Capítulo 455: Siege on the Quiton Gates (10)
"That's the main problem. We don't have a way to confirm their intentions, nor do we have a way to enforce any agreements from our side. It's a one-sided exchange. Under these circumstances, it's too dangerous to enter an uncontrolled negotiation with the Featherwind Sect. It could be a plot."
"Does the Zino Kingdom have any binding methods like the Nine Regrets Reincarnation spell?" Imperian Qiang looked at General Petra and Elizabeth.
"Not that I am aware of," General Petra replied curtly.
"I had never heard of contract-type spells until the birds mentioned it. I don't think they exist in the Zino Kingdom. The Ten Dawns can attest to that," Elizabeth said.
"Could they have made it up?" Xiuying wondered. "We don't have proof that they're telling the truth after all."
"That's possible but…" The girl hesitated. At the same time, she started a telepathic conversation with Rena. She asked, (Teacher, what do you think?)
(About what?) the languid voice of Rena answered.
(Are contract-type spells real and has the Featherwind Sect been subjected to one? If so, how are they able negotiate with us? Were they really the ones who saved us in Liguang?)
(While I haven't heard of the Nine Regrets Reincarnation spell specifically, contract-type spells are both real and common. They're used primarily in the larger world to bind two parties to an agreement. It's the only way more powerful individuals can agree to anything. As for whether the Featherwind Sect was subjected to one, I couldn't tell. I said it before that my perception is limited to your perception. If you can't tell, then I can't tell either. However, I can say that the strength of a contract-type spell relates to how specific the conditions are. The more specific they are, the stronger the backlash will be.)
(The agreement between the Imperial Council and the Featherwind Sect is supposedly ambiguous. That was how they exploited the rules to negotiate with me in the Battle of the Maelstrom Gulf. Maybe they're still bound by the contract, but they've found a way to overcome it,) Elizabeth theorized.
(Perhaps. Contract spells are not infallible. They can be overcome or broken. Not to mention, the ones performing it are mere Grand Rank 2 Lords. The contract spells at their disposal must not be special.)
(Do you know any contract spells we could use? We might be able to use one to bind the Featherwind Sect into an agreement with us.)
(…No. My ability is limited to yours and you're not even a Rank 2 Lord yet. It would not end favorably.)
(What about the Ten Dawns? Could they mediate on our behalf?)
(The result would be the same since they're barely stronger than you,) she snorted derisively. (The Sword King could've done something, but not anymore.)
(So, we can't use that option then…) Elizabeth pondered. (Do other binding methods exist that don't rely on individual strength? It doesn't have to necessarily be a contract spell.)
(Other methods do exist, though they usually require certain conditions or treasures to fulfill. They're not something you can find in a short time.)
(I see… Thank you, teacher.)
"We should abandon the idea of negotiating, and use this opportunity to ambush them instead," Ming said with a cold gaze. "They've killed tens of thousands of people and inflicted unimaginable pain and destruction on the human world. We should bring them to justice and cull this threat once and for all."
"I agree with Princess Ming. The Featherwind Sect likely hasn't recovered from their battle with the Sword King yet. We should strangle them while we have the chance." Imperian Qiang nodded.
"How soon can the army act?"
General Petra frowned from being ordered by a foreign princess and stiffly responded, "It won't be easy, but it is possible to prepare for an ambush within the next twenty-four hours. The problem is that by organizing our army, it would be the same as announcing our intentions to our enemies. They'll realize it's a trap. More importantly, we would be announcing Your Highnesses' survival to the world, which might ruin our plans. There's too much risk in a large, coordinated ambush, and we don't have a small, elite group capable of taking them down either. It doesn't seem viable unless we abandon the idea of keeping Your Highnesses' hidden."
"I think the pros outweigh the cons. If we can force them into a corner, then we should do it," Ming insisted.
"Your Highness, what is your opinion?" General Petra deferred.
"Into a corner… That's it!" Elizabeth jumped to her feet with a bright expression.
"Your Highness?" Everyone was surprised to see her newfound energy. What had she discovered?
"Let's have this negotiation. I have a plan," she smirked.
"I'm surprised Your Highness agreed to meet with us," Elder Argo said first.
It was the next night in a secret location, known only to a few people, where they met with the five elder birds from the Featherwind Sect. Speaking of which, it was quite funny because the birds were much larger than a normal person, causing their heads to drag across the ceiling. This forced them to bend down awkwardly, or however a bird would. That said, this supposedly humorous scene was overshadowed by their daunting figures which, frankly speaking, unnerved Elizabeth and the others. Looking up constantly gave one an unshakeable feeling of dread, especially when considering the other party was not exactly human. General Petra, Imperian Qiang, and the Imperial Princesses all felt their worldviews crumbling! Thankfully, Elizabeth was already used to the extraordinary, so she handled their presence with a deep breath.
"Why would you say that, Elder Argo?" Elizabeth asked. They introduced each other prior, so she knew their names.
"I would have thought you'd suspect our intentions and plan an ambush, or something along those lines," he answered honestly, exposing Princess Ming and Imperian Qiang's plans.
"You jest. We would never think something like that."
"I see… Will the Sword King be accompanying us?"
"No, the Sword King has other matters to attend to and he has deferred the decision-making to us. If you're displeased, I could request my master to visit." She showed a fearless smile.
General Petra and the others had question marks on their head but said nothing. As far as they knew, Elizabeth had no master thus it was a puzzling thing to mention. That was not the case for the elder birds though, since they knew about her mysterious master from Elder Ludin and Crus. Back in the Battle of the Maelstrom Gulf, the unfathomable aura released by her bow was enough to scare the birds into submission. It had originated from a far superior being, far above even the likes of their Sect Master or Commander Infernal Witch King! It was unimaginable! Since the Sword King's appearance, they had naturally assumed he was her master until they noticed his lackluster strength. He could not have been her master. If so, then who was? The birds assumed she was masterless, and that it was a ruse, but her unwavering confidence had them second-guessing themselves. They had to tread lightly here.
"No, that won't be necessary. We wouldn't want to bother your master over trifling matters," Elder Argo replied hurriedly. "Shall we begin our negotiations?"
Elizabeth gave them a sideways gaze. "First of all, I would like to know why you intend to negotiate with us. You're allied with the Imperial Council, and you've killed many of our people. By all accounts, the Featherwind Sect is our fated enemy. What is your goal?"
"Simple. We think the Imperial Council is on the path to self-destruction and that the Alzar Kingdom will ultimately prevail in this war. It was not our intention to kill the kingdom's people, and we did our best to minimize any casualties. In the Battle of the Maelstrom Gulf, we accepted Your Highness's proposal and retreated. In the Battle of Liguang, we attacked the Imperial Council's forces and rescued Your Highness, leading to Your Highness's successful negotiations with the Imperial Princesses. Even in the recent Siege over Guanhuang, we inflicted heavy collateral damage onto the council's army, leading to the kingdom's victory. The Imperial Council tricked and lied to us, which is why we're willing to help the Alzar Kingdom now."
He spoke heroically as though every victory the kingdom had could be attributed to the Featherwind Sect alone! It was an incredibly flattering revision of the events that left General Petra, the Imperial Princesses and Imperian Qiang speechless. His statement destroyed the mystery shrouding him. He was just as shameless as any other human!
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