Anyway after the kissing fiasco the two joined the two ladies who apparently were heading for a war council. When they joined the war council which had three new faces Karlmine was not familiar with, the two then gave their report actually Heilis did the talking while Karlmine just stood by silently whether listening or not nobody knew. And it was this particular report that was the cause of the mayhem.
"Lord Saravoya calm down, let us hear him out and_____"
"Listen to a mortal? Such folly is unheard of princess, when your father hears of this no doubt he will not approve of it too. A mortal amongst our courts!"
This old elf who Karlmine had surmised was the father of Beldandy and Xavier did not even allow the princess to finish before dismissing her idea as folly and judging from the way the princess flinched when he spoke it was clear he held quite a rank.
"We need him for this campaign."
The princess responded.
"O how the mighty have fallen, princess seize this folly at once since when have we the proud elven race needed to depend on another race and much less a human?"
This old man seemed be having a huge superiority complex and a great dislike for humans. Seeing that these talks where not going anywhere Karlmine chose to join the fray.
"Lord Saravoya pray tell why are you opposed to negotiations with the ogres?"
The old man turned to him with a disgusted expression which was clearly saying how dare you have the audacity to speak to me. After living in an environment where hostility towards him was a norm Karlmine ignored it and continued to stare towards him.
"They are ogres barbaric creatures who revel in chaos and war, creatures that must not be trusted knowing no honor or pride. Besides who is to say this farce is not all made up by you?"
He pointed a shaky finger at Karlmine.
"Because the ogre Hagaz gave me his word that he would convince his clan to create a way for negotiations."
"Listen to this. That ogre, the cleaver gave you his word? Know shame mortal haven't you spoken your fill of lies?"
Lord Saravoya chastised him heavily.
"What you speak eludes me seeing as I have not spoken a single lie since I returned here?"
Karlmine continued calmly.
"Even if I were to acknowledge that the cleaver did give you his word where is the proof that he will go thr______ IMPOSSIBLE."
Before he finished his question Karlmine threw the two weapons that he had taken from the ogre.
"It cannot be Yanur and Ganur!"
As expected of a war veteran Geswald seemed to have faced these two weapons before and judging from Saravoya's expression he was well aware of them too.
Karlmine still had no idea at the importance of naming weapons and the likes but he had asked for the weapons precisely for this.
"After seeing this must I take it that you will be open for negotiations Lord Saravoya?"
The only calm person in the entire room asked the elderly elf.
"We are the elven nations a race of superior intellect anyway why am I even explaining myself to you and who granted you the permission to open your mouth mortal?"
It seems on top of being stubborn Saravoya was foolhardy and a sore loser, to Karlmine all the old man said was idiotic nonsense and he ignored the question but the elders seated around the table nodded their heads in agreement.
"And has sticking to those stubborn aristocratic values ever helped you in the past?"
He cast another question at the old man whose face changed from outraged red to purple.
"You vermin, who do you think you______"
"Be careful Lord Saravoya before you degrade yourself to the same barbaric behavior that you just scorned."
Karlmine's words were aggravating enough on their own but his vacant expressionless further intensified that feeling but Lord Saravoya realised he had a point and forced him self to calm down.
"You just claimed that Ogres are uncivil and barbaric but you refuse to negotiate with them even though that might avoid an impending war."
"Listen here mortal, your opinion is irrelevant. Negotiating with those blood thirsty beast is foolish and unprecedented."
"There is always a first time for everything just like how I a mortal am standing in your war council right now."
Karlmine continued to press on his point which further annoyed the old elf along several other council members. There was however a single elf who had been smiling at Karlmine all this time, an elven lady Karlmine had no recollection of ever meeting before.
"I am still against your foul presence being here. Listen here mortal, just because the princess just dubbed you her betrothed it doesn't mean anything because soon all this farce shall end when his majesty the king comes this side. Afterwards your presence here will no longer be needed."
"Your statement is incorrect, my presence is already not needed here but I will tell you what I told Heilis."
He turned towards the princess and then back at Saravoya.
"I do not care about marrying your princess or the likes, from the beginning I was well aware that this betrothal nonsense was just a ploy to make me stay in this place after all though I am an amnesiac I am well aware that love is something cultivated so there was no way she would just chose an amnesiac mortal she barely knew. Am I wrong princess?"
In response to that question the princess looked away in embarrassment as she recalled what Beldandy had said to her before but she agreed.
"My apologies but you are correct."
"So then why are you still here if it is not for the wealth and power of marrying into the elven royal family?"
Saravoya asked with an expression that showed that he thought he had cornered Karlmine.
"Because she needs me, I owe the princess a life debt and for that I will stay and fight, do not get me wrong I am not your ally but the princess' and so until the war ends I will defend and fight for her until my debt is paid then I will leave your forest."
This straightforward honest answer shocked Arkheenah the most, as a princess who inherited the blood of royalty she had the disposition of an oracle which is how she found Karlmine in the first place and part of that was telling when someone was being honest. Right now Karlmine was serious, for her he was willing to fight to the death if it meant repaying his debt to her.
(Do not say such things with a serious face.) She hated herself who felt happy because of those words just now.