Three Conditions

In the outskirts of Dreadhaven, an emergency tent had been set up, housing two opposing forces—Scarlett's group and the party of Leonidas, the twin brother of Lysander, King of Gwarga.

Leonidas, upon first glance, could easily be mistaken for the king himself. But Scarlett knew better. He wasn't the honorable monarch; he was a cunning man, one who always had something to hide. The tension between them was palpable as they sat across from each other. Despite Leonidas's best efforts to appear composed, there was no mistaking the nervous tremor in his body. His smile, forced and uneasy, gave away his fear. Even with ten soldiers standing behind him, he knew deep down that if a fight broke out, his life would end here. Still, that twisted grin lingered on his face.

"Hehehe… Ms. Scarlett Nova, you probably already know why I'm here," he began, his voice dripping with false confidence. "The one who attacked your village… it was none other than our arrogant prince, Lórien."

Before anyone else could react, Li Feng's voice rang out, loud and furious. "Lórien?! I'll kill that bastard!"

But before he could move, Scarlett's cold, emotionless voice sliced through the air. "Just stay where you are." Her words weren't a suggestion—they were a warning. The pressure of her command made Li Feng freeze in place, his body responding to an instinctual fear before his mind could even process it. He didn't dare move.

Scarlett's lips curled into a wicked smile as she turned her gaze back to Leonidas. "Leonidas, I doubt you came here without a reason. If that reason isn't good enough, you won't be leaving here alive."

Her voice was calm but filled with dark intent, and even Leonidas, with his deceptive grin, felt a shiver of dread. He had come prepared, but now he wasn't so sure if he would survive this encounter.

Leonidas let out a shaky breath, trying to maintain his composure. "Ho... Ho... Ho... Alright then, let me cut to the chase," he said, his voice trembling despite his attempt to sound confident. "I'm here to propose an alliance." His eyes darted nervously to Scarlett as if gauging her reaction. "I have simple desires. I just want to be the king of Gwarga. That's all." He paused, licking his dry lips. "Tomorrow, I'll arrange for Prince Lórien to challenge you to a duel. All you need to do is kill him. Once he's gone, the throne is mine."

His words quickened, as if speaking the truth might save him. He rubbed his palms together, eyes gleaming with greed. "And in return, you can have whatever you want. Name your price. I can even lick your shoes if that's what it takes! As long as the world sees me as king..." His voice trailed off as he stared at Scarlett, waiting desperately for her response.

Scarlett remained silent, her expression unreadable. The tension in the tent grew thicker, and Leonidas's smile faltered. His heart raced faster with each passing second, unsure of what her silence meant. He swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her cold, calculating gaze on him.

After what felt like an eternity, Scarlett finally spoke, her voice smooth and measured. "Hmm... Alright," she said, breaking the silence. "I accept."

Relief washed over Leonidas for a brief moment, but it was short-lived. Scarlett's eyes narrowed inside the blindfold, her next words sending a chill down his spine. "But in return, I want three things."

The sudden shift in her tone made Leonidas's nervous grin disappear, and he braced himself for whatever was coming next.

Scarlett sat with an air of confidence, her eyes sharp even though she was wearing a blindfold as she stated her first demand, "First, I want an alliance between your kingdom and my village. You will help us rebuild, making it larger than it ever was. I also want our products approved and distributed in your kingdom without delay, and even advertised to the world."

Leonidas, trying to keep his nerves in check, nodded quickly. He wasn't in a position to argue.

"Second," Scarlett continued, her voice steady, "I will punish Lórien, but it will be done in your kingdom, and no one is to interfere."

Leonidas blinked in confusion. "So, she doesn't intend to kill him tomorrow?"He thought. "But still, it means Lórien will die eventually, so it doesn't matter when."

He gave a nod of agreement once more, feeling a small bit of relief.

"And lastly," Scarlett said, her tone firm and authoritative, "I want you to nominate Dreadhaven as a nation at the world meeting."

Leonidas's eyes widened in shock, struggling to process her words. "How could she know about the world meeting?" He thought, standing abruptly. "Are you serious? This village is in the demon realm! No one will accept that!" His voice cracked with panic.

The world meeting was a grand event where the rulers or representatives of the six major kingdoms gathered to discuss critical matters. These discussions ranged from threats like the rise of demon kings to large-scale wars that could shake the very foundations of the kingdoms. However, one of the more significant aspects of this meeting was the nomination of new countries.

In addition to the six great kingdoms, there were smaller islands and tribal territories that were not yet recognized as official nations. If one of these regions wanted to gain the status of a recognized country, a kingdom would have to propose it as a representative at the world meeting. For the nomination to succeed, all the kingdoms had to agree. Only then would the tribe or region be granted official recognition as a new country.

What Scarlett demanded was bold and unprecedented. She wanted Leonidas to act as the representative for Dreadhaven, her village, and propose its recognition as a country at the world meeting. In exchange, she would offer the alliance he needed, but she made it clear that Leonidas must vote in favor of Dreadhaven's nomination.

Scarlett smiled coldly, her eyes gleaming with dark amusement. "There is no rule that states areas within the demon realm can't be nominated. You just have to vote in my favor, Leonidas. I'll handle the rest."

Leonidas stared at her, feeling the weight of her words press down on him. The thought of proposing Dreadhaven in the world meeting was madness... but he knew he didn't have much choice, Thus he again nodded in agreement.

Scarlett's voice rang out with a commanding boldness as she said, "Nice, you can leave now. My mind's so messed up right now." Her sharp tone left no room for argument, and Leonidas, feeling the weight of her authority, complied without another word. With a slight nod to his soldiers, he turned and made his way out, quickly activating the teleportation portal. His figure vanished, and with him, his men disappeared as well.

The others around Scarlett glanced at her, uncertain of what her next move would be. Their confusion was apparent, but there was also a flicker of trust in their eyes. They didn't understand all her plans, but they knew, deep down, whatever she was plotting was for their benefit.

As the magical portal closed behind Leonidas and his men, Scarlett's eyes lingered on the spot where he vanished. Her mind was already working, piecing together the threads of her strategy. "I'm a professional at inflicting fear," she thought with a hint of pride. "But fear isn't what I need right now. Fear doesn't corrupt souls—it doesn't make them fall, I need something like greed, Hatred,List, Envy. "

Her thoughts darkened as she reflected on Leonidas. His greed was obvious, it clung to him like a second skin. "What if, as time passes, his soul falls deeper into greed?" she mused. "Maybe his soul could become a fallen one."

But that wouldn't do. Scarlett had already promised the villagers that she'd bring back their fallen in just one week. She didn't have time to wait for Leonidas to break under his greed. The clock was ticking, and she needed a faster solution.