Chapter 804 Conversation IV
Seraphina, who was on the verge of lashing out, restrained herself, her sharp gaze fixed on Aron. His blasphemous words—spoken without hesitation—were an affront to her, a princess of the very civilization he spoke of conquering.
Despite her exile by the Grand Xor’Vak, her loyalty to her civilization had not diminished. She still had her faction—loyal followers who supported her in her ambition to one day challenge the Grand Xor’Vak for leadership. Her pride in her heritage and people remained unshaken, and hearing Aron speak of taking over her civilization as if it were some trivial task stung deeply.
But Seraphina held her composure. The promise she had made to Aron—that she would hear him out—echoed in her mind. Her civilization’s culture valued keeping one’s word, seeing it as a testament to strength. Breaking her promise, even in the face of such provocative statements, would be a stain on her pride and character. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
So, she swallowed her immediate anger, the fires of indignation simmering just beneath the surface. She decided she would let him finish. Once his explanation was complete and her promise fulfilled, she would take action—whether that meant walking away, retaliating, or something else entirely. For now, she listened, her expression one of steely control as Aron continued.
Seeing Seraphina remain silent, signaling her intent to let him continue, Aron chose not to waste any more time and pressed on with his explanation. He felt no concern about her divulging the information, as both the runic contract and mana oath served as ironclad safeguards against such a possibility. Even in the unlikely event of a loophole being exploited to spread the details, it would pose no threat. The conversation was merely theoretical—plans yet to be acted upon carry no substance and, therefore, no grounds for retaliation, though it would make his plan a bit difficult to actualise but not impossible.
“What I’m trying to do is prevent a repeat of that chaos by proactively establishing countermeasures instead of simply reacting to problems as they arise. These countermeasures are critical not just for safeguarding the mana stone trade but also for protecting the advanced technologies that will emerge as we merge incoming technologies from the defeated civilizations with our own. There will always be those driven by greed, unable to comprehend the bigger picture,” Aron explained, his tone steady and resolute.
Seraphina paused, letting his words settle. Then, with a measured tone, she asked, “So what does that have to do with me?”
Aron’s response was direct. “You may have been abandoned by your Grand Elder, but you are still of your race, and I possess a challenge ticket—a privilege you can use. The condition, however, is that you agree to become my subordinate.”
The atmosphere tensed immediately. Seraphina’s grip on her teacup tightened, and in a single moment, it shattered in her hand. The nanomachines, detecting her surge of strength, attempted to escape but were obliterated in seconds, their remains releasing faint wisps of smoke from her clenched fist.
Recognizing the danger of her temper flaring, Aron raised his hand calmly to draw her attention, diffusing the growing tension. “Before you act rashly, hear me out,” he said firmly. “I understand how your system operates, and this time, I intend to use it to my advantage.”
Then, with a sharp gaze that conveyed both confidence and authority, Aron declared, “I hereby challenge you to a duel. Should you win, you’ll keep your freedom. But if I win, you will swear unwavering loyalty to me and become my subordinate.”