Chapter 409: Heated Negotiations

"Your Majesty," Sharon said calmly. "I have prepared the details. However, I will start from the lowest point. First, we, the Great Velmora Empire, want a defense pact between our two powers."

"Of course, in this case, we will take a balanced position. No one will be stronger or weaker, so you can relax."

A defense pact is an agreement that binds two powers—in this case, the Great Velmora Empire and the Kingdom of Kaldarion—to support each other, especially in the military field.

Considering that the Kingdom of Kaldarion is a respected power in the northern region, there is no harm in building closer relations with them.

Moreover, they have strong technology and solid experience in winter warfare.

If the Great Velmora Empire can obtain those advantages, it will be greatly beneficial.

After all, winter wars could break out with enemy parties, especially with the Holy Empire of Valtanir, which is currently in a heated state.

On the other hand, this agreement would also be very beneficial for Kaldarion.

It should be noted that the northern continent is vast, and many powers stand upon it.

Although the Kingdom of Kaldarion is quite powerful, they still have rivals and hostile forces at their borders.

By cooperating with the Great Velmora Empire, they could obtain technological blueprints such as ships, improved weapons, and so on.

Once Glarvic heard the first condition, he was pleased.

He had always admired the Great Velmora Empire’s military strength.

He often imagined that obtaining it would be a great advantage for him and his kingdom.

And now, Sharon suddenly proposed a condition that was clearly advantageous to him, and he couldn’t possibly refuse it.

"I accept!" Glarvic said without hesitation.

Sharon smiled slightly and continued, "Then, I will move on to the second condition. What we want is control of the port in the southern region of the Kingdom of Kaldarion—Sevarn Port."

Upon hearing this, Glarvic’s pleased expression instantly darkened.

"Your Highness, are you serious? Handing over Sevarn Port to you?" His eyes narrowed coldly.

"Yes, we want ownership of Sevarn Port. However, don’t worry, we will pay royalties to the royal family. The calculation is ten percent of the profits. What do you think of my offer?"

Sharon remained calm, without showing the slightest trace of fear.

Glarvic fell silent, his expression filled with difficulty and anger.

Sevarn Port was one of the three main ports of the Kingdom of Kaldarion.

The other two were the eastern port of Selkar and the western port of Nalvos.

The three were known as the Three Star Point Ports, named after the three winter stars—Eryndel, Nivora, and Karsiel—that were positioned directly above them.

In addition, the three ports were also among the main sources of income for the Kingdom of Kaldarion. Hundreds of thousands of ships stopped by or arrived from various kingdoms to trade or simply anchor.

From there, huge amounts of money flowed in. In other words, the three ports were the kingdom’s gold mines.

However, the Great Velmora Empire was demanding one of them—Sevarn, the port that generated the most revenue for the kingdom.

How could he simply give it away?

Holding back his anger, Glarvic stared deeply at Sharon and asked, "Can you change the terms?"

Sharon shook her head and replied, "I’m sorry, Your Majesty. That condition is one of the two mandatory requirements that must be met. Otherwise, we cannot help you defeat the white dragon."

Glarvic gritted his teeth. He was unwilling to hand over the port to an outside party—even if it was the Great Velmora Empire.

Not only would it interfere with his kingdom’s sovereignty, but that port was also their main source of income.

Since Glarvic refused the request and Sharon remained firm, they finally agreed to postpone the negotiations for two hours.

They would have lunch first, but considering the slight tension between the two sides, Sharon chose to have lunch alone with her brother, Cassiopeia, and Draco.

Glarvic agreed. His favorable impression of Sharon had already faded due to the conditions she proposed, and he needed time to calm himself and discuss the matter with his ministers.

***

"Do you think Glarvic will accept your offer, Your Highness?" Draco asked curiously.

He stabbed a piece of beef and ate it heartily.

Although he was a powerful Celestial mage, he was still a human who needed to eat.

Moreover, the weather outside was extreme, and his stomach was already growling.

Sharon, who was sitting across from him, also took a bite of her meat and chewed calmly.

"If I were Glarvic, I would definitely accept it. After all, he’s in a difficult position. If he refuses, we’ll cancel our aid and return to the Great Velmora Empire."

Cassiopeia and Draco simply nodded, saying nothing more.

However, Nolan, who was quietly eating his meal, glanced at his sister and gave her a meaningful smile.

Once lunch was over, the negotiations resumed. But this time, Glarvic brought his prime minister, Leina, with him.

Leina had a calm, indifferent appearance, as if she had no expression at all. Her long white hair was tied in a ponytail.

Most of her bangs covered her right eye, leaving only her left eye visible.

When Nolan saw her, he was shocked. It was because Leina had a powerful aura—equivalent to that of a Celestial Mage.

What’s going on? Why does Glarvic have such a powerful prime minister?

Nolan wondered silently.

According to reports, the white dragon possessed power equivalent to that of a Celestial Mage.

If they had Leina, why didn’t Glarvic simply order her to attack the dragon? Why did they instead ask for help from the Great Velmora Empire?

The more Nolan thought about it, the more suspicious he became.

Furthermore, judging from Draco and Cassiopeia’s reactions, they were completely unaware of her strength.

"How about it, Your Majesty?" Sharon asked calmly. "Have you made a decision?"

This time, it wasn’t Glarvic who answered—it was Leina.

She bowed her head toward Sharon before speaking. "Princess, we accept the offer."

Sharon’s eyes lit up. But before she could feel relieved, Leina continued.

"But with two conditions—we want sixty percent of the port’s revenue to enter our cash flow. And you must pay a twenty percent royalty. Of course, the royalty does not come from the revenue you earn but is an obligation you must pay outside the profits you will make later."

Not only Sharon, but Draco and Cassiopeia were shocked as well.

"Prime Minister Leina, are you joking?" Sharon stared at her coldly.

"Joking?" Leina tilted her head. "It’s impossible for me to be joking, Princess. Wouldn’t that be the same as disrespecting you?"

Those words made Sharon even angrier. She glanced at Glarvic and saw him closing his eyes, as if he agreed with everything Leina had said.

Sharon replied firmly, "No, I don’t agree."

In an instant, the parlor fell silent, filled with an eerie stillness.

At that moment, Nolan lightly patted Sharon’s left shoulder and said, "I have a better idea. How about listening to it first?"

A subtle, meaningful smile appeared on his lips.