Building a Modern Nation in a Fantasy World

The prince met Arthur's eyes with a steady, unreadable expression—a subtle confidence lurking beneath the calm surface, as though he was studying Arthur just as much as Arthur was studying him.

A small pause followed. Not uncomfortable, but calculated. The tension in the great hall tightened ever so slightly, though neither side allowed it to show.

Then Edric finally spoke, smoothly stepping forward into the delicate verbal dance.

"Your Majesty," Edric began, his voice respectful, yet layered with a quiet sharpness that cut through the pleasantries like a thin blade. "How are the knights and mages you captured being treated? Are they safe and sound… or are they suffering under poor conditions?"

The words echoed faintly through the hall.

Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly.

Direct.

He had expected Edric to start slowly—to circle with polite observations, to probe his reforms, his rising influence, his governance. That would've allowed Edric to quietly measure Arthur's responses and gather additional information before revealing his true intentions.

Yet here the prince was, diving directly into one of the most sensitive topics from the very start.

The captured knights and mages of Chronos.

Arthur hadn't anticipated such straightforwardness so early in the meeting. But he quickly recomposed himself, his mind sharpening like a drawn blade.

So… you wish to see how I respond to pressure from the very beginning. Testing my stance, my confidence.

The old Arthur might have stumbled, might have rushed to defend himself. But Arthur was not rattled so easily.

His lips curled into a faint, almost amused smile. He straightened slightly upon his throne, allowing his voice to ring steady and cold across the vast chamber.

"Rest assured, Prince Edric," Arthur replied calmly. "Your knights and mages are being treated with dignity. They have not been harmed nor mistreated in any way. In fact, compared to how you have treated my merchants and border patrols in the past, I would say they are rather fortunate."

His gaze sharpened, though his smile remained polite. "Food. Clean quarters. Medical care. I understand well that even prisoners are still individuals deserving of basic decency."

Edric's face barely changed, but Arthur caught the faint glint behind those icy blue eyes—a flicker of acknowledgment.

Lucien, standing beside him, remained carefully silent.

So you're feeling me out, Arthur thought. You want to see if I'm weak enough to apologize, or arrogant enough to threaten. But I'll give you neither.

Arthur's voice remained calm and smooth, but carried a subtle shift in weight—a slight tightening of the rope between diplomacy and veiled warning.

"However…" Arthur continued, his tone now laced with just enough steel, "since we are on the topic, I should remind you that this negotiation could turn either way, Prince Edric. Depending, of course, on how today's discussion proceeds."

The words were not a direct threat—but the meaning was clear enough. The lives of the captured knights and mages still hung as one of the many cards in Arthur's hand.

Edric didn't flinch.

Instead, he studied Arthur for a brief moment, his expression unreadable. If anything, his eyes gleamed faintly with intrigue, as though finding Arthur's response… entertaining.

This level of verbal sparring was precisely why Prince Edric Rivas had been sent here.

Unlike many royal sons born into privilege, Edric was not simply another pampered heir.

The second son of King Brandon Rivas, Edric was often considered one of the more dangerous figures within the inner court of Chronos—not because of military might alone, but because of his mind. While he had been trained from a young age as a knight—holding his own in swordsmanship and military tactics—his true talents had always lain in politics, strategy, and court intrigue.

From the moment he could walk the palace halls, Edric had been groomed as a master negotiator, schooled in the art of diplomacy, manipulation, and long-term power plays. While his elder brother—the crown prince—excelled as a battlefield general, leading armies and earning military glory, Edric was often seen weaving silently through courtrooms, forging alliances, gathering information, and building influence in ways few could match.

He was the kind of prince who rarely raised his voice.

He didn't need to.

In every council meeting, in every banquet, in every whispered conversation behind closed doors, Edric's words carried weight—not because of brute force or inherited titles, but because of precision. Every sentence he spoke was calculated. Every pause is intentional. Every smile is carefully measured.

He was not the prince who led armies into glorious battlefields.

He was the prince who dismantled kingdoms without ever drawing a sword.

And that was exactly why King Brandon Rivas had chosen him to accompany Lucien on this mission.

This negotiation was not merely about retrieving a handful of captured knights and mages. Nor was it simply about the suspended payments Keldoria had refused to honor.

No—this meeting carried far heavier consequences.

At its core, this was about the future relationship between two kingdoms. Whether Keldoria would be forced back into subordination through pressure… or whether it would rise as an equal power.

Whether a fragile peace would hold—or whether they would begin preparations for a war neither side truly desired but both sides were carefully calculating for.

This was a game of brinkmanship.

And Arthur knew it.

The very fact that Chronos had sent Edric personally—one of their most politically gifted princes—instead of another career diplomat spoke volumes. Chronos recognized the stakes. They were no longer dealing with a minor border dispute or a simple payment delay.

They were dealing with a king who might shift the balance of power on the entire continent.

And Edric… was here to see whether Arthur Tesla was a ruler to pressure, to manipulate—or one that would have to be carefully respected.

Arthur leaned slightly forward once more, his eyes sharp as steel but his tone as smooth as silk.

"Well then, Prince Edric," Arthur said, voice calm but laced with quiet gravity. "Since you have traveled such a great distance, let us speak openly."

A faint smile tugged at Edric's lips. "Yes… let's."

The true conversation was about to begin.