Translator: AnubisTL
Burning Steel Citadel, Second Level, Reception Hall.
"Sit."
The red-iron dragon's voice boomed through the spacious hall.
His massive, imposing form was the first to settle, lowering himself onto a large, flat stone platform at the head of the room.
These so-called "seats" mirrored the layout of the Third Level's Council Chamber. Each was a high platform carved and polished from a single block of hard obsidian or volcanic rock. Their surfaces were wide and smooth, ample enough to accommodate dragons in any comfortable posture—perched, coiled, or, as Garos did now, lying flat in a relaxed sprawl.
The other dragons also found stone platforms to occupy at will.
At the same time, the low-arched doorways around the hall, designed specifically for servants, opened silently.
Squads of well-trained attendants of various forms filed in.
They wove nimbly between the colossal legs and claws of the giant beasts.
Brawny ogre attendants carried whole, golden-brown roasted giant rhinoceros legs, their grease dripping. Serpentman maids hurried in with silver platters laden with a variety of rare fruits and strong spirits. Soon, the stone platforms before the dragons were piled high with a lavish feast of food and wine.
A dozen or so serpentman dancers glided into the open space at the center of the hall.
To the beat of drums struck by musicians in the corner—a rhythm ancient and savage—the serpent women began to sway their supple, water-snake-like waists. Their arms unfurled like vines as they performed a dance steeped in primitive allure, seemingly a ritual from the tribal era to honor their ancestors.
Alberto had no leisure to admire them. His gaze swept briefly over the enchanting dancers before he averted his eyes.
He crouched silently on his own stone platform, his massive dragon claw seizing a roasted giant rhinoceros leg offered by an ogre. His razor-sharp teeth tore away large chunks of fragrant, charred meat, which he chewed slowly.
He was at the heart of the evil dragons' territory.
Surrounded by several powerful and hostile dragons, Alberto, the Gold Dragon, remained on high alert despite Garos's invitation. Though the feast before him was magnificent, it tasted like dry sawdust—utterly flavorless.
The other dragons, however, seemed far more at ease. They were clearly accustomed to the fortress's atmosphere, feasting gluttonously. Their sharp fangs easily crushed hard bones, and scalding liquor flowed down their throats like streams, drawing satisfied low growls and purrs as they reveled in the lavish banquet.
"Allow me to formally introduce myself," Garos announced. "I am Garos, Garos Ignis."
The red-iron dragon's deep voice broke the long silence, which had been filled only by the sounds of chewing and the steady beat of drums.
His gaze shifted to Alberto.
After a brief pause, Garos cut straight to the chase, asking the core question: "Alberto, you have crossed a vast distance to come to the Frontierlands, and it is certainly not for a mere pittance of wealth. Tell me... what is your true purpose?"
At this point, there was no longer any need for deception.
The gold dragon Alberto swallowed the piece of meat in his mouth and lifted his head, covered in brilliant golden scales. His voice was clear and firm, without a hint of hesitation. "My purpose is to begin here, in the Frontierlands—to forge my own 'Golden Law' and establish an eternal 'Golden Order'!"
"The Golden Law? The Golden Order?"
Garos's eyes flickered, revealing a hint of inquisitive interest. He pressed further: "Why choose the Frontierlands? In your grand blueprint, what kind of cornerstone does this land serve as?"
Alberto seemed to have already given this question deep thought.
He spoke slowly: "The Frontierlands... they are like a wedge, firmly embedded between the Sierre Wilderness and the Permafrost Tundra. In times of peace, their value may have been underestimated, appearing insignificant."
His dragon claw lightly traced the stone table as he continued, "However, the Lothurn Federation is now riddled with internal strife, teetering like a great ship on the verge of capsizing. Meanwhile, in the Permafrost Tundra to the north, the fires of war between the tundra tribes are raging."
"In such a delicate and volatile situation," he paused, "this seemingly marginal land will become a crucial hub—a fulcrum capable of tipping the balance between north and south."
Reasonable... A remarkably precise strategic vision, Garos thought. His successful occupation of the Frontierlands was undoubtedly built upon his formidable strength, but it had also been aided by a stroke of fortune. The land was hardly rich or fertile, but its unique geographical position more than compensated for its lack of resources.
"Then..." The red-iron dragon leaned forward slightly, pressing the question. "Could you elaborate further on this 'Golden Law' and 'Golden Order' you speak of? I am deeply intrigued."
To discuss one's ideals and pour out the depths of one's heart to a companion who could understand—and perhaps even endorse—those visions... This was, without a doubt, an experience that would make any ambitious soul's heart race with excitement.
Alberto was clearly unable to resist such a temptation.
Garos's attentive listening—his occasional nods of agreement, his perfectly timed affirmations, and his encouraging gaze—gradually loosened the taut string of the young gold dragon Alberto's nerves.
Like a floodgate bursting open, Alberto began to pour out his grand, precise, and even somewhat radical vision: a blueprint of the absolute authority of law, the supreme reign of order, and the perfect kingdom he dreamed of.
He even let his guard down.
After a simple sniff, he began to guzzle the strong liquor the server continuously brought.
As the conversation deepened, as time flowed by, and as Alberto became more and more immersed in his own storytelling, his image in the red-iron dragon's mind—once a mere brash youth—gradually grew fuller, more three-dimensional, and clearer.
At his core, Alberto was like a hot-blooded young man born into privilege, who had yet to be truly hammered and relentlessly ground down by the cruel realities of life. He possessed a burning ambition and harbored a seemingly unattainable grand aspiration, his very bones aflame with a fierce resistance to and resentment of a mediocre dragon's life.
If dragon life were a grand game...
Then being born an evil dragon would undoubtedly be starting on Hell difficulty, every step strewn with bloody thorns.
An ordinary metallic dragon could be considered Normal difficulty—though they enjoyed some protection, they still had to strive for their own success.
But a gold dragon... especially one like Alberto, with his pure bloodline and divine favor, was practically playing with Newbie Protection Mode enabled.
They were the natural favorites of the dragon race, bathed in the preferential light of their fathers, grandfathers, and even the Dragon God Bahamut himself.
Growing up in such a nearly carefree environment, with abundant resources and a bright future ahead...
It seemed... not so hard to understand why a maverick like Alberto would find dragon life too dull, too empty, and lacking in challenge—and thus yearn to break tradition, rebel, and carve something out with his own hands.
The atmosphere in the drawing room, catalyzed by alcohol and shared confidences, had grown much more harmonious than at the start.
Seizing the pause in Alberto's speech as he drained his glass, Garos spoke again, pulling the conversation back to reality:
"So... what have you decided about the compensation method we mentioned earlier?"
His voice was calm, devoid of any hint of coercion.
Without much hesitation, Alberto took a deep breath, as if trying to inhale all the surrounding air into his lungs. He did so under the collective gaze of the other dragons: Samantha, who had stopped chewing; Treacy, who licked her lips; and Solgorn, whose eyes were as sharp as blades.
The drunkenness vanished from his face, replaced by a solemnity and gravity that bordered on the divine.
He straightened his dragon body, his voice deep and powerful, like an oath being sworn in a temple. "I, Alberto Aurelius, in the sacred name of the great Platinum Dragon God Bahamut, hereby swear an unbreakable oath—"
His golden slitted pupils swept across Garos. "I will repay every last coin of the debt, with interest, within ten years!"
Hearing this, the red-iron dragon shook his head imperceptibly.
What he wanted wasn't the paltry compensation, but the gold dragon himself.
Unfortunately, his opponent was a young dragon of unwavering will, far removed from the naive and easily duped juvenile or young dragons. Alberto possessed deep-rooted ambitions and a nearly fanatical set of beliefs, making him an exceptionally stubborn gold dragon.
Though this conversation had drawn them closer and forged a subtle sense of mutual understanding... truly "taming" Alberto and bringing him into his own system... remained as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
Yet...
Garos felt neither disheartened nor disappointed.
If Dragon Valley could gain another powerful gold dragon, it would be a welcome addition. But if not... it would hardly be a significant loss for him.
"The Frontierlands already have a lord like you presiding over them."
Alberto's voice broke through Garos's thoughts. His tone carried a hint of regret, yet it was filled with new resolve. "Naturally, my original blueprint is now out of reach."
He paused, then continued: "However... the surrounding ownerless lands are still vast in number. I will make other arrangements."
"The Lothurn Federation's control over the Sierre Wilderness is melting away like ice and snow. I will likely head to that wilderness, a place brimming with both opportunity and challenge. There, I will personally build the first territory under the jurisdiction of the Golden Law!"
(End of the Chapter)
---------------------------
📖 You are reading [272] Chapters behind.
🔥 Read up to Chapter [578] now, only on 𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕥𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝕞.
📚 Read upto [13,000+] Chapters on Site with [10,400+] Free Chapters!
🚫 Also get FREE lifetime ad-free and join the giveaway by joining our Discord!
---------------------------