After eight long hours—

Claaang!

The massive decorated doors of the great hall groaned as they swung open. From between them entered a woman of striking beauty, her presence almost luminous. She wore a flowing blue gown that revealed her bare shoulders and slender arms, the fabric rippling like water with every step. The instant she crossed the threshold, her sharp gaze swept across the chamber until it found its mark—her lord. A soft, knowing smile curved her lips as she began to walk toward him with graceful confidence.

At that very moment, Hedrick remained seated heavily upon his throne beside the map platform. His vast frame seemed carved from stone, yet his eyes were distant, unfocused, as though his soul were wandering in another realm. Each breath that escaped his chest was long and measured, betraying a weight that pressed far beyond mortal concerns.

"..." The woman sensed it immediately. Something in the atmosphere around him had shifted. Her steps faltered; her expression, once calm, tightened with concern. She slowed, then reached out with delicate fingers and placed her hand gently on his shoulder, her touch respectful yet full of warmth. "Your Majesty, is everything truly well?"

"...?" Hedrick stirred as though waking from a trance. He turned toward her, and for the first time noticed her beside him. A faint crease lined his brow before he returned his gaze to the glowing map platform, exhaling heavily. "...I think I have just wagered more than half of our planetary artifacts..."

"I beg your pardon?" The woman's smile remained, but her tone wavered as though she had not heard correctly. In truth, her mind refused to fully grasp the meaning of such words. To lose half of their sacred artifacts? The thought alone was too staggering.

"Ah, nothing." Hedrick dismissed it with a heavy wave of his hand. "Yes, everything is fine. It is simply... there is so much for us to do in the days to come." His tone was weary, as though trying to convince himself as much as her. He knew his first concern must be survival; only afterward could he face the price of what he had committed.

"Oh?" The woman's eyes sharpened, her brows knitting together. In the blink of an eye, an aura brimming with martial hunger spilled forth from her body. The temperature in the hall seemed to dip as her power manifested. Any expert would have recognized it instantly: a Nexus State of the highest order. "What tidings did the young Shadow Sword bring you, Your Majesty? Their influence has been spreading like wildfire across Middle Sector 101 in recent times. Did he come to peddle information, as is their custom?"

"Something like that..." Hedrick's sigh rumbled deep in his chest. "And it was costly. Very, very costly..." His massive hand rose to rub at the bridge of his nose, as though trying to ease away the growing storm inside his mind.

He could not even tell if the heaviness pressing against him came from the cosmic war looming ever closer—or from the staggering price he had just agreed to pay.

In terms of liquid wealth, his coffers held no more than two billion Pearls, nearly drained dry by the endless expenditures of the Virillion War. Compared to Robin Burton, who had sold a single copy of the legendary Breath of Agess for twelve billion Pearls, Hedrick's fortune seemed pitiful. In the eyes of that man, Hedrick was nothing short of a beggar.

But Theo had not come seeking Pearls. No—he had aimed higher, striking at the very foundation of the Millennial Crumbled Dreams Empire. He wanted planetary artifacts—the essence of imperial might.

He wanted the secrets of ancient fleet construction, the rare plants and extinct ores that shaped civilizations, the stabilizers of the highest quality, and even the contracts to hire experts standing at the very summit of the Nexus State. He sought everything that gave the empire its title… everything except Pearls!

"I want you to prepare an empire-wide council," Hedrick said at last, his voice heavy with finality. "I wish to see every general, every planet-lord, every hall master, and even the high-ranking officers. Anyone not directly bound to the defense of Virillion must be present here, in person." The order left no room for question—his decision had been made.

"Is it truly so dire?" The woman's brows drew tighter. Lord Hedrick disliked appearances, detested gatherings, and had avoided them even during the blood-soaked Virillion War. For him to summon such a council now meant the situation was unprecedented in severity.

Her expression hardened into solemn resolve. "As you command. I will begin the arrangements immediately." She bowed slightly and turned to leave, her gown swaying in silence.

"Wait." Hedrick's voice, deep and commanding, rolled across the chamber.

"Your command, Monarch?" The woman froze, then turned back toward him. She placed both hands before her body with flawless poise, standing straight, her entire being radiating respectful submission.

Hedrick appeared lost in thought for several moments, his expression stiff and uncertain, before he finally parted his lips and spoke, "…Starting from the coming few days, we will be receiving a number of high esteemed guests arriving from across the entire Middle Sector 101. Moreover, we are also expecting several representatives from the empires and powers of the Young Sector 101—those who have not yet entered the war against Verilion. They will come to us seeking an alliance… Receive them properly, treat them with courtesy, and negotiate the terms in my name."

"Hah?!" The woman's reaction was one of utter disbelief. "They are the ones who will come to request an alliance themselves!? Why would something like this suddenly happen?"

"I don't know!!" Hedrick replied, his voice carrying even greater astonishment than hers. "But one thing is certain—their numbers must reach at least fifty within the next ten years."

At that moment, his jaw tightened and his teeth ground together in frustration. He had paid dearly—three pieces of planetary artifact for every ally at the level of a Multi Planetary Empire, and five entire pieces of gear, or the equivalent in treasures, for each ally at the level of a Centennial Empire!!

"…Well, this is excellent news." The woman's lips curved into a wide smile, one that radiated both happiness and excitement at the same time.

If the Crumbled Dreams Empire had learned any hard lesson from the grueling war against Verilion, it was that standing alone in isolation was undeniably a disastrous choice. Lord Zarion had moved vast legions to assault Verilion without ever having to personally lift a finger, while they themselves had been forced to toil night and day with their own hands, bleeding resources until most of their wealth was consumed in the flames of war. Even their only ally, the Empire of Shattered Meteors, had nearly been annihilated from existence!

"There is another matter, Heigra!" Hedrick suddenly added, his tone sharp, catching the blue-robed woman just as she was about to leave. "Very soon, shipments of Anti-curses will be arriving. The first convoy will reach us within six months. Make sure you receive it personally, and store it in the most fortified vaults we possess."

"Shipments of Anti-curses?!" The blue-robed woman, Heigra, furrowed her brows deeply. "Why would we require shipments dedicated to something so unusual?"

"You will learn in the meeting." Hedrick forced himself to smile, though it looked strained.

Theo had told him it was a special product developed by the Sky Opening City after analyzing countless curses and enchantments from the Behemoth Galaxy. According to him, this product would serve to protect Hedrick's armies from the interference of the Curse Emperor on a massive scale.

But the price…

"Ughh…" Hedrick pressed his head between his hands, squeezing it as if the weight of his thoughts might crush him.

"Your Majesty…" Heigra stepped forward quickly, worried for her ruler's well-being.

"I am fine." He raised his hand to halt her, his voice weak but steady. "…After the Anti-curses, more shipments will arrive—this time consisting of assortments of curses, enchantments, talismans, arrays, and even sets of epic armor of both low and mid-tier grades."

"All of that?" Heigra's eyes widened until they seemed ready to burst from their sockets. "Your Majesty, what in the world is truly happening?"

"…You will understand in the meeting." Hedrick, his strength draining, let his head fall backward and closed his eyes wearily.

Perhaps he had been too naïve to think that possessing the Seed would ever be an easy matter… but now—perhaps—there was a sliver of hope with the existence of the fabled Shadow Swords.

"…!!" The moment the term "Shadow Swords" crossed his mind, Hedrick's eyes flew open wide. In a sudden explosion of anger, he kicked the map platform with all his strength and roared, "Damn it all!!"

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