Chapter 355: Invitation to the Demon Kings' Assembly

Aedan and his companions nodded solemnly, tensing their muscles beneath their elegant clothes. They still had no idea what kind of exorbitant demand the feared lord of Kowarre might make.

So they paid absolute attention to every movement in the hall.

However, breaking the tense atmosphere, Rohan's rebellious youngest son tried to complain out loud from his position next to the guard, indignant at being treated as a simple bargaining chip.

But before the brat could articulate a single syllable, Ryan fixed his cold eyes on him. It was a gaze so heavy, dark, and laden with such pure murderous intent that it silenced the boy instantly.

The young demon prince swallowed hard, feeling the air leave his lungs, and froze in place, completely silent and trembling slightly.

Satisfied with the hostage's submission, Ryan looked away from the boy and turned his gaze to his assistant.

Alicia nodded instantly, understanding the silent order. The beastwoman walked elegantly to a heavy oak table located right next to the throne's dais. On that table rested a carefully rolled parchment, which Alicia took in her hands.

"That is..." Solaris murmured, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at the document.

Official paper in hand, Alicia stepped forward and stood proudly before the royalty of Ignis.

"What my lord demands as the sole exchange for saving the life of and providing hospitality to Demon King Rohan's son is the following:" Alicia announced in a clear, resonant voice that echoed off the stone walls.

"That we be granted official authorization and border permits to extract Mana-Bark Tree wood from the dense forests of the Ignis nation. We wish to import this material from your lands without any interference for a full month."

Silence fell over the throne room. The three emissaries blinked, completely thrown off by the demand.

"Is that it?" Solaris blurted out, unable to contain herself, arching an eyebrow in obvious disbelief. "All this fuss just for a pile of wood?"

Aedan raised a hand to silence his impulsive sister and remained silent for several long seconds before answering, analyzing the possible trap behind such a simple request.

"Admittedly, the Mana-Bark Tree is a peculiar material that we demons rarely use," Aedan said, rubbing his chin as he thought out loud. "I perfectly understand that, since Kowarre is a mountainous territory with such a freezing and hostile climate, that kind of flora doesn't grow naturally here. Furthermore, I know it's a special tree that actively feeds on ambient mana to strengthen its fibers, but... honestly, I didn't expect you to ask for something like that in exchange for a prince."

"But why the hell would the imposing king of Kowarre want building materials historically used only by human artisans and sorcerers?" Irnina questioned, crossing her arms and looking at Ryan with genuine curiosity gleaming in her reptilian eyes.

"Naturally, because I am a human," Ryan replied.

He delivered that line while maintaining his relaxed posture on the throne, resting his chin on the back of his hand with astonishing casualness.

With that simple statement, the Ignis emissaries tensed, and their faces adopted a much more serious and calculating expression. They certainly kept Ryan's biological origins in mind.

But seeing him occupy the feared position of a Demon King, surrounded by such an overwhelming aura, they never expected him to admit and embrace his humanity so casually and nonchalantly in front of demonic royalty.

To the arrogant demon nobility, having a human look down on them was already an anomaly; that he was also proud of it was a dangerous enigma.

Therefore, Aedan, trying to better analyze the complex political situation before giving an official answer to the demands, swallowed hard to moisten his throat and spoke with extreme caution.

"In that case, Your Majesty... allow me the audacity to ask you something fundamental before sealing this deal," the young demon said, straightening his posture.

"Go ahead," Ryan conceded.

"...Whose side are you really on?" Aedan asked, searching for the true depths of Ryan's intentions.

Ryan didn't answer immediately. He locked his deep green eyes on the messenger Addy trembling in the corner, and then slowly swept his gaze over each of the three Ignis emissaries, making them feel the crushing weight of his presence.

"Other people asked me that exact same thing several days ago," Ryan sighed, leaning back against his throne. "Anyway, I suppose I'll have to be absolutely clear with my answer so there are no future misunderstandings between our nations."

Then, Ryan fixed his predatory gaze directly on the eyes of Demon King Rohan's eldest son.

"Aedan, isn't it?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the prince replied, maintaining eye contact stoically.

"Tell me, Aedan... if I mobilized my army, marched toward your warm territory, and attacked the capital of Ignis right now, what would you do?"

"I would defend it with my own life and shed my very last drop of blood to repel you, Your Majesty. However, I don't understand the reason for your question," Aedan replied without a moment's hesitation, showing the pride of a future leader.

"That's an excellent answer, exactly what I expected to hear from a prince," Ryan said, and a faint, sharp smile formed on his face. "Whose side am I on? Naturally, I am solely and exclusively on my own side. Listen to me well: whether it be bloodthirsty demons, arrogant deities, the church, human kingdoms, or even a powerful dragon... anyone who dares to invade my territory, threaten my plans, or hurt my people will instantly become my enemy and be annihilated. Do you understand now, prince?"

Below the dais, Lise, Alicia, and Chloe smiled faintly, sharing a silent sense of devotion. Those words perfectly encapsulated the essence of the man to whom they had sworn loyalty.

Irnina, for her part, fixed her gaze on Ryan with a renewed, burning interest. Judging by her astonished expression, the proud fire dragoness was having a very hard time grasping that the absolute sovereign standing before her was the exact same young human who, not so long ago, she had struggled so much to fight in a cave. His evolution was monstrous.

"What a fascinating creature..." Irnina murmured to herself, licking her lips.

Aedan nodded slowly, processing the honesty of the warning.

"I believe I am satisfied with that answer. I understand your position and accept your terms on behalf of Ignis," the young prince declared. "However, you must keep in mind that although we will allow you to cross our borders to log the Mana-Bark Tree, your workers will be under our strict military surveillance and must report exactly how much material they have extracted at the end of each day. We cannot allow uncontrolled looting. Is that a problem for you, Your Majesty?"

"Not at all. We will be fine with that," Ryan said, downplaying the surveillance. He had already figured out how to operate under those restrictions. Then, he waved his hand dismissively and looked at Rohan's youngest son. "Alright, the deal is closed. You can go with your siblings now, brat."

The young demon hesitated for a second, looking at Ryan, but then walked slowly to stand next to Irnina.

Seeing him approach, Solaris looked at him with undisguised disgust and contempt, stepping away as if the boy were infected. Irnina, on the other hand, didn't seem to care about the young prince's presence in the slightest, ignoring him.

Ryan silently observed the cold interaction. It was the hostile familial behavior he already expected from demonic royalty, where fraternal affection was a weakness and only the strong survived.

Then, when the scared young demon finally reunited with his half-siblings and the escort was ready to leave, Aedan took another step forward. The negotiation for the hostage was over, but the real diplomacy was just beginning.

"There is one more thing, Your Majesty. You may refuse to hear it and reject it if you wish, but... I bring a formal invitation from my father, Demon King Rohan."

"Go ahead, tell me," Ryan conceded, narrowing his eyes.

"Another of the ancient kings, Demon Queen Juba, has officially called a summit meeting of all the current Demon Kings. It will be a grand assembly in neutral territory," Aedan explained, adopting a much more solemn and dark tone. "My father, Demon King Rohan, specifically asked me to extend this invitation to you, acknowledging your new status, Your Majesty. If you agree to attend, you will receive all the details, coordinates, and security protocols via a messenger crow in a few days. So... what answer should I take back to my father?"