Lucas wanted to run away, but his legs felt like water. Some of his guards were shaking with fear and making noises like scared animals.
Wildan, however, maintained his calm demeanor and requested, "Please be quiet."
From a ring that emanated a soft, ethereal glow, Wildan produced a rope. The sight was both eerie and enchanting, as the rope appeared seemingly from thin air. He instructed his guards, "Tie them up."
Lucas was taken aback. He hadn't expected to be bound in such a manner. Struggling to lift his head, which was oppressed by the gravitational force, he addressed Wildan with an air of desperation.
"Listen, Brother," Lucas began, the tone of his voice a mixture of fear and pleading. "What do you want?"
A shot rang out from Wildan's finger, resembling a black point like a pistol, and it whizzed through the air, narrowly missing Lucas's ears before embedding itself in the wall. The sudden and precise display of power left Lucas both startled and sobered.
"Do not call me 'brother,'"
Lucas, his voice quivering and repentant, quickly corrected himself, "Yes, yes, Your Highness, the Southern Emperor."
Lucas, still shaken by the display of Wildan's power, couldn't help but marvel at the sheer magnitude of the oppression he had just witnessed. His thoughts raced with questions about the extent of this newfound power.
"How is it possible for someone of my age to produce such power? Even my elder brother cannot do this."
Wildan, his authority unchallenged, continued to address Lucas. "You, as a Western wolf, have been brazen in your actions. Not only have you hunted my people, but you have also dared to occupy my territory. Did you think the vow is a mere jest?"
Lucas stammered nervously in response, "That's not it... Can you release the aura first?" His thoughts raced, recognizing that he was helpless in the face of Wildan's overwhelming power. The room seemed to close in around him as he lay on the ground.
"Okay, okay, I'll agree to your demands," Lucas conceded, his resolve finally breaking under the pressure.
Lucas, realizing that he could no longer bear the oppressive force weighing him down, finally surrendered. He knew that his father, Emperor Thorne, would not stand by and let his son die, but Lucas was aware that their actions had been in the wrong.
The operation had been a secret, kept hidden from other countries due to the sacred Lunar Vow, and if it were to be exposed, the Western Kingdom would face international condemnation for violating the vow, not to mention he would lose the right to inherit the throne.
Wildan, seemingly unaware of the turmoil he had caused, asked innocently, "What deal?"
Lucas, rendered almost speechless by Wildan's audacity, could only think, 'This shameless wolf...'
Wildan look at the silent Susi and inquired about the terms he had just proposed. "Am I saying that?"
Susi, who had been silently observing the exchange and seemed to be relishing the spectacle, replied, "Not a clue."
Wildan let out a sigh and contemplated the situation. "I demand 1 billion gold coins and a full retreat of your army."
Lucas, already furious with the audacious demands, was struck by a lightning bolt of anger. His body trembled, and his fists clenched in response to the staggering sum. His thoughts echoed, 'This duo is so shameless, especially Wildan. Does he want to reduce me to a beggar?'
"1 billion gold coins? Do you want to bankrupt me?" Lucas protested.
"Is it too much?"
Wildan seemed to act as if he had injustice negotiation, even though he was the one making the demands.
'Damn you, you shameless bastard. Your mouth is like a lion, to think the south emperor will be this greedy. It's unbelievable that the Mighty Southern Emperor would stoop so low.', Lucas couldn't help but think
Lucas attempted to negotiate, "1 billion is impossible. I don't have that much money."
"But your father's do"
"No..No, don't tell my father about this, change the request", the mention of his father's wrath on him because of this war will make him suffer.
"You really don't make this easy," Wildan complained as if he were the wronged party.
'Damn you bastard, how come I met this guy'
Wildan sighed realizing that he would have to relent. He proposed a revised demand, "Okay, I'll change my demand. 300 million Zennys now and 700 million Zennys when you ascend to the throne, and, and One favor"
"What? The throne? Impossible." He appeared to have forgotten that Wildan's revised demand of 300 million plus 700 million was the same as the initial 1 billion he had demanded before plus wildan add more clause 'one favor'.
"I'll help you," Wildan declared.
Lucas, unable to contain his exasperation, responded, "But... but."
"No 'buts'," Wildan increased the pressure and made lucas shiver his body.
"Okay, okay, what's the plan?" Lucas surrendered, the weight of his shame almost too much to bear.
Wildan laid out the initial steps of his plan.
"First, I will kidnap you."
"Kidnap me?, Then Then?" Lucas echoed, bewildered but compliant.
"Then, I will torture you,"
"Then?"
"I make you nearly die"
"And then?" Lucas inquired, a sense of dread creeping over him.
"The second phase of the plan," Wildan admitted, "I'm still thinking about it."
Lucas couldn't hide his disbelief 'You still think about it'.
"What? Are you sure you don't just want to kill me with this so-called 'take me to the throne' plan? Because it certainly looks that."
"HAHAHA"
As Lucas and Wildan engaged in their surreal exchange, Susi found it increasingly challenging to contain her laughter. She struggled to suppress the laugh bubbling within her, even though the situation was both tense and peculiar.
Lucas, the once-confident prince of the Western Kingdom, had been brought to his knees, and the negotiation made it increasingly difficult not to burst into laughter.
Wildan, with a playful and mocking glance, responded to Lucas,
"This is a grand plan. Why are you complaining, then you agree with the plan right?
"What a grand plan, N.."
Lucas, about to voice his disapproval, was abruptly cut off by Wildan's heightened aura, which intensified to the point that it overwhelmed him. In an instant, Lucas lost consciousness.
Having subdued Lucas, Wildan called upon his vice commander, Hendra. With respect and submission, Hendra approached and knelt before Wildan.
"Send a letter to the Western Kingdom."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"We go, Susi"
With Lucas subdued and their business in the Western Kingdom concluded, Wildan and Susi returned to their wagon, preparing to depart and return to their own kingdom.