Ashen Dragon

Chapter 313: Chapter 236 The Allies of the Evil Dragons
 

Quickly, under the command of the Red Dragon, the so-called “allies” were invited into the hall one after another.

Cassius was very sure that he had never seen them before.

Leading the group was a female noble who looked to be in her twenties. Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, adorned with a silver headpiece, and she wore an opulent silk robe that bared a significant expanse of snowy white skin at her chest.

She stepped over the threshold gracefully, holding a black silk fan that partially obscured her delicate face, though her eyes had a slight blue tinge, possibly due to makeup.

But Cassius keenly noticed that the headpiece adorned faintly blue dragon horns, her smooth skin bore subtle traces of scales, even her eyelashes housed slit pupils, and the faint desert scent further confirmed his suspicion.

He unhesitatingly asked:

“Blue Dragon?”

The female noble looked up at the Red Dragon lounging on the throne, her mouth slightly agape, her eyes filled with shock and delight.

She quickly covered her mouth with the fan, smiled coyly, and curtseyed with one hand lifting her skirt. “Greetings, ‘Dragon Prince’ Your Highness. Your majestic presence… is simply awe-inspiring.”

“But you guessed right, I am Christina Farias, a Blue Dragon from the Brendan Desert.”

Christina nodded politely but couldn’t help sneaking glances at the Red Dragon on the throne, her breathing growing increasingly rapid.

“By Tiamat, he is even more immense and robust than rumored.”

“And this is merely a young dragon.”

Her heart brimming with excitement, she thought to herself.

After the destruction of Dragon Shadow City, this dragon had gained a bit of fame on the Prime Material Plane. Many knew of this powerful Red Dragon in the barren Anzeta.

It was said that his veins flowed with the Dragon Blood bestowed by Tiamat, and in his youth, he possessed a body comparable to an Ancient Dragon. Therefore, some dragon researchers called him “Dragon Prince,” though some scholars questioned this.

But upon seeing the Red Dragon in person, all of Christina’s doubts were dispelled. Even though she had set her expectations high, the Red Dragon before her was still more formidable than she had imagined. The pressure emanating from his very bloodline couldn’t be faked, and the thirty-meter-long, mountainous body was undeniable.

“Indeed, a gift from Her Majesty Tiamat… he is to be my future husband.”

“Only such an existence is worthy of me.”

Hardly concealing her admiration for his robust frame, Christina thought indulgently.

Her visit to Anzeta this time wasn’t merely to complete Her Majesty the Dragon Queen’s mission but also to seek His reward.

Maybe it was to reward the Farias Clan for their dedicated efforts over the years. Tiamat personally offered the bloodline of an Ancestral Dragon to them, granting the Blue Dragon Clan even more powerful descendants—the way to receive this gift was to send their finest young Blue Dragon to combine with the legendary “Dragon Prince” and bear offspring enriched with divine blood.

Upon receiving the oracle, the entire Farias Family was elated, for it was as if the sun had risen in the west. They had never expected the usually stingy Dragon Queen to bestow such a “grace.”

At the top of the hall, Cassius, however, was somewhat perplexed. He hadn’t known that Tiamat had intended to reward him.

“Why is this Blue Dragon maid so dazed?”

“What is she here for anyway?”

“And who gave me that nickname, ‘Dragon Prince’? Just wait until I find out. What an awful title.”

Cassius noted this in his heart, intending to settle the score properly when he went south in the future.

However, judging by the situation, he roughly guessed Christina’s purpose for this visit.

All evil dragons held Tiamat in reverence, but unlike the often rebellious Red Dragons, Blue Dragons possessed a highly developed sense of order and were willing to acknowledge Her Supreme Sovereign status and follow most of Tiamat’s reasonable commands.

This Blue Dragon was likely Tiamat’s “sand” mixed into his territory.

After pondering for a moment, Cassius slightly spread his wings and probed again:

“Did Her Majesty the Dragon Queen send you?”

“You guessed right again, but even without Her Majesty’s order, I would be delighted to associate with such a powerful and incomparable giant dragon as you. I have long heard your name in the many songs and stories circulating in the world.”

“What songs?”

“That infernal bard’s ‘Song of Embers’?”

Cassius chuckled. That rumor-spreading bard had already been caught by “Nocturne” and was spending his remaining days in the dungeon, though unfortunately, his absurd ditties had spread beyond the North.

“The views of mortals hold no significance to noble giant dragons, do they? Those coarse poems of bards can’t even portray a tenth of your majestic splendor.”

Christina responded with a smile.

But Cassius merely stared at her impassively, not responding to her painstaking flattery.

The polite small talk quickly ended, and Christina noticed his impatience, her expression also becoming serious.

“Prince Cassius, I come bearing a decree from Her Majesty the Dragon Queen.”

“I know, continue.”

Cassius expected this and said calmly.

Christina glanced at him inadvertently, noting the Red Dragon’s indifferent gaze, and marveled that the “Dragon Prince” could somehow be so accustomed to a command from the Dragon Queen herself.

“Elder of the Melwood Clan, newly promoted Ancient Silver Dragon ‘Wings of Silver’ Osedro has arrived in the Anzeta Great Wilderness.”

“He is a meddlesome fellow, having thwarted Her Majesty the Dragon Queen’s grand plans several times. Moreover, the old codger is a spell-hoarding oddball with spellcasting ability rivaling that of a Legendary Mage. So, please be wary.”

“Osedro, huh…”

“He came rather quickly.”

Cassius had already received intelligence from the Harpist’s side and was not too surprised. He simply stroked his chin, pondering quietly.

After some thought, he asked again:

“So you are here just to inform me of this intelligence?”

“Of course not, Prince Cassius, I also bring the goodwill of the Farias Family. If that old Silver Dragon makes a move, this will be a battle between Metal Dragons and Chromatic Dragons for territory. We won’t yield any inch of living space; this is the shared resolve of all Chromatic Dragons.”

Cassius looked outside the palace, his gaze piercing through several hundred meters, indeed finding twelve human-formed Blue Dragons waiting quietly outside.

They were mostly adult, prime Blue Dragons, and even an old Blue Dragon—considered strong support in Anzeta. An attack by this dragon group could annihilate an ordinary duchy.

The Red Dragon remained expressionless on the surface, yet inwardly he was sneering.

“Heh, as expected of Tiamat, subtly replacing the concept of ‘the kingdom’s territory’ with ‘the living space of all Chromatic Dragons,’ and appearing magnanimous by sending so many loyal Blue Dragons of the Farias clan. This is all a ploy to plant His influence within my kingdom.”

“But… does He think I’ll easily permit it?”