“Looks like this is what he was talking about,” the Trinarian prince murmured as he removed the VR device from his head. The thin, tallic trusses, designed to automatically and comfortably adjust to any head size or shape, felt strangely underwhelming in his hands, considering the sheer magnitude of what they were capable of.
He stared at it, already dreading the thought of going back to a life without this technology. Now that he knew it existed, how could he? More importantly, he knew the governnt would feel the sa once they learned the full extent of its capabilities.
“Any updates on our request for a eting with the emperor, or are they still delaying?” the prince asked, not bothering to look up.
“We haven’t checked yet, sir,” his assistant replied. “We were awaiting your directive. With this new information, you may want to reconsider your approach, perhaps adjust what we’re willing to offer after consulting with the king and hearing his input.”
The prince smirked slightly at the assistant’s subtle hint, it was the reason he had co in person instead of remaining in his quarters.
“Good. Request communication with the queen and tell her it’s urgent,” he ordered, already preparing to put the device back on.
“The… queen?” The assistant hesitated, blinking in surprise. He must have misheard. Surely, the prince ant the king, not the queen.
The prince paused, slowly turning to face him. His expression remained neutral, but his eyes radiated clear displeasure.
“Do I need to repeat myself?”
A wave of pressure rolled off him. It wasn’t aggressive, yet, but it was more than enough to make the assistant feel the first beads of sweat forming on his scalp.
“I-I apologize, sir! I’ll contact the queen imdiately!” The assistant bowed deeply, his voice tense with urgency. Without wasting another second, he turned and exited the room, quickly, but carefully enough to avoid being perceived as disrespectful.
Once only he and his guard remained in the room, the prince turned to face his escort. The guard’s curiosity about the device was obvious, though he made no attempt to try it himself. The prince ignored this hesitation and promptly put the headset back on; there was no ti to waste dwelling on how addictive the technology had already proven to be.
The guard studied him as he sank into a deep, trance-like state. Normally, expecting to have a eting with the queen, the prince would be preparing for his conversation with the queen, reviewing potential discussion points and refining his strategy. Yet now? Nothing. No hesitation, no planning, he had simply dove back in, completely uncaring about any necessary preparation.
The guard shook his head. Just what the hell is inside that device?
The prince was far from the only one affected. Across the Trade Hub, every representative who had tried the VR was experiencing the sa disruptive shift in their priorities. Each focused on different aspects of the technology, so marveled at its realism, others at its potential applications, but they all reached the sa conclusion:
They had to get their hands on it. No matter the cost.
The sheer impact of this revelation shattered every joint and individual strategy they had carefully crafted before arriving. Everything needed to be reassessed, and fast. More importantly, as they reevaluated the Terran Empire’s demand for embassies within their territories, what once seed like a burdenso request now felt like an opportunity, one that could serve as a bridge to acquiring this mind-breaking technology.
However, while the top ten representatives shared this mindset, other discussions were beginning to take shape within their governnts. The implications of this technology ran far deeper than just trade negotiations, and so factions were already considering more drastic asures to secure it.
…………….
{So, what do you think? Do you accept our offer?} the Little Protagonist asked after providing Dreznor with all the essential information he needed before making his final decision.
"I accept," Dreznor said without hesitation. "I don't care what you want to do, as long as you help take revenge on those who caused this pain."
There was no mont of reflection, no consideration of the consequences. At this point, the only thing keeping him from falling into despair was the promise of vengeance. If the creators of this system demanded bloodshed in return for their aid, so be it. He would do whatever it took.
Having spent most of his life in chains, his family had been his one source of joy, the glimr of hope that had kept him going. But just when freedom had finally been within reach, it had been ripped away, leaving nothing but emptiness and rage.
{Then, please sign this contract to formalize our cooperation,} the Little Protagonist said. {Keep in mind, however, that the system is strictly confidential. You must do everything in your power to keep it that way.}
A golden contract materialized before Dreznor, its shimring text outlining the exact terms of their agreent. He reached for it imdiately, eager to seal the deal, but the Little Protagonist stopped him.
{You must read and accept every clause before signing,} it warned. {The contract will be etched into your soul, binding both parties to its terms.}
Hearing ntions of the soul and similar concepts, Dreznor simply chuckled, dismissing it as advanced technology beyond his understanding. Without hesitation, he began reading the contract. It took him several hours to go through every clause, but the mont he finished, he signed without a second thought.
Although he was consud by rage and desperation, willing to take any hand that offered him a path to vengeance, he was genuinely surprised by the contract’s fairness. While the empire would demand much from him, every obligation aligned with the position they intended to place him in. In essence, he would be gaining far more than he would be giving.
The mont he finalized the agreent, the system initiated a full shutdown, preparing to fully integrate itself into his body. The process would take a week, and during that ti, he would remain unconscious.
This marked Nyx's first action into Conclave territory.
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