Chapter 113 The Treaty of New Ray

Tokujirō's lips tightened. "With these restrictions, even coastal defense would be impossible. Could we fend off pirates, let alone a serious threat?"

Witte chuckled lightly, as if humoring a naïve child. "You are free to build ships under 500 tons. Surely, that would suffice for such purposes."

Five hundred tons? Tokujirō's mind raced. 

Ships of such size would be nothing more than coastal patrol boats, incapable of venturing beyond nearby waters. It was an insult, a mockery.

"Absolutely not!" The voice rang out from behind him. Shibusaki, the naval representative, surged forward, his face flush with desperation. "This is madness! It's unacceptable!"

"See? This is why there should only be one representative," Witte said, gesturing dismissively. "Remove him."

Guards approached as Shibusaki continued shouting, his protests echoing through the chamber. "Stop this insanity! You're condemning the navy to death!"