"Do you have a problem with my actions, Leopold?" Andrew asked with his legs crossed, one over the over beneath the table as his jade green eyes locked with Leopold's.
"Yes and I demand full compensation for it. What makes you think that you can just launch a war like that and without making any other kingdom privy to the matter? You may be powerful but everyone has a limit."
Andrew found his statement rather amusing as he sunk in deeper into his seat. "Compensation? You should consider yourself lucky that your kingdom is still present." Ashley gave a light chuckle which made Leopold skeptical of her.
He could tell that there was a relationship between the two however eve he knew that he was crossing boundaries. He wasn't in his kingdom to begin with not to mention facing a party he had little to no intel on with other variations as well.
The demonic queen and Sevyn herself could oppose him making it more unfavourable for him but he was sure that he would get some backing on the matter with his allies.
"A compensation...for what exactly?" Andrew pushed on. "You know what. The vicinity of Miragestia being completely hazardous to tier experts. I'm assuming some kind of plague you used to take down Miragestia."
"A plague?" Despite his confounded tone, it was clear that he wasn't all that invested with the idea brought up. "It has been some time so I may have forgotten about that, Leopold but I guess I do need to compensate for that."
"Here." Andrew mused as a small vial of clear fluid was shot in his way. Leopold gave a quick glance at the vial, wondering what it was capable of. Whether it was poison or something else entirely was out of his league to decipher with a glance.
'Even though I can't sense what is wrong with this vial, I just can't take it so carelessly.' Storing it away in his inventory, Leopold was ready to leave given that there was nothing else for him to do.
It would be more blatant mockery of his name and as a man, he couldn't let his ego take such a huge hit like that. Raising to his feet, he took his exit which was shortly followed by Aveline as she gave an apology before leaving the hall.
As Leopold charged down the halls, his rage visible on his face, Aveline was able to catch up to him. "Honey, you should calm down." She urged as, clasping to his arm which made him reconsider his actions.
"King Leopold and Queen Aveline, it's a pleasure to meet you both." The sound of Sylarana rang through. Her demeanor was warm however the two gave a mere glance at her.
"Queen Sylarana, it's a pleasure to meet you." Leopold mused flatly which she noted. "Is the meeting over?" She further added. "No, were just taking a small break for some fresh air." Aveline waved her off as Sylarana made her way to the hall.
Switching her attention back to Leopold who had calmed down, a look of fatigue was on her face. She was capable of deciphering what was going through his mind to make the choices he did. "We can head back if you'd like."
"No, let's just go back home." He mused as the two headed back to their carriage. Torin was informed and the royal family of Aewdwen left Sablestone.
...
All kinds of thoughts ran through the heads of the leaders present and with Sylarana present, it further complicated the matter. Seating adjacent to Sevyn, she had a good look at Andrew and Ashley. "Welcome, Queen Sylarana." Andrew welcomed her warmly.
"It most certainly is a pleasure." She responded as she took in the mood of the room. Concluding that it was tense and seeing the royal family of Aewdwen outside, she could vaguely tell what had happened.
But her interests fell more on the demonic queen who sat silently, observing the whole scene play out. 'So it would seem that her appearance wasn't a hoax.'
"There are a lot of matters to address this let's get them over with." Sevyn took over as the room went dark and the table they were on gave off faint lights projecting a hologram of the two fallen kingdoms.
"The two kingdoms Aurorise and Rien are under the control of Sablestone however they are of no use to us thus we will auction them off. Their resources and assets fully intact. From buildings to the palace."
To have the bravado of auctioning an entire kingdom had never happened before with at most large tracts of land between kingdoms at play but an entire kingdom itself, never.
From there the bids slowly rose with certain parties refraining from intervening in any way with one of them being the demonic queen and the other Sylarana. Both had no use of human kingdoms due to a variety of reasons.
Regional placement, a strain to resources and other factors. In the end, Rien was sold off to the king of Nemorosa for 1,800 platinum quartz and Aurorise to the king of Briarvale for 2,500 platinum quartz.
Of course they were able to deduce that Miragestia wasn't put on the table meaning that Sevyn had plans for it. Given the whole crack situation, it made a sensible place to relocate the capital however along with it made an enemy with Leopold.
"If it wouldn't bother you at all Sevyn, could you elaborate how you were able to take over Miragestia. With no draggy conflicts and usurped overnight, its truly a commendable feat." Sylarana posed which drew the attention to Sevyn.
"Its through the means of a plague called Morvathian Dust. What it does is halt the usage of mana to any and every form of life capable of manipulating it." Sylarana was intrigued and wary as she heard this.
'A plague capable of neutralizing one from using their mana. Truly a potent skill though I doubt she'll divulge such information as to how she was able to accomplish this.' Her eyes darted back to Andrew who was watching the entire scene unfold.
"As speaking on the basis of conflict, may we know as to why the demonic queen is here?" Another voice posed a valuable question making all eyes land on the demonic queen. She hadn't spoke this entire time despite her sheer presence tensing up the entire room along with Sylarana.
In comparison to the other human kingdoms, these two could be considered superpower kingdoms in their own league. The elves had the numbers and power similar to the demons not to mention they had been around for far longer than humans.
What secrets they held was a secret to humans thus they were the only two factions that the humans weren't ready to go to war with and avoid at all costs. "In a month, I'll launch a war on both you humans and elves alike."
"This was a warning from my part and I take it that you'll prepare for this. Whether you live or die is none of my business. My nation has grown hungry over the years and given how all of you have grown, it's about time to cut the horns of all of you."
Her tone had a hint of malice which was greatly masked with apathy and indifference. It was clear that her intentions present were nothing sort of an unbridled war that was ready to ensue.
"May I ask your relationship with Queen Sevyn?" Sylarana asked as she found the scene rather baffling for her. "I have no form of affiliations with her but rather Andrew." With this bit of information, more questions rose to the minds of those in the dark.
'How did the two come to know each other? Had they met before and if when? Is she capable of the feats Andrew was able to portray or more? If so, will she bother in taking over Sablestone?'
More questions rose into their minds however it would seem that the demonic queen had no form of interest with the meeting as she was ready to take her leave. With her seat pulled back with one k the androids, she took her leave out of the hall.
Shortly after hers was Sylarana and after that, the rest too took their leave.
...
"Should I take what you mentioned as a threat back there?" Sylarana asked as she closed the distance between her and the demonic queen. "I don't know. It depends on how good your force is." Sylarana chose to push further.
"May I ask how you came to know Andrew?" Beneath the red veil of the person she was talking to, it was difficult to gauge her actual reactions and opinions. "A long time ago. Just as these humans managed to form a kingdom."
And with that response, she took her leave. 'As far as the humans had formed their first kingdom.' Even by then she wasn't alive given how old she was proving that demons could live longer than elves but their means we're far from ideal.
...
As Nephilim was watching the landscape, with her hair draping loosely before sensing someone approach her. "To think that there would come a time where a demon would be standing right next to me and my hands would be tied."
Looking at the source, it was Lyrael however Nephilim had no way of knowing but she could easily sense her level of power. "I take it that you are the priestess or Saintess of the humans here in Sablestone."
Her tone cold as Lyrael sat next to her on the seat. Lyrael was at a dilemma as she glanced at the person seating next to her. Her entire existence had been devoted onto removing the scourge of the lands, that being demons and yet here they were and she could only watch.
She was heavily against the notion of inviting them over however given her position, she couldn't do much knowing that she couldn't go against Andrew. "It's only a matter of time before your kind is eradicated from this world."
Nephilim treated her words as air as she continued to look out into the sea. "I think that you have greater matters to attend to, Saintess." And with that, she took her leave as she felt her queen call to her and the pair took their leave.
Lyrael however took this as the opportunity and head into the hall where the meeting was held. She wasn't offered any resistance and before her was the trio which was invested in other matters.
"My Lord, I'd like to introduce you to my Saintess Lyrael." Sevyn mused with a soft smile as she looked at the former. She made her way to the three before taking a good look at Andrew who reflected an innocent smile back to her.
Unlike the rest of the servants, she didn't make a bow due to her beliefs and Andrew wasn't going to bother himself with such trivial nonsense. "I take it that you're here to know why the demonic queen was invited."
"I never thought that the ruler of Sablestone would be in cahoots with demons. My Queen, please take this as a chance and reconsider your options and sever your connections with her." Lyrael brought it up as she took a seat opposite to her.
"Lyrael, there's no need to react in such a manner. I have everything under control not to mention the demons have other matters to be focusing on. The reason as to why they want to launch a war on the prevalent kingdoms is because they require a reason to push inwards."
"Given they are located to the west, they are the furthest away from the shores thus for them to get closer to not only the shores but to the crack as well, they would require to launch a war on us as a whole to serve as a distraction."
"What they think that they'll achieve by the end of it all is something I can't comprehend but we mustn't allow them to reach such a state." Sevyn concluded as Andrew and Ashley took in Lyrael's features.
"Very well but I have a couple of questions for Sir Andrew here." With a shrug indicating that he didn't care, she made her advancements.