"Your Highness?" Lord Fredrick asked again.
"…It's nothing. Please, have a seat." Elizabeth sat down, which Benedict and Shirley followed.
This gave the two Grand Nobles pause, because guards were not supposed to sit at the same table as their masters. It was essentially saying they shared the same status. It was a big taboo! And there was the practical reason since it would be harder to respond to threats sitting down. They heard that Elizabeth was unconventional, but it was still surprising to see firsthand. They treated Benedict and Shirley with greater importance. The two sat down, leaving their guards to stand behind them.
"Shall we eat first?" Elizabeth asked.
"Please," Lord Fredrick gestured. After everyone had their fill, the table was cleared. He then explained, "We came to the Zino Kingdom seeking cooperation with the local Engelsheft Families and their businesses. As Your Highness may know, with the war in the Xingyuu Empire over, a new division of resources is required. Many Grand Nobility Households are moving to expand already. Lady Kalasena and I are among the first to arrive from Algard."
Elizabeth sighed, having expected this. The defeated empire was like a fat sheep, ready to be killed and cut up as spoils. The Grand Nobility Households would do anything to grab a piece. And when the giants move, everyone would feel the ground shake. Their conflict might not be as bloody or open as a civil war, but no less intense! She feared the next few months would bring enormous upheaval to the Grand Nobility and the Alzar Kingdom. No wonder Lord Fredrick and Lady Kalasena wanted to conceal their actions. They were bound to make big moves here in the Zino Kingdom!
"I see," she replied indifferently, concealing the disgust in her head. Although she might have been a princess and a Royal Ambassador, it was not within her power to interfere. She aimed her frustrations at Lord Fredrick.
"Your Highness, are you willing to cooperate with us?" The lord smiled.
"How?"
"Your Highness lived in the empire for almost an entire year and worked alongside the Imperial Empresses and the Four Great Nobility Families. You must know a great deal about the empire, for example every province's politics, economy, geography, production, guilds, and shortcomings."
"You could gather that yourself. It isn't a secret."
He shook his head. "The information we've obtained thus far is unreliable. Confirming the details will take time, time that we urgently need at this stage. We're asking Your Highness to aid us in this aspect."
"Well, I must respectfully decline. I'm not interested in helping you or any family for that fact." She prepared to leave, when Lord Fredrick interrupted.
"Please wait, Your Highness. I haven't finished yet."
"…Go on then."
"We won't be asking Your Highness to help us for free. We're willing to compensate you for your services."
Elizabeth snorted, her disdain growing. She was a princess! What could she need? But then, she had a great idea. Looking at Lord Fredrick, she answered, "I heard the Dewshard Household operates the second largest herb association in the kingdom."
"Yes, the Fourth Clover operates in eleven provinces, employs seven thousand people, and directly supplies the kingdom's army," Lord Fredrick replied in Lady Kalasena's place. "Is Your Highness in need of anything?"
"I am. They aren't exactly herbs, but rare materials." She gave him a list.
When he finished reading it, a frown creased his handsome face. He considered himself a well-read man, having known about a good majority of the herbs in the kingdom. In addition, he had attended various famous auctions throughout his life, auctions exclusive to the super wealthy where the rarest of artifacts were sold off. Hence, he could confidently say… he had never heard of any of the items on Elizabeth's list! He suspected she was mocking him but did not voice it.
"Uncrowned Millennial Horn, Lime-touched Rainbow Grotto Wood, Nebulous Star Root, King Lightning Wisp Breath… These definitely sound unique. Lady Kalasena, have you heard of these before?"
"No."
"What does Your Highness intend to use them for?"
"I can't say."
Her response made Lord Fredrick's frown deeper; however, she was honestly not making fun of him. According to the Featherwind Sect, these four materials were required to repair their airship! Normally, the Alzar Kingdom would have been very eager to help, except everyone was preoccupied with the empire. Nobody had the leeway to find these exotic-sounding materials. Elizabeth was curious whether the two Grand Nobles heard of them. Unfortunately, she was disappointed.
"Forget it." She waved her hand.
"…Do you know their characteristics?" Lord Fredrick asked after seeing her reaction. He realized she was serious. "They might have a different, more common name. If they don't exist, then can we use substitutes?"
"Let me recall… Uncrowned Millennial Horn is the horn from a rare four-horned goat."
"I believe there are rumors about a three-horned goat in the north, but very few people have seen it before. Is it possible for a four-horned goat to exist?"
Elizabeth nodded. "When the three-horned goat's horns fall off and regrow nine times, then it will transform into a four-horned goat. It will have the power of a Half-Rank 2 Beast Lord, or a Half-Perception Realm. Once that happens, it must be killed before it grows its tenth horn, transforms into a five-horned goat, and becomes a Rank 2 Beast Lord."
"This will be hard to find." Lord Fredrick strained a smile. "I can ask some people to scour the northern provinces later."
"The second material, Lime-touched Rainbow Grotto Wood, is also special. It comes from a tree sapling that grows in a miasma-filled swamp without sunlight. Instead of growing upwards, the sapling grows under the swamp to absorb nutrients. It will build strength for ten years, before suddenly sprouting upwards. If it can successfully reach the sky and absorb the sunlight, then it will transform into a Rainbow Grotto Tree, a tree with seven-colored leaves. And depending on the quantity of nutrients it absorbed, it can appear with lime-spotted bark."
"There are a handful swamps in the kingdom, none of which are dark and miasma-filled. We might have to look in the empire for this one."
"I can ask my family," Lady Kalasena added.
"It isn't a herb, but the Fourth Clover might know something. It's a good idea to double-check. What about Nebulous Star Root and King Lightning Wisp Breath?"
"These materials will be extra challenging to find," Elizabeth replied wryly.
"More than the first two?" Lord Fredrick was stunned.
"I'm afraid so."
"…" He was lost for words.
"Nebulous Star Root comes from a meteor. This meteor must be completely metallic which when exposed to the extreme heat during its descent will fuse together. To create the Nebulous Star Root, it must have a unique mixture of metals and then be frozen into a crystal before it touches the ground. Unlike the previous materials, it must be found naturally."
"I don't see why we need to find it. A metal is a metal. Surely, we could forge it ourselves."
"I considered that too, but they told me that forging it isn't possible. Apparently, the inclusion of foreign elements will disrupt the natural World Energy composition, thus degrading the final product. It might look the same, but it won't be a true Nebulous Star Root. And even if we do manage to forge a Nebulous Star Root, it will be laughable quality, essentially scrap metal."
"That limits our options then." He cupped his chin. "Meteors appear like the wind. They aren't beholden to any pattern. And to be frozen before it touches the ground… that would mean it can only form in extremely harsh environments. This Nebulous Star Root… probably doesn't exist anywhere in the human world."
"I think the same," Elizabeth sighed.
"Either way, I can ask around. We might get lucky."
"Thank you."
"What about the King Lightning Wisp Breath?"
She had a bitter expression. "That… will definitely not exist in the human world, because it comes from the nest of a Half-Rank 3 Beast King. To be specific, the Lightning Wisp is a flying insect the size of a melon. They live in a swarm of thousands and can reach very high speeds. Their streaking image is reminiscent of lightning, hence the name. The problem is that they are aggressive and powerful, each comparable to a Peak Gaseous Fog Arcanist."
"Your Highness means to say these insects can… cast spells?"
"Is that so weird?" Elizabeth chuckled.
The Featherwind Sect had talking birds that could use Martial Energy as well as Magic Energy, so it did not sound that bizarre. In fact, it sounded quite natural! Regrettably though, her nonchalant attitude made the elegant lord's eye twitch. Since when were spell-casting insects normal? Never!
"The leader of the insect swarm is usually a Half-Rank 3 Beast King, which is comparable to a Half-Instinct Realm or Half-Blue Depth Core. The King Lightning Wisp Breath can be found inside its nest."