"Is that so?" Minos asked those individuals before adding. "Some years ago, I met a Spiritual Sage who was protecting an enemy. This person was in pursuit of the same thing you are...
Can you tell me what this is about? I'm curious about something that people so powerful and willing to spend fortunes are running after."
Those people were not surprised about this, knowing who Minos was talking about.
"Your Majesty is referring to the man from the Eastern Empire?" That woman said. "They are enemies of the Evergreen Empire, so they want to prevent any forces in our state from developing or achieving their plans."
"Yes, the Travisani family only seeks this item to hinder us. But Your Majesty should not worry about that. They will not get involved with you because of a possible relationship between us."
"As long as you don't go to their state, of course." Someone else added.
But Minos insisted on his question. "You haven't talked about what that item is about. What is it for?"
The woman leader of that group looked at Minos and smiled bitterly. "That is something we are not allowed to discuss, Your Majesty."
"Hmm, I understand." He said as he closed his eyes momentarily. "Well, I can't go after something I don't know and don't understand its implications. I'm already too busy with my state's recent problems, so I can't accept this deal, no matter how generous you are."
Those people did not like to hear that, and one of them stepped forward, saying. "Your Majesty, reconsider. That is very important to us, and we are willing to pay a lot for it."
Minos looked at that man and said calmly. "Currently, my state has to establish developments in the northern region states that are joining my empire.
At the same time, I have to deal with the crisis in the Flaming Empire, where Mortimer Burgess has just advanced a stage and become a Spiritual Sage.
Also, I still have to deal with the situation in Vogel and Blackrock, territories that are not yet converging with my interest.
In the midst of all this, there are various day-to-day problems related to managing a growing force, such as the Black Plain Army.
So how am I going to help you with so many occupations momentarily?
You guys talk about paying a lot... But what good is a generous payment that is not recurring? By developing my state, I am creating recurring sources of income, which eventually won't even need my effort to grow.
But do you want me to stop developing my state to help you with a job that will end once I complete it?
Tsk!
You guys aren't even willing to give me more information about it...
I'm not interested!"
Upon hearing Minos' argument, those three people clenched their fists but said nothing since there was really nothing to be said.
Minos was within his right to refuse them, and the conditions didn't seem that favorable for him.
These people weren't so shameless as to deny this, and as such, they preferred to remain silent, trying to think of something.
"But..."
"Your Majesty, isn't there any way we can make a deal?
This item is very important to us, and due to the circumstances of how it was lost, we know that it can only be in this region. But unfortunately, we have no way to find it because something near it is getting in our way." That woman said, trying to be as sincere as possible to gain some ground in negotiating with Minos.
Minos remained calm, listening to all that. 'Yes, it is in the Spatial Kingdom, so obviously, no one will be able to get its position...
Not even a God could do that without first invading that space!'
That woman continued. "However, I know that our entire organization will be very grateful if you can help us. Maybe we can even solve that problem in the Flaming Empire for you...
A Spiritual Sage is not much for us."
Some people in the surrounding area who didn't know about the map in Minos' hands opened their eyes wide upon hearing this, thinking it would be worth it for them to make a deal with these people.
But none of them would express their opinion while Minos was in front of these people.
Minos heard this and felt bad that these people were so insistent, offering difficult offers for him to justify refusing.
He then said. "That is a very generous offer, but I will have to ask for a while to think about the answer. How about you return to my state in six months? At that time, I will be able to answer you definitively."
Those people looked at each other, realizing that Minos wanted to test Mortimer's strength and see how terrible it could be to face a Spiritual Sage before asking for help.
It was always better to solve your problems without depending on others or agreements. So he wanted to see how much help he would need from them to decide if he should accept the offer.
They were not against waiting only six months for Minos' answer, and after a few moments of looking at each other in silence, the woman declared. "Very well. We will leave to settle some matters and return after that period."
"I hope Your Majesty will make the decision we expect at that time." One of the men said, smiling, as he gestured goodbye before he and the other two left.
As those people left the imperial throne hall, the high-level elders in the surrounding area soon approached Minos, with that level 79 individual asking. "Your Majesty, why don't we just accept this agreement? From what these people said, we wouldn't even need to complete the service for them to resolve Mortimer's situation."
"It's not that simple," Minos said before muttering so those closest to him could hear. "I already have that map in hand. If I sign an agreement with them, I will have to hand over such a thing to them and lose any possibility related to it."
Minos didn't know why these people wanted that fabric map so badly. But he was aware that the price these people had offered him was not great, next to the total value of it.
So he preferred to keep it to himself and see if it was worth something to his state. If not, he would negotiate it with those interested in the item for a much higher price!
At the moment, he was not strong enough to do that. So he couldn't let any of those people know the truth, so he had to reject any deals regarding that map.
Those elders readily understood this upon hearing Minos' words, noting that their leader was not being overly stubborn in refusing such a proposal.
Afterward, Minos would also explain a little better why he disliked the group of pirates these people belonged, to which Emlyn had a great desire for revenge.
He would not try to exterminate this group. Still, he was fully aware that he would have to help Emlyn take her anger out on the people in this organization, which would make him an enemy of it.
As he liked to anticipate the movements of enemies, even though he was not a mortal enemy of that group, Minos already considered himself as such, for this was the expected consequence of what would happen in the future.
So, the three of them left Dry City while the local leader returned to the core of his empire, organizing what needed to be resolved before returning to the Flaming Empire.
