Soren ultimately chose to receive the Red Dragon Duchess at the City Lord's Residence.
On the way, whether deliberately or not, the officials from City Hall gave the Red Dragon Duchess a tour of Port Nyanzaru. They mostly showed her its civilian and commercial facilities, however. There was little need to show off its military might. Who on the entire Material Plane did not know that Port Nyanzaru's army was renowned for its prowess in battle?
Soren sat in his chair, looking down at his old adversary.
The Red Dragon Duchess had once been his enemy and had even come close to killing him. Now, however, she was someone he could destroy with a wave of his hand.
Time had changed everything.
The Red Dragon Duchess was visibly shaken when she saw Soren, but she kept herself well under control. As a high-tier legendary professional, she could sense the divine pressure emanating from him. The more powerful someone was, the more readily they could sense how terrifying that pressure was!
It was a gulf no mortal could cross.
"It is an honor to meet you, great Lord of Shadows! ..."
The tall Red Dragon Duchess bowed her head humbly, then removed her veil and said slowly, "Everything in Port Nyanzaru has been an eye-opening experience."
An exquisitely alluring face was revealed. The Red Duchess had always been confident in her beauty, unafraid even of comparisons with the incubi of Baator Hell. Yet Soren's calm gaze now made her uneasy, because his eyes seemed utterly indifferent to everything about her.
Soren toyed with the ring in his hand and said slowly, "I never expected you to ask me for help."
"Why not turn to the devils?"
"Or perhaps some evil god you've been secretly in contact with?"
"Have they abandoned you?"