Chapter 126. The Plan
Night fell, and the winds over the Hulk Basin turned even colder.
Inside the relay station, no one spoke. Only the sound of the wind whistling past could be heard.
The powerhouses from every nation were all inside their rooms, either regulating their breathing or making secret preparations. They all understood that the Council Hall tomorrow would be the true battlefield.
anwhile, in the Kroll Royal Capital, the light of the magic arrays flowed like a moving river of stars, slowly revolving beyond the city walls.
Kroll II stood atop the city wall, gazing toward the distant Hulk Basin, his hand tightening around the hilt at his waist.
“Your Majesty, everything is ready.”
Palace Archmage Keli walked to his side, exhaustion visible on her delicate little face.
“The Three Layers of Defensive Magic Arrays can withstand at least three full-force attacks from a Domain-Level Powerhouse.”
Kroll II nodded, his gaze deep and unreadable.
“I hope… they will not be needed.”
Ti passed without anyone noticing, and dawn gradually began to break. Golden morning light stread through the stained-glass windows of the Throne Hall, casting a mosaic of colors across the marble floor.
When William was awakened by an attendant, the sky was only just beginning to pale. He hurriedly changed into his royal formalwear and quickly made his way toward the hall that symbolized Kroll’s royal authority.
As he pushed open the heavy oak doors, Kroll II was already seated upon the throne, while Fenlilan sat in a high-backed chair at his side.
The old man’s hair and beard were completely white. When he saw William enter, a gentle smile appeared in his eyes, and he gave a slight nod.
William imdiately bowed. “Greetings, Father King. Greetings, Ancestor.”
“Rise.”
Kroll II’s voice echoed through the vast hall. He glanced at Fenlilan, and only after seeing the old man give a faint nod did he continue, “In a while, the leaders of the envoys from the four kingdoms and the foreign race delegations will all co here for negotiations.”
“You will remain in the hall. There is no need for you to speak. Just watch carefully and learn how nations maneuver and contend with one another. Gain as much experience as you can.”
“Yes, Father King,” William replied, quietly retreating to a position behind and to the side of the throne.
He knew that a prince like him, who had not yet formally taken part in state affairs, should not have been allowed to observe an occasion like this.
But clearly, both Ancestor Fenlilan and his father intended for him to co into contact with such matters early.
The hall was silent, broken only by the occasional crackle of candle flas.
Kroll II lightly tapped the armrest of the throne with his fingertips, while Ancestor Fenlilan rested with his eyes closed, as though contemplating sothing.
Standing beside the throne, William let his gaze sweep over the banners and murals hanging in the hall, but inwardly, he was calculating the confrontation that was about to begin.
From far away ca the tolling of a bell. Once, twice, three tis...
It was the signal that the delegations were about to arrive.
William drew a deep breath and straightened his back.
After an unknown amount of ti, the silence of the Throne Hall was broken by the footsteps of an attendant, who bowed and reported:
“Your Majesty, the envoys of the seven nations are waiting outside the hall. Shall they be admitted?”
Kroll II looked toward Ancestor Fenlilan at his side. The old man still had his eyes closed, as if he had heard nothing at all.
So he nodded. “Let them enter.”
The heavy hall doors opened once more, and seven envoys filed inside.
At the front was the Dwarf envoy, stoutly built, with fine gemstones inlaid into his armor.
The Orc envoy wore beast pelts, with a necklace of wolf fangs hanging around his neck.
The Barbarian envoy wore a coarse linen robe, his skin dark and his gaze sharp.
Behind them ca the envoys of the four kingdoms, all dressed in fine embroidered garnts, though their expressions carried more than a trace of arrogance.
The seven of them perford a standard noble salute toward Kroll II upon the throne. Then they straightened and quietly swept their eyes across the hall. In the end, all their gazes landed on William, burning with intensity.
“Haha, for the envoys of so many nations to gather in the Kroll Royal Capital is quite a rare sight.”
Then his tone abruptly shifted as he looked toward the envoys of the Dwarves, Orcs, and Barbarians.
“Speaking of which, have the princesses of your three nations all been prepared?”
The three envoys were montarily stunned, then all nodded together.
The Dwarf envoy answered in a deep, booming voice, “Replying to Your Majesty, everything is prepared. It is only the resource list agreed upon earlier that we would like to ask whether you still intend to...”
“Naturally, it must be discussed.”
Kroll II cut him off, his tone calm and unhurried.
“For example, the shares of Black Iron ore, the herbal tribute from the Orc tribes, and the ores from the Misty Forest controlled by the Barbarian tribes. All of these must be discussed in detail.”
He began speaking with the three envoys as though no one else existed, discussing everything from transportation routes for resources to the delivery tis for tribute.
Every word revolved around tangible interests, as though he had failed to notice the increasingly ugly expressions on the faces of the other four envoys.
Standing beside the throne, William’s eyes suddenly sharpened. He noticed that each of the seven envoys held a faintly glowing crystal in hand. They were already-activated Communication Crystals.
That ant every single word spoken in the hall was being transmitted in real ti to the relay station at the Hulk Basin, directly into the ears of those Domain-Level Powerhouses.
His heart stirred.
His father was doing this on purpose.
Sure enough, the expressions of the four envoys had already darkened to the point that water might drip from them.
The envoy from the Kadiya Kingdom could not hold back any longer and spoke first.
“Your Majesty Kroll, we have co under the orders of our king to visit the princess who was married here. May I ask when we might...”
“No hurry.”
Kroll II gave him a casual glance.
“Let finish discussing important matters with these three first.”
“Of course, if you are in a hurry, I can have an attendant take you there imdiately.”
The Kadiya envoy opened his mouth, but in the end, he still swallowed the words he had wanted to say.
Kroll II settled the general frawork with the three foreign race envoys, while the finer details were left for the ministers to handle afterward.
Only then did he turn toward the four envoys, whose faces had turned ashen, and speak in an even tone.
“The important matters are finished. An attendant will take you to see the princesses.”
Before he had even finished speaking, the Communication Crystal in the Silver Oakleaf envoy’s hand suddenly burst with a blinding light. A voice filled with anger pierced through the crystal and rang throughout the entire hall.
“Kroll II, do you truly intend to collude with the foreign races? Are you willing to betray the human camp? Are you not afraid that once your people learn the truth, they will turn against you?”
Kroll II slowly rubbed the armrest of the throne, a cold smile curling at the corners of his lips.
“It is nothing more than mutually supplying neighboring states and exchanging a few resources. How can that be called betrayal? Is the Silver Oakleaf Kingdom being a little too nervous?”
The mont his words fell, the Communication Crystal in the Orc envoy’s hand lit up as well. The old Orc’s voice carried undisguised mockery.
“That’s right, that’s right. This old savage hates that kind of hypocrite the most. They talk endlessly about righteousness and morality while fearing us on one side and trying to sabotage cooperation on the other. Do they really think no one can see through them?”
“You...” A furious voice ca from the crystal behind the Silver Oakleaf envoy.
“What about ?”
The old Orc’s voice beca even more overbearing.
“If you have the guts, stop hiding behind that crystal and shouting. Co on, co on, have a go with this old savage. You little piece of trash, all you can do is bark threats.”
“You are courting death.”
The voice in the crystal instantly rose in pitch, carrying the unique pressure of a Domain-Level Powerhouse, making the air in the hall stiffen by several degrees.
At that mont, the Communication Crystal at the Dwarf envoy’s waist also lit up.
“What, you want to fight? Do you really think the warhamrs of the Dwarf Kingdom are just for show?”
The Barbarian envoy’s crystal flickered with light.
“The hunters of the Misty Forest would not mind a few extra human faces to use as seat cushions.”
One after another, the Communication Crystals in the hands of the four kingdom envoys lit up. Rebukes and threats spilled out in a tangled stream, colliding with the furious curses from the foreign race envoys’ crystals, and the entire Throne Hall seed to beco a battlefield of long-distance shouting.
Yet Kroll II remained firmly seated upon the throne, as if completely deaf to the chaos before him. He rely waved a hand to the attendants.
“Take the seven envoys away to rest.”
Only after the envoys of the seven nations stord off in anger did he look toward Ancestor Fenlilan. The old man slowly opened his eyes, and a sharp glint flashed within them.
“The fish are almost on the hook.”
The corners of Kroll II’s lips rose slightly. “I am only afraid they may be able to hold their nerve.”
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