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Lezzad’s suzerain, Claris is also antagonistic towards Gehenna’s and Nemes’ suzerains, Alto and Therbae respectively.

They are at odds with each other due to their competition on business influence and maritime trade.

The next two enemy countries are Persis and Povenia.

Hostility with Persis can be said to be only natural due to their history of having waged war against the Cretian city-stattes several times.

However, since Persis hasn’t yet reached the West Tethys Sea, head on collision with Lezzad is not possible.

On the other hand, such violent collision is possible with Povenia.

Povenia is just a stone’s throw away from the Adernia Peninsula. Furthermore, it’s fighting against the Cretians for control over Trisqueria Island which is located on the sea between the continent and Povenia.

Naturally, the three Cretian colonies on the Adernia, which also serve as the front lines against Trisqueria, are always under threat by Povenia.

But then again, it’s not like war is raging at the moment, so it’s not a pressing threat.

Last is Lezzad’s biggest enemy – the Belvedere Kingdom. Several microstates are packed on the area between the two states.

The reason for the existence of these small states is the chaos brought about the power struggles between the native Adernians plus the colonists from Cretia and Povenia.

Lezzad and Belvedere are vying for control over the area and the several small kingdoms in it. Since the influence of even the small states vary wildly depending upon the circumstances, no conclusion could be reached.

This is probably the reason why Lezzad wants an alliance with us.

The Belvedere Kingdom’s population is around 100,000. Their population is around 60,000.

Since a huge percentage of their national power is invested on the navy, their army is lacking strength.

As such, their odds of winning a full-on war would be slim at best.

The suzerain, on which they could call on for help, is on the look out for suspicious Persis movements so they won’t be able to help.

However, should they achieve an alliance with our country, things would change.

We would be able to attack from both the north and the south, surrounding the Belvedere Kingdom in a pincer.

At the very least, the Belvedere would be on too much alert against us that they won’t bother to unleash their full force against Lezzad.

This is probably what Lezzad is aiming for.

“We want to pass on the military alliance.

I kick Lezzad’s proposal.

You can see the despair on the MPs’ faces.

However, as if they’d expected such a response, they immediately raised their faces.

“Would it be possible to hear Your Majesty’s reason?”

“We do not want to stimulate the Belvedere Kingdom. It’s not like our country is antagonistic against them, after all.”

The Belvedere Kingdom is a neighboring country.

I don’t want to complicate relations with them.

I don’t want something building up on foreign affairs even though we haven’t even completed tidying up domestic affairs.

Even if, for example, the Belvedere Kingdom were a vastly inferior country compared to ours.

Besides, the merchants that come and go between my country and Lezzad would certainly need to pass through the Belvedere Kingdom. It would be grave if we were to be embargoed.

“Nevertheless, we won’t have any problems with being bound to a treaty of friendship. We would, however, declare that we would take a neutral stance on the territorial disputes between your two countries.”

“Neutral, is it……..understood. Let us first begin with friendly relations.”

I shake hands with the Claris Head of Parliament.

Friendly relations are very important.

However, saying something like starting from friends, it’s kind of like lovers, huh. It’s like ‘I like you so let’s first start as friends’ or something?

“Now then, regarding trade and commerce. When our merchants enter your esteemed country, they pay a not insignificant amount of duties. We would like to have these abolished.”

Lezzad gives the first terms.

In other words, they’re telling me to give Claris’ merchants special treatment.

While it can be said that custom duties are a major source of income, I’m currently monopolizing paper and salt. I also intend to monopolize whiskey and vodka.

Therefore, I think it’s fine to do away with these duties.

Even without them, we’d be able to profit from sales taxes, after all.

That way, with merchants vigorously coming to trade, our income would increase in the end.

However, it’s not like we’d be getting rid of it for free.

“Why not? In exchange, we’d request complete cooperation with regards to Cretian technology and manuscripts.”

“Understood, we’ll do our best in that matter.”

Now then, things are about as good as done.

What’s left is something quite like a freebie but….

“This is something we would like to request but only if possible….can you teach us about the state of affairs with Povenia and the East Tethys Sea? Although we have gathered a considerable amount of information, as expected, our country has limitations. We would be very thankful if you are to provide us with information.”

We already know, from information gathered from Cretian merchants, that Persis is constructing a large scale fleet and is performing large scale military exercises.

It’s rumored that a third Cretia-Persis war would break out before long.

Although the Adernia peninsula has quite the distance between the two powers, the influence of such a war is certain to reach the area.

If Cretia were to fall, then the structure of power in the Tethys Sea would be completely redrawn.

It won’t hurt to know more regarding the matter.

“Umm, understood. We will inform you as circumstances change.”

“Thank you very much. We are in your debt.”

As such, the talks with Lezzad come to an end.

Next in line would be Nemes and then Gehenna. We would also be visiting them and conducting talks on the same vein as Lezzad.

We aren’t going to be tied to a declaration of friendship with these two countries, but we’ll be getting provisions on customs, economics, technology, and human resources the same way as Lezzad. (Verify)

These two, not wanting to get one-upped by Lezzad, had proactively sent me ‘love calls’ when I became king.

“Uhm, we are heading for Gehenna after this, am I correct?”

“Yes, certainly we plan to visit Gehenna although it would be after Nemes. What about it?”

Ains asks out of the blue.

I thought he had known about our intention to visit all three countries long ago, but…..

“Please be careful about the tyrant of Gehenna, his Excellency Abraham.”

Hmm…I wonder what do we have to be careful about…….