Greed Knows No Bounds, and the Elephant Swallows the Snake!

Lloyd fell into an uncharacteristic silence.

He wondered if he had misheard; was this some kind of Old Ones relic?!

To make sure he wasn't hallucinating, Lloyd forced a smile and said stiffly, "Um— Your Highness Charles, are you mistaken? You should know very well that 'Old Ones relics'..."

What does that mean?

Actually, it's not that he's overly cautious.

Almost none of the creations related to the "Old Ones" are simple; they all reach heights that Imperium of Man can hardly attain, and even involve many aspects such as the soul, Psychic Power, the Warp, time, and space!

Regardless of what such a relic is or what its purpose is, its value is immeasurable. Even just the news of it being spread can attract countless forces to compete for it!

It could even trigger a war!

"Count Lloyd, can I take your words as a questioning of my 'Acquis' family?!" Alvin glared, slamming his hand on the table. "You, a mere border merchant family, dare to question the reputation of my 'Acquis' family? You old fool, how dare you!"

Lloyd's temples bulged with veins. Despite his good manners, being called an old man by someone pointing a finger at him still made him furious.

But it was no use. The person opposite him was a member of the "Acquis" family whose authenticity was unknown. What could he do, no matter how angry he was?

Thinking of this, Lloyd suppressed his anger and put on a calm smile, "Your Highness Charles calm down."

I am not questioning your family's credibility; I greatly admire and respect the Acquis Family. But you should understand that...

"As a businessman, I naturally need to ensure the authenticity of this item, given the high value of the term 'Old Ones relic,' right?"

"Then what do you want?"

Alvin frowned and asked.

"May I examine it?" Lloyd's eyes gleamed as he stared intently at the "armor."

"Certainly."

Alvin waved his hand dismissively. "Look around if you want, I bet you've never seen this before!"

His words were filled with the pride of a top aristocrat, which made Lloyd feel even more contempt for this "Charles".

Soon, Lloyd was gathered around the iron box, carefully examining the "Destroyer Armor".

The interior contains many mysterious patterns, seemingly similar to the runes of the Aeldari; the outer layer is made of metal.

It was a metal he had never seen before.

As Rogue Trader, Lloyd possessed an exceptionally keen eye; he immediately recognized that this armor was a "relic" that belonged to no human, or even any known race.

In other words, it is highly likely that this truly is a creation of the "Old Ones"!

Instantly, Lloyd's heart burned with excitement. A genuine "Old Ones relic" was of immeasurable value and had unimaginable uses!

"Have you seen enough?" Alvin asked impatiently, deliberately waiting for him to finish reading.

Lloyd reluctantly withdrew his gaze, coughed a few times, and said, "I'm truly sorry, Your Highness Charles, but the Old Ones relic is really beyond my capabilities. I wonder what you would like to exchange it for?"

Finally, we've gotten to the main point. All that going around in circles, wasn't it all for this moment?

"What do you have?" Alvin asked casually, legs crossed. "I've heard that the Fernando Family in Nomad Port has everything I can imagine. Do you have anything comparable to my 'Old Ones Relics'?"

"Heh, Your Highness Charles, your demands are a bit too broad." Lloyd chuckled, pondered for a moment, and then said, "I do have something here that can rival Old Ones relic—but first I need to confirm whether your item is genuine and whether it matches your description."

"Are you kidding me?!" Alvin was instantly furious, glaring at him and saying, "Didn't you already see it?!"

"Your Highness Charles, please calm down. I only had a cursory look at it and cannot be sure if it's genuine." Lloyd pretended to ponder for a long time, then said somewhat hesitantly, "How about this, since I can't determine its authenticity for the time being, I hope you can let me take it back and have it appraised by a professional, what do you say?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Alvin sneered. "What if you switch it out halfway through?"

"Your Highness Charles, I swear on the honor of the Emperor and the Fernando Family," Lloyd said solemnly. "I would never do such a thing, especially since you are a descendant of the 'Acquis' family. How could I dare to deceive you?"

Alvin feigned a moment's hesitation. "Well, alright then—I believe the Earl of the Fernando Family wouldn't be a liar. If you dare deceive me, I swear I'll make you pay the price for deceiving the Acquis Family!"

"Of course, Your Highness Charles."

Looking at Charles's foolish face, Lloyd smiled, but inwardly he was sneering, already plotting his next move.

As for Alvin, he was also very happy.

I thought it would take a lot of effort to get this "gift" to Fernando, but who would have thought that old man Lloyd would be so cooperative!

Greed knows no bounds; a snake tries to swallow an elephant!

The stronger a person's desires, the easier it is for them to be caught red-handed, and Lloyd was such a person.

Soon, the pre-auction promotion ended.

Alvin and Lloyd seemed to have hit it off immediately, and were reluctant to part even at the end, agreeing to meet again at the official auction a few days later.

Once back at the manor, Tucker asked, "Was the package delivered?"

"Hmm." Alvin nodded, his gaze sweeping towards the core area of Nomad Port, the Fernando Family's residence, a slight smile playing on his lips, "I hope the Fernando Family will like this gift I've given them."

"Oh no, someone else is going to be in trouble."

Tucker shook his head, his tone seemingly tinged with pity, but his face betrayed genuine schadenfreude. "If the Fernando Family knew that a 'C'tan' was hidden inside that armor, they probably wouldn't be laughing."

He couldn't help but laugh at the thought of seeing the Fernando Family Earl's beaming smile as he left.

Could it be that they really think Alvin's gifts are so easy to accept?

"I hope you'll be sensible."

Alvin lit a cigar, savoring the strong tobacco aroma, then slowly exhaled, his gaze deep. "Otherwise—don't say I didn't give you a chance, I don't want to make things too big either."

"I don't think they'll trade honestly."

Tucker scoffed, "I bet that old geezer will renege on his promise."

"Then it's not my fault."

Alvin flicked his cigarette ash and sneered, "I've already given them their chance. If they can't seize it and don't know what's good for them, then don't blame me for being ruthless."