The atmosphere in the hall dropped several degrees as the people seated gaped at the newly arrived Princess Chu Ling with mixtures of fear, shock and suppressed anger. The Serian King's eyes revealed traces of resignation as he admonished his daughter. "Ling'er! Mind your manners! You are in the presence of a king!"

Chu Ling's mocking smirk never left her face as she replied, "C'mon dad, Such a great and awesome King shouldn't mind something of this level right?"

"No, it's fine," Paris replied with a cocky smirk of his own before King Chu could intervene. "She is absolutely right." A complacent grin spread across his face, his gaze carrying a tinge of mischief. "A grrrreat and awe-inspiring King such as myself would never mind the ramblings of an immature child."

Chu Ling's eyes flashed bloody murder. "Who're you calling a child!?"

"Ah, you're right. My apologies," Paris' gentle voice seemed to sooth its way into the hearts of those who heard it. "The little bud has definitely bloomed into a magnificent fire lotus."

Chu Ling stuttered, her cheeks burning as bright as her hair. The fire lotus was the emblem of the Serian Royal Family. It was rumoured that the last plant to survive on the Serian soil was the fire lotus. Some even claimed it was the one plant that could grow in the lands. Unfortunately, the flower had long since gone extinct so no one had any way of confirming the rumor. Still though, the Serian Royal Family had the fire lotus added to the national flag to inspire its people to persevere in the harshest of conditions like the fabled lotus.

Chu Long, this powerful Princess was feared in the army and badlands for her aggressive nature, but before Paris' little compliment, she could only pout with a ferocious glare as her cheeks visibly reddened. Snorting, she mumbled something about an incorrigible prince then sat down next to her sister.

King Chu took full advantage of the brief lull to signal a servant. A second later, maids filed into the hall, with several trays in tow. They lined them neatly on the table, then helped the guests fill their bowls with soup. King Chu noticed Ms. Lightwood's curious gaze. He coughed lightly as he embarrassingly explained, "This is our seaweed soup, the only thing aside from meat that we eat in this country. However, I promise you would not have tasted anything like this before."

Ms. Lightwood gracefully nodded then took a light sip. Her eyes brightened as a small smile suffused her features. "Indeed, I daresay I cannot find a better seaweed soup in all of Destia. I must congratulate the chef."

"Hehe," King Chu lightly laughed, his eyes betraying the relief he felt. It seemed while this woman was harsh, she was also not completely unreasonable. Some other negotiators would not have missed the chance to belittle him at this point. "I will be sure to send your regards."

Ms Lightwood nodded as she continued drinking her soup. She gazed across the table, her interest piques by the heavily contrasting sisters.

The elder, Chu Ming, maintained a grace that would likely put the Queen of England to shame. She methodically raised the spoon to her lips, each movement refined to perfection, yet somehow carrying a certain charm.

Ms. Lightwood nodded, understanding why she would be the one offered up in marriage. On the other hand...

Princess(?) Chu Ling directly forwent the spoon, choosing to lift the bowl and drink from it directly like a soldier or commoner would do. Astonishingly, the action was so natural that the words 'disgusting' or 'how unlike a princess' did not come to mind. Instead, Ms Lightwood could only see are actions as 'as expected.' Maybe it was from the way Chu Ling carried herself, but most people never expressed her as barbaric, rather they used the terms, 'wild', 'aggressive' and 'free-spirited' which could all be good or bad things depending on who looked.

Princess Chu Ling felt Ms. Lightwood's gaze as she put down her bowl. She threw a challenging glare while she licked her lips. "So, you're Paris' lackey huh?"

"If Her highness wishes to see it that way," remarked Ms. Lightwood, her voice even.

"What 'Her Highness'?" Princess Chu Ling snorted. "Chances are we'll soon all be one family, and none of those stuffy old ministers are here to judge. Just call me Chu Ling."

"I wouldn't dare," Ms Lightwood politely declined. Though her tone completely lacked the shock that should have accompanied the declaration.

Chu Ling frowned. "I insist!" She swiveled to her father, brows furrowed. "You don't have a problem right?"

King Chu sighed in his heart, wondering whose side of the family this lass got her wildness from. Conveniently, his memories never touched his younger days when he used to disguise himself as a commoner and go hunting in the badlands. "No, We do not mind. This is a family dinner. It is only natural certain court etiquettes be left at the door."

Ms. Lightwood bowed. "Since His Highness has spoken, it would be rude of me to reject further." She then turned to Chu Ling who had a weird grin like she won something. "I will then drop the formalities Ling-san."

Chu Ling waved her hand. "Ah, we don't use san here. You should call me Ling-er." As if thinking better of it, she scratched her head. "On second thought, just call me Chu Ling. Scrap the honorary titles. I'll call you Leila too. Mm, that's how it should be."

The stalwart Leila actually felt something twitch within her. What kind of Princess was this? How could she be so unbridled? Who ever heard of a guest addressing the Princess of a foreign nation without titles. Knowing she would not win against the stubborn redhead, she sent a pleading gaze at Princess Chu Ming.

Contrary to her expectations however, Princess Chu Ming only released a beautiful smile. "I too think it is fine, Ms. Lightwood. At least, for tonight, we should drop the formalities. After all, by tomorrow we will be going to war." She let out a soft giggle at the end capable of charming the toughest of men.

Rather than relax, Leila's guard rose sharply, sensing an immediate ambush. On the outside however, her expression remained as composed as ever. "If that is how it is to be. I will be in your care Princess Ming, Chu Ling."

"Ha!" Chu Ling exclaimed as she slapped the table. "You got a great advisor flower boy. I like her style."

Paris chuckled inwardly. If it was any other person, such insults would not pass and the negotiations would have broken down right there. Luckily however, Paris knew the two girls and their unique temperaments. Even as a child, Chu Ling was abrasive and loud, saying the first thing that came to mind without a sliver of filter. With an amused smirk, he teased, "Ah, I must say, it is the first time someone has compared my elegance to flowers. Princess Ling, I must praise your insight and humbly accept your compliment."

Chu Ling stuttered, shocked by Paris' shamelessness. Eventually, she sneered, "Heh, looks like you didn't lose your narcissism."

"Of course not," Paris replied with a short laugh. "I believe every man should have a healthy amount of self-love. Only then can you share your love freely with others."

"That sounds fascinating," Chu Ming interjected, eyes holding a tinge of humor. "So how much love do you have?"

Paris grinned, a dangerous glint in his eyes that momentarily made him look even more dashing. "Enough for the whole world."

"Fuu..." Chu Ling breathed then whistled. "Your appetite's grown since you became King huh?"

"It is the sign of a healthy man," replied Paris with a snarky smirk.

Chu Ling's eyes narrowed, boundless amount of pressure exuding off of her in unrelenting waves. The atmosphere in the room thickened considerably, no one retaining their appetite. All except Paris, who leisurely finished his soup then smiled at King Chu.

"You must give me this recipe," Paris joked, his countenance not reacting to the pressure at all. "It was truly divine."

King Chu dryly laughed, somewhat embarrassed by his daughter's conduct. But he was helpless when it came to Chu Ling. No one in the country could control this overly willful woman. Hence, he decided not to interfere unless things really got out of hand. "We are glad to hear that it pleased you. Unfortunately, the recipe is a national secret."

Paris chuckled at the King's joke. The servers used this short lull in the discussion to swap out the soups for the main dish which consisted of several types of meat. To everyone's surprise, Paris unceremoniously cut himself a rather large slice of meat which he placed on his plate with a satisfied smile.

Chu Ling sneered. "You really have an appetite."

Paris laughed. "My appetite's as large as my love."

"Are you sure you can eat that much?" Chu Ming giggled. "Will you not develop indigestion?"

"That is why I have trusted aides who will not only cure me, but also stand in for me should such a thing occur."

"Look at you eating so freely." Chu Ling's eyes narrowed, her tone carrying a tinge of malice. "Have you not given a thought to whether such foods might contain poison?"

Paris' eyes on the contrary were vibrant and strong with laughter and resolute steadfastness. "When the person preparing my meal is someone I trust, I can afford to take that risk."

Chu Ming smiled meaningfully. "Even if they are not of your staff?"

"Even if they are not of my staff."

There was a moment of pause as each person at the table digested the short, but significant exchange. No one there was naive enough to believe it a simple exchange pertaining to food. There were so many undercurrents to that conversation, it was a miracle it did not cause a huge wave of turmoil.

Leila in particular was silently impressed with Paris' eloquence. She understood the young King's unique situation more than most. As the youngest child, he had no claim to the throne and hence was free to be spoiled by his elder siblings and parents. Although he received the compulsory education every royal born child received, his exposure to actual court politics was severely limited. Compounded with the fact that he had left the Royal Family to join the war at the tender age of sixteen, then it was no surprise his unpreparedness for the ambush at the pier.

But those who lose also eventually gain.

After six years at war in which he was the sole survivor of the guard that accompanied him, Paris returned home only to find the castle had already been overrun. He spent the next eleven years among the people of Ranad since he had friends from the war in that area.

After spending so much time among the common people, upon his return to Kingship, Paris' aura inevitably underwent a drastic change. Although he retained the inborn arrogance and pride of all nobility, he developed a certain roguish freeness that stemmed from the commoner within him. Having shared his life in both sides of the world, his views were drastically different from other politicians and kings. He could look at situations from the eyes of the profiting noble and also from the eyes of the hardworking commoner. These contrasting personalities created a dichotomy that charmed and drew the curiosity of those he spoke to.

With a small smile, Leila gratefully chewed on a piece of meat, enjoying the unique taste. Yes, with this, she could relax and enjoy the meal. Paris seemed capable of handling these pair of hot and cold women..

A period of about five minutes passed in which nobody spoke, and merely ate their respective meals. Eventually, the atmosphere began to loosen up and some idle talk sprang up on the table. General Chu and Paris exchanged war stories, the former often scolding his sons who 'knew nothing of real war' while Leila politely responded to Chu Xie's mild and friendly banter. Only Chu Ling remained silent, head bowed as she seemed to be in deep thought. With the prime troublemaker occupied, the conversations flowed freely much to King Chu's delight.

After about fifteen minutes of idle talk, Chu Ling suddenly raised her head, a determined flash in her eyes. Amusingly, the conversations all froze in sync, those at the table scared of what else this woman had to say.

Leila especially, felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. She did not know why, but she was afraid. Seriously afraid! The instincts her father had driven into her warned her of impending danger, the likes of which she would not be able to escape from. What's more this danger was emanating from Chu Ling's heavy gaze. She wanted to warn Paris, but on second thought she shook her head. If she were to offer her assistance now, then everything Paris had worked on so far would crumble. In the end, Paris was not just a friend, but also a King.

A King should not be overly reliant on his aides, more so a woman not of his court. So with bated breath, Leila bit her lips and attentively observed the princesses.

Chu Ling revealed a testing smile, her countenance suddenly taking a drastic change. Somehow, she seemed larger, more glorious and terrifying. Yes, this was the aura of royalty. Normally, as a result of her temperament, it wasn't obvious. However, now, even the servants behind her suddenly felt an urge to bow at her feet. This change was so drastic, serious scowls spread on the faces of those seated.

"The riddles are over. I never liked those anyway." Chu Ling's voice was low, but deliberate, each word heavy in its own right. Yet, despite the stillness of the room, they had a feeling even if a hundred elephants stormed past, her voice would still easily reach their ears. Chu Ling rested her elbows and the dining table, then placed her chin on clasped hands, her gaze never leaving Paris'. "I know what you truly want from our land. If you satisfy me, I can give you a means to improve your chances of success to at least 90%."

Mo@#%*!@ker!!!

BOOM!!!!

"CHU LING!" King Chu Tianjo roared as he slammed his fist on the table. His eyes burned with flames, this bombshell too much for even his own tolerance. "LEAVE!!!"

Princess Chu Ling's gaze met her father's, but there was no fear in them, only cold apathy. "I am not finished Royal Father." Her tone was icy cold, yet burned with deep-rooted determination. "I can assure you, if King Parrissius Vermillion fails to answer this question, I will ensure your alliance fails." She paused, then returned her gaze to King Vermillion. "Do not fret, Royal Father. Should his answer disappoint me, I shall simply step aside and let you continue your negotiations tomorrow."

King Chu faltered, his gaze narrowing. Despite his daughter's obstinacy and mischievous conduct, she had never directly opposed him like this, more so in public. He also knew that her words were no small joke or threat either. If they were to say who had the most power in the country. It would be himself, Chu Ming, then the General and Chu Ming tied in third place. However, Chu Ling's power was somewhat different from the rest, as it was not measured in political or military might.

No, she had the most powerful weapon of all: The People!

The only reason the rebel forces had not exploded in full force had nothing to do with deterrence from the army. No one in Serisis was afraid to die. It was Chu Ling who singlehandedly negotiated with these various forces, sometimes even joining hands with them to destroy other rebels who dared to harm the innocent. If the people revered the King and Chu Ming, they respected and ate off the palm of Chu Ling.

No matter the conditions agreed in the negotiations tomorrow, if the people outright rejected it, there would absolutely be no progress or risk entering a civil war.

King Chu Tianjo knew his daughter was no fool. For her to risk enraging him to this extent, even pulling out such a fatal threat, it meant this matter was just that important to her. He gritted his teeth, then turned to Chu Ming.

The azure Princess smiled like she had been expecting that look. "Why don't we hear what sister has to say. I do believe it sounds important."

King Chu laughed bitterly. These two girls definitely agreed on something beforehand! Otherwise, there was no way a woman as politically astute as Princess Chu Ming would have supported her sister's risky move. Ah, the two had even teamed up during the earlier Paris' earlier interrogation.

When one daughter defies a father, he gets angry. When both daughters team up to defy him, he can only laugh bitterly and take a step back. Poor King Chu really missed his wife. She was the only one capable of straightening these two out. His gaze travelled to the portrait that hung at the west side of the hall.

It depicted a beautiful female half-midi with blue hair in fisherman's garb. The lady was enjoying a beautiful day in the sun while resting against the mast of a fishing boat. It was a painting of the Late Queen's earlier days, which she had ordered made to remind her of where she came from so she never forgot the needs of the common people.

Ah, Yao'er, your children have really grown. They're so much like you now, defying me at every turn. Hehe, you would have loved this wouldn't you? You always warned they would one day gang up on me.

King Chu, with an apologetic smile, turned to Paris. "I will have to trouble you to answer my daughter's question. I apologize for her rudeness."

King Vermillion shook his head. "No, no. She was not rude at all. I too am intrigued by this question. By your leave I will have a go."

Princess Chu Ling's eyes narrowed. "Good. First, what do you think of this country?"

King Vermillion hesitated. Normally, he would praise the good aspects of the country and release a round of flattery. That was the 'correct' political move. But he did not know why; Princess Ling's ferocious gaze dispelled those thoughts from his head. With a long sigh he closed his eyes for a short period. Eyes filled with determination gazed at the Princess a second later. "...It's a mess."

Aside from Princess Ming and Leila, the rest of the room, including the servants and maids flinched, uncomfortable expressions on their faces. Who here did not love their country? Who here was not fiercely patriotic? No one! That was why Paris' reply felt like a huge slap on their faces.

Contrary to their reactions, Princess Ling showed an amused smile, a twinkle in her eyes. "Oh? Do tell."

Paris took one more breath. "I dare not pretend to be an expert as I have only read reports. But there seems to be a gulf between the nobles and commoners, stemming from the increasing food shortage as a result of excessive hunting from the Summoned. Villages have been abandoned enmasse, their inhabitants crowding into the cities in hopes of receiving food from the soldiers and guards stationed there. This has resulted in the standard of living for the common man dropping rapidly as food prices continuously shoot up across the board. Dissatisfaction and mistrust in the Royal Family has risen to the extent that there have been signs of rebellion. Surprisingly though, they seem to have been largely kept in check. We do not know who exactly is responsible, but there seems to be someone within the rebel forces with sufficient foresight. Something usually lacking in rebel forces."

"Hooo, your network is quite impressive," Princess Chu Ling praised, ignoring the stiffened faces around her.

"I dare not take credit," King Vermillion refuted calmly. "Ms. Lightwood is the one who proposed and implemented our intelligence network."

Princess Chu Ling turned to Ms. Lightwood, a gratified, appraising look in her eyes. "Not bad, not bad at all. I'm beginning to like you more and more."

Ms. Lightwood only smiled. "Your Highness praises me too much."

Princess Ling nodded in appreciation. "Then the second question." She turned to Paris. "If Serisis were to be part of your territory, how would you resolve this crisis? Ah, please do not present that cooling thing in front of me as a solution. You may have fooled my father and the people, but I saw through your play."

Ms. Lightwood frowned. Here it is, the uncomfortable feeling.

Oblivious to Ms. Lightwood, Princess Ling continued, "I looked into the crates you brought. Each one requires three charged runestones. Let's assume you could easily get gemstones in the first place. The expertise needed to cut, refine, then transcribe runes onto those stones would cost a fortune per piece. Don't tell me you intend to freely distribute such expensive objects to all households?" Her tone was strangely level despite her biting tone. After a short pause, she continued. "Besides, let's assume you are wealthy enough to squander so many resources. How do you intend to transport these goods to those living far off to the north or west? Do you want everyone to come live in the capital?"

Ms. Lightwood inwardly shook her head. Damn this woman! She did not know whether to praise or curse Princess Ling right now. These were all issues that she and King Vermillion had discussed before, but they had decided that the shock and awe of the fridges should be able to buy them enough time to seal the deal. After which they would address these other issues. This was partly why had the crates withdrawn earlier, so as not to divulge too much information. A little shady? Yes. But that's politics for you.

Ms. Lightwood could still think of a number of ways to salvage the situation. But she understood something. This was King Vermillion's stage. It would lose all meaning were she to offer her aid here.

King Vermillion's eyes narrowed. "I feel ashamed. Princess Ling just praised my network, yet it seems you have quite the formidable one yourself."

Princess Chu Ling grinned. "A man's greatest threat is his ally after all."

"indeed. Princess is correct." King Vermillion took a deep breath, fondling one of the rings on his finger. His brows furrowed a little as he seemed to struggle to come to a decision. Eventually, he sighed and muttered inwardly. "Forgive me, boss. I'll have to release them ahead of schedule."

The ring on King Vermillion's right middle finger suddenly lit up with an auspicious glow. The next second, he held several scrolls and rolled up papers in his hands. He placed the items on the table, not surprised by the lack of shock on anyone's face. Although spatial rings were items from a forgotten era, and there did not number more than ten on the entire continent, it was not so uncommon for a King of a country as large as Rosendun to have one or two low-grade spatial rings.

"The Princess is right," King Vermillion started when he had arranged the items neatly in front of him. "Even if Rosendun was so rich, she would not give such a vast amount of resources for free. After all, not only is such a prospect not feasible, but it will also leave Serisis overly dependent on Rosendun. IF anything were to happen to Rosendun, or were she to pull off support, Serisis would return to square one. I understand your desire to avoid such a precarious situation."

"Then I assume you have a solution?" Princess Chu Ling asked with narrowed eyes.

"Not at present, no," King Vermillion replied honestly. Just as raging flames ignited in Princess Chu Ling's eyes, King Vermillion added, "But I will within a few months with your help."

The rage evaporated immediately, replaced by curiosity. It had to be said that Princess Chu Ling was the epitome of decisiveness. "I assume it has something to do with the scrolls you brought out."

"Yes it does," King Vermillion confirmed, a pained look in his eyes. "Frankly, I did not wish to reveal these until the negotiation table tomorrow as a trump card. But call it instinct, or madness; I somehow believe my profit at this table will far exceed anything I can gain tomorrow."

"Oh?" This time it was Princess Ming who muttered. She sat up straight and monitored the scrolls with a strong gaze. "In that case, please do not keep us in suspense any longer."

"Hahaha," King Vermillion chuckled. "Unfortunately, the fair ladies will have to wait just a little bit longer, while I tackle a few problems."

"Tch," Princess Chu Ling clucked her tongue. "You're still an unbearable tease."

King Vermillion only smiled. His gaze traveled to the walls then back to the Princess. "This house, it was built by hand was it not?"

"Every single brick was laid personally by my ancestors," replied Princess Chu Ling, clear pride in her voice.

King Vermillion's gaze hardened. "Do you have any idea how much money your people could earn as masons in other countries?"

"Haah!?" Princess Chu Ling stammered, thrown by this sudden declaration. "What're you talking about. In other countries, they pray to... what's his name again?"

"Gerber," Princess Chu Ming aided.

"Yeah, Gerber!" Princess Chu Ling repeated. "Why would they need masons?"

King Vermillion's gaze was piercing as he said, "Someone once told me, "There is beauty, only in imperfections." I never truly understood what he meant until I came to this land. After gazing at your buildings, I feel the need to tear down Rosendun's capital and have it rebuilt by hand." He chuckled ruefully. "Of course, were I to do that, I would not find a soul capable of planning out and making high quality buildings in the entire country. This is something that can only be found in Serisis." Seeing that they still were not convinced, his added, "Sentiments aside, the standard of buildings for the commoners in our country and yours aren't even close. For commoners who cannot afford to call upon professional craftsman to pray to Gerber, masons would be a much more viable and cheaper solution. Count the amount of commoners on the continent. Can you imagine the business should your people open a mason's guild and build for the commoners?"

Princess Chu Ling nodded. "That does sound feasible. But then what? Do you intend to have every Serian leave Serisis? Also, this does nothing to solve the food crisis."

King Vermillion picked up two of the parchments on the table. "The solution to the issue of transportation lies in these two blueprints." His gaze traveled across the servants. "But before I hand these over. I must ask your servants to vacate the premises." Who knew which one was an infiltrated spy from another country.

King Chu sensed the severity of the issue and ordered the servants to take the plates from the table and leave. Mrs. Chu Xie also sensed the atmosphere, and without being told, bade her goodbyes and left with her sons. General Chu then picked his chair and unceremoniously placed it at the corner, between King Chu and King Vermillion.

After the small clamor, King Vermillion handed the documents to an impatient Chu Ling. He also handed an identical pair over to the Chu brothers. He then shared scrolls which explained in excruciating detail the performance of the machines on both blueprints.

Several minutes passed as the Chu family browsed through the documents, their expressions shifting from disdain to curiosity, then disbelief followed closely by shock, and finally topped off by sheer excitement!

The other three were fairly better. Princess Chu Ling slammed her fist on the table, her head bent back in wild laughter unbefitting of nobility. With tears in her eyes, she glared at King Vermillion. "Ahhhh, I'm Jealous! So Fucking Jealous! Why did such a Summoned not appear in my territory! Fuck, Fuck What dog-shit luck! So fucking Jealous!!! HAHAHAHAA!!!"

Paris blushed, showing a shameless grin. "I must have saved a thousand lives in my past life."

"A thousand lives ain't enough! You must have been a fucking saint! Hahahaha!"

A myriad of emotions flashed through the gentle seas in Princess Chu Ming's eyes. She looked up at Paris with curiosity. "How long until these can be made?"

Paris smiled. "The Summoned who proposed this has gone to visit the dwarves to begin production on *******." Leila nearly threw up due to the laughter that bubbled up her throat. What fucking visit? The dude was captured! "I believe we should receive confirmation in a few days. The ***** on the other hand, can be built with the help of your people since they are already used to construction. With these two, I do not think transportation will be much of an issue."

Princess Chu Ling resembled a rabid tiger as she grinned at Paris. "GOOD! Your answer surpassed my expectations a thousand fold." Her eyes flashed, having made her decision. "I'll give you something even I never expected."

"Oh, what is this?" King Vermillion asked, curiosity piqued.

Princess Chu Ling slapped her chest and declared, "Me!" Unperturbed by the sudden pin-drop silence, she elaborated with a determined grin. "Rejoice, O King of Rosendun. Today, I, Princess Chu Ling of The Serian Royal House on the Third Day of the Twelfth Month in 1121 A.P, hereby declare that you have won the hands of the First and Second Princess of Serisis in Marriage!"

"WHAT!?" King Chu Tianjo exploded with rage, flying off his chair with the desire to throttle this impulsive daughter of his.

However, no sooner had he stood up did his eldest daughter pour cold water on his rage. "Sit down Father. Rosendun's King has earned this reward." Her tone might have been gentle, but it carried far more weight than Chu Ling's screams and declaration.

Poor King Chu Tianjo visibly aged several years as he sank in his seat, eyes listless. General Chu could only console his brother by patting his shoulder. Who would've thought? During a simple dinner, he had managed to lose both his daughters to a foreigner. Ah.... How painful. General Chu secretly thanked the heavens both his children were male. Or else, forget the alliance, he would have broken King Vermillion's legs.

Meanwhile, Leila's mind exploded from the shock. This was the last thing she expected. They had devised layers upon layers of strategies for tomorrow's negotiations only for everything to be solved during a fucking dinner. The wisben suddenly felt a wave of fatigue wash over her. Her father was right and she would have to grow from this experience. Plans were almost meaningless once the battle started, always expect a new variable to occur and the situation is never fully under control.

Leila let out a sigh. No wonder Princess Ling had been so confident earlier! 90%? No! If the negotiations still did not proceed positively tomorrow, Leila would have to smash her head against the wall. It had to be said that handing the King Chu's only daughters to King Vermillion was tatanmount to handing him Serisis on a platter, and in an inferior position in the alliance. Ah... what was this? She had resolved herself to devour this nation within a week, but it had jumped down their throat within a night.

What's more, she had almost no hand in it!

While Leila's mind was still reeling, King Chu's eyes narrowed as he regained himself. "Fine! You two stubborn children take after your mother too much. But Ling-er!" His authoritative tone caused even the fearless Chu Ling to jump slightly. "You pushed for this, so you'll have to bear the burden of providing this country with an heir. Your second son will be raised in Serisis!"

Princess Chu Ling started, her brows furrowed. She chewed her bottom lip then turned to Paris. Seeing his serene smile, she relaxed. She turned to her father and clasped her right hand to her breast. "Daughter obeys."

"Mmn." King Chu Tianjo mumbled as he sank back into his thoughts. Ah, these naive children. Like their mother they were more than willing to sell the entire country if it meant the common people would live happily. Loyalty to the people before loyalty to the flag. King Chu smiled. Fine, let this old man handle those irritable nobles and die hard loyalists.

The old ideals had led this country to its current situation. If the younger generation truly had a better idea for the future, then it was the job of the elders to make the journey smoother, then step aside. This old man will do just that.

Show Us The Future You Envision Oh Young Ones!

*************

A/N: Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. Made it extra long to make up for the past week. Been real busy lately. Was made group leader for three different term projects and I'm now racking my brains as to how the heck I'm supposed to manage fifteen different people.. Ah, Leila makes it look all so freaking easy...

Anyway, my woes aside, this chapter was pretty fun to write. I bloody love Chu Ling! She completely stole the show in this chapter, even managing to steal the limelight from Leila, something which is very hard to do. (Well, it helps that Leila chose to keep to the background this chapter but still!)

Also, one of my favorite parts in this chapter has to be the food analogy debate. THat thing was just so fucking weird that I bawled out laughing when I was done. I swear, even I thought they were talking about food, until I was about three-quarter through the conversation and I was like 'wait a moment, this doesn't look like it's about food anymore no matter how you look at it.'

Now, for those who could not understand that aspect, here's a friendly translation. (Did not want to explain it in the book as I felt it would draw away from the absurdity.

Chu Ling sneered. "You really have an appetite. (You really want world conquest.)"

Paris laughed. "My appetite's as large as my love. (I can handle the people in all countries.)"

"Are you sure you can eat that much?" Chu Ming giggled. "Will you not develop indigestion? (Are you not afraid of the pressure?)"

"That is why I have trusted aides who will not only cure me, but also stand in for me should such a thing occur. (I have trusted people who can advise him, cover for him and help reduce the pressure.)"

"Look at you eating so freely. (Coveting our land so confidently)" Chu Ling's eyes narrowed, her tone carrying a tinge of malice. "Have you not given a thought to whether such foods might contain poison? (Have you not thought about the possibility we might betray you?)"

Paris' eyes on the contrary were vibrant and strong with laughter and resolute steadfastness. "When the person preparing my meal is someone I trust, I can afford to take that risk. (When the person I am dealing with is someone I can trust, I will bear the consequences of said trust.)"

Chu Ming smiled meaningfully. "Even if they are not of your staff? (Even if your countryman are not placed as kings of conquered lands?)"

"Even if they are not of my staff. (I will not replace your King with my countrymen.)"

.

,

,

Don't you just love Politics! Lmao!

Good news though for you Kashi lovers.... Due to this particularly long chapter, the Serian arc should be wrapped up by the next chapter, at most the one after that. Then its back to the black crusader...

God that was lame... Here's a Furry for the Ladies! Mmm... Beefcake!