The parliament of the Empire was held in the palace of Brunswick as scheduled. In the magnificent dome of the palace, the Kurfürst, the most powerful people of the Empire, gathered together.
The following people were present.
Laing was very familiar with some of them, so there was no need to introduce them here (otherwise, some people would think it was a waste of words).
These people were:
Emperor of the Empire, Prince of Brunswick, Grand Duke of Brunswick, Karl-franz - Frey Friedrich.
Kurfürst Friedrich, Grand Duke of Midland (also known as Midland), Grand Baron of Mildenheim, Boris Todbringer.
Kurfürst Tuscany, Grand Duke of Ivy, Grand Baron of Aviheim, Umberto Corleone.
Kurfürst Brescia, Grand Duke of Wesen, Grand Baron of Wesenburg, Gianni Bernardino.
Kurfürst Wolfen, Grand Duke of Auster, Wamil Von Zhukov.
Kurfürst Becafen, Kurfürst Ostermark Alliance, Wolfram Hertwig.
Kurfürst of the Nords Kingdom, the legitimate son of Grand Duke Harald Frank, Grand Baron of Nords, Theodoric Geisel.
Archbishop of the Church of Justice (also known as the Grand Priest), Wickmar Beckman.
Archbishop of the Church of Life, Karsi Laing.
Archbishop of the Church of Magic, Aglimar.
In addition, there were four other Kurfürst holders who attracted Laing's attention.
Kurfürst Herzig and Grand Baron of Hocke was Eidebrand Rudenhoff.
This Kurfürst was the only Kurfürst who did not hold the title of Duke because the territory of Hawk Hill was too small. It might only be one-fifth the size of Miden Hill, and the area that was actually controlled by humans was even smaller. Therefore, the title of Hawk Hill had always been Grand Baron instead of Duke, and the Grand Baron only managed seven or eight barons.
Eidebrand Rudenhoff was a tall and thin middle-aged man with a long face. He was surprisingly strong despite being skinny. It was said that this Kurfürst's biggest hobby was hunting. He spent most of the year hunting in the villa in the southern forest of Hocke, and only returned to the capital, Herzig, in winter.
Kurfürst Tarabheim and Grand Duke of Tarabeck, Helmut Feuerbach also arrived. This Kurfürst had already been introduced before, so there was no need to repeat it here.
What was more special was the remaining two Kurfürst holders.
The first holder of the Elector's right was a Halfling. He was the "Mu 'er" Esmee Stuhart, a Halfling who was only 1.2 meters tall. This Halfling was already very old. He entered with the help of others and greeted everyone.
The Mut Dominion was the most peculiar province in the Empire. This place that was like a province yet not a province was called the "Mut Dominion". In history, after the Empire conquered the Mut Dominion, the homeland of the Halflings, they merged the Mut Dominion into the Steyr Dominion and the Ivy Dominion. However, the Halflings' resistance and uprising lasted for thousands of years. In the end, when the Army of Order was running out of food, Ludwig the Savior accepted a huge donation and got the Halflings' promise to pay taxes on time. The new Empire then returned the Mut Dominion to the Halflings and gave them the right to elect the Empire's emperor. However, the Halflings were not qualified to participate in the politics of the Empire.
The Mut Dominion was known as the "Fairytale World". It was one of the most beautiful places in the old world. The Halflings thrived there, stood aloof from worldly affairs, and were content with self-rule. They were protected by the forces of the Empire, and wars rarely touched this place.
Esmee Stuhart was a strange person. Back then, he was wavering between Karl-franz and Boris Todbringer. Emperor Karl-franz listened to the advice of his courtiers and bribed this Kurfürst with a sumptuous dinner, ten bags of oatmeal, and twenty barrels of good malt stout. Therefore, this Kurfürst holder decisively voted for Emperor Karl after eating and drinking to his heart's content.
The last remaining Kurfürst was the Kurfürst of Uttbad and the Grand Duke of the Steyr Dominion, Albert Hapt Andersson.
This Kurfürst was the most special because he was the only one among the most powerful people in the Empire who was present. He wore a simple woolen shirt, trousers, and a fur coat, and did not wear silk clothes like everyone else.
This was because the Steyr Dominion was simply too poor.
This province was the poorest province in the Empire, bar none. The Nord Dominion was rich in minerals and marine products. The Hawk Dominion exported high-quality hardwood and all kinds of good cedar and oak. The Auster Dominion was prosperous in animal husbandry and animal skin trade, which ensured that the civilians in the Auster Dominion had a good life. Also, the gold mines near Wolfenburg were still immeasurably deep after hundreds of years of mining, and the output was astonishing. Therefore, Kurfürst Wamir almost did not have to worry about money.
What did the Steyr Dominion have?
Nothing at all.
The Steyr Dominion province was mountainous and forested. The land was barren, and the output was very low. Most of the Steyr people struggled to feed themselves all year round. Famine was something that the Steyr people experienced every year. Rock bread was very popular in this province (a small amount of coarse wheat flour + bran + sawdust + a large amount of rock powder). After eating this kind of bread, you would feel very full.
At least, Laing did not plan to try it.
Wine was the only product that the Steyr Dominion could export. Unfortunately, the Steyr Dominion could not produce high-quality red wine. Due to the barren land, using the precious arable land to grow grapes would often cause more people to starve. Therefore, the local wine could not be built into a manor. They could only grow and sell their own wines. Most of the wines produced were low-grade and mid-grade wines. The most praiseworthy thing about the Steyr wine was that the people here never added water to the wine, which was very rare in the Empire.
What was worse was that Sylvania was also a part of the Steyr Dominion. At the end of the War of the Vampires, the Grand Duke of Steyr, Martin, led the human army in the Battle of Helfinn and completely destroyed Man Frey Von Castein and his undead army. He killed the last vampire count, Man Frey Von Castein, and burned all the vampire castles in Sylvania to the ground. From then on, Sylvania was incorporated into the Steyr Dominion.
However, Sylvania was more like a heavy burden than a gift. Not even a blade of grass grew in this land of death. Countless undead creatures wandered around this cursed land. The dead would never rest in peace. The Steyr Dominion had no choice but to build a large number of border guards and sentry posts. Almost every ten days or half a month, there would be scattered undead creatures attacking the border.
A poor place was forced to maintain a large border guard. The financial pressure almost caused the Steyr Dominion to go bankrupt.
Anderson, the Kurfürst, was a really good person. He was the first one to support Boris Todbinger. However, when Karl-franz found him and promised to provide food aid to the Steyr Dominion, the Kurfürst, who loved his people deeply, did not hesitate to "sell" his vote to Emperor Karl, just so that his people would not starve to death.
Laing felt that this incident explained two things. The first was that Kurfürst Anderson really loved his people. The second was that the Rick Dominion was really rich, and the Steyr Dominion was really poor.
The parliament of the Empire opened. The Emperor was the first to give a speech. The Emperor himself reviewed the glorious history of the Empire and the help that the High Elves gave to the Empire in the great Holy War. After that, Tegris, the Supreme Sorcerer of the Council of Magus of the High Elves' Safray Kingdom, took over the topic. He expressed his concern to the Kurfürst about the forces of Chaos.
If the Empire could not resist the invasion of Chaos from the north, then the territory of Chaos would continue to expand. The land would continue to decay and mutate. The world was gradually and irreversibly being eroded by Chaos. Ever since the great Holy War, the number of believers of Chaos in the old world had been steadily increasing.
The Empire needed to unite to deal with the threat of Chaos. Tegris proposed that Emperor Karl-franz was an excellent general and statesman. When there was a large-scale invasion of Chaos, the Emperor should unite the forces of all the Kurfürst to fight against Chaos together, instead of fighting on their own.
Laing found a seat behind the parliament of the Empire and sat down. This time, he came to the Empire for a private visit in an unofficial form. He could not represent Brittany, nor the Knights of the Holy Grail. He could only represent himself. Therefore, Laing could only sit in and listen.
Tegris's proposal caused the parliament of the Empire to fall into a quarrel.
"Mr. Tegris, we respect you. Ludwig, the Savior, once taught us that a united Empire is stronger than a divided Empire. The great Empire has been divided many times in history, but we have always believed that we are all people of the Empire." Hertwig, the Kurfürst of Becafen and the president of the Ostermark Alliance, was the first to speak. This Kurfürst said to Tegris without hesitation, "However, the elves should not interfere with the internal affairs of the Empire. How we want to form an alliance is our own business."
"The elves will not interfere with the internal affairs of the Empire, but the elves also have to face the threat of Chaos. We are acting in a kind way to remind our human friends, not to offend them," Tegris said calmly.
"Then, this matter should be an internal meeting of the Empire. I don't understand why you have come to the parliament of the Empire to endorse Karl-franz, Mr. Tegris?" Kurfürst Boris said rudely. His only eye stared at Tegris and then at Emperor Karl-franz who was silent. "Is His Majesty trying to tell us that he has a High Elf as an ally? He wants us, the Kurfürst, to be obedient, or a meteorite will fall on our heads? "
"That is absolutely not what I mean, Boris …" The emperor immediately defended himself. "What I mean is that the High Elves are willing to help the Empire, but they hope that the Empire can be united …"
"Only the High Elves can defeat Chaos? F * ck you! " Helmut Feuerbach, the Kurfürst of Tarabheim, said straightforwardly, "The High Elves still think that they are the masters of the world? I'm afraid that they are living in a dream! "
"…" Tegris was not a man who was particularly good at talking. Faced with the aggressiveness of the Kurfürst, the supreme sorcerer was somewhat unable to control himself. If his words were too harsh, the negotiation of the alliance would be over, but if his words were too humble, it was not the High Elves' style.
"Calm down, everybody. We are discussing our opinions and making suggestions. We are not forcing you to do anything. Please speak freely and do not escalate to racial and personal attacks." The emperor spoke.
Tegris' suggestion was in the emperor's interest. Emperor Karl-franz had been trying to strengthen the authority and centralization of power ever since he took office. Right now, because of his remarkable military abilities and political strategies, the Kurfürst temporarily abandoned their prejudice against each other and moved forward side by side. However, the emperor's orders still could not go beyond the Ricks. The Kurfürst would carry out the emperor's orders if they were beneficial to them (or at least harmless) and ignore them if they were harmful.
However, it was already much better than before.
"Yes, perhaps it is more beneficial to let the emperor unite us to fight against Chaos, or perhaps the High Elves will provide us with any help we can in fighting against the forces of Chaos. But what about other problems? The undead in Sylvania, the green skin in the wretched land, and the countless orc tribes in the forest, will the High Elves also help us? " Anderson, the Grand Duke of Steyr, said worriedly, "If we can't even protect ourselves, how can we unite to fight against the forces of Chaos?"
Anderson's action was a little intense. His fur coat tilted, revealing the patches on his woolen shirt underneath.
"Agreed." Umberto Corleone, the Grand Duke of Ivy and the Kurfürst of Tuscany, raised his hand.
"Seconded." Helmut Feuerbach, the Grand Duke of Tarabek and the Kurfürst of Tarabeheim, raised his hand.
Gianni Bernardino, the Kurfürst of Brescia and the Grand Duke of Wesen, hesitated for a moment. The Kurfürst, who was less than twenty years old, also raised his hand under the direction of the courtiers. "I second the motion."
The emperor and Tegris both frowned.
Why did the Kurfürst of these provinces all seconded the motion?
It was because they didn't have to face the threat of Chaos directly. In their opinion, when Chaos invaded, they wouldn't be the first to be attacked. Therefore, they were not interested in joining forces. On the contrary, they each had their own considerations.
Everyone knew the threat of Chaos, but knowing it was one thing, and actually waiting for Chaos to come to their doorstep was another thing. Humans, or rather, mortals, always repeated the tragedies of history. When they didn't really feel the danger, when the fire was on their eyebrows, most mortals were always busy thinking about their own interests.
They forgot the pain after the scar healed! The emperor could only sigh. Humans were a kind of forgetful creatures. The High Elves had a long lifespan, the Dwarves had the Book of Hatred, but humans didn't have these advantages. After the disappearance of Savior Ludwig, the Kurfürst began to be satisfied with their autonomy and closed their doors to live their own lives.
"Everyone! Only when the claws of Chaos knock on the door of the palace will you wake up from your dream? " At this moment, Kurfürst Boris spoke. His remaining eye was burning with the flames of anger. "All of you are only satisfied with your own rule. Are you even people of the Empire?!"
"The Empire must unite!" Baron Hocke and Kurfürst Edbrand Rudenhoff also shouted, "For Charlemagne, for the Empire!"
"Long live the Empire! Long live the Empire! " Emperor Karl-franz stood up. His thirty-year-old face was filled with holy anger. The emperor stood up from behind his seat. "Enough. If you think this is enough, then vote! Tell me, subjects of the Empire! It was to unite them! Or split up and be defeated one by one? I, the emperor of the Empire, Karl-franz - Frey Friedrich, await your answer! Don't forget, the scars left by the claws of Chaos on the land of the Empire are quietly watching you! "
"Begin voting!"
The Kurfürst were shocked by the emperor's angry roar. Like roosters who had lost a fight, they lowered their heads and wrote their opinions with quills.
Fourteen parchments (Elder Mutt has no right to participate in the internal affairs of the Empire) were sent to Archbishop Wickmar of the Church of Justice.
"Eight votes in favor! Two abstentions, four votes against! "
"On behalf of Emperor Charlemagne and the God of Justice, I hereby announce that the alliance is established!"
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