There was good news and bad news.

　The good news first....
　Alexios defeated the enemy general David Barca.
　And that too, in the manner of some Genji or Seven Warring States general.

　The next piece of bad news is....
　The Barca family is on the defensive.

　What's wrong with this is that....

　We're not getting anywhere.
　That's not very nice.

　Me and Raimondo have had our heads in the sand.

　What I feared most was the great defeat at Triciceria...
　The next thing I feared was a stalemate in the war.

　Because.....
　Because the long-term game is a certainty.

　And the signs are showing.

　Already more than six months have passed since the war began, and autumn is coming to an end.
　That means winter the season of natural armistice.

　'We must replace the troops first Raimondo, make the arrangements.
　I know...

　Our country's soldiers are mainly self-made farmers.
　Naturally, if they are sent off the farm for more than a year and sent off to war, the mood of disgust will spread and our country's national strength will suffer.
　So we need to replace them in the winter.

　That's why we need to replace 100,000 troops in the winter.
　This is going to be a painstaking task.

　And besides.....
　There must also be compensation for holding them in the battlefield for so long.

　Without compensation, our own farmers will fall.
　If that happens, our country's military strength will be diminished.

　'We're losing sight of the endgame...'

　The scariest thing about war is that it will never end.
　It's a waste of money, it consumes people, and it wears down a nation's strength.

　There's nothing more wasteful than that.

　I never intended to fight Pofenia for the long haul.
　But....
　All I can say is that I was underestimated.

　At first, I thought that if we won lightly, the Barca family would back down.
　But they did not back down.

　They are after it.
　Our country's weakness is that our soldiers are not mercenaries.


　We are a mercenary military system, and that sucks.
　They say that, but it's not.

　That would be too narrow a view.
　Everything has its advantages and disadvantages.

　The disadvantages of the mercenary system are low morale, the possibility of rebellion, weakness, costly... etc.
　There's also a big advantage.

　That's that it doesn't matter how many people die, it doesn't hurt.
　You can keep hiring as many people as your finances allow.

　You can use them up.
　This would be the best military system for Pofenia, a country with a small population and a growing economy.

　Our country's conscription has great advantages such as high morale, strong and cheap.............................

　The nature of the country is that the country is creating an army by scraping itself out of the ground, and it can't be used up.

　Unless they can dig people out of the fields, like some northern country, but....
　Our country's population is not very large.

　'Your Majesty the King!
　You can come in now, Earl.

　I will allow Ial to enter.

　"Your Majesty!　Lord Azul Hanno is here!
　"...by Azul Hanno?

　At any rate, this is our chance.
　If you can get your side to make peace

　We can use that to our advantage.
　And besides....
　Maybe this will help us end the war.






　'Lord Azul Hanno, how can I help you today?
　I am here to propose a new peace treaty.
　...a peace treaty?　Why should my country, which is winning, tie the knot?

　And I'm going to try and tell you....
　Azul Hanno sighed and........

　'Your Majesty Almus, no more bellyaching. It is true that our country is suffering. But your country is suffering, too. Isn't it?　These negotiations are the last lifeline to peace.

　Oh my God....
　I knew you'd read it.

　Good. So, what are your terms?
　It's not that bad.

　The peace treaty proposed by Azul Hanno....

　"Both countries will return to pre-war conditions, the conflict will be treated as if it never happened, and the Strait of Mersina will be under the joint control of Romalia, Pofenia, and Persis.

　This was the case.

　This is.........

　Aren't you satisfied?
　I don't see how you can just roll over and pretend it never happened. ...our country is winning. If we don't get a piece of territory, or at least reparations...

　The nobles and commoners alike are not convinced.

　Our original aim was not to have the Strait of Mercia monopolized by a single Poffenian nation.
　We are not going to invade Trisichelia.

　Well, this treaty was the first step in the process....
　If it was before Bartolo was sent in, before the war was in full swing, I would have taken it easy.

　But.........
　The war is already in full swing.

　And the trouble with that is that there's a pervasive mood of disgust among some of the chief ministers, including me....
　The Senate, the commoners are willing to do it.


　If we win this war, we will get the territory. The more territory you get, the more land you have to allocate. The more land we get, the bigger the farms we can run.

　And the nobles in the Senate are the ones who think that.

　And.........
　If the wealth from reparations and looting comes around to them, they will be richer.

　It's the commoners who think that.

　Until now I have not monopolized what I've gained from the war and shared it with the aristocrats and commoners in the Senate.
　That's why our country has been transformed into a military state.

　This time the bill will be paid.

　''But, Your Majesty. This is my limit too. The Barca family........no, excuse me. The idiot family members said, 'If we take this to an endurance battle, we can win. They don't have a navy. Except for cutting off our supplies, they have no chance of winning, but there's no way they can beat our navy. Even this peace plan has many opponents. I'm sure you can understand that.

　I mean....
　So Pofenia is in the same boat as us.

　"Your Majesty, let's end this now. The only person who benefits from our conflict is the Empire of Persis. It would only make Emperor Xerxes laugh out loud. And my country is a republic. And your country is a monarchy, but with a republican aspect to it. I believe we can coexist.

　'Lord Azul Hanno I agree with you.

　When I say that, Azul Hanno's eyes light up.
　But.........

　But we can't just nod our heads here and now.
　'Why?!　A king as good as you would understand. If we can't end it here, the war won't end!　It's going to take both our countries down!　You should be able to silence the nobles and commoners. You have that much power. If it's your decision, the people of this country will agree with you!

　Azul Hanno is right.
　Indeed, if we can't end it here, the war won't end.

　And .....
　I could easily subdue the opposition.

　This throne was built on war and purges and dead bodies.
　Yes, it will.
　Purge, crush the rebellion...

　I can finally get him under control.

　I could do it.
　But.....

　Azul Hanno.
　You have forgotten the most important thing.

　What our country's purpose was.

　"Even if we were to beat you here will you be able to hold House Barca down permanently?　As in this case, the Barca family will take the lead in the country and invade us, ignoring the agreement. Can you be sure that this will not be the case?

　That's not...

　Azul Hanno's eyes swim.
　After all, na........

　Our country's goal is the stability of the Mersina Strait.
　And it is not a temporary stability.
　We need permanent stability.

　Azul Hanno.....
　If you had come up with terms that were favorable to our country, I would have accepted this peace plan.

　That's how powerful you are.
　But in the end, this ... hand plan.

　It's proof that the main warring faction is not being suppressed.

　"Are you going to repeat the same thing over and over again?　Mister Azul Hanno, may I?　I trust you, but I no longer trust the country of Pofenia. It's a thing with two faces, with a split national debate, with claims and actions that change from time to time. Peace with one of them will mean nothing if the other one is willing to fight. .........Please, let me trust the country of Pofenia.

　Azul Hanno shushed him.
　And.........
　He put the peace plan on the table and stood up.

　'This winter you have until the end of the natural truce to make a decision. ''Your Majesty, may I?　You cannot defeat our country. You can't beat Cecil Barca. That fool is only strong in war.

　With that, Azul Hanno walked away.

　Well.........
　I don't know what to do.

　Well, for now.

　'Bartolo, I'll have to call Alexios.

　Let's hear it.