Chapter 479: Cassius's Persuasion
"Cassius"
In front of the tall and heavy iron gate, Olivia gazed at the magnificent palace where she had lived for a long time, calling softly.
The guards stationed at the entrance recognized Olivia, who had previously resided in the palace, and therefore did not stop her, but since they had received no orders, they did not open the gate either.
"You should be able to hear me."
Olivia murmured quietly.
She had witnessed the kind of overwhelming "authority" the red dragon commanded within the Empire and knew that he was surely aware of her arrival.
Sure enough, a familiar voice emerged, resonating outside the palace.
"Let her in."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
With a heavy rumble, the massive door slowly opened, revealing the interior of the palace to Olivia.
"The palace."
"It's been a long time since I've returned."
Gazing at the familiar gardens and palace, Olivia's blue-gray eyes gleamed faintly.
In the past year, she had moved to Isthalia, disguised herself as a human, and through her efforts, became a kingdom's parliamentarian.
Yet this place had been her "prison."
Although she had only stayed a few months, a fleeting moment compared to her near-century-long life, the experience had left an indelible mark.
But instead of finding it unbearable to recall, she felt an inexplicable familiarity, even a hint of nostalgia.
Did she still harbor resentment and hatred?
Maybe.
Even Olivia herself found it hard to pinpoint the exact nature of these complex feelings, especially when she had come to make a request of the red dragon.
With this thought, Olivia clutched the documents in her hands tighter and quickened her pace.
Following the path to the main hall, the dragon-headed palace doors opened.
In sight was the enormous red dragon sprawled upon the somewhat cramped throne, with swept-back horns, broad wings, pale golden vertical pupils, and a colossal frame that took up nearly half the hall—an overwhelming sight.
Strong, majestic, noble, and—perfect.
These words instinctively came to Olivia's mind, giving her a fleeting sense of seeing Bahamut's platinum statue in her clan's dragon nest.
Even more astonishing, the dragon's length had reached forty meters, far surpassing the elders of the Melwood clan.
"He's grown stronger," Olivia thought.
This also meant that the gap between her and him had widened further. Though she didn't know why, it left her feeling inexplicably despondent.
After a while, Olivia finally snapped out of it, her blue-gray vertical pupils flickering with complex emotions.
She opened her mouth and softly said, "Long time no see, Cassius."
"Long time no see, Parliamentarian Olivia. You've certainly caused quite a stir in the Empire's political scene recently."
Cassius exhaled a stream of gray-white smoke, his lips curling into a faintly amused expression.
Olivia was slightly surprised. "You know what I've done?"
Cassius replied, "Of course. As a Lower House parliamentarian, you openly opposed Duke Dolo's proposal, causing a clash between the military and the government."
"Tsk tsk, you've got some skill. Do you know what the people of the Empire call you? The Flower of Justice."
He actually knew?
She had thought that someone of his stature, as the Empire's emperor, wouldn't pay attention to such minor matters, let alone an ordinary proposal. Yet Cassius had pinpointed the exact event.
It was widely rumored within the Empire that this Emperor Cassius had been perpetually asleep.
Could he have been watching her all along?
For some reason, Olivia felt a little elated, a faint trace of satisfaction appearing on her beautiful face, making her cheeks subtly flush.
Cassius tilted his head, asking, "So you came to the palace just for this matter?"
"Yes."
Olivia nodded slightly, but after a moment's hesitation, she added, "But it's not just about that."
"Oh? Then tell me about the proposal first."
Cassius waved his claw lightly, and the documents in Olivia's arms floated upward, with flames projecting the text.
Line after line of elegant script hovered neatly in midair.
"This is…"
Olivia's eyes widened, a flash of surprise passing through her pupils.
Such detailed, effortless control of fire elements—she had never seen anything like it in her life as a mage.
Even the legendary mage Travalyn from the Arcane Hermitage couldn't wield such powerful elemental control.
In just a moment, Cassius had read through the proposal.
He shook his head with a smile, saying, "It's a good proposal, just a bit too idealistic to be truly implemented."
"Why?"
Olivia asked, somewhat indignant.
"Have you read those scholars' 'Social Security Treatises'?"
Cassius had also read it—a famous work by the Empire's scholar, Guggus Golov, which incorporated many modern social science theories brought in by players.
Olivia replied, "Yes, it's an excellent book with valuable insights."
Cassius said, "It does have some valid points, but have you considered that such high welfare levels might send a negative message: that effort is inconsequential?"
"Excessive application leads to clear drawbacks: first, it easily results in rent-seeking behavior; second, it distorts market signals."
"The Empire is a rapidly developing nation. For it, maintaining high production enthusiasm is crucial. A proposal like yours, detached from reality, would only dampen people's motivation."
Cassius spoke at length.
In his view, compared to the irredeemable white dragons, this silver dragon from Melwood seemed more suited to being a ruler.
In Cassius's plans, as the Empire expanded its territories and added new races under its rule, the Ember Empire would not remain a force of pure evil but would become an inclusive and diverse realm.
Terms like pure good or evil were insufficient to describe this complex nation.
A silver dragon, undoubtedly, would serve as an excellent flagbearer for the "Lawful Good" faction, significantly improving the Empire's image.
Perhaps someday they might even adopt a two-party system, with one playing the virtuous role and the other the villain, transforming this empire built on slaughter and plunder into a luminous, grand "ideal state."
Looking at the situation now, this silver dragon seemed rather easy to manipulate—at least she couldn't see the Empire's true nature. Someone like Guggus, who had written the "Social Security Treatises," seemed to have already discerned it.
Olivia listened intently, nodding repeatedly and occasionally using spells to take notes.
For some reason, she felt as if she had returned to that night of discussions with "Angel."
The figure of that scholarly young gold dragon gradually overlapped in her mind with the massive red dragon before her, despite their apparent differences.
Though it was only a false guise, it left a profound impression on her.
"Alright, that's about all the issues."
Cassius yawned, lightly stretched his massive wings, and exhaled a puff of sulfurous smoke.
"Alright, I'll make the changes when I get back and bring them over for you to review another day."
Olivia nodded, picked up the documents that had fallen to the ground, and replied earnestly.
Cassius looked down at the silver-haired girl. "Olivia, is there anything else you'd like to say?"
For a moment, her gaze trembled.
"…"
Olivia hugged the documents in her hands, tucking her silver hair behind her ear.
She bowed her head, remained silent for a long while, then slowly raised her head to meet the red dragon's pale golden, oppressive eyes.
"Cassius, I believe your Empire shouldn't develop in this way."
Cassius was momentarily taken aback, then asked curiously, "What do you mean by 'this way'?"
"I've always thought you weren't the type of dragon who would trade others' lives for wealth."
Olivia and Cassius locked eyes from a distance. She bit her lip lightly, her tone heavy.
"But my kin in the South told me that the Ember Empire is flooding the fragmented Fadlan Empire with terrifying weapons that ordinary people can use."
"The mortals of Kassander, Thrace, and Seleucia are killing each other with weapons sold by the Ember Empire, causing horrific casualties. It's said that the entire central plains have been stained red with blood, and even the holy city has been reduced to ruins."
"I'm glad to see the Empire thriving, but—"
Olivia bit her silver teeth lightly, pausing her words.
"I don't want to see such growth nourished and watered by the blood of the Fadlan people."
"So please, stop it, Cassius. Have the Empire cease the sale of those cruel and evil weapons. That's what I most want to say."
Cassius shook his head with a faint laugh.
This was truly a classic "silver dragon speech."
As soon as Olivia began speaking, Cassius could guess what she would say next—just as she had begged him to stop conquering the North last time.
Despite her rich experiences, this silver dragon remained naïve and full of ideals, much like most of her kin.
She always believed words could change others, failing to realize she herself was the one being changed most profoundly.
Cassius didn't give a direct response; he simply extended a claw finger under Olivia's gaze.
"Swoosh—"
An invisible field of energy manipulated a blade from a distant weapon rack, causing it to fly through the air and hover before the red dragon. The blade's edge glinted coldly.
Cassius smiled and asked, "Do you think this blade is evil?"
Olivia's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly as she gently shook her head.
She detected a familiar pattern. It seemed that the red dragon was once again trying to persuade her with sweet words.
"What if I told you that this blade belonged to a brutal bandit who used it to kill over a hundred innocent civilians?"
Olivia pondered for a moment, uncertain, and replied, "Then it… would be evil?"
Cassius, however, swished his tail and shook his head in denial. "No, the blade itself is not wrong. The fault always lies with the one wielding it."
"…"
Olivia fell silent once again.
What he said seemed to make sense.
Cassius's words continued: "Take the war in the Fadlan Empire, for instance—you've misunderstood. It's not that we're selling weapons to cause the war. It's that the war erupted, and so we're selling weapons."
"Even if I didn't intervene, the three princes would still fight for the throne of the Fadlan Empire, leading to countless innocent casualties."
At this, the red dragon sighed "sincerely."
"I deeply regret that, but since they're going to fight anyway, why not seize the opportunity to make some gold and improve the lives of the Empire's citizens?"
"As you've seen, the booming military industry over the years has provided the Empire with numerous jobs and considerable income. Countless Imperial citizens have avoided hunger thanks to the growth of the military industry."
"As the Emperor of the Ember Empire, I'm powerless to stop Fadlan's war. But I can ensure my people have food on their plates."
Finally, Cassius concluded matter-of-factly:
"So, weapons are not evil. Evil lies in the ones who pull the trigger. War is wicked, but selling weapons is a noble deed!"
With these words, Cassius's expression remained calm and justified as he watched the words [Persuasive Speaker +1] appear on his status panel.
His face was already red. No matter how much he lied, it couldn't turn any redder.
Besides, to some extent, he wasn't lying.
Though profiting from selling arms on both sides of the conflict was shamelessly described as a selfless act to support the Empire's people.
If one looked beyond appearances, the true nature of the Empire's "evil" accumulation of capital would become clear.
Olivia fell silent again, trying to identify flaws in his argument, but couldn't come up with a counterpoint.
After a long pause, her face turned red as she blurted out, "You're using sophistry."
Yet she didn't seem to have much of a case left.
This red dragon was always like this—easily countering her challenges and even convincing her.
Meanwhile, it seemed she herself was gradually being influenced by him.
Cassius spread his claws in a feigned display of helplessness. "The Empire's researchers originally created these weapons to defend against external enemies and protect national security."
"What could possibly be wrong with that?"
"But…"
Olivia hesitated. She gazed into Cassius's half-smiling eyes and muttered inwardly, "I'll convince you."
Cassius slowly rose from the throne, looking down at Olivia.
"Human warfare is complex—it's not something that can be neatly categorized as purely good or evil, nor is it something you silver dragons should involve yourselves in."
"Hmm."
Olivia lowered her gaze and responded softly.
Cassius's expression suddenly grew serious. "There is, however, one matter where your help is needed."
"What is it?"
Olivia asked curiously.
This red dragon, who seemed capable of anything and even dared to reject the invitations of gods, actually needed her help?
Cassius's tone grew heavy: "In a year, the Abyssal Demons will invade the Anzeta Wasteland and launch a full-scale attack on the Empire. We hope to gain the support of the Melwood clan."
In truth, the Empire could handle the demonic invasion on its own, but for Cassius, this was a perfect opportunity to build bridges with the forces of good and enhance the Empire's image.
And Olivia, now a member of the Empire's parliament, might serve as that bridge.
"Abyssal invasion?"
Olivia's expression instantly became solemn.
The last Abyssal invasion occurred four hundred years ago, when Orcus, the "Undying Tyrant," led his legions of undead and demons into the Material Plane, unleashing a world-devastating calamity that plunged Faianth into ruin.
The Amanator Church, the Moon Church, the Kingdom of Fadlan, the Silver Dragon clan, and the Harpers' Guild—all these forces from the good-aligned factions united, sacrificing countless heroes to finally end the disaster.
Cassius suddenly paused. "I wonder about your grandfather?"
Olivia knew Cassius was referring to Ozered's defeat and serious injury—an embarrassment to all of Melwood.
And among the Silver Dragons, Cassius, this unusual dragon, certainly didn't have a great reputation.
"My grandfather may be stubborn, but when it comes to matters of world order, he wouldn't make a mistake."
Olivia responded earnestly, without much hesitation.
"If the situation is as serious as you say, I'll return to the Melwood clan, have them reach out to the various factions, and provide all the support we can to oppose the demons."
Cassius nodded slightly. "Good. Then I'll await your good news."
To him, this was the greatest strength of the good-aligned factions.
When facing a truly evil enemy, he could use them as free labor, without having to pay much at all.
That's why pure good and pure evil were so uneconomical.
The Empire could only reap maximum benefits by constantly maneuvering on the blurred boundary between good and evil.
Cassius understood this well.