Grand Foreigner (Chapters 1- 200)

Chapter 189

As she followed behind the beast, who just by appearance alone exudes a powerful presence, Sita knew that she should not attend the meeting between Medb and Ramses.

No, it wasn't that Sita was afraid of accidentally violating diplomatic protocol of any kind. On the contrary, Sita was superbly educated in all kinds of meetings and royal protocol – as much as her relations with Rama would later turn out, her divine origin aside, she was still a queen.

Rather, her knowledge was the reason Sita understood that she should not be present at the meeting between Medb and Ramses. She was weakening Medb's position in the negotiations, she was simply too weak to be present in the negotiations.

Any way you look at it, they were not in a good position to bargain. After all, from Ramses' point of view, he just had two unknown Servant waltz into his territory, and had attacked the populace, even one of his own lieutenants, Nitocris, would you want to open negotiations, then?. Luckily, it seems that because the damage was not permanent, and was easily reversed, negotiation was still possible, if at a more precarious position. And seeing that they're going inside the heart of Ramses' territory, in the grasp of some kind of Noble Phantasm of his, any mistake would be disastrous.

Also, as they're in the position of 'guests', their negotiating position was already weaker, so Sita wanted to gain any possible advantage. In any situation, even excluding all the preceding factors, the petitioner who went to the meeting in person, coming to his patron's house, was in a position knowingly weaker than the patron's position. Of course, in such a case, the patron was bound by the traditions of hospitality – as long as the other party did not violate etiquette strongly enough to tip the scales in favor of protecting his dignity.

The one receiving the guest had to demonstrate his generosity.

This did not serve to equalize the position of the beggar and the giver, but rather elevated the giver's position even higher. Adding to the weight to he whose meeting is sought, demonstrating a magnanimity of he who can bestow his presence even to the guest who came to him first.

Not that this situation is immutable, there were many factors influencing which speaker was in a stronger or weaker position – by title, knowledge of etiquette, luxury, gifts, intelligence, charisma, eloquence, wordplay, everything down to personal power.

Not that a powerful entity barging into a king's palace would look polite. But if said king did not possess enough power to easily throw an uninvited guest out of his palace, it certainly affected the balance of power in the conversation.

Medb had quite a few characteristics that would have seriously strengthened her position, from her looks to her personal strength – but in the case of negotiation, Sita's contribution was well below Medb. In other words, Medb's position would be seriously weakened by Sita's presence.

Of course, Sita could act as Medb's entourage. But that would mean that Sita herself would become primarily Medb's subordinate, which would cast a shadow over Ainz, who considered both of them his Servants. If Sita accepted a subordinate position now, it would endanger her chances of receiving credit for her work in the future, and thus would create a conflict of power between her and Medb. Something which Medb could not accept in any case.

She would sooner be known as a brainless savage than allow a shadow to fall on her lover, of which Sita was certain, and with which Sita herself could fully agree with. Simply because by taking a subordinate position, it meant that Sita had no right to her own voice, opinion, or action – anything Sita did from this point on would primarily concern Medb and be determined by her words and orders.

Which is unacceptable.

Besides, just one Sita alone was not the luxurious entourage a monarch is supposed to have, rather creating an even more pathetic and comical hue with her presence as an entourage of one middle-level Servant.