"How…." General Lackbolt asked in shock as he looked at the items dropped by Helix.
"That's not important." Helix replied with a serious expression.
"I have a Circle of Remembrance from Grandmaster Winter General Dame Tyrene Masney corroborating my claims.
Moreover, this is her official authority seal used in situations like this.
It lists my name as the person leading the operation and an explanation of the source."
More accurately, the official [lie] about where she obtained the intel.
"An identical set is being sent to Alzeria by messenger." Helix continued.
General Lackbolt gazed upon the items with shock in his eyes.
He couldn't believe Helix had been able to obtain such authority.
"This is a letter from Grandmaster Circle Master Tilo Salazar that had the seal of approval by Linus Sarroc, Chief Medical Officer Elsa Taylor, and three experts sent to Kozen with me." Helix continued.
He did not stop, either.
"As you're aware, this is an honored guest seal of a Kozen Duke.
It comes from the Duke of Lexion.
Alongside this honorary award from the Lexion Magic Circle Guild, you should be able to confirm our reputation." Helix added with a slight smile.
Helix would cry if asked [why] he was an honored guest of the Duke of Lexion.
Explaining what a hot tub is and how he sold the Duke one to improve his harem sex life was not something he wanted to do.
General Lackbolt was slack-jawed, looking at the number of official seals he had.
"And… this one?" He asked in a haze.
Helix gave him a mysterious smile.
"This is the Royal Medal of Honor from the Alzerian Capital.
I helped them through a bad situation three months ago, and they sent the experts and resources with my party as a thank you.
I'm not giving this to you. However, I'm showing you that my reputation in Alzeria holds a small amount of weight on its own."
General Lackbolt stared at Helix with trembling eyes.
"Lastly, come with me for a moment." Helix requested with a devious smile.
The general followed him out of the tent in a daze.
His mind wasn't even processing information well anymore.
Helix touched his neck when they were outside, and the Stalkwalker's middle finger appeared out of thin air.
It was more accurate to say the Colossus' finger materialized [in the air] and was floating.
"W-What the hell…." General Lackbolt gasped in shock.
Helix grabbed the finger by the tip, pulled it until it was vertical, and rotated the finger.
He wasn't showing off—
"That… magic circle… did this?" The general asked with wide eyes.
"That's right." Helix replied with a mysterious smile.
"Right now, the bones are in your item storage because you cannot transport them.
However, I can make them light as a feather so an emissary can announce your success and prove it.
Once that happens, it would smooth out the process—if you accept."
"I-I…." General Lackbolt stuttered.
"I will do the same with the hide you got and send a messenger to Samma to order the armor.
She'll hate me, but once one of these fingers sells at the market, it will load her up with so much gold she can't refuse." Helix chuckled.
"You'll get the armor work for free, magic circles to carry your hides without delay, and immense wealth since you can sell that Stalkwalker finger.
That is what I'm offering [you] for your support."
"W-Wait…." The man tried to interject.
He didn't want payment, considering what Helix and his team had done for them.
Moreover, Tyrene paid the ultimate price for her help, and he and Marie almost died.
"One last thing…." Helix chuckled with madness in his eyes.
"These are what are called [Hot Tub Circles].
A layer seal transfers the circles from these stickers to a surface.
When you place them around the bathtub, it shoots jets of warm water all around your body.
It's relaxing, and women [love] them.
If you put it into a large tub with room for many people, women will show up just to enjoy it." Helix added with a playful smile.
General Lackbolt salivated at the sight of the circles.
"If you accept the requests, you'll get all of this.
I'm willing to announce the free armor as a spoil of war for the troops so you don't feel like you're not repaying a debt.
However, if you manage to show up, you are repaying a debt."
Helix's smile disappeared, and he gave General Lackbolt a serious expression.
"General Lackbolt. We both know that you cannot put a price on human life." He asserted.
The general's eyes trembled.
He was going through a roller coaster of shock, confusion, conflict, greed, and now sorrow.
"Even if I give you a palace and a harem of beautiful women right now, your assistance 33 days from now will pay off the debt you're wearing on your face in full." Helix reasoned.
"All I'm asking is that you put your full weight behind me and attempt to pull it off.
We're sending the intel to Alzeria and Kozen, so your participation is only in influence and future military support."
General Lackbolt snapped out of his haze.
"Will you accept my absurd personal request?"
The general wiped his face with his hand and rubbed his eyelid with a thumb.
After only three seconds of silence, he lifted his head and gave Helix a pathetic smile.
"Did you have to give me four times what I needed to make this argument?" He chuckled with a self-deprecating smile.
Helix's eyes widened.
"Your diplomacy…." General Lackbolt replied in a haze.
"Is… god fucking awful, Helix!"
The man burst into laughter.
"I… finally… found something… hahaha… your crazy ass… is bad at!" He cried behind hyperventilating breaths.
Helix's eyes trembled in confusion.
He couldn't figure out how he could have made the pot sweeter in the man's favor.
"Was… haha… that not enough?" Helix asked in a daze.
"Not… enough… he asks…." General Lackbolt chuckled between breaths.
He looked at Helix with madness swirling in his eyes.
"Boy! You've done this all wrong.
You're supposed to say, here's a seal and an explanation from a legendary general." General Lackbolt asserted.
"Then I say… that's a hard sell…."
He burst into laughter again.
Helix was still confused beyond belief.
"Then.. you say… hahaha… oh yeah?
How about these seals?
I say, hmmm. That's enough, but… haha… it will be hard to convince the King… within the allotted period. Whew."
General Lackbolt wiped slight tears from his eyes.
Helix was starting to understand what was going on.
He waited patiently for his roasting to end.
"Most… Most importantly… hahaha!" General Lackbolt cried in agony.
His sides hurt so bad he was trying to remain standing.
"Most importantly, you're… hah… when it comes to money… anything… hahaha… you can't make it sound like a fucking bribe!"
The man kneeled in exasperation.
"You're… haha… you're supposed to say, General Lackbolt… sir… hahahaha!"
Helix gave the man an unenthusiastic expression at the end.
"General Lackbolt, I can reequip your troops, so it doesn't cost money… haha… for… haha… the Kozen Treasury…."
Helix's eyes widened, and he understood what General Lackbolt was saying was valuable.
Critical, even.
"I… can make your spoils of war and supplies move quickly… whew.
You can minimize… your resource costs and still obtain the goodwill of Alzeria."
Helix chuckled when he saw the man's genuine expression.
He could tell that General Lackbolt was trying to help him in the future.
"Thank you, General Lackbolt… sir… haha…." Helix laughed.
"For the advice. That's genuinely helpful, and I appreciate it."
The general laughed after hearing sir, calmed down, and stood up.
"I… don't remember this conversation. Do you?" Helix asked with a sly smile.
General Lackbolt scoffed and gave him a wry smile.
"Hah. I'll call in that debt first." He chuckled bitterly.
"But, yes. I cannot guarantee you will get reinforcements.
However, I will throw my full weight behind this operation." General Lackbolt confirmed with an honest expression.
"With what you've given me, it increases your chances ten-fold.
It doesn't hurt that I'm technically a legendary hero with bones to prove it!" He laughed.
General Lackbolt stretched out his hand.
"I accept your request."
Helix smiled and shook the man's hand.
The gruff man sighed after they completed the handshake.
"But with this level of impending stress, you better give that fucking [hot tub]." He scoffed.
"At least you understand the value of bribes."
—
Power stones and grammatical errors = more content. :)
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