It was time.
I stood, now in my Military garb. My pants and shirt were impeccable, and my hair was neat and tidy. I made sure that my feet looked clean too, and I took a deep breath. It was time for us to sign the treaty.
After what felt like forever, it was time to end the war with the Empire.
For now.
Today was the day that we both agreed to sign the treaty. To end our engagement and start a 'peace' both knew was temporary. We both were playing the game, knowing the other did not have the means to continue the war, although neither would admit that aloud. Whoever pushed first would end up butchered by the other. It was just that simple: whoever moved first deeper into the other's territory would die.
It was honestly a miracle of the Goddess that everyone talked about in this world that we reached this point. The Empire was not a beast easily tamed, and the circumstances that brought me to this point were a massive amount of luck and strategy. This was the Empire's war to lose.
Yet the war did not seem to play out like that.
It still boggled my mind that it ended this quickly with such a low causality count for our side. Tens of thousands dead was such a low number, I did not know how to deal with it. Most of them were after defending the trenches. Reflecting on it, I knew that I would never encounter such luck in my circumstances again.
It was war, not something where the other would just let you roll over them. They would fight for survival next time. The Empire would move into total war economics next time. The only problem for them was whether I could pull off the things that I wanted to do. I could not help but think about all the things that I had been working on in the background back home while I had been doing this.
Rose had been a massive help, but Tina was still working on weapons. That did not even count the number of people who were now moderately bound to me through relations. I could not wait to go back and see all my children. I wondered if they would still recognize me.
I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.
Do not think about that, Chelsea. You will become the umbrella above them, allowing them to do as they wish. Enter the Military, or just live good lives in society. I would not allow them to become spoiled, but I could serve as their protector and create a wonderful nation for them to live in.
That is my promise to myself.
That is what I am doing all of this for.
I will not allow everything I hold dear be captured and killed again.
Not like my friends.
Taking another deep breath, I opened my eyes, and I broke the fabric of the canvas that was reality. I stepped through and ended up at the front, and a few dozen meters away, my delegation was waiting for me.
Waiting for the person who was high enough in rank to sign the treaty.
It just so happened that A Loveknot was a very, very powerful name in the Beast-kin Nation. A name that carried weight, and as the Supreme Commander, I carried even more weight than the average Loveknot.
So I stepped forward towards the delegation and the Elders, and Isabelle fell to my side and around me. We slowly moved forward on foot toward the negotiation table that was no longer covered by a tent. It sat out in the sunny day, and everyone put on their smiles as we walked into the no-man's land and noticed the Humans doing the same.
Men and women on the other side, and the New Head General, Victor Dunberry, stepped forward, as did I, as we approached the table. "Ah, Head General Victor," I said slowly as I stepped forward.
"Supreme Commander Chelsea," He replied, his voice flat.
"Today, we have stated our terms for peace, and we have negotiated the document before you. We have created two exact copies for both of us to sign and bring home. That way, in the future, to prevent more conflicts, we can review the treaty before the international community and address them through the Treaty until the treaty is no longer in effect. Do you agree?" I asked my voice stern.
"I agree, as does the Empire." He replied, and we both nodded.
"Then, as the head negotiator and the Supreme Commander of the Elite Army, I agree on behalf of the Beast-kin Nation," I replied, and he nodded. "Then shall we sign the treaty?" I asked, and the man paused.
I could feel his hesitation. To be the first to more or less surrender to an enemy nation in the Empire's history. But it was short, and he took a deep breath, "I will on behalf of the Emperor," He replied, and we both moved forward, and it began.
Silence began as we both signed the treaty, after a quick check that no one tried to modify it. Then we both signed one copy, then the other. The moment is historical yet boring. I would have yawned if the moment would not have called it into question.
This was an important moment for my future plans, and I knew for the Empire. This was a happy delay tactic for both parties. The Empire needed time to rebuild and repopulate, while the Beast-kin Nation needed to clean up its internal issues, or it would stagnate.
Both of us had problems, and if we fought each other to the death at this moment, there was always the Kingdom of Arlin or the Dwarvren Kingdom, not to mention the Demon lands that could swoop in or the Praries and the Kingdom of Chip. There were many that would love to take a cut out of either of our nations, and this was for the best for both sides.
Then we finished, and we had a treaty on our hands, both taking a set of papers, and the sun shone above us. We finished it all before noon, and neither of us said anything. Silence only broken after a minute, "Very well," I said finally, "We will start now with the agreements. ensure that you have people ready to pick up the people we will start bringing your way as we have for the captured civilians on your end," I noted, and the man winced.
Then nodded, "Very well, Supreme Commander Chelsea."
With that, both turned the silence reigning, and I knew this silence was going to become a new trait of the Empire. A silence that will continue until they are ready, and we departed, both heading back into our territories. A warm wind was blowing between our camps as people left the table there for others to gather later.
With no cheers from either side.
The war ended between the Empire and the Beast-kin Nation.
For now.
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