Isaac noticed Governor Jeremy the moment he stepped into the meeting hall.
The old man was already standing near the long table, hands clasped behind his back, a polite smile on his face as if he had been waiting for a while.
His hair was mostly gray, tied neatly at the back, and he wore a dark coat embroidered with the crest of Fortified City 82.
"You are here, Sir Isaac. I’ve heard about you a lot, and I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time. I’m Jeremy Kalas, the Governor of Fortified City 82," the old man said as he stepped forward.
He extended his hand.
Isaac shook it. The grip was firm. It was not aggressive, but not weak either.
"I’m happy to meet you too, Governor Jeremy," Isaac replied, returning the smile.
They took their seats across from each other with the long table between them.
Isaac leaned back slightly and spoke first.
"There must be something important if you, the governor of a city, came here in such a hurry."
Jeremy laughed lightly and waved a hand. "Straight to the point. I like that. I wanted to congratulate you for becoming a Lord. It might not be much, but my city and I have brought some gifts."
He reached into his coat and placed a spatial ring on the table.
Isaac picked it up, sent a thread of mana into it, and nearly froze.
’There’s nearly five hundred billion Obols in here.’
Obols were the main currency used within human cities.
They weren’t accepted by other races, and they couldn’t be used in interspecies trade, but within the human market, this was an enormous amount.
Enough to fund multiple large-scale projects, hire thousands of workers, and still have plenty left over.
And that wasn’t all.
’There are antiques. Paintings. Old relics from before. And more. If I put these up for auction, they would probably add another few hundred million Obols.’
Then he saw the stacks of materials.
Steel beams. Treated stone. Enchanted wood. Insulation panels designed for mana storms and monster attacks.
’Construction materials.’
Jeremy had done his homework.
’He knows I’ll need to build. Walls, housing, facilities. Everything.’
Isaac looked up, genuinely impressed.
"Thank you for the gifts," he said, placing the ring down carefully.
"Don’t mind it. Don’t mind it at all. Since we are now leaders of our cities, we are friends. And as friends, it’s normal to give gifts to each other," Jeremy replied with a laugh.
Isaac smiled.
"Since Governor Jeremy says so, I’ll take these gifts with an easy heart. If there is any trouble that Governor Jeremy is facing, please tell me about it. As friends, I want to show my appreciation."
It was a roundabout way of speaking.
But Isaac had been dealing with city administrations and politicians for a few days now and he understood how these conversations worked.
Gifts this big were never just gifts. They were investments.
Jeremy’s smile deepened, but his eyes sharpened slightly.
"There is nothing we need help with, but..." His voice dropped, as if he were about to share a secret. "Has Sir Isaac heard about the Thousand-Year Stampede that is going to happen soon?"
"I have."
The words hung in the air for a moment.
The Thousand-Year Stampede.
It hadn’t happened yet, but the signs were everywhere.
Monsters fleeing from the Mourning Frost Mountains, pouring down into the lower regions and moving west in massive waves.
Entire ecosystems shifting. Territories being abandoned overnight.
The Sinkhole Worms that had nearly destroyed Isaac’s city were just one part of it.
The City of the Nagas, who were now living under Isaac’s protection, had been wiped out by monsters running from the same source.
Even the Florathi Kingdom, a kingdom that rarely showed fear and was almost always at war with someone, had stopped its campaigns. They were focusing entirely on building defenses.
That alone said enough about dangers of the Thousand-Year Stampede.
Governor Jeremy leaned back in his chair, studying Isaac.
"If Sir Isaac has heard about it, I’m sure you’re already preparing. You even hunted that Catastrophe. The materials from it would help you create powerful artifacts."
Isaac raised an eyebrow.
’So that’s what this is about.’
The Crimson Sky Wyrm’s remains were still stored in his vaults. Scales, bones, eyes, core, blood. It was enough to create weapons and defenses that could change the balance of power for any city.
Each human fortified city had its own reputation.
Fortified City 50, Isaac’s city, previously ruled by Governor Marcus, was known for safety.
Fortified City 22, which sat along major trade routes with other races, was known for wealth.
Fortified City 62, five days away, was known for equality.
It was the only human city where class discrimination between Awakeners and normal humans wasn’t deeply rooted. Isaac was working to remove the discrimination in his city, but in the reign of Governor Marcus, it had been rampant.
And Fortified City 82.
Governor Jeremy’s city.
It was known for craftsmanship.
They had the highest population among the four cities. Builders, engineers, smiths, and enchanters. If you needed something made, truly made, you went to City 82.
"Yes. I’ve been working to gather powerful allies and resources to bolster our defenses for the stampede," Isaac said calmly.
Isaac’s words could be interpreted like this—
If Governor Jeremy wanted Catastrophe materials, he would need to offer more than money. He would need to offer people. Experts. Builders. Crafters. The kind of human resources Isaac couldn’t just buy from a market.
Jeremy seemed to catch the meaning behind the words. His smile didn’t fade, but it became more thoughtful.
"Sir Isaac sharp is quite sharp for his age."
Isaac shrugged lightly. "I’ve had to learn fast."
Jeremy glanced around the hall, as if suddenly interested in the architecture.
"May I ask where the Sword Empress is? As an Overlord responsible for protecting the city, I thought she would be near you."
Isaac frowned slightly.
"I’m perfectly capable of protecting myself," he replied.
’Why did he suddenly change the topic?’ Isaac thought.
Jeremy laughed.
"Oh, I know. I’ve seen your battle against the Catastrophe. Even Overlord Zarax was surprised by what you pulled off."