Chapter 381 - 377: Seeking Cooperation

Chapter 381: Chapter 377: Seeking Cooperation

When Duane and Count Kais returned to the manor, the atmosphere was still incredibly lively.

Aside from the other Lords, it was unlikely anyone else had sensed the tension from their sudden departure.

Sure enough, when the two of them returned, many of the Lords came forward to ask about the situation.

But since the matter had been personally arranged by King Eric, neither Duane nor Count Kais could say much, so they could only deflect with vague excuses.

"Duane!"

Not far away, Natalia waved at him.

As he returned, Duane noticed Natalia chatting with an elegantly dressed man he didn’t recognize.

’Here we go with the cliché drama,’ he thought instinctively. However, judging by the distance between them and Natalia’s somewhat surprised yet polite demeanor, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

"Go on. I’ll let you know if anything comes up," the Count said.

Duane nodded, using the opportunity to excuse himself from the Lords’ inquiries.

"This is Quinn, son of Earl Dorrell Hilton of the Fidun Kingdom," Natalia introduced with a smile. "He has something to discuss with you."

Duane sized up the young man, who looked to be around thirty. ’What could someone from the Fidun Kingdom possibly want with me?’

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Duane!"

Quinn greeted him in a very gentlemanly fashion, adding with a hint of theatricality, "Though we are thousands of miles apart, your fame has already reached the Fidun Kingdom. Many of our youth consider you their idol."

He leaned in a little closer and whispered, "And I must say, hearing about how you thrashed Thomsen was immensely satisfying!"

Duane was slightly taken aback. ’I heard the Holy Radiance Court has achieved a very high standing in the Fidun Kingdom. Why would the son of an Earl say something like that in such a public setting?’

’Could it be that Earl Hilton isn’t on good terms with the Holy Radiance Court?’

Unsure of Quinn’s intentions, Duane remained impassive and offered a reminder, "You should be careful with your words, sir."

Quinn laughed heartily. "You’re right. That was presumptuous of me!"

He changed the subject. "I am here today on behalf of my father, who has a favor to ask of you."

"Earl Dorrell?"

Duane asked, puzzled, "I can’t imagine how I could be of any help to him."

"Come, let’s talk over there!" Quinn said, walking toward a less crowded area.

Duane took Natalia’s hand and followed. She whispered a reminder to him, "The Fidun Kingdom has a Secret Realm similar to Black Forest Island. I believe it’s within the Hilton Clan’s territory. I’m guessing this is what Earl Dorrell wants to talk to you about."

It dawned on Duane. ’That has to be it. It’s the only explanation.’

Just then, Quinn revealed his purpose, confirming Natalia’s guess. "To be honest with you, there is also a Secret Realm within my family’s territory, one that is very similar to the one in yours."

"Ever since my father learned you have a way to utilize the resources within it, he has wanted to visit you personally. But as you know, given the current international climate, it’s not convenient for him to leave the country. So, he entrusted me to come and seek your help!"

’The Four Nations Alliance is about to be formed, and they’ll soon launch an attack on the Akutas Kingdom. Dorrell is a high-ranking official with many responsibilities; of course he doesn’t have the time,’ Duane thought.

Duane was very interested in this Secret Realm. Beyond the resources, he was also curious whether it contained a Demon Beast similar to the Black Bear.

"Before we discuss any cooperation, I’d like to hear the specific details about this Secret Realm of yours."

"Of course!"

Quinn then described the situation inside their Secret Realm. From people going mad upon entry to the mutated and organized Demon Beasts within, everything was remarkably similar to the Black Forest Island Secret Realm.

Duane was now certain that this Secret Realm also contained a creature like the giant Black Bear, and it was likely even stronger.

’Back then, I got five attribute points for killing the Black Bear. If I can kill this thing, I’ll definitely get even more.’

"How long did it take you to get here?" Duane asked.

’If there’s enough time, I could make a trip there soon,’ he considered.

"We used a ship from the Holy Radiance Court, which is quite fast. The sea voyage alone took over forty days."

’Just the sea journey takes over forty days. Add the overland travel, and it’s probably a two-month trip one way. A round trip would take four months.’

’There’s no way I can go this year.’

Duane had to settle for the next best thing. "So," he asked, "what kind of cooperation did you have in mind?"

Quinn answered without reservation, "We want to purchase your method for developing the Secret Realm. We are prepared to pay with materials or minerals worth one hundred thousand Gold Coins!"

Duane couldn’t help but chuckle, not giving him a direct answer.

’One hundred thousand Gold Coins might seem like a vast sum, but it’s nothing compared to the value of the resources in a Secret Realm.’

He retrieved a jar of wine from his Void Space and handed it to Quinn.

"This is Qingming Medicine Wine. An ordinary person only needs a mouthful a day to resist the effects of the Secret Realm. However, after drinking it for a month straight, one must stop for seven days, or the wine will lose its efficacy."

Quinn was a bit surprised at first. ’Why is he suddenly giving me a jar of wine?’ he wondered.

But after hearing the explanation, he clutched the wine jar to his chest as if it were a priceless treasure.

He hadn’t expected Duane to just hand over the method like this. ’Isn’t he afraid someone will figure out the recipe?’

’Or is he confident that no one can reverse-engineer the Qingming Medicine Wine formula?’

Quinn leaned toward the latter possibility.

So, he asked tentatively, "Sir, I wonder if you would be willing to sell me the recipe for this Qingming Medicine Wine? You can name your price."

Duane replied, "I think you should go back and try it first. See if the Qingming Medicine Wine is effective in your Secret Realm, and then we can discuss cooperation."

With that, he gave a slight nod and left with Natalia.

Quinn stood stunned for a moment, but then the meaning dawned on him.

’Duane gave me this wine to verify if it works on my family’s Secret Realm, that much is true. But by not directly answering my proposal, he’s making it clear he’s not interested in my offer of one hundred thousand Gold Coins.’

’This guy’s ambitions are huge!’ Quinn marveled internally.

Still, the main purpose of his visit was just to make contact and sound Duane out.

Not only had he gotten his answer, but he’d even acquired a jar of Qingming Medicine Wine. His mission was a complete success.

’If this wine really works, then the real negotiations can begin.’

Meanwhile, Natalia whispered, "Are you not planning to cooperate with them, or did you just find their offer too low?"

"Our wedding is approaching, so I don’t have time to go check out his Secret Realm. Besides, trying to buy the Qingming Medicine Wine and the Black Soil Purification Magic Array for just one hundred thousand Gold Coins? That’s far too cheap."

As the Skill Level of the Black Soil Purification Magic Array increased, its Array Map had become more and more complex. It would be incredibly difficult for an outsider to decipher it.

Furthermore, Harmony Magic is very unique; even someone with Natalia’s talent would find it hard to cast proficiently.

Duane was confident that without his support, it would be nearly impossible for anyone else to independently develop this type of hazardous Secret Realm.

That’s why he wasn’t afraid of letting this business opportunity slip away for now.

"How much are you planning to ask for?" Natalia inquired.

Duane thought for a moment, then said softly, "I haven’t decided yet, but I’m more interested in the resources from the Secret Realm itself. Perhaps I should demand a share of the profits and mining rights."

"War is coming soon, and no one knows what the future holds for any of the kingdoms. If we’re going to cooperate, it will have to be after the war is over."

Natalia’s heart tightened. "Is it finally starting? The war?"

"Yes."

Duane nodded. "We’ll talk about it in detail when we get back."