Compensation

In the conference room.

Philicia cleared her throat, looking at the report in her hand, and asked with a serious voice.

“Regarding the dismantling of the s*ave auction market within the Nemanian Empire, Your Highness Avia, do you acknowledge that its hidden master was the previous family head of the Vlad family of the Blood Empire?”

Both sides of the round conference table were filled with people.

Behind Philicia stood elf representatives, all with serious and indignant expressions.

As for Avia, sitting on the other side, her elite vampire companions, representing this meeting, stood behind her.

Philicia’s voice was like an interrogation, her serious and sharp gaze seeming to penetrate one’s heart.

“I acknowledge that Noct Vlad was indeed the family head of the previous generation of the Vlad family. He was also a prince personally conferred by the previous Vampire Empress. However, before the previous Empress’s demise, his existence had already mysteriously disappeared…”

The vampire girl, dressed in a black dress with a high ponytail, had a candid expression.

The documents on the white paper in her hand recorded detailed information about Prince Noct.

However, the girl didn’t even glance at these pieces of evidence, which could be debated and shifted, casually placing them face down on the table.

“Then, do you acknowledge that the Blood Empire, under Prince Noct’s secret manipulation, supplied raw materials for the elf growth serum to outsiders?”

Unlike the gentle, kind, and amiable elf senior student in the eyes of many classmates on campus, Philicia at this moment displayed a seriousness and earnestness rarely seen by ordinary people.

This matter concerned a grave issue that would harm elves for a century.

In handling this matter, Philicia had worked tirelessly from last night until the start of the meeting, simply organizing the first draft and preparing materials.

She was the princess of the entire elf race, responsible for every elf citizen.

“I, on behalf of the Blood Empire, fully admit all guilt for the above matters.”

Amidst the bewildered and frowning gazes of her many vampire companions, Avia put down her manuscript.

She seemed to have given up on negotiation and rebuttal, admitting all crimes with a calm and indifferent expression.

The elves were surprised. They were surprised why the vampires would so easily admit their own crimes.

As is well known, these old bats who loved to sleep in coffins all day long were incredibly insidious and cunning.

Even if the auction was proven with irrefutable evidence this time, it was nothing.

Logically speaking, this race, which had villainy etched into its bones, should have eloquently defended itself even in the face of ironclad evidence.

Even if they truly couldn’t absolve themselves, they should have resorted to playing rogues and being unreasonable.

But why did they admit it so easily this time?

The elves were confused, the vampires were confused, and the knight order representative of the Nemanian Empire, sitting in the middle, was also confused.

However, facing those perplexed gazes, Avia merely clasped her arms across her chest with utmost nonchalance.

“Wrong is wrong. There’s no need to quibble. If reality could be changed merely by lies, then there would be no need for us to sit here negotiating.”

As soon as these words were uttered, they immediately won the favor of most elf representatives.

They couldn’t help but nod, their evaluation of this Third Vampire Princess instantly rising considerably.

‘To think that in the land of eternal night, where insidious and cunning individuals frequently emerge, someone as forthright as Avia could also be nurtured. Truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover…’ Such thoughts echoed in many people’s minds.

As for the vampires, their own representative had already admitted guilt in advance.

What could these supporting elites do? The words had already been spoken, and the act could only be seen through completely.

They could only say that compensation would be a bit more painful, but at least they had upheld appearances.

But the crucial point was that in the perception of other races, vampires had always been known for having no regard for appearances.

The tripartite negotiation meeting, which was expected to be intensely confrontational, ended so easily.

With the signing of the agreement, most of the representatives had already left the conference room.

Until the very end, only the two girls remained seated opposite each other at the round table.

“Why didn’t you leave?”

Philicia lowered her head, meticulously organizing the remaining documents on the table, while asking as if idly.

“Didn’t Student Philicia ask me to stay?”

“If I’m not mistaken, during the meeting just now, Student Philicia’s wink was probably an intentional signal for me to stay.”

With no one else around, Avia’s expression relaxed considerably, and her tone carried a hint of girlish playfulness.

Philicia slowly raised her head, her eyes fixed on the person before her.

She scrutinized her for a good while, then spoke with profound meaning.

“You’ve changed a lot during this time.”

“Is that so? Is there a possibility that my current state is my normal personality?”

“Perhaps… However, I still have to thank you. If you hadn’t personally dismantled that auction house, who knows how many elves would have suffered such cruelty.”

The old batch of documents was replaced, and a new batch was brought to the table. Philicia pushed a fresh document towards Avia.

The vampire girl lowered her gaze and glanced at the clauses on the document. Her expression suddenly changed.

“What does this mean?”

“The clauses on this document are vastly different from the tripartite agreement clauses just now. Among them, the compensation matters for the Blood Empire to the Elf Kingdom have been cut by more than half, and most of the remaining compensation is for settling the harmed enslaved elves, as well as some mutually beneficial and friendly clauses.”

“This simply doesn’t conform to common sense. Even saying that the elves’ peace-loving nature can hardly explain this behavior. Compared to my earlier, beyond-everyone’s-expectations admission of guilt, Philicia’s move of spitting back the meat she was about to devour is even more contrary to natural order.”

‘Who doesn’t care about profit?’

‘Even the elf race is no exception. The waived clauses involved large sums of money. With these compensations and the concessions on various regional minerals in the clauses, this level of compensation would move even a head of state.’

But Philicia just didn’t want it?

And she didn’t want it privately. Officially, the elf race had formally accepted the compensation terms.

This further negated the possibility that the elf race was only doing this to save face.

“The elf race has always been clear about its gratitude and grudges. We do not like to owe favors to others. The remaining compensation in the clauses is what you should pay to those victimized elves. As for the rest…”

“If I remember correctly, in the on-site investigation and your testimony, Prince Noct, at the time he was engaging in elf s*ave trafficking, was officially recorded by the Blood Empire as either missing or deceased. This means the Blood Empire was unaware of his actions.”

“Furthermore, a Vampire Prince who worships an evil god, in essence, can no longer be considered a vampire. After multiple considerations, coupled with Student Avia’s proactive dismantling of the auction house and sincere attitude in taking responsibility, this result is the final proposal reached through joint consultation between myself and other elf representatives.”

The air suddenly fell silent.

Avia stared blankly at the elf girl before her.

For some reason, she always saw much of Selina’s shadow in this peer.

Although their personalities were different, their essential characters were so similar.

Could it be said that they were indeed sisters by blood?