"Up until now, that lizard woman has been playing with us because in her eyes, we are no different from defenseless prey, whose actions have no consequences."
Heaven’s Fortress City, capital of the Heavenly Path Kingdom. Divine Plane.
"My closeness with Eminent Greed has changed the rules of the ga, which is why she was willing to risk a golden egg to get the hen..."
As he looks out the windows, Lawrence thinks aloud inside a carriage.
"There is no such thing as the Gate of Tornt faction, it's not a tacit thing, even when it exists in na, so Reigning Myrias isn't afraid to make them enemies, their businesses don't affect each other, but... It's different if it concerns that lion man. Unless she is foolish, she wouldn’t want to be an enemy of all the factions of the Violet Twilight auction house. The problem is..."
He has been waiting for the approach of that lion man, waiting for the continuation of the request regarding that strange poison, but such a situation never occurred.
He gets off the carriage and stops in front of a very particular residence, a place where carriages full of elental ingots constantly enter and leave.
The ho of that lion man, Epheral Principle.
After knocking on the door, for more than a minute there is no response, as if there were a conversation behind the scenes between the servant and the lord of this place.
Not surprisingly, considering he arrived without an invitation.
The other party must be assessing the reason for his visit.
"Mr. Emperor Lawrence, sorry for the delay. Please, co in."
A servant opens the doors and apologizes, putting all the bla on his own ineptitude. Without delving into this topic, Lawrence courteously follows him and walks through multiple buildings until he stops in front of an elegant mansion.
The guards scrutinize him carefully before allowing him entry, after which his advance flows smoothly like silk until he stands before a certain door.
"Please co in, my lord is waiting for you."
Lawrence clears his throat before entering. As soon as he opens the door, the first thing to catch his eyes is the head of a lion, a lion man, and behind him is a man that Lawrence sees for the first ti.
"I don't entertain visits without prior reservation, I’ll make an exception this ti."
Lawrence doesn’t apologize, instead, he enters the room and stops next to the sofa in front of him, but without sitting down, he says: "I have a business proposal, I hope it's not inappropriate."
"That depends on the proposal."
Epheral Principle urges him to sit, and only then does he do so.
"Do you rember our last conversation, when I asked about the refinent of elental swords? This is a continuation of that--"
He is interrupted before finishing his words, Epheral Principle stops what he was doing and says: "I don't make weapons, I lost too much when I tried."
Given his blunt tone of voice, Lawrence can't continue the conversation.
Realizing this, the lion man sighs and extends his hand. The man behind him skillfully hands him a cigarette and after the first puff, Epheral Principle exhales a large amount of smoke towards the sky.
"I won’t go into details, but I recently obtained a clue about the perpetrator and until I find their whereabouts, I can't act in public. I'm not afraid for my life, I fear they might slip through my fingers! Without knowing the strength of the other party, I can't act carelessly."
Because the other party acted in the shadows, he knows nothing about them.
While listening, Lawrence feels his heart beat in disappointnt. Because this was the best way to attract soone like Epheral Principle to his side, because the future of his Path to Heaven Sect depends on the weapons he could deliver to his disciples. Both parties would benefit, which would strengthen their ties, but fate disappoints him once more.
The next option has a high probability of success, but it is a one-use card--
Epheral Principle interrupts his thoughts, "Although I can't create weapons, I can deliver the weapon refiners to you."
Excitent surges in his heart, but it quickly slows down as he understands sothing.
"What's the price?"
Nothing is free in this life.
The lion man does not hurry to respond, "I hired them for 50 years, but it's been 40 years without being able to use that contract. It doesn't harm to hand them over to you, before you it was a lost investnt, as for your question... Isn't it obvious? I want your refiner."
He smiles as only a lion could.
"I know he... or she, or perhaps it, who knows." He laughs at his own joke and continues saying: "Your refiner wants to hide their identity and I respect that, I won't ask them to show themselves. My request doesn't contradict their decision, because the only clues I have about the perpetrator are corpses. All the experts tell that the poisons used are unique, but no one is capable of giving a concrete answer! Just ramblings to justify their pay!"
The hatred on his face and tone of voice reveals that the event for which [he lost too much], is much more passionate than Lawrence believed. Lover? Family perhaps?
"I need the refiner Bearer of Light to investigate the poisons for which these people died and discover their composition, the origin of their materials. Their work will end there, I will take care of the rest. If you need ti to consult with your refiner, I will understand."
Depending on his response will depend his relationship with Epheral Principle, if he decides to postpone it, their relationship will not decay, but it will not increase either, as in his eyes he will be no different from an interdiary with a little more power than the rest, that's all.
"Before responding, what is the level of the weapon refiners?"
Epheral Principle smiles joyfully, unable to hide his emotions, because if he has guessed correctly...
"Level 780."
"...That's more than I expected. Alright, I accept."
Lawrence is not a re interdiary.
"Hahaha, Great! Great! I have to warn you that the weapon refiners have sowhat unique personalities. They will follow you because that's what the contract says, but they will not necessarily obey you. If your project has a future and you can protect them, consider that I haven’t said anything."
The conversation ends with Epheral Principle advertising his business of divine purity elental ingots, ensuring that his price may be higher, but the benefits of creating a weapon with them are invaluable. Although Lawrence only needs celestial purity elental ingots, maybe he will reward the best disciples with one of these. Since if they survive that trial by fire, they will not stop there.
"So, what are your affairs with , Emperor Lawrence? You certainly didn't co just for this, am I wrong?"
Until now Epheral Principle had not said his new na at any mont and that he has ntioned it now, can only an one thing. Approval.
Lawrence does not show his true thoughts and instead, sighs and then shakes his head, "Reigning Myrias is causing so problems and, if possible, I would like to use your reputation to scare her off."
The lion man frowns and says: "Is it a specific problem with her?"
"No, no. Most likely with one of her subordinates. I refuse to believe she's bored enough to be part of sothing like this."
She only gave her signature.
Reading between the lines, Epheral Principle nods. "Ah, if that's the case, that makes things easier..."
He retrieves a card from his storage ring and extends it towards Lawrence, on it is reflected the symbol and slogan of Epheral Principle's business. Proof of the business relationship between them.
"As long as you receive a similar gesture from Eminent Greed and Gate of Tornt, everything will be solved with a few words. Reigning Myrias is a smart woman, she knows when to advance and retreat, she has never caused problems... And you won't have them from now on. Moreover, I can assure you that she will try to compensate you in so way."
"It's good to hear that."
From then on, the conversation decreases in intensity, until Lawrence rises from his seat and says goodbye to Epheral Principle, then leaves the room.
Before leaving his mansion, a servant approaches him and hands him a storage ring. When Lawrence examines its contents, he frowns.
"They really are just corpses... but the most special thing about them is their coffin..."
Each coffin keeps the corpse in optimal conditions, retaining its decomposition in case they are removed from the storage ring. It is estimated that even by opening it, as long as the corpse remains inside, it will not decompose.
"Hm?" But then he realizes sothing. "Four coffins are different from the rest."
After thinking for a few seconds, he smiles faintly.
'That lion man is more sentintal than he seems.'
After returning ho and telling his won what happened, everyone sighs because the problem with Reigning Myrias is about to be solved. That is unless she played a main role in the machination concerning Erratic Delirium.
In the worst case, they will have to manipulate his mind to forget his revenge, but this manipulation could have future repercussions, because it concerns sothing as important as the death of his family.
Which brings up the next problem.
"We won't be able to manipulate their minds, their levels are too high."
No one argues with Lawrence's words, because that's precisely the problem.
The Refining Tower is located inside the personal dinsion, anyone with half a brain would realize that it is a space removed from the world after reaching the limits of the dinsion and noticing the chaos outside. Lawrence will be able to survive the chaos, but no one else can. Perhaps a level 800 could persist for so ti, but in less than a minute their life would have ended, extinguished without leaving ashes.
The weapon refiners would know too much and there would be no way to silence them.
The one who interrupts the silence is none other than Coldness Divine.
"This is sothing that would happen sooner or later, if we want to recruit talents, we have to take risks. Winning requires concessions, no one wins without giving up sothing."
Lawrence clicks his tongue, "Don't beat around the bush."
"Leave them to . There was a ti when to survive, I had to rely on others."
When she was weak and her sister discovered her, she had to face countless assassination attempts. Being weak and without ti to strengthen herself, she had no choice but to turn to others and win their favor in a limited ti. Although hundreds of years have passed since then, it's a skill that even if she wants, she will never forget.
Lawrence watches her in silence, but it's Serene Will who responds.
Because she read her mind.
"If you feel confident, I don't see why not."
"Tsk, are you speaking for him now?"
The matter concludes with a few additional words, but the outco does not change. Coldness Divine will be in charge of winning the trust of the weapon refiners.
This is the initial step to bring third parties into the personal dinsion.
Reviews
All reviews (0)