Chapter 439: The Last Line

Earl Grey’s refined manners and eloquent speech revealed the upbringing of a genuine European nobleman.

Throughout the meeting, Alonso served as the interpreter, translating Grey’s words for Simon and conveying Simon’s responses to the Dutch earl.

Simon nodded slightly and gestured toward the seat opposite him.

"Welcome to the Eldorian Empire, Earl Grey. And welcome to Ashenford."

Grey took his seat and discreetly studied the prince.

To his surprise, Simon was considerably younger than he had expected.

He had heard numerous accounts of the prince’s achievements and the difficulties the Dutch had encountered during their negotiations with him. Yet seeing the young ruler in person was an entirely different experience.

Grey began to understand why dealing with Simon had proved so challenging.

In his experience, young men were often impatient, passionate, and prone to impulsive decisions. Their confidence frequently exceeded their experience, making them difficult to predict.

However, Simon’s composure suggested that he was not someone who could be easily manipulated.

After a brief silence, Grey spoke.

"Your Royal Highness, I believe you understand the purpose of our visit. Regarding the situation in Split Rock, I hope we can reach an agreement that satisfies both parties. That is precisely why I have come here in person."

A long table separated the two sides.

Grey and Alonso sat opposite Simon and Monti, with the arrangement resembling a formal diplomatic conference.

Simon folded his hands on the table.

"I share your hope, Earl Grey. Neither side wishes to sacrifice its soldiers unnecessarily. If we can resolve our differences through negotiation, there is no reason to resort to war."

Grey nodded before stating his position.

"In that case, I ask that you allow us to retain Fort Zeelandia. Beyond that, we are prepared to accept your other demands."

His expression remained serious.

This was already a considerable concession from the Dutch.

They were willing to recognize Simon’s control over the eastern trade routes and accept restrictions on their commercial activities, limiting their operations to Ashenford and Split Rock.

However, the Dutch were still unwilling to withdraw their troops from Fort Zeelandia.

It was the same obstacle that had prevented Alonso from reaching an agreement during his previous visit to Brambleford.

Simon tapped his fingers lightly against the table, studying Grey’s expression.

The earl appeared calm and resolute. Unlike Alonso, who had occasionally revealed his emotions during their discussions, Grey gave little away.

He was clearly a more formidable negotiating opponent.

"If you insist on retaining your troops, Earl Grey, you must give me a convincing reason."

Simon spoke evenly.

Grey’s personal arrival suggested that the negotiations were approaching their conclusion. Simon needed to understand whether the Dutch were genuinely willing to compromise or merely attempting to preserve their existing influence under a different arrangement.

Grey nodded as though he had anticipated the question.

"First, we cannot abandon our own security without obtaining reliable guarantees. The fleet stationed at Split Rock does more than protect our eastern trade routes. It also safeguards our merchant ships against privateers."

He paused before asking, "Your Royal Highness, are you familiar with privateers?"

"Privateers?"

Simon frowned slightly, although he understood perfectly well what Grey meant.

Privateers were privately owned vessels authorized by governments to attack enemy shipping during wartime. In practice, they were a form of state-sponsored piracy, allowing nations to weaken their rivals while avoiding the expense of maintaining larger official fleets.

European powers had employed such methods for centuries.

Governments might publicly condemn piracy while quietly encouraging armed merchants to seize their enemies’ ships and cargoes.

The distinction between a privateer and a pirate often depended on whose interests the vessel served.

Simon raised an eyebrow.

"Are you referring to the English and Spanish privateers?"

Grey’s expression shifted slightly.

Simon continued with a faint smile.

"I have heard that England’s rise to power was closely connected to piracy. Some people even joke that the entire country was once a band of pirates, with the queen herself standing at their head."

Grey was momentarily taken aback.

He had not expected the prince to understand the situation so clearly. Simon’s description closely reflected the Dutch perception of English and Spanish maritime aggression.

After a brief pause, Grey sighed.

"Your Royal Highness is correct. Privateers operating under English and Spanish authority have caused serious problems for our merchants. Their activities threaten our shipping routes, and some have even appeared near the sea lanes leading to Manila."

Simon nodded.

"Very well. That explains why you believe a fleet is necessary to protect your merchant ships."

He leaned forward slightly.

"But it does not explain why you need to maintain a military garrison at Fort Zeelandia. Privateers operate primarily at sea. Why should we assume they would launch an attack against the fort itself?"

Grey’s expression grew more serious.

"Our troops are also there to defend against the Latin powers."

His eyes flickered briefly toward Alonso before returning to Simon.

"Unfortunately, the Dutch began trading in Funky Town before establishing our commercial relationship with your empire. Some merchants, driven by greed, even sold matchlock technology to the Latins."

He shook his head.

"Those decisions have created a dangerous situation. The Latins now possess considerable firearm-manufacturing capabilities, and their military ambitions continue to grow. They are becoming a greater threat to us than the Eldorian Empire."

Grey’s voice hardened.

"If we withdraw our troops entirely, we risk leaving ourselves vulnerable to their expansion."

At the mention of the Latins, Simon’s expression darkened.

"So, in the end, we are expected to bear the consequences of your own mistakes?"

His voice remained controlled, but the displeasure in his words was unmistakable.

"Because of your merchants’ actions, the Latins are now considering expansion into Silverland and the Eldorian Empire. You helped create this problem, Earl Grey, and now you want to use it as justification for maintaining your military presence."

Simon shook his head.

"You know as well as I do that the islanders have little difficulty turning commerce into plunder when it suits them. In Europe, you have the English. Here, we have the Latins. Their flags may differ, but their ambitions are remarkably similar."

He paused before adding coldly, "They see wealth and territory they do not possess, and their first instinct is to consider how they might seize them."

Grey studied Simon for a moment.

Then, unexpectedly, he smiled.

"I must admit that I agree with much of what Your Royal Highness has said."

His willingness to agree surprised Alonso, who remained silent beside him.

"However," Grey continued, "the Eldorian Empire has a problem of its own. Indeed, it was one of the reasons the Dutch were reluctant to establish commercial relations with your government in the past."

Simon raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? And what might that be?"

He already had a fairly good idea of Grey’s answer, but he allowed the earl to continue.

"Arrogance," Grey replied bluntly.

For a moment, the hall fell silent.

Then Simon nodded.

"I admit that our government has made mistakes in the past. We have sometimes allowed pride to interfere with practical decisions."

He looked directly at Grey.

"But there is little value in arguing over old grievances. We are here to settle the current dispute, not to revisit every mistake made by our predecessors."

Simon returned the discussion to the matter at hand.

"Let us continue negotiating."

Grey seized the opportunity.

"Then surely you understand why we must retain our troops at Fort Zeelandia. Given the threats we face, our request is entirely reasonable."

Simon smiled.

"Very well. You may retain your garrison, but only under certain conditions."

Grey waited.

"You may station no more than two thousand soldiers at Fort Zeelandia, and you may keep only four warships there."

For the first time since the meeting began, Grey struggled to conceal his surprise.

Two thousand soldiers.

Four warships.

The prince had named figures that struck remarkably close to the actual situation.

The Dutch garrison at Split Rock consisted of approximately two thousand men. Simon’s proposal would therefore leave them little room to expand their military presence under the agreement.

More importantly, Grey suspected that the prince knew considerably more about their forces than he had revealed.

The Dutch possessed twelve warships in the region, eight of which had originally been stationed in their Manila colony.

Concerned about Prince Valeric’s reckless actions and the growing instability in the region, Grey had transferred eight additional warships from Manila to Split Rock.

It had been a significant reinforcement, but it had also left the Dutch with a difficult choice: accept Simon’s restrictions or risk losing far more than their military position in the East.

Grey forced a bitter smile.

"It seems Your Royal Highness has already investigated our military arrangements thoroughly."

Simon merely smiled in response.

He had no intention of allowing the Dutch to exploit the agreement by quietly increasing their forces whenever circumstances changed.

Nor did he intend to let them use local troops as expendable soldiers while preserving their own men from the consequences of their decisions.

European colonial powers had often shown little concern for the lives of the native soldiers serving under their command. Such troops could be deployed recklessly, allowing their employers to pursue military objectives at a lower political cost.

Simon wanted to prevent that possibility from undermining the agreement.

His restrictions would apply to the Dutch military presence, not merely to the number of soldiers they chose to station at any particular moment.

More importantly, he wanted the Dutch to understand that maintaining their position at Fort Zeelandia came with responsibilities.

Simon leaned back in his chair.

"These are my conditions, Earl Grey. You may retain two thousand soldiers and four warships at Fort Zeelandia. In addition, I will station two thousand soldiers of my own there to guarantee your security."

A faint, almost mischievous smile appeared on his face.

"That way, you will have no reason to claim that the Eldorian Empire has failed to protect you."

Grey’s brow furrowed.

He understood the implication immediately.

Simon was not simply offering protection. He was also ensuring that the Dutch could not strengthen their position at the fort without his knowledge.

With Eldorian soldiers stationed alongside the Dutch garrison, any attempt to expand the military presence or use the fort against the empire would carry considerably greater risks.

The prince was offering security while simultaneously limiting the Dutch freedom of action.

Grey lowered his gaze, considering the proposal.

He knew Simon was testing the sincerity of his intentions.

The Dutch had arrived hoping to preserve their most important military foothold in the region while conceding control over much of their commercial influence.

But the prince was determined to ensure that the agreement could not become a loophole through which the Dutch might later undermine his authority.

For several moments, Grey remained silent.

Alonso watched him anxiously.

The entire negotiation now rested on the earl’s decision.

At last, Grey raised his head.

"Very well, Your Royal Highness. We accept these terms."

Simon studied him carefully.

Then, at last, his expression relaxed.

This had been his final test.

If Grey had refused even the presence of Eldorian troops at Fort Zeelandia, Simon would have had serious doubts about the Dutch commitment to a peaceful settlement.

Their refusal would have suggested that they wanted to preserve not merely a defensive position, but an independent military stronghold beyond the effective reach of the Eldorian Empire.

Grey’s acceptance did not guarantee that the Dutch would honor every promise they made.

Nevertheless, it was a promising beginning.

For the first time, both sides had accepted the principle that Dutch military forces could remain at Fort Zeelandia only under clearly defined restrictions.

The hardest part of the negotiation was over.

Now they had to determine whether the agreement could survive beyond the negotiating table.