The winner was [X] Tripartite Evening (Nightmare Flight, Bastion of Myth, Supreme Enclosure).
Hunger goes now to meet with the ostensible leader of the Royalist faction, their last surviving heiress Adorie Mirellyian. He intends to negotiate for possession of both Artifacts capable of contributing substantially to the contest against the Lord Protector in exchange for his entry into such. Of course, there are many other matters both diplomatic and practical to sort out as well. Princess Adorie is renowned as a skillful & charming negotiator with a comprehensive grasp on matters personal and theoretical. Care should be taken lest Hunger commit himself & his Kingdom unduly to a cause, especially if he decides to integrate the Tower of Sky rather than destroying it for Decimator mitigation.
[ ] Into the Breach - Some things are a King's responsibility alone. If he would shirk this negotiation, how well could those below him rely on his leadership when he administers not merely one Kingdom, but the entire Human Sphere? Undoubtedly the Princess is a formidable opponent in the social arena, but Hunger is no slouch himself. Note that due to the timing of this contest it will occur before Hunger has access to the Opalescent Tower or Tears of Winter EFBs, for obvious reasons. He is still guaranteed to acquire both Artifacts even if he 'loses' the negotiation. [+1 Arete for taking on the challenge]
*Unlike the other options, can generate picks and thus opens up an opportunity to purchase Once and Future, in theory.
*Adorie is a challenging opponent; though your interests are mutually aligned, Hunger would prefer maximum latitude of action and favorable trade terms for the Sovereignty while she would prefer to bind you strongly to her cause in exchange for her artifacts of legend.
[ ] Hide Behind Gisena - It's entirely the purpose of a Princess Regent to handle negotiations that are below the attention of a figurehead King! Hunger is merely the mouthpiece for Gisena's policy implementations so it's only fair that she handles this matter as well. Besides, it'll give her a chance to crush her rival Princess beneath her heel... or perhaps give her a much-needed comeuppance. Whoever wins, Hunger can't lose! [+Gisena]
*Higher chances of victory. Success here could bring great wealth and quality of life improvements to the Sovereignty, and potentially open up ways for Sten's civ to regain their extended lifespans. Though Hunger does not always act it, he is still responsible for the lives of all these people. Can improve Government quality beyond Adequate, improve the effectiveness and Elite-production rate of Throne Agents, and overall make life much better for Hunger's subordinate polities.
*Having Gisena do the negotiations means Hunger will be less stressed out and/or mentally compromised and is thus free to regale Aobaru & co with tales of his adventures
*Takes the outcome out of your hands; defeat is still possible and mid-battle power-ups are unlikely (?)
*Is it wise to yield this matter to an adjutant, no matter how trusted, when the nature of Hunger's progression requires conflict and adversity for him to grow?
[ ] Cut Through - Just give Adorie what she wants - a binding commitment to liberate her nation and oppose the Lord Protector - in exchange for her Artifacts. Table the matter of trade negotiations until after victory has been achieved. While this will significantly reduce Hunger's potential scope of action in the future (as he will give his word), in some ways it can be considered only fair to match House Mirellyian's commitment with one of equal scope. They are giving you their ancestral fortress and crown jewels essentially for work you haven't yet done... [+Adorie]
*Saves time, but Hunger will have to give his word. He considers this an absolute commitment.
*Goodwill can lead to a more amenable ally than any amount of formal strictures, but some would say it's power built upon a foundation of sand. When you base your strength on the kindliness of allies rather than strictly articulated obligations, you are ultimately placing yourself at the mercy of their interpretation of your circumstances.
*The matter of trade, even if procrastinated upon, may still rear its head in the future...
What's Hunger's attitude towards Aobaru's mission?
[ ] Impart, then Depart - The role of a mentor comes with occupational hazards because the story must remove the mentor's protective influence. But a teacher that simply transmits wisdom and is not present for the hazards of one's journey is at much less narrative risk for death. Hunger will train Aobaru intensely so that he may fight his own battles. The boy is welcome to accompany him until his first major threats are dealt with, but then their paths must split. ++Aobaru Power
*Hunger will keep Aobaru with him long enough to deal with the Chains of Fate-summoned enemy
*You'll eventually lose access to Aobaru's buff, though you may regain it after Aobaru finishes his mission
*Low, if any, risk from Fate intervening to kill Hunger
*Though you'd still have to worry about the Apocryphal Curse regardless
*At least you'd minimize Aobaru's exposure to it
*After he succeeds, Aobaru would be a powerful ally and potentially in control (?) of the Voyaging Realm or large segments thereof. Maybe he could turn off the mage extraction filter, or introduce some exceptions?
[ ] Priority Two - Aobaru should be kept close to maintain his safety, but Hunger intends to return Letrizia to the Human Sphere ASAP, and it's almost certain that events in the Human Sphere will conspire to keep Hunger & Gisena there. Thus it is of utmost importance that some means of extracting magi from the Voyaging Realm be found... +Aobaru Power
*As he intends to defend Aobaru directly, Hunger will not spend as much time training him
*You'll retain access to Aobaru's buff for the foreseeable future
*Aobaru won't be able to complete his destiny without enormous degrees of power and skill anyway, something that's likely in the far future
*Not long ago he was still a child. He'll be happy to see the Human Sphere and the Empire from which his predecessors departed.
[ ] The Long Voyage - Letrizia doesn't even want to return to the Human Sphere, so you might as well see this through ASAP. It'll be much easier to conquer the Human Sphere with the systems of the Foremost at Aobaru's beck and call. Even limited access could yield overwhelming advantages; what if there's some way to control or disable enemy Armaments? +Aobaru Power, +Aobaru Progression
*Committing to Aobaru's mentorship means Hunger will have a chance to confront and overcome the mistakes of his past, and his own feelings of resentment against Fate. +Mental Stability
*Those who were meant to protect him, failed, their promises unkept, the appellation of Chosen more curse than succor. It will not be so for this lad; for it is not capricious Fate that watches over him, but the scion of the Forebear himself, and he will see his charge defended no matter what rains may come. +What Rains May Come Advancement.
*Should you really neglect the Human Sphere this greatly?
*Fifty years is a long time for the Apocryphal Curse to wrest one province or another from Hunger's control. Maybe it would be wiser to deal with the Human Sphere as soon as possible, who knows how many technical violations the Curse could potentially force upon him, mandating a reset of the timer and future complications?
[ ] Procrastination - Just don't think about it right now. You've got more important matters to consider. [+3 Arete]
*It's free Arete, what could possibly be wrong with that?
*Even if it's a trap, you could use the power from that Arete to overcome it!
*Somewhat reckless, but eh