Hutter's pen halted, "Eight... eight years? Has something happened?"
"I can't say yet whether something will happen." Arthur walked with his hands behind his back, "I can only say that due to some unspeakable issues, there is a certain possibility of something happening."
Hutter pondered briefly and thought of last month's protest letter Britain submitted to the Tsar, "Are you talking about the secret treaty with the Ottoman Empire? But I remember that matter had been put to rest, hadn't it?"
Arthur neither confirmed nor denied, he smiled and asked, "Richard, what do you think diplomacy is? Diplomacy is about hiding knives behind smiles; appearances of harmony don't truly mean harmony, and appearances of hostility don't truly mean hostility. Of course, I'm not saying all diplomats are dishonest people; they are just sent abroad to deceive for the national interest."
Hutter realized the severity of the issue upon hearing this.
