Chairman Lucius looked stunned. It was as though a burden he had carried for years had suddenly disappeared.
For so long, he had worried about this exact situation. He had imagined countless negative outcomes and delayed making a decision because of them.
Yet everything had been resolved far more easily than he expected.
The atmosphere in the room became noticeably lighter afterward. Everyone seemed more relaxed now that the matter was out in the open.
The conversation gradually shifted to more casual topics. Selene and Alice began speaking more naturally with Beatrice. Meanwhile, Isaac continued causing trouble.
To Isaac’s surprise, Beatrice possessed a surprisingly good sense of humor. Every time he teased Chairman Lucius, she would casually add another comment that made things even worse.
Before long, Chairman Lucius found himself under attack from both sides.
"You two planned this beforehand," Chairman Lucius complained.
Isaac immediately shook his head.
"Chairman, please don’t make false accusations. My reputation is important."
"I agree. We are completely innocent." Beatrice nodded seriously.
Chairman Lucius stared at both of them. Neither looked even remotely sincere.
Selene covered her mouth to hide a laugh. Even Alice looked amused by the exchange.
The conversation continued for nearly another hour. Eventually, Isaac checked the time and stood from his seat.
"Please excuse me. I have some prior arrangements," he said.
"You still have meetings after everything that happened today?" Beatrice looked surprised.
"Yes. It’s quite an important meeting," Isaac replied with a nod.
After exchanging a few more words, Isaac left the room. The moment the door closed behind him, his relaxed expression faded slightly.
His next meeting was much more serious.
A short while later, he entered another meeting chamber. Two people were already waiting for him inside.
One was Overlord Aurora, ruler of Fortified City 22. The other was Libra Atha, the current representative of Fortified City 62.
Both cities belonged to humanity.
Fortified City 22 had long been known for its extensive external trade network. Until recently, it had been considered one of humanity’s strongest economic centers.
Fortified City 62 was different.
It was famous because discrimination between ordinary humans and Awakeners was almost nonexistent there. Compared to many other human cities, social divisions were significantly weaker.
The city itself was governed by a council of elders. However, the council had temporarily delegated its authority to Libra Atha and sent him to negotiate with Isaac personally.
"Greetings, Overlord Aurora. Overlord Libra," Isaac said as he sat down.
The two leaders returned the greeting.
Aurora wore a faint frown from the start. Libra, on the other hand, appeared calm and relaxed.
"What are your intentions for calling us here together, Lord Isaac?" Libra asked.
"I want both of you to formally join Imperium Aeternum." Isaac did not waste time.
The room became quiet.
Then Aurora answered immediately.
"No."
The rejection came without even a moment of hesitation.
Isaac wasn’t surprised.
Aurora had always been defensive regarding her authority. Furthermore, because of the contract they had signed previously, Isaac couldn’t forcibly absorb her city.
In fact, the contract protected her quite well.
If hostile forces attacked Fortified City 22 because of Isaac, he was obligated to help defend it. That protection was likely one reason Aurora wasn’t particularly worried about other Lords targeting her city.
Fortunately, Isaac had expected resistance. That was why he had prepared an offer beforehand.
"I will provide an evolution potion if you agree to join my City," Isaac said.
Aurora froze immediately.
For people at her level, opportunities to grow stronger were extraordinarily rare. Once someone reached the limits of their level, advancement became nearly impossible.
An evolution potion changed everything.
It represented a chance to break through a wall that otherwise could never be crossed. Simply consuming it could multiply a person’s strength several times over.
The temptation was immense.
After several moments of silence, Aurora finally spoke.
"Apex-rank evolution potion?" Her voice was far more serious than before.
"No, a mid-rank evolution potion." Isaac smiled slightly.
Aurora’s brows immediately furrowed.
"I need an Apex-rank evolution potion. A mid-rank potion isn’t enough," she said as she shook her head.
"I don’t have any Apex-rank evolution potions. Think about it. If I had them, wouldn’t I have already given them to the Sword Empress and the other Human Overlords under me? The mid-rank potion is all I have, and it took a great deal of effort to obtain it."
The lie left his mouth smoothly.
Neither Aurora nor Libra could tell whether he was telling the truth or not. However, Isaac knew they had no way to verify his claim.
Aurora remained unconvinced.
"At minimum, I need a High-rank evolution potion. You should already know I have very little reason to come under your rule. Our contract already states that you must protect my city. Even if I refuse, I don’t really lose anything," she said.
"You do lose something. Your life," Isaac replied.
The room became quieter.
"You already know about the Thousand Year Stampede. When it begins, I will be occupied defending Imperium Aeternum. Our contract also clearly states that I am not required to defend your city if I lack the ability to do so," Isaac said.
Aurora fell silent.
She understood what Isaac was implying.
The Thousand Year Stampede was not an ordinary disaster. If the situation became severe enough, even behemoths like Florathi might be forced to focus entirely on their own territory, let alone Isaac. In that scenario, Fortified City 22 would be left to fend for itself.
Isaac leaned back slightly.
"Besides, is joining me really such a bad option? You already know my Lord Talent. A two hundred and forty percent drop rate bonus isn’t something most factions can offer. Your people would develop much faster under my banner," he said.
"The drop rate doesn’t benefit me very much. I’ve already reached the limit of what I can achieve," Aurora replied.
That statement wasn’t arrogance.
Aurora was only Level 54, but her progress had effectively stopped. Any monsters capable of providing meaningful experience were too strong for her to defeat. Likewise, the dungeons that dropped equipment capable of increasing her combat power were beyond her current abilities.
As for her citizens, they were already living relatively comfortable lives. A higher drop rate was valuable, but it wasn’t something they desperately needed to survive.
"Alright then. I’ll give you a mid-rank species evolution potion and help you reach Level 60," he said.
"Help me level up using EXP potions?" Aurora’s eyes narrowed.
Isaac nodded without hesitation.
For him, that wasn’t a difficult promise to make. With the amount of EXP potions in his possession, helping someone—even Overlords—gain a few levels was trivial.
Aurora fell silent once more.
Isaac knew she would normally reject such an offer outright. In the past, other Lords would have competed fiercely to recruit her and Fortified City 22.
Things were different now.
After witnessing the power of the Elemental Spirit of Machines, most Lords had become cautious around Isaac. They no longer wanted to provoke him unnecessarily.
As a result, none of them were making serious attempts to recruit Aurora. And if no one else was offering her anything, Isaac became her best option.
While Aurora weighed the advantages and disadvantages, Isaac shifted his attention toward the other guest.
"What are your thoughts about the offer?" Isaac asked Libra.