Chapter 370, Making a Covenant

The Imperial Parliament convened as scheduled in the Royal Palace in Braunschweig. In the majestic dome of the palace, the electors, the most powerful people in the empire, gathered together.

The following people attended the meeting.

Some people are familiar with Ryan, so I won’t introduce them here (otherwise some people think the number of words is too small).

These people are:

Carl-Franz Friedrich, Imperial Emperor, Prince Reich, Archduke of Braunschweig.

Boris Todbringer, Elector Wolrich, Grand Duke of Middenland (also known as Middenland), and Grand Baron of Middenheim.

Umberto Corleone, Elector of Tuscany, Grand Duke of Iverland, and Grand Baron of Iverheim.

Gianni Bernardino, Elector of Brescia, Grand Duke of Weissenland, and Grand Baron of Weissenburg.

Elector Wolfen and Grand Duke of Osterland, Vamir von Zhukov.

Elector of Bekafen and Speaker of the Ostermark League, Wolfram Hertwig.

The holder of the imperial power of the Kingdom of Nord, the legitimate son of Harald Frank, the Grand Duke of Nord, and the Grand Baron Theodorik Geisel.

Archbishop of the Church of Justice (also known as Grand Priest), Wickmar Beckmann.

Archbishop of the Church of Life, Casline.

Archbishop of the Church of Magic, Agrima.

In addition, there are four holders of the power to choose the emperor, which attracted Ryan's attention.

Elector Herzig and Grand Baron of Hochland was Edbrand-Ludenhoff.

This elector is the only elector who does not also hold the title of duke, because the territory of Hawkland is too small, it may only be one-fifth of the size of Middenland, and it is actually controlled by humans. The area is smaller, so the title of Hawke Territory has always been the Great Baron rather than the Duke, and the Great Baron only manages seven or eight barons.

Edbrand Ludenhoff is a tall, thin, middle-aged man with a horse face. He is surprisingly strong despite being skinny. It is said that the elector’s biggest hobby is hunting, and he spends most of the year He spends his time hunting in the villa in the forest farm in the southern part of the Hawk Territory, and only returns to the capital Herzig in winter.

Helmut Feuerbach, the elector of Talabheim and Grand Duke of Talabek, also arrived. This elector has been introduced previously and will not be repeated here.

What is special are the remaining two holders of the right to elect the emperor.

The first holder of the power to elect the emperor was a halfling. He was "Elder Mutt" Esme Stuhart. He was a halfling who was only 1.2 meters tall. This halfling was already very old. He entered the room with the support of others and greeted everyone.

The Mutt Territory is the most peculiar province of the empire. This place that looks like a province but not like a province is called the "Mutt Autonomous Territory". Historically, after the empire conquered Mutt, the homeland of the halflings, it divided Mutt into separate provinces. Incorporated into Stirland and Iveyland, however, the resistance and uprisings of the Halflings continued for thousands of years. In the end, Ludwig the Savior accepted a huge donation when the army of Order was approaching and ran out of food, and the Halflings paid taxes on time. As promised, the new empire returned the land of Mut to the halflings, and gave halflings the right to vote for the emperor. Halflings could vote for the emperor, but halflings were not qualified to participate in imperial government. All they could do was to vote for the emperor. The emperor votes and acts as a mascot.

The Mutt Territory is known as the "Fairy Tale World". It is one of the most beautiful areas in the old world. Halflings thrive there and live in peace with the world. They are content with territorial autonomy and are protected by surrounding imperial forces. The war is very common. Less involved here.

Esme Stuhart was an eccentric who was torn between Carl Franz and Boris Todbringer. Emperor Carl Franz took the advice of his courtiers and treated him to a sumptuous meal. The elder Mut was bribed with a dinner, ten bags of oatcakes, and twenty barrels of fine malt stout, so the holder of the electorate decisively voted for Emperor Karl after eating and drinking.

The last remaining elector was Albert Harput Andersson, Elector of Utterbad and Grand Duke of Stirland.

The Elector was the most special because he was the only one of the most powerful men of the empire present who wore a simple woolen shirt, trousers and a fur coat, instead of silk clothes like everyone else.

Because Steele Territory is really too poor.

This province is one of the poorest provinces in the empire. Nord country bumpkins are rich in minerals and seafood. Hawkerland exports high-quality hardwood and various fine cedar and oak. Osterland is prosperous. The animal husbandry and animal skin trade ensure that the civilians of Osterland live a good life, and the gold mines produced near Wolfenburg still have unfathomable reserves and amazing output after being mined for hundreds of years. Hou rarely has to worry about money.

What does Steelland have?

Nothing at all.

The Stirian province is mountainous and forested, with barren land and very little output. The vast majority of the Stirian people struggle with food and clothing all year round. Famine is what the Stirian people experience every year. This industry Rock bread is very popular here (a small amount of semolina + bran + sawdust + a lot of rock powder). This kind of bread will make you feel full after eating it, but its actual effect...

At least Ryan wasn't going to try.

Wine is the only product that Stirland can export. Unfortunately, Stirland cannot produce high-end red wine. Due to the barren land, planting cash crops such as grapes on precious arable land will often make more people hungry, so the local Wine cannot be established in a manor and can only be grown and sold individually. Most of the wines produced are low-end and mid-range wines. What is commendable about Steele wine is that the people here never add water to the wine, which is really rare in the empire.

What's even more terrible is that Sylvania is also part of the Stir territory. At the end of the Vampire War, Stir Grand Duke Martin led the human army to annihilate Manfred von- Carstein and his undead army killed the last vampire Count Manfred and burned all the vampire castles in Sylvania. Since then, Sylvania has been merged into the Stir Territory. .

However, Sylvania is more like a heavy burden than a gift. There is no grass growing in this land of death. Countless undead creatures wander in that cursed land. The dead will never rest in peace. The Stiir Territory A large number of border guards and sentries had to be established, because scattered undead creatures would attack the border almost every ten days and a half.

A poor place was forced to maintain a large border guard force, and financial pressure almost bankrupted Stirland.

The Elector Andelson is a truly good man. He initially fell in love with Boris Todbringer, but when Karl Franz found him and promised to provide food aid to the Stirland, this man The elector, who deeply loved his subjects, did not hesitate to "sell" his vote to Emperor Karl, just so that no one in his subjects would starve to death.

Ryan felt that this incident illustrated two issues. The first was that Elector Anderson really loved his people, and the second was that Rick's Territory was really rich and Steele's Territory was really poor.

The Imperial Council opened. The emperor was the first to speak. The emperor himself reviewed the glorious history of the empire and the help of the high elves to the empire in the great holy war. Later, the Supreme Council of the Magisters of the White Tower of Hoth in the Kingdom of Savri, the high elf, The mage Teclis took up the topic and expressed his concerns about the forces of Chaos to the electors.

If the empire cannot resist the southern invasion of Chaos from the north, then the realm of Chaos will continue to expand, the earth will continue to corrupt and mutate, and the world is being irreversibly and gradually eroded by Chaos. Since the Great Holy War, the number of Chaos believers in the old world has been increasing. Steady rise.

The empire needs to unite to deal with the threat of Chaos. Teclis proposed that Emperor Karl-Franz is an excellent general and statesman. When there is a large-scale Chaos invasion, the emperor should unify the power of all electors. , fight against chaos together instead of fighting separately.

Ryan found a seat behind the Imperial Parliament. This time he came to the Empire for an unofficial private visit. He could not represent Britannia or the Knights of the Holy Grail. He could only represent himself. So Ryan could only listen.

Teclis' proposal plunged the Imperial Council into quarrel.

"Lord Tigris, we respect you. The savior Ludwig once taught us that a united empire is stronger than a divided empire. Great empires have been divided many times in history, but we have always been firm in our They are all from the Empire." Hertwig, the Elector of Bekafen and Speaker of the Ostermark Alliance, was the first to speak. The Elector said to Tigris without hesitation: "However, the elves should not interfere with the Empire. Internal affairs, how we want to form an alliance is our own business."

"The elves will not interfere in the internal affairs of the empire, but the elves also have to face the threat of Chaos. We are adhering to the perspective of goodwill and reminding our human friends, rather than offending." Teclis said calmly.

"Then this matter should be an internal meeting of the empire. I don't understand why, Mr. Teclis, you came to the Imperial Parliament specifically to endorse Karl Franz?" Elector Boris said roughly, his The one eye stared at Tigris, and then at the silent Emperor Karl-Franz: "Our Majesty wants to tell us that he has a high elf ally? He wants us electors to behave obediently. Be obedient, or else a meteorite will fall on our heads?"

"I never meant this, Boris..." The emperor immediately defended: "I mean, the high elves are willing to help the empire, but they hope that the empire can be united..."

"Only high elves can defeat Chaos? I am FNNDP!" Helmut Feuerbach, the elector of Talabheim, said bluntly: "High elves still think they are the masters of the world? I'm afraid they are not living in a dream. !”

"..." Teclis is not a person who is particularly good at words. Facing the aggressiveness of the electors, the Supreme Mage can't hold his balance. If his words are too sharp, then the alliance will not be negotiated. If his words are too condescending, , which is not the style of high elves.

"Calm down, everyone, we are discussing our opinions and making suggestions. We are not trying to force you to do so. Please speak freely and do not escalate to racial or personal attacks." The emperor spoke.

Teclis's suggestion is in the interest of the emperor. Emperor Karl-Franz has been trying to strengthen the emperor's authority and centralization since he took office. At present, because of his outstanding military talents and political strategy, the electors have temporarily abandoned each other. The prejudices between the emperor and the emperor went hand in hand, but the emperor's orders still could not go out of the Rickland. The electors would execute the emperor's orders if they were beneficial to them (at least harmless), and ignore them if they were harmful to them.

However, this is already much stronger than before.

"Yes, it may be more beneficial for the emperor to unite us to fight Chaos, or the high elves will provide us with the help they can in fighting the forces of Chaos, but what about other problems? The undead of Sylvania, the green of Badland Skin, as well as the countless beastman tribes in the forest, will the high elves help us?" Grand Duke Andersen of Stirland said with worry: "If we can't protect ourselves, we have to How to unite to fight against the forces of Chaos?"

Anderson's movements were a little fierce, and the fur coat tilted, revealing the patches on the woolen shirt underneath the coat.

"Agreed." Umberto Corleone, Grand Duke of Ivey and Elector of Tuscany, raised his hand.

"Second." Helmut Feuerbach, Grand Duke of Talabek and Elector of Talabheim, raised his hand.

Gianni Bernardino, Elector of Brescia and Grand Duke of Wesson, hesitated for a moment, and the less than twenty electors also raised their hands at the signal of the courtier: "I second the motion."

The Emperor and Teclis both frowned.

Why did the electors of these provinces second the proposal?

Because they do not have to face the threat of Chaos directly, in their view, they are not the first to be attacked by Chaos invasion, so they have little interest in joining forces. On the contrary, they each have their own considerations.

Everyone is aware of the threat of Chaos, but it is one thing to be aware of it, and it is another thing to actually wait for Chaos to hit the doorstep. Human beings, or rather mortals, always repeat the tragedies of history, and never really feel the crisis. , when urgent matters arise, most mortals are always busy considering their own interests.

The scar is healed and the pain is forgotten! The emperor could only lament that humans are forgetful creatures. High elves have long lifespans and dwarves have books of hatred. Humans do not have these advantages. After the disappearance of the savior Ludwig, the electors began to be content with autonomy again. Live your life behind closed doors.

"Everyone! Only when the claws of chaos knock on the palace door, will you wake up from a dream?" At this moment, Elector Boris spoke, his remaining one eye burning. Angry Flame: "You are all only satisfied with your own rule. Are you people from the Empire?!"

"The Empire must unite!" Grand Baron Hawke and Elector Herziger Edbrand-Ludenhof also shouted loudly: "For Charlemagne, for the Empire!"

"The Empire endures! The Empire is immortal!" Emperor Karl-Franz stood up, with divine anger on his face in his thirties. The Emperor stood up from behind his seat: "That's enough, if you think this is enough. , then vote! Tell me, subjects of the Empire! Should we unite! Or divide and be broken down one by one? I, the Emperor of the Empire, Karl-Franz Friedrich, am here to wait for your answer! Don’t forget Now, the scars left by the minions of Chaos on the empire’s land are quietly watching you!”

“Start voting!”

The electors were shocked by the emperor's angry shouts. Like defeated cocks, they lowered their heads and used quills to write their opinions.

Fourteen pieces of parchment (Elder Mut had no right to participate in the internal affairs of the empire) were sent to Archbishop Vikma of the Church of Justice.

"Eight votes in favor! Two votes abstained and four votes against!"

"On behalf of Charlemagne and the God of Justice, I hereby declare that the alliance is established!"

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