Imperialism

"Silence!"

Suddenly, a voice rang out, so powerful that it made everyone in the room fall silent immediately. Even Vran flinched slightly.

All eyes turned to a woman standing beside the thrones of the royals at the front.

She wore a long black dress with a high slit, adorned with floral patterns across the chest and waist. The top was made of sheer fabric that covered her shoulders and arms, finished with soft ruffles. A black lace collar hugged her neck, decorated with a dangling jewel. Her blonde hair was tied into a neat braid, and she wore glasses that gave her a sharp, intelligent look.

Her gaze swept across the room, cold and piercing.

"You are in the presence of the Supreme One, and yet you dare raise your voices. Do that again, and you shall face the wrath of the Supreme One,again." she said.

'Again?' Vran tilted his head.

The entire crowd lowered their heads. Fear washed over them.

The memory of their Lord causing mass destruction still lingered, fresh and terrifying.

Vran knew that woman. She was his personal assistant in this world. Her name was Benedicta Vodfer. Every day, she would come to meet him and briefly explain his daily schedule.

She was a very serious person, never smiling even once since the day Vran met her. But despite being an assistant, she was also the mother of ten of his children.

"You're so naughty, Vran," he smiled to himself.

And, as expected, she also possessed an SSS-rank bloodline.

"Ahem, then let me continue," a man in front of Vran said.

"I, Ravenmar, the first president of the newly united nation of Adelaide, represent our people in expressing our utmost gratitude to Overlord Vran for showing his compassion to us, by coming here, blessing us with your presence, and helping us win the long war." He bowed deeply. He had a bald head and a long mustache that nearly covered his mouth.

The crowd behind him also bowed.

Vran then noticed something. Among the crowd were people dressed in similar white-and-red patterned attire, including the man before him. They seemed to make up the majority of those present.

Meanwhile, seated in the front row were women dressed in more varied styles. After scanning them, Vran realized they were all his family, either his daughters or descendants.

Vran then raised his hand casually, as if to say, "Chill, man. Not a big deal."

It seemed this meeting had been planned by the people of this nation, in gratitude. The Neogana forces had helped them win a long-standing war against three other nations. Though calling it a "war" was a bit of an overstatement, it was more like a massacre. A conflict that had lasted nearly fifty years was concluded in just one day.

That alone showed how overwhelming the power of the Neogana forces truly was.

The result of that one-sided battle was the formation of a united nation, merging all four former countries, now led by Ravenmar.

At the end of the ceremony, a treaty was signed between Vran and the leadership of the newly formed nation. The treaty consisted of five main points:

1. The ruling family shall offer one of their daughters to become a consort of the Overlord, as a sign of submission and royal allegiance.

2. The Neogana Dynasty shall possess full rights to station troops, establish command posts, and enforce martial law in any province of the Adelaide nation deemed "strategically unstable" by Neogana generals.

3. A portion of Adelaide's yearly harvest, ores, alchemical stock, and crafted goods shall be delivered to the Neogana Dynasty as tribute, with no negotiation or compensation required.

4. Adelaide shall dissolve all former alliances and proclaim Overlord Vran Neogana as the Supreme Sovereign of the United Nation. All national records shall include this title in religious rites and legal decrees.

5. Failure to uphold this treaty shall be considered treason against the Neogana Dynasty and met with immediate divine retribution.

Reading the treaty, Vran couldn't help but think how one-sided it was. The author was clearly noted at the bottom, the High Arbiter of Neogana.

Eron, his past self, had studied history during high school. After World War I, Germany had been forced to sign a similarly one-sided treaty. But in that case, Germany had been the losing side.

Here, however, this nation had technically won, yet they still had to pay the price.

After the ceremony, they were escorted to a large balcony. Below, thousands of people had already gathered, waiting in the open plaza. They waved the flags of their nation and also the banner of the Neogana Dynasty. The atmosphere was festive. Joyful. They looked genuinely happy, cheering Vran's name.

"Long live Overlord Vran!"

"All hail the Supreme One!"

"Thank you, Overlord!"

Vran stepped forward to the edge of the balcony and gave a wave. The crowd erupted with even louder cheers. Vran wondered, how many cheered out of love, and how many out of fear. Behind him, the rest of the Neogana family delegation also waved at the people below.

Meanwhile, one of Adelaide's nobles leaned toward Ravenmar and whispered, "Is this really the right choice, Ravenmar? Today, we are officially under Neogana Dynasty imperialism."

Other nobles quietly gathered closer, listening intently to the conversation.

"We had no choice. Didn't all of you fully agree during the voting meeting that we should request their help?" Ravenmar said, his tone calm but firm. "Besides, we were losing the war. It dragged on for two generations, and we've been in a severe deficit, spending more than we could produce. At any moment, our nation could have collapsed and been devoured by other powers."

"Even if this treaty makes us look like dogs to them... at least we survived. And we even gained more land." He finished, eyes narrowing toward the figure standing proudly before the crowd.

"So... which daughter will you offer him?" another noble asked softly. "You have five daughters, if I remember correctly. We actually sympathize with you, Ravenmar. You're sacrificing one of your daughters to save the entire nation."

"This is just a small price for our nation's future," he replied. But deep down, his heart felt heavy.

Four of his daughters were already married. Only one remained single, his youngest.

His gaze drifted to a building adjacent to the balcony. There, in a window, stood a figure, a young woman quietly watching the cheering crowd below.