"Talk," Leon said.
Veth didn't waste time arguing about where to start.
Devils, he explained, weren't some scrappy invading horde scraping by on desperation. They were one of the oldest, most advanced races in the entire universe. Ancient beyond record, powerful beyond comparison to most anything else out there.
And somewhere along the way, they'd turned all of that into a business.
"We're not conquerors," Veth said, voice a little unsteady but pushing through anyway. "Not really. We're merchants. Planets are the product."
Leon's expression didn't change, but something in his eyes sharpened.
"Scout a planet," Veth continued. "Find one with resources worth taking. Then test it. Send in a small force first, nothing serious, just enough to see how the world responds. How strong its people are. Whether it can be taken quickly, or whether it needs to be worn down first."
