Etri was furious. Her oval face turned red, and a light sparkled in her violet eyes. When she found out that her husband had married a Dark Elf without even exchanging a word with her... Well, if Earth women were normally angry when their husband jumped the fence, imagine for a Heli whose culture is normally polyandry (one woman, several men, remember?). She felt humiliated. Besides, he couldn't even take care of her, and now he's got another one.
"My wife, I'll be right there. I was focused on a gun project, and I lost track of reality... I am sorry!" Ian spoke cautiously while bowing slightly.
"Hmph, we'll talk later." Etri said, turning around and leaving the room. Ian didn't dare stay any longer and almost ran to the embassy's meeting room.
The room in question looked magnificent and could almost, I repeat, ALMOST be considered luxurious and pleasant to look at. That is, if it weren't for the various high-quality statues of hideous creatures, paintings of bloody scenes, and shiny weapons, all made from various precious metals but designed for torture. Dark Elves were a sinister race.
"Are you Mr. Haller?" Asked a stranger, dressed in a well-tailored lilac robe with gold details and buttons made of unknown red stones, which, judging by their aura, were very valuable. He carried four silver daggers with a cold gleam, attached to a worn leather belt that, at a casual glance, looked anything but beautiful and stood out from the rest of his attire. However, what truly caught Ian's attention was the appearance of this noble Elf, whose skin resembled a dried plum. His face was extremely gaunt and thin, and if it weren't for his fiery and energetic gaze, one could mistake him for a corpse. Considering his profound cultivation, combined with the longevity of the elven race, judging by his appearance, his age should be immeasurable.
"This is me! The junior greets the senior!" Ian replied, clenching his fists and bowing slightly. In Sombreal, such a gesture was seen as a sign of utmost respect, reserved for people who deserved great admiration, which left the elderly Elf perplexed. This was not a usual gesture for sworn enemies...
Feeling a bit sympathetic towards the shaken Minister of the Eternal Night, Huaguer, who was in a corner of the room, coughed and formally introduced the distinguished guest. It was not once or twice that he, too, had been a victim of Ian's lack of cultural knowledge.
"So you are the Sage Hai! I feel that the Eternal Night honors me with such a legendary character." Ian said.
"Mr. Haller, there's no need to be so humble; you yourself are a genius of science beloved by the heavens." Minister Hai replied, inwardly very pleased. Dark Elves normally acted coldly or maliciously, but he had lived for many years and had already softened his heart like an ordinary elderly person on Earth. In addition, he spent every day attending to the Bloodthirsty Queen, who treated him extremely poorly, almost kicking him around. Being well received, even by an enemy, warmed his ancestral heart.
Huaguer gave a few more glances at the Elf. Never, even in his wildest dreams, would he have expected the feared and illustrious Sage Hai of the Eternal Night, Minister of Foreign Affairs and right-hand man of the Bloodthirsty Queen, to actually act like a kind old grandpa who enjoyed receiving respect from younger generations.
"Sage Hai must have come to talk about the contract, am I right?" Ian asked.
"Indeed, it's already signed by me, the Queen, and the higher-ups. Here it is."
Ian took the small stack of papers, examined them, saw that everything was in order, and also validated the document.
"I'm glad that our misunderstandings could come to a friendly end. To celebrate, would the senior like to join us for a drink?" Seeing the Minister's hesitation, Ian added: "It's a new invention, still in the refinement stage, but I assure you it's much better than most things you've tried in Sombreal! You know, I usually pull out good things from my pockets, hehe."
When he pondered that the Queen asked him to keep an eye on the innovations from F11, The Sage thought he should make a sacrifice for the nation. Since he did not approve of the use of mind-numbing substances.
"Floret, please bring that drink, for three people." Quickly a Gnome in a flowered dress, curiously matching her name, came out from behind a curtain, took a tray and set everything up. In an instant, three small glass cups were each with three ice cubes in them, and 1/4 of them filled with a light brown liquid, perhaps more of a golden color.
"Master Huaguer, join us as well! I would like both of you to taste it and bless me with your opinions." Finishing his sentence, Ian took his portion and began to drink. The others watched him and, after a moment, followed suit.
A gentle bitterness and a burning sensation descended their throats. The first sip seemed terrible, and they made a slight grimace, but when they turned their gaze to Ian, who was enjoying the drink, smiling, and still with a nostalgic look, the two took a deep breath and drank a second, third sip... When the pair finished all the liquid in their glasses, they felt a small fire inside them and realized it was a pleasant sensation. Both wanted more!!
"What do you think?" Ian asked confidently.
"Very good, I've never tasted anything like this before!" The Sage said, licking his lips.
"Perfect!" Replied Huaguer. He said only one word but couldn't take his eyes off the jug.
"Ahaha, I'm glad you liked it. Floret, keep our glasses full!"
And so, they began to drink and talk about various subjects. Sage Hai, who had been reserved, quickly relaxed under the influence of the whiskey. Huaguer occasionally howled and played around; he seemed almost foolish. Who could imagine that he was a great and feared exiled General?
"Junior, what is the name of this nectar?" The old elf asked, his tongue already slightly tangled.
"Although it's still an unfinished version, the name will be Spirit Whiskey. Don't worry, once we finish some adjustments in production, F11 will start selling it!" Hai nodded happily. If this dose he was consuming was just a low-quality prototype, how good would the final product be? Anticipating the first batch, he brought the glass to his lips only to discover it was empty. He looked at the jug, not a drop left, then turned his gaze pleadingly to the Gnome servant, but received only a shy nod. Sighing, he stood up.
"Mr. Haller, thank you very much for your hospitality. Tomorrow, I'll return to help the embassy staff reorganize. I hope that once you produce the first batches of Spirit Whiskey, you'll remember this old man. It provided a rare joyful occasion." Ending his speech with a melancholic tone, Sage Hai began the farewells, and the three of them said their goodbyes.
Ian sighed. He wasn't worried about the contract being signed, but he expected some difficulties and headaches with the Eternal Night in the medium term. Fortunately, the envoy turned out to be receptive and a good person. As Ian pondered the events, he noticed that Huaguer was leaning against the door and staring at him without leaving.
"Is there something, Master Huaguer?"
"Do you know why I came to work as a mercenary for the Haller Clan?"
Ian thought for a moment and came to the conclusion that he didn't know. A Fantasy Realm was considered an important player anywhere in Sombreal. Hiring him would already be seen as an act of absurd luck. As for the amount of salary he charged, it was simply a joke. Ian had reflected on this before but couldn't come up with an answer. Although it seemed suspicious, it fit very well, so he simply let it go.
Seeing that Ian seemed clueless, Huaguer continued: "I was an important General of a Lycanthropic nation, but due to a coup, I was exiled along with some of my most loyal subordinates. If it weren't for the price of killing me being too high and my popularity in the army, my end would have been different." At this point Huaguer paused, frowning and pointing his snout upwards, as if remembering something sad.
"I didn't have a clan, and the only organization I worked for was the army. In this way, they had nothing to control me. During all these years, I searched in vain for someone who could help me with my revenge. Other states were not interested in buying a war. Fantasy Realms are valuable, but not valuable enough. Factions, Guilds, Organizations, Sects, those few powerful ones who were fit for this mission, thought in a similar way to the nations."
Ian began to anticipate where the Licanthrope was going. The pieces had started to fit together.
"I was already giving up on my idea and preparing a last act with those closest to me who also failed to follow the life. Until I heard from your clan and company. You had powerful weapons that promised even people with low cultivation the chance to face higher levels, which would normally be impossible. I was skeptical about all this, but hope is the last thing that dies. I asked a low wage, which was what I thought, at the time, F11 could afford. I feared being rejected simply out of suspicion. But you always treated me very well. In the future you need to review this." Huaguer looked at Ian as if giving him advice and pulling his ear at the same time.
Ian felt a little embarrassed and nodded in agreement. The truth was that although he seemed very intelligent, in fact true, that did not mean that he had everything under control and was infallible.
"After the embassy battle, I finally convinced myself that I made the right choice. And watching you every day, making decisions and persevering against fangs and claws much larger than yours, I saw your value as a leader."
At that moment, Floret hurriedly appeared to finish arranging the room. After all, the next day, they had to deliver everything in order to the ambassador. So, she inadvertently interrupted the warrior. Apologizing for her intrusion, she blushed and left. Ian took advantage of those moments to think.
"Master Huaguer, would you and your friends like to join the Haller Clan? If so, I promise you will be warmly welcomed, and I guarantee you a place on the Council. As for your life mission, in the coming years, I must deny the clan's participation in it. But as soon as we are able to reap the fruits of the armed branch and increase our military power, as well as form a web of allies and establish a strong presence on the continent, in this way and only in this manner, I will accept the challenge."
The Lycanthrope stared at Ian and said nothing for some time. He had cast the bait. Because of his experience dealing with great powers, if Ian accepted quickly without imposing anything, he would reject it. After all, a leader needs to be conscientious and rational, he can't let himself be led by short term benefits. His respect for the one in front of him increased even more.
To Ian's astonishment, Huaguer knelt down, howled and prostrated himself in front of him.
"I, Huaguer, Phantom Fang, pledge my body and soul, eternal loyalty to the Haller Clan!"