Sovereign

"Larissan Frozi collapses to an all-time low as hyperinflation ravages the Empire. Already, the Order Pact and its member states appear to have taken the brunt of the global recession after Orland launched more sanctions in the wake of the Hollard Conference. Still, the economies of the Ivory Alliance have barely stabilized. It is clear that the clash between the two giants still continues to be destructive for both."

- Geopol Press

"Arcanist Party receives widespread support from the Archduchy of Löt and the Duchy of Oldrach. It is expected that the new party would grow further in conservative aligned principalities."

- The Arcane Updates

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Breathe in, breathe out. That was what Amelie did as she calmly walked toward the podium. Breathe in, breathe out. She needed to steel herself.

She faced the hundreds of monarchs and representatives of the nations of Pollos. All of them, in one building. The United Confederation of Pez, and its capital, held the headquarters of the Mandate of Nations (MN). The Confederation itself was known for its centuries-long neutrality, and as such, world leaders had continuously met in its halls.

The MN was established a century ago, during the wake of the 14 years war. Its goal had been to prevent such a war of such scale, however, four years ago, it had failed with the outbreak of the Great War.

And in the wake of the blood-soaked soils of the Great War, came a new call for peace. A peace that must be enforced, lest the blood of millions would once again bathe the world red.

And now that the world was once again in a great crisis, they all met again to discuss it.

We cannot fail again.

"Greetings, honorable leaders of the world." She began, as she glanced over her audience. She was still figuring out how to speak publicly, after all. While she had occasional experiences with public speaking ever since she was crowned, she still felt her feet cold as she stood there. "Today, I am here, to declare the start of the 22nd General Conference of the Mandate of Nations, as a response to the multitudes of crises faced by our world."

Katerina, who was near the front seats, stared at her, her eyes nearly blazing in amusement. Amelie ignored her. She would have to talk to her later, it was the main aim of this expedition.

To deal with her.

But not now, she would have to focus on her speech.

"I hope that today will be a productive day. Where every nation, all as one, would be united as equals to address the ills of our world…"

…

"That was awful." Amelie drank the glass of water as quickly as she could from the table to soothe her dry throat. Adelaide checked a few papers on her clipboard before she turned to her. "I really felt like I was dying over there."

Adelaide chuckled, she understood Amelie's complaints.

"I noticed."

"You did? Oh dear, did I screw up again?!"

"Loosen up, Your Majesty, it was alright. I think they received your message, loud and clear."

She relaxed, soothed at the fact that her precious (nearly nonexistent and tattered) reputation was intact.

"Anyways, Katerina and her diplomats had been harassing us since morning."

"They did?"

"Yes."

Amelie merely scowled in frustration.

"I expected that anyways. How did they harass us?"

"Oh, nothing. Just a Larissan diplomat randomly taking an Orlish flag and then almost getting into a duel with one of my guards."

Her eyes widened in anger.

"That's unacceptable!"

"I bet it's already in the global news."

"...Which means people are laughing at me and Orland again."

"Yup. That is precisely what is happening, Your Majesty." She smiled bitterly. Amelie did not.

Instead, Amelie just breathed out in exasperation, once again. She really wanted to give up at this point. Everything was a joke now.

Adelaide turned her head in the direction of the conference halls as the sounds from inside grew.

"I think we should go."

"Yeah, wait up."

Amelie adjusted her suit a bit before she and Adelaide returned to the conference hall. The conference had already started in full swing, as the representatives of every nation took the stage to speak out.

Right now, the High Commissioner of the Mandate of Nations spoke at the front, as she listed down each and every problem to be tackled.

The global recession.

Male-rights terrorism.

The Hebei Civil War.

And the re-escalating tensions between the Ivory Alliance and the Order Pact.

"The Mandate of Nations Observer Corps has recorded 233 border skirmishes in the last 5 months in the Gaul-Poznek DMZ. It is imperative that the terms of the Eutstadt Treaty regarding the demilitarized zone must be enforced by both sides to ensure continued peace. I call upon-"

"Gaul does not recognize these accusations!" Someone from the Gallic delegates shouted in rage. "The Order Pact started these attacks. They have been sending assault teams to our side of the DMZ-"

The Poznek Prime Minister, who was present at the conference, immediately cut her off, and chaos descended as the two bickered and blamed each other.

Amelie wanted to facepalm at the display, while Adelaide merely sighed. Day by day, the idea of civilized discussions seemed to be vanishing in the air. Truly, a disappointment indeed.

…

Amelie didn't like meeting that brat. She was a haughty, irritating excuse of a young lady. No one liked people like her, and she secretly hoped that the Larissan people hated her as much as she did.

Oh, she would really be laughing from her office once someone in her Empire finally used their brain to clean their country from their reprehensible Empress. Oh, laugh she would, all day long, even if someone would see her.

She really wanted to squish her bratty mortal rival. Oh, those pigtails that she had looked truly inviting to be ruined. She wanted to pull it both.

"So you're saying it's a stupid accident?"

"You know how men go. They drive their little ships around the seas, and out of nowhere, they get impulsive and ram other people."

"That's absurd, the corvette turned around before it suddenly turned around again and rammed the ONS Echo."

The brat rolled her eyes.

"People get creative at maneuvering."

"Or someone ordered them to turn around and attack."

"Or the captain was stupid."

Amelie stared at Katerina with an accusatory glare on the other side of the table. As the conference continued outside, the two held a closed-door private meeting with each other. So far, their discussion was unproductive.

But that would be a gross understatement. It was hostile, belligerent even. Almost as if two teenage girls with a score to settle met up for a shouting match, backed by powerful armies behind their backs. Oh, that would be an accurate description, actually, as they were in fact, two teenage girls.

"Now, now, Amelie, to accuse me of ordering my military units to instigate a reaction from you, without proof…isn't that quite stupid?"

"Your Poznek allies had been participating in border clashes with Gaul." She leaned a bit closer, aggressively. "Only a dimwit wouldn't be able to connect the dots."

"So what? What are you going to do if I'm really provoking you?"

"I will find a way to place more sanctions."

"Sanctions? Do I look like I care about sanctions? The economy can collapse around me for all I care." She grinned, amused at Amelie's puny threats. "I'm the absolute Empress. I am untouchable!"

"We'll see how untouchable you are when you end up like Ex-Empress Li."

"Pfft, I'm hardly touched by such empty risks." She laughed. "Unlike you fools who gave your Armies independent command, they are under me and me only. My rule is absolute! The Empire of Hebei, the Ivory Alliance, and all nations collapsing to this so-called 'men's revolution' are weak. Unlike the Empire!"

Amelie dropped her fist on the table, insulted by being called 'weak'. So hard it was that Katerina herself flinched, which broke her monologue.

"I've had enough." Amelie narrowed her eyes on her. "You have one last chance. If you and your allies do not vacate the DMZ, if your ships do not stop harassing us, and if your planes keep bugging our airspace, and if you absolutely reject the peace treaty, then I swear to the goddess you will regret it."

Katerina looked red in the face. She was angered, no, outraged that someone like Amelie would dare raise her voice that way to her - the Empress.

Who was she? She was but a mere Queen. Below her. Below an Empress. She should be kneeling at her, begging for her mercy. But instead, she was defying her. She had entertained and humored her for acting as if she was her equal.

Katerina wanted to play with her, as Amelie was a mere foolish, naive, spineless monarch to her. Someone she could push and play with like a toy. Instead, she dared to bite back. How dare she.

"Are you asking for war?" Katerina hissed, which was met by a quick block from Amelie.

"No, are you plotting to end the peace?"

"That's what you are forcing me into."

"We wouldn't be here if the Order Pact didn't conduct violations after violations."

"Violations that the Lorathians and Gallic forces also did."

"After Order Pact forces provoked them."

"So what? The DMZ is nonsense anyways. It's a heavily militarized hellhole. Accidents would happen regardless."

Amelie fumed deeply. This was getting absolutely nowhere. She had planned to go here and settle the dispute herself, but it went nowhere. She could not hold the searing anger within her. Katerina had humiliated her again and again, and she wanted to get back at her, even if it was petty.

But she needed to control herself. She could admit it, she was pissed, triggered, and possibly out of control ever since the news came to her office about the incident. But she needed to reign her nerves.

She was the Queen, dammit.

She took a deep breath. Perhaps Adelaide would have done a better job here. But, no…it did not matter now, it was she who was here.

Deep breaths, Amelie. Deep breaths.

"Look, is there any way that we could talk this out?"

"We are talking it out."

"No, can we stop these incidents? These border skirmishes?"

Katerina looked at her seriously as she folded her arms. She huffed.

"I want oil."

"What?"

"I said I want oil!" She was angry too, but she held her tongue for a while to cool down. She breathed heavily before she continued. "You blocked our oil trade with the sanctions. Like how it was during and before the war. If you do not end it, I will continue these provocations. I don't care if your elections are near!"

Amelie remained silent for a while, instead of biting back immediately.

"So that's what you want? Oil?"

Katerina looked red, but she calmed down a bit too.

"...Among other things, yes."

Amelie considered her words. It was true, one of the leading causes of the Great War was the Orlish embargo against the Empire. Most of the global oil supply came from the rich oil fields of the Pieran continent. It was right south of the Vaeyox continent, where the Empire of Larissa, and the Kingdoms of Gaul and Lorathia were located. A sea separated Vaeyox from Piera, which the Orlish Navy loved to blockade whenever the Order Pact did something Orland deemed stupid.

Perhaps, she could use this to her advantage.

"So, if the Orlish Navy allowed oil shipments to reach the Empire…you will stop?"

"Yes! Give us the oil, and I'll stop provoking you."

"How can I trust you?"

"You can't, but I can't trust you either if you would stop the sanctions."

Amelie considered her options. If she allowed them access to the oil, the effects of her sanctions would be lessened, and so would the rapidly sinking legitimacy of the Eutstadt Treaty. The main point of the sanctions was to force the Empire back to the table and follow its stipulations after all by strangling them off the global markets.

This forced them to trade with no one but the members of the Order Pact. Naturally, their already ailing economy only held by wartime measures began collapsing faster with this. And Orland hoped that a desperate Larissa would return to the table to lift the sanctions - in exchange for following the treaty.

But why would they do that if they could get oil again?

But if she denied this deal, the attacks and provocations would continue, and she wouldn't have any way to stop it. With the elections breathing down on her neck, she needed to stop the scandals against her government and the crown - which included the Larissan provocations.

What to do? What to do?

"Are you committed to peace or not?"

"Only if peace benefits me. It does not benefit me right now."

The audacity of this woman. She lost the war, yet she wanted peace to favor her. Amelie shook her head in disappointment at it all. Unfortunately, Orland would have to concede once again.

After she wracked her head with every nonsensical 'calculation' that she could, she made up her mind. It was a gamble, but a needed one.

"I'll consult the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

"I'll tell the army and the navy to calm down."

Katerina smiled before she extended her hand for a handshake. Amelie looked at her hand for a while, and she felt irritated by it. But no choice, she would have to concede for now.

"Is it a deal?"

She took and shook her hand.

"Deal."

A victorious smile crossed Katerina's face. Amelie didn't like it.