Chapter 58: The Empire’s “Sincerity”
Mophis felt her heart still racing.
The phantom projection of the “Diamond of Holy Light” in her palm had already vanished, but the dazzling brilliance and sacred aura seed to linger in the air, etched into the retinas of everyone present.
She had succeeded.
With a newly learned skill—nothing more than a pure visual effect—she had managed to fool the entire delegation of the St.
Orleans Empire.
Looking at Elsa’s dazed, faith-shattered expression, Mophis felt secretly delighted and at the sa ti unbearably tense.
She forced herself to maintain a mysterious and unfathomable façade, while in truth, the back of her white gown was drenched with cold sweat, and even her undergarnts were soaked through.
This tiger skin banner was powerful indeed, but far too exhausting to wield.
“Now, do you still believe that your empire’s ‘gold coins’ are worthy to exchange for our ‘special products’?”
The mont Mophis’s light yet weighty words fell, Elsa’s body trembled violently, as if waking from a dream.
She lifted her head, and in those beautiful erald eyes no longer lingered the probing shrewdness from before—only pure reverence and… a trace of fervor.
Yes, fervor.
For a chief diplomat who had been steeped in the empire’s power center and accustod to countless rare treasures, neither money nor authority could move her any longer.
But the “Diamond of Holy Light” just now—that relic of myth and legend—had completely shattered her understanding.
It represented another dinsion of power, a divine realm that no worldly empire, no matter how mighty, could ever touch.
And the mysterious guardian before her had revealed it as casually as if producing a trinket.
What did this an?
It ant that she, and the city behind her, possessed value far beyond the empire’s initial assessnt!
“N-no… of course not!” Elsa’s voice quivered with excitent, her carefully prepared diplomatic rhetoric completely forgotten as her stance swung a full three hundred and sixty degrees.
“Honored Guardian, please forgive my shortsightedness and ignorance before! Gold coins are an insult to you, and to this holy city!”
Mophis’s heart sank.
No way… she only wanted to raise the price a little.
Why flip the table entirely? If not gold, then what was she supposed to use to replenish her body and repair the library?
Expressionless, she gazed at Elsa while frantically scheming how to smooth things over.
But Elsa’s next words left her stunned.
“The St. Orleans Empire is willing to offer our greatest sincerity, to secure friendship and trade rights with ‘Mophisia’!” Elsa’s spirit was burning with unprecedented fervor.
She abandoned her three earlier conditions outright and imdiately threw out her bargaining chips.
“First, regarding trade! The empire is willing to grant you exclusive access to the ‘Red Dragon Trade Route’! This golden highway, directly guarded by the Royal Knights, leads straight to the most prosperous comrcial capital of the central continent—‘Valencia’! All tolls will be waived! We can provide any resources you need, whether grain, cloth, or the finest weapons and armor!”
The Red Dragon Trade Route? Mophis searched her mory.
Yes, she recognized the na.
In the ga, it only unlocked in the later stages—a top-tier trade route used exclusively for transporting strategic supplies.
Ordinary rchants weren’t even qualified to glimpse it.
The GM was really bleeding resources here.
“Second, concerning technology and resources! The empire is willing to open the non-core archives of the ‘Royal Alchemy Association’ and the ‘Magitech Research Institute’ to you! In addition, we will provide you annually with one hundred tons of ‘Mithril,’ ten tons of ‘Adamantite,’ and five hundred pounds of ‘Stardust Sand’ as part of a strategic resource quota!”
Hearing these words, the players nearby—especially those in crafting professions—began breathing heavily.
【Holy shit! Mithril! Adamantite! And in tons! What kind of god-tier treatnt is this?】
【The Royal Alchemy Association’s archives! If I could so much as peek inside, I’d break through from Master Alchemist to Grandmaster on the spot!】
【Wife is amazing! With just one line, she made the empire kneel and sing surrender! Does this an every citizen of Mophisia will soon be wearing mithril armor?】
Mophis’s heart skipped too.
These were all top-tier strategic resources—the very materials she needed to repair the high-level magic arrays in the library.
She herself had no idea where to acquire them, yet the other side had bundled them up and delivered them.
Noticing Mophis’s still “calm” deanor, Elsa thought it wasn’t enough.
She gritted her teeth and produced her final, heaviest bargaining chip.
“Lastly… regarding your ‘status.’ By Her Majesty’s authorization, I can confer upon you the title of ‘Honorary Duke’ of the St.
Orleans Empire, along with a fertile private territory in the empire’s southern lands! Of course, this is only in na.
We have no intention of incorporating you into the imperial system—it is rely for your convenience when traveling the continent.”
Having spoken, Elsa looked at Mophis nervously, awaiting her verdict.
Behind her, Kael and the other knights were equally shocked.
Never had they imagined the empire’s chief diplomat would have such a “humble” day.
The terms she offered were not negotiation but… tribute.
Mophis fell silent.
Her mind raced at full speed.
The conditions were too generous—so generous they felt unreal.
She knew well that all of this was thanks to Ignis’s existence, as well as her own successful “performance” just now.
She needed these resources—desperately.
But she could not agree at once.
The art of negotiation lay in tugging and pulling.
The more eager she seed, the cheaper she would appear.
She let out a soft sigh, carrying a trace of weary detachnt, as though she had seen through the vicissitudes of the world.
“I have felt the empire’s sincerity,” she said slowly, her gaze passing over Elsa to rest upon the rising city of the players in the distance.
“But ‘Mophisia’ is not my city alone.”
“Every one of the ‘Chosen Ones’ here is a founder of this city. As for your conditions, I must… seek their counsel.”
With deft skill, she passed the decision to the players.
It was a masterstroke.
To Elsa, the fact that this mysterious guardian held such respect for her seemingly chaotic “followers” spoke volus of her noble character.
Her esteem for Mophis soared yet again.
To the players, the words made their scalps tingle with joy.
【Did you hear that?! Wife said she’ll consult us! She cares about us!】
【Waaaah, I’m crying! What kind of divine city lord is this? We’re doing democracy! Republic!】
【Agree! We absolutely have to agree! If we don’t, I’ll delete my account right here!】
【If anyone dares to object, I’ll duel him first!】
Their reactions were exactly what Mophis had anticipated.
She looked back at Elsa, finally letting a faint smile surface.
That smile, like the first thaw of winter snow, stunned Elsa into montary daze.
“Since there are no objections, then in principle, I accept this cooperation,” Mophis said.
“As for the details, I shall send my ‘City Lord’ to negotiate with you.”
And just like that, she shoved the newly-elected, unfortunate city lord into the spotlight.
“Wonderful!” Elsa exclaid in delight, bowing quickly.
“Thank you for your generosity, Honored Guardian! I shall return at once to report to Her Majesty! Believe —the empire’s friendship will prove more than worth it!”
With that, she turned almost eagerly with the delegation to depart.
She had to report everything that had transpired here—especially the “Diamond of Holy Light”—to her elder sister, the supre ruler of the empire.
As the imperial envoys’ figures receded, Mophis’s taut nerves finally loosened.
Her legs weakened, nearly buckling, and she barely caught herself against the cold doors of the library.
“Phew…” She exhaled a long breath, utterly drained.
Dealing with these top-tier NPCs was more exhausting than fighting a hundred bosses.
Just then, a lazy, amused voice sounded behind her.
“You really put on quite the show, my little collectible.”
Mophis’s body stiffened.
She slowly turned, eting Ignis’s half-smiling, molten-gold eyes.
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