Chapter 93: Cooperation Achieved, Parting with Sorrow.
Time quickly passed and it was afternoon. East had to leave his comfort zone to go to work. Aripelago also quietly left shortly after East. Neither of them were anyone's pet canaries; they each had their own things to do.
East traveled in a carriage, accompanied by two envoys and two players, following the address on the invitation.
Meimei and Songshang Xue both stared at Ister with their big, dark eyes. It had only been a day or two, but it felt like they hadn't seen their king for a long time.
East may not have noticed, but others have. His demeanor has subtly changed. Perhaps it's the settling of his relationship, perhaps it's the openness after learning the secret, or perhaps it's the addition of a lover willing to accept his true self, making him seem more relaxed and at ease, no longer as gentle as a mannequin as before.
East ruffled Meimei's little pigtails and asked with a smile, "Don't you recognize me?"
"Your Majesty, where did you go for your studies?" Matsushita Yuki said. "You only picked up the bad things and didn't learn anything good."
If those players who call him "my little darling" saw this frivolous nature, I wonder what they would think? They'd probably think their king had been replaced.
Easter felt awkward and asked, "Is there something wrong with me?"
Matsushita Yuki is someone who says whatever comes to mind without hesitation, but she hesitated at this moment. When it was just the two of them, she could say whatever she wanted, however she wanted. But with two more human envoys present, it became more difficult for her to speak.
She could only vaguely reply, "I don't know which spider cave you went into, you're covered in the scent of rouge, try to tone it down."
The ambiguity was just her own perception; it was nothing compared to pointing a blatant finger at East and saying, "You still smell of lust on you. Did you just crawl out of some den of beauties?"
East unconsciously tightened his collar; he was genuinely embarrassed.
Meimei and Songshang Xue exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with helplessness. Guessing was one thing, but getting a definite answer was another. Their feelings were too complicated to express to anyone. It was like a little bok choy they had carefully raised, which had just grown up and was full of life. Before they could even put up a fence to protect it, they found that the bok choy had already jumped into a pig's mouth. Who could describe this feeling?
Before the complicated atmosphere could build up any further, they arrived at their destination.
It was an estate. The existence of such an estate in the royal city of Cyrus speaks volumes about its status, especially since it was located right next to Fanchun Park, clearly proclaiming its special status.
East put aside all his ramblings; he had been infected by Areplatin. He never expected Areplatin to have such a great influence on him, so great that he longed to become him and pursued him involuntarily, like a phototactic creature pursuing light.
Upon entering the manor, a servant led us to a meeting room, where four people were already waiting. These were the same four people from that day, and their attitudes were noticeably more amiable this time.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” Easter said.
“No need to pretend, we arrived early, you weren’t late,” Jasper said.
“Indeed,” Timothy said. “Skip all the formalities and finalize the details of the cooperation as soon as possible. Every second that is delayed could mean the loss of countless lives.”
Easter sat down in the seat reserved for him and asked, "Aren't you satisfied with the proposal I offered?"
“It’s not that I’m dissatisfied. If it’s just an exchange of benefits between you and us, what you’ve given is indeed enough. But don’t forget there are other things involved. In that case, what you’ve given is a bit too little,” Derek said.
East, wanting to understand the key point, said, "If the mainland doesn't prosper, no one will benefit. I can concede what I should, but it's impossible for me to do my work for free."
Whether it's national development or player upgrades, he still lacks too much. It's impossible for him to do a losing business or even lose everything.
“I don’t want much,” Ister said. “Everyone should take a step back. At this moment, with a common enemy, it’s not advisable to start a civil war. If we really want to fight, we should wait until the monster calamity is over. Maybe then we won’t even need to fight.”
"Aren't you afraid?" Timothy asked curiously.
“What’s there to be afraid of when we can’t even protect ourselves?” Easter said. “Besides, what can I do if I’m afraid?”
The moment he arrived on this continent, he knew that his position was destined to be opposed to theirs, and there was nothing more to say.
In fact, all four of them knew that today's conversation could not go as they wished, but not seeing each other still felt like something was missing. This might be the last time the five of them would meet. If they could get through this disaster together, their status and position would also determine that they could never sit peacefully at the same table again.
Derek had his servants deliver the pre-prepared contract, which contained the cooperation terms prepared by the Eastman system, without any alterations.
“We’re all so old, why would we take advantage of a little kid like you?” Timothy noticed East’s confusion and explained with a smile.
East's feelings were mixed. If this continent had no gods, it might have shone even more brightly. Geniuses would not have been buried in mediocrity. They could act without restraint and without worrying that their brilliance would be too dazzling.
“We are aware of the wonders of your summoned creatures. We will send people to clear the way for the places you need to go, but there is little we can do for those that are wandering around,” Derek said, signing his name on the contract.
“It’s alright,” East said, signing the contract as well. “As long as one of the little firemen can get there, the others will take care of themselves.”
"We will arrange for your items to be delivered as soon as possible." Doyle's promises will be fulfilled.
"It's a pleasure working with you." Jasper was probably in the best mood. He had long been curious about East's summons and wanted to spend more time with them.
Easter stared at Jasper with suspicion in his eyes. Was this guy planning to sell his players?
“We have already given instructions, and we hope you can do it as soon as possible,” Derek said. The other three countries each have their own advantages and disadvantages, but the most precarious one is the Sinclair Empire, which has the largest territory and the largest population.
Easter nodded. "Don't worry."
The system issued a large-scale mission to the players, allowing them to form small teams and embark on a new journey. Before long, the entire continent will be filled with the figures of the Little Fire People.
Derek and the other three's expressions changed slightly. They had special methods of receiving information, and the changes in East's summoned creatures could not escape their monitoring. However, East was still in front of them, and they had not noticed that he had used any power. They simply could not think too much about it.
"Impressive skills," Timothy said, both admiring and wary.
East nodded. "Likewise."
“He’s not a fun kid at all,” Timothy said.
East, “…” What kind of weird adjective is this?
“Alright, we all have things to do,” Timothy stood up. “Hopefully we’ll have a chance to meet again.”
She was the first to leave. As a member of the Karen Empire's royal family, her intelligence was beyond question. She clearly understood the undercurrents of the situation. Since she was powerless to do anything about it, she could only choose to turn a blind eye and not invest too much emotion in order to avoid future distress.
“I’m leaving,” Jasper said. He had come to the Sinclair Empire specifically to see East, and he didn’t need to stay any longer.
"You can contact me if you have any business, I'll give you a discount." Doyle waved his hand, walking leisurely. His Campbell Empire was the least afraid of them. They were few in number, their abilities were special, and most importantly, they were rich. They didn't have as many people to worry about as the other few who were more cunning.
In the end, only Easter and Derek remained in the huge conference room.
"There's something I'm incredibly curious about,"
East thought it was time for him to leave, but Derek's words kept him there.
Aren't you afraid?
“Fear won’t solve anything,” Easter said.
Derek nodded thoughtfully.
Seeing that he didn't react any further, Easter greeted him and walked towards the door.
"I really don't want to be your enemy," Derek said to East's retreating figure.
“Nobody likes war.” East walked out the door completely. Felix’s interests might not be as deeply entangled with those of other countries, but the Sinclair Empire was different. They had received the greatest benefits in the beginning, and their relationship with the gods was the closest. Nobody could say for sure how far things would go. The cooperation was still just cooperation.
Two little fire figures were waiting at the door. When they saw East, they looked him up and down. Seeing that he was unharmed, Matsuue Yuki asked, "Shall we go back now?"
Easter snapped out of his thoughts and replied, "Yes."
They came in a hurry and left in a hurry, having discussed an important collaboration, and it wasn't even dinner time yet.
"Want to go for a walk around the city?" Easter asked. He had been spending the last two days with Arip, neglecting his little players.
“No need,” Matsushita Yuki refused. “Your Majesty, you are tired, so you don’t need to worry about us. We want to play by ourselves.”
Despite the short duration, the fatigue in East's eyes was undeniable.
Easter was moved and said, "We probably won't be back for long."
Players come and go freely, treating this as just another quest location. But East is different; separated by thousands of miles, this unfamiliar land evokes a completely different feeling.
Areper's presence alleviated this feeling, making him feel both reluctant to leave and urgently urging him to get away.
“That’s good,” Meimei said. “It’s too restrictive not to be on your own turf.”
Easter gently patted Meimei's unlucky little tuft of hair, and said no more.
...
Back in his room, Easter couldn't find Arip. He felt empty inside, rubbing his temples. How could he be so reluctant to part after less than two days?
Soon a pair of warm hands touched his head, taking over his actions and massaging his temples. "Baby, are you tired?"
Easter relaxed and replied, "It's over." The purpose of this trip has been achieved; what happens next remains to be seen.
Arip hugged Easter from behind, saying sweetly, "So, does that mean you'll have all your time with me from now on?"
Easter turned and hugged Arip, lifting his head to kiss him. His heart was filled to the brim at that moment, and the emptiness within him was finally mended with Arip's return.
When meat is offered to them, why would Arriplate give up?
The two kissed until they were both breathless before separating. Ariber brushed aside East's eyelashes and asked, "What happened?"
“I can’t bear to part with it,” Easter said. He felt like he was being roasted over a fire, anxious and agitated, unable to find a way to resolve his distress. He was like a student whose holiday was about to end, only able to watch helplessly as time slipped away, unable to turn back, and feeling extremely miserable.
Aripelago pulled Easter into his arms and rubbed him gently. "Alright, alright, baby, you look so pitiful, it breaks my heart." He really wanted to drop everything and go with Easter, but he had to consider the bigger picture and be responsible for those precious lives. He couldn't do it, he simply couldn't.
Easter hugged Arip, "Don't worry, I'm not in a hurry, and you shouldn't be either." He was trying to comfort Arip, and also to comfort himself.
They embraced quietly for a moment, and then it was time for dinner. The closer it got to parting, the faster time seemed to pass, and it was gone in the blink of an eye.
The following days were spent at Arribel's invitation, and also due to Easter's emotional indulgence, the two of them were acting crazy.
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Author's Note: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, my darlings! This book is nearing its end. I originally aimed for a million words, but due to performance issues and my own mindset, the outline went through many hurdles, and this is how it ended up. I apologize for the inconsistent updates. Thank you so much to all the readers who have persevered. Volumes 5 and 6 are relatively short, and I'll probably finish them together, like Volume 4, before releasing them. I hope to finish this year. Thank you again to all the readers who are still willing to read on.
Today is the author's birthday, and the author wishes everyone that everything goes well and smoothly.
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