“I appreciate the advice.”
A vague and, quite frankly, overused response was all that it warranted. He did not, in fact, appreciate it at all. Advice in any form seemed little more than condescending to him, as if he needed a reminder that he hadn’t been a proper empire for very long at all. Not in comparison to the west. Them. Kiku’s dislike for the west knew no limit these days– in spite of his alliance with the British, even. There was still a degree of mistrust, but the alliance was necessary, and the man before him was precisely why. On an otherwise emotionless face, a minute but ambiguous smile.
“But do not underestimate just how much I know of the situation in the west and on the mainland here. As it stands, and in spite of further complication, this will not end how you think it will.”
More than just territorial disputes between two nations, it now involved the European continent. With all of their colonial interests in the far east, they had to have their hand in the pot, and the rapid industrialization Japan had gone through scared them. Of course they would be stupid not to keep their eyes on this as it played out, sitting back as if their web of alliances was completely irrelevant in a dispute over territories that were so far removed they seemed more like lands in a fiction novel.
Negotiations had not quite broken down yet, but it was obvious that neither of them would be backing down over these territorial disputes they had. War was inevitable, as far as he was concerned. While the rest of the world could not fathom Japan taking on a much larger nation, doubts only made his ambition burn hotter. He would go to war, and he would win. These negotiations needed to hurry up and break down first; there was too much delay, and Kiku grew impatient.
“I expect some sort of answer in our negotiations about Korea soon, though. Regardless of complexities. She is a small price to pay to keep me out of Manchuria.”
“I am not a part of these deliberations.” Ivan replied, rather flatly and without even looking towards the slight man. Instead, his focus seemed to be on something outside the window, and his mind on the twittering statesmen and their sideways glances. They had made it clear that he was not to engage in any sort of negotiations with Japan.
Honestly, Ivan would have preferred to never meet with Honda in the first place, but then that would be considered too grave of a slight.
“To keep you out of Manchuria. That is an interesting turn of phrase.” Unfortunately, it did a fine job of representing their concerns. This little island had certainly tried its best to emulate Europe, particularly when it came to their military and manufacturing. Ivan’s gaze didn’t shift from the distant view of the harbor.
blakekathryn
theartofmadeline
2087
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