After the departure of the Spiritual Sages from the Evergreen Empire, a month passed.
The Minos watcher sent by Emperor Travisani was feeling increasingly nervous lately, considering when he should approach Emperor Stuart.
More and more important people were looking at Minos, and after the departure of the Calvert envoys, even representatives from high-level kingdoms in the western region had shown up in Dry City.
With more and more people interested in approaching Minos, that man had been pondering for the past few weeks whether he should wait any longer or whether it would be better to invite the local leader soon to avoid future problems.
If Minos chose the side of the enemies, the Eastern Empire would order his death. Still, Emperor Travisani preferred to have young talent on his side, not in the morgue.
So, after much consideration, that level 85 man finally decided to approach Minos, 'knocking' on this local leader's doors as the two Calvert envoys had done weeks ago.
...
"So you're finally showing yourself?" Minos smiled as he met with this man who had been watching him for months.
He could sense spatial fluctuations much more easily than ordinary people, not only because his energy level was higher than people of his level but also because of his Soul Avatar.
Even if this person was trying to hide from Minos, Emperor Stuart was fully aware of the presence of this man in his surroundings.
He just didn't know what that person looked like before, but he was used to his aura enough to identify him immediately.
That man bitterly smiled and said. "It's about time I introduced myself to Your Majesty...
Anyway, I am here on behalf of the Travisani family to invite you to visit the Eastern Empire. Surely Your Majesty can find everything you need for your territory in our state without subjecting yourself to the domination of others..."
Vico Travisani was said to be the strongest man on the continent, and what's more, he was not friendly with enemy forces. But he was not a conqueror. On the contrary, he advocated the idea that each territory deserved to have its sovereignty without outside interference.
But this was not so surprising. After all, as someone born in the Eastern Empire, a place oppressed by the Western Empire over hundreds of thousands of years, he could only have a view of things that way.
So even though he was a peak expert in this Spiritual World, he wasn't the type to make everyone kneel before him or to forcefully dominate external territories.
He would even centralize power within the Eastern Empire, but that was his state, which he had chosen to be one long before his emergence.
As such, the promises of this envoy were by no means false. If Minos agreed to join the Travisani family as an allied force, he would receive benefits and would not lose his sovereignty and freedom!
Minos knew a little about the recent history of each state in the Central Continent and had advisors who had already told him about the almost utopian Eastern Empire. But even though he knew that the words of the level 85 man in front of him were not meant to deceive him, he could not simply agree to make a deal with these people.
After all, whether it was advantageous or not, he already had connections with the Spiritual Church, and what's more, his territory was within the Church's domain.
What could he do about it? Was Vico Travisani going to take the northern region out of the Church's domain just because of Minos?
That was absurd!
As such, Minos couldn't help but use this as a defense against the offers of this empire. "I would love to have good relations with most of the powers of the Central Continent. But how can I join the Eastern Empire if my state is in Church territory?
Suppose we can have a relationship without a demand for fidelity or estrangement from the Church. In that case, I think a relationship between us is pretty feasible. But I can't sacrifice everything I build just for the selfish interest of a state I don't even know yet..."
That man had common sense and would not think that Minos had an obligation to sacrifice himself and choose a path full of problems ahead of him just because it was better for the Eastern Empire side. It would be absurd to disregard all the setbacks that someone in Emperor Stuart's situation would have in making such a choice.
Hence, he was not at all irritated with Emperor Stuart.
"I understand Your Majesty's situation... But to have the best future, sometimes one needs to make difficult decisions in the short term." He said. "We can't do anything about the Black Plain Empire, but there are lands all over the Spiritual World. In any case, if you ever go to the empire, you may be more motivated to join us.
So now, I ask you to consider visiting the Travisani family in the future, the Eastern Empire, and compare your options. I am sure Your Majesty will see why the strongest on the continent is in our state and not in the Church headquarters."
Minos heard that and was silent, considering that the Church really should have more resources, better techniques, and even karma in its favor.
But the supposed strongest on the continent belonged to another state, one that experienced a much more challenging situation and should be better at absolutely nothing than them.
That could be explained by individual talent. But even in this, the Church should be more gifted than the Travisani family.
Knowing this, Minos could not deny his curiosity to know that family and state better.
He then said. "I will certainly travel to your state in the future... For now, I intend not to visit new domains until my son grows a bit more.
He is recently learning to walk."
That man saw the smile on Minos' face and congratulated this fellow, wishing Kendrick would grow up healthy and have a good talent.
After that, he talked a little more with Emperor Stuart, warning that person not to visit the Western Empire before the Eastern Empire, or it would be viewed negatively by the Travisani family.
Other than that, that level 85 man did not press Minos on other issues, such as the one related to visits by people from the Blood Triangle Pirates group.
Minos watched that fellow leave to return to his observant position from before and sighed, noting that as much as there were no immediate threats against him, he was now relating to much more dangerous forces than before.
'I have to act more cautiously from now on...' He considered, noting that such a man had already left the area protected by the arrays of Dry City. 'Practically the entire continent is watching me now, so I have to act more slowly, making fewer trips and focusing on the Black Plain.'
He then teleported to the Spatial Kingdom after entering his royal palace.
"I must ensure that my forces advance as quickly as possible!" He muttered, already activating his innate ability to help the people in the Spatial Kingdom, among them his grandparents.
