"Calm down, Lord Hagen," Van said.
"Calm down? Pay them and end this madness." Hugo continued, "Do you know whose territory they'll attack first if war breaks out?"
Others shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
"And what's next? Do you think handing them money will be the end? Or will it make them bolder, knowing they can take whatever they want whenever they please?"
Hugo looks at Lord Kempten, "Are you suggesting we should fight them? Did you forget what happened to the troop we sent?"
The room fell into silence. It was a total defeat—a disaster.
Kempten disapproves, "I'm simply afraid that paying them won't end this issue. Their request is unreasonable. Even if we drained the treasury, it would barely suffice."
Van nodded, "They made the demand knowing we couldn't pay. They're hoping for us to refuse. Isn't this show they're searching for an excuse to go to war?"
"Even so, we shouldn't be so quick to reject them. We can try to negotiate to lower the amount."
