“There’s no need for us to be hostile to each other, Your Majesty,” Alessio stepped forward. “Like what our Commander has said, we came here to seek an alliance. Naturally, we are willing to agree to certain conditions and pay proper compensation to make this a reality.”
Alessio gave Berthold a side-long glance before shifting his attention back to the Young Empress who had the entire negotiation under her thumb. He felt irate about the fact that he had to act submissive in front of Humans, but this had to be done in order for his race to have a chance at survival.
“Your Majesty, do you desire something?” Alessio inquired. “Something you want the most in the world? Perhaps we can help you acquire it.”
“Are you confident that you can give me what I want?” Empress Sidonie answered. She was half tempted to tell them what Morgana had whispered to her inside their shared mindscape, and that was to bring a certain red-headed shepherd to her, all tied up, and ready for some whip lashing.
This thought almost made her laugh out loud, but she managed to hide it well by giggling like a little girl that was about to receive a present from her parents.
Elandorr sucked in a deep breath as Sidonie’s giggle passed through his ears. He was starting to doubt if the artifacts he brought along to counter Charm were working, because the Young Empress’ simple gestures were enough to make his heart skip a beat.
“Of course,” Alessio nodded. “We are more than capable of making this happen. Tell me, Your Majesty, what is it that you want the most?”
Before Empress Sidonie could even answer, the doors of the throne room opened wide.
A handsome, red-headed boy, swaggered inside with a dazzling smile on his face.
Everyone in the throne room looked at the new arrival with curiosity.
Elandorr’s face broke out into an expression of anger when he recognized the boy that had appeared in front of him.
The Corner of Sidonie’s lips curled up into a smirk as she gazed at the Shepherd who had rejected her not once, but twice.
Morgana, who was looking through Sidonie’s eyes, was half tempted to take over her other half’s body, and order the Elves to knock William unconscious, so that she could tie him up on her bed.
“You! What are you doing here?!” Elandorr roared in anger.
His weapons had been confiscated before entering the throne room, so he could only glare hatefully at the Half-Elf who was not even paying any attention to him.
Alessio raised an eyebrow as he appraised the Half-Elf in front of him. He had already heard of William’s existence because Alessio had exposed his identity in the meeting they held before coming to the Anaesha Dynasty.
‘So, he is the son of the Saintess as well as that Human Hero, Maxwell,’ Alessio mused as he eyed William from head to foot. ‘He has his mother’s eyes and that man’s distinctive red hair.’
Alessio glanced at the seething Elandorr by his side before shifting back his attention to William who had his arms crossed over his chest, and was looking at Empress Sidonie with a fearless gaze.
“Well, this is an unexpected surprise,” Empress Sidonie said in a mischievous tone. “To what do I owe the pleasure of having Sir William personally come for a visit?”
Elandorr’s expression paled when he heard the subtle happiness in the Young Empress tone. With this alone, he could tell that William and Empress Sidonie knew each other and seemed to be on good terms as well.
Prince Jason also didn’t miss this subtle change in his cousin’s tone and directed his attention to the handsome Half-Elf who was now busy looking at a hand mirror while combing his hair. If not for the fact that he had an image to maintain, he might have already grabbed the mirror from the boy’s hand and smashed it on his face.
The Grand Archmage, who was standing beside Sidonie’s throne, glanced at the Young Empress before staring at the red-headed boy who had stolen the limelight. His curiosity was instantly piqued because he had been paying attention to Empress Sidonie since she had arrived in the Kingdom of Freesia.
Although Empress Sidonie hid it well, she was unable to conceal it from the Grand Archmage who had already seen many things in his lifetime.
This was the first time he had seen the Young Empress struggle to contain her emotions when looking at a person. It was fairly easy for him to know that the Half-Elf in front of them was not someone ordinary in Empress Sidonie’s heart.
After making sure that his hair was properly combed, William faced Empress Sidonie and gave her a princely smile that made Morgana squeal inside their shared Mindscape.
“Your Majesty, I have come to seek an alliance with you,” William said in a suave voice that made everyone in the throne room want to drown him in their spit.
“Interesting,” Empress Sidonie replied. “The Elven Delegation has also said the same thing. They are even offering to give me what I want. How about you, Sir William? What can you offer me in exchange for an alliance?”
Elandorr sneered because he was confident that the hateful half breed wouldn’t be able to meet the Empress’ condition.
William looked mildly surprised as he glanced at the Elves who were looking at him with a glare.
“What? These long eared bastards promised to give you what you wanted?” William asked with a dumbfounded expression. “Can they even do that? I think not.”
‘You are also a long eared bastard,’ Empress Sidonie cursed William inside her heart.
< You are also a long eared bastard, but I still love you, Darling! >
The Elves looked at William in contempt. They were very close to ganging up on him to erase the smug smile on William’s face.
“What do you mean that we can’t meet Empress Sidonie’s demands?” Elandorr challenged. “You are just a filthy half breed whose only good point is being born as the son of our Saintess!”
Due to his hatred towards the Half-Elf, Elandorr wasn’t able to stop himself from exposing his identity.
Empress Sidonie, Morgana, The Grand Archmage, Prince Jason, as well as several officers of the Kraetor Empire now looked at William in a different light. They have heard about the Saintess of the Elves that watched over the World Tree, but none of them knew that she had a son, and a Half-Elf to boot!
William shrugged as if Elandorr’s revelation wasn’t a big deal to him. He didn’t mind others knowing about who his mother was.
The reason he came here was to negotiate with Empress Sidonie, not to discuss his heritage in public.
“Empress Sidonie, I am willing to give you what you want in order for you to ally yourself with the Hellan Kingdom,” William said with a determined look on his face. “I am willing to give you…
“My babies!”
The entire throne room became eerily quiet before exploding into a commotion. Prince Lionel, and Prince Jason, had already unsheathed their weapons as they stared at William with bloodshot eyes.
Elandorr, Alessio, and even Eneru, couldn’t wrap their heads around why William would say something so vulgar, in front of the beautiful Empress who could decide the Fate of the entire Southern Continent.
If this wasn’t courting death then what William was asking for was a one-sided beating from the young men and women who adored Empress Sidonie from the bottom of their hearts.
