Ashen Dragon

Chapter 315: Chapter 238 Invitation and Cooperation
 

“But…”

Olivia wanted to argue, but found herself at a loss for words.

Because she realized once again that everything Cassius said was true. She too had been angered by the North’s treatment of people as “cattle,” but the elders in her clan only asked her to respect human customs and traditions, and not to interfere rashly.

Over time, this oppression became natural and expected, and she herself had not even realized the terrifying inertia in her thinking.

The Silver Dragon sank back into prolonged contemplation.

“Snap!”

Cassius snapped his fingers crisply, drawing her attention.

With his action, a series of dynamic magic images appeared in midair, depicting the mundane daily lives of the citizens of the Ashen Kingdom.

Clerks organizing files in the archive room; guards patrolling the streets; workers laboring diligently on assembly lines; merchants loudly hawking their wares at the morning market; researchers conducting experiments in laboratories…

They might have been exhausted, weary, even full of complaints, but one thing was certain: everyone was living their lives to the fullest, striving toward their desired goals, exuding a vibrant sense of renewal even Olivia could feel.

As she watched these scenes and noted the Silver Dragon’s somewhat perplexed expression, Cassius spoke again to guide her:

“This is the kingdom I built.”

“It’s not a simple binary of good and evil, but a real, complex society.”

“But here, those once considered ‘gray beasts’ can at least survive as ‘humans.’ They do not die in the cold wind for a bag of wheat, do not have to kneel before others like dogs to beg for food, nor do they have to sacrifice their children for a noble’s order.”

Another crisp snap of his fingers and the once-beautiful images suddenly changed: emaciated serfs trembling in the cold wind; boys sold to nobles huddled in the corners of basements; slaves driven to the frontline like livestock under the lash…

These were not malicious distortions, but straightforward depictions of the dark side of the Northern Countries.

Cassius knew that his rhetoric was highly appealing to the inherently kind Silver Dragon, especially a young Silver Dragon whose worldview was not yet fully formed.

At least, on the surface, his country appeared noble and upright, hiding the “man-eating” aspects in the shadows, manipulating invisible chains to reap benefits. A young Silver Dragon with little societal experience could hardly realize these things.

Meanwhile, the Northern Nobility displayed their voracity so blatantly and unashamedly in their “man-eating” that even Cassius, an evil dragon, thought they were too extreme.

Sure enough, just as Cassius had anticipated.

Olivia’s eyelids drooped, her heart beginning to waver.

“Maybe… this is the justice I’ve been seeking?”

“Is this the order that truly aligns with human nature?”

“Then was everything I did before meaningless, even hindering the progress of history?”

Fixing his gaze on the Silver Dragon’s lake-like eyes, Cassius pressed his advantage:

“Olivia, as the highest ruler of the Ashen Kingdom, I sincerely invite you to join the kingdom.”

“When the Anzeta Great Wilderness is unified, I won’t require you to become one of the ‘Evil Dragon Kin.’ You could even become a member of the Kingdom’s council through legitimate means, giving a voice to the weak, helping the common people oppressed by the Northern Nobility, and achieving your aspirations more effectively.”

The Red Dragon’s voice echoed in Olivia’s ears, tempting her like a devil.

[Smooth Talker]

Under the influence of such extraordinary charm that could distort reality, the Silver Dragon was deeply enchanted, feeling helpless, caught in a swamp of hesitation and entanglement.

In the past, she could rely on the shining image of “Angel” to strengthen her resolve.

But after that encounter, everything had come to light, and what she had insisted on dissolved into illusory bubbles.

“I don’t know.”

Olivia bit her lip lightly, stammering, unsure of what to say.

She had originally prepared herself for this opportunity to “save” Cassius, to pull him into the camp of goodness and justice, and even to convert him to “King of the Northwind” Bahamut.

But reality proved that this was just her wishful thinking; she couldn’t even convince herself.

Throughout this conversation, Olivia had been firmly under Cassius’ control, falling into a meticulously designed trap. Moreover, she felt an inexplicable dependence on the Red Dragon, which made it even harder for her to break free.

Cassius approached her, offering a reason she couldn’t refuse:

“The unification of the Anzeta Great Wilderness by the Ashen Kingdom is an inevitable historical trend. You, being as smart as you are, surely understand this. But you can use your power to speed up this process, allowing more innocents to avoid sacrifice, letting them live better lives under the kingdom’s order.”

As he spoke, reality twisted, and a hellish battlefield appeared before her eyes. The flowing rivers of blood, the mountains of corpses, and the agonized wails pained the Silver Dragon deeply—she didn’t want to see such scenes, but this could very well be the near future.

This image finally broke down her last psychological defense.

“I…”

Olivia’s lips trembled, her blue-gray eyes filled with conflict.

Finally, she looked up at Cassius with a complex expression, breathing a sigh of relief.

“I agree.”

“But you can’t force me to kill anyone, and I will only follow orders that I perceive to be righteous.”

For some reason, Olivia felt powerless before the Red Dragon. It seemed she was always at his mercy, unable to find a way to resist. The added condition was her last bit of obstinacy.

Cassius displayed a delighted smile as two claws of different sizes and colors clasped together.

“Very well.”

“Then, happy collaboration.”

“Incidentally, there is an urgent mission concerning the kingdom’s situation, and I believe you are the best candidate for this mission, indeed the only one.”

Olivia instantly grew wary, frowning slightly.

Her past experiences had taught her that whenever Cassius smiled, it was never a good sign.

Sure enough, Cassius’ calm voice echoed:

“Your grandfather, ‘Wings of Silver’ Osedro, has arrived in Anzeta. Unfortunately, he is blinded by false justice and has chosen to support the rebels of the North. He will stand in the way of my unification of the North, so…”

“Cassius! You—”

Olivia trembled with anger, a trace of sobbing in her voice.