Discourse

While Vahn was enjoying his impromptu dates with Sis, Fenrir, and Merry, Draco Greif was convening with the Leaders of Two-Wings, Three-Tails, Four-Feet, Five-Claws, and Six-Scars. He had also attempted to summon Sala, but even after searching for her using his Authority as Floor Master, he could not detect her presence.

As he was well aware of the marriage between Vahn and Sandora, Draco Greif rightly assumed the former to be responsible for her absence. Thus, instead of waiting for her to arrive, he waited for the other Leaders to seat themselves before revealing, "I am considering abdicating my position as Floor Master."

Though most of the Leaders reacted with some degree of surprise, the Leader of Six-Scars, a Community comprised almost entirely of Kemono, aka Beast People, calmly inquired, "I take it we are to join hands with the Aldrnari Empire...?"

Despite resembling an oversized cat wearing a business suit, the Leader of Six-Scars, Garol Gundark, was nearly equal to Draco Greif in terms of influence. Six-Scars was the Community responsible for trade within the Draco Greif Alliance, so they relied heavily upon Draco Greif's status as a Floor Master to do business in North and East Sides. If he relinquished his position without a plan, it wasn't just their profits that would suffer...

Understanding his long-time friend's concerns, Draco Greif shut his eyes, appearing to be in deep contemplation for several seconds before calmly replying, "Though I am referred to as a Floor Master, my individual power is a far below those that have held this position before me. It shames me to admit it, but I have only managed to occupy this position because the more noteworthy Communities feared being targetted during their efforts to rebuild. Once they regain their power and influence, they will annihilate everything we've struggled to build these past few years..."

Never one to back down from a fight, the Leader of Five-Claws, Laulau Pantera, slammed the circular table in front of her as she exclaimed, "If it's a fight they want, Five-Claws will meet them on the battlefield! We've never bowed to them before; we won't start now...!"

Standing 156cm tall and possessing distinctly humanoid features, Laulau wasn't a very imposing person at first glance. Many found her more cute than intimidating, especially with her floppy, fur-covered ears and fluffy, leopard-like tail covered in white and black fur. However, despite being surrounded by men and women with features reminiscent of lions, tigers, bears, and wolves, her raw physical power was nearly unparalleled in the entirety of the Draco Greif Alliance. The only person who even came close was Sala, a distant descendant of a Pure-Blooded Dragon.

Closing his left eye, Garol gave Laulau a side-long glance as he remarked, "As much as I appreciate Lady Pantera's enthusiasm, such barbarity is the reason our people have been persecuted throughout the ages. Survival of the fittest may be a part of the natural order, but prosperous societies are built in opposition to such ideals. There's no shame in compromise if it's to ensure the survival of the next generation..."

Despite her predominately human appearance, Laulau's teeth resembled those of a predator as she bared them at Garol. While she had observed the benefits of trade and commerce, she hated how Six-Scars cooperated with the very people who once persecuted them. It had only been around three years since the fall of the Avalon Community, so there was still a lot of hostility between the various beastkin tribes and humanity.

Rising to his full height, Draco Greif shouted, "Enough!" before spreading his wings and releasing an intense burst of wind pressure, shattering the increasingly tense atmosphere. Laulau was sent flying backward, but she managed to flip over and land against the wall as if it were a flat surface before returning to her seat with an expression that was more pouty than fierce.

After Laulau had returned to her seat, Draco Greif relaxed his posture and said, "While I have brought you here to discuss the future of our Alliance, my abdication is unavoidable. I am long past my prime, and my life might have ended months ago if not for the grace afforded by the Sage Dragon Emperor. With that in mind, I have invited you here for three reasons. To determine whether or not we will join hands with the Aldrnari Empire, who will represent us within the Sage Dragon's Court, and who will replace me as Floor Master..."

Shifting his eagle-eyed gaze to Garol, Draco Greif added, "As Six-Scars is singularly responsible for our Alliance's collaboration with Communities in the North and East Sides, I would hear your counsel first. Tell us what you know of the Aldrnari Empire and the Sage Dragon's Hearth preceding it..."

While caressing his furry chin as if it were a beard, Garol casually replied, "Very little, I'm afraid. I attempted to have one of my daughters penetrate the ranks of the Sage Dragon's Hearth, but the only person who seems to recruit for them is the Sage Dragon Emperor himself. All anyone knows for certain is that they can grant pretty much any request, so long as you are willing to sign a contract..."

Lowering his head slightly, Draco Grief paused to organize his thoughts before questioning, "Do we know what these contracts entail? I've heard countless rumors, but I've yet to hear the specifics."

Nodding his head, Garol adopted a distinctly business-like smile as he answered, "That's actually one of the more fascinating things about the Sage Dragon's Hearth. Many assume the contract is akin to signing their life away or swearing allegiance to the Sage Dragon Emperor. In reality, the only thing the Sage Dragon Emperor demands from signators is basic decency. He doesn't seem to care whether or not a person is good or bad, only that they do not take things too far or target children."

Though there were quite a number of additional clauses in the contract Vahn had people sign, Garol found it to be incredibly straightforward for what it offered in return. There were opportunistic individuals who forced people to sign their lives away in exchange for bread and water. Vahn was practically the antithesis of this, offering wealth, power, and personalized Gifts in exchange for little more than a promise not to oppress others. It was a contract so skewed in favor of the person signing it that, even after hundreds of people had benefitted from Vahn's philanthropy, most people still believed it to be a ruse.

Adopting a smile despite possessing the facial features of an eagle, Draco Greif remarked, "That certainly sounds like the Sage Dragon Emperor. His magnanimity appears to know no bounds."

Passing his gaze over the rest of the Leaders present, Draco Greif asked, "What about the rest of you? I will hear your opinions before making my final decision."

Surprisingly absolutely no one, the first person to speak up was Laulau, expressing, "I don't trust him. His meteoric rise is beyond suspicious, and his nature is dubious, at best. No one seems to know what motivates him or his ultimate objective. For all we know, his apparent generosity is just a means to accumulate belief and extend his influence to the entirety of the Little Garden. Once he has accrued enough, there's no telling what he will use it for..."

While he could see where Laulau was coming from, Draco Greif shook his head and replied, "Were we talking about anyone else, I would have been inclined to agree. However, your logic is founded on the presumption that the Sage Dragon Emperor 'needs' the belief of others..."

Furrowing her brows, Laulau asked, "What are you trying to say? Even the most ancient and primordial deities derive their power from belief, be it in their existence or the concepts they represent. The Sage Dragon Emperor is no exception..."

Shaking his head, Draco Greif's expression and tone became severe as he declared, "There are exceptions to everything. Just look at what the Sage Dragon Emperor has accomplished in the relatively short period since his emergence. No one had heard the name Vahn Aldrnari Mason before, yet his Community currently occupies a Gate none thought possible to claim. Since then, he has married a Floor Master, forced countless Communities to compromise, and, according to rumors, he is even in a relationship with the Demon Lord of the White Night..."

Closing his eyes, Draco Greif allowed his words to settle into the hearts and minds of everyone present before adding, "Even if he isn't a genuine exception to the rules we are forced to abide, the Sage Dragon Emperor is among the most 'exceptional' beings to manifest in the Little Garden since its genesis. With beings such as Lord Shiva and Shiroyasha backing him, I believe it's only a matter of time before he occupies a 1-Digit Gate..."

Convinced by Draco Greif's reasoning, Laulau slumped in her seat with a visibly pale expression. No one had managed to rise up and claim a 1-Digit Gate since the destruction of the original Little Garden. Many thought that Shiroyasha and Algol would be able to shake things up, but the former faltered at the finish line while the latter practically disappeared mid-way through her rampage. If Draco Greif's speculations proved accurate, Vahn would be the first in recorded history...

Realizing she had been speaking ill of someone with the potential to one day rule over the Little Garden, Laulau promptly decided to remain silent for the rest of the discussion. She still had her doubts, but she knew how beneficial it would be if the various Beastkin tribes and Eudemon species had a representative among the Little Garden's upper echelons. Vahn was relatively famous for his fondness of races with animalistic traits, so, even if she didn't fully trust him, Laulau wasn't willing to compromise the future of countless races by openly challenging him...

With Laulau providing no additional contention, it wasn't long before the remaining Leaders came to a consensus. The Alliance could not survive without a powerful backer, so joining hands with the Aldrnari Empire was the most sensible thing they could do given their present circumstances. As for their Representative and who would substitute Draco Greif as Floor Master, the group decided upon Merry and Sala. If the latter refused, the next in line would be Laulau herself...

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Taking advantage of the fact that neither Sandora nor Sala could see her, Loi-chan manifested buck naked in front of Vahn, a mischievous smile on her face as she was borrowing the form of Laulau.

Though he was a little surprised by Loi-chan's sudden appearance, Vahn didn't so much as flinch as he telepathically inquired, ("What's up? Is the meeting already over...?")

Since the two girls flanking Vahn would notice if she interacted with him directly, Loi-chan maintained a safe distance as she flipped upside down and replied, "They're willing to subordinate themselves if necessary, but they would prefer to keep their autonomy. The more interesting revelation is that Draco Greif intends to step down as Floor Master, nominating Sala as his replacement~."

("Hoooo...")

While not surprised by Draco Greif's decision, Vahn hadn't expected the proud Griffin to abdicate directly. If he had hosted a Gift Game, someone like Ureko could have stepped up to claim the title in his place.

As Ureko was probably happier doing her own thing, Vahn dismissed the notion of trying to 'help' her. Instead, he asked, ("Is there a reason you're borrowing the form of Five-Claws' Leader...?")

Instead of answering Vahn's question, Loi-chan linked her hands behind her back, puffed out her breasts, and smiled mischievously. Laulau was a very petite woman, but her figure was extraordinary. She had a few battle scars, including a cross-shaped scar under her clavicle, but they did little to diminish her charm.

Since it wasn't uncommon for Loi-chan to adopt the forms of attractive women just to tease him, Vahn mentally rolled his eyes and said, ("Thanks for the information. I'll be sure to reward you plentily later on.")

Though she hadn't been seeking a reward, an expectant smile developed across Loi-chan's face as she replied, "I'm looking forward to it~!" in a high-spirited tone that would have made the real Laulau want to smash her face into a wall...

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(A/N: I intended to write a formal apology, but I figured it would be better to post a chapter. I know I've disappointed a lot of people by choosing to focus on myself and other projects. I hope a day comes when I'm able to regain your trust.)