Chapter 811 Status
Everyone knew how the Global Army's government worked, and the same applied to its market. The nobles always claimed priority over any new, valuable item, be it ships, drugs, or weapons.
Selling directly to close allies would strengthen Khan's force, and he was even willing to bet the Empire would close an eye on it. Owning the best training method would bring immense advantages in mere years, creating assets no one would want to face in an actual war.
However, Khan needed immediate support, and playing by the rules couldn't hurt. He wouldn't lose his monopoly over the production process by involving the other noble families. Khan would actually become a central piece of the puzzle, forcing everyone to be in his good graces to earn benefits.
The Global Army's political structure would even favor Khan. The supplement's nature made it a necessary resource since anyone without it would fall behind. Everyone would be forced to accept his terms and collaborate. He only had to survive the meeting.
Khan alone couldn't summon noble representatives. Thanks to his family and domain, he had the required authority, but his reputation was too damaged. No one would trust him to behave during an official meeting.
The nobles could send disposable personnel, but that would affect the meeting's validity. Khan needed representatives with the proper lineage, which only his Cousins knew how to summon.
Prince William and Princess Felicia were reputable figures among those lofty social environments, but their influence couldn't reach every noble family. Khan could play dirty and leak information to add some leverage to his request, but his Aunt stepped in, solving the issue and making those tricks superfluous.
Getting positive replies from all the intended parties took a while, and the same went for the meeting's preparations. The Thilku were relatively easy to please, but humans, especially nobles, had higher standards. The latter could view anything off as a sign of weakness, and Khan couldn't let it happen.
Of course, Khan had little to do with those details. He had learned much between the Harbor and his relationship, but Monica and his Cousins remained far above him in that field. They handled all the specifics, eventually setting up a place that could avoid frowns and basic insults.
The appointed place was inside one of the city's tallest buildings. A training hall had been rearranged into a living room with one long table and multiple couches.
Drapes and carpets also covered many of the hall's surfaces, hiding part of its artificial vibe. Monica and Khan's Cousins had even placed flowers in specific locations to reinforce the change.
The only odd detail was the chair behind the big table. Khan would have to sit there, and his seat had to reflect his status. The item was bigger and taller than the others in the hall, seemingly meant to highlight his superiority to the incoming guests.
The detail was bound to create problems, but Khan was genuinely superior. Reminding his guests of his strength wasn't ideal, but Baoway was his domain. Lowering himself to make others more comfortable would be an insult to his authority.
The fated day eventually arrived. Khan chose not to personally welcome the guests, waiting inside the hall with Monica. Still, he had his Cousins act as his representatives, and they eventually entered the room with a large group of people.
The group didn't only have representatives. Rebecca had to compromise to make that meeting happen, so each noble brought two guards. Obviously, those eighteen soldiers were all fifth-level warriors, and their battle experience immediately alerted them about Khan's heavy aura.
Eighteen pairs of eyes snapped toward Khan, conveying readiness to take action. The guards even prepared their mana, pretending to remain still. Their energy flow was smooth, vouching for their skills, and the atmosphere instantly grew tense enough to make everyone notice something was off.
A few nobles looked directly at Khan, while the others had to inspect their guards before following their gazes. The tension intensified as the guests expected some reaction from Khan. However, he didn't even stand up.
"Easy," Khan announced, almost sounding bored. "I'm not angry. Yet."
The nobles kept their eyes on Khan while the guards inspected their surroundings. The area seemed secure, but the pressure didn't wane. Still, they soon understood that was Khan's natural aura, and nothing could be done about it.
The guards whispered something to their respective nobles, and the atmosphere began to relax. A few guests even strode forward, crossing Khan's Cousins to occupy different seats. Some approached the table, while others opted for the couches.
That trend continued until everyone had taken their seat. Of course, the many guards remained on their feet, but their presence almost went unnoticed. None of the important parties minded them.
Prince William and Princess Felicia approached the other side of the table once everything was set. Instead, Monica stood up, showing the many devices in her arms before diving into the hall. She delivered those items to each party, and the guards checked them before handing them to their respective noble.
Monica returned to Khan's side while the nobles studied the devices. The item contained the latest information about the supplement's effects and some specifics. Khan had left out many important details on purpose but believed the report would be enough to stir the guests' interest.
The symphony quickly reinforced Khan's belief. Those nobles were masters of lies and pretenses, but their mana revealed the truth. Khan saw the shock and interest behind each plain and calm face. Even greed invaded some auras, tainting them with dark colors.
However, a few nobles looked past their interest in the topic to focus on other matters. One middle-aged man with a thick grey beard and well-kept short grey hair lifted his head, disregarding the device to address Khan.
"How do we know this data is reliable?" The man asked. "Prince Khan, you control the resources, lab, and tests. You could easily tamper with any evidence."
"I chose to involve you all," Khan announced, "When I could have kept everything inside my force, but your first move is to insult me."
"Your reputation precedes you," A middle-aged woman with long brown hair tied into a thick braid intervened. "There doesn't necessarily have to be reason behind your actions."
"Or purpose," Another woman, a young, blonde one, said. "You are a stranger to our ways, Prince Khan, and you didn't bother learning them before causing a mess."
The distrust was evident, but Khan didn't expect anything less. Even if some guests didn't care about the public slaughter, they had to mention it to lower Khan's authority. They would do anything to gain the upper hand in the meeting.
"Then," Khan uttered, "Leave. I don't lack potential buyers."
"One second, Prince Khan," The bearded middle-aged man called, standing up. "No one has yet refused. We are only expressing concerns."
"Do you have to?" Khan wondered. "I find this political dance pointless."
"How disrespectful," The blonde woman snorted. "I was wrong to expect anything different from such imperfect lineage."
"Prince Khan was acknowledged as an official heir by my Grandfather," Princess Felicia exclaimed. "Insulting his lineage is an insult toward His Excellency."
"That decision says much about the Nognes family's current state," The blonde woman sneered. "Young Princess, your faction is so damaged you had to put your hopes into a lost bastard."
Princess Felicia stood up, but her brother seized her hand, stopping her from speaking further. As insulting as those words were, the two didn't have the status to respond accordingly. Khan was the only one on their side who could.
The guests also understood that point, and everyone soon looked at Khan. They wanted to see what kind of response he would give, but only a tired sigh escaped his mouth.
"This is boring," Khan uttered, glancing at Monica. "Hand me that bottle."
Monica happily complied, even offering her cup to make Khan fill it. She hid her smile, but the two soon focused on their drinks and ignored the hall.
Those already against Khan didn't tolerate the blatant disrespect. The blonde woman even stood up, snorting loudly at that behavior. Still, she didn't leave. She couldn't since other nobles wanted to see what Khan was getting at.
"Prince Khan," A red-haired young man called, noticing the need for a change of pace. "Please understand. Status is highly relevant in this environment."
"I could kill all of you without leaving my seat," Khan declared. "Status has no meaning."
The open threat made everyone stand up, and the many guards even stepped forward, creating a defensive line between Khan and the nobles. The tension returned, reaching far higher levels than before, but Khan barely deigned the hall of his attention.
Yet, Khan's apparent lack of interest didn't imply an absence of reactions. Many purple-red mana spheres materialized behind and above him, transforming into spears that promptly pointed at the group. One could destroy half of the hall, and Khan had summoned more than twenty.
"Sit down," Khan ordered, "Or I'll prove what I just claimed."
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Author's notes: Shoutout to KingofHell for the Magic Castle!