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Faced with the searing breath of death, Abis clenched her teeth, torn between the vow she had made upon joining the Harpist Alliance and the image of Richard succumbing to the dragon's demands.

There was no doubt—she wavered, her resolve no longer as firm as it had been moments ago.

"Rest assured, I won't ask you to betray the Harpist Alliance."

"Then... what do you want from me?"

Abis's voice trembled. She could already imagine the worst.

Cassius's tone was even as he responded, "'Twilight Blade' Rhea, the half-elf paladin from Serenia—do you know where she is?"

"Why are you asking about her?"

Hearing this name, Abis frowned. She never expected that the red dragon in front of her would have any ties to the famous "Twilight Blade," who had shaken the kingdom.

Frankly, Abis did not have a favorable impression of Rhea, even though they were somewhat related by blood.

Rhea was at the center of a power struggle between the Elf Queen and the Elder Council, shaking Serenia's long-standing stability. Some of the more conservative elders even called her "a lowly half-breed" and "a thief attempting to seize power."

The reason was simple—the Queen wanted her half-human confidante to receive the supreme blessing of the Elven Goddess, becoming a powerful Moonblessed Champion. This broke the sacred tradition of the high elves and led to fierce resistance from the Elder Council, even inciting rebellion.

Cassius grew impatient at the elf's hesitation.

"Did you think this was a request? You have no choice."

The red dragon gripped her again, squeezing until she could barely breathe.

"Wait... I... I know."

Rhea's whereabouts were not exactly classified, and Abis had long felt frustrated by the unrest in Serenia. Under the pressure of survival, she decided to reveal the truth.

"She's in Serenia, serving as a general under the Queen. That's all I know. I haven't returned home in a long time, and even this information is just hearsay from my kin."

The dragon released her, carelessly dropping the bruised elf to the ground.

This elf was young, weak, and lacked access to Serenia's secrets. She held little value for him, though perhaps she could serve as leverage against the Elven Kingdom.

After all, following the Crown Wars of the previous era, the once-continent-ruling elves had waned. With their dwindling population, every citizen was a precious asset.

"Take her away. Keep her alive."

Cassius ordered casually.

"I actually survived..."

Abis was incredulous. The red dragon hadn't demanded anything more—he had simply asked a basic question.

It seemed the intelligence gathered by the northern nobles wasn't entirely true—at least in her view, this red dragon wasn't irredeemably brutal and evil.

"Sigh..."

Yet, thinking about Richard's betrayal, she sighed heavily, feeling a complicated pain with no outlet.

The tiefling guards escorted Abis back to her dark, damp cell. It seemed she would be spending a long time there.

"That 'old acquaintance' has probably reached the legendary tier by now."

Cassius murmured to himself.

When he first met her, the half-elf paladin had already surpassed level twenty and could easily slay a red dragon. At that time, he was nothing more than a fledgling barely surviving, fleeing under her scrutinizing gaze.

Now, as he prepared to rule the Northlands, his eyes turned southward.

Cassius still remembered that humiliation. Although he held little love for his adoptive dragon mother, he wanted to exact a price from the half-elf who had once sent him running—and there was something else she possessed that intrigued him greatly.

According to his memories, Rhea had traveled across various nations, vanquishing evil and gaining fame as the "Twilight Blade." Eventually, she took her final step to become a legendary paladin. Then she returned to the Elven Kingdom at the Queen's behest, quelling the Elder Council's rebellion, before receiving the divine favor.

During the future "Shadowmoon Cataclysm," she would play an even more important role, earning her the nickname among players as "Elven Prodigy."

Cassius exhaled a breath of sulfurous air.

"Tch, the Northlands are still too weak. If we fail to unite within four years, we might not even be able to withstand Anzeta's demonic invasion, let alone expand into the vast southern territories."

Just then, a tiefling guard appeared at the doorway with a report.

"Your Majesty, Lord Medrolash has arrived."

"Let him in."

"Yes."

Medrolash entered the hall, familiar with the surroundings, and knelt before the throne.

"As per your orders, I instructed the Nocturne unit to conduct a thorough investigation. We have found twelve Harpist Alliance spies within our borders. Interrogation revealed that their organization is focusing considerable attention on us. They may send more to conduct small-scale espionage. What shall we do with these individuals?"

"Make them talk, imprison them. There's no need to openly confront the Harpists for now."

Cassius smirked.

"Once our kingdom's territory is vast enough, they'll remove me from their 'evil organizations' list. They might even seek an alliance, and these captives could become useful bargaining chips for future negotiations."

"Understood, my lord."

Cassius narrowed his eyes.

"Medrolash, as you know, I am about to enter a slumber that will last several years. When I awaken, I expect to see a fully formed intelligence network both within and beyond our borders—not this flimsy setup we have now."

"I will not disappoint you."

Medrolash responded calmly.

He had long since moved past the days of fleeing constantly and the blood debts of his kin. Now, his sole focus was on the flourishing growth of the Ember Kingdom, seeking to secure benefits for his people.

The tieflings held a unique status within the Ember Kingdom, positioned within city garrisons across the realm. It was a coveted assignment.

After all, tieflings were numerous among Cassius's loyal vassals, and far calmer compared to the brutal goblins and ogres. However, this advantage caused resentment among the other vassal races.

The chaotic goblins and kobolds were relegated to guarding the barren Storm Highlands, with some unfortunate vassals even assigned to the icy wastes. They desperately coveted the more comfortable city postings.

"You may go."

"As you wish."

Medrolash withdrew from the hall.