---o---
Cerydra's eyes lit up instantly.
His words struck the very heart of her ambition!
Who in the entire Holy City didn't know that her greatest wish was to conquer all of Amphoreus and reform its laws?
"Oh? Mr. Fu Zhu, does that mean you intend to lend me your strength?"
Fu Zhu smiled and nodded, but then immediately held up two fingers.
"However, Your Excellency Cerydra, you must understand that there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. If you want my assistance, you will have to pay a price."
Cerydra was not the least bit surprised by this. She crossed her legs, switching one over the other, and gave Fu Zhu a slight nod.
"State your terms, Mr. Fu Zhu."
Seeing that she agreed, Fu Zhu didn't waste any time.
"First, I need your wholehearted support for the Re-Creation."
But as soon as Fu Zhu stated this demand, Cerydra simply waved her hand.
"I was already planning to support the Flame Chase Journey. That doesn't count as a condition. Give me another one."
This surprised Fu Zhu. He hadn't expected Cerydra to pass up the chance to get away with fulfilling only one condition.
"Alright, then let's change it. I hope that in the future, whether you are alive or not, any Nameless Guests who appear will be given the highest courtesy and have their safety guaranteed."
"Nameless Guests? And who might they be?"
"My companions. Now, for the second condition. When the twelve [Coreflames] are gathered, they must all pass through my hands before the ritual of Re-Creation can begin."
Fu Zhu's demand was not just for the sake of completing his Amphoreus mod build; it was also a precaution against a potentially disastrous outcome.
He had seen plenty of anime and novels where the main character, following a prophecy from some divine being, would gather a set of key items. The prophecy might claim that placing these items in a certain mechanism would seal away the final boss, but in the end, it turns out those items were actually tools to restore the boss's power, and the so-called divine being was a villain all along.
Such stories were not uncommon.
Lygus had previously revealed that his goal was to kill Nous, but how he planned to do so remained a mystery.
However, Fu Zhu was certain of one thing: as an avatar of Zandar, the first member of the Genius Society, Lygus would not have fabricated the entirety of Amphoreus just for fun.
This so-called Re-Creation might very well have some hidden problems that he wasn't aware of.
After hearing Fu Zhu's requests, Cerydra fell into thought. His first request was simple enough—to look after his people in the future. It was a common sentiment and very easy to fulfill.
The second request, however, was a bit strange. Why would he need to handle the twelve [Coreflames] personally before the Re-Creation could begin, instead of starting the ritual immediately after they were gathered?
Cerydra looked at Fu Zhu with a hint of confusion. "May I ask why?"
Fu Zhu simply shook his head.
"No. If I told you the reason, you might not believe me, and it could affect the trust between us. I cannot say more until I have concrete evidence."
"Very well."
Seeing him say this, Cerydra decided not to press the matter further. All she wanted was Fu Zhu himself. The price was irrelevant.
"I accept both of your requests. Now then, I shall bestow upon you the title of…"
Cerydra paused, thinking for a moment. It seemed no title suited Fu Zhu quite as well as the one he had inadvertently given himself. Thus, she decided to use the term he'd used earlier.
"Lord Nameless!"
Fu Zhu nodded. He didn't mind what the title was; Lord Nameless sounded decent enough.
Delighted to have gained a powerful new vassal, Cerydra immediately gave an order with a grand wave of her hand to Aglaea, who was standing beside her.
"Dux Goldweaver, to welcome the arrival of Lord Nameless, prepare a banquet for tonight!"
"As you wish, Your Majesty Imperator."
Aglaea curtsied and left the bedchamber to make arrangements for the evening's feast.
Cerydra then turned back to Fu Zhu with a smile. "Lord Nameless, you must be weary from your journey from the Grove of Epiphany. Please, go and get some rest. As for how you will help me conquer the world, I shall await your plans with great anticipation."
"Understood."
---o---
Afterward, Fu Zhu and Cipher left the Imperator's palace, with Tixi and Tribbie following them out.
The two walked hand-in-hand to Fu Zhu's side, and Tribbie gave him a very solemn bow.
"Fu Zhu, thank you for saving Tixi and the others."
Fu Zhu reached out and supported Tribbie's arms, preventing her from bowing fully. He said jokingly, "Tribios, I thought we were friends. Friends don't need to bow to express gratitude. From the looks of it, you don't consider me a friend, do you?"
"Of course not!"
Tribbie quickly protested, scratching the back of her head with a slightly embarrassed smile. "In that case… next time, we'll treat you to a meal."
Only then did Fu Zhu show a satisfied smile.
"Alright. I'll look forward to it."
---o---
As evening approached, Fu Zhu and Cipher, having been settled into their quarters by Cerydra, were guided by a servant to the banquet.
Upon entering the hall, many guests holding wine glasses turned to look at him in unison, all of them discussing the man Cerydra had just ennobled as Lord Nameless.
"He doesn't look like anything special… Why has he earned Her Majesty's favor?"
"Fu Zhu… that name sounds familiar. Isn't he the wanted criminal who killed the Lord of Dolos and declared the Golden Merchants under his protection?"
"Ah! Now I remember, it really is him! If Her Majesty has made him Lord Nameless, does that mean she intends to break ties with Dolos?"
"It's hard to say."
Fu Zhu glanced at the crowd, ignored them completely, and scanned the hall. Using the minimap, he finally located Cerydra in the center of the throng.
"Let's go, Feier. Since it's a banquet, we should at least eat something."
Cipher hummed in agreement, obediently following Fu Zhu into the crowd. As they walked past the people who had been gossiping about Fu Zhu, they all instinctively made way, watching as the pair walked toward Cerydra.
However, as everyone's attention was focused on Fu Zhu, Cipher secretly extended her hand. Without anyone noticing, her pockets were now several wallets heavier.
Hmph. If you like to gossip so much, I'll just take this money as payment for the lesson.
Fu Zhu arrived before Cerydra, who was enjoying a glass of wine. She noticed him and raised her glass in greeting.
"Lord Nameless, are you enjoying the banquet I've held in your honor?"
Fu Zhu nodded.
"It's not bad. Quite lively, if a bit noisy."
"Noisy, you say?"
Cerydra swirled her wine glass, then tilted her head and gave an order to a nearby attendant.
"Have those loudmouths thrown out. The host of this banquet is not me, but Lord Nameless."
"Yes, Your Majesty."