Two nights had passed exactly since the hidden island of Iceland was discovered.

"Ragnar." Gyda said. "I want to introduce you to my best operatives~"

In the Iron Kingdom, spies were ranked based on their intelligence yield and operational difficulty.

"Shadow" Sven, the man currently successfully tricking the Frankish Empire in Paris, was ranked Number Two.

"This is ’Falcon’ Finn." Gyda stated, pointing to a tall, dark-haired man on the left. "He is Rank One. He operates entirely within the Abbasid Caliphate, centered in the city of Baghdad."

"And this is ’Viper’ Val." Gyda continued, pointing to a sharp-eyed woman on the right. "She is Rank Three. She operates within the Byzantine Empire, centered in the city of Constantinople."

Ragnar stood up from his chair. "You both traveled over two thousand miles to be here,"

"That means you have information that is critical to our survival. Speak."

Falcon Finn stepped forward first. He bowed. "King Ragnar,"

"The Abbasid Caliph is a smart man. The Caliph sees Emperor Louis the Germanic as a massive threat to his expanding borders in the south."

"The Caliph wants to form an official military alliance with the Iron Kingdom," Finn declared.

"If you agree, the Abbasid army will launch a massive invasion of 40,000 men directly into the southern borders of Francia. This will force Emperor Louis to separate his central army, sending half his forces south and leaving Paris vulnerable to your musketeers."

Ragnar smiled. "What are the Caliph’s rules for this pact?"

"There are three strict rules, Your Majesty." Finn stated, raising three fingers.

1. The Iron Kingdom must supply the Abbasid Caliphate with two thousand heavy iron plows to increase our wheat yields.

2. You must agree to a permanent non-aggression pact with our naval fleets in the Mediterranean.

3. You must refuse to ally with the Byzantine Empire, as they are our historical enemies.

Before Ragnar could even process the logic of the Abbasid offer, Viper Val stepped forward from the right side of the room. She looked at Finn with disgust.

"Do not listen to him, King Ragnar." Val interrupted loudly. "The Byzantine Emperor also watched your victory at Calais. The Byzantine Empire also wants an alliance."

Val pulled a decorated silk scroll from her cloak.

"If you ally with Constantinople..." Val explained , "the Byzantine Emperor will march an army of 35,000 heavy infantrymen through the eastern mountain passes into Frankish territory. This will shatter Emperor Louis’s eastern defense grid."

Ragnar crossed his arms.

Val raised two fingers. "1. The Iron Kingdom must sell us twenty brass field cannons."

"2. You must send a royal ambassador to Constantinople to establish a permanent trade route."

"The Abbasid Caliphate has a standing economy three times larger than your decaying city of Constantinople." Finn shouted angrily at Val.

"The Byzantine Empire controls the center of global trade." Val shouted back, "We have Greek Fire and impenetrable naval defenses. An alliance with the Abbasids is a strategic dead end!"

"Sigh~ Enough." Ragnar commanded.

Ragnar looked at Gyda. Gyda simply smiled, amused by the entire situation.

Ragnar walked around his desk. He stood in front of the two spies.

"If Emperor Louis is attacked from the south by the Abbasids, and attacked from the east by the Byzantines, his reserve army will be stretched completely thin. He will have zero troops available to defend the northern coast against my musketeers." Ragnar said.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Finn agreed. "That is why you must sign the Abbasid pact."

"No, he must sign the Byzantine pact." Val corrected.

"I am going to sign neither~" Ragnar declared.

Both spies gasped in shock. They had traveled thousands of miles to deliver these geopolitical alliances, and their King was rejecting both of them.

"I am not rejecting the strategic outcome..." Ragnar explained, "I am simply rejecting your masters’ restrictive rules. The Iron Kingdom is not a medieval feudal state that begs for alliances. We are a neutral, global supplier."

Ragnar walked over to his desk and picked up a piece of blank white paper. He grabbed a piece of black charcoal.

"Finn." Ragnar instructed. "Tell the Caliph that I reject Rule Number Three. However, I accept Rule Number One and Rule Number Two. I will manufacture two thousand heavy iron plows, and I will ship them to him in exchange for raw sulfur and gold. I will also sign a non-aggression pact. Tell him that if he attacks Francia, I will ensure he has the best tools on the planet to feed his army."

Finn blinked. "The Caliph will likely accept those terms, Your Majesty. He is a very practical man."

"Val." Ragnar continued. "I reject Rule Number One; I am not selling brass cannons to a foreign power."

Val frowned. "Then what do I offer him, Your Majesty? He will be insulted."

"You will offer him something far more valuable than cannons~" Ragnar smiled broadly.

"I will send an official ambassador to Constantinople. And that ambassador will bring the blueprints for Louis the Stammerer’s new water pumps. The city of Constantinople struggles with fresh water distribution for its massive population."

"...If we give them pumps, their infrastructure will explode in efficiency. Tell the Emperor that if he attacks Francia from the east, the Iron Kingdom will modernize his city’s plumbing."

"You heard the King~" Gyda said, "The Frankish Empire is currently trying to copy a single stolen musket in Paris. But by next month, Emperor Louis is going to wake up to find an Abbasid army invading his southern farms, and a Byzantine army breaking through his eastern mountains."

Finn and Val bowed deeply.

"We will leave immediately, Your Majesty." Finn said.

"The letters will be delivered exactly as you dictated." Val added.

The two spies turned and walked out of the door, preparing for another months-long journey across the continent.

Once the door clicked shut, Ragnar’s stern expression finally softened. He glanced at Gyda. "How is the pregnancy?"

She suddenly turned pale, covering her mouth as she lurched toward the corner.

"Guards!" Ragnar called out. "Bring a maid and a bucket! Then, find Rollo, send him here!"