Chapter 82 Royal Meeting

"That price is outrageous!!!" Said an old man with a long and thin mustache.

"I'd say it's a fair trade, Consultor Húzi." Said another old man with the same long and thin mustache.

The two old men are currently sitting in the middle of the room during the meeting between the Sun and the Jade region.

The man who yelled, who's reprenting the Jade region, seemed to regain his composure as he placed his hand at the root of his beard.

The man who replied, the one representing the Sun region, did the same and placed his hand where his beard meets his chin.

The two old men then dragged their hands down their beard as they talked.

"I say the Jade region's precious metals should be worth double than your beast materials."

"Hohoho! I don't think so. Metals can be mined easily since they are inanimate. But hunting beasts are dangerous for obvious reasons, and there's also the fact that we have to traverse the landscapes of the Forest Vita.

"Then, why don't you let us send a party to help with the hunting?"

"Oh, I think that reason is very obvious. Hoho!"

"You're absolutely right. Hohoho!"

The two old men laughed joyously as their hands continued to comb down their beards. Then suddenly, the two of them stopped laughing before staring at each other intently.

"Four boxes of metal for a batch of B-rank materials."

"Hohoho! I say four boxes only gets you three batches of C-tier materials."

The one reprensenting the Jade region slammed his fist onto the desk as he continued. "Five boxes of metals for two batches of B-tier!"

The one representing the Sun region also spammed his fist onto the table as he replied. "Seven boxes of metal for a batch of B-tier!"

"Nay! Five and a half for three batches!"

"I disagree! Nine boxes for three batches!"

"Nay again! Six boxes for four batches!"

"This is borderline robbery! Ten boxes for two batches!"

As the two men continued to have a battle of wits and determination, their hands continued to run down their beards.

"Fine! You have forced my hand!" The man representing the Jade faction slammed his fist onto the table, knocking things off of it.

He then continued. "EIGTH BOXES FOR THREE BATCHES!!!"

Just then, the man representing the Sun faction reached the end of his beard, making his hand comb the air while the other old man is still combing his beard.

Realizing what just happened, the man then yelled. "WHAT?!!!!"

Seeing the other man lose his composure, the man representing the Jade faction formed a smile on his face before saying. "Ohoho! It's seems like I have outwitted you this time, old friend."

He then snapped his fingers, causing a servant to come closer. The servant placed a small round piece of metal onto the table, causing the man representing the Sun faction to be curious.

The Jade representative then explained. "A gift from me to you. It may help you with growing out that little patch of hair you call your beard."

A visible vein popped in the Sun representative's forehead. He swiped the can off the table as he yelled. "I don't need your gifts! This battle isn't over yet!"

As both men returned their hands onto the roots of their beard, the metal can landed perfectly into the hands of a Sun region's servant, who then casually placed it under their robes.

As the two men began to battle it out once more, a mild wooden tap came from within the Sun faction's blind, silencing the entire room.

Shiro, who was silently waiting on the side like everyone else in the room, walked over to the blind, kneeled down and placed his ears close to it.

After listening to the barely recognizable noise from behind it despite the silence of the room, Shiro stood up and began walking towardd the two old men in the middle.

He whispered something to their respresentative, causing them to ask. "Really?"

Shiro gave him a nod before returning to his position next to his fellow Weavers.

The Sun representative took a deep breath before saying. "We, the Sun region, accept the offer of eight boxes of metal for three batches of B-tier materials."

The other old man, who was currently smoking a pipe, nearly had the smoke come out of his nose from the surprise.

He immediately regained composure as he said with a dignified tone. "I, Consultor Húzi, with the responsibility and the power placed upon my shoulders, shall accept this offer."

The other man did the same as he said. "I, Consultor Hige of the Sun region, shall solidify this deal with my life at stake."

The two old men then bowed in a dignified manner at each other. As their eyes met again, Consultor Hige said. "We would like twenty sets of this order."

"That can be arranged in a couple of days..."

"Does this conclude this meeting then?"

Consultor Hige took another deep breath before saying. "No, Her Highness herself presents another topic onto the table."

"Oh? May we hear the basic gist of it?"

"It concerns the power accumilating in the west."

Consultor Húzi looked back at his side's blind for confirmation. A wooden tap was then heard throughout the room, but it did not come from the Sun region's side, instead it came from within the Jade region's blind.

Consultor Hùzi gave a little bow to the blind before returning his attention to Consultor Hige as he said. "The Jade region is willing to here your statement as we too, want to talk about the unchained power in the west."

Consultor Hige seemed to hesitate for a bit before another wooden tap came from within the Sun region's blind. He then said. "I understand, Your Highness."

He then continued. "We, the Sun region, are concerned in the technological advancement happening in Titan. That's why we suggest the sharing of information between the two participants of this meeting."

After a long wait, a tap came from within the Jade region's blind. Consultor Hùzi then said. "Very well, My Lord. I, Consultor Húzi, will participate as a representative for the Jade region for this information sharing."

"While I, Consultor Hige, will represent the Sun region during this meeting."

"I understand. Very well, what shall be our first topic?"

"Hmm.... I presume the Jade region is aware of the happenings in Viridis?"

"We are aware, but can you please elaborate so that we can have a clearer understanding of what you want to talk about?"

"Very well. A few weeks ago, a rebellion of Beastfolk attacked Viridis Island itself, causing a mass amount of distress.

"Yes, the Jade region is aware of this development."

"Is the Jade region also aware of how it ended?"

"Yes. We know that a singular peacekeeper with the ability of flight, singlehandedly quelled the rebellion. Is there anything I missed?"

"Yes, about the technology the Beastfolk used."

"Ah, yes, their technology. The technology that endagered the Untouchable floating city."

An eerie silence then filled the room. Before Consultor Húzi broke it a momeny later, saying. "I think both sides have come to the same realization.

"Aye."

"The only people capable of having that kind of technology is Titan itself."

"I can't agree more."

"I think it's safe to assume both sides learned of this information because of the fact that we took in the refugees?"

"It seems like our sides think alike."

"I can't agree more."

"Then, does this confirm the fact that Titan tried to take down Viridis by giving their technology to the enslaved Beastfolk?"

"Yes, we think so too."

Another long silence ensued before Consultor Hige then said. "I think right now, we are thinking the same thing."

"Is it the fact that a peacekeeper, a soldier of Titan, counteracts our theory?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm thinking."

"The same peacekeeper, who disappeared without a trace with the father and daughter, who knows the secret of flight."

"Yes."

Another long silence ensued once more, but only this time, there's a bit of unease in the air.

"The time's are changing."

"And the ones who don't adapt, will be left at it's mercy."

Consultor Hige looked back at his side's blind once more, only to be met with a wooden tap.

He let out a deep breath before saying. "The Sun region would like to propose a partnership with the Jade region."

Consultor Húzi didn't immediately reacted, only turning around to look at his side's blind, who reacted by giving a little wooden tap.

He performed a little bow before replying. "Yes, the Jade region would like to participate. I assume the formation of this 'alliance' is because of the threat of Titan?"

"Yes, I think both sides already had that in mind."

"Just making sure.... Now then, I assume the Sun region will provide the weapons to supply this army, that will be formed to counteract the inevidable attack from Titan?"

"Yes, that's why we propose that the army will be composed of sixty percent of the Jade region's soldiers while the Sun region will handle the remaining forty."

"Now, now. You can't seriously be suggesting that we risk the lives of our people in order for your side to take the lesser risk?"

"I think it's perfectly okay since we are supplying the weapons, or does the Jade region have something else up their sleeve to counter our contribution?"

"We, the Jade region, just had a bountyful harvest. We can provide a large amount of the rations needed to feed the would be army."

"Ohoho! I think it's the reponsibility of each side to provide for their men. In case you know, an 'accident' were to occur."

As the two old men continued on arguing, the unease from earlier began to transform and take form as tension.

The retainers, who were just patiently watching from their side, began to feel this tension as sweat began to form on their skin and their bodies beginning to tense up, feeling like they're ready to fight at any moments notice.

But this tension couldn't be contained in the palace alone. It has made it's way throughout the entire valley and the two armies patiently waiting down on the bridge.

The two armies soldiers' began to grip their weapons tightly as they knew in their heart that the situation is about to blow over.

The leading commaders of both armies looked at each other, like lions about to maul each other.

But just as both sides were about to draw their weapons, a manly voice from within the Jade region's blind as well as a feminine voice from the Sun region's blind both simultainiously yelled. "All of you, stop!"

The two armies on the bridge prostrated themselves as they placed their weapons onto the ground. The people within the castle also did the same, kneeling down while facing towards their respective blinds.

The two old men turned to their side's blind as they said.

"I'm sorry, my Lord."

"Please forgive, your Highness."

Without leaving their blinds, the two people within said while the others continued to kneel before them.

"Lord Jade."

"Queen Ame."

"I think both sides have come to the same conclusion." Said Queen Ame of the Sun region.

"I cannot disagree." Lord Jade of the Jade region replied.

The two leaders of their respective nations then shouted in unison. "This meeting is over!"

And with that, the meeting between the Sun region and the Jade region of the Eastern Quadrant came to an end without bloodshed.