Chapter 20. Deal for the dragon heart.
After the swift victory against the Virelith Kingdom's invasion, I felt on top of the world. Hansel had proven to be a game-changer, and now I could set my next grand plan in motion: mass production of mythical goods.
With my upgraded talent producing 250,000 mana crystals daily and an empty slot to spare, all I needed was the catalyst. By morning, I posted a trade request:
"Looking to borrow a Dragon Heart for one day. Offering 100,000 mana crystals."
A generous deal, if I said so myself.
Yet the only response came from some guy who claimed, "Mana Cores can substitute for Dragon Hearts. I'll sell you one for 10,000 mana crystals."
Now, I'm no fool. I know there's a scam when I see one. But hey, what's 10,000 mana crystals to me? So, I took the deal and threw the Mana Core into the production slot.
With mana cores production now underway, I moved on to other matters.
---
Lucia had called for a meeting, and when Lucia calls, even the walls tremble. Our meeting room was, as always, far too serious for my taste—long wooden tables polished to a shine, with maps, documents, and all the other grim paraphernalia of war scattered about.
The air was heavy with the scent of ink and faintly damp parchment. A few torches flickered on the stone walls, casting eerie shadows that danced like they had a secret to tell.
Lucia sat at the head of the table, looking as commanding as ever. She had the same look she always did—somewhere between we're all doomed and I've already written my will.
"We need to discuss the Virelith kingdom's retaliation," she began, her tone as sharp as Hansel's gun.
A long discussion followed, most of which I tuned out. The advisors were all doom and gloom, talking about countermeasures and defensive strategies. Honestly, it was a bit overkill.
I leaned back in my chair, letting my mind wander.
Hansel took out a Grade 4 hero in one shot. What's the kingdom going to do, send someone stronger? I thought. Unless they have a secret stash of Grade 5 troops—and trust me, they don't—we're fine..
Still, I didn't say anything. Why ruin their grim little brainstorming session? Sometimes, you just let people have their dramatic moments.
---
Three knocks broke the tension. It was the signal for urgent news, and everyone fell silent as the door creaked open.
A soldier stumbled in, pale as death and breathing heavily.
"A dragon!" he gasped. "A dragon is heading this way!"
The room erupted into chaos. Maps were shoved aside, advisors shouted over each other, and Lucia started barking orders like a drill sergeant.
But me? I heard something entirely different.
Dragon heart delivery!
My face must have lit up like a child on their birthday. Without missing a beat, I turned to Hansel, who stood quietly in the corner like the intimidating statue he was.
"Hansel," I said, keeping my tone calm despite the excitement bubbling inside me, "Can you bring me the Dragon Heart?"
Everyone in the room stared at me like I had just announced a plan to marry the dragon instead of slay it—except for one person. Rem, sitting quietly at the far end, looked far too excited for her own good.
I caught her gaze and gave her a subtle nod. Yes, yes, Rem. I remember our grand plans to build a statue out of a dragon heart, I thought to myself. This is your moment of glory too.
Then I turned to Hansel. Even as a Grade 5 demigod-level troop, he looked mildly troubled—an expression that was as rare as a snowstorm in summer.
Still, he managed to respond:
"Are you sure about this?"
"Yes," I replied, short and to the point. Confidence is everything, right?
---
Lucia, however, was not having it. She rushed over, pale as a ghost and clearly terrified, inserting herself into the conversation like an uninvited advisor.
"Master!" she began, her voice trembling. "Do you even understand how dangerous and unnecessary this is? Dragons aren't simple beasts! As long as their heart exists, they can be revived! What if this one gets reborn and comes for vengeance? And that's not all—once word spreads, their kin will come looking for the heart. If we don't return it, we'll have dragons and the Virelith army retaliating against us!"
Lucia's tirade sucked the energy out of the room. Everyone else nodded along, clearly thinking she made sense. But me? I had already planned for this.
"We'll give it back," I said with a calmness that felt out of place in the tense atmosphere. "I only need it for a day."
My response seemed to pacify the crowd—well, as much as one could pacify people who still thought I was utterly mad.
---
Hansel, now looking much more relaxed, suddenly spoke up. "500,000 mana crystals," he said, his tone almost... smug.
"What?!" I exclaimed. "I already paid your master!"
"I'll only repel the dragon for what's already paid," he clarified, folding his arms. "For the heart itself—500,000 mana crystals."
Urgh, this guy! Why wasn't he running a business instead of wielding a gun?
"Fine," I grumbled. "Deal."
As Hansel turned to leave, I quickly sent a message to Kirin:
"You should have Hansel handle your finances. You'd be a billionaire by now."
She'd be confused, sure, but not for long.
Before leaving entirely, Hansel turned back to me. "When are you paying?"
"Tomorrow," I replied, feigning nonchalance. My mana crystal reserves were sitting at a precarious 740,000, and I wasn't about to dip below 500k unless absolutely necessary.
Hansel arched an eyebrow. "I'll get to work tomorrow, then."
I rolled my eyes. "Another 100k, and you get to work immediately. I'll send it all to your master within three days—without fail."
Hansel gave me a knowing smirk. "Deal," he said, and finally set off.
---
Lucia, who had been standing there through the entire exchange, looked like she was on the verge of an aneurysm. After Hansel left, she finally found her voice.
"Did you just promise him 600,000 mana crystals?" she asked, her tone incredulous.
"Yes," I said casually, dusting off my hands like it was no big deal.
She swayed slightly on her feet before muttering, "Unbelievable," and promptly fainted.
As her body hit the floor with a soft thud, I sighed and turned to Rem. "Remind me to have a physician look at her," I said. "She's far too dramatic for my plans."
Rem, still far too excited about the dragon heart, just nodded eagerly.
Great, I thought. Another day, another adventure.
---
The room, now quiet except for the faint crackle of torches, seemed to judge me silently. But that was fine. They'd see the brilliance of my plans soon enough. Probably. Hopefully. Maybe.