The division of the loot proceeded far more smoothly than anyone had anticipated. With Volkov's leader, Dravic, confirmed dead within the tomb—and with undeniable evidence of his attempt to betray previous faction agreements—Julian seized the opportunity with masterful diplomacy.
He spoke calmly, offered condolences where needed, and subtly guided every discussion back toward "fairness" and "mutual benefit." Yet behind that practiced smile, Emery knew precisely what his Roman friend was doing. Julian had already struck a private deal with Guskov—Dravic's cousin and the highest-ranking surviving grand magus. Nova Roma would officially back Guskov as the new faction lord, testifying before the Volkov's elders that Guskov himself had tried to stop Dravic's treacherous actions. In exchange, Guskov agreed to cement a deeper alliance with Nova Roma—one that would leave his entire faction leaning heavily toward Julian for decades to come.
