As the first rays of sunlight awoke Thorian, he rose from his bed and dressed in clean clothes. Exiting his bedroom, he discovered Nox asleep on one of the living room couches. Smiling, Thorian roused his friend, "Nox, it's time to wake up."
With a grunt, Nox stretched and opened his eyes. "Is it morning already?"
"It is," Thorian chuckled. "Now, quickly get dressed so we can head out. We have quite a few tasks ahead."
"Okay, okay," Nox yawned, standing up.
Realizing Nox would need some time to prepare, Thorian returned to his room and gazed out the window. He then cleaned his mouth with a water manipulation spell. Before mastering this spell, managing his hygiene with mere water balls had been challenging. Now, it had become a routine. As the king of his village and representative of his people, Thorian could not afford to appear uncivilized.
After attending to his hygiene, Thorian rejoined Nox in the living room, now ready to leave. The two exited the house.
"So, what's our plan for today?" Nox inquired.
Thorian pondered briefly before answering. "First, I need to meet with William. Discussions such as these tend to be lengthy, and I'd prefer to start them as soon as possible."
"I see," Nox nodded. "Would you like me to fetch him?"
"That would be helpful," Thorian agreed. "But there's no rush. I have another task to attend to in the meantime."
"Understood," Nox chuckled. "We'll take the scenic route then."
After bidding Thorian farewell, Nox departed the village. Thorian, meanwhile, contemplated his next steps before heading to the Cultivation Hall.
Entering his usual room, Thorian thought, Although I didn't come here to cultivate, the higher concentration of ether here will certainly be beneficial. I also need the peace and quiet to focus on condensing my mana heart.
Settling into a lotus position, Thorian cleared his mind, concentrating solely on the cloud of mana in his chest. It resembled a colorful nebula, energizing his entire body.
Aware that he couldn't simply force the gaseous, unruly mana to condense into a single point, Thorian began guiding it in a rotating motion instead of directly towards the center. As the vortex of mana gradually gained speed, he subtly directed the rotation inward, causing the mana to inch closer to the center with each rotation.
With relentless focus, Thorian repeated this process countless times. Each rotation brought the mana closer to the center. After an hour, the vortex had transformed into a tiny spinning ball, its viscosity nearly gone due to the intense pressure. With one final effort, the blob of mana solidified, and a notification promptly appeared.
Congratulations, you have condensed your mana heart.
As a reward, you have gained 20 points in mana.
Smiling at this notification, Thorian decided to check his status panel.
Display Panel
Ding
Race Elemental Lord Kobold Level 26/45 (EXP: 196098/295000) Class Elemental High-Magus Level 11/50 (EXP: 110000/295000) Lifespan 70 years Cultivation Realm Qi Gathering Seventh Stage (2.7%) Stats Strength 214 Agility 213 Constitution 208 Mana 263 Qi 200 Free Points 102
While his stats had only changed slightly, Thorian knew that condensing his mana heart brought benefits that were not reflected in his status panel. His mana efficiency had increased to such a level that his skills now required only 75% of their usual mana cost. In other words, it was as if his mana pool had effectively increased by a third.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
And it's not just a flat increase, Thorian chuckled to himself. It's a percentage increase that will continue to benefit me as I further enlarge my mana pool.
Having taken care of this significant task, Thorian left the Cultivation Hall. By this time, the other rooms were beginning to fill, signaling that people had awoken and started their day.
Surveying the village, Thorian noted the absence of any commotion or large gatherings, leading him to conclude that Nox and William had not yet arrived; otherwise, the presence of the guest would have undoubtedly attracted attention.
With this in mind, Thorian hastened toward the outer gate, where Forlune and Aqua were on duty.
"Oh, my lord, I assumed you were still cultivating," Forlune remarked from the ledge before leaping down to meet Thorian.
"I've yet to begin my cultivation," Thorian corrected. "I'm expecting an important guest, and it would have been discourteous to keep him waiting."
"An important guest?" Forlune raised an eyebrow before realizing, "You're referring to the lord of the humans."
"Yes, indeed," Thorian confirmed with a shrug. "Today, we clarify our positions and begin the negotiations."
"What negotiations, though?" Forlune laughed. "Given our superiority, I wouldn't really call it a negotiation. It's more about how generous we decide to be."
"Call it whatever you like," Thorian replied with an eye roll. "But this meeting with William will be one-on-one, without anyone else present."
"As you wish, my lord," Forlune responded with a shrug and a smile. "You've made your intentions clear to me yesterday. As long as Locksley becomes our vassal by the end of this, I'll be satisfied."
Surprised by these words, Thorian nodded, "It shall be as you say."
The two then waited at the gate's ledge for a few minutes before Nox, William, and a party of five humans emerged from the forest.
"It really is a village of monsters," an older gentleman among the humans remarked, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"It is truly marvelous," William added, smiling.
Scanning the group, Thorian recognized most of the humans: Oswald, Tristan, Robert, and he presumed the old man to be General Henry. The final member of the party was a man Thorian didn't remember by name, only that he was General Henry's second-in-command.
"Open the gates," Thorian commanded, and the hobgoblins below swiftly executed his order. As the gates parted, Thorian descended from the ledge to greet William and his entourage. "Welcome to my village, Lord of Locksley and his company."
"I'm pleased to meet you again," William nodded in acknowledgment.
"Well then, this is hardly the place for a discussion," Thorian motioned for the group to follow him. "We will have a more detailed conversation at my home."
With an agreeing nod, William, accompanied by his party, trailed after Thorian. At a discreet signal from Thorian, Nox joined them, guiding the group further into the village.
Approaching his residence, Thorian drew alongside William and proposed, "For this discussion, I'd prefer if we were alone."
"Without any of your officers present?" William expressed surprise with a raised eyebrow.
"Exactly," Thorian confirmed with a shake of his head. "And I'd appreciate if you could ensure the same. The dialogue tends to be more straightforward without multiple interjections."
"I understand," William responded with a chuckle. "If none of your officers will be present, then neither will mine. I, too, favor a more direct conversation."
After communicating this to his group and persuading them, William's party, led by Nox, dispersed to explore the village. Though Tristan and Robert were already familiar with the area, the others showed interest in learning more.
Thus, Thorian guided William into his home, and they settled in the living room.
"This architecture is quite remarkable," William observed, taking in his surroundings with admiration. "I wouldn't have expected kobolds, orcs, and goblins to embrace a lifestyle so akin to humans."
"The structure was created by the system," Thorian clarified. "However, if you're referring to our way of life, then yes, we differ from other monsters. Civility is a value I deeply respect."
"That much is evident," William agreed, smiling. "You and your kind are unlike any monsters I've encountered. You speak our language, organize yourselves into a society, and are undeniably the most powerful beings I've ever met."
"Thank you for the kind words," Thorian chuckled, a brief silence ensuing.
As William met Thorian's gaze, he exhaled deeply and said, "Well then, I presume you've invited me here because you require something of me."
After a moment's contemplation, Thorian met William's gaze firmly and stated, "Indeed, and I'll be direct. I want you, and Locksley, to become my vassals."