"I want your help in taking over the country" she asked.

Now you might ask how I got into this situation. The empire's delegation came to meet with me. I met them and talked with them for a while and even held a banquet, which I hate but you have to do what the etiquette demands. After the formal and official meeting, I am in a unofficial meeting with the princess in which she is asking me to support in taking the throne. Honestly, I am not intrested but let's just listen to her proposal. I don't exactly like interfering in other countries unless I have to. It will just arouse hatred and you will get nothing done except creating more chaos.

The problem with interfering in the empire is that I am not confident that she can win. I will give her 100 points in politics and scheming while I myself have around 80 to 90 points and that's with the knowledge of my past world which is a lot more cruel. There are still knights who uphold honor and such which I consider to be useless but atleast they are good pawns. Her political skill might be one of a kind but she does not have the strength to back it up. She might be the greatest at scheming in the world but the effectiveness of her schemes will only be 60 points while mine would average at around 85 points.

She basically has no influence in the empire while the others have a lot. Sure, the other princes are kinda average but that still can't change the absoloute power difference.

"Tell me what benefits I can get and then I will listen to your plan." I told her with a serious face.

"You won't even help your finace and long time friend." she asked with a smile on her face knowing full well that war and family are different.

"Friendship and family is nothing in front of benefits." I said with a reproaching look on my face.

"I will acqueise in your expansion into the Gretan region."

Now I am intrested. The final goal of my strategy is to unify the Gretan region. Only by unifying the Gretan region can I have enough power to fight for world domination. The problem is that no one except me wants to see it happen. Not even my ally the Rostok empire. An unified Gretan empire is too powerful and nothing can change that. Now if a major power will acquiese in my expansion into the Gretan region, I can probably unify it by doing an exchange of benefits with the Rostok empire.

The problem now is that she might just backstab me when I am unifying the Gretan empire. A treaty is just a piece of waste paper unless it has enough power to back it up. Worse of all, this is a secret covenant so nobody knows about it. The only way I can unify the Gretan region is that when her energy is restrained by fighting against the other princes, I will have to swoop in and take it all in one gulp which is obvioulsy unrealistic. But I might be able to take atleast a part of the region.

"Tell me your plan." I asked her as she looked delighted.

After hearing to her plan, I could see that it can succed but the problem is that there is no guaranteed benefits to me for my investment which I don't like. I am not going to be lured by the illusionary carrot but by a real carrot.

"You will have to give me some land which borders mine."

This is basically the ultimate form of betrayal. Giving some of your country's land for your benefit. But politicians like me and her don't have any patriotism and nationlism. She looked suprised for a moment but quickly agreed to it.