"…You're right. I don't have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the prince. You may negotiate with him directly," the chancellor said coldly, distancing himself from the issue.
When Nero and Alice turned their attention to Levi, the prince's expression faltered for a moment before he regained his composure and replied, "The chancellor is correct. Our kingdom is no longer in a position to provide financial aid. We'll also need to suspend any future support until our finances recover. It simply can't be helped."
"P-Please reconsider!"
Alice stepped forward, her voice trembling but firm.
"If Belzerg loses your financial support, our royal army will eventually run out of resources to resist the Demon King's forces. If that happens, our kingdom will fall—and when it does, Elroad will become the Demon King's next target!" Alice pleaded earnestly. "So please, reconsider!"
Levi, however, remained indifferent.
"When I said it can't be helped, I meant it. No matter how much you beg, money isn't going to fall from the sky," Levi said with a dismissive shrug. "If you're so desperate, why don't you try your luck at the casino? Who knows? Maybe the Goddess Eris will bless you with enough winnings to fund your army."
No one noticed it, but the moment Levi said those words, both Nero and Kazuma's eyes lit up.
"This is outrageous…"
"Besides, I've already decided. Moving forward, our kingdom has no intention of opposing the Demon King's army. If you're asking for aid to fund military resistance, that would only complicate matters for us… Oh, and by the way, consider our engagement null and void. It was a political arrangement made by our parents without our consent. To be honest, I've never been interested in marrying a barbaric princess from Belzerg. Who would want to marry a girl stronger than most men?"
"I have no objections to breaking off the engagement," Alice retorted sharply, "but what about the alliance between our kingdoms?"
"We've given it some thought, and we believe it's best not to provoke the Demon King's army. Maintaining the alliance is possible, but only if it doesn't involve direct military support."
As Alice lowered her head in disappointment, Levi smirked, clearly satisfied with the outcome.
The annulment of the engagement aligned perfectly with Nero's goals. As for Elroad's reluctance to oppose the Demon King's army, Nero found it foolish, akin to inviting disaster. However, it wasn't her place to dictate Elroad's policies.
Her current concern lay elsewhere: how to secure permission for Kazuma to enter the national casino.
"Hey, don't you think what you're saying is a bit off?"
It was Kazuma who suddenly broke the silence.
Pointing at Levi, he said, "You're telling us to gamble for the funds we need? What kind of casino would even have that much money lying around? You're obviously just brushing us off!"
Kazuma's words hit the mark.
It was clear to everyone that Levi's suggestion was nothing more than a thinly veiled dismissal. Nobody truly believed Nero's group could win enough money at a casino to fund a war.
However, saying it out loud changed the dynamic.
"Well, I suppose that's fair. In that case…" Levi smirked dismissively. "I'll give you free passes to the largest casino in the kingdom. You're welcome to try your luck there."
"Wow, thank you so much, Your Highness! To be honest, I've always wanted to try my hand at Elroad's casinos," Kazuma said, bowing theatrically. "I've got a reputation for being incredibly lucky. Everyone who knows me calls me 'Kazuma the Unlucky at Everything Except Luck.'"
Levi's response, along with the laughter from the Elroad nobles, showed they weren't taking Kazuma seriously.
Luck was an intangible concept, something only the Goddess Eris herself could control. They'd seen plenty of people like Aqua enter the casinos full of confidence, only to leave penniless and in tears. They assumed Kazuma would meet the same fate.
Unbeknownst to them, Kazuma was grinning inwardly. As he bowed, a sly, knowing smirk crossed his lips—the unmistakable expression of someone with a plan.
Even Nero felt like giving him a thumbs-up.
The negotiation's objectives had been clear from the start.
Annul Alice's engagement to the prince.
Secure financial aid—or, failing that, gain access to Elroad's national casino.
With both goals accomplished, Nero was more than ready to wrap things up and head to the casino.
"W-What are you doing?!"
A sudden shout broke the tension.
The chancellor's alarmed voice drew everyone's attention to Aqua, who had somehow wandered over to him. She was now poking around his back, her hands moving as though searching for something.
"What's wrong with this guy?" Aqua muttered, tilting her head in confusion. "He doesn't smell like a demon, and he doesn't feel like an undead. But something about him feels off. Hey, mister, do you have any demon friends? Or maybe you've been hiding a wild undead creature somewhere?"
Aqua's offhand comment made Nero's expression stiffen.
What is she sensing?
A faint, distant memory surfaced in Nero's mind, one she couldn't quite grasp but felt important. Her sharp eyes narrowed as she turned her full attention to the chancellor.
"I deeply apologize, Chancellor Lagreklef!" Darkness interjected, hurriedly pulling Aqua away. "She's a well-known weirdo from the Axis Church. Please forgive her rudeness!"
Darkness had been silently monitoring Megumin and Aqua—the group's most unpredictable members—throughout the meeting. But a moment of inattention had allowed Aqua to wander off. Now, she bowed her head in apology as she dragged Aqua back.
"I'm not a weirdo!" Aqua protested indignantly, clawing at Darkness in retaliation.
Darkness, as usual, endured it stoically. If anything, she seemed to enjoy the punishment.
"It's fine," the chancellor said stiffly, though his expression was noticeably strained. "If she's an Axis follower, this behavior is to be expected…"
The meeting continued for a while longer, but nothing new was achieved.
Elroad's representatives firmly clung to their claim of financial hardship, as Nero had anticipated.
As the group left the royal castle, Alice's spirits were visibly low. She seemed deeply disappointed that the negotiations hadn't gone as planned.
Alice had clearly poured her heart into preparing for this meeting. The sight of her sulking, burdened by self-reproach, tugged at Nero's heart.
The young princess had spent the previous day diligently studying and strategizing while the others enjoyed themselves, all in the hope of securing her kingdom's future.
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T/N: dont worry this is the last Konosuba arc