“…My apologies,” he said. “In times like this, humans often shake xxxx as a sign of xxxx. Perhaps that xxxx doesn’t suit dragons. In that case—”
“Actually,” said Kaphal, standing as well. “You are human, and I am in human form. Perhaps it would be appropriate to follow human xxxx here. I just…am not familiar with xxxx things.”
She walked forward as well and the two shook hands.
It wasn’t just Lushera watching them as they did, every person there had their eyes glued on them.
As expected, there was also one man focused on writing. It was normal for a scribe to be present during meetings between important figures to record everything that was said, but no normal person could do that when the conversation took place in Draconic.
Once done with a sheet, he lined it up on the table with a paperweight holding it in place so it was easily read by others. With the courtyard surrounded by buildings like this, anyone at a third-floor window with magic binoculars could read the notes.
There were also several spells that let someone throw their voice. Someone would be telling the nobles sitting in rows outside the encampment what Kaphal and the King said. Then, if there was any profitable point they thought the King should focus on, they would give him some sort of signal.
Lushera was honestly impressed by how seriously they handled this. You could argue they sprang this situation on Kaphal and Lushera, but it wasn’t so far as to call foul on what was expected of them. Lushera was there though to call foul if she needed to.
“I assume you heard there were xxxx in my garden,” said Kaphal.
“I am aware.”
“Who is right and who is wrong is something that belongs in human xxxx. It has nothing to do with me. What I want is to keep these foolish xxxx from entering my mountain.”
They weren’t rude to each other, but neither did they humble themselves. Draconic expressed a lot of nuance at once, but neither Lazlo nor Kaphal were arrogant. They were simply entirely confident and composed.
“I believe you and I want very similar things. What do you think?” asked Kaphal.
“Hm. I agree. I imagine Martgarz will xxxx Mount Kugus, then xxxx to attack Setrayu. Xx, it is a xxxx speculation at this point, since Setrayu has never crossed swords with Martgarz before.”
“…That is a xxxx word. Is that what you humans call xxxx?”
A lie. Setrayu supported the Guffarr Union in their war against Martgarz. Martgarz wanted to cross the mountains in order to confront Setrayu because of that. The two countries clearly did not have a peaceful relationship. But it was politics that kept them smiling and shaking hands until something decisive happened. That was better for their countries. And, behind that façade, they prepared themselves against their imaginary enemy.
“Setrayu is small, while Martgarz is vast,” said Lazlo. “Which means we must xxxx. If they xxxx Mount Kugus, we will find ourselves xxxx with teeth at xxxx. I therefore want to prevent their soldiers from entering Mount Kugus. I believe that benefits us both.” Lazlo, back to sitting with dignity, leaned forward slightly. “And if that is the case…I wish to put my soldiers on the mountain before Martgarz does.”
They finally got to the main point.
If Julian’s visit did ease tensions, then Setrayu wouldn’t be able to do a large-scale mobilization of their forces until tensions rose again. There were human and economic costs involved in deploying their forces, and Setrayu wouldn’t want to needlessly endanger the relationship between the countries by doing so.
They should however be able to come up with some reason for creating a defense base for protecting the kingdom’s border. If they also worked with Kaphal, they could spend time building up experience until they were able to fully implement their power if the need ever arose.
Cooperate and build a defense… That was what both Setrayu and Kaphal wanted. The problem was how it was done.
They must set up an appropriate level of cooperation. In the end, Kaphal (and Lushera) just wanted to live on Mount Kugus in peace. It was paramount that they avoided being forced to work with Setrayu more than that, so they weren’t at its beck and call. Lazlo surely knew that, which was why he carefully suggested it after the long, roundabout introduction.
“Queen of Mount Kugus. You have your own soldiers, the monsters, on the mountain. If they fight alongside my soldiers and knights, we surely can repel any xxxx.”
“I agree… If you are xxxx, then I will xxxx humans to enter my mountain.”
“There is one other thing. I must again xxxx to the human world that Mount Kugus belongs to Setrayu. This is a xxxx from before you came to live on the mountain. I hope you understand.”
Lushera couldn’t see Kaphal’s expression since she was sitting behind her, but she imagined she was scowling based on what was said next.
“Xxxx. Isn’t it clear in the eyes of humans that the mountain is mine? I have no intention of handing it over.”
“Xx, I completely agree. But we need a reason to fight. If we stake a claim on Mount Kugus, it gives us a reason to fight the xxxx. That’s all this is. I don’t believe it will change anything. We have no xxxx to xxxx you from the mountain.” There was something threatening in Lazlo’s words.
Lushera thought, That…is the sort of thing that even when said in a humanoid language you would guess had some sort of hidden meaning, but in Draconic it’s so obvious to see there’s an ulterior motive!
Taking the mountain back from Kaphal wasn’t realistic, since the only way to do that would be to eliminate her, which would also eliminate the possibility of turning Mount Kugus into a bulwark against Martgarz, which was the whole point.
But, if they could go on the mountain, it meant they could use the mountain to some extent. What if they could establish their right to benefit from the mountain as a predetermined fact, making it essentially Setrayu’s property? Then they could reap the rewards of having the mountain without actually stealing it back. That was the ulterior motive Lushera saw in Lazlo’s words.