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“I do apologize for the unseemly display, but as you know, disrespect for the Heavenly Host isn’t tolerated.” Cain says cheerfully, escorting the shocked High Priestess back to her own castle. 

“Yes, of course, that’s very much the motto we live by. Tell me Ambassador, were you chosen because of your ties to the Heavenly Host?”

Cain gives a noncommittal shrug. “I can’t speak to the motivations of King James, he simply said that I might be the most suitable to peacefully ensure that the treaty issues were resolved.”

“The previous treaty, signed by my predecessor is exploitative at the very best. The quotas require that we sell even in the most desperate of times and well below market value, with a significant markup for the goods received in exchange. It’s only natural that I would want fair treatment.” High Priestess Lunarra declares. 

Cain actually agrees with that, the previous treaty was very imbalanced in favor of Skyview. Even he noticed it at a quick glance, so they must have been desperate when they signed it.

“I do feel that we could make some room for adjustments to increase the level of equality, as the treaty is set to be renewed anyhow.” Cain agrees as they head for an internal garden, led by palace staff. 

The entire building is covered in golden decorations and made of pure white marble. Visually, it’s incredibly impressive, though Cain can see that Evangeline doesn’t see it that way. 

[It’s a tacky knockoff of the original. Showing off their wealth when I can see their people outside were going hungry.] The Seraphim informs him. 

They have just reached their seats when the Inquisitors bring a very repentant High Priest into the garden from above, setting him down in the grass, where he immediately knelt and apologized to Evangeline. 

“I was mistaken, rude and disrespectful, holy one. Please forgive me for my transgressions.” The man begs with tears in his eyes and Cain can see the Seraphim Inquisitor is holding a wooden switch in his off hand. 

“You are forgiven, but do try to be polite and respectful in the future, as befits a High Priest.” Evangeline agrees, then steps back to avoid having her feet kissed. 

“Very well then. We will be in the city, giving a manners lesson. Come now High Priest, your penance is only beginning.” The two Seraphim declare before taking him away. 

“That was, unexpected?” The Highest Priestess Lunarra says softly, shaking her head at where they disappeared. 

“If I can speak candidly?” she asks and Cain nods, signaling for her to continue. “The treaty is the smallest part of our troubles. The raiders and our neighboring cities have been attacking for a long time now. If the King agrees, I would like to negotiate an alliance that would see us protected from attack and fair trade terms.

My predecessor believed in War as the answer, and it led to treaties like that when she failed to conquer new territories. I’m hoping for peace through strength, but that requires allies.”

Cain considers her words for a moment before answering. “You’re really bad at negotiations aren’t you? Or is it the presence of Seraphim that’s making you speak the whole truth?”

“The Seraphim of course. I was raised to be as ruthless as necessary, but failing to speak the whole truth to a Seraphim will lead you to nothing but pain.”

[I told you, the Inquisitors are actually really mean. They just break out that spanking stick for any old reason.] Evangeline informs Cain, a complaint he’s heard from her multiple times before when he Summoned them. 

“In that case, I’ll follow your lead. What do you think of becoming an autonomous region of Skyview? We can have the tax at least partially waived, and your city can join the Kingdom as a protectorate, giving you the defense you need as well as more ability to negotiate with your neighbors and bring them into the fold, or at least stop the attacks.”

Cain can think of at least two upper Nobles who will side with him on this one, after all, they both want the products this city makes. Plus, every Duke’s territory is already essentially autonomous, with only a few regulations and a tax applying to them. 

“That might be too much for me to decide alone. Small treaty changes are in my authority, but changing the governance is a lot to ask. I will call the council here to discuss it. In the meantime, please enjoy the tea.”

It doesn’t take long for the rest of the High Priests and Priestesses to appear, they’d all been inside the Palace, hiding from the Inquisitors.

The two Skyview Negotiators have drawn up a basic outline for the new plan by the time everyone has arrived, which makes the Highest Priestess a Dutchess in all but name. It has the same requirements, but with half of the tax rate that a regular noble’s territory pays, and offers the same benefits. 

They’re not openly rejecting the plan, but there is some grumbling among the council about having to pay tax to someone else. They’ve gotten very used to spending every cent that comes into their coffers on themselves, and that’s going to be hard to give up. 

Their current tax rate is within the allowed limits listed, the same limits imposed on Skyview Nobles, in the name of fairness to their citizens, so the actual rate isn’t the problem, just the fact they won’t get to spend it all themselves. 

Cain points out that they’ll be getting benefits of equal or greater value in return, and the document is finally referred to the accountants to work out. 

The accountants verdict is that the benefits do add up, even without the intangible benefits of free market access throughout Skyview, plus the duty free use of their ports, which alone the number crunchers estimate to be worth more to them than the total of their tax revenue loss. 

As a neighbor and not a member, they’ve always had to pay duty to use a port to ship bulk products overseas, so they lost out on a lot of customers. That sways the council, and they agree that the Highest Priestess would be acting in everyone’s interest to sign. 

They just have one last condition, call off the Inquisitors. 

The actual detailed agreement will take all night and possibly through part of tomorrow to write, and only involves the Negotiators and the bureaucrats, so the Highest Priestess invites the others to rest in a room until the evening meal. All the clergy in the palace eat together, as well as any visitors, which makes things easy on Cain, who wasn’t looking forward to a stuffy and overly formal private dinner. 

Since everyone here wears clerical robes, Cain decides they need a change of apparel in honor of their hosts. From the Seraphim Dungeon in the Guild Castle he’s got a few Toga type outfits, the same as Evangeline wears, so once they’re in the guest suite they all get changed. 

Evangeline laughs at the three of them looking all holy when one is a Demon and one is a Priestess of the Dark Gods, but Cain thinks they look good in the outfits. He’s not used to wearing a toga though, and the breeze is a bit disconcerting. 

They’re relaxing on the couch with a platter of cakes that the palace presented them when an emergency message comes through the group chat, one single word. 

[Help] 

Cain sends Evangeline ahead, and the three rush to where the Negotiators should be, finding a larger number of soldiers, both ones in a foreign uniform and ones dressed as palace staff fighting to get inside. 

When they see Cain, all those in the closest ranks turn to attack him, so Cain draws his spear and Scimitar to meet the initial rush, should they arrive before he’s fully ready. 

He pulls a set of four Ancient Quality Seraphim into Merger with him and uses the Holy Light attack they grant to purge the hallway in front of him, leaving a clear path to the room the Negotiators should be in. 

The fighting inside is loud, with a lot of swearing and opposing accusations of treason. The Highest Priestess along with most of the council are there, along with their personal guard, fighting the foreign force. 

Cain recognizes a few of the faces as Nobles from Skyview that had left for neighboring countries, so the foreign forces must be theirs, and the rest would be infiltrators that they sent to keep Garda under their thumb. 

Cain releases the Merged Seraphim and in a single blinding flash of light the battle in the palace is over. It’s not a huge building, closer to the size of a cathedral than a sprawling complex like the Skyview Palace, and the combined efforts of four Ancient Seraphim is enough to encompass the entire building in one Holy Light strike. 

Most of the Defense group seems to be fine, but a few are missing, along with the attackers, and Cain wonders how exactly the ability decided who is and isn’t an enemy. 

“Duke Cain, we thank you again. Your rapport with the Heavenly Hosts has saved the city already, and the agreement isn’t even signed yet.” The Highest Priestess says, removing her fancy outer robes and her big hat. 

“Let’s not stand on ceremony. As the Inquisitors so eloquently informed the clergy, the love of money is unseemly. From this day forward, we will be reviewing our budgetary policy and official uniforms.”

That’s a big step for these pompous zealots, but after seeing the might of the Seraphim, they’re eager to reform their ways and seek redemption for their mistreatment of their commoners. 

Plus, they’re willing to become a full member of the Skyview Kingdom. Maybe Shock and Awe really is the best negotiation technique.