Kisia.
Central Tower.
At the entrance, the embassy was crowded with people from various countries, all smiling at the three in the cabinet. Mr. Collins sat at the head, Mr. Levis sat aside smiling, while Mr. Berger had one foot on a stool, exuding an imposing aura.
“Gentlemen, this is the compensation we have agreed on,” said one of the ambassadors from United Heartlands, who carefully handed over a document. Mr. Berger was the first to pick it up and glanced at it. He immediately frowned, “Fifty billion? This little money is only enough to pay prostitutes. I think you have no sincerity at all. I think it’s better to let Little Mad destroy them since you have no sincerity.”
The document had not even been seen by Mr. Collins and Mr. Levis before Mr. Berger threw it back. The ambassadors were on the verge of tears. They had come to deter or even annihilate Kisia, but somehow they ended up being asked to pay compensation instead. Moreover, the amount was unsatisfactory.
“Mr. Berger, how much do you think is appropriate?” they asked carefully, intimidated by Mr. Berger’s previous words about letting Robin kill them all.
“Fifty trillion,” Mr. Berger said as he sat in the chair.
Fifty trillion! The words immediately turned the faces of the ambassadors pale. They couldn’t possibly pay that much. Even if they could, it would cripple their economies.
At this time, Mr. Levis spoke up, “Hey hey, Lee, that’s too much. I think five hundred billion is about right.”
“Yes, yes,” the ambassadors nodded quickly in agreement with Mr. Levis. Fifty trillion was definitely excessive, but five hundred billion was still a lot. However, compared to the outrageous fifty trillion proposed by the hot-tempered Mr. Berger who casually talked of having Robin wipe them out, they felt five hundred billion could be scraped together after all.
After settling the compensation, the ambassadors left. However, after they left, Mr. Berger was still saying, “Should’ve just let Little Mad destroy them.”
“Alright, enough,” Mr. Collins looked at Mr. Berger then Mr. Levis, “Stop the act, one playing good cop, the other bad cop, talking as if you’d really have Little Mad annihilate them. Kisia is unstable now, and even if Little Mad could destroy them, he’d also have to consider our rear. ”
“Hmph,” Mr. Berger turned around to look outside, “I’m joking, he is my student after all.” He said proudly.
It was his star pupil.
“You!” Mr. Collins looked at Mr. Berger and smiled helplessly. The old man was like a child, boasting about Robin. He shook his head feeling sentimental.
Then Mr. Levis said, “This time, Little Mad did the right thing. We can’t fight, Kisia is too unstable now. Just controlling the situation is enough. Moreover, South Province lost at least one fifth of its economy this time after being shattered. The five hundred billion is just right to help South Province recover economically.”
He had been worrying about how to revive South Province’s economy. In recent years of constant wars, military funding took priority, otherwise how could they support Robin terrifying countries worldwide, to the point they didn’t even dare gamble this time? They were simply too afraid to fight back.
Now there was money, extorted forcefully through intimidation. It delighted them, an unexpected windfall.
“Also, Robin petitioned that it would be best for South Land to be ruled by South Landers. He happens to have a man, Maclean Lyons, whose in-laws were the former South Land imperial family but were slaughtered. He has ties with the old royalty but also sufficient prestige and connections in South Land to quell unrest. ”
Mr. Levis spoke while looking meaningfully at Mr. Collins, questioning if this was safe. After all, South Land was a large territory, and if Robin’s subordinate ruled it, Robin would truly become too powerful. An individual gaining excessive power could jeopardize Kisia.
Mr. Berger said nothing this time. He understood Mr. Levis’ implication but did not argue. Because he was looking at it from Kisia’s perspective now instead of Robin’s. Personal feelings were trivial compared to the country.
“No need,” Mr. Collins shook his head, “As Lee said, if he wants that position, who can stop him. But he doesn’t want it, he just wants to be with his wife and kids. To be honest, he even submitted a resignation letter today asking to retire to Stillwater after this battle to raise his children. What can you say about this guy…”
Mr. Collins laughed and scolded. Others were almost addicted to power and even crazed by it. But to Robin, nothing was more important than his wife and kids.
“I won’t let him resign so early, he wants to retire this young, no way. He’s still young and there’s much for him to do. When he’s old he can brag to the younger generation, right Lee?” Mr. Collins looked at Lee.
Lee immediately sat up straight, “What I brag about is serious business, the things I did on the battlefield back then, I was…”
And so he started again. The other two smiled, Lee loved recounting his war stories whenever he was free. Clearly, though old, his heart was still on the battlefield. If not for his declining health and Robin’s emergence as a young and capable successor, he probably would have refused to leave the battlefield even if it killed him.
“Oh right, I’m taking a few days off,” Mr. Berger suddenly recalled something, his expression changing slightly as he became serious.
“What for?” Mr. Collins and the rest asked.
“I’m going to see my younger brother. I wanted to go when he passed away but had to oversee the capital with the instability in the rear. Now that things have settled down, I should go see him. That kid was always rebellious, never listening even if I beat him. He even ran away from home and severed ties with me. Insisted on becoming a bandit chief, when our family had all been soldiers for generations. How could I not be furious that he became a bandit?
But this time, he finally listened to me. Though I wish he hadn’t, then he wouldn’t have died. But because of his contributions in the war, I as his elder brother have to go see him, celebrate his merits. No need to grieve, he lived a full life, it was his time, nothing to be sad about. I’ll probably go join him soon too.
Also, hurry and restore Little Mad’s Primus status, with him gone I can’t find anyone suitable.”
Mr. Berger waved and left Central Tower. He bought a bottle of vodka, Master Lewis’ favorite. My rebellious younger brother, your elder brother is coming to see you.