「Is there a problem? Would you rather go to war? Would you dare face this army?」 the count bellowed, gesturing to the five banners, rows of knights, and countless soldiers behind him. The sight seemed to unnerve the elven noble; even if elven warriors could each take down ten humans, the numbers here were overwhelming. A battle would mean devastating losses, even with hostages.
Seeing the noble's silence, the count's smile grew wider.
「Next time, bring three times as many artifacts!」
「What?! I already told you we're on the verge of collapse…!」
「And that's my problem? If you don't, I'll make an example out of one of them!」
It was nearly a final ultimatum. If the elves continued to refuse, the count implied, he would start publicly executing prisoners. The noble's face paled, realizing how far the count was willing to go. The count turned with a smug expression.
"Your Excellency, how did the negotiations go?" one of his subordinates asked.
