Chapter 71：A Small Seed

With a hood to obscure her face, Rose walked through the streets of Jardim City as she made her way for the coordinates specified in the mysterious letter. In specific it was located in the port district of Jardim city.

Along the way, she was given a chance to survey the people of the city. All of whom were technically her subjects.

The types of people commonly found in the port district were merchants, artisans and sailors as well as the typical servants expected to accompany those types of people. Being a port city which flourished off trade, Rose was proud to proclaim that Jardim hosted one of largest docklands in the world.

Of course, that meant that the merchants, artisans and sailors found within Jardim's port didn't exclusively hail from Portegol but there was a seizable number of foreigners as well.

And of course, there were also the rats, vagabonds, refugees and beggars that can be found in any district apart from the castle district of any city.

However, this time, the sheer amount of them was larger than in the previous years. As a member of the noble house of Finaflor which governed the Port-city, Rose was very familiar with the city and its peoples.

She knew that while it could stand to be a bit better, the subjects of the Finaflor family were in the past living a prosperous life, at least when compared to other cities anyway.

It wasn't until now that the level of poverty been so high.

In particular there was a rise in the amount of moneyless children and women that littered the streets.

In other words, orphans and widows.

Another horrible misery caused by the war.

However, Rose had no time to think about such things as she soon arrived at the location specified in the letter.

While the city of Jardim, much like other major cities was a maze with multiple branching paths, for someone like Rose who was very familiar with the city, it was rather easy for her to navigate through the labyrinth.

The location in particular appeared to be just another warehouse which was owned by a rich foreign merchant.

However, one glance at the guards near the doors told Rose that they were no ordinary mercenaries or houseguard.

They were a pair of two hooded men whose hood concealed all but the mouth and jaw of their face while their crossed arms and straight posture made them appear to double in size. Both of them appeared so stiff and tense that Rose almost mistook them for a pair of realistic statues.

At the sight of the two guards, Rose could not help but gulp instinctively and start contemplating the nature of who sent her the letter.

The fact that the insignias were only on the back of the letter and not on both the letter and the envelop combined with the fact that she was meeting those who wrote the letter in what seemed to be a merchant's warehouse told Rose that whoever wished to meet her wanted to keep their presence hidden from the public eye.

After taking a deep breath, Rose approached the doors. As she drew closer, she couldn't help but instinctively keep a close watch on both of the guards while at the same time mentally preparing herself for the worst.

To her relief, the guards didn't take any hostile actions against her when she approached them.

Nor did they take any action for that matter.

In fact, it was almost as if they didn't even register Rose's presence.

Just before she could even think about how bizarre these 'guard's were, the door of the warehouse suddenly opened.

"Lady Finaflor, we are glad to see that you have accepted our 'invitation.'"

Rose was greeted by a young woman, probably in her early twenties and had a warm, welcoming smile. The woman had long silver hair which was styled into a long braid while she wore a rather simplistic and plain dark-navy noble attire. The woman's most unique feature however, was her pair of beautiful violet eyes.

"Please come in."

Soon, with that warm smile still on the woman's face, she beckoned Rose into the warehouse while the two guards continued to remain as perfect statues.

Seeing no point in declining the woman's offer, Rose entered the warehouse after taking her hood off. However, a sudden revelation came across Rose's mind as she followed the woman deep into the warehouse.

With a slight bit of doubt in her voice, Rose asked the woman a question.

"How did you know that it was I; Rose Phlorear Finaflor and not some random stranger at your front door?"

When the woman heard Rose's question, she simply shrugged before she answered in a rather blunt manner, as if she was stating the obvious.

"We Drussians like to keep a close eye on things. Helps us guarantee success in our endeavours."

Rose immediately froze in place the moment she heard the woman's answer.

"D-drussians?.."

Instinctively, Rose prepared to defend herself as she slowly retrieved the hidden dagger that was in her sleeve while at the same time probing the situation.

"You... You're a Drussian?"

"Of course I am."

On the other hand, the woman continued to act in a friendly manner as she spoke.

"Seeing that you don't seem to recognise me, allow me to introduce myself."

As the woman 'introduced herself,' she did a slight courteous bow as if she was having a formal talk with a fellow friendly noble.

"You can simply call me 'Sicilia' and I am just a representative of the Imperium of Drussia... more or less."

Rose's left eyebrow rose in slight suspicion as she question Sicilia.

"More or less?"

"It's complicated. I'd rather not explain."

Rose didn't know what it was exactly, but she didn't feel any malicious intent from Sicilia, although she also knew that her 'benevolent' aura may be nothing more than a ruse. As such, Rose decided that it was best to continue probing the situation before making any moves.

"And what do you want exactly?"

"To talk to you of course."

Sicilia sighed to herself before she continued speaking.

"I wanted to take you to a nice seat in my office but you don't look like you're going to move so I guess we'll have to discuss things here instead."

Strangely enough, Rose was actually perturbed by the current course of events. She didn't expect a Drussian, the same people that the Paniards made up to be inhumane monsters to be so... so friendly and warm.

"Discuss things?"

"I did tell you that I am a representative of Drussia. I'm here to simply start negotiations and diplomacy with the Kingdom of Portegal. Although the current status of your kingdom has consistently kept me from doing it officially in the open. You know, with the open hostilities and all."

Although not as much as before, Rose remained cautious as she continued questioning Sicilia.

"Negotiations and diplomacy? Do you really think that I or any Portegeese citizen for that matter will believe anything that you Drussians have to say? For all I know, this could all be part of a plot for the conquest of my nation. Similar to how you invaded Demark and Porrand."

Sicilia once again sighed before she responded.

"Oh that's right, I almost forgot. The Paniards have been feeding you bullshit propaganda haven't they? We didn't invade Demark. The Dames chose to sign the Commonwealth Concords themselves. We vassalized Demark and only annexed a few vital regions of Demark that lay on the Drussian-Damish border. The same goes for Porrand"

Sicilia spoke in a very earnest and genuine manner as she explained things to Rose. It was at the point that Rose began to doubt everything that the Paniards told her and for someone who never really liked the Paniards, that was saying something.

"And on top of that, it was the Damish King himself who signed the Concords and acknowledged that Demark was now a vassal nation under the Imperium of Drussia. While it was done under military threat, that sort of thing is just par for the course don't you think?"

"Par for the what?"

When Sicilia heard Rose's innocent and impulsive question, Sicilia appeared to be stumped and left speechless for a few short seconds. Sicilia spoke to herself as she shook her head in what seemed to be disappointment.

"Damn. It would seem that Maxwell got even me into saying his made-up ridiculous quotes too..."

However, Sicilia soon remembered Rose's presence as she once again shook her head before attempting to salvage the situation.

"Anyhow that's not important. What's important is that the Dames or the Porrish are not living under the harsh subjugation that your Panish overlords would have you believe. I'm sure that you are already at least partly aware of this but for certain you can now fully confirm that the Paniards have been feeding you lies."

Although, Rose was aware that Sicilia herself could also be lying, a part of her deep down inside wanted to believe everything that Sicilia was saying. Soon, Rose let that part of her takeover as she stuttered a single word out of her mouth.

"R-really?.."

Sicilia nodded in approval before she responded.

"Yes really... but that's also why I wanted to start negotiations with you in particular. Because out of all the Portogeese nobles, I know that it is you that will understand."

"Understand?"

Sicilia once again nodded in approval as she spoke.

"Yes. Understand the importance and gravity of what about I'm to offer."

It was the last part of Sicilia's sentence in particular that grabbed Rose's attention.

"Offer? Offer what?"

With a warm smile on her face, Sicilia told Rose what she had to 'offer.'

"The freedom of your people lady Finaflor. Freedom from the Paniards. And for that freedom, all I need from you, is do everything that I ask of you."

Soon, Sicilia went in-depth in what she needed from Rose and how in return, that will remove Portegol's status as a vassal nation.

Everything that Sicilia said was so unbelievable that it was only after a long moment of silence passed did Rose give Sicilia her answer.

"But... but my people... my... my family... I can't... I can't just do what you're asking me to do."

Rose sighed before she firmly confirmed her answer.

"I'm sorry but I can't accept this."

Sicilia kept a straight face instead of a warm smile as she replied to Rose's answer.

"That is rather a disappointment... Not unexpected exactly but still somewhat of a disappointment."

Sicilia sighed as she spoke.

"However, you do realise that me allowing you leave this place without us coming to an agreement would be a huge liability to my 'operation.'"

"Is that... so?.."

When Rose heard Sicilia's words, she once again prepared herself for the worst. However, contrary to what Rose expected, Sicilia made a rather anti-climatic response.

"But... I guess I can make an exception for you. Don't mind the guards on your way out."

With a casual slight shrug, Sicilia bid Rose farewell.

"I guess this is farewell then Rose..."

[She's just going to let me go just like that? What was the point of inviting me here then?] While thoughts like these ran through Rose's mind, she knew that this was her chance to leave. With a silent wave, Rose bid Sicilia farewell as she left.

What was unbeknownst to Rose however, was that Sicilia achieved her goals the moment that Rose agreed to listen to what Sicilia had to offer.