Page 253

Ember Kingdom, Northwind Fortress.

In the distance, tall smokestacks puffed thick plumes of smoke, giving the sky a slightly murky tinge, but people had long since grown used to it.

On the newly refurbished, even roads, carriages and people bustled along, either working diligently in a factory, handling documents for the palace, or trading goods.

In the fast-paced life of Northwind Fortress, everyone had something to do.

But today seemed somewhat unusual, with many stopping in their tracks, lingering and listening.

"Big news! Big news!"

"The conferment ceremony is about to begin!"

"His Majesty Cassius will attend the central plaza to personally grant the honors! Both humans and draconic followers can participate!"

The paperboy waved his newspaper, jogging through the crowd and shouting enthusiastically—after all, for this task, he would be rewarded with three silver coins by the officials.

By the roadside, Tiefling guards tore down some old wanted posters, replacing them with new announcements for all to see and learn of the important event.

Citizens gathered around the noticeboard, murmuring among themselves.

"The conferment ceremony?"

"Tch, it's probably just another spectacle for the draconic followers, nothing to do with us powerless humans."

"I still want to check it out."

"Yeah, I've been here for two years now, and I've never seen His Majesty in person."

"Heh, I'd rather make a few more silver coins than waste time on this."

"At least let's go have a look. Who knows, maybe His Majesty will feel generous and toss a few gold coins our way? Rumor has it he's got millions."

In no time, the central plaza was bustling.

After years of development and migration, Northwind Fortress had a population of sixty thousand residents, and nearly a third had gathered at the plaza—almost twenty thousand people crowded the expansive square until it was completely packed.

Merchants, workers, soldiers, humans, ogres, Tieflings—all kinds of Northwind residents were gathered, forming a mixed crowd, each group like a patch of colorful, chaotic flowers, eager to witness the rare event.

Tiefling guards, armed with spears, stood shoulder to shoulder in orderly rows, marking off a massive open space in the center of the plaza.

This was where the statue of "Duke Norman," the heroic ancestor of the Lackman family, once stood. After the kingdom took over, the old statue was smashed to pieces and replaced by the imposing statue of a red dragon.

Now, even the red dragon's statue had been moved to the front of the municipal hall, and in its place stood a giant altar adorned with carved draconic wings, surrounded by dozens of stout stone pillars.

Closest to the front were the ogres, hobgoblins, and other draconic followers. High-ranking individuals like Langpu were given seats from which they could comfortably watch the ceremony, while most humans were kept in the back.

"Don't shove in front of me! Move aside!"

"Bastard, you wanna fight?"

"When's the ceremony starting already?"

"It's so stuffy here."

With such a large crowd, jostling and complaints were inevitable, and even the well-trained Tiefling guards struggled to maintain order.

Suddenly, someone let out an exclamation.

"Look over there!"

People quickly looked up, seeing the wyverns in the sky like a mass of dark clouds, approaching from the distance as if to blot out the sun. On either flank of the formation flew chimeras, like ceremonial honor guards.

In the middle of the formation, the massive red dragon, nearly thirty meters long, slowly flapped its wings. Each movement generated scorching winds felt even kilometers away, heating the city's air.

A white dragon followed closely behind, flying in lockstep like the most loyal servant, its striking color a bright accent amidst the dragonflight.

As this awe-inspiring procession approached, the previously noisy crowd instinctively held their breath, plunging the plaza into a silence shared by nearly twenty thousand people.

The dragonflight neared, their shadows spreading across the plaza, casting everyone in a darkened shroud.

"Boom!"

Cassius landed heavily atop the altar, sending gusts of wind sweeping outward.

The wyverns and chimeras circled and descended, each settling atop a stone pillar. The white dragon Tinia, predictably, took the one closest to the red dragon.

"Roar—"

They all raised their heads and roared in unison.

Cassius said nothing, stepping forward slowly, unfurling his colossal wings. The dragon crystal embedded in his chest pulsed with searing light, as if brimming with boundless power.

At once, a powerful energy wave radiated from him.

The invisible pressure spread, causing every mortal present to instinctively bow their heads in reverence.

"The Ember King!"

"The King!"

"The great red dragon!"

The draconic followers raised their weapons, roaring in a wave of cheers.

Cassius's prestige had grown even stronger after his string of crushing victories, becoming almost a spiritual pillar for his followers. Even after years of slumber, he could still stir their passions.

As for the humans, their feelings were more complicated—mostly awe. They had once been "the conquered," even "spoils of war." Though the red dragon had brought a better life for some, it would take more time for them to adjust to this change in identity.

For those who resisted in the shadows, their feelings were indescribable.

According to rumors, the red dragon had been severely injured in a battle with a black mage and had fallen into a deep sleep. But now, seeing him here, they realized that was far from the truth. For those who had held onto a glimmer of hope, it was devastating.

—Such as the former baron, Fallow Trischde, hiding among the crowd.

"How could this be? How is he still so powerful..."

"Only three years have passed..."

Fallow's voice trembled, his knees growing weak.

Once a Northland noble, Fallow longed for the life he once had. He had been living incognito in Northwind Fortress for a long time, secretly collaborating with the southern resistance as an informant for the Harpist Alliance.

If the Cassius of three years ago had been the size of an adult red dragon—an enemy that, in his naive view, could be defeated—the Cassius now, nearly thirty meters long with an evolved form, was beyond his comprehension and filled him with despair.

"This... this is unbeatable."

Fallow stared at the red dragon unfurling its wings in the distance, muttering to himself.

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