(Post now, edit later)
“First, we need to establish a large-scale permanent portal. I suppose Twin Bridges Town should have the necessary materials, right?”
“Maybe.” Tijana shrugged, “But I don’t like having a permanent portal near my domain, not to ntion that the nation connected to this portal belongs to the most cunning creatures in the Abyss.”
“Thank you for your complint, esteed Pearl of the Stygian River. However, I believe your worries are completely unnecessary.” Veyne leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, “No one in the entire Abyss is more adept at managing Dwarfs than you. If Twin Bridges Town hadn’t been producing fine weapons nonstop, Volcano Fortress would have fallen to the Demons long ago. As long as you agree to keep selling weapons to us, my Lord is willing to guarantee Twin Bridges Town’s independence.”
“Hmph… let guess, all the output has to be supplied to you, right?”
“What’s the problem with that? Over the past few months, Volcano Fortress has been your only custor…”
“That’s because there was a crisis in Volcano Fortress, so you offered the highest price. Besides, I’m not ignorant of the importance of Volcano Fortress, which is why I was willing to overlook… the needs of the other few present.” Tijana glanced at the silent Minotaur and Arachne Elf, “Lord Veyne, if you bring out these child’s tricks again, it will be an insult to .”
“I an no offense.” Grazzt’s diplomat shrugged, “Then what would you propose, Lady Tijana?”
“I can allow the construction of the portal, and I can provide both the materials and the cost. You can choose the location yourselves, as long as it’s outside the walls of Twin Bridges Town.” Tijana’s eyes fixed on the ceiling, “But it will only last for half a day, and after that, the portal will be permanently closed. That should be enough ti for your entire army to pass through.”
“But what about when the battle is over, how will the army return?” Veyne spread his hands, “Can’t you wait a few more days until the Fla Demon Generals return to Azgralath before you dismantle the portal?”
“Will they really return though?” Tijana replied with a sneer, “Grazzt wants to prove that he’s worthy of the title of Demon Prince. Do you think a Volcano Fortress will satisfy him? And besides, nine fully staffed legions, three Fla Demon Generals… Hmph, as long as they are here, which of these smaller forces dares to say no to the great Lord Wu’an?”
“My Lord has never ntioned such plans to …”
“I believe you. If you needed Lord Wu’an to tell you sothing like that explicitly, you wouldn’t be his Chief Diplomat.” The Succubus Lord leaned back in her chair, and Lancelot felt her intentionally rubbing his elbow with her wings, “If you must build a portal, then build it inside Volcano Fortress. You can build as many as you like. I won’t object in the slightest. I can even supply the materials… at cost price for you.”
“I think I need to punish my incompetent subordinates.” The Demon whose skin kept secreting sli grimaced with a bitter smile, shaking his head, “They should have warned in advance what a tough opponent I would face.”
“I am not your opponent.” Tijana glanced at the Soul Judge Demon sitting beside her, “As long as Lord Veyne does not treat us as opponents.”
“Well said.” The pig-faced Demon’s eyes narrowed into a smile, clapping his hands together, “Veyne, you don’t think Lady Tijana’s title is just describing her beauty, do you? Of course, her beauty is irresistible, but that has never been her weapon. A smart person like you should know to appreciate an even more precious quality in her.”
“Of course,” the Chief Diplomat sighed, “then let us discuss sothing else. After all, this is not a war among lesser lords. The Demon’s great army is a serious threat to every one of us here and, as it should be, everyone ought to contribute to facing it…”
————————————
When night fell.
Lancelot stood on a bench in the Hagrid Manor courtyard, which had returned to its lush, verdant state. So flowers seed to be blooming even more vigorously than before. The dayti eting had ended before noon, and the envoys left hastily through magic. Tijana also got busy fulfilling her duties as a lord after expressing her apologies to him.
With the spare ti Lancelot now found, he relished in the rare half-day of leisure. He did not go to the training grounds to limber up or to the taverns near the rcenary Hall to pass the ti, but rather he settled down and devotedly tended to the garden, which had just hosted a barbecue party the night before. In the process of trying to create a realm of his own through plants, rocks, mystic green liquids, and the Cauldron Immortal Technique, he did not notice ti slipping away. When he ca to his senses, an obscure moon was already hanging in the night sky.
Lancelot felt that he had just entered a rather profound state and seed to have so great revelation, a pity that now he could not rember anything. However, he was well aware that enlightennt was a matter of natural progression, and there was no need to force anything; the right mont would co when it was due.
After admiring the fruits of his half-day’s labor once more, Lancelot nodded in satisfaction and turned towards the manor’s main door. As he stepped up to the porch, a look of surprise appeared on his face, and he suddenly quickened his pace, flinging the door open.
In the living room, Tijana and little Isha were sitting on the sofa, happily chatting about sothing. The coffee table in front of them displayed two steaming cups of black tea, half a cake eaten away, and so other exquisite small pastries, all of which were little tricks Vampires had learned from Koula. Seeing Lancelot enter, Tijana looked up with a smile and said:
“Oh, finally coming out of your own world?”
“I am truly sorry, my lady,” Lancelot bowed, feeling his face heat up slightly, “I… was too absorbed, and I didn’t notice your arrival…”
“No matter, I quite enjoy watching you so focused,” Tijana smiled and pointed with her foot to the spot opposite her, “Please sit down. Have you ever tasted Isha’s craft? It’s absolutely fantastic, as if she put a spell on it…”
“Brother Lancelot, I will get you a cup,” Isha said shyly as she stood up and ran toward the kitchen.
“Thank you,” Lancelot nodded to her, then looked apologetically at Tijana, “I apologize to you once again, my lady. How long have you been here?”
“Not too long, but long enough to allow to relax my tense nerves,” the Succubus Lord shrugged, “The Portal is already under construction on the west bank of the river, and notices for recruiting Blood War rcenaries have spread throughout the entire Multiverse by magic. With Oasis Fort sharing the expenses, we are offering higher rates than ever before, and I expect we will soon recruit enough numbers. Goel’s two legions will arrive tomorrow, and Ilymaris’s a bit later, let’s hope they don’t start fighting…”
“It sounds like you might be very busy soon…”
“Yes, that’s why monts of leisure like this are so precious.” Tijana glanced at Lancelot, “By the way, that Titan’s Blood you brought … perhaps we might also…”
Reviews
All reviews (0)