The Mech Touch

Ves was not willing to budge from his initial demand.

20 percent ownership was his bottom line. If not for the fact that he feared he might scare off the Rubarthans entirely if he demanded a higher figure, he would have asked for 40 percent instead!

The downside of setting such a high demand in the beginning was that the pressure to relent and settle for a lower figure was too great.

It was customary for both sides to make painful concessions in order to meet each other halfway.

Ves did not want to do that. He had no intention of weakening his position until he only gained a fraction of what he sought.

How could he do that?

He could pull out the Novastella statue or present the Supremo Project again, but he had the feeling that it probably wouldn't work.

His previous call with Micky Tarukan could easily be recorded and played back to every relevant party. Ves would not introduce anything new if he simply repeated his earlier actions.

He needed to approach this negotiation from a different angle.

How could he persuade the Impresario Prince to give Ves a much greater share of a large and profitable mech company than normal?

Ves took another look around the workshop.

The 5733rd Prince was born far too late.

Due to having at least 5732 older siblings, Prince Casevir was so far behind in the race that his chances of ascending to the throne were too slim.

This was true in both the old galaxy and the new frontier.

The competition may be a lot less intense in the Red Ocean, but all of the older princes that managed to get caught in this side of the greater beyonder gate were not incompetent.

Whether it was the Smokestack Prince who quietly managed to gain widespread influence across entire economic sectors or the Inferno Spear Prince who possessed the greatest martial strength among the princes, each of them possessed strong advantages that gave them a much more solid foundation in the battle for the throne.

As for Prince Casevir, his principality was not a big deal. His low position in the imperial hierarchy also made him rather unattractive to many Rubarthan players who wanted to gain the patronage of a prince.

However, he was not one of the many thousands of useless princes who gave up on any pretense of doing anything useful in their lives.

The Impresario Prince gained his name by investing a lot of resources and effort into building a media empire. His soft power had grown to a considerable height after he became in charge of many different media and entertainment companies.

He also subsidized a lot of artists, causing these cultural influencers to always say a good word about their generous patron.

All of this enabled the Impresario Prince to gain a benevolent reputation within Rubarthan society.

He was not a prince that Rubarthans would think of when they thought about the most likely candidates to inherit the throne, but he was definitely a prince who had made them laugh and cry through the many works he sponsored.

Even though drama broadcasts and art exhibitions could not win him any battles, the prince's dedication to his art betrayed a certain element of ambition.

It was subtle, but that was because Prince Casevir had only gotten started as a creation cultivator.

Ves and Blinky had been making constant observations all this time. They closely examined all of the clues they could find from his various artworks as well as his evolving spirituality.

The clues painted a certain picture that Ves was not certain about.

The Impresario Prince was most definitely passionate about his art, but his motives may not be so pure.

The purpose of creating all of these works was not to entertain or enrich the lives of his audience.

Instead, Ves gained the sense that the Rubarthan prince's various works were made with the subtle purpose of manipulating the audience.

Although all forms of art sought to manipulate the people who experienced them in one way or another, the motives were usually more innocent and benign.

Ves did not see that in the works of Prince Casevir. His latest works which consisted entirely of reworked and welded pieces of scrap metal evoked a stronger and more abrasive impression.

If ordinary people viewed these works, they would probably gain a different impression of their maker.

Instead of regarding the Impresario Prince as a sophisticated and cultured patron of the arts, they would instead begin to view him as a prince who was much tougher and firmer than he appeared on the surface.

This was not due to the subtle spiritual effect that the fledgling cultivator managed to imbue in his artwork.

It was the weak effect combined with the striking visuals of his scrap metal art that produced a considerably stronger composite effect!

It was rather ingenious. Ves imagined that this was how many art-oriented creation cultivators worked.

They might not be able to craft anything as powerful as an artifact sword or as technologically imposing as a combat mech, but extraordinary artists had their own way of earning their place in the cultivation community!

What was the ambition of the Impresario Prince?

What did he seek to accomplish by embracing a niche form of creation cultivation?

Ves refused to believe that Prince Casevir did not have access to more direct and powerful qi cultivation methods.

He could collect a lot of clues from observing an artist's personal atelier, but Prince Casevir only started to settle on a new course well after the Age of Dawn had begun.

This presented far too little clues for Ves to make any definite conclusions.

Ves had little choice but to make an educated guess and hope his bet paid off. It would be terribly awkward if he had misjudged the situation.

"I see you care a lot about your art, Your Highness." Ves stated as he inexplicably turned the conversation back to the initial topic. "Your skills and foundation are strong. I expect nothing less from a Rubarthan prince who has access to the best tutors and the most luxurious learning facilities. What is impressive is that you did not merely rely on the conveniences of your high birth. I can see you are not afraid of getting your hands dirty in order to shape your work by hand. That is an admirable quality for a man of your high station."

The prince looked amused at Ves. A prince as old and educated as him should definitely recognize the ham-fisted attempt at changing the topic.

"My accomplished tutors have given me well-meaning advice that I have followed to the end. A true artist must not be afraid of spending long hours in hardship and isolation. What we present to the public are only brief instances of our lives. Every beautiful piece that has reached completion is the result of long hours of toiling behind the scenes. To be honest, I have reached a bottleneck in my art journey several decades ago. Try as I might, I have failed to create a masterwork that I can truly take pride in. This has been one of my persistent regrets. Several of my older siblings have already managed to succeed where I have failed."

The prince genuinely sounded regretful about this, and Ves did not doubt the other man's integrity.

While there was a chance that this entire setup was a giant performance staged by a prince that was also passionate about acting and stage plays, Ves did not think that he was meeting a false version of the Impresario Prince.

If the man truly wanted to improve his art to the point where he could make a masterwork from his own hands, then Ves might be able to teach him a few tricks.

"Both of us share something in common." Ves claimed. "You are known as a supporter of the arts. I happen to be a supporter of artists myself. I am sure you have already conducted a thorough investigation of me. Have you heard of the Creation Association?"

The well-dressed prince nodded. "I have studied the information. It is... interesting. It is gaining an increasing amount of traction within the second-class arts and crafts community. It is clear that you are providing added value to the many artists and craftsmen who are struggling to find a way forward." "Have you ever gained an interest in making use of its services?"

"I did consider this possibility." The prince replied. "I rejected it because I have found another way to develop my art. Can you see the progress that I have made through my most recent works?"

Ves nodded. "I can see that you are gradually becoming more proficient at imparting your works with greater meaning."

Prince Casevir became a little more intense. "What is the purpose of art? Why do people dedicate their lifetimes to practicing music, painting expansive vistas or creating sculptures that represent great figures whose names shall resound in history?"

"Is it because they want to record their lives and history so that the later generations can gain an understanding of our current struggles?"

"That can serve as a possible motivation for some artists, but that is not my purpose. I see little reason to leave behind a record for our distant descendants when I still have many years left to shape my own life. No. I seek to improve my art in order to achieve greatness, just as you. Is it not fulfilling to become known as a great artist and be appreciated for it? Is it not a dream to be able to gain so much weight in your community that everyone will respect your words and deeds? My art seeks to impress the masses and make them acknowledge my greatness as a maker and a visionary!"

That... was a rather egoistic motivation to become an artist. That did not make it any less valid.

Plenty of artists throughout human history had gone on to make historical masterpieces that still received a lot of appreciation to this day due to ego trips.

All an artist needed in order to succeed was ability and fame.

Prince Casevir definitely enjoyed a massive advantage in the latter solely due to his high birth. It was his ability that he was struggling to improve.

To be honest, for him to reach this level after a century of life was rather mediocre to put it nicely.

There were many more artists from much more humbler backgrounds who had already gone on to make unforgettable masterworks in half the time!

It was abundantly clear to Ves that the prince did not really possess an inherent talent in the arts. It did not help that he invested his time in way too many different forms of art.

Such a man could benefit from having more expert guidance.

"I see. Trying to achieve greatness in any craft is a noble goal, but if I am being honest, your current results are not too stellar." Ves cautiously said.

"I do not deny that my works are far from reaching your standard." The prince honestly admitted. "I am working to remedy my shortcomings. With the help of ancient wisdom, I have finally managed to make visible progress in my own art. What you see in my atelier is only the beginning. Once I become increasingly more adept at channeling and shaping E energy into my works, my future pieces may one day be able to command the attention of their viewers in a similar fashion to the glows of your living mechs!"

Ves just gained a key piece of information.

"Are you interested in learning the secrets to imparting your works with glows, Your Highness?"

The prince shook his head. "Glows are a defining characteristic to your own works. I would merely be imitating you rather than engage in an act of original creation if I copy your methods."

"Do not be so quick to refuse. Even if you do not intend to learn my methods, you can still use it as inspiration to develop your own toolbox as an artist.

The Creation Association is quite experienced in doing this. It has helped many craftsmen find their own way."