In truth, Duke Calvin never held any real hope of preventing the war from breaking out. He just wanted to delay its arrival.
It was currently the spring planting season, a vibrant time perfect for farming—a time that couldn't be wasted on war.
Once war broke out, a massive number of Recruited Soldiers, conscripts, and serfs would be dragged from the fields and sent to the battlefield. The crops would be left untended. In the end, it would be they who suffered the consequences, and the very foundations of the Empire would be shaken.
The Empire could no longer boast of its vast lands and abundant resources. Years of continuous warfare had depleted its grain reserves far too quickly. Compounded by the intentional or unintentional hoarding by nobles everywhere, the amount of grain on the market had drastically decreased.
Moreover, as long as he spoke out on this matter, regardless of the final outcome, he could avoid making an enemy of either Henry or the Emperor.
