Chapter 409
Third Person’s POV
“Who’s crying?” Priscilla walked in, seeing Paisley and Adelaide with red eyes, and asked doubtfully “Hmm? Didn’t you say there were guests? How come you two ended up crying?”
She muttered under her breath, “The guests came and didn’t even think of paying me a visit? How rude
Adelaide and Paisley both laughed. Priscilla’s little reproachful glance was just too comical.
At Frostbite Town, Tad was extremely impatient.
Four rounds of negotiations had taken place, and Victor wouldn’t budge an inch. He insisted on exchanging Frostbite Town for Eugenius.
As for the other prisoners, they had already been exchanged long ago.
Speaking of which, this was actually a losing deal–the number of prisoners between the two nations was unequal. The Dragon Ash Werewolf Kingdom had twice as many prisoners as Tad’s sodiers.
This clearly did not match the number of prisoners taken, indicating how many they had killed.
Now, the other side was demanding Eugenius’s life for Frostbite Town, which was sheer madness.
Had it not been for Alpha Lance arriving here two days ago, demanding that Tad drag out the negotiations, he would have flat–out refused Victor.
Abbot and Stewart had been telling him repeatedly that Eugenius was crucial in the Southern Border Reclamation, but Tad didn’t see it that way.
He had reviewed the list–Alpha Bentley’s legion had no Eugenius.
Even if there were omissions in the military récords, how could Eugenius alone deliver vital intelligence?
Thus, he believed that the intelligence Eugenius brought back could also be accomplished by the front- line scouts and was not that important.
The negotiations had dragged on for too long, and he was unwilling to prolong them further.
After all, the prisoners had already been exchanged. If Eugenius was a loyal and righteous individual, he would not want to see the kingdom exchange a city for him.
The problem was that Lycan Erasmus had dispatched Lance to participate in the negotiations, and upon arriving, Lance had issued a command to stall and then vanished.
Because Lance was aware of the implications–taking the blame for sacrificing Eugenius, he had gone into hiding.
With Lance in hiding and not showing his face, Tad remained in charge of the negotiations.
No matter the decision–whether to sacrifice Eugenius or a city—Tad would be the one bearing the public’s backlash, not Lance.
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Chapter 409
Therefore, Tad dispatched men to search for Lance while also submitting a report to the Royal Council stating that Lance had disappeared upon arriving in Frostbite Town
With this report in place, any future decisions would implicate Lance—after all, why had he gone into hiding?
Once the report was sent, Tad summoned Stewart and Abbot for a discussion.
Seated in the command center, which was a far cry from the former makeshift facility–spacious, bright, with comfortable sofas and a heating system for winter–he took a sip of Colombian coffee brought from the capital. The rich aroma soothed his frayed nerves.
He spoke slowly, “Given Alpha Lance’s current whereabouts are unknown, the negotiations cannot be further delayed. We must report to the Royal Council. In your opinions, when would be an appropriate time to terminate the negotiations?”
Abbot and Stewart exchanged a glance. They knew well that Lance hadn’t vanished or hidden–he was leading a rescue mission for Eugenius into the Dragon Ash Werewolf Kingdom’s border city.
But Lance had ordered them not to disclose this to Tad.
Tad was impatient and hotheaded; if he knew, his attitude during negotiations might reveal arrogance and indifference, which Victor would surely sense.
Victor, a battle–hardened figure on the Southern Border, was no pushover–a smart and brave individual with a sensitive and suspicious nature. Tad was no match for him.
“What’s your take?”
Tad frowned. “The situation’s tense. Why the daydreaming?”
Stewart thought inwardly, What tense situation? During wars, we’ve faced far more intense scenarios. But he certainly wouldn’t voice that.
Though he disrespected Tad, as the Royal Council’s appointee to replace Alpha Lance, Tad commanded his respect.
“I suggest we stall for another ten days, conducting several more rounds of talks. At least the world will see we’ve exhausted all efforts,” Stewart said.
Tad shook his head. “Ten days is too long. Victor’s already losing patience. You saw it in the last negotiation -he’s desperate for a resolution.”
Abbot interjected, “Regardless of his patience, we’ll stall. Lycan Erasmus appointed you to negotiate, but the final decision–maker is Lance. We need to find him first. Whether we reject the offer outright or trade a city for Eugenius, the choice should be his. Of course, I say this for your sake–to shield you from public backlash.”
Stewart added, “Exactly. No matter the decision, the public will criticize. If the backlash is overwhelming, Lycan Erasmus might sacrifice you to appease the masses.”
Though Tad was no great leader, he wasn’t foolish.
These two had served under Alpha Bentley for years and alongside Alpha Lance for over three. How could
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Chapter 409
they now sacrifice Lance for him?
He didn’t believe it for a second.
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Narrowing his eyes, he probed, “Are you hiding something from me? Do you know where Lance is?
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