novellhall Chapter 369 - 305: [People-controlling Skill], Aftermath Settlement
Chapter 369 - 305: [People-controlling Skill], Aftermath Settlement
After finishing the communication with the King of Molten Iron, Count Mills abruptly pushed open the oak window shutters.
The blinding afternoon sunlight poured into the study, causing him to squint instinctively.
He took several deep breaths of the air carrying the scent of garden roses, his chest rising and falling as he tried to dispel the irritability and sense of humiliation brought by the negotiation.
Gradually, his thoughts settled and returned to his usual calmness.
"Perhaps... I should ransom Shire back."
As his mood gradually calmed down, reflecting on the negotiation with the Evil Dragon earlier, a wave of regret seized him.
Count Mills realized that the decision he made at the last moment was driven by emotion and lacked rationality.
The Flower Knight had indeed become useless, losing his former value.
But for the Albert Family, with their strong foundation, taking care of one useless person was no difficulty at all.
More importantly.
This act could serve as an excellent example for all other adventurers—look, working for the Albert Family, even if you unfortunately become crippled, the family will generously take full responsibility and never abandon you.
Once such reputation spreads, the Albert Family will undoubtedly gain more gratitude and allegiance from adventurers, making those simple-minded enthusiasts willingly risk their lives for the family.
Setting aside so-called emotions and morality, purely from the family’s interest perspective, ransoming Shire is clearly a better choice.
However.
In the lengthy tug-of-war negotiation with that greedy, cunning, and maddeningly calculative Red Iron Dragon.
Under the humiliation and torment of being repeatedly reminded of the family’s failures, forced to cede trade routes, and pay astronomical reparations.
Count Mills’s patience was worn down bit by bit, accumulating irritability like scalding magma, constantly eroding the dam of his rationality.
Ultimately.
The accumulated negative emotions completely overwhelmed calm thinking, causing him to make that hasty decision, driven only by momentary emotional release.
Of course, this decision was not entirely without solace.
Giving up Shire, at least prevented that hateful Evil Dragon from extracting even more gold coins from him!
Thinking of the potential disappointment or anger on the dragon’s face because of this, a hint of satisfaction rose in Count Mills’s heart, slightly easing his mood.
"Should I contact that Evil Dragon again to renegotiate and ransom Shire back?"
He hesitated, his gaze returning to the crystal communication device that had just settled on the table.
However, after only pondering for a few seconds, he gently shook his head, abandoning the thought.
"Forget it, he is ultimately not an important figure concerning the big picture."
"Ransoming him would at most be a mere embellishment to the family’s reputation. Besides, changing my mind now and renegotiating may only give that cunning Evil Dragon another opportunity for extortion."
The noble pride and dignity also made Count Mills unwilling to easily regret and bow his head in weakness before the enemy.
Count Mills slowly paced in the study, carpeted with thick rugs.
The annoyance in his eyes was gradually replaced by cold sharpness.
Suffering such a significant loss, bringing unprecedented shame and damage to the family, Mills Albert could not possibly just let it end here.
Otherwise.
The Albert Family’s face would be utterly disgraced in aristocratic circles, becoming a laughingstock.
"The urgent matter is to ensure the smooth conduct of the trade with the Molten Iron Tribe, stabilize them, and first ransom back Luo De and Sienna, the core members."
"As long as these family pillars remain, the foundation is unshaken."
After calming down, Count Mills’s thoughts were very clear.
"After this... will be the true moment of reckoning."
As for why to fight desperately against the Molten Iron Tribe, who occupy advantageous territory far in the wilderness?
The reason is simple enough.
Firstly, the noble’s face outweighs gold.
Either endure silently, swallow this bitter fruit of humiliation and bear the endless mockery and opportunistic attacks from other nobles.
Or, exert all efforts, fight to the end, and cleanse the shame with the enemy’s blood, restoring the family’s dignity.
Secondly, there is a more realistic reason.
In this matter, the Albert Family had already invested a vast amount of resources, with huge sunk costs.
Only by thoroughly crusading against those dragons—dead or alive—the dragons themselves and their followers could bring immeasurable value that would compensate for all the family’s previous losses, even yielding more.
On the other side, in the Sel Wilderness.
"The Evil Dragon successfully turned a righteous knight, and the deceitful noble, whose mask of hypocrisy was uncovered, will eventually die by the sword of the knight he once deceived."
"Such a story is far more interesting than the cliché of dragon slayers."
Galos’s eyes sparkled with delight as he silently whispered to himself.
He even entertained the thought of dedicating a Chapter specifically for such a tactic in his Dragon’s Legacy memory titled [People-controlling Skill].
Many times, the first words of communication, or even the posture before the other party spoke, were enough to reveal a person’s character.
Count Mills was undoubtedly an exceptionally calm and cunning opponent.
From his experience of devastating defeat to facing strong enemies in humiliating negotiations, throughout the process he could swiftly suppress emotions, maintain rational negotiation, without useless angry threats, no uncontrolled fury... this composure is something rare among ordinary nobles.