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“By Amanata above.”

“That was truly a catastrophe.”

Within the temporary camp of the Ember Kingdom, Count Treliska was dumbfounded.

“The Eternal Frost Tribe has been... annihilated. From now on, there will be no more Frost Disaster.”

Treliska couldn’t help but mutter to himself.

He gazed at the distant clouds that obscured the sun, shrouding half of the Wahala Glacier, listening to the roaring thunder that even now seemed to quake through the air.

“Boom!”

Another thunderclap resounded. Even at a distance of nearly thirty kilometers, they could feel the might of the Vengeance Storm, its intense magical fluctuations washing over their faces.

The old scholar More took out a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat from his brow, mumbling softly:

“Well, this... this is good news.”

“We thought this Frost Disaster would claim countless lives again. Now, with the hand of that red dragon, the Ember Kingdom has eradicated its root cause.”

Yelena also wiped her pale cheeks, reluctantly agreeing:

“Yes, the Frost Disaster has been dealt with, thanks to that red dragon. Our Bosk Duchy hasn’t even had to expend manpower or resources. A win-win situation.”

But Treliska silently stared at the sky, his face clouded with worry. After a long silence, he slowly spoke.

“A ninth-circle spell.”

“At least ninth-circle, perhaps even higher.”

He turned to More with a solemn expression and asked gravely, “More, do you know what this means?”

“No, I don’t.”

Cold sweat broke out on More’s forehead once more.

Treliska’s tone grew heavier, his voice increasingly urgent:

“This means that red dragon can easily destroy our cities, even our entire nation. Remember, we’re talking about a ninth-circle spell!”

“I once personally witnessed a legendary court mage of the Fadlan

Empire cast a ninth-circle spell. A meteor fell from the sky, and in just a few breaths, tens of thousands of rebels were obliterated. But the magic this red dragon unleashed... its power far surpasses that.”

By the end, his voice trembled.

Treliska sighed deeply, lowering his gaze. Yet the sight of the roiling storm clouds lingered, seared into his mind.

This mission, assigned by Duke Leo to investigate and mediate, was meant to secure the Bosk Duchy’s greatest advantage in this war.

The best-case scenario they envisioned was a protracted stalemate between the Ember Kingdom and the Eternal Frost Tribe, allowing Bosk to exploit their exhaustion under the guise of “alliance,” weakening both forces before delivering a decisive blow. At the very least, they hoped to leave the burgeoning Ember Kingdom too weakened to concern itself with the south.

But neither he nor Duke Leo had accounted for the red dragon’s sheer power.

Never did they imagine that the dragon would end the war within days, obliterate the Eternal Frost Tribe, and pursue the remnants to their lair at Wahala Glacier, wiping them out entirely.

“We’ve lost our leverage. The Ember Kingdom is now an unstoppable behemoth. This must be reported to the Duke immediately. Our Bosk Duchy... cannot afford to lose.”

“Unless external forces intervene, we’re doomed to watch the north fall under the dragon’s wings.”

These thoughts churned in Treliska’s mind.

A sour lump welled in his throat. He wanted to speak but found no words.

“Military advisors, this war is over. Do any of you have further insights?”

A strange voice interrupted Treliska’s thoughts.

Everyone turned to see the Ember Kingdom’s tiefling commander—Medrolash.

This Oathbreaker paladin, known across Bosk’s inner circles as a highly dangerous figure, was infamous for his ability to command the undead. Known as the “Hand of the Ghoul,” rumors claimed he sacrificed hundreds daily, transforming them into living corpses.

Treliska, however, did not wholly trust such exaggerations. At least outwardly, Medrolash presented himself as courteous and composed, far from the living nightmares described in tales, though his pitch-black eyes evoked an uneasy chill.

Treliska offered a slight bow, replying politely:

“Your lord’s strength leaves us in awe. This was an utterly one-sided battle. What can minor figures like us possibly add?”

“I can only express my sincerest congratulations. The Ember Kingdom has won a decisive victory, eradicating the Frost Disaster that plagued the north for centuries. On behalf of the Duke, I offer you our deepest respect.”

Medrolash shook his head with a smile and said:

“You should know, that’s not what my lord wishes to hear.”

Treliska’s expression froze, his face tinged with a helpless smile.

“I will faithfully report the situation to the Duke. From now on, we will cease our covert operations against the Ember Kingdom and accept your reparations agreement. All we ask is for you to maintain the barest semblance of peace.”

Medrolash seemed satisfied, nodding approvingly.

At last, he spoke again, his face twisting into a devilish grin.

“My esteemed lord shares your sentiment. He hopes we can reach an understanding and avoid unnecessary conflict.”

“We are not a nation of wanton plunderers who disregard production. At least until we’ve fully digested the legacies of the Lackman and Nort duchies, we have no intention of initiating a full-scale war.”

The tiefling paused, his black eyes glinting with an unmistakable threat.

“Of course, should any nation choose to try us, we wouldn’t mind broadening our appetite.”

Treliska exhaled deeply, forcing a pale smile as he extended his hand.

“Of course. Peace is the shared aspiration of all orderly nations. Bosk is no exception.”

Two hands of differing hues clasped together.

………

“The Frost Disaster was nothing before a true calamity. The enduring winter brought no trouble to Him. That day, the terrible Vengeance Storm swept across Wahala Glacier, erasing the millennia-old Eternal Frost Tribe. The surviving frost giants became slaves of the Empire.”

“Once again, He demonstrated His cataclysmic power to all of Anzeta. With the effortless extinction of the Eternal Frost Tribe, the Frost Disaster was no more, replaced by the even more terrifying Dragon Calamity, leaving all of the north trembling under His wings.”

“Some scholars argue that the ‘Fall of Winter’ objectively ended a centuries-old calamity, marking it as a net positive. Yet I maintain that we must not mistake a villain’s rare act of mercy for heroism—it dishonors those who valiantly sacrificed themselves for justice.”

“‘The Frost Disaster’ brought disaster to the north, but the dragon’s reign upended the sacred order of Anzeta, ruthlessly obliterating its justice. This was, without question, a broader and deeper catastrophe.”

—《Anzeta Chronicles · Fall of Winter》Duke Ludon

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