Chapter 184
‘Somehow, this doesn’t feel unfamiliar.’
A smile formed on Lloyd’s lips—closer to a bitter smirk than anything else.
His gaze stayed fixed on the inside of the reception room.
The inner door was opening.
A man who looked like palace staff stepped through and gave a stiff, mechanical bow.
With an expressionless face, he spoke.
“Everyone must be tired from your long journey. Please, have a seat over here.”
He pointed to a table in the reception room.
A plain table with no decoration.
The chairs around it were the same—simple wooden chairs you could find anywhere.
The kind commoners used in their homes.
In other words, seating utterly unfit for an envoy dispatched by a monarch.
Special Envoy Count Ventura looked troubled.
“Hm. There seems to be some kind of mistake.”
“A mistake, you say?”
“It seems you have guided us to the wrong place.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
The staff member tilted his head, still expressionless.
Count Ventura’s voice grew more strained.
“It seems this happened because you did not receive proper instructions. We are the special envoy dispatched by Her Majesty the Queen Alicia Termina Magentano. That is, we have come this long way to convey Her Majesty’s will to your Sultan. But this cramped and shabby reception room—and being greeted by a lower-ranking official instead of the Sultan himself—I cannot understand it.”
“Why do you say you cannot understand it?”
“Because it is not befitting our status. Return to your superior and ask again immediately. Confirm whether you have guided us to the wrong place.”
“I am sorry, but you have been guided correctly.”
“Correctly? This place? You mean this cramped and shabby reception room is the correct place?”
“That is correct.”
“What is….”
Count Ventura’s expression wavered.
The Sultanate staff member continued in the same mechanical tone.
“You have been guided correctly. Are you perhaps not the special envoy sent by Her Majesty the Queen of Magentano?”
“We are the special envoy. I stated that clearly.”
“Yes. Then you have been guided correctly.”
He repeated the same words like a parrot.
Count Ventura’s brows furrowed.
“Surely your country is not intending to insult Her Majesty the Queen?”
“I do not know about such matters. I am merely acting according to instructions from above.”
“Bring your superior here immediately!”
Count Ventura’s roar shook the room.
Even so, the staff member didn’t so much as blink. He only nodded, posture still stiff.
“Understood. Please wait a moment.”
He retreated.
Count Ventura bit his lower lip.
“What a bizarre and outrageous….”
Was he trying to suppress his rising anger?
Or did he genuinely not understand what was happening?
‘Probably both.’
Lloyd’s smirk deepened as he watched it play out.
‘They’re slow on the uptake. Well, I guess it can’t be helped. They’ve never been treated with this kind of neglect in their lives.’
Lloyd’s gaze swept over Count Ventura and the envoy members.
All of them were high-ranking figures.
People from families with real influence in the royal capital.
‘So of course it’s unfamiliar. Of course it feels strange. They’ve never been ignored like this, not once in their lives.’
The bitter smile kept slipping out.
And with it came memories of South Korea.
Especially his days living in a goshiwon.
‘Back then, being ignored was a daily occurrence.’
He’d never had much to begin with.
Nothing to show off.
He’d lost his family’s shelter and was just trying to survive one day at a time.
Taking care of himself properly wasn’t even an option.
So his confidence steadily eroded.
He couldn’t hide the shrinking attitude that leaked out in his expressions and gestures.
That was why.
Wherever he went, he was subtly dismissed.
In the goshiwon, the manager would greet him with, “You won’t be short on money this month, will you?” every single time he saw him.
And that wasn’t all.
‘Special Envoy, have you ever tried to board a packed bus, only for the machine to announce your transportation card balance is insufficient? Have you ever panicked, dug through your pockets to pay in cash, and dropped a whole pile of coins? Have you ever apologized over and over while picking them up, only to find you’re exactly 100 won short? So you couldn’t board at all, and had to step back off through the front door while people glared at you?’
Even now, the memory made his insides tremble.
Because he’d lived through that kind of disregard, Lloyd understood immediately.
The moment they were led into this shabby reception room, he grasped it at once.
How the Sultanate intended to treat the special envoy.
What kind of stance they were taking.
He understood faster than anyone.
This atmosphere wasn’t unfamiliar.
He was used to being ignored.
‘They’ll come out even more brazenly.’
So let’s see if he was right.
Lloyd took a seat at a table in the corner.
As he leaned back and calmly observed, someone who looked like a higher-ranking Sultanate staff member entered the reception room.
“I heard the special envoy was looking for me.”
“That’s right. I was.”
Count Ventura, who had been pacing, reacted immediately.
He addressed the man with a face he was forcing into composure.
“It seems impossible to communicate with the lower-ranking staff.”
“Hm. What, specifically, was uncomfortable?”
“This place. There seems to be a minor yet serious mistake.”
“Ah. I’ve already been informed that you expressed dissatisfaction with the reception room. But unfortunately, this is indeed the reception room assigned to your special envoy.”
“……What?”
The higher-ranking staff member smiled politely.
Count Ventura’s eyes filled with disbelief.
“What does that mean? Then the Sultan—he will not greet us?”
“Unfortunately, that is the case at the moment.”
“Unfortunately? At the moment?”
“Yes.”
“What does that mean?”
“It is because the great and almighty Sultan is occupied with official duties. In other words, he has much work to do and is currently unable to meet with you, the special envoy.”
“But we are from Magentano….”
“I know. You are the special envoy sent by Her Majesty the Queen. But what cannot be helped, cannot be helped.”
“What… That’s absurd!”
A vein bulged on Count Ventura’s neck.
“I’ve been holding back, but this is too much! What country in the world receives a royal envoy in this way! This violates diplomatic custom and proper etiquette!”
“But there is truly nothing we can do.”
“That ‘nothing we can do’—how are we supposed to accept that!”
“If you don’t like it, you can just go back.”
“……What?”
Count Ventura froze, doubting his ears.
The corners of the staff member’s lips lifted slightly.
“Our position has been conveyed sufficiently. I will say it again: the great and almighty Sultan is currently unable to meet with you.”
“Then you’re saying we should wait?”
“You are finally understanding our position. That’s right. If you wait, it will naturally be resolved.”
“How long do we have to wait?”
“You should expect at least six months.”
“Wh….”
“As I said, there is nothing we can do. The great and almighty Sultan is simply that busy.”
“Are you mocking us?”
“No.”
“Then what is this!”
“We are asking for your understanding.”
“What kind of ridiculous understanding is that…!”
“If you don’t like it, you can go back.”
Clack.
The staff member smiled faintly and pulled a round golden badge from his pocket.
He placed it on the table.
“The choice is yours. Return as you are, or remain here and endure the wait. We have no intention of forcing either choice.”
“……What is that?”
Count Ventura gestured toward the golden badge with his chin.
The staff member smiled.
“It is a gift the great and almighty Sultan has personally bestowed upon you.”
“A gift?”
“Yes. A gift you may receive if you choose to endure the wait.”
“……Explain.”
“The name of this golden badge is Padashar. Its purpose is simple. While you are staying here in Ahinsa, you will not need money if you possess it.”
“Why is that?”
“This Padashar represents the grace of the great and almighty Sultan. It is a token of his promise to support all expenses you require.”
The man’s explanation continued.
“With it, you will not need to pay for food anywhere in the capital. The same applies to clothing, hiring camels and porters, and securing lodging.”
“……Are you trying to treat us like beggars?”
“That is a misunderstanding. Would we ever do such a thing?”
The higher-ranking staff member’s smile sharpened.
Count Ventura’s eyelids fluttered.
“Then I will give you time to think. I will take my leave now.”
With the envoy drowning in anger and disbelief, the staff member bowed politely and withdrew.
Lloyd’s smirk deepened.
‘As expected. I was right.’
The Sultanate was openly disregarding the envoy.
If you don’t want to wait, go back.
If you choose to wait, accept their “grace.”
In other words: if you aren’t willing to throw your pride into the dirt, don’t negotiate.
They were indirectly saying they wanted to break off negotiations.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t treat a royal envoy like this.
‘Are they going to deny responsibility for the Monster Domino Effect to the end?’
It certainly looked that way.
Which made things troublesome.
‘If negotiations collapse, it’s war.’
He had to avoid that.
War helped no one.
And Frontera Territory, in particular, would suffer enormous damage.
‘So how are they going to respond?’
From here on, it mattered.
The Sultanate’s rudeness.
The outcome would depend on how the envoy accepted it—and how they answered it.
But Count Ventura and the others were simply drooping, shoulders heavy.
“Hoo. What should we do….”
“That’s what I’m saying, Special Envoy.”
“I never imagined they would receive us like this. Does this make any sense?”
“I feel the same. This is unjust. We should summon someone again and demand an explanation.”
“Yes. We should. But what if our protests are ignored?”
“Then perhaps we should publicly condemn the Sultan?”
“Hmm, but this is enemy territory.”
“Then how about sending a letter home?”
“What kind of letter?”
“We should report the unfair treatment in detail and request an additional envoy of larger scale.”
“You mean to increase diplomatic support and pressure?”
“That’s right. It seems there is not much we can do here.”
“Hmm….”
Count Ventura stroked his beard, troubled.
“I don’t know what to do with this situation. But if we abandon negotiations and return, Her Majesty will be disappointed. And we won’t be able to avoid war… But what are you doing?”
One of his brows twitched.
His gaze turned toward the corner of the reception room.
Lloyd was seated there, smiling.
“Ah, I was just looking at this.”
Before anyone noticed, the golden badge was in his hand.
The Padashar the Sultan’s staff had left behind.
Count Ventura’s brow twitched harder.
“You’re not coveting that, are you?”
“I was just curious.”
“Don’t even think about it. That object was given to humiliate us. I hope you don’t even entertain curiosity about it. More than that—”
Count Ventura’s gaze hardened.
“You saw their attitude just now, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then do you have any opinions to offer?”
“Hmm, not really.”
Lloyd shrugged.
A brief look of displeasure flickered across Count Ventura’s face.
In truth, Count Ventura didn’t like Lloyd much.
How did someone from a rural territory catch Her Majesty’s eye?
Was it resentment over his sudden rise?
Not exactly.
He acknowledged Lloyd’s abilities and reputation.
Even so, he disliked the snobbish streak the young man showed at times.
Like now—fondling the golden badge the Sultan had offered in mockery, almost with satisfaction.
Count Ventura stared at him.
“May I offer you advice?”
“Yes, of course.”
“The golden badge you are holding—I advise you to keep it away from you as much as possible. Do not let greed cloud your reason. Do not sell your pride for petty gain. Please do not ruin everyone’s work with foolish actions.”
“Yes. I understand.”
“Is that sincere?”
“Of course. Rest assured, I will never ruin everyone’s work.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you understand my intentions.”
“You’re welcome.”
Relieved, Count Ventura nodded with satisfaction.
Lloyd returned a smile full of trust, as if to reassure him.
And that night—
With the Sultan’s golden badge in hand, Lloyd’s full-fledged, ultra-luxurious money-wasting party began.