So many important figures gathered together, naturally not for drinking and partying.
Just as the Mayor of Constantinople, despite his current decline, still holds an informal Imperial Council, this meeting, where the future of the Principality is decided in a small secret room, could be called the Principality's version of an "Imperial Council."
Manuel couldn't help but feel a little nervous; after all, this was his first time participating in such a high-level meeting.
However, apart from Grand Admiral Doria and Patriarch Orophin, the other key officials did not seem surprised by his presence.
"Everyone is here, so let us continue our discussion from this afternoon."
"Alright, but Your Majesty, Crown Prince His Highness…" Doria cautiously raised an objection.
"Manuel is the Crown Prince of the Principality, the future ruler of all Theodoro; isn't it perfectly normal for him to participate in the meeting?" Alexius interrupted him with a hint of displeasure.
Doria immediately fell silent, bowing slightly to indicate he had no objections.
Seeing this, Alexius continued the previous topic:
"As mentioned before, according to our people in the Kaffa region, the Kaffa colonial authorities are applying to Genoa for a schedule to send 1,000 mercenaries to the Eastern Mediterranean, which is said to be related to the newly stable situation within Genoa."
No one spoke; Manuel felt as if he was even holding his breath.
According to the peace treaty concluded between the two sides in 1424, Theodoro successfully recaptured the small strongholds of Olstyn (present-day Alushta), Gorzuvit (present-day Gurzuf), and Patniko, and consolidated its gains from the previous war.
At that time, Genoa, pressured by domestic turmoil, was forced to sign the peace treaty, but Genoa's ambition was well-known, and they would never let it go easily.
In official history, in 1433, Alexius, after securing allies and appeasing his suzerain, preemptively declared war on the Kaffa colony, but both sides pecked at each other like chickens until 1441.
And by then, the new suzerain, the Crimean Khanate, even more formidable than the Golden Horde, had already established a firm foothold…
Manuel knew that to avoid such a situation, the Crimean Khanate must be eliminated before it could establish a firm foothold, preventing the collapse of the Golden Horde, the greatest protector.
If the Golden Horde did not collapse, the Ottoman influence would find it difficult to spread to the Eastern European Plain, and only then could Theodoro avoid the tragic fate of being crushed by the Ottomans.
And to stifle the Crimean Khanate, the Principality of Theodoro would need a population of over 200,000 to have any influence over the steppe region.
To reach a population of 200,000, Kaffa, with its shared culture and lineage, must be taken.
Therefore, no matter what, Kaffa must be secured before 1430.
And taking Kaffa was also Alexius's strategic pursuit after his ascension to the throne; father and son were surprisingly consistent on this point.
"So, what do you all think?" Alexius's question pulled Manuel back from his strategic reverie.
Of course, Manuel was not the only one; the ministers, who had been utterly silent moments ago, now began to whisper.
Alexius also turned to Manuel and asked, "My child, how do you think we should respond?"
Manuel pretended to ponder for a few seconds, then deliberately raised his voice and said, "We should start preparing provisions and military equipment now, so that next year—no, this winter—we can declare war on Genoa."
His words were startling.
Raus and Pennycook were stunned on the spot.
Patniko and Alexius nodded with a smile.
The yellow-haired Grand Admiral Doria, in his early thirties, outright loudly voiced his doubts:
"Crown Prince His Highness, Genoa's domestic situation is relatively calm right now, and even the forces it has stationed in its Black Sea colonies are not something we can contend with.
Rashly attacking Kaffa will only send us back to the predicament we faced before 1411."
He then turned to Alexius and said, "Your Majesty, Crown Prince His Highness is still young.
Your humble servant personally believes that His Highness should conduct more on-site inspections of the Principality's military situation."
These words were too sharp.
Although Manuel was mentally prepared, he was still furious inside, and even Patriarch Orophin, who had intended to speak against the deployment of troops, frowned and closed his mouth.
Alexius's face, however, remained expressionless.
He simply continued to sit at the table and asked, "Then, Grand Admiral Doria, how do you think we should respond?"
"Strengthen the city defenses and train our defenders.
I believe that with the solidity of Calamita Fortress and Dolos Fortress, nothing will happen.
Your Majesty, as the Grand Admiral of the Navy, I understand best the disparity between our fleet and Genoa's."
Patniko, who was nearing thirty, shook his head, because what the Grand Admiral said was simply nonsense.
Since the ceasefire between the two sides in 1424, Theodoro had not stopped reinforcing its fortresses for a single moment, and Calamita Fortress was not just started this year.
As for the fleet, even a farmer's son knew that in the Black Sea region, only the Venetian and Ottoman fleets could contend with Genoa.
Even the Tatars could not fight a naval battle against Genoa.
Thinking of this, Patniko simply spoke up: "Your Majesty, my thoughts differ from Doria's.
I believe that in terms of land forces, we are not necessarily weaker than Genoa—I heard that the Venetians seem to have obtained some advanced firearms and their manufacturing methods from the Middle East."
"General Patniko, I must remind you that even Middle Eastern firearms cannot effectively harm a knight clad in armor, and furthermore, the gunpowder that is barely usable now is all in powder form, with weak power." Doria loudly retorted.
Upon hearing this, Alexius's eyebrows twitched, as if he had an idea.
Manuel, however, felt a bit smug inside and chuckled, "That's not necessarily true."
Because in his previous life, when he was dreaming of restoring Rome, he had already memorized the most powerful black powder formula by heart, and after transmigrating here, he had even successfully developed effective granular gunpowder himself.
But when he wanted to express his thoughts, he couldn't say a word.
Because the two of them were arguing back and forth, unable to stop, and the Patriarch couldn't even get a word in to mediate, while the other two simply closed their mouths to protect themselves.
"Enough, this matter will be discussed tomorrow.
It's late today, everyone go back and rest." Alexius, with a grim expression, forcibly ended their quarrel and, incidentally, announced the end of this chaotic "Imperial Council."
Eventually, the two were forced to abandon their argument, though their simmering anger was still evident when they departed.
On the way back on horseback, Alexius looked at Manuel with flickering eyes, but the latter seemed oblivious.
It wasn't until Alexius had the servants stop their horses that he said to a puzzled Manuel, "Manuel, you've been researching gunpowder recently, haven't you?
However, I advise you to keep such things secret."