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After Duke Brad's death, the Ember Nest swiftly occupied the entirety of Northwind Fortress. Key areas such as the city hall and armory naturally fell under the control of the dragon's minions.

The shadow-cursed Lackman Castle was sealed off by the army, becoming a forbidden zone.

The city gates of Northwind Fortress were guarded by hobgoblin troops armed with muskets. The entire city was under martial law, and no one dared to escape because patrols of draconic goblins and kobolds eagerly awaited to tear apart any fugitives.

A suffocating atmosphere hung over Northwind Fortress.

The city’s population of over 30,000 lived in constant fear of their uncertain fate.

With the fall of Northwind Fortress, news of the Lackman Duchy’s collapse spread across Anzeta.

The northern nobles had anticipated the downfall of the Lackman Duchy, but its swift collapse caught them completely off guard.

Cassius, the "Hellish calamity," led his wicked minions and displayed terrifying military prowess, conquering the vast Lackman Duchy in less than a month. This four-century-old nation was erased from history.

For a time, panic spread across the Northern United Kingdom.

Soon after, wyverns appeared across Anzeta, scattering fliers like falling snowflakes.

It was an official proclamation—

Duke Brad Lackman, ruler of the Lackman Duchy, had signed a pact with an evil entity, transforming himself into a vampire. During his two-century reign, he slaughtered and enslaved the local people, committing atrocious acts with countless blood debts. Furthermore, Duke Brad Lackman repeatedly violated Ember Nest's territory, even dispatching armies, severely threatening local security and disrupting the peace and order of the Anzeta Wasteland.

Thus, the great Red Dragon, King of the Ember Nest, His Majesty Cassius Claudious Norrixius, upheld fairness and justice, avenged the fallen, and slew Brad Lackman. The dark and decayed Lackman Duchy was incorporated into his wise governance, formally proclaiming the establishment of the great Ember Kingdom.

Following the proclamation was a dizzying list of additional demands.

"The Duchy of Nort colluded with Lackman Duchy to invade the Storm Highlands, infringing on the sovereignty of the Ember Kingdom. We believe the Nort family has acted recklessly and is incapable of managing its citizens and territory responsibly. They should be placed under the Kingdom’s supervision and administration."

"The Duchy of Bosk was deceived by Duke Brad, participating in the so-called coalition army and causing significant losses to the Kingdom. Compensation of 25,000 gold coins is required."

"The Duchy of Carter spread disgraceful rumors. Their 《Song of Ember》 caused a vile impact on the Kingdom’s public opinion."

"The Duchy of Fano colluded with the Lackman family, providing economic support and indirectly harming the Kingdom."

The northern nobles were in an uproar.

This greedy dragon dared to extort the entire Northern United Kingdom!

He was far greedier than the Red Dragons who showcased power by razing cities!

Cassius, once an obscure figure only known in bardic tales as the "Flying Flame Dragon," had, in just a few short years, grown into a colossal being under their noses, capable of shaking the Northern Lands with a single flap of his wings.

Even a century ago, the "Glacial Wing" merely destroyed a city without occupying a duchy or extorting the entire Northern United Kingdom.

Dragon rule over the land had been relegated to myth, dating back to the First Age when dragons and giants waged their battles. Now, it was happening right before the northern nobles' eyes.

For centuries, especially since the establishment of the Northern United Kingdom, no dragon had been so brazen in the Anzeta Wasteland!

The nominal capital of the United Kingdom, also the capital of the Duchy of Bosk, was Strafburg. Within its grand Lion Council Hall—

Hundreds of northern nobles gathered to discuss how to deal with this terrifying dragon. It was the first such gathering since the "Lionheart Covenant" thirty years ago.

"This is intolerable!"

"That vile dragon has gone too far!"

Duke Leo Bosk slammed the flier onto the long table with a snap.

His face was red with fury, and his towering frame trembled with anger. Even his lion-like beard shook as his thunderous roar left his attendants trembling in fear.

"We, the Duchy of Bosk, will never accept such humiliating terms!"

"Who does he think he is? Just a fire-breathing lizard! We Scanians carved out our place in Anzeta by slaying dozens of such overconfident lizards!"

Not far from him, Grand Duke Oliver Nort of the Duchy of Nort also rose, slamming his fist on the table in righteous indignation. "Exactly! We must reclaim the Lackman Duchy and kill that audacious Red Dragon!"

"Otherwise, we cannot appease the people’s anger!"

Grand Duke Oliver gritted his teeth, harboring deep hatred for Cassius.

While the Ember Empire’s demands to other nations were limited to money or passage rights, their demands of the Duchy of Nort included the so-called "international trusteeship." The ludicrous justification was: "Grand Duke Oliver is incapable of governing the Duchy of Nort and requires the assistance of the more civilized and orderly Ember Empire."

Outrageous!

This was blatant, naked humiliation!

An empire ruled by a monster dared to issue such shameless declarations. Grand Duke Oliver had spent sleepless nights after dismissing the emissaries he had initially prepared to send to the Ember Nest in rage.

"But... that Red Dragon can cast eighth-tier spells."

"There are only a handful of spellcasters of such caliber in the Northern Lands. He is devastating to any army."

A hoarse and weary voice broke the silence.

"Grey Hawk" Shroud also attended this meeting, though his eyes were dim, filled with exhaustion and helpless hatred for the Red Dragon.

His lord and country had perished, leaving him a wanderer barely accepted by Duke Leo Bosk.

"Perhaps we can seek aid from beyond our borders."

"Indeed. It’s rumored that six years ago, the 'Twilight Blade' from the South slew a Red Dragon, though it’s uncertain if the tale is true."

A noble spoke up.

Hearing this, Duke Leo’s anger subsided slightly. He turned to a nearby noble. "Count Tapley, didn’t the 'Twilight Blade' once lodge in your territory? Can you still contact her?"

Count Tapley shook his head helplessly. "She left hastily five years ago, leaving no means of contact."

Duke Leo spoke gravely, "Perhaps we should look to the South for assistance, to the Holy Fadlan Empire."

"That may not be possible."

Count Tellich, who had long served as an envoy to the South, said, "Recently, unprecedented rebellions have broken out in several Fadlan provinces. Emperor Aragorn has been leading the Sun Legion in campaigns for months and is unlikely to spare attention for us."

Duke Leo roared angrily:

"Then what should we do? Are we to sit and wait for death, surrender to that Red Dragon, and watch him flaunt his power before us?"

The nobles remained silent, with Duke Leo’s roar echoing in the hall.

Then, a hoarse voice suddenly rose—

It was none other than "Grey Hawk" Shroud.

"My lord, I know of someone who might be able to resist that Red Dragon and would be willing to help."

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