After intently listening to Gumzakk's plea for help, Emperor Eric swiftly responded, his voice laced with regret. "Hmmm, unfortunately, if you seek military intervention, I cannot assist you. The Demon King has requested that I refrain from engaging in the war militarily, and at this moment, my military is not fully prepared to face his forces. So, army support is out of the question. How else can I assist you?"
"We had already anticipated that, and we have no intention of asking you to place yourself in a difficult situation. Guruk," Gumzakk replied before proceeding with his request. "While we understand your inability to directly interfere in the war, we hope you can allow the flow of mercenaries and equipment into our camps. Neither case would raise any objections from the demons. Guruk," Gumzakk added, leaning forward nervously.
"Those are amicable demands, and I will grant them. What else can I do to assist you?" the emperor said after a brief pause, taking a moment to ponder the previous request.
After exchanging telepathic glances with the other orcs, Gumzakk spoke up, "We would like the Empire to provide shelter for our young and women in case the war takes a turn for the worse. Guruk." He anxiously awaited the emperor's response, which took a whole minute before it came this time.
"Hmmmmmmm, alright, I will take in the refugees. Is there anything else I can help with, or may I now inquire about what I want?" the emperor said, tapping his desk while waiting for a response.
"There are a few more things we would like to ask for, but if you have any conditions, please state them first. Our crucial requests have already been addressed. Guruk," Gumzakk stated after glancing at the other chiefs, who shook their heads, indicating they were content with the resolved demands.
"Very well then. What I want is simple: I wish to purchase land from you," the emperor said, leaving everyone in the room with dropped jaws.
"Uruk, what do you mean, Your Highness? We will not be handing over any land to the Empire, if that is what you desire. Uruk," Shar shouted out, his voice filled with defiance.
"Calm down, Shar. Do not behave like a beast in my presence. This is a diplomatic discussion, and it would be best if you do not act impulsively again," the emperor said in a cold tone, sending shivers down the spines of all the orcish chiefs. Despite being individually as strong as the emperor, his authority held a different level of power.
"I apologize for the rudeness of my colleague. I hope you can overlook it. However, I would still like you to explain what you mean by buying our land. Guruk," Gumzakk said, while Shar moved back in fear, realizing his mistake.
"I meant exactly what I said. 'I' want to buy the land. By that, I mean that I personally will purchase the land from you. It will still be subject to your laws, with the only difference being that I want it to become my personal property," the emperor clarified, shrugging off Shar's rude behavior.
The emperor continued, "In exchange for this land, I will fulfill all the terms you have requested, much like a trade deal. This ensures that no questions can be raised about its validity in the future. I will purchase this land in exchange for equipment and continued food support that you will require throughout this war. Simple as that. Now, you can present any other demands or requests you may have." The emperor's voice held a hint of satisfaction.
"Umm, what specific land do you want? Ogurk," Grotug asked with an intrigued expression. He was drawn to the idea of avoiding being in the empire's debt if possible.
"Ah, right. I forgot to mention it. The land I desire is the entire mountain range that extends from the Horizon's Horn within your territory," the emperor replied after a brief moment of silence.
"Guruk? Your Highness, why would you want all that seemingly useless land? I have no particular issue with it, but..." Gumzakk began, his voice trailing off as he glanced at the other chiefs.
"I have no objections either, but if we're talking about the entire mountain range, wouldn't that split the forest in half? Uruk?" Shar interjected, wearing a perplexed expression as he looked at the other chiefs.
"Umm, could you give us an hour to discuss this among ourselves before contacting you again? Our discussion is still incomplete. Ooguruk," Hwonkua requested, feeling a sense of awkwardness in the room. The other chiefs nodded in agreement.
"Very well, but you have one hour. I hope to receive a positive response," the emperor sighed, signaling the end of the call.
Hwonkua looked at the crystal with suspicion, a frown forming on his face. "Oye, this feels off. Why would the ruler of such a vast swath of land want a piece of our territory? Ooguruk," he voiced his doubts aloud, contemplating the peculiar demands.
"Ogurk, do we have the luxury to ponder that right now? Isn't this advantageous for us? If the emperor claims that entire land and splits us in half, it means that if we were to lose to the demons, we could retreat behind the mountains. The demons wouldn't dare attack us then, as crossing into the emperor's territory would be trespassing. And even if they attempted to gain military access through the Maritona Federation and the Nation of Fishmen, it would be a time-consuming process, giving us ample time to prepare a counteroffensive. Wouldn't it, Ogurk?" Grotug chimed in, causing a conflicted expression to appear on Hwonkua and Gumzakk's faces.
Grotug continued, "Think about it. That land is uninhabited, and let's say there are valuable resources in that mountain range. Are any of us truly willing to invest in the infrastructure needed to develop that area? Let's be real here. If it weren't for this sudden declaration of war, wouldn't we be too preoccupied with fighting amongst ourselves to bother with such matters? Uruk," he expressed with a mix of confusion and annoyance.
"I suppose when you put it that way, it does make sense... Well, it's not like we have much of a choice right now. It's either accept his offer or perish as we are... So, I guess we've reached a consensus then? Guruk," Gumzakk sighed, accepting the situation.
"Yeah, this works for me. Ooguruk," Hwonkua added.
"Uruk, me too," Grotug agreed.
"I have no objections either. Ogurk," Shar chimed in.
The orc chiefs had come to an agreement. However, they continued their discussion, contemplating what other requests they could make of the emperor. If they were going to make this deal, they intended to extract every ounce of generosity from him.
Exactly one hour later, they contacted the emperor again.
"We hope to hear a positive response from you," the emperor said slyly, well aware that the orcs had no other option but to comply. It was like being caught between a ravine and a hard place, and the orcs, at the very least, knew how to survive in difficult circumstances.