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"It's been half a year, Ryo."
Garol, whose appearance resembled a plump orange tabby cat, was the first to extend his hand toward Ryo.
Ryo sighed, his expression complicated. He shook Garol's hand, then said with feeling, "I never imagined I'd meet you again, in circumstances like these."
Garol was one of the few survivors of Arcadia's great war two hundred years ago.
That battle with Azi Dahaka had left lasting damage to his spirit, forcing him to step away from the front lines. He took on diplomatic duties instead, representing the Draco Greif and Arcadia, contributing to their alliance in a non-combat role.
Because of that, during the brief half month Ryo had stayed in Arcadia, he'd crossed paths with this old veteran many times.
Most of the time, though, whenever Ryo saw Garol, Canaria was nearby.
One had been a sick human temporarily staying in Arcadia, the other a diplomat under the alliance. Their statuses were worlds apart. At best, they could be called acquaintances. No one could have imagined that six months later, Ryo would stand before Garol as Arcadia's newly appointed leader.
As for the once-mighty Arcadia Grand Alliance, only a handful of half-dead old veterans like Garol remained.
Seeing the complexity on Ryo's face, Garol smiled and offered some comfort. "No need to be too sentimental. We old folks did everything we could to end up where we are now. It's not what we wanted, but it's reality."
He sighed softly, then spoke in a more serious tone. "You reclaimed the flag of the alliance with your own strength. Your position as Alliance Leader is well deserved. Even if Koumei came back, he wouldn't have the right to complain."
Garol understood the awkwardness of Ryo's situation. Being thrust into leadership during a crisis, with no senior figures left to take charge, gave Arcadia's other allies every excuse to break away.
Garol's stance, however, was clear. Even if his words carried little weight now, he supported Ryo as leader. That support alone eased Ryo's mind, letting him focus on using his abilities freely.
Garol had always been generous toward capable younger generations.
"Oh, come on," Ryo said, waving it off. "If Koumei-san found out he wasn't the leader anymore, he'd probably cry tears of joy."
As he spoke, he mimicked Koumei Kasukabe's tone in an awkward, clumsy way. "Finally, no more meetings, no more fighting. Even if my clothes get a bit torn, who cares? I'm creating artifacts, after all. Isn't it normal to wear durable old clothes? Hahaha~ I won't get yelled at for being the leader of a beggar alliance anymore."
"Hahaha!" Garol burst out laughing.
Teasing Koumei Kasukabe was an old favorite joke among Arcadia's veterans.
Koumei himself was a sculptor who liked dressing like a beggar. Canaria came from low origins, and Baron La Croix, one of their executives, was… eccentric, to put it mildly. Back then, the Arcadia Grand Alliance had earned nicknames like "The Beggars' Alliance" or "The Perverts' Alliance."
But with Arcadia's fall, no one had cracked those jokes in half a year.
"You brat," Garol said with a laugh, half-scolding. "You're good at bullying Koumei. No wonder you and Canaria get along so well."
He then composed himself and turned slightly, gesturing toward Sala. "By the way, let me introduce you. This is Sala Doltrake, the future leader of our Draco Greif."
"Nice to meet you," Ryo said, shaking her hand. After letting go, he raised an eyebrow slightly. "Doltrake… as in Salamandra's—"
"I've already gone independent," Sala cut in before he could finish. Then she smiled naturally at Ryo. "This counts as the first meeting of us new-generation leaders, doesn't it? Digging into my background right away feels a bit rude."
"Sorry," Ryo said apologetically. "I tend to be overly curious. If I offended you, please forgive me."
Sala didn't react strongly. She simply nodded, letting the matter pass.
As leaders of former allies, maintaining cordial relations was essential. As for the under-the-table deals, that could wait.
Ryo smiled and turned, gesturing toward Athena. "I suppose I don't need to introduce this one, right?"
Garol looked at Athena and grinned. "Of course!"
He bowed politely. "It's an honor to meet you, Lady Athena."
Sala also offered a courteous greeting.
"Pleased to meet you both," Athena said with a smile and a nod. Then she asked lightly, "Should I excuse myself for what comes next?"
"That won't be necessary," Ryo replied with a soft laugh. Turning to Sala, he added, "In the near future, Lady Athena might even become our closest ally."
At that, Garol's expression shifted slightly.
Athena becoming an ally? Not the Greek pantheon, but Athena herself?
There was something hidden in Ryo's words.
Was he planning to form a direct alliance with Athena alone, backing her as the fourth-generation Godking of Olympus?
Arcadia had only just revived. How did he dare to gamble so big?
So Canaria's successor was this radical, huh… Then again, someone less aggressive wouldn't have reclaimed the alliance's name and flag in just six months. Still, whether this was good or bad, any future dealings with Arcadia would need extreme caution.
Though his thoughts raced, Garol maintained his polite smile. "I see. Then it seems our alliance may gain one more kind-hearted goddess."
Athena smiled and nodded, casting a meaningful glance at Ryo.
This guy was borrowing her reputation to intimidate allies, without even asking if she minded.
Was he that confident she wouldn't object?
Annoyingly enough, he was right. She really couldn't do much about him.
While Athena was grumbling inwardly, Ryo had already turned back to Sala with a playful smile. "By the way, I ran into Mr. Mandora of Salamandra earlier. He doesn't seem to be doing too well these days."
"How so?" Sala asked. She'd only intended a polite response, but genuine interest flashed across her face.
Ryo spoke a bit more bluntly. "Mr. Mandora is still quite young. When he met some of the community leaders, his expression wasn't great. Looks like someone might have caught him with leverage."
Sala's eyes lit up. "You have leverage on my brother?!"
Ryo's smile stiffened. He'd thought he was being pretty direct already, but Sala was even more straightforward. That made things awkward.
Then Sala stepped closer, leaning in and lowering her voice. "Are you free tonight?"
Ryo looked uncomfortable. "I've been preparing for the Gift Game recently, so…"
"I see. Then I'll come find you once you're done," Sala said, nodding seriously.
Miss, that sounded way too suggestive… Ryo's smile was starting to crack.
Without even turning around, he could feel the meaningful gazes from Athena and Garol burning into him.
Did they think I was flirting with her? Ryo thought, feeling oddly unsettled.
Just then, someone suddenly patted his shoulder.
Before he could turn, a smiling female face popped up in front of him. "Well, well, kid. You've got guts. Hitting on girls right in front of Athena?"
Prithvi Mata barged right into the space between Ryo and Sala.
"Can you do it again? I did't record this scene just now."
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