I watched Lord Flores carefully, noting every subtle shift in his posture. His earlier hostility had mysteriously vanished, replaced with an unexpected cordiality that rang false to my ears.
"Let's be reasonable, Mr. Knight," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "Why fight when we can benefit each other? This battlefield clearly holds treasures waiting to be discovered."
Conrad stood protectively near Clara, who continued her cultivation. The dark energy around us seemed to pulse with anticipation.
"Treasures?" I kept my voice neutral. "You mentioned nothing about treasures before."
Lord Flores smiled, spreading his hands in a gesture of openness. "Ancient battlefields like this often contain artifacts of great power. I propose we search together and share what we find."
His two young disciples, nursing their wounds from Conrad's attack, exchanged meaningful glances. Their earlier aggression had transformed into forced politeness.
