Chapter 124: With Friends Like These…

- Crossroads, Merchant Lord Aste's Sector - Queen Laura's POV -

[5 Yea's, 3 Nea's, and 1 Present. Motion to increase combat readiness as per Section 13-4 of the Council Charter passes. Joint training exercises will be decided upon at a later date.] - Moderator

The resulting vote to increase combat readiness passed as expected. And, as expected, the nea's and present vote where exactly those that would be expected. The Nea's, with countries bordering the Church of Light controlled territories, were obviously wary of antagonizing their much more powerful neighbor too much. Despite this they had still not opted to join the rapidly expanding sphere of the Church's influence. Some had revolutionaries within their countries that were pushing for that very goal but, in spite their antagonistic attitude, they seemed to have no interest in giving up control of their state to the theocracy that would come. I knew it wasn't from any altruistic tendencies however, they were just afraid. Afraid to lose power, afraid to die. And that fear would force them to follow along with the rest of our little group in defending our sovereign territories. The ones that didn't? Well, we'd have plenty of opportunities to remove them in the few years we had left.

[May I speak?] - Queen Laura

[You may. Queen Laura de la Anguis has the floor.] - Moderator

[I thank you. Ahem, noble colleagues, I asked you here not only to raise the combat readiness of all of our territories against the rising Church threat but to also discuss finally ending the threat that the Church poses. What I propose, rather than just responding defensively, is to take the fight to them in the coming battle. To finally end the threat that these continued aggressors pos-] - Queen Laura

Finally done with enacting the bare minimum preparation I asked for the floor. This wasn't enough, what had been done was the same as had always been done in the past. A small-scale conflict at our edges where we trade a few blows and the Church gives up, satisfying their populace that they've killed the "supposed" Demon Lord. In the past we'd generally treated it as a minor issue, mostly because pushing it into full scale war would be vastly more costly, but this time was different. Even if the target this time weren't my niece, I was aware that this push was against the actual Demon Lord. This time wouldn't be a short war with minimal losses on either side, it wasn't going to be something we could only be half prepared for. If the Church knew of my adorable niece's identity, and it was likely they did as we had never actually captured the traitor, then they wouldn't give up easily this time. No, this time would be an all-out war for survival. And even if I were willing to give up my adorable niece to those fanatics, which I wasn't, this wouldn't end with that this time. I knew it.

[Are you insane?!? Are you seriously suggesting an all-out war on the headquarters of the Church?!?] - Delegate of Ignavus, Viscount Nominare

[You are out of line Viscount Nominare! You may speak after Queen Laura de la Anguis has finished! And not before! Now is not the time for open discussion!] - Moderator

[Tch...!] - Delegate of Ignavus, Viscount Nominare

Interrupting me with wide eyes was one of my least favorite politicians that I had the misfortune to know. Viscount Nominare, the delegate of a medium sized country to the east of Abelis, was a rotund man that was overfond of a sickly-sweet smelling perfume that tended to fill whatever room he happened to be in. He was also well known as having one of the few allowed trade routes to a Church controlled state. Heavily regulated of course. Unfortunately, that meant that he also had financial ties to certain Church higher ups as well as an economic incentive to keep the war with the Church as small as possible.

Despite this he was at least moderately trustworthy as he had lost several sons and a daughter to the Church in one of their internal purges nearly 20 years ago. They'd apparently been vacationing in one of the rural cities to the South when they'd been caught up in said purge. Officially it had been deemed an unfortunate accident, but the man had never forgiven those behind it since. Just as unfortunate however, the man was an irredeemable coward.

[Please continue Queen Laura de la Anguis.] - Moderator

Clicking his tongue at having his interruption brought to a premature end the Ignavus delegate sat down roughly, his chair creaking from the impact of his weight.

[Thank you. Now I know that this move will cost us many lives, the heavy toll of a defensive conflict is already staggering. But we may have no choice but to make our move now. Councilwoman Gorvi? If you would?] - Queen Laura

[May I?] - Delegate of the Labyrinth City, Councilwoman Gorvi

[You may.] - Moderator

Once more having the floor yielded to me, I turned to the one that I would be counting on in the following discussion. The Labyrinth City, also known as The Maze, The Endless Dark, and countless other names, was the remains of an ancient civilization of pre-history. Impossibly vast it had never been fully explored and there were rumors that the lower levels reached into the world of the dead. While those rumors were obvious nonsense it was true that the Gnome's that had taken possession of the ruin nearly 1,000 years ago had gone from a relatively minor tribe to one of the most powerful on the continent as well as the leading provider of magi-tech and alchemy. There were even rumors that they had secretly squirreled away an otherworld engineer. Although I'd always thought of that rumor as only being hearsay before the birth of my niece and the revelation of where she'd come from. I'd have to ask about that in a private setting the next time I visited the Head Scientist.

[Thank you. Now, as we all know, Human countries currently make up a minority of the population on Miscalis. With no disrespect to the esteemed members that are present here of course.] - Delegate of the Labyrinth City, Councilwoman Gorvi

[Hmph! Get on with it and spare us your platitudes.] - Delegate of Ignavus, Viscount Nominare

[Understood. Well then, I'll get right to the point. The Church has an Engineer on their side.] - Delegate of the Labyrinth City, Councilwoman Gorvi

[Wha?!?] - Delagate of Kel, King Beta Kel

[Is this true?!?] - Delegate of Jut, King Al Jut

[I'm afraid it is. You are, I'm sure, aware of how much reverence our religion places upon Engineers? We would never mistake the signs of one of our most holy persons on this world. All the evidence we've found points to the existence of an otherworlder besides a Summoned Hero.] - Delegate of the Labyrinth City, Councilwoman Gorvi

[By the stones. An Engineer in the Church's hands!] - Delegate of Jut, King Al Jut

[What horrors could they build with those fanatics funding on of them?] - Delegate of Kel, King Beta Kel

[...] - Delegate of Ignavus, Viscount Nominare

The reactions of those present was warranted. The last Engineer that had reincarnated had brought the technology of the continent forward a few hundred years, according to the person themselves, but he was also said to have refused to create powerful weapons for the various nations back then. At the time it had been my grandmother, Queen Lauren de la Anguis, that had ruled. My mother hadn't been more than a babe new to her scales at the time but apparently the person himself had requested asylum from those that attempted to use his expertise for their own military gain. The subsequent contributions to the region around Anguis as well as connecting all of our major cities via train had been a direct result of his help. If one was helping the Church...

[Now that we are all on the same page, I hope you can understand the urgency. None of us were alive when the last Engineer greatly assisted each of our nations, but we've all heard the stories from our elders of the Engineer's vast knowledge. If the Church has one under their control...] - Delegate of Anguis, Queen Laura de la Anguis

[...] - Delegate of Ignavus, Viscount Nominare

The topic decided we moved on to other issues, such as joint training and trade agreements before ending for the day. We'd continue the next day with discussions on the various land agreements in reference to the newly obtained vassal-state of Anguis. While we ultimately were owed the rights to the land itself our various treaties would determine how the resources; gold, silver, lumber and the like, would be traded in a fair and equitable manner. The look on the Ignavus Delegates face as we left worried me however. I'd have to keep an eye on the coward to make sure he didn't try anything stupid. Same with that damn King Leo and his nosy harem. So many enemies, and some within my friends.