Chrysalis Chapter 1611: 1719 - Dealing

"That is a prudent allocation of funds," Merchant remarked with a knowing nod, her spectacles catching the flickering light within the ship's private quarters. Using her forward claws, she gathered the scattered documents from the desk, aligning them into a tidy stack before stowing them away in her bag. "The delvers hailing from Green Mountain represent a formidable power; truly, who could calculate the worth of such dedicated defenders of their home?"

It was a statement that bordered on mockery, considering the Colony had rounded up more than a thousand of those very people in just a few days. Yet, in typical fashion, Merchant appeared entirely earnest, radiating nothing but sincere satisfaction for the mountain's inhabitants.

For Alice Erry, the display was nothing short of infuriating.

Coaxing the Council into accepting the ant's predatory terms had been an exhausting ordeal. While no official was prepared to let the ants detain Green Mountain citizens indefinitely—an insult the public would never tolerate—reaching a consensus on a response had required around-the-clock efforts from their most skilled diplomats.

"We were on the brink of war," Alice remarked sharply, retrieving her own copies of the paperwork and tucking them away. "The votes to pay your exorbitant fee only swung in your favor during the final hour."

"War?" Merchant replied, her tone suggesting the concept had never even crossed her mind. She gave an energetic shake of her head. "That would be disastrous for commerce. Such a conflict would exceed the price you've just settled on, and you would still be without your people! No, I am delighted the Council chose the path of wisdom. This bodes well for the future partnership between our kinds."

Alice harbored deep doubts about that. The Council was seething over the loss of such a staggering sum, a blow that had shattered the budget and necessitated a new tax on the populace to fill the void. From the lowest foothills to the highest peaks of Green Mountain, the commoners were now even more hostile toward the ants than they had been before.

"If your intent was to solidify the hatred my people feel for monsters, you have certainly succeeded," she stated.

Merchant let out a chuckle.

"Not at all. We merely wanted to ensure you were intelligent enough to pay. It truly is the most logical path. Now, when we inevitably capture your people again, we can rest easy knowing you will do what is necessary to return them home without any trouble."

Alice hesitated, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"You plan to take our people again? How do you intend to reach them now that they are secured within the city walls? Is this... an open threat of invasion?"

"Invasion? Heavens, no! Don't be absurd. That would be... why, that would be incredibly hypocritical of us! Especially after we critiqued your people and demanded such a steep price for trespassing on our territory and endangering our kind—"

"Monsters, not people," Alice corrected.

"The idea that we would storm your magnificent city and... and snatch your delvers from their very beds? That is pure lunacy. We have no such intentions, I assure you."

"Then how could you possibly expect to seize our delvers a second time?" Alice demanded, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Well, I assume they eventually have to step outside. Or do they plan to remain huddled within the borders of Green Mountain for eternity? That seems improbable, particularly since your Council expects them to earn back a portion of the ransom. Those delvers need to return to their trade."

The realization hit Alice instantly.

"So you plan to subject us to the same tactics the delvers used against you," she snapped. "Keeping them trapped inside Green Mountain, unable to venture out or work, living in constant fear of being caught. Such behavior would be a gross violation of international norms. As a sovereign city, we possess the right to enter the Dungeon."

"Naturally, you have every right to enter the Dungeon," Merchant replied with a grand, sweeping gesture of her claw. "We would never dream of obstructing your path into the Dungeon. However, your delvers also have the right to try and return from the Dungeon, do they not?"

The question was asked with such feigned innocence and calm, yet it was laced with terrifying implications. A shiver traveled down Alice Erry’s spine, though she refused to show it. She could already see the coming months: teams of delvers departing, only for some to never return. As the disappearances mounted, fear would paralyze the rest, keeping them confined to the city. If a deal wasn't struck, they would eventually be forced to leave entirely. After all, the ants seemed to have no quarrel with delvers operating out of other cities.

Only Green Mountain was being targeted.

Without those delvers, the city would be stripped of its primary revenue and commerce, losing its first line of defense during waves. It wouldn't mean the end of Green Mountain, but it would set their progress back by decades.

All because of some foolish ants.

"Do you truly believe you can pull this off?" Alice Erry asked, her temper rising. "That we and our allies will just stand by and watch? There are delvers here from the Silver City, from Way Island, and from Highpeak Stronghold. Are you prepared to wage a conflict against all of them?"

"Please, Ms. Erry, there is no reason for such hostility!" Merchant laughed softly. "Conflict? Conflict is never the goal. We are merely conducting business. I prefer to view it as... a long-term venture. Are you aware that ants are exceptionally patient? We don't sleep in the way you do. We enter torpor—a state of total stillness where our biological systems slow to a crawl, yet we remain aware, in a sense, just... waiting. I am certain your allies will complain; I'm sure they will arrive and make a grand display of their power."

"But we can wait. We can maintain this for decades. Our numbers far exceed yours. Eventually, Green Mountain will feel the full weight of its choices."

Alice glared at the ant, her chest tight with simmering rage. How did these creatures dare to think they could succeed? The entirety of Green Mountain was incensed by recent events. One more provocation and they might choose war regardless of the Council's wishes. Furthermore, she possessed knowledge the ant lacked. The Church had dispatched a Judgement Battalion, and they intended to leave that massive ant in ruins. Green Mountain might be very willing to assist them in that endeavor.

Simultaneously, Merchant was aware of something Alice was not. The Colony—and specifically the Eldest—was not patient at all. Not even slightly. This matter would be settled with startling speed.

The nameless did not enjoy being deprived of their rest.