As the meeting progressed, most members of the Kingdom's delegation began to feel that something was off. Heimdall was delivering exactly what they had hoped to extract through hard bargaining, placing it before them as if on a silver platter. The negotiations were unfolding along precisely the path the Kingdom's team had identified as their optimal outcome.
Millie Bright observed the exchange closely. A prickle of unease crept over her, unrelated to her artefact, which continued to glow a reassuring green. There was something deeply unsettling about an opponent who did not oppose.
Sir Geoffrey, however, was an experienced negotiator. In his mind, a victory handed over so easily was inherently suspect. He decided to probe further. "Your model is sound. Yet it still leaves the Kingdom dependent on Heimdall for maintenance, for upgrades, for the fundamental health of a system upon which we would inevitably come to rely. That is a strategic vulnerability."
