"Was the dungeon material sale just a one-time thing, or are you going to export that as well?" The Faerunian queen asked.

"We will, but only directly and large orders," Souldealer replied. "No dungeon explorer will take the monster loot or other materials out of Sanctum. Local shops and Sanctum will buy everything from them."

Damian nodded. That's what they had decided. Selling good-quality dungeon material to other countries meant indirectly raising their weapon crafting and research potential. The local shops could sell a limited amount, and an individual can only take that small amount out of the Sanctum borders. That too will only be once every few days.

So people would only choose the best items to take with them and sell everything else inside Sanctum. Or they will confiscate the excess baggage near the waygate entrance while searching their spatial storage. People would still try to smuggle things on foot.

Guess it was time to start the giant wall project he had had in mind for a while. The excess metal was also gathered a lot with them by now, and it would only increase from here on.

"I saw you all use your receivers to communicate. Is something like an alliance channel possible? Having a faster, easier way to communicate between countries will make the mainland much more accessible." Ilvanya asked.

"The resources it needs for just one separate channel are a lot. Just for occasional communication, reserving it is taking a loss of its other potential." Damian said with all seriousness.

The idea had already crossed his mind, but he wouldn't let go of anything without tight negotiations.

"Name your price." The emperor sighed.

"All prisoners taken during or before the war belonging to Dawnstar or Sanctuary-whether it be pathfinder, mundane, men, women, or children, be returned to us," Damian stated his condition.

The faces of the people on one side of the table took complicated and calculating expressions. The Highswords had no part in this as well.

Damian had already taken many war prisoners from the emperor, but those were captured by his own royal soldiers. Right now, he was asking for all lords and knights who were keeping prisoners in their respective regional castles and villas. The basements of those pigs are rarely empty.

"We don't have any of your prisoners," Vidalia revealed.

"We know," Evrin replied with a smile, "Would you consider this as half repayment of what we owe you?"

"That will do." Vidalia accepted with a smile before her mother could interject.

"Fine," the emperor folded as well, even though it would create several minor inconveniences in his rule, which could last for years. Faerunia, with all its issues, was still a very united and stable country. The empire, on the other hand, could best be described as grown too big for its breeches.

"We will see what can be done." The queen of Faerunia answered.

It was clear that all three didn't really have any problem with it, but it wasn't entirely their own decision. Damian had heard reports that after they had clashed in the Faerunian capital, Sea Snake had gone into the ocean, as he does once in a while. There was no news of the king returning yet.

The prisoners the emperor had released to him did not include any members of his family at all. There were several familiar faces for the other Dawnstar people, but none that he personally recognized.

His mother could not operate the waygate tool, and Elias's memories of his older siblings were not that strong. Hester didn't have fond memories of them either.

This was the last hope for Elias and his mother to get their family members back, if anyone was still surviving.

"Is that all?" Lucian called when no one spoke a word for a while.

"Include us in the receiver channel too," Land-breaker commented.

Damian nodded.

If it were just one receiver that needed to catch the signal, he could modify both signals a little to make it work.

"So.. What would it take to become a member of this research organization?" Finally, the question came from the prince of Faerunia.

Damian was giving the authority of his own Sanctum dungeon operation, and that was the biggest bait for these nobles. They could not refuse, especially knowing very well that the dungeons in Sanctuary's control would only increase with time.

"Do you want to do that before everyone?" Souldealer asked with a smile that was only sweet in name.

"We would prefer a private setting." Hellstorm accepted.

"So will I." The emperor was right behind.

Ilvanya and Vidalia nodded as well, showing their approval for the idea.

"Before we separate," Damian spoke up. "There is a proposal I wish to make."

"Go on," The emperor said as if he was asking for just his permission.

Damian ignored the bastard and continued, "We already have hundred-year peace contract. The borders are not going to change, but conflicts can still happen. I don't dare to rid all of that, but if there is something ugly that uses these gaps in our systems to make a place for itself, we have a duty to protect our people."

"Something ugly?" Hellstorm asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Like two prominent sources of harassment for common people: The shadow organization and the Red Knights." Damian finished.

In an instant, the hostility in the hall exploded from zero to a hundred. The anger Eldoris, Highswords, and others had against the shadow organization was understandable. But the faith of the empire's most subjects had in the Sun God was something no ruler wished to touch.

And now Damian had called it a problem for himself and others. It was indirectly saying that the Sun Temple was corrupt. The emperor depended heavily on them to maintain his rule-it wouldn't be an easy thing to swallow for his prideful nature.

The couple abruptly stood up, their faces dark. In a low yet somewhat haunting voice, the emperor's wife spoke up,

"Are you questioning our ancestral beliefs, young runesmith?"

Damian remained calm and seated. Gesturing for others to do the same, half of the sanctum heads were about to stand up as well, but sat down receiving the command.

It wasn't a surprise to him that she was an esper. She never participated in battles, but she was one of the most dangerous people in the whole of the empire, despite being a second ranker.

She had another name that was famous in the old empire. Reize had told him once.

Silt-jackal.

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