Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair) novel Chapter 1512

The position Faelan took at the table represented Nerathia's stance in the negotiations.

They were neutral!

Carissa couldn't help but marvel once more at the power of a strong kingdom.

The initial stages of the talks were tedious, with the same points being repeated over and over. The translators were busy, their voices echoing with historical debates. This was inevitable, as conceding too early would only lead to further compromises.

As such, the first round of negotiations yielded no agreement. It was simply a test of boundaries.

The second round began the following day. Again, they emphasized the same points.

But after the second repetition, Faelan spoke up, saying, "There is no point in prolonging this. The dispute over the border has lasted for decades. It will not be resolved in a day. Let us set the border issue aside for now. What I wish to know is whether both sides are committed to establishing peace and mutual non-aggression between your kingdoms."

The answer was unanimous. Both parties expressed their desire for a peaceful resolution and hoped to avoid further conflict.

Faelan then presented a stack of papers. On them were detailed lists of goods from both kingdoms—grain, livestock, silk, textiles, handcrafted items, tea, furs, porcelain, paper, and herbs and spices unique to their lands, as well as larger commodities such as rock salt, iron ore, and emerald.

Both sides picked up the lists, their initial tense expressions gradually easing.

When there were significant mutual benefits, some issues could be negotiated, and those that couldn't could always be set aside for now.

With years of war having drained their treasuries, both kingdoms needed to recover. Based on Nerathia's own experience, they knew that focusing solely on agriculture while neglecting commerce was outdated. A balance of both was the true path to prosperity. After all, taxes on commerce were steep.

With Faelan's list in hand, both kingdoms agreed to temporarily halt the border discussions and return to their respective courts for further deliberations.