The Lich of Glory Knight Spirit: Moving towards Krimasha! Chapter 191 - 15: Black Dragon City2

"Dragon God?" Gray was taken aback.

"Yes, Dragon God. The Gustav Royal Family has always been under Dragon God’s protection." Cedric V smiled and continued, "Dragon God not only told that you are a Lich but also shared many interesting things with . For example, you have an agreent with the Holy Spirit: if your Lich identity is exposed and humans hunt you down, the Holy Spirit will abandon you. And you have a contract with the Demon Lord, who lends you his power through that contract. I know all of this."

Gray listened quietly, gazing at Cedric V, while the soul fire in his eye sockets burned wildly.

Vivian’s eyes had widened, and she held her breath.

Even the Black Cat was stunned.

Cedric V chuckled softly, his eyes half-closed as if sleepy, but his voice was exceptionally clear. He said leisurely, "I tell you this first to make sure you are careful in the upcoming conversation. To avoid any unpleasant experiences. After all, we both want this eting to end pleasantly for both sides, don’t we?"

"What if I refuse?" Gray retorted.

"Gray! They haven’t even made a request yet, and you’re gonna refuse?" The Black Cat shrieked in horror.

Vivian also quickly looked over at Gray, frightened.

"I haven’t even said what I want, Holy Knight, and you’re going to refuse ?" Cedric V asked softly.

"I just want to know the consequences of refusing," Gray said fearlessly. "Your manner of speaking and your thods make think what you want won’t be a fair agreent."

"Why would you expect it to be a fair agreent?" Cedric V laughed, coughed lightly twice, and said, "I won’t ask for anything, promise to keep your secret, and then post the agreent at the city gate. Do you think that counts as a fair agreent?"

Gray looked silently at Cedric V.

"No, it’s not a fair agreent. It’s not even a valid agreent." Cedric V shook his head and continued, "Because once it becos public, the agreent loses its aning. You are a Lich; your agreents inherently lack fairness."

Before Gray could respond, the Black Cat scread again, "Gray! I think you should listen to what he has to say! Just listen first! If it doesn’t work, refuse later! Please don’t refuse directly!"

Vivian chid in, "Gray, he knows the specifics of your agreent with the Holy Spirit. This is different from the cardinals... and the Gustav Royal Family has the Dragon God’s protection! I think he’s telling the truth!"

Both sides remained deadlocked, with Gray staring at Cedric V, and the soul fire in his eye sockets crackling.

Cedric V smiled from his throne, watching Gray.

The Black Cat and Vivian were trembling with tension.

After a while, Gray finally whispered, "Go ahead, what kind of agreent do you want?"

"I want you to not interfere with any of my policies. Rember, any. You and your controlled church. I don’t need your support much but require you to remain neutral in all matters."

"Even if you commit evil, you want to remain neutral?"

"’Evil’? Ha-ha-ha, that word stings. I would love to embellish it with other terms, but objectively speaking, yes. I require you not to interfere in any of my affairs, to hand over the ecclesiastical power within Gustav, including the appointnt and removal of bishops, to , including the power to ’commit evil,’ and the right to declare war freely. To be precise, I want to beco the common emperor of humanity. I think you understand my aning."

The Black Cat’s eye corners twitched.

Gray answered loudly, "A Holy Knight will not stand idly by in the face of evil."

"But your Lich identity requires you to turn a blind eye to certain things." Cedric V spread his hands.

"This violates my oath. Your request tramples on my faith."

"Everyone’s faith is compromised, and as a Lich, you should be no exception."

"But I refuse such compromise. If I accepted, I would not use an oath to bind myself, would not conflict with the church, nor stand before you in this form, unable to provide what you want."

"So, is this a breakdown in negotiations?" Cedric V slowly closed his eyes.

"I believe so. We cannot reach a consensus in the direction you hope for." Gray answered softly, still watching Cedric V.

The atmosphere in the entire hall quickly beca oppressive.

The Black Cat and Vivian were stunned.

...

In less than an hour, the negotiations ended. This usually ans one of two things: either the negotiations went exceptionally well and finished quickly, or they went exceptionally poorly, becoming impossible to continue.

Clearly, the negotiations between Gray and Cedric V belonged to the latter.

When Gray exited the hall, the Black Cat was at a loss, "What now? He knows everything! If he declares war on you, we’re finished! The Holy Spirit will imdiately join the hunt! What should we do?"

"Gray, can you communicate with the Demon Lord?" Vivian’s breathing was rapid, "You’d better ask the Demon Lord yourself. If the Holy Spirit hunts us down, will he abandon us imdiately? After all, you won’t be a Holy Knight anymore and can’t do what he wants..."

Gray remained calm as if nothing had happened.

A Black-armored Knight blocked Gray’s path and whispered, "Holy Knight, His Majesty thinks that since you rarely visit Black Dragon City, you should stay a few more days to take this opportunity to reconcile your views. I have already arranged accommodations for you and your subordinates."

Turning back, Gray saw Cedric V sitting on the throne, smiling and holding a glass of wine, watching him.

"Alright," Gray replied softly.

"Great, he’s still willing to talk, which ans there’s still a chance!" The Black Cat finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Vivian looked stunned, "Did he just talk to the attendant?"

"What do you an?" The Black Cat was puzzled.

"He didn’t! That ans he’s using magic sensing like Gray and !"

"He’s a Mage?"

"But there’s no magic fluctuation on him!"

"Then what’s going on?"

"I don’t know, I’m starting to doubt what’s under those masks of the emperor’s aides!"

"They can’t all be dragons..."

The Black Cat and Vivian discussed.

Gray calmly followed the Black-armored Knight down the steps.

Bishop Gustav had already left and was not waiting for him at the steps.

The Black-armored Knight led Gray along the long, wide Gustav Palace Avenue.

...

At this mont, in Black Dragon Hall, two shadows erged from the giant dragon totem painting behind Cedric V, circling him like a black mist.

The scene was extrely eerie, with the emperor’s aides around him standing like silent statues, as if nothing had happened.

"This Lich is not a good negotiation partner," said a female voice.

"No Lich would be a good negotiation partner, we’ve always known that. We just didn’t expect this one to be difficult because of faith? Faith is a maddening thing. It looks like he really has transford himself into a saint, inside and out," said a male voice.

Cedric V raised his head, the forr dignity gone, looking like a confused old man, and asked, "As your servant, what should I do, honorable Dragon God?"

"What to do? That is difficult," said the male voice. "I thought he would submit but apparently not. Try to negotiate with him. His cooperation would benefit us more than exposing him. Of course, if his willingness to cooperate is less valuable than exposing him, we’ll have to force Heaven to hunt him down. After all, tarnishing the church’s reputation is also a benefit to us."

"As you command, honorable Dragon God," Cedric replied.