It wasn’t like Victor was some greedy merchant hoarding gold like a dragon or anything!
Believe him!
It was just a formal discussion between one empire’s ruler and another, where every single transaction needed to be handled in the most conventional, structured, and, of course, monetized way.
Even if the other party happened to be his so-called beloveds…. business was business!!
“Buying thrusters?” The Archpriestess frowned.
Victor shifted his eyes toward Dora, who let out a long, tired sigh. She really couldn’t believe she was doing this, but there was no other choice. After a moment of internal struggle, she finally explained.
“These thrusters could stabilize your empire without any risk of failure. They will allow your lands to merge seamlessly, ensuring there are no errors in the process. That’s exactly how they work in Victor’s empire, and they have saved countless lives in critical situations. It’s not just about convenience, it’s about survival.”
Dora took a breath before continuing, “Since the Chosen One has a duty to finish the trial, purchasing them is the only right option. If he simply hands them over for free, it could be seen as interference, and that might break the rules.”
A heavy silence fell over the room as everyone mulled over her words. The rulers exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable, while their Chosen Ones whispered among themselves.
Victor clenched his fist, his mind already calculating potential profits. He was about to earn a hefty amount—
“We don’t need it.”
“Huh?” Victor blinked, momentarily short-circuiting as his grand vision of overflowing gold chests crumbled into dust.
Mary smirked, crossing her arms. “I said, we don’t need your help.”
Victor blinked again, slower this time, as if his brain needed extra time to process the absurdity of her words. He turned his gaze to Dora, hoping she could fix whatever nonsense was happening, but she only frowned in frustration.
“Mary, this isn’t a game. There are millions of lives depending on this decision. You can’t just—”
“I know that,” Mary interrupted, her tone smug and full of confidence. “And that’s exactly why I’m saying we don’t need it.” She lifted her chin, her voice carrying the arrogance of someone who believed she had already won before the battle even began.
Dora’s frown deepened. She had expected Mary to be stubborn, but this was just plain idiotic.
Narrowing her eyes, she turned to Nyx instead. “It’s your choice, Nyx. Tell me what you really want.”
Nyx hesitated for a long moment, her gaze shifting between Mary and Dora.
“Say what you like” Mary just shrugged.
Nyx nodded with small smile and,
“I don’t need anyone’s help.”
Dora raised her eyebrows, momentarily stunned.
This had to be some kind of collective stupidity, right? Just as she was about to argue,
“Alright then, we’ll be leaving,” Mary said smoothly. She grabbed Nyx’s hand, and before anyone could react, the two of them vanished from the room.
Victor stood there, blinking rapidly, his face frozen in absolute disbelief. His money empire… was crumbling before his very eyes!
But it wasn’t completely gone yet! Just a small setback, a minor loss! Surely, he could still salvage this!
Turning toward the Archpriestess, he forced a slightly hopeful expression.
Sometimes, negotiations worked like dominoes—if one person made a decision, others would follow.
Maybe this could still turn around—
“We too… don’t need help.” The Archpriestess’s voice was firm and unwavering, her words striking like a dagger to Victor’s soul. Without another glance, she and her Chosen Ones disappeared into thin air.
Victor felt his vision blur. He was going to faint.
His wealth!
His profits!
His beautifully crafted empire of money was shrinking before his eyes!
Meanwhile, Raven sits off to the side, looking entirely unbothered. She hadn’t spoken from the very beginning, just quietly watching everything unfold as if she were enjoying a personal theatre show.
“Pffft—” Thalia almost choked on her laughter, barely managing to hold it in. She clenched her fists, trying to suppress the urge to burst out laughing right in Victor’s face.
But oh, she would laugh later. She would make sure to laugh directly at him—loudly and shamelessly! The way his face had crumpled just now? Priceless.
She absolutely lived for moments like this. ‘Hah! Suffer, you money-hungry pervert!’ she cackled internally, feeling giddy at his downfall.
Victor’s last hope rested on Liora’s group. He turned toward them, his eyes practically pleading. Surely, his own family wouldn’t let his business empire collapse, right?
Liora smiled softly, clearly aware of what he was hoping for. He was just too easy to read.
“We need to discuss with Maelona before giving you an answer,” she said, her tone light and almost teasing.
Victor felt his soul leave his body.
Her tail swayed slightly as she watched her hubby’s many reactions… the way his face twisted in disappointment as if he had failed some grand mission or lost something precious.
‘He is so cute~’ Liora thought to herself, feeling an overwhelming urge to pamper his lonely, shattered soul. He looked like a puppy that had just been abandoned in the rain, and she almost wanted to scoop him up and console him.
“We are leaving too,” Sandra suddenly announced, her expression serious. “It’s been a long time since I left others to watch over the empire, so I need to return.” She turned her gaze toward Aqualina, who had been silently staring at Victor. After a brief moment, Aqualina gave a small nod, and the two of them disappeared without another word.
Victor’s eye twitched.
“Look at them… they just disappeared like that,” Kai sighed dramatically, shaking his head in disappointment. “I guess nobody cares about their future anymore.” His voice carried the sorrow of a man witnessing an entire generation make terrible financial decisions.
Leon nodded, “It’s our duty to protect them all… I believe we need to work more!” said solemnly before both of them turned and walked out, leaving without even a backward glance.
And just like that, the room emptied even more… Now, only Dora, Victor, Aria, Raven, Thalia, Liora, and Kaelen remained.
Well, not for long.
Kaelen, who had been lingering near the entrance, suddenly turned back and hurriedly left as well, mumbling something about having an important meeting.
Liora frowned, her nose scrunching slightly in disgust.
“Anyway…” Aria cleared her throat, her gaze shifting toward her husband, who was visibly broken down from the loss of his potential customers.
But no one in the room seemed to notice that this so-called broken man was already thinking about something else entirely.
‘Fuck it! I should have used Lackey for this job!… Maybe I should pay Lia and Helena a visit and corrupt their minds before taking the first step…’ Victor was already plotting his next move. He might have lost some business today, but he wasn’t about to give up on expanding his Mon–ahem helpful Empire financial investments!
“Victor?”
Dora’s voice snapped him out of his scheming, and he turned toward her, raising an eyebrow. She motioned toward the side of the room where an older woman sat, restrained by thick, enchanted chains.
It was the academy’s old nurse.
Her face was blank, her expression eerily calm despite the heavy restraints around her wrists and ankles.
Victor frowned. “What’s this?”
Dora’s face twisted slightly in disgust before she spoke. “You see… those weird buildings and monsters that infiltrated the academy, especially from the children’s section… one of the professors pointed something out. Since the intrusions happened so close to the children, we had to consider—what else is near them besides the students?”
Victor’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Toys?”
Dora nodded gravely. “Exactly. Everything was her toys. She was the one who placed them there.”
Aria’s frown deepened. “Wait… you’re saying it came from the academy?” She turned her gaze toward the old nurse, her expression filled with disbelief. “She’s the one responsible for it?”
Her stomach twisted. The old nurse had always been like a grandmother to so many students. She took care of them, helped them when they were sick, and never once complained about anything, even when things got difficult. She had always seemed like the kind-hearted, good-natured elder that everyone could trust.
And now… she was being accused of this?
Victor’s frown deepened as he studied the old woman closely. His mind refused to accept it. ‘She’s a good one…’ he thought, unable to believe that this woman could be behind such a thing.
“What if someone else placed them there?” Victor countered, his voice firm. “It’s possible, right? I mean, just look at her. She definitely doesn’t seem like someone who could do that. And I know her—I know the kind of person she is.” His tone was steady, confident, as if he was absolutely certain that there had to be another explanation.
Dora exhaled softly before nodding. “I know that too, but…” She motioned toward the old nurse.
The room fell silent for a moment.
Then, the old woman, who had been quiet this entire time, let out a deep, tired sigh before finally speaking.
“I was the one who did that.”
Victor’s eyes widened in shock.
What.
The.
Fuck?!