Chapter 302: The Meeting of Two Kings

"As expected, it is not as satisfying as I imagined!"

William III sat in the carriage returning to Altdorf; the first order of business for this new Emperor was to move the capital. This was no major event; for the Electors, it was merely changing the place where they held meetings.

He wore the Imperial crown on his head and toyed with the Warhammer Ghal Maraz, the symbol of imperial power, in his hands. The runes engraved on this divine hammer made William feel filled with strength, as if he had returned to his twenties.

"Those fellows in Stirland really wasted a treasure; I feel like I could easily smash the head of a Great Bray-Shaman right now!" William swung Ghal Maraz through the air.

This Dwarf two-handed war hammer was a bit short for a Human to hold with both hands, yet not very nimble to wield with one. However, the powerful Rune Power upon it masked all shortcomings; it was one of the most renowned weapons in the Old World.

"Your Majesty, there is news!"

Political struggle was no easier than swinging a hammer to strike someone, and William III was no longer young. Just as he was preparing to close his eyes and rest, a voice came from outside the carriage.

"The Dwarfs, or rather, King Sinuoli himself, have developed a device capable of transmitting messages across distances. There is a Rune Smith in the settlement ahead who can contact Duantiebao, and the lord of Duantiebao has the means to reach Sinuoli!"

The Chancellor of the Chair, Heisenberg, brought the news William wanted. After successfully ousting Dieter IV, William's work focus shifted to renewing his one-year "Emperor trial card," and he and his advisors unanimously agreed that Sinuoli was a key pusher.

The new Emperor arrived at the town under the mountain with a large entourage and headed straight for the Dwarf smithy. With the influence of a large amount of gold coins, the Rune Smith began to strike runes while muttering.

"I'd better receive the telegram myself!" Seeing the Doom Anvil flickering, Sinuoli thought for a moment before climbing onto the base himself, taking out a telegram pad to begin communicating.

"Has contact been made?" William paced in the low-ceilinged workshop.

"Kalake-Ankazhaer is currently contacting the King of the Southlands." The Rune Smith did not quite understand the situation; how was it that news of King Sinuoli's expedition had only just reached his ears, yet an Emperor had appeared before him?

"Oh? Contact made! The great Ancestor Chosen is leading a large army and has just passed through Black Fire Pass. What words do you have for him?"

"Hmm, I, William III, the supreme Emperor, the elected monarch, Protector of the Empire, Elector Count of Reikland, Prince of Al-dao-fu Qin-wang, wielder of Ghal Maraz, wish to..."

"Too long, can't remember, can't finish tapping it out!" The Rune Smith interrupted William III's title-listing, forcing the new Emperor to cough twice to ease the awkwardness.

"Just say, the new Emperor wishes to see him."

"He reacts quite quickly; I thought he wouldn't be able to grasp the situation until he reached Haojiaobao!" Sinuoli looked at the message and revealed a hint of approval.

"Meet at Duantiebao!" Sinuoli chose a location on his own turf; the security of a Dwarf fortress was well-guaranteed.

"Let's go, to Duantiebao!" William III walked out of the workshop, and several Reik Knights received the order, spread out a map to determine the direction, and the team set off quickly.

"Notify the brothers not to rush; the initiative is on our side." Sinuoli smiled once again; he decided to dampen the new Emperor's spirit first.

William III waited anxiously at Duantiebao for two days, only to see a troop arriving from the east through the guest room window at noon on the third day.

"This military bearing is truly extraordinary!" The Reik Marshal observed from a window carved into the rock wall. Sinuoli's troops were fully rested, showing none of the fatigue brought by a long march.

At the very front of the team, a sturdy Dwarf had a great axe strapped to his back and held a large banner in his hand. Behind him was a mass of gold; those familiar with the Dwarf Realms knew that the Ancestor Chosen was an outlier—compared to measuring the earth with his own feet, he preferred riding a small goat.

"Duantiebao has gathered about two hundred men for him; I see they are all elites and veterans." This Human general had infiltrated the Dwarf ranks thanks to his high alcohol tolerance, and he was reporting the information he had gathered.

"Please help us arrange a meeting!" Sinuoli exchanged pleasantries with Lord Borok; the back-and-forth of escorting merchant caravans back then had made Sinuoli and the lords along the way friends.

That evening, Sinuoli met William III, whom he had known of for a long time, in the lord's private reception room. Both sides knew that the content of the negotiation was better kept out of the light, so neither brought any attendants.

But soon, the two superiors realized that without anyone to pave the way, acting as the vanguard would cause the conversation to reach a stalemate. The King of the Southlands and the Emperor stared at each other across the table, falling into a long silence.

"You know what I want to talk about, right?" As the initiator of the meeting, William was forced to break the deadlock first.

"Of course, Acting Emperor Your Majesty."

"Acting?"

"Is it not? Or are the Elector Count of Middenland and the Grand Theogonist of the White Wolf Church lying?" Sinuoli revealed a mischievous smile.

The Grand Theogonist of the White Wolf Church was known as the Ar-Ulric, and the church had immense influence in the Empire of Man. Sigmar himself had once been a follower of the White Wolf God, and the Ar-Ulric thus held an electoral vote.

"By Sigmar!"

William III bit his lip, his hand resting on the Ghal Maraz at his waist. He had not expected that old wolf from Middenland to go so far as to leak the news from the Elector Count meeting just to increase the chances of his own failure, which left him in a completely passive position.

"Then let's get straight to the point!" The veteran of the political arena adjusted his mindset in an instant. "Tell me, what do you want?"

"The Sons of the Mountains value promises."

"Then you shouldn't be here!" William III flicked his beard; Sinuoli's presence here actually revealed something of his attitude.

"Well, compared to Marienburg, we have a deeper friendship with the Emperor, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to count it from the time of the chieftains before Sigmar. Therefore, I am willing to come here to see the new Emperor's attitude toward the future relationship between the two sides."

"Bilateral relations require mutual effort."

"Perhaps Emperor Leopold would be more to our taste. In this chaotic age where Chaos is rising, a Wolf Emperor would likely be welcomed." Sinuoli pushed William's resistance back.

The people of Middenland were stubborn, proud, hot-tempered, and fond of drinking; these similar traits gave them an extraordinary relationship with the Dwarfs. The capital, Middenheim, also had the largest Dwarf settlement in the Empire.

Sinuoli had once wanted to cooperate with Leopold. In the End Times, Middenheim fought to the very last moment, and the White Wolf God of War even intervened in the Mortal World personally; they were trustworthy. However, Leopold's conservatism and stubbornness made Sinuoli eventually give up on him. There was still time now, and development should be accelerated.