Chapter 834 Behind the Doors III (The Trinarina''s reason)
“Are you trying to use this agreement as a hostage to secure more benefits for yourself?” the Valthorin representative interjected before the Trinarian representative could respond to Kalron’s question. His tone was sharp, laced with frustration and suspicion. @@@@
From his perspective, this agreement was a golden opportunity, one that could allow all of them to reap significant rewards. As the Valthorin representative, he was certain that if the agreement was finalized, his standing within his civilization would rise considerably. However, just as the deal was on the brink of becoming a reality, the Trinarian representative’s sudden move felt like a calculated attempt to derail the entire process, fueling his visible frustration.
“Why are you making assumptions without even listening to what I have to say first?” the Trinarian representative countered, redirecting his response to address the Valthorin representative’s accusatory remark.
“And why should I even bother hearing you out,” the Valthorin representative snapped, doubling down, “when this agreement clearly benefits everyone equally? This is about keeping the empire from discovering the true value of mana stones—what part of it specifically makes it disproportionately advantageous to others while leaving you behind?”
His pointed question elicited subtle nods of agreement from others within the mental network, as many shared his frustration. To them, it seemed absurd that someone might attempt to hold a mutually beneficial agreement hostage.
“I agree as well, because if you can make that claim, then so can I,” the Yrall Coalition representative chimed in, seizing the moment. “I could just as easily argue that this agreement benefits others far more than it benefits us, and unless these so-called advantages are adjusted, I won’t agree to this either. How would you feel if I said that?”
His statement struck a chord, and it seemed to ignite a chain reaction. Many representatives saw this as an opportunity to pile on without fear of repercussion, emboldened by the near-unanimous dissatisfaction with the Trinarian representative’s stance.
The floodgates opened. Representatives began badmouthing the Trinarian representative, some taking it as a rare chance to criticize a member of the top ten civilizations without fear of retaliation. Others saw it as leverage, using the chaos to push for additional concessions, arguing that the top ten civilizations—who held the largest mana stone quotas—should offer something in return for the disproportionate benefits they stood to gain.
Kalron let out a subtle sigh of relief. The chaos had finally been subdued, though he wasn’t entirely pleased with how it had happened. The control he had carefully maintained as the de facto leader of the meeting had been snatched away with just a single growl. The shift in authority stung his pride, but Kalron knew better than to let his frustration show. This unexpected development, while unnerving, worked in his favor for now.
Turning his attention to the Trinarian representative, Kalron silently hoped that the representative had a valid and compelling reason for opposing the agreement in its current form. If the reason turned out to be frivolous or self-serving, Kalron doubted he could salvage the situation. The meeting was already hanging by a thread, and another misstep could shatter any chance of reaching a consensus.
“What I was trying to say before everyone here started hurling insults at me...” the Trinarian representative began, his tone pointed as he deliberately emphasized the behavior of the others. His gaze swept across the room, pausing on each individual who had participated in the barrage of insults, leaving them with a sinking feeling that his words carried a veiled warning.
But before he could linger on his subtle threats, the Xor’Vak representative cut him off abruptly. “Get to the point. I don’t have more time to waste,” he growled, his tone sharp and impatient, making it clear that his patience was wearing thin and that he would not tolerate any further delays or posturing.
The room fell silent once again, the weight of the Xor’Vak representative''s words pressing down on everyone. All eyes returned to the Trinarian representative, who now had no choice but to proceed without further dramatics.
The Trinarian representative cleared his throat, trying to release the words that had been stuck in his chest, before diving straight into the matter at hand. “Everything agreed upon here relies on the assumption that the empire won’t gain access to our wormhole and other spatial technologies locked within the encrypted knowledge vaults we''ve already shared with them,” he paused, letting his words sink in as he allowed the cogs in the representatives'' minds to begin turning.
“Because if the empire does get their hands on it, they could bypass every obstacle we’ve set in place and directly enter our territory. With their access to mana stones, they could even do it repeatedly, bypassing anything we put in front of them.”
He took a moment, making sure everyone understood the gravity of the situation. “As a result of our previous actions, the empire retaliated by banning any discussion about increasing mana stone quotas from those who provided their knowledge after encrypting it, unless the decryption keys were handed over. Some of you are already planning to do this.”
He held up a hand for emphasis. “But if we agree to this deal in its current form, we, the Trinarians, would be forbidden from providing the decryption keys to the empire. That action would be seen as assisting the empire in accessing the Conclave, which means our quotas will stay locked in place. Meanwhile, the rest of you would be free to negotiate higher quotas, benefiting from the very thing we’ll be restricted from.”
The Trinarian representative leaned forward, his tone heavy with frustration. “So, I ask—how am I supposed to justify agreeing to this deal to my government when we would be the biggest losers here, second only to the empire? How does that work for us?”