Negotiation

"Scrawny little thing, I'd wager your mother never taught you that it's best not to threaten fearless orcs."

Before the old orc could answer, a deep voice came from another direction. "What suits dragon hatchlings like you best is cowering beneath your mother's wings."

"Even if we are only hatchlings."

Caesar's gaze swept across the orcs' faces. "But we can run. We can fly. Even if only one of the three of us escapes today, what will happen decades from now? When the dragons return, what can you do besides cower behind those damned rocks?"

As he spoke, he supported himself on his hind legs and rose upright, lifting his head. His folded wings burst open with a bang. Their span exceeded fifteen meters, like a dark cloud, his immense body continuing to exert silent psychological pressure on the orcs.

Caesar bent down and slowly approached the orc leader. His massive head nearly pressed against the old orc's face; their foreheads were practically touching.

Dragon pupils were vertical and intimidating. Caesar stared into the old orc's eyes, forcing out his words through clenched teeth. "Do not pray that time will make us forget, and do not imagine that you or your descendants can escape. We black dragons repay every debt. If you dare start a war today, we will repay it tenfold in the future."

He finished those cruel words with a savage expression, looking utterly imposing, but he had his own plans as he secretly observed the orcs' reactions.

That earlier claw strike had been meant to display his strength, while these words, beyond being a threat, were also a test.

If the orcs still resolutely chose to fight the hatchlings and launched an attack after hearing this, Caesar would have to prepare to flee immediately. No matter what, he had to run.

Because he had already taken his words this far. If the orcs did not take his threats seriously and remained completely fearless, it meant these green-skinned creatures were confident of victory and had no intention of letting any hatchling escape.

If it truly came to that, Caesar would be unable to care about Garon and Blakeshia. He could barely save himself and would flee at the first opportunity.

Fortunately, the worst outcome did not occur.

After hearing him out, the orc warriors began to hesitate. The flames of anger were doused. They were indeed warlike and ferocious orcs, but they were intelligent beings. Who could avoid planning for the future?

They had merely wanted to make a fortune by capturing the three hatchlings and selling them to the humans for a large sum of money.

But could they guarantee that they would capture every hatchling? Could they even catch the largest one?

The orc warriors hesitated and turned to look at their leader, the aged orc shaman, waiting for his command.

"Besides, if you really kill us, what will you gain?"

Caesar's voice became calm, coaxing them like a devil. "Your goal is simply to capture us and sell us to humans in exchange for a generous reward."

"But how can you guarantee that we will not break free from that hellish abyss? Once we escape human control, who do you think we should settle the score with?"

Another bombshell.

Caesar was not arrogant enough to think that merely shaking his dragon body would make his enemies surrender and bow in worship. But he knew that every intelligent creature acted with a purpose. The orcs had surrounded them because of profit, but if they realized the losses they would suffer far outweighed their gains, what would they choose?

To completely change their minds and prevent them from being blinded by helpless rage and charging in recklessly on impulse, Caesar even invented a small benefit for them. "More importantly, compared to friendship with dragons, how much is a mere human reward worth?"

As soon as Caesar finished speaking, the scene fell into strange silence.

Blakeshia and Garon stared blankly at him, seemingly unable to imagine their brother saying such things. In the hatchlings' eyes, the orcs had already charged right up to them, and a desperate battle was unavoidable.

The orc warriors also fell silent, staring wide-eyed at one another. Only after a long while did their whispers begin.

"Friendship with dragons? Can evil dragons like black dragons even speak of friendship?"

"Doga does not know. Doga just does not want to fight an adult black dragon in the future. Oh, that would be terrifying..."

"Black dragons cannot be trusted. The tribe has been deceived by these cunning evil dragons before. We cannot simply let them go."

Caesar had achieved his goal. These green-skinned orcs looked thickheaded, but they were not actually stupid. At the very least, they understood the meaning behind his words. Different opinions had now emerged within the tribe.

Now it depended on what their leader wanted.

The old orc, whose brow had remained tightly furrowed, seemed difficult to deal with. But Caesar was not worried. Since he had not attacked before, he was even less likely to force his now-unwilling warriors to slaughter the black dragons after Caesar's persuasion.

Still, for some reason, the old fellow remained silent, and Caesar had no idea what he was thinking.

Time passed soundlessly amid the stalemate.

After waiting for a long time, until dawn broke and even Caesar was growing unbearably impatient, the old orc finally raised his head and forced a wrinkled smile onto his face.

"You succeeded. You have persuaded me." The old fellow's voice was extremely hoarse, like dead bark.

The nerves Caesar had kept taut finally relaxed somewhat. "Then it seems this was an unpleasant misunderstanding. Still, it is fortunate that it can become the beginning of our friendship."

At that moment, he sharply noticed that Garon and Blakeshia did not look well. The two hatchlings were making broad movements, as though they had something bottled up inside and were full of resentment.

But this was not the time to discuss hatchling emotions. He tested the waters with the orc leader. "My friend, this encounter has left a deep impression, but as I mentioned before, we are merely travelers passing through. It is getting late. May we set out once more?"

"No."

The old orc answered quickly this time. His light refusal turned the forest clearing's atmosphere into a boiling pot of oil once more. Blakeshia and Garon immediately arched their backs, ready to fight to the death. Their swift reaction even made Caesar feel ashamed.

"It is not that I do not trust you. It is only that honest and sincere orc warriors have once been deceived by evil dragons, and the tribe paid a heavy price for it. I must ensure such a thing never happens again."

The old shaman, who held a lofty status within the orc tribe, actually bowed slightly and made an inviting gesture toward Caesar. "Please show me your sincerity. Join me in establishing true friendship under the witness of the God of Truth."

So that was what he had been waiting for.

Only then did Caesar understand what the old orc had been thinking as he stood there all night. The old fellow had drafted an alliance pact and wanted Caesar to sign it with him under the witness of the God of Truth.

Caesar listened to the orc leader's terms. To summarize the other party's demands in his own words, they were roughly this: from the moment the oath was established, the hatchlings could not harm the Stone Crow Clan in any form; neither party could damage the other's interests in any form; and in times of crisis, the black dragons were obligated to provide the Stone Crow Clan with shelter and assistance.

This was a blatant unequal treaty!

That damned old fellow—an orc, yet he had fallen to the same level as humans, cunning and greedy.

Caesar cursed inwardly without end, then argued his case. They were not helpless prey, and there was no reason for them to accept such an unequal treaty.

Two creatures of entirely different species began haggling in the forest clearing. The true dragon and the orc leader had both lost all dignity, and the sight was simply unbearable.

In the end, the alliance pact they negotiated was roughly as follows:

The three hatchlings would not harm the Stone Crow Clan in any form in the future. Both sides would respect one another and guarantee that they would never damage the other's interests.

The Stone Crow Clan would provide Caesar Ortorenso Targaryen with twenty-five years of protection. During that time, it would ensure that Caesar's physiological needs, such as feeding and sleeping, were met. Once Caesar reached adulthood, he would have to return and provide the Stone Crow Clan with thirty years of protection and assistance.

In truth, Caesar was quite satisfied with the final pact. Nothing could be better than receiving protection during his frail hatchling and juvenile years. He did not think it was shameful to be protected by orcs. To Caesar, before he had truly grown strong, survival was everything. Staying alive was what mattered.

He was not afraid that the Stone Crow Clan would cheat him, because he had deliberately added a clause to the oath: regardless of the reason, if the Stone Crow Clan could not provide twenty-five continuous years of protection, this oath would become void, and Caesar would no longer need to fulfill it.

Once he was satisfied, he wanted to add the two hatchlings' names to the pact as well. But the two shook their heads like rattles, refusing to sign their true dragon names no matter what. Caesar had no reason to force them.

Both sides signed together under the witness of the God of Truth, and the oath took effect.