Back in the Great Aetherium's Imperial Palace, Haru sat on his throne with the expression of a man monitoring a scheduled process.
Celestia stood below him on the steps. Neither of them had moved toward the battlefield, and neither intended to. Asher — the Light Empire's only Supreme God, was at the Intermediate-stage, his combat power stretching at best to the late-stage with his natal artifact.
That was already covered by Yvonne and the other Supreme God Tier Angels. There was no version of this where Haru needed to get up.
The more interesting meeting was already in the hall. Several Thunder Titans stood among the assembled figures, their divine bodies compressed to a few meters tall, a concession to the architecture, not to the company. At their head was Helena, daughter of the Titan Lord Varkath, and she'd prepared very carefully for this conversation.
"I am Helena, daughter of the Titan Lord Varkath. It is my honor to be summoned by His Majesty."
She'd come for the Bolvark Hammer, Varkath's natal artifact, symbol of authority in Obrys. She stated her purpose plainly and said nothing about the history between the two sides, treating the prior conflict as something that had simply ceased to exist. The Titans behind her stared at the floor and said nothing, which was the wisest thing they'd done all day.
Haru looked at her without particular interest, "A simple request, to return the Bolvark Hammer. Varkath himself didn't come?"
Helena didn't flinch, "Your Majesty, I offer two hundred million Divine Crystals in exchange for my father's hammer, and a friendship between our people." She let that sit, then added, "The Battle of Planets is coming. Against the demons, we should stand together. If you doubt our sincerity—" She took a pause, "I am willing to remain in your empire myself, as a guarantee."
The Thunder Titan Gods behind Helena went pale the moment she said it. They didn't dare to agree. Varkath's only daughter, his one heir, replacing her was effectively impossible. If they went home with Helena sitting here as a hostage, the Titan Lord would dismantle their Divine Bodies himself. Exile their souls into the void, and that would be the lenient outcome.
"Think again, Your Highness!"
But Helena wasn't looking at them. Her golden pupils, lightning flickering behind the irises, were fixed on the figure on the highest throne.
She was perfectly calm. As if this were someone else's funeral.
Haru studied her, genuinely puzzled. His goal had been simple: trade the hammer for an enormous sum of Divine Crystals, and nothing more. An alliance with the Titans had never been on the table. The Titan Pantheon was the most powerful Faith-based faction on the Endless Continent, and sooner or later, it would need to be 'conquered', not befriended.
The Thunder Titan bloodline in particular, as direct heirs of the Ancient Titan Pantheon, would almost certainly contest the God King's Throne when the Divine War began.
So what exactly did this girl think she was doing?
The Great Aetherium had no secrets worth stealing at this point. And even if it did — his current strength meant he no longer needed to worry about being targeted. He could let anyone look and it wouldn't matter.
"Your Majesty Kazehaya." Helena's voice was measured, "The demons swept the Endless Continent a hundred thousand years ago. If our two factions unite, our chances of defeating them grow significantly. As for the God King's Throne, when that time comes, we each rely on our own ability."
Haru considered it briefly, "The covenant you're proposing isn't your father Varkath's intention. I'm certain of that."
"If I remain in the Great Aetherium." She said, "My father will agree to the alliance."
She wanted to use herself as leverage against her own father.
Haru let the silence sit. An alliance with the Titans was theoretically harmless, but the benefits were thin and the long-term cost was real. He waved his hand.
"If Varkath wants an alliance, he can come speak to me himself. You don't have the authority to conclude one."
The Thunder Titans exhaled, nearly in unison.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Helena's face, and it quickly smoothed over. She knew he was right. Binding herself here was meant to force her father's hand, but Haru had simply declined the game entirely.
She met his eyes again, "Then I will bring your wishes to my father. And I will do my best to persuade him."
What she didn't know was that there was no approach that would work. Haru had no intention of allying with the Titans, not now, not after Varkath came in person. In his mind, the Titan pantheon had only one future: submission.
"We'll revisit the alliance question another time." Haru said, "You mentioned two hundred million Divine Crystals for the hammer?"
"Yes. We can trade now, or I can return to our realm and bring a larger quantity, if you prefer."
The Thunder Titans twitched. 'A larger quantity.'
Two hundred million was already a sum that would make even the Elf Empire, the wealthiest on the Endless Continent, strain to gather from across its full roster of True Gods. Helena had named it without hesitation. The Titans really were something else.
------------------
Become A Member At My Patreon For Access To Bonus Chapters Or Even Multiple Chapters A Day!
» Patreon.com/LordArchduke