Tale of the Red Dragon Without Dragon’s Might
Chapter 238 - 237: Bargaining

Chapter 238: Chapter 237: Bargaining

Most elves live in seclusion in small villages nestled within forests, sustaining themselves by hunting beasts, gathering food, and growing vegetables. With their skills and magic, they can achieve self-sufficiency without the toil of farming.

A few elves, driven by the desire for adventure, embark on journeys. Thanks to their long lifespans, they can enjoy adventures spanning centuries, during which they refine their combat skills or delve deeper into magic—a perfect blend of utility and pleasure.

Hai’an had traveled the world for several centuries, visiting other planes, including the Lower Plane, encountering countless races. Heaven only knows how many dealings he’d had with them. He understood perfectly how to negotiate with dragons—money. If there’s an issue, it’s always because there isn’t enough money.

A hundred thousand Gold Coins was indeed a substantial sum. Many young Red Dragons wouldn’t be able to gather that much wealth. But for an Elf City, it wasn’t the result of hundreds or even a thousand years of accumulation—rather, thousands of years. Such an amount posed no difficulty.

"Hurry up! Don’t keep our esteemed guests waiting."

"Why are you all standing there? Sit down quickly! Or do you need me to pull the chairs out for you?"

Leon initially had no intention of negotiating. The only reason he summoned the Elf Envoys was to see how these elves would argue their case. But now, he was convinced of their sincerity. Perhaps a negotiation wasn’t out of the question after all.

Leon had been furious, constantly contemplating how to destroy Danalan. But upon hearing that the Elf Envoys were willing to offer compensation of a hundred thousand Gold Coins, he couldn’t quite explain why, but half of his anger seemed to dissipate.

"You go to the kitchen and prepare the food; I’ll handle things here."

"Bring out the treasured wine."

Cecilia dismissed the Tiefling maid and personally busied herself. It was clear she was captivated by the compensation promised by the Elf Envoys. Leon had once promised to secure compensation for her, yet after two trips to Danalan, he had failed to obtain it. She’d all but abandoned hope. To her surprise, the tide had turned.

As Leon ate, he ruminated—why had the elves suddenly proposed peace talks? Undoubtedly, it was because they couldn’t handle him and wanted to negotiate before the situation worsened.

To negotiate after a stalemate from an indecisive battle might seem like manipulation. But isn’t negotiation inherently done during stalemates? If one side had already won, there would be no point in negotiating. Better to talk things through now while things hadn’t escalated into a fight to the death. The longer they delayed, the harder it would become.

Still, the question most weighing on his mind was simple: could he benefit from this? Foolishness aside, he thought, "Even if I kill you, everything becomes mine."

Danalan’s Maze Lock meant that his ferocity and the Soul Summoning Mantra were useless. Moreover, the Elf General was no pushover—Leon only held the upper hand within Danalan through the Mana-fueled Vajra Body. However, once his Mana was depleted, he would be vulnerable.

If they did have to battle, his victory would hinge on guerrilla tactics and harassment, aiming to trap the elves in Danalan. The elves’ reluctance to abandon their homeland was their weak point; otherwise, with so many spellcasters capable of opening teleportation gates, preventing them from escaping would be impossible. The best outcome might be capturing an empty city.

In just three days, he could only recruit Treants as allies. Given more time, the elves could undoubtedly bring in Golden Dragons or Silver Dragons, coordinate with other Elf Cities, the Talia Alliance, or powerhouses from the Empire. If things got dangerous, he could flee, but his Volcanic Island wouldn’t be able to escape.

The one with nothing to lose fears nothing, but now that he had something to lose, he had to tread carefully.

Since victory wasn’t guaranteed, Leon decided that a negotiation might not be a bad idea.

War is often seen as the continuation of politics, an extreme response when conflicting interests cannot be reconciled.

Aside from war fanatics, no one likes war. Leon certainly didn’t. His soul belonged to a human—not a mindlessly bloodthirsty Red Dragon. He might forgo bread for pride, but he wouldn’t forego a grand banquet over it.

Cecilia personally set out the tableware before the three elves, while the Tiefling maid served the wine.

"Don’t be shy," Leon finally made up his mind to negotiate. Standing up, he gestured and said, "It’s all meat. Not sure if it’s to your taste?"

"Thank you for the hospitality; it’s delicious." Hai’an gracefully picked up a knife and fork, cut into a steak, and took a bite. After washing it down with a sip of wine, he seemed satisfied with how the Red Dragon had behaved. Confident this negotiation would end well, he smiled. "What does Lord Leon think of my proposal?"

"I can sense your sincerity—but just barely." Leon deliberated for a moment. Understanding the principle of starting with an inflated request to achieve a realistic outcome, he found himself briefly at a loss for words.

"If Lord Leon feels it’s insufficient, we could offer one hundred fifty thousand Gold Coins," Hai’an replied, not batting an eye. "However, for that amount, we wouldn’t pay in cash. Would Lord Leon agree to that?"

"In cash, a hundred thousand Gold Coins. That’s the limit," said Leon, probing. Knowing Red Dragons’ inherent greed, Hai’an couldn’t afford to appear too eager—even if he agreed quickly, he needed to appear measured.

"With just ten thousand Gold Coins, we could hire a mature Silver Dragon or Golden Dragon. Fifty thousand could summon and command even a young Silver or Golden Dragon..." Hai’an continued. "The only reason we haven’t sought allies against you, Lord Leon, is because we prefer reconciliation to enmity."

Even though a juvenile Red Dragon was already this fearsome, unless they could ensure his death, they had to consider the repercussions of making him a permanent foe.

"Lord Leon mustn’t be too greedy," Hai’an cautioned.

Struck by the elves’ generosity, Leon gritted his teeth. "Fine, a hundred thousand Gold Coins. But I want cash. And, I have additional conditions."

"We’re all ears," Hai’an replied, unsurprised that the Red Dragon wouldn’t agree too easily.

Leon crossed his arms and thought. "You brought my Dragon Armor back from Danalan, and I’m very pleased."

The Elf Envoys had indeed been considerate, even returning his Dragon Armor when they arrived. This was also the reason he stopped Salovis from acting rashly.

"Now I want you to take my Dragon Armor back again, along with the Dragon’s Jaw and Tear Claw—my weapons—and have your elven craftsmen refine and embellish them further." Leon declared. "I need your elves’ artistry to enhance my equipment."

Leon had always felt that the equipment crafted by Fire Giants was practical yet lacked aesthetics. This was his chance to correct that.

"Ah, so that’s what it’s about... No problem!" Hai’an exuded generosity. Truthfully, his candid personality wasn’t suited for diplomacy, yet he always succeeded in negotiations.

"By the way, I suddenly have a question," Leon said, tapping the table. "Earlier, you mentioned Danalan could trade with Watchtower Port. This should include weapons and equipment, right?"

"Lord Leon has Salamanders—living forges. Salamanders are among the greatest metalcrafters across the planes," Hai’an noted, brushing back his golden hair. "Surely, Lord Leon has no need to trade weapons or equipment with us?"

"You make a good point. The Salamanders working for me can forge weapons and gear. To be honest, I can even commission the Fire Giants via the Cloud Giants." Leon squinted. "But to me... this is a matter of principle."

"We’ll ensure Lord Leon gets the respect he deserves," Hai’an replied ambiguously, inwardly worried. If elven weapons ended up in the hands of Red Dragon forces, others might mistake Danalan for aligning with him—a perception they currently wished to avoid.

"I also need access to your library," Leon stated. Though he lacked money, he understood the value of knowledge.

This demand gave Hai’an pause. The elves had plenty of wealth and didn’t fear Leon requesting more. Selling a few trinkets to the Human Empire would replenish their treasury quickly. But granting an adversary access to their knowledge was another matter entirely.

After a moment’s thought, Hai’an responded, "We have a White Tower Library. Lord Leon can freely borrow from the general collection."

"And the specialized collection?" Leon pressed, knowing that books imbued with magic could offer immense benefits. For example, an ultra-rare manual on physical conditioning could permanently increase strength if studied and practiced, though its magic would fade afterward until regenerating a century later.

Tassera’s resources were running dry for him. After all, Tassera was merely a young Blue Dragon herself, and her collection was naturally limited.

Hai’an uncharacteristically hesitated, chewing thoughtfully instead of answering immediately.

"I promise not to use the knowledge against you, provided you don’t oppose me," Leon said, willing to leave the elves some space. "You don’t have to agree now."

"You must have many Magic Items in your treasure vault... I’m not asking for them for free; I’m willing to pay," Leon added. Many valuable Magic Items were priceless and unobtainable through normal means. The elves’ treasury might offer something truly useful.

"What kind of Magic Items does Lord Leon have in mind?" Hai’an asked.

"Something akin to the Underwater Breathing Pearl," Leon replied. He hoped to use such items to cover his weaknesses.

Although he had a collection of Underwater Breathing Potions, he disliked consumables. While he’d seen Underwater Action Helmets, they were designed only for human form, making them relatively useless to him.

In short, Leon had found his stride, speaking with more confidence and ease.

He began to feel that, compared with venting his frustration and destroying Danalan at the cost of mutual harm, negotiating might yield greater benefits.

Hai’an stole glimpses at Leon from time to time, finding it hard to believe. Could he really be negotiating with a dragon—any dragon? Weren’t dragons supposed to lose all sense of direction at the sight of gold?

He wondered if he was truly dealing with a Red Dragon or with a cunning human. Negotiation was possible, sure, but Danalan couldn’t afford to nurture a future monster.