Chapter 214 - Episode 207: Ceasefire
Oscar Rhodeberg III accepts the proposal for a ceasefire from Princess Henrietta Lancel. He recognizes and supports the Princess and her faction as the next leaders of the national administration.
Upon hearing that answer, Baron Barthelemy let out a small breath, his face clearly showing relief. The two aides beside him, who had barely changed their expressions until now, also seemed relieved.
"...However, this is not unconditional. We have won two large-scale battles. And your country has bowed its head, wishing to end the state of war. In other words, we are the victorious nation. Therefore, His Majesty believes that you must demonstrate a corresponding intent to apologize as a nation."
As Noein continued, Baron Barthelemy tightened his focus once more after a momentary lapse.
"That is... quite reasonable."
"For the time being, we require no conditions for the ceasefire agreement itself. Since your Princess Faction Coalition likely wishes to focus its efforts on the fight against the Cadne faction. This is a consideration born of His Majesty's goodwill."
"Thank you. Princess Henrietta will surely be grateful for the consideration of His Majesty Oscar Rhodeberg III."
Of course, Oscar was not concluding an unconditional ceasefire out of pure goodwill. He had simply judged that it would be better to let Princess Henrietta's faction—which took a moderate stance toward the Kingdom of Rhodeberg—seize control of the Kingdom of Lancel quickly, and then take what needed to be taken afterward.
Noein had been informed of this intent by the King, and Baron Barthelemy and the others likely realized it as well, but in this setting, they spoke only in formalities.
"The conditions His Majesty requires will be set after Princess Henrietta ascends to the throne of the Kingdom of Lancel, grasps actual power, and formally concludes a peace treaty with the Kingdom of Rhodeberg. We wish for you to guarantee the conditions of this peace treaty now."
"...Please, let us hear those conditions."
"There is one major condition we wish for you to promise certainly. To put it bluntly, it is reparations. The amount is 1 billion Rebro."
"!!"
Baron Barthelemy and the two bureaucrats gasped. It was only natural. If the positions were reversed, Noein would have made the same face.
For example, Noein's projected income for this year—combining tax revenue from the people, profits from the mines, the processing and sale of oil and sugar, and the export of weapons to other territories—was roughly 50 million Rebro.
However, from this, every expenditure necessary for territory management is deducted. After subtracting personnel costs, military expenses, maintenance costs for city walls, roads, and public facilities, and support costs for immigrants, the money the Arqvist family could purely use would likely be less than one-fifth.
Furthermore, from that, living expenses to maintain their standing as nobles—such as mansion maintenance, servants' wages, and social expenses—are spent, so the money Noein and Clara could use as they pleased in the true sense would barely remain at 1 million Rebro.
The Arqvist territory's economic situation is quite peculiar compared to general noble territories, but even so, the income of a mid-sized noble house is around this level.
Compared to that, the amount of reparations demanded by the Kingdom of Rhodeberg was truly on a national scale. It was equivalent to approximately one-third of the estimated annual budget of the Lancel Royal Family in peacetime, as inferred from the population. No, since the Duschen, the currency of the Kingdom of Lancel, is slightly lower in value than the Rebro, it was effectively more than one-third.
Reparations exceeding one-third of a budget that includes the cost of maintaining royal prestige, military expenses, stipends for court nobles and civil officials, and public works costs. For Princess Henrietta, who faces the task of rebuilding a worn-out society after seizing domestic control, it was an enormous burden.
"Of course, His Majesty is aware that it is realistically impossible to prepare such a sum of reparations suddenly at the time of the peace treaty. We wish for it to be paid in installments over five years, starting from the year following the treaty. He has stated that he is prepared to accept payment in kind if consulted."
Hearing this much, Baron Barthelemy and the others showed clear signs of relief.
Noein felt this was still a reasonably harsh demand, but in an unofficial private letter from Oscar, he had been told that in order to satisfy the southwestern part of the kingdom, which had been plagued by the Kingdom of Lancel, it was necessary to squeeze out this much money.
The reparations were not demanded for the King to line his own pockets. Much of it would be poured into the complete reconstruction of the southwest.
Among the aide bureaucrats, the civil official whispered something into Baron Barthelemy's ear. The Baron nodded to this and spoke to Noein.
"...Under those conditions, Princess Henrietta will likely consider it positively. As I am merely a messenger, I cannot say anything certain yet."
Likely, the civil official who just whispered had anticipated that the Kingdom of Rhodeberg would claim reparations and grasped how much the Princess Faction Coalition could tolerate. 1 billion Rebro over five years was within expectations.
"Yes, I understand... Besides the reparations, there are detailed demands such as the redrawing of border lines, limits on the scale of the army you station at the border, and tariffs for the next few years, but the details are in this personal letter. Please deliver it to Princess Henrietta."
"Yes. Understood."
Opposite to the previous time, Baron Barthelemy politely received the personal letter offered by Noein. With this, Noein's work as a messenger was finished for the time being.
"For the harmony of both nations and the normal restoration of diplomatic relations, Her Highness Henrietta will surely grant her consent."
"Yes, His Majesty also hopes for a favorable reply."
Since Baron Barthelemy sought a handshake, Noein responded while wearing a perfect fake smile.
"...By the way, how is the war situation?"
"As it is military information, I cannot speak in great detail... but we believe our victory is unwavering. The former military clique nobles defecting to the Princess Faction Coalition increase day by day, and the Cadne faction seems unable to even mount an organized resistance. In my personal opinion, Princess Henrietta will likely ascend as Queen by next spring."
In other words, even subtracting the preparation period from the end of the war to the coronation, the internal strife would likely end around this winter.
The Cadne faction's military clique had already been weakened, and the defecting nobles were joining the Princess Faction Coalition's strength as they were. Moreover, since Noein and the others had rendered Cadne himself incapable of recovery, there was no longer any chance of victory for him.
"That is good to hear. Both as the Kingdom of Rhodeberg and as an individual, I sincerely wish for the victory of everyone in the Princess Faction Coalition."
"Such encouraging words... I thank you."
One never knows how long friendship with another country will last, but at least if Princess Henrietta and the Princess Faction Coalition took over the national administration, the Arqvist territory bordering the frontier would obtain peace for the time being.
Though it was for their own profit, Noein supported them from the heart.
.....
About two weeks after Noein departed for the Kingdom of Lancel as a messenger. A personal letter from Princess Henrietta stating that she accepted the demands of the Kingdom of Rhodeberg arrived again, and this was once more delivered at full speed to the royal capital, Lichthagen.
Inside the personal letter Oscar Rhodeberg III had sent to Princess Henrietta Lancel, a pledge with a signature column was enclosed, showing that both parties agreed to the conditions of the peace treaty—such as the installment payments of 1 billion Rebro in reparations.
The system was that both parties would sign two identical pledges and each hold one, thereby considering the pledge exchanged, and with that, a ceasefire agreement would be concluded for the time being.
With this pledge also delivered to Oscar Rhodeberg III along with the personal letter, at the end of April, a ceasefire agreement was established between the Kingdom of Rhodeberg and the Kingdom of Lancel—formally, with Princess Henrietta and the Princess Faction Noble Coalition who were proceeding with the seizure of the Kingdom of Lancel.
The confrontation between the Kingdom of Rhodeberg and the Kingdom of Lancel, which had lasted for approximately ten years, showed a tentative conclusion here.
Regarding currency value and prices, please understand that I have prioritized clarity for the sake of the story.
The income of an ordinary noble is roughly "tax revenue (land tax, poll tax, transit tax) + a bit of business income (production of local specialties, managing shops, etc.)," but the Arqvist territory is a distorted territory where tax revenue per capita is quite low, while the lord's business income is extremely high, and conversely, expenditures such as military costs and territory development costs are enormous.
It is unavoidable in order to expand the scale of the territory rapidly in less than ten years since the start of reclamation, but Noein understands the distortion of their own territory and believes that as the population increases and five to ten years pass, it will become healthier.
Noein's current disposable income (money that can be used for living, socializing, and hobbies) after subtracting expenditures from income is roughly halfway between a standard Baron and Viscount.