Chapter 1704: The Struggle for Power

"Since it is a decision made collectively by the Northland Alliance, the costs should naturally be paid by the Northland Alliance together. I believe the other nations that joined in making the magic restriction decision will also continue to support this point. However—"

"The way of an alliance lies in checks and balances. If everything in the alliance is decided by Cormanthor, then should this alliance be called the Northland Alliance, or should it be called the Cormanthor Alliance?"

"The Magic Restriction Treaty is now a fact. Cormanthor will not allow the treaty to be abolished under any circumstances, and what Netheril needs most right now is time for stable development. As for the benefits of the alliance, we can well afford to concede them to the smaller nations within the alliance."

"In other words, we need to use the interests within the alliance, and even our own domestic interests, to win over the small nations, asking only that they help us keep Cormanthor in check during this period of our development."

"As long as we can develop ourselves, then no matter how many benefits there are, there will always be a share for us."

After Xia Duo finished speaking, Iolum was stunned for several seconds, as if seeing this student for the first time. After a long while, he asked, "Then what exactly do you plan to do?"

"It's very simple. Using the appeal and investigation of the Supermagic Record as a pretext, propose the abolition of the Magic Restriction Treaty within the Northland Alliance. Before the treaty took effect, the other nations might not have been able to foresee the situation after it took effect. But now, taking advantage of the fact that the treaty has just come into force, all corresponding measures are not yet perfect, and the other nations are dissatisfied with the treaty, proposing to abolish it—even if the other nations don't support it, at least they won't firmly oppose it. After all, at this stage, anyone can see that as long as the treaty continues to be in effect, there will certainly be more and more trouble in the future."

"Didn't you just say that the Magic Restriction Treaty cannot be abolished?" Iolum asked in confusion.

"It cannot be abolished. As long as Cormanthor is there, they will certainly not allow the treaty to be abolished." Speaking of this, Xia Duo sighed deeply in his heart again. "Setting aside Akaola, Netheril is almost the first enemy on their path to unifying the Elf World; they will certainly fight to the end. But the treaty not being abolished does not mean that we cannot strive for more room to maneuver."

"How so?"

"For example, I previously conducted supermagic activities in my Territory and was detected by the Monitoring Divine Art, but I appealed, and the Northland Alliance sent an investigation team. But the investigation result was that someone had deliberately sabotaged it, so didn't my appeal succeed? How is this any different from me getting a share of supermagic for free?"

"Oh!"

Iolum seemed to have suddenly had a breakthrough. "You young people really have many ideas! Not just the investigation process, but even the monitoring and evaluation processes can actually be more flexible."

"Yes, this involves the most critical monitoring rights, evaluation rights, and investigation rights of the Magic Restriction Treaty. With the Elf main gods involved in the monitoring rights, it is basically difficult for us to intervene, but shouldn't Cormanthor let go of the evaluation and investigation rights? They should even pay a bit more for the evaluation and investigation costs!"

"Like you just said, hand these conceded powers over to the small nations? Or rather—" Combining this with the purpose of Xia Duo's visit, Iolum blurted out—"hand them to Evereska?"

"Yes, as the location of the Northland Alliance Headquarters, Evereska needs to be more 'neutral' than the other small nations. This has nothing to do with their own thoughts; it is determined by the irreconcilable contradictions of the five great nations."

"Let me think, let me think."

Iolum tugged at the beard on his chest and paced back and forth in the Study. The Magic Restriction Treaty had an impact on the Seven Towers, but this impact was not actually fatal. What was truly fatal were the forces outside the Seven Towers.

They lacked the ability and facilities to effectively explore Sub-planes, and even more so, they lacked the means to Shield Monitoring. To avoid the penalties of the Magic Restriction Treaty, the most direct and effective method was to not conduct supermagic activities.

And this would greatly limit the exploration of Magic by forces outside the Seven Towers.

In the long run, there might not even be any Great Arcanists left outside the Seven Towers.

Such a result was not what Iolum hoped to see, and at the same time, he knew that such a result was not necessarily what the Seven Towers hoped to see.

When the Seven Towers represented Netheril, the Seven Towers could still live together in peace; but when the Seven Towers became approximately equal to Netheril, they might not be able to live together in peace.

Not to mention that if other forces withered, how could the Seven Towers be any better off?

"Xia Duo, what are the chances of success for this matter in your opinion?"

"If we don't do it, there is naturally no chance of success at all; if we do it, I think there is at least a fifty-fifty chance of success!"

When Xia Duo said this, Iolum smiled with some relief. He was not a person who would hesitate, and immediately said, "I will go see Badijiaer. Do you want to come along?"

"I have an appointment with Huo En."

"Alright then, see you later!"

After leaving the Arcane Union, Xia Duo headed straight for Jilan Tower.

"Lord Huo En, upon hearing that Lord Xia Duo was about to visit, specifically ordered me to welcome you here."

At the entrance of Jilan Tower, Bulundesi was perfectly polite. While entering the Mage Tower to head toward the reception hall, he even probed for Xia Duo's intentions.

Although Xia Duo did not hide his intentions, he did not elaborate too much, only saying it was related to the Northland Alliance. Bulundesi was tactful and did not ask further.

Upon reaching the reception hall, Bulundesi excused himself and quietly retreated.

At this moment, in the reception hall, Huo En was curiously sizing up Xia Duo, trying to discern his intentions from his expression, but Xia Duo had long since passed the age of wearing his emotions on his face, so Huo En naturally discovered nothing.

"Lord Xia Duo, wasn't it agreed before that you would return to Seventon only after the Midsummer Festival? Why so suddenly—"

"It is shameful to say, but I have come this time to seek help from Your Excellency Huo En." Xia Duo lowered his attitude significantly.

Although he believed his method of handling things was also beneficial to the Seven Towers, the root cause was the procurement of military equipment for his Territory, and since he wanted to go to Evereska in the capacity of a Seven Towers Envoy, his attitude could not be too tough.

Then, he recounted the entire story of how he contacted Evereska through the Ming Shui Chamber of Commerce to procure military equipment, and only then did he propose the suggestion of reallocating the evaluation and investigation rights in the Magic Restriction Treaty.

Of course, this also included the suggestion that he serve as an Envoy to go to Evereska to pressure and win over the Evereska Council of Elders.

After listening to Xia Duo's suggestion, Huo En was silent for a moment, and then did not give a clear answer, but instead said, "I need to discuss this with the others."

"Very well, I will be in Seventon until nightfall."

No matter what answer the Seven Towers gave before nightfall, Xia Duo would head to Evereska, it was just a matter of whether it would be in his own name or the name of the Seven Towers.

If the former, he could probably only pressure Laruian; but if the latter, even the Evereska Council of Elders would have to weigh it carefully.