The General studied him in silence for a moment. It wasn’t just the offer, it was the understanding behind it. Arthur knew what the military’s value truly was.
It wasn’t the titles given to those at the top, nor was it the fortresses. It was the doctrine of discipline, experience and motivation.
Raemund’s gaze lingered on Arthur for a long, contemplative moment, silent but calculating. His sharp eyes, weathered by years of command and tempered by battlefield instinct, searched Arthur’s face not for pleasantries, but for weakness.
"You want to sharpen your people using our grindstone," he said at last, the words measured and heavy with implication. Yet buried beneath the gruff exterior of Raemund, there was a flicker of approval, respect earned, not given.
There was no scorn in his voice. On the contrary, it carried a subtle thread of admiration. Raemund wasn’t a man easily impressed, but he valued clarity, and Arthur’s approach, pragmatic, deliberate, and rooted in mutual gain, struck the right chord.
He understood the nature of the offer. As a rising guild master, Arthur could have approached the negotiation with arrogance, with bluster.
Many had before, and they’d left with less than they came for. But Arthur acknowledged what his guild lacked: battlefield-tested discipline, tactical cohesion, and hard-earned experience. Rather than pretend otherwise, he sought to bridge that gap by embedding his people into the crucible of a real military structure.
It was the move of a man who didn’t pretend to know everything, but who knew exactly what he needed.
Arthur gave a small, confident nod. "Exactly."
General Draketower folded his arms across his chest, considering the proposal with the precision of a war strategist.
His mind played out the possibilities, guild members trained to military standards, drilled under real commanders, learning the tactics and cohesion that only came from rigorous, unforgiving structure. In exchange, his top soldiers would be rewarded with rare-grade equipment, enough to tip skirmishes, maybe even battles.
It was a fair trade. Strategic, tactical, and most importantly, balanced.
"A mutually beneficial arrangement," Raemund said finally, his tone now bearing the weight of decision. "Your guild members would need to pass our standard aptitude assessments. There will be no favouritism, no shortcuts. But from what I’ve seen, that shouldn’t be a problem."
His eyes met Arthur’s again, sharp and steady. "If they make it through, they’ll be treated like any other soldier under my command. And they’ll be expected to hold the line just the same."
Arthur didn’t flinch. "That’s what I want. No special treatment. Just the right training."
Raemund gave a small grunt of approval. The foundation of an alliance had been laid—and it was one built not on titles or empty gestures, but on shared respect and the hard currency of competence.
Arthur returned the nod with equal gravity.
The first step had gone as intended. Mutual respect had been established, and with it, a door had opened. Now came the more delicate part, the true purpose behind his visit. It was time to test just how far that respect extended.
"General, I have another matter to discuss. More... powerful in nature."
Raemund gave a slow nod, his stance firm but receptive. He didn’t interrupt, simply waited with the patient’s stillness of a man used to hearing many stories.
"I’m seeking physical enhancement herbs. Epic-rank materials that can strengthen the body."
At that, the General’s brow furrowed slightly, his expression sharpening into something more calculating. The weight of the request wasn’t lost on him.
Such materials weren’t just rare, they were strategic assets. High-grade herbs that enhanced the physical body could change the trajectory of a noble heir. They weren’t the sort of thing handed out lightly.
Raemund folded his arms. "That’s not a casual request. Those kinds of resources are tightly regulated. I don’t think anyone outside the four elite families and the royal family have any at all."
Arthur nodded. He knew this. Hence, he was visiting every elite family he could.
"May I ask the intended application?" he asked, not as a challenge, but out of curiosity, could the guild leader in front of him have a weak body that needed strengthening, that would surely be a twist.
Arthur didn’t flinch. His face remained perfectly composed, the real reason buried beneath an iron layer of control.
"Research," he said evenly. Granting the general the same reason he had given Seraphina. He wasn’t dumb enough to give different answers; it was foolish. Despite that, he twisted the words to his favour, and he made Raemund more inclined to give the herb using those words.
"Investigating whether we can amplify the effects of those herbs. See if they can be optimised, replicated, or made viable for large-scale use. This would be a breakthrough that would help everyone."
It was true enough, but intentionally vague. He gave nothing away that could be weaponised against him.
No mention of Charlotte.
No plea for sympathy.
Raemund’s eyes lingered on him a beat longer, clearly trying to read deeper. But Arthur gave him nothing.
Of course, the general wasn’t naive enough to think that Arthur would help all humans, including his enemies, the Ashencroft. Naturally, most of the benefits would go to his own guild and then to the military or the crown. But despite that, the young man was ambitious.
The general gave a quiet grunt, then turned his gaze toward the eastern horizon, thoughtful.
"I’m sorry, Guild Master Azarel. I cannot help with this request."
"I recently provided such materials to my niece, Sarah Draketower. I believe you know her from the Academy of Mera?"
Sarah Draketower, alongside Elara, the current princess. She was one of the closest people he was close to inside the academy. He had first gotten to know her inside the entrance exam, and she had the A-Rank elemental talent.
Initially, Arthur had kept Sarah as one of the candidates for Regulus’s legacy. She was an elemental mage, which made her a perfect candidate to receive the talent of gravity, which would amplify her power.