Xena remained silent for a moment after everyone had taken their seats, her gaze resting on me with a thoughtful calm before she finally spoke.
"Before anything else," she said, her voice carrying clearly across the hall, "we owe you our gratitude."
"The Hollow Star had been a persistent threat for a long time," she continued. "A force that operated in shadows, beyond direct confrontation, eroding stability across multiple regions of the Blue Spiral. For you to eliminate them so decisively… and permanently… that is not a small achievement."
Her eyes held mine steadily.
"You have done something many of us had considered… but chose not to pursue directly."
I gave a small nod.
"They were in my way," I replied simply.
A faint smile touched her lips, as if she had expected that answer.
"Even so," she said, "the result benefits all of us."
She paused briefly before continuing, her tone shifting slightly.
"So tell me, Lord Billion… what are your intentions?"
