NOVEL NEXT Chapter 88: Demands
The meeting room was, at its core, just a meeting room.
A long polished table stretched from one end to the other, files stacked neatly on its surface, and chairs lined along both sides.
Yet beyond those simple furnishings, nothing here was ordinary.
The men and women seated at this table weren't minor bureaucrats or administrators.
They were the most important figures in the world… names that shook nations when spoken aloud.
Lucius's gaze drifted across the faces.
There was Valerian, attending in place of the Hohenberg clan head, his back straight and eyes gleaming with hatred as they landed on him.
There was Leo Silberhain, patriarch of the Silberhain family, seated proudly with his eldest son beside him, both dressed in immaculate silver-gray suits.
Further down the table sat the Runenforscher clan head, a gaunt man with small round glasses balanced precariously on his nose.
His beard was so long it practically rested on the table, an obscene brown of white hair that looked like it could snare someone if he tilted too far forward.
Among them were also S-rankers — the ones whose very names kept nations in line. And then, at the far end, was Rita, the Saintess.
It was like staring into a dollhouse where every figure could topple countries.
And every single one of them turned their attention to him.
"Welcome, Lucius von Hohenberg."
The bold greeting belonged to the man at the head of the table. His hair was a striking mix of black and white, parted neatly, and his tailored suit screamed authority.
This was the current President of the country, the man whose decisions shaped the continent.
"The Council, as well as the other clan heads, have assembled," the President continued, his tone deep and steady. "While today's session was originally meant to cover other matters, we have chosen to prioritize yours first."
The room was silent after that.
Dozens of eyes bore into Lucius, though not all of them because of his reputation.
No, much of that focus was because of the woman at his side.
Elena, Mage General of the Country, the crimson jewel of the Hohenbergs who was on long leave, was practically glued to him.
She clung to his arm with a smile that could have terrified armies.
Everyone knew her as a merciless, trigger-happy mage, a woman who could level enemies without blinking.
And yet here she was, holding onto Lucius like he was the most precious thing in the room.
The sight unsettled them all.
Lucius, of course, noticed.
He just didn't care.
"Thank you for prioritizing my words first, Mister President," Lucius said lightly.
He strolled to an empty chair, Elena's hand still hooked around his arm, and dropped himself onto the seat.
What followed made half the table stiffen in outrage.
Lucius leaned back, laced his fingers behind his head, and kicked both legs onto the table. His polished shoes rested right on the Council's files, nudging them aside without a shred of respect.
His posture screamed nonchalance, almost laziness, but to those who understood power plays, it was deliberate.
This was what it looked like when a man held leverage and knew it.
"I was really thinking of getting a passport done to see the sights," Lucius said casually.
The words hung in the air like a threat well, because it was.
The President's eyes flickered, as did many others around the table. They knew exactly what that meant.
On the surface, the country seemed stable.
No foreign nations had been seen openly meddling. But in truth, infiltration attempts were constant.
Agents, spies, and recruiters from other nations had been trying relentlessly to infiltrate and pull Lucius into their fold.
He was the only person alive with Divine-rank affinities, and not just one but two — space and wood. Nations would kill, wage wars, or burn down empires to obtain even a fragment of such power.
The only reason he hadn't been kidnapped or assassinated was because the country had thrown everything into suppressing those attempts.
The President himself had ordered operations to shield Lucius's existence.
So, when Lucius hinted at "getting a passport," he wasn't talking about sightseeing. He was talking about leaving.
About walking into the open arms of another country and letting them weaponize him against his own.
He had the upper hand, and everyone knew it.
The President steepled his fingers, his face calm but tight. "Lucius von Hohenberg… what is it you want?"
Finally. The question.
Lucius stretched leisurely and smirked. "Well, if you're asking…"
He raised one finger.
"First, Grimmaw needs a new headquarters. Bigger. Better. You know, the kind of building that says: we're the ones running this shit. The current place feels more like a bunker than a guild HQ."
Murmurs rippled around the table. It was a bold ask, but considering what he was worth, not an unreasonable one.
"Second," Lucius continued, raising another finger, "I want priority access to dungeon raid clearances. High-tier ones, not the scraps. My guild has been bringing results. Time to stop treating us like an upstart and give us the respect we've earned."
Elena squeezed his arm lightly, a faint smile on her lips.
She believed it was nice to upgrade your working space.
Lucius leaned back even further, eyes half-lidded. "Third… I'd appreciate some leeway on regulations. Streaming raids is fine, but I don't need bureaucrats breathing down my neck every time I want to monetize content. You want me happy? Stop clipping my wings."
The cuts per stream were too massive, he was already paying tax in his old world… Why would he want to do so here as well?
"All of these you have said can be arranged," The President said with a delighted smile, he had almost expected Lucius to ask for the whole country but all these could be done very easily, now they had what they needed to bind him to the country.
"Uh-uh-uh…" Lucius said while waving a finger at the President, "I haven't gotten to my personal demands yet."