Hearing his words and seeing the look in the emperor's eyes as he stared at the prism intently, Noah did not hear his next words to see where the conversation was going.
The subtle shift in his posture, the way his pupils remained fixed a moment too long…
He knew the man wanted his technology for himself.
Amused, Noah leaned back slightly in his seat, a faint smirk forming at the edge of his lips. But before the emperor could see that smirk, Noah replaced it with a serious look.
It did not matter what the man wanted, but there was no way he would allow him to get what he wanted this easily.
"Your Majesty," he said, his voice dipped in polite mockery, "if you're thinking of asking for this artifact outright, I must warn you—it's not something you can simply requisition with imperial authority or sweet diplomacy."
Being a good negotiator meant knowing when you had the leverage and using it to obtain the desired compensation.
