Genshin Impact: Villain Life Sim

Indeed, for such a high-level negotiation, the absence of the Ice Queen, the Tsaritsa herself, felt a bit strange.

"Her Majesty has entrusted full authority over this negotiation to the Fatui," Pierro said calmly. "And, please, use a proper title when referring to her."

"You mean Her Majesty?" Lucas smirked coldly. "I'm sorry, but in Liyue Harbor, we've never had any concept of 'Her Majesty.' Not even our Geo Archon, Morax, ever demanded that his people kneel or pledge fealty."

The expressions of the nine Harbingers shifted subtly.

To openly speak so irreverently of the Tsaritsa in the presence of nine Harbingers—this Tian Kui was either recklessly rude or had come fully prepared for this confrontation.

"There's no need to waste time on such trivial matters," Pantalone, the Regrator, interjected with a faint smile, playing the mediator. "We're here to negotiate, not argue. Let's focus on reaching a resolution quickly. After all, time is money."

"Indeed," Pierro nodded. "Tian Kui, let us not waste words. Snezhnaya is a peace-loving nation, and we hope—"

"Pfft…" Lucas couldn't suppress a laugh, cutting Pierro off. His tone was mocking as he said, "Your nation's way of 'loving peace' involves sending agents to other countries to release large-scale destructive gods and then launching military invasions? Is that correct?"

Pierro's brows furrowed slightly, but he chose not to respond and instead redirected the conversation. "Let us return to the matter at hand. Snezhnaya's condition is simple: we propose an end to hostilities, and we request that you withdraw your troops from Snezhnaya's borders."

"Exactly!" Pulcinella, the Rooster, added irritably. "Because of this war, 70% of Snezhnaya's factories have stopped production. We've already had at least 37 protests, and if this continues, my approval ratings will drop even further!"

"But if Snezhnaya were to be truly defeated…" Sandrone, the Puppet, who sat atop her massive automaton, said with a faint smile, "you, dear mayor, might cease to exist altogether."

"A defeated army indeed has no right to boast," Capitano, the Captain, who had been silent thus far, said in a deep voice. "Tian Kui, state your terms."

Despite their arrogance and high-handed attitudes, the Harbingers knew the truth—Snezhnaya had lost this war.

No amount of posturing could hide that reality.

"My terms are simple," Lucas said, spreading his hands. "Territory and reparations."

Of course, land and money—timeless and classic demands.

And conveniently, Snezhnaya was abundant in both.

The vast northern nation of Snezhnaya had the largest territory among the seven nations. Moreover, the Northland Bank, managed by Pantalone, had branches across the entire continent of Teyvat.

Pierro didn't seem surprised by Lucas's demands. His tone remained calm as he gestured to a detailed map of Snezhnaya already laid out on the table. "Here is a map of Snezhnaya. Feel free to mark the areas you want. As for reparations, the Northland Bank will ensure you won't be disappointed."

Of course, this was nothing more than a stopgap measure—a case of sacrificing the pawns to save the king. Snezhnaya's ultimate goal was to buy time, rebuild its military strength, and eventually reclaim everything it had lost.

"It seems you've come well-prepared," Lucas said as he stood up. He extended his hand, tracing a line across the map from Pierro's side of the table to his own, then drew a circle around the entire map and brought his hand back. "As for the land I want, I'll take all of it."

At his words, the table's map suddenly became encircled by a glowing ring of Geo-element constructs, forming a miniature wall that symbolically enclosed all of Snezhnaya.

The room fell into a heavy silence.

"What… is the meaning of this?" Pierro's lips twitched slightly.

"It means," Lucas said with a clenched fist and a smirk, "I want all of Snezhnaya."

This wasn't just a negotiation tactic—it was blatant, unrestrained humiliation.

"It seems you had no intention of negotiating after all," Pierro's expression darkened as he stood up, his voice cold. "In that case, this discussion is over."

"Wait a moment," Lucas leaned back slightly, resting comfortably against his chair. "Pierro, are you saying the Fatui is ruled by you alone?"

"Do not attempt to sow discord," Pierro said coolly. "The Fatui is governed by a united purpose, not by any one individual."

"So, all of you are equals, is that correct?" Lucas nodded, smiling. "In that case, let's settle this with a vote. We'll decide whether to accept my terms through a democratic process."

"Oh?" Pierro sneered. "Do you really think any of the Harbingers would betray Her Majesty the Tsaritsa to support you?"

"In Liyue, we have a saying," Lucas said confidently. "The world's bustle is all for profit, and the world's struggles are all for gain. I believe that with the right incentives, anyone can betray."

"Tian Kui Star, you underestimate us," Pantalone said, still wearing his inscrutable smile. "Do you truly believe you can buy us? And if you mean to use money, your resources may not even come close to ours."

"True. With the Northland Bank at your disposal, how could the Regrator possibly lack funds?" Lucas extended his hand, and golden Mora began to pour from his palm like a fountain, clinking melodiously as they spilled onto the table.

"This… this is impossible," Pantalone said, his composure cracking as he stared in shock. "Creating Mora… this is Morax's power!"

"Indeed," Lucas said, closing his hand into a fist. "Before ascending, the Geo Archon entrusted this ability to me. If the Northland Bank is the heart of Snezhnaya's economy, its branches are the veins, and Mora is the lifeblood—what do you think will happen if I suddenly flood the market with Mora, increasing its circulation a hundredfold?"

This wasn't some esoteric economic theory. Anyone who had taken a basic political economics class knew that an excessive increase in currency circulation would result in inflation.

An abrupt surge in Mora would undoubtedly destabilize the Northland Bank, causing its "steady heartbeat" to rupture instantly.

"Don't use this as a threat," Pantalone said, regaining his composure. "If you do that, it wouldn't just destroy the Northland Bank. It would collapse the economies of Liyue and the entire continent of Teyvat as well."

"A collapsed economy can eventually recover," Lucas said calmly. "But a ruptured heart—can that ever be restored?"

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