The young viscount, whose manners were always elegant and perfectly conformed to aristocratic etiquette, unconsciously reached out and ruffled his slightly curly hair.
"I'm a little confused, I'm a little confused, let me sort it out..."
"You mean you grant the wishes of two humans at once, reducing their workload?"
"Right."
"If I agree, will I only need to pay a smaller price compared to fulfilling my wish alone?"
"Right."
"Because this is a shared aspiration, I can't do whatever I want, and I also need to consider another burden?"
"Wrong."
This Duma shook his head and seriously denied it:
"That human's desires are far greater than yours, and he booked my services before you did, so in principle, you are the burden."
"Moreover, you may be underestimating the value of your wish. To establish a distinguished record in a battle that sweeps across half the world and have your name go down with the nation is a price that a young nobleman like you cannot afford."
"The truth is that the person who made the first appointment with me has already paid a high price, high enough to cover part of your costs, which is why you can enjoy my services at such a low price."
So what are you still hesitating for, esteemed one?
"Mr. Langge--"
Duma's persuasive abilities were at their peak, and Alfonso's defenses were on the verge of collapse amidst the Whisper.
"Last thirty seconds, dear customer."
There will be no further notifications.
As the demon finished speaking, a deathly silence fell over the tent.
Duma's arrival silenced the occasional crackling of the charcoal in the brazier, and the entire tent was now completely isolated from the outside world, pulled into the Dark Side of the World.
The loudest sound at this moment was the beating of everyone's hearts, especially that of Alfonso, who stood at the crossroads of fate.
Just as Duma finished his third breath of the Demonic Whisper, Alfonso finally gritted his teeth and said:
"I... I choose the second method."
"Reply received."
The viscount's right hand had already extended out, and a drop of blood fell onto an ancient, yellowed contract document as he spoke decisively.
The demon, nearly one and a half times the height of a person, was incredibly intimidating even when it was hunched over.
He chuckled as he rolled up the scroll in his hand and said to Alfonso, enunciating each word clearly:
The contract has been signed.
"Congratulations on successfully placing a group order! You will be sharing this wish with another customer."
Before Alfonso could say anything, Duma continued speaking to himself:
"For everything to proceed smoothly, the two clients need to meet in person to ensure that neither party's needs are overlooked on the way to achieving their goals."
With a flick of his thick, molten arm, Duma snapped his fingers like thunder, the resulting gust of air even ruffling the hairstyles of the Soul Returner.
The next instant, a spatial rift suddenly opened up beside him, and a handsome young man with a smile walked out from it, followed by an attendant hidden under a hood.
The young man looked around, smiled, and extended his hand to Alfonso looked to be about the same age as him.
"You're the friend I'm sharing an order with, right?"
"Nice to meet you. I am Nuowa, Nuowa Leo Stral —the sixth son of Leo VI ' The Magnanimous,' a direct descendant of Stral' The Conqueror,' and the rightful heir to the Starlight Empire."
"You, who share the same grand aspirations as me, must be of extraordinary status, right?"
?
If there's any symbol that could most concisely and clearly express Alfonso's feelings at this moment, then a question mark floating above his head would undoubtedly be the best answer.
Hey buddy, who did you just say you were?
Whose descendants?
Whose son?
What kind of heir is this?
How could I possibly be compared to you?
Compared to a prince, a viscount is more than 99% similar to a stray dog on the street, okay?
Furthermore, his title of viscount was bestowed upon him by his marquis father, a title granted within the family, which is like gilding compared to pure gold when compared to a viscount title conferred by the royal family.
At this moment, the Viscount's feelings were just as complex as when he had first encountered the demon, perhaps even more so.
After all, demons do exist in this world, but the resurrection of someone who has been dead for a hundred years is not so scientific.
Alfonso began studying imperial history with a tutor when he was five years old; this was a compulsory course for every young person in every generation of the Lang Family.
Therefore, he certainly knew who founded the empire and the general line of succession to the imperial throne.
Even though Leo VII's ascension to the throne was not exactly glorious, the Lang Family, as a great noble family, also has detailed documents recounting how someone killed his brothers for pleasure a hundred years earlier.
Because back then, one of the members of their family from a collateral branch was one of the guards of the imperial city.
In short, based on Alfonso's memory and understanding of history, Nuowa Stral should have died about 110 years ago, and most likely was killed by the current emperor Leo VII.
Such a being is now standing right in front of me, and even extending his hand towards me?!
Alfonso, like a machine, stiffly extended his hand and shook hands with the other person.
His mind was now in complete chaos.
The biggest problem now isn't why the Sixth Prince is still alive, but rather—why did I even choose to share an order with him in the first place?
He simply wanted to make contributions in the empire's foreign wars, take more resources with him when the family divided, continue his family line after becoming a new nobleman, and have his name written in the imperial history books.
What are Nuowa Stral's wishes as a descendant of the previous emperor from a century ago?
It's obvious to anyone with a brain that he wanted to dethrone Leo VII and become emperor himself.
Becoming emperor is an internal matter of the empire, while establishing merit and achieving great deeds is an external matter; these two are completely different...
Wait a minute...
Alfonso suddenly realized something.
Must one achieve great deeds and establish a career outside the empire?
Is expanding territory considered an achievement? Is quelling rebellions considered an achievement? Is suppressing a rebellion considered an achievement? Is supporting a ruler considered an achievement?
That definitely counts!
What does the prince lack most right now?
It's manpower.
so...
Alfonso looked at the demon Duma, his eyes filled with disbelief.
The way you granted my wish was by making me join the prince in a rebellion!
Those stories passed down through generations are indeed true; the ways demons grant wishes are indeed twisted and bizarre!
Now that things have come to this, blood has been spilled, contracts have been signed, hands have been clasped, and I'm truly on a sinking ship...
Looking at the devil, Alfonso's heart was in turmoil, a thousand words ultimately condensing into a single word that contained all his emotions:
Blanch!