The next day at noon, with the blazing sun high in the sky.
A luxurious flying ship lifted off from the Dawn City docks, heading westward.
It was Luca and his party setting off.
There were no grand farewells, no ceremonies.
Aside from informing a few people, Luca didn’t linger.
He left immediately with Sophia and a few guards, officially heading toward the Western Territory.
For Luca, keeping a low profile was more appropriate than drawing attention. After everything that had happened in Dawn City, Luca guessed his portrait had probably been pinned to the desks of many powerful figures across the Eternal Continent.
Letting others know his whereabouts could invite unwanted trouble along the way.
If it was a Superclass powerhouse, he could manage. Jormungandr could hold off most of them. But if some ancient Transcendent-level figure came looking for trouble, he’d be forced to fight.
Although he still had some trump cards, like the Source Energy, resources were limited. Once they ran out, replenishing them could take a long time.
So unless absolutely necessary, Luca didn’t want to stir up any more trouble.
However, Luca didn’t expect what happened next.
Barely half a day into the flight, trouble found him.
The flying ship was intercepted mid-air.
“Marcel! Why aren’t you returning to the All-Beings Empire and instead following me?” Luca stood on the gangplank, watching the All-Beings Empire warship flaunt its presence and couldn’t help but complain.
A few shadowy figures dropped from the warship onto the deck, and it was none other than Marcel and Krik.
“No matter what, I did buy you a drink. Isn’t it a bit too rude to leave without saying goodbye?” Marcel said in his usual carefree manner, while Krik and the others instinctively moved a little further away from him.
Luca sneered. “You didn’t say a word when you ran off at the banquet. Now you want to bring up the word ‘friendship’?”
“I was drunk, alright?” Marcel scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed.
Who would’ve thought that the kid was this strong and wiped out all the rebels by himself?
If he had known, he would’ve made sure to stomp Milo’s old face in a few more times.
Knowing Marcel’s temperament, Luca didn’t feel like arguing. He just said, “If you have something to say, spit it out. If not, leave. I still have to go to my territory, and I don’t have time to waste with you.”
Marcel was displeased and raised his head, saying, “What’s with this attitude? I, the great Black Dragon Marcel… Ugh!”
Before he could finish his sentence, Krik quickly covered his mouth, silencing him.
A noble from the All-Beings Empire, his legs trembling, smiled obsequiously at Luca. “Lord Luca, please don’t be angry. This one’s a bit out of his mind. Don’t pay him any mind.”
“We’re here to discuss a business deal with you,” he added quickly, trying to steer the conversation in a more serious direction.
“A business deal?” Luca glanced at the enormous warship that had intercepted his vessel. “If you hadn’t said anything, I would have thought you were trying to rob me.”
The nobles shot Marcel a fierce glare.
If it hadn’t been for that idiot giving the order to intercept Luca’s ship, they wouldn’t have had to meet this way.
“Come on in, then. Let me see what kind of business you want to talk about,” Luca said with a cold grunt, turning toward the ship’s main hall.
He already had a few guesses about their intentions. He was somewhat interested in the All-Beings Empire’s business dealings, and he was just putting on an act to make it easier to drive a hard bargain later.
The nobles let out a long breath of relief, and Krik finally released Marcel’s mouth.
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Krik gave Marcel a stern warning. “Keep your mouth shut. We’re here to ask him for something, not to insult him.”
Marcel didn’t respond, but spat in disgust, grimacing. “Did you not wash your hands or something? Why do you smell so bad?”
“Do I?” Krik sniffed his hands. “Probably just forgot to wash after scratching my feet.”
“You son of a— Ugh!” Marcel turned pale.
Rushing to the side of the ship and leaning over the railing to puke uncontrollably.
Luca waited in the hall for a few minutes, and when he saw Marcel again.
He couldn’t help but notice the dragon looked a little off, clearly not in his usual state.
“Uh, what happened to him?” Luca pointed at the limp and defeated-looking Marcel, feeling a bit puzzled.
Krik chuckled. “Nothing serious. Just ate something bad.”
Ate something bad? What could possibly make someone of the Dragon Race—whose physique was practically indestructible—get food poisoning?
Luca glanced at the barely-conscious Marcel but didn’t bother asking further. “Alright, enough with the nonsense. What kind of deal do you want to discuss?”
Among the nobles, one of the chubbier figures carefully spoke up. “I’ve heard that Lord Luca’s territory is Haillan County?”
“Yes, it’s Haillan County,” Luca replied with a nod.
Upon hearing this, the nobles exchanged glances, their eyes glimmering with evident excitement.
“Hahaha, that’s great! That’s perfect!” The noble laughed loudly. “In that case, I’ll get straight to the point. Our All-Beings Empire is located in the far northern regions. The resources here are scarce, and the only area with somewhat accessible sea trade routes is the coastal zone with lower temperatures.”
“Haillan County is the trade hub of the western coast, and it’s also quite close, so we were wondering if Count Luca would be interested in a partnership with us?”
After saying this, all the nobles, including Marcel, eagerly looked at Luca.
The Clinton Empire is located in the southwest of the Eternal Continent, rich in resources, vast lands, and a thriving maritime trade.
In contrast, the All-Beings Empire is situated in the northeastern part of the continent, bordering Via, Clinton, and several smaller nations. However, the climate there is harsh, with snow that never melts.
Although the All-Beings Empire is rich in metals, gems, and other resources, food and textiles are extremely scarce. This is reflected in the fact that they use metal warships for transportation.
Luca had already anticipated this situation and calmly replied, “The two countries should already have established trade routes. Why come to me now for a partnership? I haven’t even had the chance to visit my own territory yet.”
Marcel sneered, “It’s not that we didn’t want to work with others, but… well, others already…”
Cough! The noble quickly cleared his throat and shot Marcel a stern look.
The others were baffled. How could someone as brilliant and powerful as the Dragon King have such an utterly useless son?
Another noble spoke up respectfully, “The reason we’re seeking Count Luca’s cooperation is precisely because we recognize your potential. We believe it won’t be long before you gain control over a significant portion of Clinton’s territory.”
“Heh.” Luca sneered. If he believed that, he’d be a fool.
He stood up and said, “I don’t have time to waste. If you don’t want to discuss business, then leave.”
Just then, Sophia, who had been resting in the room, walked over, accompanied by two maids.
“What’s going on here?” She looked over at Marcel and the others, then turned her gaze to Luca with a questioning expression.
“It’s nothing. They’re just here to see me off,” Luca said casually.
Sophia glanced around at the now quieter room, and sensing it wasn’t the right time to talk business, nodded slightly. “When you’re done here, come find me. I need to discuss something with you.”
Luca nodded in acknowledgment. After Sophia left, Marcel shot a dissatisfied glance at the nobles and muttered, “You can’t fool this kid, so why waste your breath?”
Then he turned to Luca, spread his hands, and said honestly, “The All-Beings Empire and the Clinton Empire do have trade routes, but the problem is, these routes are no longer in our hands…”
After Marcel’s explanation, Luca finally understood the situation in the All-Beings Empire.
The trade relationship between the All-Beings Empire and the Clinton Empire had been established for many years without issue.
However, recently, tensions between the four kings had been rising, leading to continuous instability.
While the trade routes between the two empires hadn’t been severed, they were now controlled by the other three kings. If the Dragon King wanted resources, he had to spend a lot more money, and the resources available to him were severely limited.
Continuing like this definitely wouldn’t work. The main reason Marcel and his group came to the Clinton Empire this time was to solve this very problem. However, they hadn’t expected that the Clinton Empire was also facing both internal and external troubles.
Fortunately, unlike their own empire, which had been dragging its feet for so long, the Clinton Empire had completed its reforms in a relatively short amount of time.
After speaking, Marcel shrugged and said, “That’s the situation. The main reason we’re seeking your cooperation is because it carries the least risk.”
After all, anyone with half a brain could see that this kid’s connections in Clinton were incredibly strong now…
Luca nodded slightly and asked, “What kind of deal are you proposing?”
Marcel and the others froze for a moment upon hearing this.
Before their eyes lit up with excitement.
The fact that Luca responded this way meant that there was a real chance!
Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Marcel quickly said, “Weapons, metals, gems, even warships! As long as you can provide enough food, wine, and cloth, we can sell you whatever you need!”
He didn’t hesitate for a second, laying out his side’s most significant bargaining chips.
Luca, on the other hand, immediately threw out his own demands: “In addition to equipment, metals, and materials, I also require magical-tech warships and Black Thorn warships.”
Magical-tech warships and Black Thorn warships?! As soon as he said this, everyone in the room gasped, staring at Luca in disbelief.
Magical-tech warships were produced by the Via Empire, equipped with magical cannons capable of taking down Superclass beings head-on. In the past, when the All-Beings Empire was short on metals, they had a close trade relationship with Via, and the Dragon King had even managed to acquire a few of them.
The Black Thorn warships, on the other hand, were a specialty of the All-Beings Empire, made from Superclass-grade metal known as “Thorn Black Steel,” which could even withstand a full-force strike from a Sky-level powerhouse. They were incredibly expensive to produce.
Why would he need these two types of warships if he wasn’t planning on fighting?
Could it be that he really wanted to rebel?
Luca, however, paid no attention to their changing expressions. He calmly sipped his tea and said, “These two types of warships are my terms. If you agree, I can offer you trade deals on par with Via Empire’s prices for maritime trade.”
“If not, then we won’t discuss this matter further.”
The western seas were vast and full of unknown dangers. The warships were his capital for exploring the western seas.
So no matter what, he had to get them.