As the ministers discussed, their opinions gradually began to align toward a hope for peace and continued trade with Orford.
A few of the finance ministers quickly calculated the possible losses of going to war with Orford, compared with the benefits of accepting their conditions and continuing trade. The resulting contrast between gains and losses immediately stirred some commotion. Several ministers' eyes gleamed with the golden light of wealth. If it weren't for the presence of Her Majesty the Queen and the Bishop, they might have eagerly rushed to sign a permanent peace treaty with Orford right there.
Queen Catherine quietly listened to the ministers' discussion. Then, she turned to look at the head of the merchant guild, still wearing that captivating smile, and asked, "Lord Luther. You are the person in Alrasia most familiar with Orford and the orcs. I would like to hear your opinion."
"Your Majesty, please allow me to speak." The merchant guild leader stepped forward, bowing slightly. This was precisely why he had come here. While the thousand gold coins from Theodorus were incredibly tempting, more importantly, the merchant guild of Alrasia would suffer the most if trade with Orford were halted. Now that Orford had made an attractive offer and their envoy appeared incompetent, it was time for him to rely on his own words.
Moreover, Her Majesty had spoken first, which was the opportunity he'd been hoping for. If he could use his diplomatic skills to restore relations between the two countries, and win the Queen's favor in the process, it would be a major achievement. The merchant guild leader, filled with determination, spoke with utmost sincerity: "I can guarantee with my life that the recent incidents were absolutely not the fault of Orford."
"Oh?" The Queen's brow relaxed as she showed an expression of curiosity. "Then, what do you think happened?"
The Queen's attitude made the merchant guild leader's voice more confident as he continued: "First of all, no matter what, Orford has no motive to carry out these actions. Since Orford's establishment, the once dangerous Wild Highlands have now become a thriving hub for merchants. Orford's growth has entirely relied on trade, and the economy of Orford city is almost entirely sustained by commerce. For a city like this, maintaining good relations with the surrounding nations is of utmost importance. Even a person with a little intelligence would understand that they would never intentionally provoke trouble and sour relations with neighboring countries." The merchant guild leader bowed slightly and glanced at the ministers. "You, gentlemen, who are well-versed in politics and understand the affairs of the state, surely know this better than anyone."
He continued, "I believe your greatest concern is the orcs' nature, which is difficult to change. Occasionally, they may lose control of their beastly instincts, which leads them to commit heinous acts. However, I have known Lord Theodorus, the ruler of Orford, for many years, and his name is certainly well known across the continent. A wise, learned, and renowned man like him, who has led the orcs to establish such a large city in the Wild Highlands, do you think he would be unable to control his subordinates? As for the orcs themselves, anyone who has visited Orford knows that they are not so different from ordinary humans. Even wild animals like wolves can be domesticated and live peacefully with humans. Why should we not believe that a species that is even closer to us than wolves and can communicate with us using language is capable of peaceful coexistence?"
"As you all know, our merchant guild has suffered the greatest losses in the recent tragedies. More than ten merchants were brutally killed by the rampaging orcs. The compensation for their families, the need to reassign staff, and the loss of goods—these have all caused us great distress. Among the dead, there were also two or three old friends I've known for decades..." Lord Luther, the head of the merchant guild, found two tears in the corners of his eyes, perfectly timed for the moment. But then he quickly turned his grief into determination, raising his voice. "But despite all of this, I have continued to stabilize morale within the guild and maintain faith in Orford. Now that Your Majesty has asked for my opinion, I humbly suggest that there must be some other reason behind the recent tragedies. I implore Your Majesty and the esteemed ministers to look into this matter carefully and not hastily blame Orford. We must not let a single misstep ruin the trade between us."
Noticing that both the Queen and the ministers were focused on him, Luther grew more confident. His expression became more animated, and his voice, growing more powerful, carried with it the full weight of his years of practiced eloquence. "Please, Your Majesty and the esteemed ministers, trust the judgment of an old merchant who has spent decades braving the elements and traveling the world. Orford is indeed trustworthy. But what is most convincing, I believe, are the numbers. The losses and gains of going to war with Orford versus continuing trade were calculated earlier by the ministers, and I'm sure you all remember the figures. There's no need for me to repeat them."
Several ministers nodded in agreement, and the atmosphere shifted further in the direction he had hoped. A slight flush appeared on his face, reminiscent of the youthful energy of success.
One minister, however, still seemed uneasy about the safety of the orcs. Frowning, he asked, "Lord Luther, have you truly had close contact with these orcs? Are you sure they pose no danger?"
Lord Luther spread his hands in a reassuring gesture. "To be honest, I visited Orford during its early days when conditions were very poor. There were hardly any buildings, so at night, I slept in a cave with two orcs and a troll. And you must know, at that time, the orcs couldn't even speak properly."
"Were you not afraid?" the minister asked, surprised. "Trolls are dangerous creatures, especially when food is scarce. They could attack villages and hunt humans for food."
Lord Luther thought for a moment, then sighed and lowered his head. "Actually, I was a bit worried, which is why I didn't sleep well. But I wasn't afraid of being eaten..."
"Then what were you afraid of?" the minister pressed.
Lord Luther wrinkled his face, looking embarrassed. "Well... it's hard to explain..."
Several ministers frowned and asked with concern, "What were you worried about? Please, tell us. Understanding the orcs better is exactly why Her Majesty asked you here."
Lord Luther's face turned red, and he lowered his head. "The thing is, the troll next to me was female, and she wasn't wearing much clothing... so I was worried..."
"Pfft!" Laughter erupted around the room. Many ministers were struggling to contain their laughter, their faces turning bright red. One military minister leaned toward his colleague and whispered, "So it turns out he wasn't worried about being eaten, but about being forced to eat. If he really did eat that... this old man would probably be the first in history to do so."
"I wonder if he could even eat it. Look at the old man, all dried up—he must be worried about drowning in the experience..." his colleague whispered back, and the two of them, both red-faced, struggled to hold back their laughter.
The surrounding laughter, though still mocking, felt completely different to Lord Luther. While it was still teasing, in his heart, he felt that success was within reach. Of course, on the surface, he maintained an embarrassed, awkward expression.
At the right moment, playing the fool can be a brilliant social tactic. People typically don't feel threatened by those who seem a bit silly, making them more approachable and more likely to accept that person's ideas and opinions. Lord Luther was quite satisfied with his performance. He couldn't help but turn to one of the ministers, his heart full of disdain. Despite playing the fool, his impact was entirely different from the one made by the dwarf beside him.
The lady-in-waiting next to Queen Catherine seemed to think that Lord Luther's comments were a bit too bold and took a step forward, as if to reprimand him. But the Queen gently raised her hand, signaling for the lady-in-waiting to step back.
Queen Catherine sat on her throne, looking down at the ministers and Lord Luther with a smile on her face. But this smile was different from the self-satisfied expressions of those around her. It was the smile of someone looking down from a great height, as if she were a mistress observing her pets. While her smile was warm and kind, it was clear she was operating on a different level altogether.
Since Lord Luther had started speaking, the Queen had remained silent, offering no comment or judgment. She didn't seem to be in any hurry and appeared to be waiting for something else entirely.
"Lord," a voice suddenly rang out, cutting through the air.
The tone of the voice was heavy and solemn, reverberating in the hall, like a powerful background note. In an instant, the light atmosphere in the hall was frozen. The laughter and whispers that had filled the room immediately ceased.
It was Bishop Aescher, who had remained silent until now. His voice held such weight that everyone felt the gravity of his words. His mere presence, with this one utterance, seemed to make the air itself more oppressive.
"How much are the lives of the innocent believers killed by those orcs worth in gold? What about the statue of the Lord that was desecrated? How much is it worth in gold? And what about the priests who were murdered? What are their lives worth in gold?" The Bishop's voice was not loud, but it grew increasingly formal and solemn with each word, almost making one want to kneel. "And the words of the Pope—how much are they worth in gold? Does your faith in the Lord have a price tag of gold?"
Lord Luther's previously buoyant mood crumbled instantly. While his mind immediately calculated the gold value of what the Bishop had mentioned out of professional habit, he was far too prudent, even in his most confident moments, to voice such thoughts.
In the Western Continent, the most influential power was not a powerful kingdom, but the small region surrounding the shining castle of Celeste, protected by several devout nations. Even a king's crown had to be placed on his head by the Pope himself. So, one could privately hold disdain for the Lord and worship wealth and power, but in public, all must demonstrate piety. The flames of the Inquisition's pyres had never been extinguished.
"Everything must be measured by the standard of profit; this is a sign that the soul is about to fall," the Bishop's gaze fell directly on Lord Luther. It was not a sharp look; it wasn't the cutting edge of a sword, but the weight of a mountain pressing down.
Lord Luther bent low, unable to meet the Bishop's gaze, his head pointed at the floor, his back drenched in cold sweat. He could already see the image of the Inquisition's pyre in his mind.
Before coming to the palace, Lord Luther had indeed considered the Church's potential response and prepared a set of explanations. However, as a pragmatic merchant, he had never anticipated that the Bishop would steer the conversation into the realm of faith. Real, substantial issues can be debated and bargained over, but once the conversation turns to the metaphysical, no argument can settle it. What he hadn't foreseen was the power in the Bishop's gaze and voice, as if his soul were directly touched, crushing any courage and desire to speak, leaving only fear and dread.
"Rest assured, Your Eminence, Lord Luther's faith in the Lord is unquestionable. Every year, the guild contributes a large portion of its tribute and donations to Celeste," Queen Catherine finally spoke. Her voice was soft and kind, like warm mint water, gently dispersing the solemnity and weight that had filled the hall with the Bishop's presence.
The Merchant Guild Leader was invigorated by the Queen's voice. He immediately knelt before the Bishop, drawing out a beautifully crafted cross from his chest, and declared loudly, "Your Eminence, please bear witness. My faith in the Lord has never wavered. Everything I do is for the glory of the Lord. War will claim the lives of millions of the Lord's faithful, but peace can bring them wealth, allowing them to donate more to Celeste each year."
The Bishop, his gaze as impassive as ever, responded coldly, "To give one's blood and life in devotion to steadfast faith is the way to elevate the soul to Heaven. Accepting coins from blasphemers, however, causes the holy cross to lose its light."
The Bishop's words, like ice, seemed to freeze the very air around them, with a chilling weight that settled on the Merchant Guild Leader's heart. He could feel the sweat on his back turning into ice, his spirit weighed down by the Bishop's unyielding gaze.
"Your Eminence is perhaps overthinking things. Lord Luther, as a merchant, might have simply not thought it through fully. His intentions were well-meaning and should be forgiven," came the Queen's soothing voice, which felt like a ray of sunshine cutting through a darkened sky. The Merchant Guild Leader could distinctly feel the Queen's gaze upon him, laden with appreciation.
The Bishop, however, ignored the Merchant Guild Leader and turned his gaze back to Queen Catherine. "Your Majesty, from the self-serving nature of these men, we can see that the orcs' lairs are truly filled with a corrupting evil. I ask that you make a decision immediately and unite with the surrounding nations to declare war on Orford."
In this moment, the tension in the hall was palpable, and the weight of the Bishop's words, combined with the Queen's calm authority, created a clash between the political and the religious, between pragmatism and piety.