duke dared to lead the warriors of the North to the border, displaying an imposing and overwhelming force. The mighty Floodwave Swordsmen, clad in heavy armor, blended seamlessly into the snowy plains, vowing to defend their homeland to the death.

The kingdom has always said that the North is the toughest territory, and there's a reason for that.

The harsh, cold land is not a shackle that restricts heroes, but rather a rock that hones their swords.

But only a few years have passed, and everything has changed, leaving them with no choice but to cede territory and negotiate peace.

In times of peace, Rhodes would indeed have been a more suitable successor, but with the arrival of Isildur and the onslaught of chaos, the great ship of the North lost its helmsman and was ultimately destined to crash into an iceberg.

During this period of war, Conrad gradually learned some lessons. He concluded that if the kingdom was to survive and the human race was to continue, there had to be a strong hero to steer the ship, and that the hero could not be indecisive or have too many concerns.

Being meticulous and considering everything is not feasible in chaotic times.

When surrounded by hungry wolves, one must display the courage to fight to the death, defeating them so fiercely that they dare not retaliate. Even if it means death, one must take a piece of flesh from their opponent.

Without the courage to fight to the death, one can only be oppressed.

The nobles in Parliament are no good, the royal court is no good, and the Witcher Marshal can train troops, but he has too many concerns. Even he himself cannot completely ignore them.

The only way to save Elton is to rely on the rapidly growing next generation of generals to lead everyone into battle.

The old folks can only do their best to keep things going, helping the new generation of heroes hold on for a little longer.

This is the fundamental reason why he was willing to agree to Congress's request to withdraw his troops and cede the city.

The kingdom needs time, the heroes need time. Let him bear the infamy, and leave the credit to the young knight. There is still much to be done.

Weakness is not a mistake; rise and fall are the natural order. But Elton must have backbone and persevere until it rises again. Even if it is no longer called the Kingdom of Elton, the people of this land will still be able to carry on its ancient civilization.

Conrad felt a little gratified at the thought of the heroes gradually emerging in the kingdom.

Sumu lacks boundary stones, and this peace talks could provide him with some; Sir Murak is missing a speed-enhancing artifact, and the Knight Commander has requested the Congress to do its best to provide it; several powerful young men have also emerged in the south and west, all of whom are worth cultivating.

Just as he was pondering this, his cavalry guards rushed up to him.

"Sir Knight, there seems to be some unusual activity within the city!"

(End of this chapter)