Azrael raised his eyebrows slightly at the unexpected sight before him, then pulled out a chair and sat down with deliberate casualness. "What's the meaning of this, Edley?"
The Sovereign-level Lore Cardian's gesture had caught him genuinely off guard.
Hearing the question, the middle-aged man in the dark blue suit shrugged his shoulders with practiced ease. "As you can see, a gift of apology."
As he spoke, he pushed the wheelchair containing the unconscious Skinner toward Azrael's position.
Before the wheelchair could reach him, however, one of the Shadowkhan materialized and blocked its path with silent efficiency.
Azrael glanced at the still-unconscious figure of the Skinner, then asked with genuine curiosity, "Won't Apache be furious if you do this?"
Edley scratched his cheek thoughtfully. "He won't mind."
"And even if he does, he wouldn't dare direct his anger at me." The White Crown's expression turned calculating. "I imagine it'll be you, Master Azrael, who bears the brunt of his... displeasure."
Azrael's eye twitched at the Sovereign-level Lore Cardian's frank admission. After a moment's pause, he said flatly, "I could refuse this gift."
Even as he spoke, however, the Shadowkhan beside him had already begun wheeling the Skinner out of the conference room.
A Lore Cardian as heinous as her deserved to face the Empire's judgment.
Seeing this, Edley smiled knowingly. "Looks like Master Azrael is willing to talk with me after all."
"Tell me what you want to discuss." Azrael could roughly guess Edley's intentions, they likely mirrored Louis XXIV's recent approach. "Did Apache tell you everything about Great Britain?"
"I wonder what his expression would be if he knew this is what cost his sister her life."
If Apache hadn't informed Edley about the World-Devouring Disaster, the Skinner certainly wouldn't have been delivered to the Empire as an apology gift by this Indo-American Federation's Sovereign-level Lore Cardian.
Apache's motivation had probably been to alert Edley and neutralize the threat Azrael represented. Instead, his warning had sealed his sister's fate.
Edley seemed unimpressed by Azrael's observation. He waved his hand dismissively. "Let's get down to business, Master Azrael."
"I hope you can tell me everything you know about what happened in Great Britain."
Azrael suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and said expressionlessly, "Edley, aren't you going to discuss compensation first?"
"Didn't I already provide compensation?" Edley looked genuinely surprised. "The Skinner, that was the payment."
"That was just an apology for getting me to sit down and talk with you," Azrael said with a curl of his lip.
With these words, the conference room suddenly fell silent.
The two Master and Sovereign-level Lore Cardians simply stared at each other without speaking.
After a long moment, Edley suddenly smiled, a hint of regret coloring his expression. "I was hoping I could save on the actual payment."
"Well, it seems I can't."
He paused deliberately, shifting topics with practiced ease. "Master Azrael, are you interested in a deal?"
Before Azrael could ask what kind of deal, Edley had already stated its terms. "I'll lure Apache out into the open, and you'll help me kill him."
"In return, you can choose any Federation material you want. One Sovereign-level material or twenty Master-level materials. How does that sound?"
Azrael was momentarily stunned, then his expression turned wary.
He was confused by Edley's intentions. The White Crown was actually willing to pay him to kill Apache, and the price wasn't cheap.
There was no such thing as a free lunch. Azrael naturally wouldn't agree so easily.
After a brief pause, he spoke calmly. "Isn't it easier for you to kill him yourself? Why would you need me to do it?"
"Killing him versus having you kill him, these are two very different things," Edley responded to the question without elaborating. "What about this deal? Do you want it? My offer is quite generous."
Azrael was about to press for more details when he suddenly fell into deep thought.
He seemed to understand why Edley had proposed such a deal. It all depended on Charlotte's earlier description of the current power structure within the Indo-American Federation.
According to Charlotte, the Sovereign-level Lore Cardian before him had been working to integrate the two major factions within the Indo-American Federation, the Conservatives and the Radicals. Unfortunately, due to the presence of the Skinner's family among the Radical faction, his efforts had been repeatedly stymied.
Even if Edley forcibly merged the two factions through sheer power, internal strife would likely continue unabated. This was a situation he clearly didn't want to see.
After all, when two groups spent all their energy fighting each other, how could they properly govern a nation?
This kind of thing had happened more than once in the Empire's history. The most recent example was the internal strife between the imperial court and the Cardian Master Association before Lord Lioren's intervention.
What could force these two factions to put aside their past grievances and work together?
The answer was simple: a common external enemy.
Azrael was the enemy Edley had chosen.
If Apache died at Azrael's hands, Edley could easily unite the two factions. His subordinates would no longer be able to disobey his will, united in their hatred of the foreign threat who'd killed one of their Master-level Lore Cardians.
Of course, Edley could also choose to directly eliminate all those who disobeyed him, just as Lord Lioren had done when he'd purged the corrupt imperial court officials.
However, it should be noted that Lord Lioren and Edley faced vastly different situations. Lord Lioren's decision to take action against the imperial court was entirely justified, their willingness to descend into a Soveriegn-level secret realm to gain power had been utterly unacceptable, a betrayal that would be intolerable in any nation.
But Edley?
He was the uncrowned king of the Indo-American Federation. He certainly couldn't slaughter his political opponents as he pleased without cause.
Therefore, finding a common enemy externally was essential.
After figuring this out, Azrael couldn't help but shake his head. "You're quite ruthless."
Seeing his scheme exposed, Edley wasn't surprised. After all, this wasn't some sophisticated plot, it was fairly transparent to anyone with political acumen. He simply repeated his question. "So? Vangeance you do it?"
Although Edley's offer was tempting, Azrael wasn't ready to agree. "Forget it, Edley. What if you're just trying to lure me out so you can kill me instead?"
The risk was too great. This was Azrael's reason for refusal.
However, as if anticipating this objection, Edley didn't seem anxious. He spoke slowly. "Master Azrael, you're overthinking it. If you're worried about the location, the time and place are entirely up to you."
Hearing this, Azrael briefly considered the offer, then said, "Alright, but I need to receive payment first."
"Acceptable," Edley readily agreed.
Seeing him so straightforward, Azrael raised his eyebrows and asked, "Aren't you afraid I'll take the benefits and not follow through?"
To his surprise, after hearing this question, the White Crown showed a meaningful smile on his face. "Believe me, Master Azrael, you don't want to see what happens if you try."
Of course, Azrael had no intention of backing out once he'd agreed, so he didn't take Edley's veiled threat to heart.
He breathed a sigh of relief and said casually, "Then consider this information a gift."
With that, Azrael proceeded to tell Edley everything he'd previously shared with Louis XXIV.
After listening to the entire account, Edley's face showed a thoughtful expression as he processed the implications.
"It seems Edley already has some ideas." Seeing his expression, Azrael couldn't help but probe.
Edley withdrew from his thoughts but didn't respond to Azrael's observation. Instead, he chose to end the topic with a noncommittal sound. "Hmm."
"Master Azrael, please set a time and place for our... arrangement."
Upon hearing this, Azrael didn't inquire further. After a brief moment of thought, he settled on the specifics. "A week from now, then. On the edge of the Empire's South China Sea."
The reason for the timing was strategic. By then, both the Soul King and Uchiha Madara's cooldown periods would be over.
With the Soul King by his side, Azrael would be incredibly confident in his ability to survive any treachery.
Naruto and Sasuke, Fubuki, the Flame Blade Rekka, and the Soul King, this arsenal of cards would be more than enough for him to defend himself against a Sovereign-level Lore Cardian, should it come to that.
Not to mention, if things got truly desperate, he could always summon Artoria.
Of course, there was another factor to consider. After his previous conversation with the World Consciousness, Azrael was certain that Edley had encountered it as well, most likely in Antarctica.
Otherwise, the White Crown wouldn't have been so tirelessly working to suppress the secret realms there. He couldn't possibly be that selfless, could he?
It was easier to believe that pigs could fly than to believe Edley was motivated purely by altruism.
Therefore, even if Edley wanted to betray him and take action, he wouldn't be able to mobilize much force unless he completely abandoned his responsibilities in Antarctica.
Azrael reasoned that he didn't have a significant conflict of interest with the White Crown. Furthermore, judging by his previous interactions with Edley, he was a pragmatic man who wouldn't bother doing anything without clear profit.
Beyond these two reasons, there was another crucial factor. Based on Azrael's time with Apache in Great Britain, he'd concluded that the brown-skinned man was a rabid warmonger who, given the opportunity, would eagerly pounce on the Empire and tear it apart.
Even if his sister, the Skinner, had committed heinous crimes against humanity that fully justified her execution.
Just as Azrael was lost in thought, Edley handed him a tablet-like electronic device. "Here are the materials the Federation currently possesses. Master Azrael, feel free to choose whatever you want. Contact me when you've made your decision."
Azrael took the tablet and casually began flipping through the extensive catalog.
It was undeniable that the Indo-American Federation, lacking strong competitors in their geographic region, possessed a vastly greater resource stockpile than the Empire.
Seeing the young Master already examining the materials with interest, Edley's eyes flickered slightly. He uttered one final statement.
"Then I won't disturb you further, Master Azrael. Farewell."
With that, the Indo-American Federation's Sovereign-level Lore Cardian vanished from Azrael's perception entirely, as if he'd never been there at all.
Indo-American Federation.
Apache, with a dark expression twisting his features, was violently smashing objects throughout his home. The younger generation of his family surrounded him, barely daring to breathe too loudly.
"This is too much! This is going too far!"
"What the hell is he trying to accomplish!"
That morning, Apache had suddenly discovered that his sister, who'd been recuperating at home, had disappeared without a trace.
Shortly thereafter, news had arrived from the Conservative Party that Lord Edley had taken his sister away.
Apache had been struck as if by lightning upon hearing this news. He'd known immediately that something terrible was going to happen.
With this dreadful thought consuming his mind, Apache had begun furiously destroying everything within reach.
Just as the younger generations were hesitating about whether to offer comfort to the family's most powerful Lore Cardian, a voice suddenly echoed from within the room.
"What's going on? Such fury!"
Apache, who'd been in the middle of smashing things, froze completely upon hearing the voice. Cold sweat immediately began dripping down his cheeks onto the floor.
Just as he was frantically wondering what to do, the voice's owner had already moved with supernatural speed, snatching the pristine white plate from his hands and setting it aside carefully.
This action instantly brought Apache back to his senses. He turned around mechanically, not daring to look up, and stammered, "L-Lord Edley."
Even the raging fury within him was now completely extinguished.
Gazing at the scene before him, Edley felt a moment of dark amusement. He briefly wondered if he should show Azrael this pathetic display, proof that, as the young Master had predicted, Apache wouldn't dare hold a grudge against him.
Apache didn't dare ask where his sister had gone. Honestly, there was no need to ask.
After all, Edley standing here alone had already explained everything.
An inexplicable sadness welled up within him, but it was quickly overwhelmed by paralyzing fear.
"I understand your feelings, but there's nothing to be done about it. You have to give something to gain something." Edley's lips curved slightly upward, but his eyes held no warmth whatsoever. "I've handed Sakaga over to the Empire. After all, there's something I need to know from them."
Hearing this, Apache opened his mouth, wanting to say something, anything, but ultimately closed it without speaking.
He certainly understood why the Empire hated his sister so intensely.
But even if his sister was ninety-nine percent at fault, couldn't the Empire bear even one percent of the blame?!
It was all Azrael's fault!
Unable to resent Edley, Apache could only redirect his hatred toward Azrael instead.
After all, it was Azrael who had reduced the Skinner to her half-human, half-ghost state, forcing her to remain bedridden.
As if oblivious to Apache's twisted expression, Edley continued speaking. "But don't worry, I've already made a deal to draw Azrael out into the open."
"In a week, just go to the location I'll provide, and you can seek your revenge on him personally."
Upon hearing this, Apache suddenly raised his head, staring at Edley with a mixture of disbelief and desperate hope. "Really, Lord Edley?"
Seeing the Sovereign-level Lore Cardian nod slightly in confirmation, Apache's eyes ignited with the fire of vengeance.
He would make Azrael pay with blood!
However, Apache subconsciously overlooked several crucial facts. It was Edley who'd brought the Skinner to the Empire. It was the Skinner who'd helped Jin summon the Soveriegn-level demon in the first place.
He'd also mentally prepared an excuse for why Edley wouldn't take action personally against Azrael: his master didn't want to start a full-scale war between the Federation and the Empire over a mere Master-level Lore Cardian.
Whether this reasoning was sound or not, Apache didn't bother to consider deeply. He didn't dare to.
Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Edley casually provided the location Azrael had specified, then disappeared from the house as abruptly as he'd arrived.
After Edley's departure, Apache immediately began analyzing his chances in a confrontation with Azrael.
There was no doubt that in a one-on-one fight, he definitely wouldn't be a match for the Empire's strongest Master.
However, as far as he knew, Azrael's golden-haired king card had been left in Great Britain and wasn't currently with him.
"Maybe there really is a chance," Apache muttered to himself.
He calculated that it had only been a few days since the incident in Great Britain had concluded. It was undoubtedly unrealistic to expect Azrael to have created a new Master-level card in such a short time.
And even if the young prodigy had somehow managed to create a new Master-level card, it would only be three cards total, including the fox and the purple-armored giant he'd displayed previously.
Therefore, as long as he could find powerful allies, Apache felt he still had a decent chance of defeating Azrael.
The advantage was his!
Thinking along these lines, the brown-skinned man's eyes flickered with calculation. "I can only go find him."
After making up his mind, Apache immediately took action to secure the help he needed.