Chapter 304
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 304
Chapter Title: How Much Can You Pay?
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“First off, there's something I want to ask.”
Silence held for only a moment.
Charlotte interlaced her fingers.
And with an expression that openly screamed her displeasure, she asked,
“Why did you prepare the seat of honor for the Sword Duke instead of me?”
“...Um, Charlotte. Normally, shouldn't the first question here be why the Sword Duke came with you?”
“Does that even matter?”
“Doesn't it usually?”
Ekaterina scratched her head and threw in a retort, but Charlotte paid it no mind.
As if demanding a swift answer.
She merely fixed Li Chingwei with an arrogant gaze.
“Don't worry about the Sword Duke. He's not here to disrupt our meeting like yesterday.”
“So he's here as an observer?”
“No. He has a rather more special status.”
Li Chingwei smiled faintly at Charlotte's intrigued expression.
She glanced around at Einsha blinking in surprise, Ekaterina grinning with interest, Hasneti silently smoking her cigarette, Rose looking puzzled, and Maia with her sneer.
Having surveyed all the princesses once, she finally spoke.
“Before I explain, may I first respond to your proposal, Charlotte?”
“Go ahead.”
“My answer is no.”
No princess was surprised by Li Chingwei's rejection of Charlotte's offer to hand over Rimon and beg for mercy in exchange for sparing her life.
They accepted it as a given.
Only Maia slightly raised an eyebrow.
But the words that followed from Li Chingwei left even the other princesses wearing unexpected expressions.
“Instead, I have a proposal of my own.”
“You're hardly in a position to propose anything to us.”
“No, I absolutely am.”
Li Chingwei declared firmly.
She looked Charlotte straight in the eye and continued.
“The fact that you once said my words had merit means you acknowledge that my betrothal to the Sword Duke was legitimate, at least.”
“That doesn't absolve you of your crimes.”
Charlotte replied haughtily.
Obtaining the eighth Dragon Synonic meant gaining the power to revive a dragon.
Depending on the circumstances, it could be seen as an act of betrayal—reviving a dragon solely for herself to swallow the Seven Dragon Society whole and dominate the world.
Especially for her, the Black Dragon Princess of schemes and plots.
“I'm not trying to defend myself.”
Knowing full well how futile any excuse would be, Li Chingwei made no attempt to persuade them.
She simply smiled faintly.
“I just wanted to ask how much you'd be willing to pay if I offered the rights to my betrothed.”
And silence fell.
Not just the other princesses.
Even the Seven Dragon Society elites standing behind them stared at Li Chingwei with dumbfounded expressions.
The first to speak amid the bewilderment was Rose, unable to hide her confusion.
“What does that mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like.”
“That's why I don't understand and am asking.”
“...Yeah, figured as much.”
As if she'd expected that reaction.
Li Chingwei nodded.
Even she had been stunned for quite a while when she first heard the story.
“What a ridiculous notion. On what grounds do you think you can sell us those rights?”
Charlotte scoffed derisively.
Right now, Li Chingwei was a traitor who had tried to monopolize the Dragon Synonic and deserved punishment. She had no right to say such things.
Li Chingwei smiled bitterly, as if in agreement.
“Don't misunderstand. It's not me selling it.”
“If not you, then who...?”
Charlotte faltered for a moment.
No, not just her—all the princesses turned toward Li Chingwei's back with suspicious looks.
To see the white-haired man lounging in the steel chair.
To them,
Rimon said plainly,
“Yeah, it's me who's selling it.”
It was so absurd that,
Facing the princesses plunged back into silence, Rimon propped his chin on one hand.
“To begin with, I find this whole situation pathetic.”
“...”
“The eighth Dragon Synonic is obviously yours by right, and that attitude like anyone has to obey your every whim.”
Deep and serene.
Languid beyond measure.
And thus all the colder eyes.
Like gazing at puppies yapping fearlessly at a tiger. Rose involuntarily averted her eyes, and Einsha's pupils shook.
He stared at them intently for a moment.
Then Rimon chuckled.
“But I'll let it slide. It's only natural from your perspective.”
“It sounds like you're willing to hand over the Dragon Synonic you possess.”
“Of course not. Especially not me cooperating with dragon revival.”
Understanding and cooperation were different matters.
Rimon cut it off sharply, a cold sneer on his lips.
“I'd sooner kill a revived dragon again.”
“...!”
A chill killing intent flowed through the air.
If anyone else had said that, the Seven Dragon Society elites would have stepped in before the princesses even ordered it, delivering a gruesome end.
But they only harbored murderous intent.
They couldn't act.
He was Rimon Asfelder.
The only one who could actually make such an outrageous statement a reality.
But Charlotte alone didn't so much as twitch an eyebrow at Rimon's words.
She wore an intrigued expression instead.
“And yet you're willing to sell us the right to your betrothal?”
“Since I have the eighth Dragon Synonic, you'll never give up on me.”
Rimon replied languidly.
As a longtime archenemy of the Seven Dragon Society, he knew them well.
So he could say it with certainty.
Charlotte wouldn't abandon him, even if it meant war or the annihilation of the entire Seven Dragon Society.
“For me, starting another war with you all sounds exhausting.”
Facing the Seven Dragon Society didn't just mean fighting the princesses and their experts.
It meant turning every nation they controlled into enemies.
And with their vast wealth pulling in major guilds, even Rimon lacked confidence in a frontal victory.
Unlike the old days when they were called a demonic cult, the current Seven Dragon Society had the power to sway half the world.
“But I could make things plenty exhausting for you too.”
Yet one mustn't forget.
He was the last disciple of the Sword Emperor.
One of the three Sword Masters who had faced the seven dragons dominating the Bronze Age world—and won.
Fighting the entire world?
Nothing new to him.
“But that's not what I want. Nor my bride.”
He glanced once at Li Chingwei.
Seeing her nod calmly, Rimon continued softly.
“So I'm giving you a chance.”
“...The chance to take you as our consort?”
“Exactly.”
“But you'll make us pay for it?”
“Can't just hand over something called the Dragon Synonic for free.”
“...”
“With that in mind, let me ask.”
Rimon slowly turned his head.
He scanned the princesses in turn, each wearing a bizarre expression as they stared at him.
Then asked mischievously,
“How much are you willing to pay for me?”
And.
A bizarre silence descended.
If anyone else had made such a proposal, this odd atmosphere wouldn't have formed.
Objects, technology, lives—everything could be bought and sold for money in this Iron Age, and they were accustomed to it.
The problem was that he—the Sword Duke himself—was the one saying it.
'That Sword Duke selling himself off?
Including the Dragon Synonic, no less?'
The princesses of the Seven Dragon Society, who knew better than anyone how fiercely Rimon had raged for centuries to prevent dragon revival, had no choice but to suspect his motives.
Especially with Li Chingwei as his betrothed.
But there's always someone who prefers action over overthinking.
While the other princesses eyed Rimon suspiciously, Einsha clenched her fist.
And shouted energetically,
“One trillion pounds.”
...Or tried to.
If not for the dull voice that cut through the air before she could even open her mouth fully.
“Egyptian pounds. Paid in full upfront.”
The other princesses, Einsha included, blankly turned toward the speaker.
“...Hasneti, I need to confirm if you just accepted Ri's proposal.”
“No reason to refuse.”
Fighting Rimon would stake the Seven Dragon Society's fate.
And even then, capturing him alive wasn't guaranteed.
Instead of that loss and risk, buying the Dragon Synonic for any price was the obvious choice, she murmured softly, inhaling her cigarette smoke. Einsha blinked expressionlessly at her.
Any other princess, maybe.
But the Red Dragon Princess calling it natural to avoid a fight?
As unbelievable as the Black Dragon Princess telling the truth or the White Dragon Princess making a wise judgment.
“Ahahaha! Can't argue with that. We're proper businesswomen now, so if it can be bought with money, we should buy it.”
For some reason, it amused her.
Ekaterina recovered first and burst into laughter.
She shot her hand up and shouted,
“In that case, five trillion rubles from me! Hmm, that's about 75 trillion in this country's won, right?”
“Two trillion pounds.”
“Whoa, jumping straight to 140 trillion? Fine, then I'll go ten trillion rubles!”
“Five trillion pounds.”
It was utter chaos.
Ekaterina excitedly jacking up the price, Hasneti calmly matching her without batting an eye.
Rose wearing a conflicted expression like she was battling shopping impulses, and Maia tapping her armrest as if biding her moment.
The solemn Seven Dragon Society council had instantly turned into an auction house.
Yet no princess moved to stop it.
Not just because of Hasneti's rational point that there was no reason to reject Rimon's offer.
If they won this auction.
If they secured Rimon.
They might monopolize the eighth Dragon Synonic.
That tantalizing possibility suddenly thrust before them stirred the instinctive greed inherited from the dragons.
“49%!”
That was why.
Einsha, who had been left floundering expressionlessly after losing the lead, could steel her resolve and jump back in.
“I'll give you 49% of Tiamat's shares. So, Ri, marry me.”
Hasneti and Ekaterina, who had been competitively bidding up to that point, faltered.
Ten trillion or a hundred trillion—money could always be earned again.
But shares in the Seven Dragon Group were power over the Seven Dragon Society itself.
Ownership of the golden goose producing infinite wealth, and the core foundation upholding the princesses' authority even in this Iron Age.
Even Li Chingwei had lost control over her clan after selling off her shares.
“...You serious?”
“Of course.”
But Einsha didn't hesitate.
She had already proposed marriage staking Tiamat shares from the start, after all.
And eyeing the white-haired girl, the silver-haired one narrowed her eyes.
“Hmm, is that so...?”
“Yes. So if you can't bid higher, give up and...”
“49.9% of Bahamut's shares.”
“...!?!?”
Perhaps she never expected Ekaterina to stake holding company shares too.
Or maybe she hadn't anticipated the sneaky 0.9% bump.
As Ekaterina grinned with genuine delight at Einsha's frozen blank face,
“49.9% of Apophis shares, plus joint Pharaoh rights in Egypt and five diamond mines on top.”
“Hmm, going that far? Then I'll do 49.99% shares plus half of Ruskan! Half a country special sale! Amazing, right?”
“...!”
Einsha's pupils shook as she watched the two princesses escalate, now throwing in not just shares but entire nations.
Hasneti, as Pharaoh of Egypt wielding absolute influence over all African military regimes.
Ekaterina, as Great Khan of Ruskan, dictating one of the world's top superpowers.
Compared to them, what Einsha could offer from the Holy Alliance had limits.
Still unwilling to concede, Einsha racked her brain for ways to sell relics, temples, or even gods to scrape together more.
Rose, calculating funds earmarked for London's reconstruction, wore an expression tormented beyond mere conflict—like the devil's temptation itself.
And just as Maia, who had finally stopped tapping her armrest, sneered and opened her mouth,
“100%.”
A haughty voice rang out,
Drawing every princess's gaze.
Astoundment.
Disbelief.
Confusion.
Dumbfoundedness.
Rage.
Undeterred by the other princesses' eyes swirling with myriad emotions, Charlotte ignored them entirely.
With arrogant, lofty eyes fixed straight on Rimon, she proposed his 'price' in a languid voice.
“I'll give you 100% of Fafnir's shares.”
“...!”
“Including Leviathan Hotel stocks and all subsidiaries owned by our Gold Dragon Clan, plus our personal assets.”