Main Throne Room, Palace of Kagomei at Megamisama
"I recognize and welcome Trireme Minoro, ambassador and Prince of the third rank of the Nisei."
"Thank you, Meihomei. I will be brief, I bring a petition by the Nisei to formally recognize our friendship with the Kagomine by offering you our Order of the Golden Nightingale"
"What a coincidence, I wished to present Magelord Hari Pawtel
with membership, and commandership in the order of the Knights of Kagome. Few outside Kagome have done so much in friendship for Great Kagome, most certainly during my reign at least.""I will present the invitation, will you be visiting Eo Island to receive it?"
"I've spoken to my ambassadors who visited Eo, one of which spoke to Midori Anapurna, First Princess of the Second Rank of the Nisei, and were keenly working on a festival of friendship, here in Seylon, and it seems that it would be beneficial for the festival to occur not just in Seylon, but also in Eo, two weeks apart, so that we may partake of each other's culture and celebrate each other's virtues and friendship."
"I've not spoken to the exalted Princess, but it seems most fair for both of us to host each other."
In Trireme Minoro's hotel room, on a video conference with home base.
"But Exalted Magelord!"
"I've spoken to Princess Midori, she abjectly let them win concessions, concessions that the Kagomine just reversed, either when you presented them with my gift, or they had always planned to reverse these concessions. Most perturbatory."
"Would I know who they spoke to?"
"She spoke to their Bameimeito, my own student, Amarat Veneer."
"That high?"
"The only reason she didn't speak to his mother, their Nameihomei, is that he sought her out. But then, as Bameimeito, as their crown prince, she was honoured just from his company. He has gone up into the world.
"Wasn't he already bameimeito when you instructed him?"
"Yes. That was why he was instructed by a prince of the second rank! We could not supply a lesser teacher, not for the primary heir of an allied nation!"
"And I'm told he knows much of our ways."
"That is an understatement, he could teach Nisan ways to a native, he is impeccably schooled, not just in our ways and language, but Moniqan, Alessian, Brunswicki, Brescian ways and languages as well. I'm told he can pass for native in six languages and cultures, and for fluent in twenty tongues!"
"And he has made a gesture of friendship?"
"No, he was being harsh on Midori, and Meihomei, of all people, was reigning him in, being gentler, acting like a friend."
"When we signed her treaty..."
"When we signed his mother's treaty, his aunt was overjoyed, of course. But it was all a plan of Domei Mikhala, make no mistake, we did so because it benefitted Kagomei, and Kagomei first of all."
"Did we not also benefit?"
"Billions of new contracts flowed through our defense establishment, hundreds of 'mutually beneficial' trades were made since. Of course we benefited, but not as much as Kagomei, I just want you to keep it in mind. She is crafty, even if she is a friend."
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