Volume 4 Chapter 280
by Need_More_SleepVolume 4 + Chapter 280: Reparations
Xia Yi had just returned to the Dragon Royal Palace when Xia Lulu summoned her.
At first, she was somewhat puzzled. Why was Xia Lulu in such a hurry to call her over?
However, once Xia Lulu took out that document from the Anti-Vampire Clan Alliance, everything became clear.
“‘The First Great Land War’?” Xia Yi noticed a particularly concerning phrase.
“Yes, the nations of the Anti-Vampire Clan Alliance have decided to name this conflict the First Great Land War,” Xia Lulu explained. “After all, this is the first world-scale war since the Dragon Wars. The Vampire Ancestor’s declaration of war dragged almost all the races of the world into it.”
“…The First Great Land War concludes with the Vampire Clan’s unconditional surrender. The member states of the Anti-Vampire Clan Alliance have now formed an International Tribunal, demanding the Vampire Clan bear the responsibility for war crimes, limit domestic armaments, pay reparations to the victorious nations, and hold the current Vampire Queen, Miu Miu Borgia, fully accountable.”
Xia Yi read the contents aloud.
Looking at the words in black and white on the document, Xia Yi understood what Xia Lulu meant, the Vampire Clan is finished.
“Xia Lulu, this can’t be… a joke, right?”
“Of course not. During this time, the Anti-Vampire Clan Alliance has continuously sent representatives to visit the Dragon Kingdom, wanting to discuss the trial of the Vampire Clan with me,” Xia Lulu replied. “After all, the Vampire Clan did initiate the war. Since they lost, they should be held responsible.”
“I understand that part… But wasn’t the one who started the war that bad woman Elizabeth? Miu Miu was a victim! Does she have to be tried too?!” Xia Yi was very perplexed. “I explained to others before that Elizabeth was controlling Miu Miu’s body. Miu Miu can also present all the evidence!”
“It’s useless, Xia Yi.”
Xia Lulu shook her head.
“Someone must occupy this position and bear the guilt for starting the war, whether it’s Elizabeth or Miu Miu… Even if Miu Miu had her body taken over, in the eyes of others, it was Miu Miu’s actions.”
“This is so unreasonable…”
“Xia Yi, you should understand. Reason often holds no power in times like these.”
“……”
Xia Yi had no retort.
If reason were useful, how could there have been war in the first place?
She understood this in her heart.
“Xia Lulu, how much are the reparations this time? Can the Vampire Clan afford it?”
“As for that…”
Xia Lulu picked up a pen and began drawing zeros on a piece of paper.
The number of zeros made Xia Yi’s scalp tingle.
Even without counting them carefully, one could tell the amount had entered the realm of astronomical figures.
“This is way too much! Can the Vampire Clan possibly bear this?!” Xia Yi was baffled. “The allied nations are doing this on purpose, aren’t they!”
“Yes, they are. Given the Vampire Clan’s current state, they genuinely cannot afford such an enormous reparations sum. Almost every nation understands this implicitly. The defeated Vampire Clan has no say. The victorious nations merely need to make exorbitant demands to gain benefits.”
“How is the Vampire Clan supposed to repay it?”
“Repay? Of course they can’t. Even scraping together everything from their citizens wouldn’t be enough. They’d probably have to sell off land… no, selling land still wouldn’t cover it.”
Xia Lulu stated the facts mercilessly.
“The moment the Vampire Clan announced defeat, they were already doomed. Signing this peace treaty will be the final nail in the coffin. The Vampire Queen, unable to pay the reparations, will likely be sent to the guillotine for execution, losing her life.”
“…Xia Lulu, how have you responded?”
“I haven’t reached an agreement with the Anti-Vampire Clan Alliance yet. They want to fob us off with a pittance. Even if our Dragon Clan is no longer at its peak from the Dragon Wars, do they really think we’d be satisfied with such trivial gains? It’s quite irritating. The International Tribunal is about to convene, and I’m not even very inclined to attend.”
Xia Lulu shrugged.
“So, I still can’t save Miu Miu…”
Xia Yi lowered her head dejectedly, feeling terrible. This thin sheet of paper had pronounced Miu Miu’s fate.
Yet, this wasn’t a result she could change with her own strength alone.
“……”
Xia Lulu watched her daughter’s sorrowful expression and fell into silence.
After a moment of thought, she made a decision in her heart.
“Daughter, now I have an important task for you.”
……
……
Neutral Zone, Pear Archipelago.
“…Miu Miu Borgia, current Vampire Queen of the Crimson Empire, do you admit to the above-listed crimes committed by the Vampire Clan during the war?” After reading the charges, the judge looked at the vampire girl in the defendant’s dock and inquired.
The victorious nations within the Anti-Vampire Clan Alliance had jointly established a temporary International Tribunal to try the Vampire Clan here.
“…I admit.”
Miu Miu replied helplessly.
As the Vampire Queen, she knew her answer didn’t really matter, this was merely going through the motions.
So this is what Elizabeth meant by the situation turning troublesome…
“The Vampire Queen has admitted the Vampire Clan’s crimes. Therefore, the Anti-Vampire Clan Alliance will sign a peace treaty with the Vampire Clan, accepting their unconditional surrender!”
“Henceforth, all Vampire Clan armies must withdraw from Beastman Alliance territory and return the occupied lands!”
“The Vampire Clan must disband its airship fleet, dismantle and destroy all core technologies related to the airship fleet, and never independently re-establish an airship fleet!!”
“Furthermore, the Vampire Clan is required to pay war reparations to all victorious nations within three years!”
The judges jointly announced the verdict.
When Miu Miu saw the reparations figure on the peace treaty, she couldn’t hold back any longer. She found it utterly absurd.
“You’re going too far! How is our Vampire Clan, in its current state, supposed to pay such an enormous sum of reparations? It’s simply impossible!”
“That is a matter for your Vampire Clan to consider, Vampire Queen.”
The Elven Grand General, Kennedy, sneered from the side.
“You can figure out how to make the payments.”
“Regardless, this is the price your Vampire Clan must pay for starting the war!!” the Troll King shouted. “If you can’t pay, you will be held accountable!! As the war instigator, your head can offset part of the reparations!!”
“Today may mark the empire’s destruction,” the Nine-Tailed Fox Emperor remarked coldly.
In truth, everyone present understood the situation.
No one in this land would provide financial aid to the Vampire Clan.
The Vampire Queen would be sent to the guillotine this time, and then the Vampire Clan internally would completely collapse.
Afterwards, the collapsing empire, under pressure from various major powers and unable to pay the astronomical reparations…
The once-great superior species power would inevitably become fish on the chopping block, carved up under the contention of powerful nations, torn apart, forever deprived of peace.
“Why won’t you sign the peace treaty, Vampire Queen? Do you wish to continue the war with us?”
The Dwarf King pressed aggressively, questioning Miu Miu.
The hand holding the pen was already trembling.
How could the Vampire Clan possibly wage war against other nations now?
Elizabeth was now merely a remnant soul, no different from a mascot. The invincible Vampire Ancestor no longer existed.
Miu Miu still hadn’t escaped her cruel fate…
Just then, an unexpected voice rang out, causing everyone’s expressions to change.
“The reparations, we’ll cover them!”
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