C
Congress Aresura
Guest
Hall of Diplomats, Palace of Doges
Most Serene Crowned Republic of Oltremare ~ Italio-Sarmatian Region
14:45 Local Time
Giuseppe Emmanuel, Chancellor to His Most Serene Excellency the Doge of Oltremare, and his official representative in this room while said Doge was out in the Oltremaren countryside playing along with quaint Aresurai nomadic traditions, took a long drag from the cigar he was holding, and let it out slowly, allowing a miniature cloud of exhaled smoke temporarily obscure his face from the people sitting on the other side of the table across from him.
It was a petty, even vain gesture of confidence, and a little arrogance, as Giuseppe was convinced that the Oltremaren were a far more cultured, and thus superior, peoples compared to the "barbaric" and "warmongering" Helians seated at the same table as he. "Still, even barbarians have their uses in todays politics." the Chancellor thought to himself as he smiled, though outwardly it seemed for a different reason, perhaps enthusiasm for his guests.
"Gentlemen," he began towards the Helians, feeling he was using the loosest possible interpretation of the word to accurately include them. "Welcome to Oltremare. Allow me to thank you once more for your assistance in dealing with our... infestation of extremist Catholics. I trust you are taking good care of them." The smile turned more predatory at this statement. "Let us get down to business though. Tensions are rising in Europe, and it is my opinion, and the opinion of the Grand Marshal to His Most Serene Excellency, that war is too close to becoming a reality to ignore much longer. We feel, therefore, that now would be a good time to expand and act upon the agreement we reached earlier during the Catholic Purge. What say you to this, gentlemen?"