Chapter 916: Alternate Timeline: At Celestra (4)

A couple of hours later, Kiara opened her eyes.

For a few seconds, she remained still upon the soft bed, staring at the ornate canopy above her while the events of the day rearranged themselves inside her mind like pieces of a chessboard. The false king. The hidden quest. The imprisoned ruler. The reward. The risks. Each thought hovered over her consciousness like a star waiting to be connected into a constellation.

At last, she exhaled and rose from the bed.

The warm water of the bath washed away the heaviness of travel, but it did little to clear the web of calculations spinning inside her head. By the time she stepped out and changed into fresh clothes, she had reached only one conclusion.

Before making any move, she needed to see how these people behaved when they believed themselves safe.

Kiara dried her hair, then sent a telepathic message to Zion.

A few moments later, there was a knock on the door.

Zion entered and bowed slightly. "Your orders, Big Sis?"

Kiara looked toward the entrance. "Was there a soldier standing outside the room?"

Zion nodded. "Yes."

"Then go and tell him that I wish to meet His Majesty."

"As you wish."

Zion left as silently as he had arrived.

Kiara moved to the window and looked out over the moonlit palace gardens while she waited. The fountains below shimmered under silver light, and the carefully trimmed hedges looked peaceful enough to belong in a dream.

But Kiara knew better.

A palace was like a pond covered with lotus flowers. From above, one saw only beauty. Beneath the surface, roots tangled together in darkness, and creatures with sharp teeth lurked in the mud.

Fifteen to twenty minutes later, the soldier returned with a message.

His Majesty invited Lady Kiara to dinner instead of a private talk.

Kiara accepted.

At around a quarter to nine, she stepped out of her room.

The palace corridors were quieter than before. Servants moved with lowered heads, and torchlight cast long shadows across the polished marble floors. Her footsteps and Zion’s echoed softly as they followed the royal guard.

After a short walk, they stopped before a pair of heavy doors.

The soldier pushed them open.

Inside was a private dining chamber, elegant but intimate. A round table stood at the center, laid with crystal goblets and silver cutlery. Waiting there were Prime Minister Philip, the impostor King Edward Crescent, and a young man whom Kiara had not yet met.

All three looked toward her at once.

Kiara’s eyes swept across them.

She already knew the identities of Philip and Edward Crescent, so her attention settled on the unfamiliar young man.

Without changing her expression, she activated Sage’s Eyes.

Jacob Crescent.

The son of Edward Crescent.

Kiara’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

"I see," she thought. "The cub sits beside the fox."

A quiet suspicion stirred within her.

Was the prince an accomplice to his father’s scheme?

Or was he merely another pawn who believed the lies told around him?

Kiara did not know.

But in her experience, when a snake built a nest, its offspring rarely slithered far from it.

Prime Minister Philip rose from his seat and approached them with a diplomatic smile.

"Lady Kiara, allow me to introduce Prince Jacob Crescent, His Majesty’s nephew."

Then he turned toward the prince.

"Your Highness, this is the owner of Nexus Weapon Store, Lady Kiara, and her servant, Zion."

The word servant had barely left Philip’s lips when the temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Kiara’s expression remained calm, but her eyes sharpened.

She corrected him at once.

"Prime Minister Philip, I believe I mentioned Zion as my younger brother. So I expect him to be treated as such, not as a servant."

Zion was not merely an android to her.

Whether because she had named him after her younger brother from a past life or because he had been with her from the beginning of this strange journey, Zion occupied a place in her heart that no one else in this world could claim.

He was family.

And family was not to be diminished.

Philip stiffened.

Before he could respond, Edward Crescent, the fake king, frowned and turned to him.

"Prime Minister, when one receives a guest, one must first know how the guest wishes to be treated. Hospitality begins with respect."

Though the words were directed at Philip, the hidden meaning was obvious.

The prime minister bowed his head.

"My apologies, Lady Kiara."

Kiara noticed the flicker of humiliation and resentment in Philip’s eyes before he buried it beneath his practiced smile.

She said nothing.

What was the point?

In her mind, this entire performance would soon collapse once the true king returned.

Everyone took their seats.

Servants poured wine into crystal goblets.

Before lifting her glass, Kiara discreetly inspected the contents with Sage’s Eyes.

No poison.

No sleeping drugs.

Nothing suspicious.

Only then did she take a measured sip.

The wine was smooth and fragrant, with a subtle sweetness that lingered on her tongue.

She set the glass down and looked directly at Edward Crescent.

Because she had arrived hours late and still received a gracious welcome, her curiosity had only grown stronger.

What did they want from her so badly that they were willing to swallow their impatience?

Before she could ask, Edward Crescent began the conversation.

"So, Miss Kiara," he said with a genial smile, "how is your business progressing?"

Kiara answered modestly at first.

"It has not been very long since the Nexus Weapon Store opened, Your Majesty, but I would say it is doing very well."

Then she reconsidered.

A little bragging could reveal much about the people sitting around her.

So she added, "In fact, we recently concluded a treaty with the Phoenix Imperial Army. The only thing left is the construction of a manufacturing facility. Once that is completed, everything will be in place."

She watched Edward Crescent closely.

To her surprise, the impostor’s expression barely changed.

No visible greed.

No obvious excitement.

Either he had anticipated this, or he was hiding his thoughts behind a polished mask.

Prince Jacob Crescent, however, showed no such restraint.

His eyes lit up.

"I heard your store sells weapons capable of killing even 5-star rank Spirit Warriors," he said eagerly. "I asked Prime Minister Philip to bring me one when he visited your store, but he forgot."

Philip did not apologize.

Instead, he smiled smoothly.

"I will be visiting the Imperial City soon, Your Highness. I will personally bring several of them."

Like a skilled boatman steering away from dangerous currents, he shifted the conversation before the prince could dwell further on the topic.

"Lady Kiara," he said, "when we met at the entrance, you mentioned that Lunaris reminded you of your own neighborhood and that you were reconsidering the possibility of opening a branch here. Have you reached a decision?"

Kiara had expected this question.

She was ready.

In truth, she already intended to open another branch somewhere to complete the system quest, and Celestra was a strong candidate because of its trade connections with the Leon Empire.

But she had no intention of appearing eager.

In negotiations, the one who looks thirsty is the one offered salt water.

Kiara folded her hands and answered while keeping her gaze on Edward Crescent.

"I have considered it," she said slowly, "but I do not yet see why I should establish a branch hundreds of kilometers from my home."

She leaned back slightly.

"My business is thriving in the Imperial City. I have enemies there, yes, but Emperor Alexander Phoenix has treated me fairly."

Her eyes sharpened as she further said. "If I choose to expand, I can simply select a nearby location. Why should I come here and risk damaging my relationship with the Phoenix Imperial Court, especially when everyone knows there is tension between your kingdom and the Phoenix Empire?"

The room grew quieter.

Kiara continued, her tone measured and practical.

"What would I gain by opening a branch in Lunaris?"

"Would the benefits offset the risks?"

"In return, would you expect me to provide your military with equipment such as attack helicopters or battle tanks?"

"What about a manufacturing facility?"

"What about merchants capable of supplying the necessary raw materials?"

"And perhaps most importantly, would trade access to the Leon Empire be guaranteed and protected?"

Her questions fell one after another, each as deliberate as a chess piece placed onto the board.

When she finished, she concluded with a calm but firm statement.

"If you are serious about this proposal, then prepare a clear presentation addressing all of these issues. Once I see the terms, we can definitely negotiate."

She paused.

Then added, almost casually, "And finally, may I confirm whether the purpose of this meeting was truly to discuss opening a branch store?"

Silence.

Kiara glanced around the table.

Edward Crescent.

Prince Jacob Crescent.

Prime Minister Philip.

All three wore expressions of surprise.

For a moment, Kiara wondered if they had come to the table armed with nothing more than vague hopes and wishful thinking.

"Seriously?" she thought. "Don’t tell me they invited me on impulse without even proper planning?"

Edward Crescent and his son exchanged glances before turning toward Philip.

But Philip’s real goal had never been the store itself.

What he desired was an alliance with Kiara, a woman powerful enough to challenge noble houses and connected, in his mind, to a powerful force from another world.

To Philip, the unknown manufacturer behind her weapons was definitely an entity from a higher plane of existence. Because not even the strongest Empire in this world, the Dragon empire didn’t have such firearms.

And the unknown, like the night sky, invited both fear and boundless imagination.

Thinking quickly, Philip straightened in his seat.

"By tomorrow morning," he said, "I will prepare a complete proposal for your consideration."

He hesitated for only a breath.

"But before that, may I ask you a few questions?"

Kiara lifted her glass, took a calm sip of wine, and set it down.

"Go on."