When Grand Councilor Witte arrived at the secret room with the adjusted communicator, he saw the four individuals gathered there, each engaged in their own conversation.
Witte looked at the elderly man before him with a mix of emotions. The Pope's appearance had truly upended many of their arrangements, even forcing them to summon the nearby Emperor's Blades (Inner Guards) to double-check the security. Although this man currently held only the title of a Laterano Bishop, anyone with a functioning brain knew that given his true identity, any mishap involving him within Ursus borders would be news of catastrophic proportions.
Fortunately, the old man's journey here had remained undetected by other factions. Their secrecy measures had been exceptionally effective; it wasn't until the reporters were ushered out that they had discovered the true identity of this "unassuming" bishop.
"Your appearance has certainly kept my subordinates busy for quite a while, Your Holiness. Even I am somewhat surprised by your actions. Do you truly have no fear of death?"
Witte had just placed the communicator on the table when the voice of Fyodor came through. He spoke to the elder in a gentle yet calm tone. With a single command, the pinnacle of Laterano's power could lose his life right here in Ursus. For him to do something so dangerous—was he truly blinded by that so-called faith?
As an Emperor, Fyodor could not understand the concept of devout faith. In his eyes, such fragile connections were things to be kept at a distance—a double-edged sword for a nation, something one could understand for cooperation but never delve into deeply.
"It seems the rumors are true—that Ursus has gained a monarch who rules with a moderate hand. Had your father been on the throne, I certainly would have died at the hands of the Inner Guards by now."
The elder didn't seem concerned for his safety; instead, he had the presence of mind to crack a joke about Fyodor's father. This remark made Witte break out in a cold sweat. Although this Emperor was merciful, he had his "reverse scales." One was never to mention his father, the late Emperor of Ursus, in front of him—otherwise, the consequences were terrifying.
When Fyodor had first ascended the throne, a foolish noble had used his father's legacy to criticize his policies. Fyodor had meted out the most horrific punishment on the spot, his aura at that moment silencing even the most powerful figures behind him.
"As for whether I fear death? I am but an ordinary man; of course I fear it. But some things are more important than death, and for them, I am willing to give everything."
As he spoke, the elder's eyes sharpened. He had been the Pope when the late Emperor of Ursus attacked Laterano; he wasn't about to be intimidated by a child now.
However, Fyodor did not take offense at the mention of his father. This man was someone who had truly clashed with his father, and such an assessment fell within the realm of what he could acknowledge.
"But let us set aside the reminiscing for now. The ones you wish to speak with are the two ladies beside you. I am merely here as a witnessing Bishop on behalf of Laterano."
After the brief exchange, the Pope reminded Fyodor that the person he truly needed to meet was not him. He urged the Emperor not to neglect the others by focusing too much on his presence.
"Indeed. There is no reason to leave the protagonists standing by while I chat with the audience. That would be quite a breach of etiquette. I apologize, ladies."
In Deity Grypherburg, Fyodor's expression was extremely serious, showing none of the lightness found in his words. Beside him, "Twenty-Nine" was directing the hidden guards to monitor the surroundings. The Pope's arrival was more than just a disruption to the plan; it provided the War Faction nobles with a perfect detonator—they might even use this as a pretext to start a war.
Meanwhile, the Black Snake (Kashchey) sat in the corner with an air of indifference. Since he wasn't needed for the moment, he simply pretended he didn't exist.
"I assume you both already know how valuable the data you possess is. So, what exactly do you want from us in exchange for handing it over?"
Fyodor stopped playing riddles with Jeanne and the others. Since they knew the value of their intelligence, it was better to lay everything out on the table.
At Fyodor's words, Talulah's spirit immediately sharpened. She had thought the Emperor would engage in more pleasantries, but the negotiations had begun just like that.
"We want the mobile city of Chernobog as the headquarters for Reunion. Furthermore, this city must be independent of Ursus. Under this condition, we will hand over the information in our possession."
Talulah spoke the price Ursus had to pay: a mobile city that no longer belonged to the empire, a stronghold where they could have total autonomy. Her tone was calm but filled with strength. Her eyes were fixed on the communicator as if she were speaking face-to-face with Fyodor in St. Petersburg.
In this meeting, she had to rely on her own knowledge and eloquence to deal with the Emperor. Under these circumstances, neither Jeanne beside her nor the Kashchey in the back of her mind could offer much help.
"Chernobog, is it... that is not outside my expectations."
Fyodor glanced toward Kashchey in the corner and thought to himself. He had long guessed that Talulah would ask for this city; otherwise, why would Kashchey go through so much trouble to hold the meeting there? Surely not just because he was familiar with the place?
"Just Chernobog? I thought you would ask for your father's legacy. As Duke Kashchey, you are the legal heir to his four mobile cities."
Fyodor's words hinted that Talulah was asking for too little. If she asked the Emperor to intervene and return Kashchey's legacy—currently swallowed up by the Fourth Army—it would be worth much more than a single city.
"I thank you for your kindness. However, Kashchey is still 'alive,' and those cities are still his property. I still hope to lead my compatriots to a fresh start from scratch, rather than relying on Kashchey's assets."
In truth, Talulah had considered this, but in the end, that was Kashchey's stuff. Even though their relationship seemed "passable" now, she instinctively avoided his things, wanting no connection to him. Moreover, if she used Kashchey's legacy to develop Reunion, the world would always label them as "Infected kept by a noble lady."
"Is that so? Unwilling to be associated with Kashchey anymore... I didn't expect your adoptive father's reputation to be so poor. Not only do my subordinates dislike him, but even the daughter he raised doesn't like him!"
Fyodor teased the wicked god who had lived for a thousand years. Based on what he knew from the records, no one who dealt with this being liked him. With a millennium of accumulated loathing, he truly lived up to his name as an evil deity.
Wait—it seemed there was one person in a thousand years who didn't reject him: Fyodor's own father, the late Emperor. Otherwise, this evil spirit wouldn't be so dedicated to upholding his father's ideals. At this moment, Fyodor seemed to understand how to rein in this Black Snake with a millennium of wisdom. But as for the specifics, he would need time to figure them out.
"So, Ms. Talulah. How do you intend to handle the non-Infected in that city who loathe, or even hate, the Infected? You must realize, they too are subjects of Ursus!"