At noon that day, after a hearty meal, Cerydra and Heinrich walked side-by-side, with Arthur following closely behind. The trio arrived at a spacious conference room where a round table stood at the center, surrounded by a circle of chairs.
The room was still empty. Cerydra circled the table before spotting a specially elevated chair and leaping onto it. The round table was rather tall; had she sat in a regular chair, the other attendees might not even see her, only the small blue-flamed crown atop her head.
Arthur settled into the chair beside her. The purpose of the elevated table became clear at that moment—if it weren't so high, Arthur wouldn't have been able to sit down at all.
As for why Arthur was at Cerydra's side, both the Dragon Ember Empire and the All Nations Alliance had sent two representatives each. Cerydra couldn't possibly attend alone; she needed at least one other person with her. After much deliberation, she chose Arthur.
Because this Barbarian spoke his mind bluntly, he could act as Cerydra's mouthpiece in certain situations.
Moreover, Arthur could arguably be considered half the King of the Northern Territory even before Cerydra's arrival, making his presence at such a high-level conference perfectly reasonable.
Heinrich casually took a seat as well. Although he represented the Arcane Federation, he had come alone, his role being more of an observer than an active participant.
Less than a minute later, footsteps echoed from outside the door. Emperor Gerald of the Dragon Ember Empire entered, followed by his wyvern, Thor.
Heinrich nodded slightly. "Have a seat wherever you like."
Gerald's gaze swept the room before settling on a seat directly across from Cerydra. Crossing his arms, he said nothing, simply waiting in silence.
Another minute passed, and the two representatives from the All Nations Alliance arrived: a Catfolk male and a Dwarf male, both Senior Councilors.
Cerydra recognized the Catfolk Councilor; Aglaea had met him during her activities within the All Nations Alliance. However, she had no recollection of the Dwarf Councilor.
After observing the scene, the two newcomers chose seats diagonally opposite Heinrich. Despite the round table having over twenty seats, the four groups ended up occupying opposite corners, each separated by a considerable distance.
The Catfolk Councilor sat down normally, but when the Dwarf Councilor settled in, Cerydra turned to look and found she could only see the top of his head—she couldn't see his face at all. After all, Heinrich had only raised Cerydra's chair specifically for her, neglecting to adjust the others.
Seeing this, Gerald grinned. "Seriously? Couldn't the All Nations Alliance have picked someone a little more... normal? How are we supposed to discuss matters when we can't even see the person talking?"
The Dwarf Councilor retorted in a deep, rumbling voice, "This is a meeting, not a blind date. What do you need to see my face for? As long as you can hear me, that's all that matters."
Gerald chuckled. "Hmm? Since when did tables start talking?"
He turned to Heinrich. "Is this table a Magic Item? It's quite intriguing. Could I buy one later?"
If the Dwarf's tone had been relatively normal just moments ago, it now flared with genuine anger. "Dare to say that again? I swear, I'll split your kneecaps with a single axe swing!"
Cerydra's expression stiffened momentarily. Though she had remained composed throughout Gerald's earlier insults, this retort from the Dwarf nearly made her burst out laughing.
Split your kneecaps? Was that the infamous Dwarf Low Sweep?
At that moment, Arthur suddenly spoke up. "Can you stop harping on this height nonsense? You're not exactly towering yourself, are you? Hmm, shorty?"
After all, Cerydra was also quite short. Arthur likely saw Gerald's mockery of the Dwarf's height as a veiled insult to her as well. Naturally, he wouldn't take kindly to that.
Gerald frowned slightly. Arthur was indeed much taller than him, leaving him little room to retort. Then... the 'Thor' beside Gerald couldn't resist chiming in. "Competing on height? I'm over three meters tall. Think you can measure up?"
After all, this guy was a wyvern, currently curled up on the floor. His physiology wasn't designed for sitting, but even when coiled, his massive form still dwarfed everyone else in the room.
No sooner had Thor finished speaking than another voice boomed from beneath the table: "Ha!? I'm a fucking hundred meters tall! Come on, compare your height with mine!"
Everyone froze, startled. Gerald hesitated for a moment before glancing toward the Dwarf. The Dwarf immediately declared, "Not me!"
Amid the confusion, Arthur quietly retrieved an axe from his waist and placed it on the table. The eye on the Demon Axe swiveled around as it growled, "I'm the Rage Lord of Layer Eighty of the Abyss! Come at me! Let's settle this!"
It had to be said, after battling the Plague Lord together on Layer Seventy-Nine of the Abyss, the bond between the Demon Axe, Arthur, Cerydra, and the others had strengthened immeasurably. Whether it was the "brotherhood forged in adversity" or the sheer terror of that "world-shattering strike," the change was undeniable.
After all, anyone with half a brain could understand that being sealed for five hundred years was infinitely preferable to being killed, resurrected after seven or eight centuries, and then having to start all over again.
In short, the Demon Axe had abandoned any plans to break its seal. It remained by Arthur's side, chatting and bantering daily, finding the arrangement surprisingly agreeable.
The Demon Axe's declaration silenced the entire conference room for several seconds. A common person might have scoffed, "You're just an axe! What nonsense are you spouting?"
But because everyone present was among the highest-ranking figures in the world—Gerald and the two councilors from the All Nations Alliance—they knew the axe's true nature and understood that its words were genuine.
"Ahem!" Heinrich cleared his throat abruptly. "Enough bickering. We're here for serious matters, not to fight. If you want to brawl, take it to the battlefield, not this chamber!"
Gerald shrugged, offering no further comment. The Catfolk and Dwarf councilors remained equally silent. Finally, Cerydra spoke for the first time, her voice both regal and charming. "First, I must declare a crucial fact: the Northern Territory Empire has been established. Any threat to its sovereignty will be met with swift and decisive retaliation!"
This was a declaration, a notification, not a request. It required no approval or consent from other nations.
As she spoke, Cerydra produced several maps, gently sliding them across the table to the representatives of the other nations. This was the primary purpose of the conference: to proclaim national sovereignty and delineate spheres of influence.
Gerald and the two Councilors from the All Nations Alliance picked up the maps to examine them. As for Thor, Gerald's companion, he attempted to snatch at the maps with his claws several times, but each attempt failed. He was forced to stretch his neck and crane his head over Gerald's shoulder to view the map in Gerald's hand.
Moments later, the Catfolk Councilor slammed the map onto the table, his brow furrowed in a scowl. "This is impossible!"
In truth, Cerydra's territorial divisions were largely reasonable, consisting almost entirely of Ice Plains terrain. However, one area stood out: Chaos City, the All Nations Alliance's notorious "City of Chaos," had been included within the Northern Territory's sphere of influence.
Cerydra crossed her arms and retorted, "What's wrong? Doesn't your Alliance despise this city? You dump all your refuse there and wish you could excise the place entirely. Now that I want it, shouldn't you be rejoicing?"
The Dwarf Councilor's voice rumbled from beneath the table, "That's not how things work! This territory has always belonged to the Alliance. How could we just hand it over to you because you say so?"
His meaning was clear: My trash is still mine. You can't take it!
But Cerydra's stance was equally unyielding. "Very well. If you won't give it willingly, I'll take it myself."
At this, Gerald's lips curled into a wide grin. "Ha ha! Excellent news! Imperator, if you ask me, you should be even bolder! Why only claim one city from the Alliance? Demand ten or twenty! We'll launch a joint assault!"
After all, the Dragon Ember Empire had no stake in this matter. Seeing the Alliance humiliated was something Gerald would fully support! Moreover, if the Northern Territory Empire truly marched south to attack the Alliance, it would be the best possible outcome for the Dragon Ember Empire.
Hearing Gerald's support, the Catfolk Councilor and the Dwarf Councilor seethed with rage, but they couldn't lash out. Finally, the Catfolk Councilor spoke, "This is a grave matter. I have no authority to make such a decision alone. Give me some time to consult with the others."
Cerydra replied, "Seven days after this meeting concludes. If you haven't yielded the territory by then, I'll claim it myself."
The Catfolk Councilors were stunned. "Seven days?!"
That was barely enough time to convene the Council, let alone debate and reach a consensus.
Gerald chuckled. "Take your time deliberating. By the time you're done, my soldiers will be at your doorstep!"
After a long hesitation and whispered consultation with the Dwarf Councilor beside them, the Catfolk Councilors finally sighed heavily. "Very well," they conceded. "The All Nations Alliance agrees to this division of territories."
With this agreement, the primary objective of the conference had been achieved. The remaining agenda items focused on strengthening diplomatic ties through the exchange of resident diplomats and deepening cooperation in areas like trade and student exchanges.
These matters could be delegated to others. Cerydra needed only issue an order; she had no need to personally discuss such trivial details.
As the conference drew to a close, Gerald couldn't resist giving Cerydra a thumbs-up. "Imperator," he grinned, "I must admit, I've grown quite fond of you! Perhaps the Northern Territory Empire and the Dragon Ember Empire could even become genuine friends someday!"
Of course, this "fondness" was ideological and strategic, not personal affection.
Cerydra's reaction to this declaration was utterly indifferent. "Is that so?"
There are no eternal friends or enemies between nations; the Northern Territory Empire and the Dragon Ember Empire currently share no conflicting interests. But if conflict arises, all previous treaties and goodwill declarations will become worthless!
As the meeting concluded and everyone prepared to leave, the sky outside suddenly darkened. It was midday, yet when they peered outside, they saw no clouds.
"What's happening...?" The Catfolk Councilor was the first to react in confusion. Heinrich frowned deeply, tilting his head back to gaze at the Sun hanging high in the sky. After assessing the situation, he solemnly declared, "The Sun's light... it's fading?"
Gerald blinked in disbelief. "What do you mean the Sun's light is fading?!"
Heinrich replied, "Exactly what it sounds like. Perhaps the Sun is the physical manifestation of the Sun God. If the Sun is weakening, the Sun God's condition can't be much better."
As they spoke, the daylight outside was visibly dimming at an alarming rate. Though it was midday, the sky now resembled twilight around six or seven in the evening.
This phenomenon wasn't confined to the Arcane Federation; it was a global event!
Tribios in Okhema and Hysilens, still in the Northern Territory Empire, both observed the sky darkening.
Heinrich suddenly turned to Cerydra and said, "It's fortunate that representatives from the other two nations are here. Perhaps we should seize this opportunity to announce the truth about the World Barrier and the Outer Gods?"
After a moment's consideration, Cerydra nodded. "Very well."
The Catfolk Councilor had some knowledge of the Outer Gods, but Gerald was completely bewildered. "So... what exactly is going on?" he asked, his face a blank slate.
They had just left the conference room, yet now everyone was retracing their steps, returning to their original seats.
The main reason they hadn't widely publicized the Outer God situation earlier was simple: neither the All Nations Alliance nor the Dragon Ember Empire could offer any meaningful assistance. Did they really expect these nations to fight the Mother of Flesh?
The All Nations Alliance had experienced minor incidents involving Artemis Believers within its borders, which Aglaea had swiftly resolved. As for the Dragon Ember Empire, perhaps due to its unique political system, there genuinely wasn't a single worshipper of Evil Gods within its territory. Naturally, before this crisis, the Outer Gods had nothing to do with him.