Chapter 387: Persuasion
Instantly, the hall fell into silence.
Although Navin bowed his head, his face was brimming with confidence.
Dragons, regardless of their uniqueness, were inherently greedy by nature. This was their eternal and unchanging trait.
He firmly believed—no dragon could resist the offer laid out by the Kingdom of Kassander: millions of square kilometers of land and mountains of gold, enough to drive any human ruler mad, let alone a greedy dragon.
So, he waited quietly, anticipating the "Red Emperor" before him to agree, eager to deliver this good news to his own monarch.
Sure enough, Cassius's voice echoed throughout the vast hall, but what it conveyed left Navin momentarily stunned.
"No."
"I cannot agree to your request. Please convey my thanks to His Majesty Otis for his kind intentions."
Navin stepped forward anxiously, attempting to persuade, "Your Majesty, why not?"
"This is a great opportunity! By cooperating with the Kingdom of Kassander, you can gain not only millions of gold coins but also numerous benefits for your empire, even expanding your territory to the south—"
"I have already said, I am a peace-loving ruler who prioritizes the welfare of my people."
Cassius's expression carried a faint smile as he leisurely explained:
"My nation has only just emerged from war, and my people have only recently been liberated from the oppression of the northern nobles. For the empire right now, the most important task is to recuperate and rebuild, not to engage in further conflicts."
"Go back and tell your His Majesty Otis that he has my blessings. May he restore his homeland and revive the glory of the Holy Fadlan Empire."
"As for me, I am merely an unremarkable ruler striving for peaceful development."
Impossible.
Navin's pupils constricted as his face filled with disbelief.
He could not fathom how a greedy red dragon could reject such readily available wealth and power.
Could he have encountered an anomaly—an industrious, people-focused dragon?
What a joke!
Who would ever use such terms to describe a red dragon?
He would sooner believe that the sun rose in the west under Amanata's grace than accept that a red dragon could forgo immediate gains—especially under the absurd excuse of "prioritizing the people."
Perhaps the offer simply wasn't enough.
Maybe they needed to offer more gold.
Resolving himself, Navin gritted his teeth and declared boldly, "If you act, His Majesty Otis is willing to donate an additional five million gold coins to the empire, along with sharing substantial magical knowledge!"
As expected, the red dragon seemed to waver.
"I see His Majesty Otis's sincerity. As expected of the firstborn."
Navin's face immediately lit up with joy.
This was a necessary cost.
Five million gold coins were still within the pre-approved budget, and successfully delivering this agreement to His Majesty would be a hard-earned but acceptable achievement.
Yet Cassius's tone suddenly shifted.
"However... such matters concerning the livelihood of the empire's people require thorough deliberation."
"But, Your Majesty—"
Navin tried to continue persuading.
However, Cassius's expression turned cold, cutting him off: "This is enough. Do not test my patience or attempt to sway my decisions."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
"We will take our leave now and not disturb your rest any further. May Amanata's blessings be upon you."
Navin reluctantly bowed in response.
"Perhaps..."
"This red dragon really does care about his people?"
Navin sighed helplessly, pondering in silence.
What he didn't know was that his earlier assumption had been correct.
But contrary to what he believed, Navin had greatly underestimated the red dragon's greed.
Cassius was not uninterested in the Kingdom of Thrace. He simply desired something far greater.
His ambition was not limited to the millions of gold coins or two-thirds of Thrace's territory.
What he coveted was the entirety of the Fadlan Empire, the entirety of the Faensore Continent, and even the entirety of the world of Erezaghe.
Allowing the Kingdom of Kassander to gain an advantage in the War of Three Emperors did not align with his plans or the grand ambitions of consuming the entire Fadlan Empire.
Soon enough, under the escort of Tiefling soldiers, the delegation from the Kingdom of Kassander departed hastily.
They had arrived with gilded chests full of tributes but left empty-handed and disappointed.
Inside the palace, Cassius showed no signs of resting. Instead, a sly grin spread across his face.
"The people of Kassander have left."
"Now... let the envoy from the Kingdom of Thrace come in."
The covert envoy from the Kingdom of Thrace, Dayev Marshall, nervously entered the palace interior under the watch of ogre guards.
As it turned out, while the envoy from Kassander had just arrived, he had immediately followed, waiting in a side hall.
At this moment, his expression was particularly grim.
Earlier, he had overheard the Kassander Kingdom's plot to ally with the Ember Empire against the Kingdom of Thrace—a geostrategic disaster for Thrace.
Kassander had even offered highly tempting conditions, enough to shake Dayev's resolve.
Fortunately, the emperor had not agreed.
Yet Dayev remained cautious, unwilling to trust the "prioritizing the people" rhetoric.
The "Red Emperor's" refusal only indicated one thing—the Ember Empire sought to extract its own benefits from the Kingdom of Thrace.
With this thought, Dayev took a deep breath and, summoning his determination, approached the dais and bowed.
"Good day, Your Majesty Cassius."
Cassius did not exchange pleasantries but instead looked down at him with his pale golden eyes.
"You heard everything the envoy from the Kingdom of Kassander said, didn't you?"
Sweat beaded on Dayev's forehead as he replied cautiously, "I am but a humble envoy from the south; how would I dare eavesdrop on your conversation?"
"Heh."
Cassius let out a derisive chuckle.
"No need to worry; I intended for you to hear it—if I wish it so."
But Dayev did not feel reassured. Instead, his nerves heightened, knowing the true test had just begun.
"So... give me a reason."
As expected, Cassius spoke again, and an invisible pressure seemed to descend upon Dayev, weighing heavily on his shoulders and making it hard to breathe.
"A reason not to attack Thrace."
"Five million gold coins, abundant magical knowledge, and two-thirds of Thrace's territory—this is what the Kingdom of Kassander has offered me."
"What, then, can your kingdom offer me in return?"
Beneath the shadow of the dragon, Dayev trembled as he lifted his gaze. From those pale golden eyes, he saw endless greed.