Chapter 99: War and Storm
Viscount Letterman had no choice but to give Ambrose's proposal serious thought.
Paying a modest amount of gold and mineral resources in exchange for the Dwarven King's troops… If the price was right, it might well be an unacceptable deal.
Alkhemia was in chaos. Minor lords were annexing one another at will. The grand lords, however, hesitated, afraid that they would be falling into each other's traps if they were to strike first. Though things seemed calm on the surface, in truth, a storm was brewing.
Once the grand lords finally entered the fray, this land would plunge into total war.
And if the Court of the Silver Moon invaded, matters would grow even more complicated.
The Court of the Silver Moon was a colossus. The elves' military strength was beyond what any single lord could withstand. Viscount Letterman might worship Thanos, Lord of Storms, but madness didn't mean stupidity. He understood the disparity between him and the elves perfectly well.
Dwarven support was therefore essential. In the early stages, he could even use the Dwarven King's forces to expand his own territory as quickly as possible, stockpiling strength to face the elven invasion to come.
If only the elves hadn't been so inflexible! They had refused to accept any terms short of total territorial surrender and insisted on driving everyone out.
Given that premise, cooperation with the dwarves sounded far more preferable.