Rudeus and his party, led by the envoy, arrived at the audience hall of the King Dragon Kingdom.
Beneath the towering dome, dark gold dragon emblems are carved between the walls and stone pillars, the cold, hard metal and dark stone complementing each other, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.
In terms of luxury, this place is second only to Armored Dragon King's Floating Fortress.
Knights clad in heavy armor stood in neat rows on both sides of the hall.
Their hands rested on their sword hilts, their eyes fixed straight ahead, exuding an aura of chilling battle-hardened veterans.
Even though she had seen the royal palace of Shirone, Roxy couldn't help but take a few more glances.
After all, she had mostly dealt with small countries of limited size in the past.
A powerful nation like the King Dragon Kingdom, with its immense military strength and profound heritage, commands respect simply from the grandeur of its royal palace.
At the far end of the hall, on the throne, sat a middle-aged man.
He wore a dark royal robe embroidered with a dark gold dragon emblem. He was tall and strong, with no trace of the pampered aristocratic air. Instead, he looked more like a warrior who had spent years on the battlefield.
He was around fifty years old, with silver streaks already mixed in with his black hair, and his sharp eyes looked down at everyone like a hawk.
A simple, ancient-looking longsword hung at his waist.
That was not an ornament.
The scabbard bears the marks of time, while the faint sharpness emanating from the blade instills a sense of danger.
He is Leonardo.
The king of the King Dragon Kingdom, a descendant of the North God.
He was also the man who personally led the campaign against the King Dragon King, thus earning a formidable reputation.
Rudeus began by introducing himself. "I am Rudeus Greyrat, and these are my friends." Rudeus continued by introducing the others.
"I have long heard of Your Primordial God Impact's illustrious name."
Leonardo spoke first, his voice deep and powerful.
"Having seen you today, I can confirm your reputation is well-deserved."
"Your Majesty is too kind."
Rudeus smiled slightly.
"I have heard of His Majesty's deeds in defeating the King Dragon King. Seeing you today, I can confirm that your bearing is indeed extraordinary, and your power is as formidable as ever."
Their eyes met in mid-air.
Each seemingly polite sentence was actually like two knives wrapped in silk.
This is nothing more than mutual flattery in business.
It could even be described as a clash disguised as a ceremony.
Rudeus understood perfectly.
From the moment he stepped into the palace, today's meeting was no longer a simple audience.
This was a test.
Leonardo was observing him.
And he was also observing Leonardo.
Furthermore, the information held by the two sides is not even on the same level.
Leonardo may have thought he had seen through Primordial God Impact's intentions, but little did he know that the one who truly understood this negotiation from beginning to end was Rudeus.
"On another note."
Rudeus made no move to continue beating around the bush.
"His Majesty has summoned me today. What is the purpose of this audience? To be frank, I am not one to beat around the bush. If there is anything you wish to discuss, Your Majesty, please speak plainly."
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Leonardo threw his head back and laughed.
"As expected of Primordial God, you speak so frankly. I enjoy dealing with people like you."
As the laughter subsided, his expression gradually became serious.
"To be honest, the situation in the Central Continent is not peaceful right now."
"While countries maintain a facade of peace, covert struggles never cease. Especially in Land of Conflict, various factions continuously support local governments, engaging in low-intensity proxy conflicts. If this continues, it will inevitably escalate into a large-scale war sooner or later."
"Therefore, I wish to recruit Primordial God."
"To become the Guardian King of the King Dragon Kingdom."
Name your terms.
The hall fell silent instantly.
"I refuse."
Rudeus didn't even think about it.
"I will not directly participate in any form of war. If this is the only reason His Majesty summoned me, then there is nothing more to discuss."
This time, it was Leonardo silent.
But he didn't show any surprise.
Clearly, he had anticipated this answer.
Isn't this a tactic of negotiation?
First, present a condition that is difficult for the other party to accept, then gradually lower your demands, and finally get the other party to accept what they really want through repeated concessions.
"Of course not."
After a moment, Leonardo laughed.
"Since Primordial God Impact is unwilling to participate in the war, how about serving as our court mage?"
"Stay in the capital and teach magic to my children."
"That's acceptable."
Rudeus nodded.
"However, I have one request."
"Oh?"
"Teaching some reasonably gifted children is not challenging for me."
Rudeus spoke calmly, yet with an undisguised confidence.
"I've heard that His Majesty's eighteenth daughter is not particularly outstanding in any aspect."
"Then, she happens to be the most suitable student for me."
"Therefore, I only teach her."
Leonardo's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Clearly, this condition touched upon some of his concerns.
Rudeus then threw out his real stakes.
"One year."
"I can assure Your Majesty."
"Within a year, I will train the eighteenth princess to the level of King Rank mage."
In an instant, Leonardo's eyes lit up.
King Rank.
Throughout the long history of humankind, this has been a realm that the vast majority of mages could never reach in their entire lives.
If these words had come from an ordinary magician, Leonardo wouldn't have wasted his time listening to them.
The one who said those words was Primordial God.
That being who possesses power that transcends common sense, and who once single-handedly changed many situations.
Leonardo had to seriously consider it.
An uncontrollable Primordial God is indeed a sharp blade that can go out of control at any moment.
But a King Rank powerhouse who is personally trained by his own royal family and is loyal to the kingdom is a completely different matter.
This deal seems like a gamble worth taking.
"So, what are your requirements Primordial God Impact?"
Leonardo asked.
Rudeus smiled.
"It's very simple."
"I hope your country will provide a batch of relief supplies to the refugees in the Fittoa Region."
"In addition, I hope the King Dragon Kingdom will send troops to the Begaritt Continent to search for the people who went missing due to the Teleport Incident."
How many people?
"Ten thousand people."
Leonardo's face immediately darkened.
"Ten thousand?"
" Primordial God Impact, do you know what an army of ten thousand men means?"
"That's no longer an ordinary search and rescue team; it's a legion capable of being directly deployed in war."
"No, five thousand at most."
Six thousand.
Rudeus did not hesitate.
Leonardo's lips twitched.
"... Five thousand five hundred, that's my bottom line."
"OK."
Rudeus readily nodded.
"Then five thousand five hundred."
Leonardo silent.
At that moment, he suddenly realized that he seemed to have been tricked.
The difference between five thousand five hundred and six thousand is only five hundred people.
Judging from the outcome of the negotiations, it seems that the other party had already calculated his so-called "bottom line" very clearly from the very beginning.
However, he did not turn against them.
Because this transaction is, in itself, an exchange.
The King Dragon Kingdom gains a future Emperor Rank mage, while Rudeus receives the resources needed to rescue the missing population of the Begaritt Continent.
Both sides benefited.
Your Majesty.
Just when the negotiations seemed to be over, Rudeus spoke up again.
"There's one more thing."
Leonardo looked up.
I've also brought a very special friend with me today.
Rudeus stepped aside, making way for him.
It was only then that Leonardo truly noticed the man who had been standing behind him the whole time.
The other person was tall, but his aura was so concealed that it was almost non-existent.
If Rudeus hadn't brought it up, it would have been easy to mistake him for an ordinary member of the entourage.
Leonardo's pupils contracted slightly.
"Who are you..."
The next second, his gaze suddenly sharpened.
" Death God?"
The man looked up.
"That's right."
Rudeus laughed:
"I encountered Death God outside the city. Seeing that he seemed somewhat lost, I invited him to come with me to pay homage to His Majesty."
"If Your Majesty values his abilities, perhaps you could arrange a position for him."
"Whether it's protecting the country or protecting the people."
"I believe that with His Majesty's strength, Death God should not disappoint His Majesty."
Leonardo moment, then burst into laughter.
"Ha ha ha ha!"
"Good!"
"Excellent!"
" Primordial God Impact, the surprises you've brought this time are truly one after another."
His gaze fell on Death God Randolph.
"Then, let Death God temporarily join the Black Dragon Knights."
"As an ace knight."
Randolph seemed completely unconcerned, simply nodding casually.
"Casual."
Seeing Leonardo's smile widened.
"Someone come here."
"These distinguished guests have traveled a long way to reach the capital; they must be treated with the utmost hospitality."
Several servants immediately stepped forward.
Rudeus added as a final note, "Your Majesty's last request is, in a personal sense."
"Speak freely," Leonardo a smile.
"May His Majesty issue a royal decree to the Shirone Kingdom, informing the King of Shirone of my gratitude for their assistance to my family, and that I will personally visit them to express my thanks in the future."
"Of course, the message will be sent out today," Leonardo nodded.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Rudeus said, turning and leading the group out of the hall.
Leonardo's smile gradually faded only as the palace doors slowly closed.
He stared at the tightly closed door, his gaze growing somber.
On the other side, Rudeus also did not turn around.
Both sides are well aware of this.
The negotiations that just took place appeared to be over.
The real confrontation has only just begun.