BXBX NOVEL Chapter 397 Debate
"Emperor Valentin… Headmaster Reuben… High Priest Enoch, would you mind explaining to us what the denial of entry was about? What was with the unannounced security procedures?"
In the Imperial meeting lounge, Emperor Valentin coldly sat at the head position of the table with High Priest Enoch and Grandmaster Reuben on the left and right positions.
The remaining seats were all different kinds of messenger emblems upon which their respective owner's image is reflected.
Some of them used a mechanical bird as a medium, others used letters and other familiars to force the Emperor to conduct an emergency conference with them.
It is no doubt that the owners of these messenger emblems were the respective leaders of the majority members of the three great continents.
While most of them remained neutral and calm, more than half of them had a displeased expression as they were looking at the three elders with indignation.
The one who first spoke was none other than the Vanderford Emperor.
"How could you catch us off-guard by suddenly imposing such a ridiculous security check!!! You are disregarding our dignity!" He continued.
"We are just protecting my own territory. It is not like I made it hard for your subjects to enter. All I require is that they undergo the security procedures." Emperor Valentin calmly answered while his two hands clasped together, resting on the table.
"But to even subject them to a spatial scan!!! Even the royal families of other territories could not bear such humiliation!!!" Another king roared angrily. "Your knights even dared to conjure a large-scale hostile array to threaten our people! This is blatant disrespect!"
"In what area are your subjects humiliated?" Emperor Valentin looked directly at the holographic image of the angry leaders as he raised his brow coldly. Then he snapped his fingers, a projection stone activated, and showed one of the scenes on the border.
"My knights politely explained to them the situation. Even in handling the royalties and other diplomats, they have exercised due respect towards them.
As for the denial of entry, didn't all of us here have the right to deny entry to any citizen should they show a blatant intention to disregard the territory's laws?
Are you saying that I, as the Emperor of Seirende, had no right to deny entry to a noncomplying member of your territory because he is an entitled royal?!!" Emperor Valentin's tone became more oppressive and harsher.
He is indeed the Emperor of the largest and mighties empire in the entire Prasinos. Even if the leaders were not in the room physically, Emperor Valentin's tone and aura still affected them largely. Some even tried their best not to shudder in fear.
"Oh, if one of you argues that I am just showing you one recording of all the entry points in Seirende… Then just tell me what specific time and entry point you wanted to watch.
Let's see with our own eyes whether my knights indeed acted disrespectful and unreasonable! We have a live recording of all entry points too!
Try me!"
The room finally became silent as they were taken aback by Emperor Valentin's retort. They did not expect that he would just sit in front of them and slap them with evidence like this!
Setting up a projection stone that continuously records the entry and exit point proceedings?! Just how many projection stones did the Seirende Empire possess?
Even the Emperor of the Vanderford Empire was left speechless because of this. How could he now stir the people to force Emperor Valentin to compromise?
Fortunately, the head of the grand tournament council, which was also the headmaster of Vanderford, spoke up.
"Emperor Valentin, we understand that you have the very right to impose your regulations on your own territory. However, this really has put the Grand Tournament council on the spot. How can we now jeopardize the holding of the tournament because of this dispute? Could you consider giving us face?"
"Hahhahaha!!!" This time, it was not Emperor Valentin who spoke but Grandmaster Reuben.
"Ohhh, Headmaster Heron! You now have the nerve to mention being considerate?! Hahaha of all the people in this conference, you and the members of your council have no right to even speak of that word in this context!
You knew and His Majesty Emperor had broadcasted that they have just undergone a large-scale internal war, and yet you and your GOOD council still forced the Empire to accommodate the entire Prasinos to host the grand tournament?!"
"..."
As Grandmaster Reuben shouted angrily and blatantly pointed it out, everyone was yet again speechless.
"I also blame you… you leaders, for not being considerate. Thank Heavens. Oh, just thank Heavens, that none of our students were killed during the war, for if not, I don't know what to think of you here.
Have any of you, who were clearly in the academy which made an oath to the heavens to become the guide to the younger generations, thought that many unfortunate young ones could have experienced trauma or even been injured for you to even insist on holding the tournament this year?!
Not to mention six months, even one year would not be enough to return our student's mental health condition that fast! You really wanted to kill the Seirende Empire and their allied Kingdom's future generation do you?!
Don't tell me that you failed to judge the situation. I, as the representative of the Empire's academy, had already pleaded and reminded you MANY times but you kept pushing your own agenda and kicked us down.
Now we just imposed some additional measures to protect not only our citizens but most importantly the younger generation who had the highest possibility to be exposed to a terrorist attack, but you come to us and cry murder?!
Who now had no mercy?
Who now had been inconsiderate?
How pretentious!!"
With Grandmaster Reuben putting it this way, the council members were put on the spot. That was also the same for the leader of the Allied government of the Greenwave Continent and the Vanderford Emperor.
Grandmaster Reuben's words, really exposed their impatience to come to the Empire and kick them down.
Grandmaster Reuben did not hold back his words at all, because he just received a notification paper from Leon that even this every conference was a scheme for some of the hostile leaders to 'expose' the Seirende Empire.
Leon's roaming blade intelligence network confirmed that the very proceedings of this meeting were actually being broadcasted to other territories.
In the end, their plan backfired, and now the leaders are put in an awkward moral spot.
All the hostile leaders racked their brains for retort while the allied forces of the kingdom just watched without complaint. It is not that they completely agree with Emperor Valentin's methods, it is just that their sons and daughter were also studying at the Farauld Magic Institute.
Even the smaller kingdoms who were part of the scheme to force the Seirende Empire to open their gates to the world became ashamed. Yes, they were even sending their own kin to participate in the tournament.
What's wrong with the Seirende Empire imposing stricter regulations? Isn't this also for their kins' safety?
Now that they heard Grandmaster Reuben's words, they also thought of their children. What the Emperor did was not only to protect his own territory but to protect future generations.
"It seems that everyone in this conference now understands your point of being vigilant with the curse users…" Just as when the people were anxious that this session would end this way, an elderly yet dignified voice sounded to raise a question toward the three elders.
"What about my Main Temple's envoys who are set to come there to investigate in a few weeks' time?"
"Will they be also subjected to the same security procedures?"
"Yes, there will be no exemptions. Even if the Pope personally came, he would be subjected to inspection." Emperor Valentin did not even think for a second and answered decisively.
A hushed discussion ensued in the conference room. Even if they were meeting through magical messenger emblems, it allowed a multiway interaction. Though this could only be used by the greatest leaders in Prasinos.
There was a cunning flash on the Pope's face.
As if he was satisfied with Emperor Valentin's answer, he leaned his back on his chair and replied, "So Emperor Valentin, you are saying that not even the royals nor the people of the Temple who were directly conferred by the heavens are all subject to Seirende Empire's doubt?"
This time the overwhelming effect of Grandmaster Reuben's speech weakened as the place of the Main Temple in every leader's mind is high. Soon the overall opinion halved so easily.
But how could Emperor Valentin, who had already been so exposed to Eli's way of thinking be perturbed by the Pope's words?
"Why not, Pope? Have you forgotten, that the main instigator that caused our Empire to almost vanish is actually the Former Empress of this Empire, she was even my wife?
Oh, and have you forgotten that that very Empress has been awarded by your Main Temple with a precious holy relic just because she had given an 'exemplary' voluntary service back then?
In the end, Pope, who is she?
She was a curse user, who caused millions of innocent lives destroyed and killed. She even tried to kill her very own son by using him as a vessel for a spirit fragment!"