Ashen Dragon

Chapter 259: Chapter 184 Conferring Ranks (2)
 

“Everyone, quiet!”

The square fell silent once more.

Cassius then began his brief speech.

“Regardless of background, race, or morality, as long as you contribute to the kingdom’s development, you will become part of a grand blueprint and obtain great strength and long life.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted.

“Could humans also have such an opportunity?”

“Is it not a privilege exclusive to the Dragon Vein Descendants?”

The murmurs made it clear that the growing tension between the Monster Kin and humans has been apparent in recent years.

Indeed, as the main ruling class of the kingdom, the Monster Kin’s privileges were immense. In the eyes of many Monster Kin, not having exterminated humans entirely was already a great mercy, let alone the so-called equality.

They naturally reaped all the benefits in every aspect of the kingdom’s operation. It was considered normal for humans to remain in subordinate positions.

Cassius’s so-called “swearing-in ceremony” was not only to bestow greater power on his subordinates but also to make a political statement. Using his powerful influence, he aimed to bridge the gap between the Retainers and humans, making the Ashen Kingdom a truly diverse empire.

Cassius pressed firmly on the altar.

With a rumbling sound, hundreds of stone platforms appeared.

Most striking were the three stone platforms at the top, intricately carved with fine patterns, just a few meters away from the Red Dragon.

—Those were the positions of the Dukes of the kingdom.

These positions symbolized longevity, immense power, and authority.

Cassius first called out a familiar name.

“Ramp.”

The Ogre Mage gladly flew to the stone platform and knelt down.

As the kingdom’s chief regent, Ramp’s position was naturally undisputed.

With the kingdom’s flourishing development, Ramp’s status had become increasingly solid and virtually unshakeable. It was better to get along with him than to offend him rashly.

The Goblin Chieftain Dolores had already resigned himself. After numerous failures, his prestige among the strength-revering Retainers had drastically diminished, making it difficult to contend with Ramp.

Now, he could only lie low, hiding his ambitious heart—although the disdain in his eyes still showed involuntarily, and smoke billowed from his nostrils.

“Mezulash.”

The Tiefling Oathbreaker strode boldly and leaped onto the stone platform with agility.

This time, the noise and commotion below increased significantly.

Besides the Tieflings, almost all other Retainers had strong opinions about Mezulash’s special status. After all, he was in charge of both the Tiefling Guards and the “Nocturne” unit, controlling both overt and covert defensive forces. In his tenure, he inevitably offended some Family Members.

For example, the Bugbear clan’s leader—Ali Suikul, this robust and heavily furred Bugbear, glared at the Tiefling on the platform, his hand gripping his Wolf Fang Club so tightly that his veins bulged and left dents on the club.

In the widely discussed “Bugbear Murder Case,” it was Mezulash who led the arrest of over a dozen murderous and plundering Bugbears, leaving Ali with a deep-seated grudge.

But Mezulash on the platform did not mind.

To him, it was just part of his job. As long as the Red Dragon still trusted him, no one could shake his position.

“Dolores.”

The Goblin Chieftain eagerly climbed onto the stone platform and knelt down.

He glanced intentionally or unintentionally at his subordinates below, smoke spewing from his nostrils, as if proclaiming his unshakable status.

Despite some murmurs, the positions of the three Dukes were more or less as expected and were, without a doubt, predetermined.

The subsequent allocation of Earls, Marquises, Viscounts, and even Barons was the real focus for the humans and Retainers present, as it was closely related to their own interests.

The announcement of the Earls was not carried out by Cassius personally, but by Ramp reading from a list.

Under the eager gazes of tens of thousands, the Ogre solemnly read out the names of the seven Marquises.

“Alger.”

“Chimera.”

“Jin Ya.”

“Stieg.”

The Giant Eagle Knight circled and descended, the three heads of the Chimera howled in unison with joy, and the Dragonborn Kobolds flapped their wings wildly, eliciting noisy barking cheers from the Kobold youngsters below.

Most of them were elders who had pledged allegiance since the Ashen Nest era, each representing a different faction within the kingdom, so there was little controversy.

However, when the Ogre calmly said the name “Dailenna,” the crowd erupted once more.

“Lady Dailenna has actually been selected!”@@novelbin@@

“This is truly a great joy!”

“Finally, a human is among the Marquises of the kingdom!”

“My god, humans can actually become Marquises!”

The people cheered and rejoiced. Seeing Dailenna become a Marchioness, they saw a hopeful future, secretly wishing to be in her place someday.

As the official in charge of the kingdom’s diplomacy, Dailenna had concealed her Serpentfolk identity for the past three years, meticulously crafting a persona of “a wise, intellectual, and gentle lady,” which garnered much support and admiration from humans, earning her the title “Flower of Northwind Keep.”

She even published an autobiography describing how she rose from a humble maid to the kingdom’s diplomat, peppering it with fabrications to create many captivating stories.

With her intelligence, Dailenna had long noticed the Red Dragon’s intent to include humans. So she had prepared fully in advance, making herself a prime example for this day, and she indeed succeeded.

The beautiful and elegant lady waved to the crowd below, displaying a radiant and gentle smile as she walked, supported by guards, to the high platform symbolizing the Marquis’s position, appearing as a figure of universal expectation.

The Monster Kin, however, had a different reaction.

The Great Goblins, Ogres, and Half-Orcs were red-faced with jealousy, panting wildly and spewing white smoke.

“How could such a weakling deserve to be a Marquis!”

“I want to challenge her!”

“Only the strong may stand above me!”

“Weaklings, get down!”

Even after several years, the laws from Stormy Ridge were still deeply ingrained in their minds, where the strong ruling the weak seemed unmovable.

These monsters aspiring for high positions kept issuing challenges and clamoring, but Dailenna on the platform ignored them, maintaining her smile.

“Foolish creatures, you still do not understand this—the master’s will is the sole law of this kingdom.”

Dailenna glanced at the “furious” Monster Kin, her lips curling slightly, a trace of barely noticeable contempt in her eyes.