CHAPTER 2348 BATTLE OF RHETORIC
Rui could hardly believe the sheer audacity of the Britannian Prime Minister. The man had the nerve to travel all the way to the Shionel Confederation as a guest, seeking to make an ally of the nation, and then threaten to destroy everything Guildmaster Bradt had ever built.
He was brazen enough to not even be implicit with his threats as one often was in these circumstances. Instead, he very openly detailed what he would do to the Shionel Confederation if they chose to ally with the Kandrian Empire.
Unfortunately, he could get away with it.
This was what it meant to be the strategic leader of the East Panamic Treaty Alliance. The sheer amount of power and influence that he wielded was second to none. He could get away with acting unscrupulously, even to those that he needed to ally with to achieve his desired victory against the Kandrian Empire. And, as audacious as it was, it was a genuinely impactful opening statement. It shook the atmosphere and made a deep impression on the guildmaster. Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
Even now, the guildmaster's expression was grave as he considered the sheer gravity of the Britannian Prime Minister's words. Rui narrowed his eyes.
This was not good.
He could not surrender the flow of the conversation this easily.
"Threats do not change the facts of the matter." Rui's tone was strong. "You can threaten death and destruction all you want, but the fact of the matter is that you simply do not have the ability to fulfill your lofty threats. Not only are our Martial Artists superior to yours, we also have the power to foresee the future, which is an enormous tactical advantage that has already nullified your numeric advantage. We have extraordinary treasures that can empower our net war potential."
He peered straight into the eyes of the prime minister. "If you were capable of doing what you claim, then you would have won this war long ago. After all…"
A small smile cracked at the edge of his mouth. "Isn't that why you haven't attacked Kandria yet? You don't have the power to destroy Kandria, which is why you need allies in the first place."
Guildmaster Bradt was aware of this fact, falling into thought as he considered Rui's argument.
The prime minister merely directed an appreciative look towards Rui. "Correct. However, the difference is that the Kandrian Empire is not a commercial trading hub with a massive amount of trade flux. Flux that may as well be the lifeblood of this nation. We do not need to inflict direct damage on this nation itself to fulfill my threat. Just turning the outskirts of the country into a warzone will be enough to doom the Shionel Confederation and all its merchants."
Guildmaster Bradt directed a severe look towards the Britannian Prime Minister.
He was right.
The Emperor of Harmony had achieved resource-independence before the war even began, thereby getting rid of any liabilities that would hurt in times of war.
The same could not be said for the Shionel Confederation.
As a merchant nation, it required the trade flux to sustain its very foundations as a nation. Trade flux that would be completely disrupted if the East Panamic Treaty Alliance mounted a full-scale war against the Shionel Confederation.
In other words, the prime minister didn't need to directly inflict death and destruction. He just needed to choke and suffocate the nation with war, and death and destruction would follow.
It was a ruthless tactic.
Yet, not ineffective.
The guildmaster was highly inclined not to watch his company and nation suffer death by suffocation.
"Except, the only reason you want allies in the first place is because you cannot accomplish anything other than a devastating pyrrhic victory," Rui snorted. "And now I'm supposed to believe that you are willing to wage the all-out war that you have been avoiding all this time? Give me a break. If you were willing to do that, you would have attacked the Kandrian Empire by now."
"It does not need to be an all-out war." The prime minister shrugged. "All it needs to do is be just devastating enough to send a message to the other neutral Sage-level nations. After all…"
A smile emerged on his face. "It's not as though you have deep relationships with each and every leader in East Panama as you do with the good guildmaster here, do you?"
Rui maintained a composed expression that did not reveal so much as a hint of what was happening.
But inwardly, he understood the weight of the situation.
Even if it was not profitable in the short term, the prime minister intentionally did his best to ensure the Shionel Confederation would suffer, even if he had to suffer himself.
Doing this would leave an extremely deep impression on the others who were undecided.
It would serve as a powerful deterrent for those who were especially stubborn or those who had come to believe in the Kandrian Empire's ability to protect them.
When they saw the East Panamic Treaty Alliance smothering the Shionel Confederation to death, they would lose all hope in the Kandrian Empire's ability to defend them.
"Shionel Confederation, the Kandrian Empire is not winning the war for allies." Prime Minister Edward's voice was ominous. "Even if you win the Shionel Confederation to your side, it won't be enough. And what we do to this nation will ensure that not a single other nation will join the Kandrian Empire."
"You underestimate us," Rui growled. "You may try to spin your failures thus far anyway you want. But the fact of the matter remains. You attacked our allies and failed to accomplish anything other than highlight our tactical and strategic dominance. You deployed force after force to do their worst against our allies. And we beat them back every time."
Rui's gaze sharpened. "Every. Single. Time."
The Britannian Prime Minister could not deny this fact.
Rui's decision to highlight the pure facts made the prime minister's rationalizations seem like excuses to deflect them from the truth of the matter. However, that wasn't all that he needed to do. He needed to find a way to be as rhetorically effective as the prime minister.
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