Queen Maureen looked on as the spirit plane landed on her island. She was truly shocked when she saw it flying in the sky and almost assumed it to be a monster until Count Paolo explained what it was.
Humans can now fly in the sky? Tch… I won't be surprised if this king of highland tries to look down on me.
From the spirit plane, Edwin walked out with Margarita close by. They both wore their spirit armor just in case things turned out for the worst.
Members of ghosting were also on standby just in case something happened.
Edwin while nervous inside approached the queen of the lamina's. She stood tall and looked down on the man whom Duchess Rania had agreed to become the concubine of.
She still couldn't believe it. That duchess had taken lovers from influential families in the past but never married into another house. In all cases where a marriage did happen which was so rarer you can count it on one hand; they married into her house and took her last name as their own.
Now, that same duchess not only married into another house but agreed to hold the lowest position of concubine.
That didn't make sense to her, but she didn't have time to ponder that right now.
"I am Queen Maureen. Queen of lamina's and acting representative of the four clans."
"It is an honor to meet you. I am King Edwin Von William Highland." He answered her
"Then let's get down to business. The sight of humans makes me ill. Why have you come here?"
"Getting straight to the point I see. Alright then. I am hoping to ally with the four clans."
"An alliance you say. I take it that the humans are losing the war against the demons?"
"Highland is not partaking in the war; so I am unable to answer that question, however, I assure you that my kingdom will not lose to anyone."
That was a bold statement he made and Queen Maureen knew it. Highland not too long ago was nothing more than a small kingdom with large land. That much she knew herself from the little info they obtained from fishermen.
However, that kingdom has changed into a powerhouse and has begun to throw its weight around.
In that case, wouldn't it benefit us to use that to our advantage?
"Is that so? In any case, we have nothing to offer such a powerful kingdom, yet you seek an alliance with us? What are you expecting we offer?"
Although she was asking, there was only one reason a human would seek out the four clans out.
"I wish for a military alliance in which you join forces with me."
"Don't bullshit us… Do we look like mercenaries to you? You plan on using us then throwing us away. Filthy human!"
It was Queen Maureen's daughter Cecelia who spat those words at Edwin.
"Cecelia! That is no way to talk to royalty! If you cannot act in a manner befitting your position then you will have to leave at once!"
"Your majesty!"
"Call me mother dam it and I will not hear any back talking you hear me!?"
"Yes…" she answered while lowering her head.
"My apologies for my daughters' outburst, but she has a valid point. Why should we trust the words of a human?"
She asked the question after giving her apology to Edwin was without any hint of remorse, however, Edwin was not insulted by it.
He, Prime Minister Clark and Queen of the Fairies Madeline was expecting such tactics.
The aim of Queen Maureen was simple; milk as much as they could from Highland without promising anything in return.
A kind of 'Win our Trust' strategy.
By playing the 'humans are untrustworthy' card. She wanted to have Highland send as many goods as they could to the four clans on the islands. As it stood, they lucked everything, from clothing, foodstuffs, weapons, and tools.
If Edwin wanted to form an alliance he would need to folk over those things. That is the impression she wanted to give, and when all was said and done she would turn down the offer.
Edwin was a human and worse, a human who was in an alliance with the merfolk, and even worse the husband of Duchess Rania Teresa Alumet Vidfamne,
This was a classic case of strike one, two, three you're out!
Queen Maureen had no intention of joining an alliance with him.
She looked down on Edwin, waiting for his reply.
He had two choices, take the bait and folk over what she wanted or return to highland in failure.
Which one will you choose?
As Queen Maureen thought that; Edwin was trouble by how accurate their prediction was.
As it stood everything was well within the prediction of him and the Queen of the fairies.
Now it was time to enter the unknown waters of his reply.
The reply they came up with was so shocking that both Hitomi and Eve who should have been by his side as members of ghosting and the royal maids respectively; had to be captured and chained in the dungeons.
While Prime Clark Minister Herman and Queen Madeline understood their anger, Edwin himself did not.
They both could only sigh at his dense attitude.
To him, the solution had merits and that's all that mattered.
"I see. I understand where you are coming from. In that case, why don't we marry then?
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"