Tyranny of Steel

Princess Anggraini's pretty face grew red as she heard Berengar's demand. Though she was not revolted by the suggestion, she was incredibly embarrassed. After all, she was a married woman whose husband found more pleasure in his concubines than in her own body. So much so that she was beginning to think that perhaps she was undesirable.

It took Anggraini a few moments to get control of her thoughts before she nodded her head slightly, struggling to agree to Berengar's request. From her perspective, her body was a small price to pay for the prosperity of her family's kingdom.

Besides, she was aching for the touch of a man and a child in her belly. She had been married since she was sixteen years old, and yet her husband had not given her a single child. It was because of this that she accepted the Kaiser's request. With her head hanging low.

"O...Okay...."

Berengar knew very little of the Sanskrit language, he had learned just enough to hold a conversation with Dharya and Priya in their native tongue. However, he did understand the Indonesian Princess's response, which honestly startled him. He did not expect her to accept his offer and quickly broke out into a fit of laughter. The interpreter translated his words.

"Oh wow, you are serious? I was only messing with you. I would never use a position of power to coerce a woman to sleep with me. It's no fun if you don't genuinely desire me. However, if you decide you want to become intimate with me out of your own accord, you need only ask and I will be happy to pleasure you."

This response immediately filled the Majapahit delegation with fury as they protested Berengar's behavior. As for Anggraini, this practical joke embarrassed her greatly, and because of this, she hid her pretty face in shame. However, it made sense in her own mind. After all, why would this attractive and powerful emperor desire her wretched body?

Berengar could tell the woman felt a bit depressed, but he did not apologize for his actions. Why did he make such an inappropriate joke when meeting with a foreign princess for the first time? It was because he saw the way the woman was worshipping him with her deep brown eyes, and decided to snap her out of her delusion.

As he said, if she genuinely desired to sleep with him, he would have no qualms doing it. However, there was no fun in pressuring a woman to sleep with him. To Berengar, it was a matter of pride to conquer a woman's heart. The thrill of the hunt, so to speak. Thus, he had never been serious from the start.

After taking several moments to recover from the shock and embarassment of Berengar's prank. Anggraini sighed heavily before quieting her delegates, who were practically on a verge of a riot after hearing the Kaiser's scandalous words. With a pretty but painful smile on her face, the Majapahit princess responded to Berengar's comments.

"It would appear that you have an interesting sense of humor. However, I would request that you be serious about these negotiations. I must ask, what is that you truly desire in order to establish trade between our two realms?"

Berengar respected the woman's ability to stay on task, even after such a heavy blow to the mind. However, he was a man who enjoyed negotiations over a nice meal and a few drinks. Thus, he invited Anggraini and her host into his dining area where his Kitchen staff were already at work on preparing some local delicacies.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm Princess, however you have had a long journey, and I have yet to show you some proper hospitality. How about we discuss this over a nice, warm meal? How does that sound? I promise you, you will enjoy our cultural cuisine. Everyone always does."

Anggraini felt her stomach ache, as she thought about how long it had been since she dined on some proper food, and thus she was quick to agree to Berengar's request with a smile on her stunning face. As she followed Berengar into the dining hall, she was quick to inquire about his family life.

"So you have a child. Does that mean you also have a wife?"

Berengar smirked when he heard this before raising four fingers.

"I have four wives and two mistresses. I have children with each of them. The boy you saw riding my pet leopard just now was my second son with my second wife. Though if you do decide to share a bed with me, I don't mind taking a third mistress. However, I doubt we could maintain a proper relationship, what with you being married and all. Sooner or later, you would have to return to your husband."

The Majapahit princess was shocked to see that Berengar knew about her marriage, and was about to ask him about how he had access to such information, when a waitress entered the scene and poured some fortified wine for the guests. Berengar was quick to change the subject comment.

"Go ahead and taste it, this wine is made in the southernmost regions of my Empire. It is rich and gloriously red, with plum and berry notes. I think you will enjoy it."

The fortified wine that Berengar's personal winery created was a knockoff of Port from his past life. A special type of wine made in Portugal. Usually Port would not be made for another 200 years, but Berengar had used his knowledge of the future to manufacture it in the provinces of South Tyrol and Trent ever since the early days of his conquests.

It surprised Anggraini at how strong the wine was, though she greatly enjoyed the taste. She was not accustomed to drinking such a high volume of alcohol, and because of that, she stopped after one glass. Luckily, that was long enough for the food to arrive, which Berengar had already set his chefs on the task of making since the delegation arrived.

All the staples of German cuisine were brought out for the Majapahit delegation to taste, and it was only after Anggraini had eaten half her plate that Berengar began to discuss what his plans were.

"You asked what it would require to open trade with your homeland. In truth, I ask for very little. Or perhaps from your perspective quite a lot. What I want is some land to establish a naval and air base on. Preferably on the straight of malacca.

I ask this not out of malicious intent, but because there is a threat to your Kingdom that lies in the far east, and soon they will send their armies to your islands. If you have my forces already stationed on your sovereign soil, this hostile force will surely be deterred."

It surprised Anggraini to hear such information, and she was quick to deny Berengar's claims.

"No, that isn't possible. We pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty. Nobody would be foolish enough to attack us!"

Berengar did not make a single comment and instead pulled out a few pictures from his coat pocket. These photos were taken from the southern Joseon, where Japanese troops currently occupied. One look at them, and one could easily tell that they were far from flattering.

The first photograph depicted Korean men and young boys working in the mines while under the supervision of armed Japanese troops. While the second displayed the mass graves of the dead insurgents. Though this was misleading, as they were not easily identifiable as rebels by an uneducated eye.

The woman and her host reacted in shock as they saw the photos. Though they could tell the victims in them were Joseon, Berengar had to explain in detail just what had occurred over the past year and a half.

"About a year and a half ago, the Japanese Empire sailed to the Joseon Kingdom and conquered the southern half. If not for my support, they would have taken the whole peninsula. Unfortunately for the Joseon, I was in a war, and was not able to send the proper amount of support in time.

Since then, my agents embedded in that region have reported that the Japanese have invaded and annexed the island of Hokkaido, as well as the Ryukyu Kingdom. At the moment, they are preparing their forces to attack these islands, which lie northeast of your own. Once they have conquered the various warring states of the region, they intend to invade into your territory.

The Japanese Empire, have showed hostility towards my Empire, long before I ever got in their way. What I know is that they are currently modernizing their armed forces for a single purpose: to wage war against the Reich.

Despite the intelligence I have received from the Joseon Kingdom, I do not know the extent of their military prowess, nor the height of their ambitions. However, what is clear to me is that they need to conquer your islands in order to gain the resources that are required to fight my forces on an equal footing. Until then, they will merely be a near peer at best."

After saying this, Berengar pulled out a map that represented south-east Asia. His finger landed on a single spot, which he had marked for the woman to see. The location was known as Singapore in his past life. With a confident smile on his face, he made his actual demand.

"Give this location to me, and the surrounding coastline. I will build a naval base there, and an airbase further north. With these two things, the Japanese will have to think twice before they invade your Islands. This is all I ask, and, in return, I will trade with you the goods that have made all my other trading partners prosperous."

Anggraini struggled to come up with an answer. Though she had been given the power to negotiate with the Kaiser, she did not know if her father would accept such a stringent demand. However, if what Berengar had said was true, and the Japanese were planning to invade the Majapahit Empire, she knew in her heart that her people would not be able to resist.

Especially since Berengar had openly stated that the Japanese were a near peer to the Reich. Thus, after several moments of consideration, she nodded her head in silence before agreeing to Berengar's request. However, she made one stipulation before doing so.

"Okay, but I have one condition..."

Berengar chuckled when he heard this before nodding his head and agreeing to the woman's request.

"Name it, and if it is within my power, it shall be done..."

As this was said, the young princess blushed before leaning in close to Berengar's ears and whispered in the Sanskrit tongue.

"Give me a child..."