Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 192: Arc 4, Act I, - 37: Uneasy Alliances

"What’s the next course of action then?" Daiyu looked left and right.

"I can assist with a reply, if you’d like?" Hotaru raised her arm.

"Do we even want to reply to that?" Daiyu squinted.

"I," Feyan nodded slowly, "I suggest we do my lady... They clearly do not want to talk on any other terms..."

"Well here’s the thing," Jotou put her elbows on the table, "Entitled as he may be, it proves one thing. Trailon’s scared of what Cravolta can do if pushed and is scared of the consequences if they don’t comply."

"You’re telling me it’s a tough guy act?"

"That’s exactly what I’m tellin’ you, Xia Lan Daiyu," Jotou rested her head on the back of her palm, a subtle smile beginning to paint itself.

"And I hate you too," Daiyu rolled her eyes.

"The Thundering Blade speaks true your majesty," Count Khalim adjusted his metallic green monocle, "The letter speaks for itself.

If it were to descend into a scorched earth policy, which heaven forbid happens, Cravolta has nearly five times the land the Trailon Regime possesses and twenty times more the resources.

Strategically, it would benefit no party, but would be more of a detriment to the Regime than Cravolta in the bigger picture."

A loud chuckle echoed, "It is no wonder why her face seems to have emboldened," the archduke glanced to Jotou, "Trailon accepting to negotiate is akin to a child bargaining with a parent’s punishment because they know they are guilty."

"In other words, we have them right where we want them," Fumeko rubbed her hands.

"So... we can reply and deny some of their demands?" Daiyu queried.

Hotaru hummed, "We can try to push our luck, make a few demands ourselves and deny some of theirs..."

Jotou shrugged, "I bet that they’d reply with something along the lines of, ’Hmph! Whatever, we’ll agree; not like we want to, it’s for your sake. Yeah we’re tough, we got everything figured out’," her voice mocked.

"But... I wouldn’t suggest it, just in case," Hotaru added.

Jotou gave a glance to Hotaru, "Took the words right out of my mouth," before turning back to the rest, "No point trying to provoke them right now; that’s best left for later.

For now, we’ll just accept and when we get to talking, then we can humiliate them. Much more fun to see their faces not behind letters that’ve probably been rewritten a hundred times.

And we can do much more with that information too. Act like you’re scared and willing to cooperate in the letter, but it’s just a façade."

"I like the paranoiac’s idea," Fumeko raised her brows.

"I don’t like it... This prime minister better know what tree he’s barking up and I’m not gonna ’act scared’ for this prick," Daiyu glared to the letter in her hands as a purplish gem-like ripple flashed in her eyes, from the pupils to the corners.

"We can simply take the neutral option here and reply tolerantly, no need for aggression or false aggression," Feyan replied.

"I think that’s the best too," Hotaru nodded.

"Well princess? Both your royal advisors have culminated quite the plan, do you trust in their wisdom?" Jotou smirked.

"I do actually," Daiyu half-closed her right eye, "You’re getting a little too confident there loser."

"Why wouldn’t I be? I scolded the council into a decision to be patient, we get the best possible reply and I’m in the right~

We’ve pushed Trailon into a position where they’re being cautious and I can only hope that they’re pissed right now. I’m just relishing this while my lucky weather brings a cool rainforest chill," spite really did run that mind of hers.

Arabella signed to the room.

The archduke watched, "She is requesting that if this is the final decision, that we should agree and send escorts. Probably the Royal Guard?"

"Well, not quite yet... There’s still the council breathing down my neck and we’ll have to tell them."

"Not exactly that either," Jotou sat upright for a moment, "Inform them, that’s a must. But you can ’force’ a decision, can’t you? If you’re sure about this, you can just say it’s being done. Over half of the council needs to go against you."

"And now’s the moment to do that. They wouldn’t really go against you after the whole count and countess incident," Fumeko seeded in, catching onto the blonde’s ploy.

"...You’re, huh," Daiyu blinked a few times, "Yeah. This is an important decision and I think it’s my final decision."

"If you are, confident enough to use your supreme vote your majesty, it only emboldens me to support this decision. I believe myself that this is to be the best course of action," Count Khalim voiced.

"As do I," the archduke beamed.

"We have the dates, so we can inform the news outlets after the reply reaches them too," Jotou put a hand out, "And we’ll inform the public of the count-couple, so that the world knows what’s going on. Daiyu can finally speak her piece."

"And of course, the decision of stripping them of their titles which I think the council would unanimously agree upon," Feyan took notes. "So, these matters will be brought up in tomorrow’s meeting?"

"Perfect," Daiyu felt her shoulders relax, like boulders had been taken off.

"I can also help you write any formal announcements," Hotaru had already absentmindedly began jotting down.

"I’ll definitely take that."

"And, I can uh, assist in contacting those who will spread said announcements my lady," Feyan competed slightly.

"Does this mean we’re condemning the count and countess to rot for eternity down there...?" Fumeko twisted her lips.

Daiyu glanced with her half-eyed glare, "Obviously..."

’Actually...’ "The matter of the poisoning and the whole treason predicament, is pretty much only known to the council for now... Maybe we should keep it that way...?"

Arabella glanced to Jotou, furrowing her brows till she squinted.

"The hell are you talking about Jotou? They’re lucky I don’t shame them publicly in pillories for people to throw tomatoes at," Daiyu swivelled her head.

"I get it psychopath, they tried to poison me too-"

"I don’t wanna hear any buts in that sentence," Daiyu glared.

"I think what Jotou’s getting at is, if you inform the public of the ordeal of the count and countess, that information’ll also spread to Trailon.

With them arriving to Tamara Palace to ’negotiate’, if they or the public knew that there’s turmoil in the palace, Trailon’ll take advantage and the public might be questioning success," Hotaru worded.

Daiyu went silent... as did Feyan who was ready to protest the idea... "It is a sensitive topic, it may endanger the plans we have," the archduke weighed in.

’Uh, not what I was getting at, but true too... Thanks Aru.’ "That’s not the only factor. We can have the two of them adhere to your commands.

She did plead guilty and is against Trailon, we know that’s true at least. This isn’t a fight, it’s a passive-aggressive discussion with hidden agendas; who better to take pointers from?

The more brains on this the better, right? We don’t need to excuse them, but if we’re just gonna leave them down there, might as well try to use them; especially against Trailon and for Cravolta, they might just agree."

Daiyu pouted and pondered... Her face twisted and churned, debating in her head. It would not hurt to try... And if Jotou is wrong? Well, that was just another thing to tease him for the rest of his life with... "Feyan?"

Feyan faced Daiyu, "...While I do think giving the count or countess any sort of idea that we might be depending on them by even a modicum amount, disturbs myself slightly...

I believe the Thundering Blade’s judgement and yours my lady. This is a discussion with a foreign enemy, which, neither of us have any proficiency in. If we can all agree to speak to them?"

Everyone nodded gently, in agreement. Arabella kept staring at Jotou... though she hid her glare now. She nodded as well, albeit a little disgruntled.

"I was a friend of the queen, your late mother," Count Khalim mourned for a second, "And we used to deal with matters of battle strategy.

I do not excel in matters such as political discussions and international engagements while I will still provide my input.

Count and Countess Keya were excellent hosts and often outclassed any, in matters of presentation, entertainment, social graces and opulence."

Daiyu half-closed her right eye, "You’re putting them and social graces in the same sentence...?"

"I must agree princess," the archduke chuckled. "They may have shown their true colours now, but they were quite extravagant with their displays. The countess more so than the count I have to admit."

"Ara?"

Arabella looked to Daiyu, before shrugging and cocking her head to the side. She nodded with pouted lips.

Daiyu sighed, "Fine... But only one of them, no need to key them both in. And if the countess was ’more extravagant’ then she should do," she finished with a grunt.

"Meeting adjourned for now then. Shall we visit the countess right away?" Feyan looked with half-lidded eyes.

"Probably best to get it over with," Daiyu puffed, pushing her chair back with a screech.

"Wah! Huh!?" Asobi raised her head from the table, her hat rolling across it; her eyes adjusted to the light.

"You slept through all of that?" Jotou turned.

"I didn’t wanna wake her up," Fumeko crossed her arms with glazed over eyes.

"Are you okay Asobi?" Hotaru stood up and walked over.

"I, uh," Asobi stretched her arms, "Sorry," she squeaked. "Politics make me sleepy... it’s so boring..." she told, not really much of a smile on her face.

Jotou knitted her brows. ’Something feels... off about her... hm, probably worried about nothing you paranoiac.’ "Well, wake yourself up, we’re gonna talk to a bad guy."

"Really!?" she popped up, "Can I be bad cop? Please!?" she beamed holding her wand tight.

’There she is.’ Jotou smiled.