Chapter 374: The Art of Persuasion (2/2)
”Is he really that good in marketing?” Argentum could not help but find it peculiar, wondering how such a narcissistic man was great in that area.
As for Helios, he puffed his chest as he responded with pride, ”But of course. I, the Tempest King, am the best when it comes to marketing items and services!”
Soon, this pride disappeared as he continued, ”Also, if you think about it, how would I be able to afford the massive amounts of paintings, statues, and carpets with my image on it if I did not have methods to earn a lot of money? I may be the great Tempest King, but money is a far greater being than me.”
”Hmm…” As he listened to Helios's words, he could not help but think up of an idea that would allow him to obtain more gold from the selling of the potions, though he wasn't sure if the others would like it.
Nevertheless, he still brought it up since it would allow him to be more free when it came to projects. With that, he looked at Rosalia for a bit before asking Helios, ”Although I'm not sure if this is too much to ask of you, is it possible for you to also be responsible for selling half of the potions Felix and the others concoct?”
Wanting to assure that Helios would accept his proposal, he then continued, ”Of course, I'm sure that someone like you, the great Tempest King, would be able to handle this without a problem for you are powerful yet kind at the same time, am I not wrong?”
Unsurprisingly, a grin appeared on Helios's face as he heard those words, responding with a cackle as he replied, ”As expected of my biggest fan! Indeed, it would not be a problem for me to sell half of their produced items.”
”Though, I'll have to follow the cut they gave you since I, the great Tempest King, won't do something without gaining something in exchange. The remaining 50% from selling their products would go towards me. Also, make sure that they're fine with distributing part of their produced items to me from time to time,” he continued, a solemn expression replaced his previous proud grin.
With that, Argentum looked at Rosalia, to which the latter shrugged her shoulders and responded, ”Well, I don't really have a problem with sending some of the Heaven's Earth Potions I make to Helios from time to time. As for Felix and Eleanor, you'll have to ask them about that. Though, I don't think they would have any reason to refuse it.”
”Alright, then. Once we leave the inheritance, I'll make sure to ask Felix and Eleanor about this,” Argentum said as he nodded in response to her words.
”In any case, that matter has been settled for the most part,” Helios said before squinting his eyes as he gave off a serious aura. ”Now, for the other part.”
”As I've mentioned before, since you have gone through my three trials, which only takers of my inheritance would normally go through, you have one chance to request anything from me, whatever it may be. May it be a rare item, or a statue bearing great likeness to my figure and appearance, I will try and fulfill it as I am a magnanimous and benevolent being.”
Hearing those words, Argentum could not help but go silent as he pondered over what he should request to Helios. Of course, in actuality, he already had an idea as to what he should request from him. Just like what he had obtained from Eleanor, Felix, and Melzarin, it was no surprise that he was going to use this chance to request anything from Helios to become a partial owner of the Heaven's Gust Inheritance.
From the size and the aura the inheritance let off alone, it wouldn't be surprising if it was a large-sized inheritance, the same level as Melzarin's inheritance. With that, even a small share over the inheritance would be enough for him to undergo a tremendous boost in power, increasing his combat prowess to a level beyond what he could currently achieve.
After pondering in silence for a bit as a formality, Argentum then looked at Helios with an aura of determination surrounding him as he soon said to him, ”I would like to use this one chance of mine to request becoming a partial owner of your Heaven's Gust Inheritance.”
”Declined.” Unsurprisingly, Helios rejected the request at the very instant Argentum was finished talking. ”Do you know how long this divine being had taken in order for the Heaven's Gust Inheritance to reach its current size? An incredibly long time, I can tell you that.”
He then continued, ”Although you are my biggest fan, I'm afraid I cannot accept this request of yours. The Heaven's Gust Inheritance is a large-sized inheritance, which means that even giving away a small share of it would impact my combat power quite a lot. In fact, even sharing something as low as 5% to someone like you would reduce my capabilities by 30%.”
As he listened to Helios's words, Argentum was not dismayed by that. In fact, he felt quite the opposite as he could not help but inwardly grin, thinking that he could use that part of Helios's personality to his advantage.
”Really? Well, that's too bad, I guess,” Argentum said not long after in a slightly melancholic tone as he gave off the feeling that Helios would regret not accepting it as he continued, ”If you had accepted, I wouldn't have minded creating a statue bearing your likeness like what I did back then in the second trial, but at greater quality and size. Perhaps, its height would have even reached the ceiling of this room we're in.”
Hearing how Argentum was planning to make a statue of him if he had accepted the request, Helios could not help but feel a pang of regret, though he restrained himself since he knew that this choice would affect him. Unfortunately, he let his narcissistic side get the better of him as Argentum continued to talk.
”Well, I also wouldn't have minded placing this statue at…let's say the center of the town I'm managing. Perhaps turning it into a central landmark that people would flock to and admire every time they pass it wouldn't be impossible as well.”
Argentum then let out a sigh as he said, ”Unfortunately, the great Tempest King has declined my request, so I have no choice but to scrap this idea—”
”W-wait a minute, Argentum. It's not like there's no chance for us to come to a compromise, right?” Just as Argentum had expected, Helios would take his bait, hook, line, and sinker.
Once again, flattery works wonders.