A copy of the VC-25 aircraft just landed at the Vladivostok International Airport. A Beast was waiting down below with Imperial Guards adorned in their usual military jacket with ceremonial swords pointing 45 degrees upward.
Alexander walked along the red carpet as the snowflakes fell onto his head and his long black trench coat. He breathed between his hands as the cold wind nipped at him. He rubbed his hand adorned with white gloves as he tried to produce heat on it through friction.
Once he felt that it was getting warmer, Alexander placed both hands on his face. The weather couldn't be nicer than in St. Petersburg. Well, once he arrived at the Golden Horn Restaurant, he would ask for a cup of hot chocolate drink and wait for the perfect moment to meet the Prime Minister of the Yamato Empire and give him a lesson.
Alexander hopped into the Beast. The engine of the car roared to life as it slowly drove away from the airport. Alexander leaned back and closed his eyes, imagining every scenario he could think of when he met the person who tried to kill his precious sisters.
That thought alone made him shiver in anger. It was because of that man that his sisters are staying in the Winter Palace like a prisoner, scared of real life. Although they have shown signs of recovery, the trauma the assassination induced still lingered in their hearts and minds.
Meanwhile, in the Golden Horn Restaurant, the interior was warm compared to the outside. Largely thanks to the heaters working on to keep the people inside of it comfortable.
The peace treaty will be held on the second floor of the Golden Horn Restaurant. Where both parties will enjoy the privacy and security the restaurant provides along with the security sent by the Eastern Strategic Military Command to ensure the smooth flow of the negotiations.
Only the sound of sipping tea could be heard as some people talked among themselves, they were from the Ruthenian side. Led by Sergei Grigorivich, he is currently reviewing the terms Alexander proposed to him. And he can tell, the demands are harsh.
Ten minutes later, Haru Takashi arrives along with his colleagues and personal guards. Sergei and the rest of his team stood up to greet him.
"It's a pleasure to meet you again, Prime Minister Takashi. It's been four years since we last met," Sergei welcomed with a smile as he extended his hand, offering him a handshake.
Haru Takashi simply remained silent, ignoring his words as he sat on the chair provided for him.
Sergei stared at his hand and sighed. "You don't look enthusiastic anymore huh? I still remember the expressions you wore when we were discussing the terms of our peace treaty where we are the losers. How the tables have turned."
"Stop blabbering and get this over with," Haru Takashi said coldly in Ruthenian language.
Sergei's mouth dropped slightly ajar, but it slowly returned to a smile, amused by the way he spoke to him.
Sergei looked at his wristwatch and noticed that it was the time. "Maybe you're right, we should get this over with." he returned to his seat and opened a file.
"We only have three demands. First is an immediate ceasefire. Second, the Yamato Empire must recognize the independence of the Choson Empire. Third, The Yamato Empire is to pay a war indemnity of one hundred two billion rubles over ten years. The Ruthenian Empire will hand over the prisoners of war once we've reached a conclusion. So, shall we sign it?"
If you are wondering how much one hundred two billion rubles amount in today's money. That would be seventeen billion six hundred twenty-nine million two hundred twenty-six thousand one hundred ninety and forty-eight hundredths.
Sergei flinched when Haru smashed the table with his fist. "What?!"
Everyone around them froze. Haru didn't care. After hearing such harsh demands, how can he yield to those conditions?
"Your terms will cripple our economy and lower our standing in the world!" Haru yelled while glaring daggers at Sergei.
Sergei tittered as he shrugged his shoulders. "Prime Minister, you should consider yourself lucky with these demands. There are no territorial concessions here except that you'll just revoke the protectorate status of the Choson Empire. About the war indemnity, well isn't that the point?"
"There is no way that we will approve of such conditions!" Haru growled.
"Are you saying that we should cease negotiations and resume the war? Isn't that the way of saying, please kill our emperor? You must be aware that the warning still stands. The Ruthenian Empire would willing to fight to the last man, bombing your cities until everything is reduced to rubble. And should you opt to do so, our demands will be much worse than this. So I'd suggest that you accept these conditions and end this war."
"I will speak with my government...Sir Sergei," Haru said in a defeated tone.
"Wait, aren't you acting at the behest of the Yamato Empire? I forgot to mention this, if you leave this room, we will consider it as defiance and rejection of our demands and shall act appropriately where our air forces stationed in Vladivostok, Hanseong, and Dalniy will conduct air raids on your major cities so much that you'd regret of thinking of such thought."
"You are pushing us back on the corners huh?" Haru glared at Sergei once more.
"There's only yes and no here, Prime Minister. What is it going to be? Are you going to accept our demands or do you wish to continue the war? The choices are yours."
Sergei threw a pen on the table as the room fell into silence.
Haru Takashi's hands were clenched tightly into fists as his chest heaved up and down furiously. His eyes flashed with rage as he rose from his seat. He grabbed Sergei's pen and signed all three agreements as quickly as he could. After he finished signing everything, he slammed the pen on the table. As he turned around and started walking out of the meeting room.
But, the guards inside the meeting room blocked their path. They didn't say anything, but their actions spoke louder than any words ever could.
"What's the meaning of this, Sergei? Why are you not letting us out? We are done here, we already accepted your terms."
"Now, now, easy Prime Minister. There is one more person who would like to see you."
After saying that, there was a knock on the door.
"Open it," Sergei replied in a monotonous voice.
The door opened and a familiar figure stepped into the room. Haru was taken aback by the appearance of the man before him.
Not only Haru was taken aback but the Ruthenian guards. The officials of the Ruthenian Empire stood and bowed their heads in front of their emperor.
"Your Majesty, the man you are looking for is here," Sergei pointed at Haru.
Alexander walked up to Haru menacingly. "So...you're the one who conspired with Shinzo Sakawa to kill my sisters, aren't you?" he said in Yamato language.
"Wha...what are you talking about? Where are you going with this baseless accusation of yours?"
"You know, I traveled ten hours just to meet you in person," Alexander said with a hint of anger in his voice as he continued to walk toward Haru.
Haru stepped back and back until there was nothing but a wall behind him. His security details were beginning to get anxious at the prospect of a fight breaking out.
"Tell me, why did you do that?"
"I told you, I don't know what you are talking about--kugh!"
Alexander punched him square in the face. Blood splashed across the walls of the room. Haru's guards reacted and came at him. But Alexander already anticipated it, he slanted his body to the side, evading the right hook coming in. He grabbed the guard's arm with his left arm and smashed his right forearm into the guard's elbow.
"Argh--" the sound of the bone cracking echoed through the room as the man screamed in pain. His scream was loud enough so Alexander quickly stifled it by releasing his left hand on the man's left arm and striking him with a heel palm on the chin, discombobulating the guard and following it with an elbow to the right temple, knocking out the guard.
It all happened in a span of three seconds. Everyone was stunned by a feat displayed by Alexander which none of them had expected at all.
The Yamato guards froze, even if they wanted to help their fallen comrade, they were stopped by the Ruthenians who immediately pulled out a pistol and aimed it at them.
Haru was the only one still conscious as he collapsed onto the ground, blood spilling out of his nose and mouth.
Alexander approached him once more, towering over him, and tossed a document at him. "That's the proof we have proving that you are one of the main conspirators in the attempted assassination of my sisters. I have no interest in your country other than those who are involved in the plot..." he sighed. "Punching you didn't satisfy me at all."
He grabbed a clean white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood off his hand with it as he continued speaking. "...Sergei, did he already sign the treaty?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Then in that case it's settled. I want you to arrest this man on the ground along with his security detail under the grounds that they tried to inflict harm on me."
"You...!" Haru growled.
"I know that you are going to commit seppuku after this negotiation due to the fact that you betrayed your country and your emperor. I'm not going to let you off the hook that easily. We will do things in the old Ruthenian way," a predatory smile crept on his face.
