Restart:Untalented Man-Chapter 525: Reactions
Mr. Paku left the mansion with disappointment while Riz looked at the retreating guest with a gloating expression.
The corners of the king's mouth curled ever so slightly. He didn't bother to hide his smug expression.
Mr. Paku's request- no, demand had been far too presumptuous. To actually ask a foreign king to do as he said, as if Ryntum were a subordinate nation? It really an insult.
Had this been a normal occasion, he would have directly ordered Mr. Paku to be arrested.
He may appear easygoing, often smiling, rarely raising his voice, but he did not tolerate being undermined, especially in his own palace.
Everything had its limits.
But considering the immense benefit the two countries will enjoy once Ryntum and Sidgean reach cooperation, he will let this offence slide.
Just this once.
....
The next day.
Riz called his foreign minister and conveyed the good news he received yesterday.
Michael was overjoyed. He ran off to his office and immediately began to draft the agreement.
Since they have concocted this plan for a while now, it didn't take long for Michael to prepare the documents.
Riz skimmed through all of them and found no glaring issues, so he told Michael to proceed.
All in all, he trusted Michael to handle the finer details. This kind of job should be left to the professional.
He only needs to keep a close eye on the process and occasionally review it.
The whole process took half a month to complete, which is a bit surprising.
He had initially expected it to be completed in a week at most, especially given the sense of urgency Mr. Paku had displayed during their last meeting.
That man had practically radiated impatience. But now, watching the pace slow down on the Sidgean side.
'I guess he still has brain cells left. Not all about the emperor's order all the time,' he thought.
Michael stood across from the desk, watching Riz's expression glow with satisfaction.
The agreement between Ryntum and the Sidgean Empire was no longer just a conversation.
Now that both sides have signed and the so-called sphere of influence has been established, Michael is curious about Riz's next move.
"What should we do next, Your Majesty?"
"Of course, we announce it," Riz said with a happy face.
Michael blinked. "Announce it?"
"Absolutely," Riz said with barely contained enthusiasm. "Let the world know. The so-called sphere of influence has been drawn. Let every nation understand the new game board they now play on."
Before Michael could respond, Riz had already summoned his secretary, "Send word to every news agency in the kingdom. I want them all notified. This news must hit every paper, every bulletin, every tavern wall. And I want it printed cleanly."
Without a doubt, many nations will be disgusted by this, but he doesn't care. As long as they know, his future actions will be justified to some extent.
....
Cerdeauxia.
News spread fast with the support of Riz. It reaches all the way to the neighbouring countries.
As expected, many people frown. Some become angry at the ridiculous notion of the sphere of influence.
They're all thinking that Ryntum is too arrogant.
"How dare they!" Walter Thompson, the president of Cerdeauxia, shouted. The midday sun made his anger soar higher.
In his hand, a crumpled newspaper trembled from the force of his clenched fist. The front page bore the bold headline:
[Ryntum and Sidgean Formalise Spheres of Influence, Cerdeauxia Among Divided Territories.]
Walter threw the paper. "What do they mean by putting us inside their sphere? Do we look like we bow our heads to them?"
The sound carried through the walls of his office, reaching the ears of the administrative staff outside.
A few heads turned, but none spoke. They understood the source of the anger all too well, and they shared it.
"Someone! Get me the ambassador of Ryntum here. I want an explanation!"
....
Blande.
In the lounge of Van Vernau's manor, an air of confusion and agitation settled over the gathered businessmen.
"What's going on? Haven't we settled accounts with them?" Van Vernau asked, bewildered.
Just like people in Cerdeauxia, he and his friends were equally confused. All of a sudden, they were told that they were under Ryntum's sphere.
Although the spread of news to Blande was slightly behind, the reaction was equally explosive.
"Hugo, do you know anything about this?" Van asked.
After all, Hugo is the only one among them who has a close contact with Ryntum.
Everyone in the room looked at Hugo.
But Hugo quickly shook his head, denying any involvement in this issue.
He knows nothing and doesn't want to be painted with suspicion.
"Whether he knows it or not, we now know Ryntum's ambition," said Lord Kempten, overlord of medicine.
Ryntum's emergence had hit his business hard. Thankfully, Ryntum has yet to reach many places.
But if Ryntum were to use this sphere to enter Blande's market with their goods, their family's decades of business would disappear.
Silently, Lord Kempten began to calculate in his head. His family business cannot collapse!
....
Barlia.
Meanwhile, Prince Baldwin of Barlia was also questioning the absurdity of the news.
To think Ryntum was crazy enough to announce that they were dividing the continent.
"What's going on with them? Are they trying to make enemies with everyone?"
"Hard to say? Maybe they got a wind of our secret cooperation with other countries? It was impossible to hide our move," replied Mark Donald, his trusted advisor.
He believed this news was a retaliation against them. Moreover, he had never heard Ryntum making contact with Sidgean before.
In some way, Ryntum was seen as arrogant by the upper echelon of other countries. They refuse to make friends with just anybody.
Its relatively young king had adopted a bold stance, disregard of the status quo.
"Be prepared." Prince Baldwin said. "There's no way they can redraw the map without a war."
The big war is coming. Even the old empire is moving.
