Read Novel Full Chapter 866: Chapter 865: King Hugo
Chapter 866: Chapter 865: King Hugo
The transitions occurred so seamlessly that the women couldn’t help staring upward in amazement.
‘This entire mansion must be filled with technology that hasn’t even been introduced to the rest of the planet yet,’ Bella thought, her curiosity growing with every passing second.
Alana appeared equally fascinated.
Several robots moved quietly around the mansion, carrying out their assigned duties.
Even the individual who had escorted Bella and Alana into the living room appeared human at first glance, but his unusually precise movements and mechanical manner of speaking revealed that he was actually a sophisticated robot.
After witnessing so many remarkable inventions in such a short time, both women began to suspect that the mansion contained technologies that might eventually become essential to Planet Astra civilization.
Finally, they were brought before King Hugo.
Contrary to what they had expected from the reports they had heard about him, the king appeared surprisingly young.
He wore a red robe over a crisp white shirt, paired with matching red trousers.
An elegant emblem was embroidered on his robe, marking his royal status without the need for any additional ornaments.
His hair was neatly styled with gel, and his appearance was so polished that he almost resembled a delicate aristocratic doll, one that seemed too immaculate to withstand even the slightest imperfection.
Despite his youthful appearance, there was nothing fragile about his presence.
Neither woman could explain the feeling rationally, but their instincts reacted before their minds could catch up.
It was as though they had stepped before a being who existed on an entirely different level from themselves, someone whose very presence reminded them of the vast gap between ordinary people and those who stood at the pinnacle of their civilization.
King Hugo slowly opened his eyes, allowing his gaze to settle upon the two women. His attention lingered on Alana for a few moments before he finally smiled.
“Yes, how may I help you, ladies?”
Bella and Alana immediately bowed, lowering their heads respectfully.
“We pay our respects to King Hugo, the hope and pillar of our entire planet,” Bella greeted him formally.
King Hugo waved his hand, indicating that they could rise.
“There’s no need to remain bowed. Please stand.”
Both women straightened, although Bella kept her gaze lowered for a moment longer.
She had already been warned that looking directly into the king’s eyes without permission might be considered disrespectful.
Honestly, she found the custom rather outdated and unnecessarily restrictive, but she had no intention of challenging royal etiquette during such an important meeting.
Instead, she began explaining the purpose of their visit, describing the restaurant, its growing popularity, and the difficulties they had encountered because of the unwanted interference from certain individuals.
She spoke carefully, making sure not to reveal anything that might compromise Ivy’s identity or expose the full extent of their connections.
King Hugo listened without interrupting.
When Bella finally finished, the king smiled faintly and asked, “So, what exactly have the two of you come here to request? And no need to keep looking down.”
Since he had invited her to look in his direction, Bella finally raised her eyes toward him.
“We would like to offer ten percent of our restaurant’s annual profits to the royal family,” she announced.
For a moment, the room fell silent.
King Hugo regarded her with an unreadable expression before asking,
“Ten percent? Do you genuinely believe that such an amount would be sufficient to secure the royal family’s protection for your business?”
Bella quickly shook her head.
“This ten percent isn’t as simple as it might sound, Your Majesty.”
Indeed, the plan was relatively straightforward on the surface.
If Bella and Alana could establish an official arrangement with the king by offering a fixed percentage of their annual profits, they would gain a degree of royal protection for their restaurant.
Once the king personally acknowledged their business, the princes and princesses would have to think carefully before interfering with it openly.
Of course, there might still be minor troublemakers who attempted to demand protection money or harass the staff.
However, those incidents could be handled through the ordinary legal system, and the restaurant would have a much stronger position when seeking assistance from the authorities.
More importantly, anyone attempting to threaten the establishment would have to consider the consequences of acting against a business that had an official relationship with the royal family.
It was a simple yet potentially effective way to discourage interference.
However, Bella’s proposal contained an additional element that made it far more interesting than a straightforward offer of money.
She looked at King Hugo and continued,
“Your Majesty, the ten percent I’m offering you may eventually become far more valuable than it appears today. Our restaurant is preparing to introduce a new business model, and I believe it has the potential to become extremely popular across Planet Astra.”
King Hugo’s expression remained calm, but a hint of interest appeared in his eyes.
Once she had finished explaining their business model, Bella turned toward King Hugo with an expectant expression, waiting for him to show at least some surprise or interest.
However, contrary to what she had anticipated, the king remained remarkably calm and composed. He didn’t appear particularly impressed by her proposal, nor did he seem tempted by the potential profits she had described.
Instead, he simply smiled faintly and said, “Young lady, you certainly have a way with words, but I’m afraid I’ll have to decline your offer. I’m not interested.”
Bella’s mouth fell open in disbelief, and she couldn’t help raising her voice slightly.
“But why? We’re offering you such a wonderful opportunity!”
King Hugo chuckled softly, seemingly amused by her reaction.
“Well, I have no intention of getting involved in another political conflict. I’m already dealing with the young wolves within my own family, and I don’t particularly want to give them another reason to circle around me like hungry predators. The moment I accept your offer, they’ll start watching my every move and looking for ways to take advantage of the situation.”
Bella quickly tried to persuade him again.
“But have you considered the profits this arrangement could bring? The revenue might be substantial enough to strengthen your position and protect you from those young wolves. Wouldn’t that be worth considering?”
King Hugo merely shook his head.
Without offering any further explanation, he slowly rose from his chair and walked toward the enormous floor-to-ceiling window. Beyond the transparent surface, the advanced city stretched into the distance, displaying the extraordinary technological achievements of Planet Astra.
After a brief silence, he spoke again.
“Young lady, have you ever heard a story?”
Bella instinctively turned toward him.
King Hugo continued, his voice carrying a faint trace of amusement.
“Once upon a time, there was a king who was deeply loved by his children. His children were always concerned about his well-being, and they frequently made investments of their own to secure their financial futures. Initially, the king was rather proud of them. He believed that they were becoming independent and learning how to manage their resources.”
He paused for a moment, his gaze still directed toward the city outside.
“However, the king himself had considerable wealth and experience, so he decided to invest in several other industries as well. He wanted to experiment with different opportunities, and he hoped that his children might learn something valuable from observing his successes and failures. Unfortunately, his investments eventually became several times more profitable than anything his children had managed to accomplish.”
King Hugo slowly turned his head, looking at the two women.
“Do you know what happened next?”
Bella and Alana exchanged a brief glance but remained silent.
King Hugo smiled faintly, as though he had expected them to react that way.
“His children began to feel threatened. They realized that their father’s growing wealth and influence might eventually overshadow their own achievements. So, without hesitation, they poisoned him and seized control of his investments.”
His expression remained composed as he continued the story.
“After taking everything, they began praising themselves for their actions. They even declared that whoever had contributed the most to their father’s death would receive the largest share of his investments. In the end, everything the king had worked so hard to build fell into the hands of his own children. The only difference was that, by the time they inherited it, the king was no longer alive to see what became of his legacy.”
The room fell silent.
Bella finally understood the implication behind his story, and her expression changed.
‘He’s saying that if he becomes too powerful, his own children might turn against him.’