Half the people in the meeting hall were laughing.
It was already extremely funny, and with the cardinal leading the laughter and the district chief bishops joining in, the Order clerics in the observers' seats naturally felt no qualms about adding to the uproar.
Kallen was laughing, and Leon was laughing. When Memphis, seated beside Kallen, saw him laughing, he forced the corners of his mouth to twitch a few times in a smile as well.
Just then, an attendant pushing a snack cart happened to pass by. Leon reached out and took a bag of roasted sunflower seeds from the cart, setting it on the coffee table. Kallen grabbed a handful, and Memphis did too.
The three of them cracked sunflower seeds as they continued enjoying the negotiations.
At last, the laughter gradually subsided. Throughout it, the Reincarnation Church had made no protest.
Negotiations were, by nature, a matter of asking the sky and offering the dirt. Each side laid out its demands, then they bargained until they reached their bottom lines.
In this respect, the Order God Church's negotiating methods were no different from those of a woman selling thermal underwear at a market.
Seeing that the other side had finished laughing, the handsome male spokesperson for the Reincarnation Church continued, "I believe this is the foundation of mutual trust between our sides, as well as a basic expression of respect for peace."
At this point, Leon's grandfather, Bishop Woforen, stood and said, "Finished?"
"This is our first demand in these negotiations. We believe that only once this demand has been satisfied can the subsequent negotiations proceed smoothly."
"Very well."
Bishop Woforen looked toward Cardinal Kreid, who gave a slight nod.
Seated in the back, Kallen thought, It looks like Bishop Woforen is the spokesperson for Order's side.