"I don't doubt their ability, though I also don't doubt that Beatrice has yet to show them the passage system of the Castle either," she said with a grin. "Although, on a more serious note, I can assure you that what passed as diplomacy and action in my absence as Vicegerent certainly won't be taking place with me on Chrysanthemum Throne. In those days we saw Rokkenjima build the case for international consensus on the pressing issues facing the community of nations and then acting not alone, but in concert, with that community of nations. By the very notion of that approach the idea of one nation being subservient to Rokkenjima, or for Rokkenjima to call any nation traitors for disagreeing with it, are incompatible with Rokkenjiman policy as it stands today. I'm never going to talk at you or down to you, if I have an issue it'll be communicated properly, we'll work it out via the appropriate channels, and we won't see the situations that allowed for other states to take advantage of the lack of cohesion and understanding between our states as we saw under Beatrice far too many times."
"As for where we should start, I often entertained ideas in my time as Vicegerent to see a level of coordination and cohesion in the foreign policies of Rokkenjima and her allies. Not one that's dictated mind you, but one which would see communications taking place prior to the announcements of policies. We saw the issues which this approach would prevent when Beatrice deployed vessels in the hopes of effecting a blockade of Slava Lavosk, which I understand impacted Achkaerinese operations from the reports I read of those times. Of course, I would hope that our approaches will be more aligned given my approaches vastly differ from hers in approaching crises, but I still feel it is important that we both have an understanding of where we stand on any given issue or crisis, what we expect as a resolution, and how we can both act in manners which support the many shared values we both hold. We need to ensure that the links of communications between the First and Holy Empires are strong, that they are utilized, and that we listen and consider each other. We've pledged our allegiance to one another, and whereas Beatrice could not trust, I will always trust the words of my allies and fully take their words and concerns on any given matter into full consideration. We have to restore the foundation we built which saw such great cooperation possible, which I have to believe Beatrice wished even with the issues facing her."