Chapter 253: Affairs
"In the cave outside Stravburg, at these specific coordinates, send someone to collect the silver dragon's hidden treasures. There are precisely 30,472 gold coins, twelve kilograms of ruby and sapphire jewelry—the count must be exact. I will personally verify it."
"The Crown of Stars Ring is in the silver coffin at Trifa Chapel."
"The silver dragon scale armor is beneath a stone brick in the corner of Fartley Hall."
"The Twin Petals is on the bookshelf in the Witch's Veil Tavern."
"A large number of spell scrolls, totaling 372, are within the waterfall south of Argul Forest. There is a hidden wizard tower there."
"Here, at the Catelina Castle, there is a surveillance spell array. The old silver dragon from the Melward family uses it to spy on the Northlands. Go and destroy it."
"Truly wealthy, as expected of the silver dragon clan."
Cassius lounged across the Iron Throne, dictating the information he had extracted from the silver dragon.
Standing before him was the ogre mage Langpu, who cautiously adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. With a quill of condensed magic, Langpu was scribbling furiously on an illusory magic parchment, noting down every piece of valuable information.
The poor silver dragon, believing she was living out a romantic tale of steadfast love, had poured out everything to someone masquerading as a golden dragon. In reality, she had received nothing but the cold, harsh truth of deceit.
This fabricated persona had become more and more refined in Olivia's imagination, to the point of becoming her lifeline and last hope in her bleakest moments.
Cassius knew very well that once the truth was revealed and the illusion shattered, she would utterly collapse.
And at that moment, he would have the perfect opportunity to break down her mental defenses entirely and "conquer" the naive young silver dragon.
"Tsk, tsk, what a tragic tale," Cassius mused.
For a fleeting moment, Cassius almost felt a twinge of regret.
After all, he shamelessly considered himself a "man of principles," if not a hero, certainly not the stereotypical evil dragon—though his enemies would vehemently disagree, a view that obviously needed correcting.
Despite these passing thoughts, Cassius didn't stop speaking. What he thought privately and what he did to achieve his interests were different matters.
After a brief pause, he continued:
"The Astral Shard is in the wine cellar of the Ranger's Tavern in Merk City. However, that seems to be a base for the Harpers—tell our men to be careful."
"The Planar Amulet is also in the wizard tower I mentioned before."
"The Bard's Anstruther Harp is at Werner's Music Shop in Stravburg. Show them this signal."
"The Scepter of Might is in a chest on the thirteenth floor of the Karianna Tower."
"..."
By the time he finished, Langpu was sweating profusely, with various rare treasures filling every inch of the parchment.
It was evident that Olivia had truly poured her heart out, revealing all the treasures most dear to a dragon.
Langpu took out a gold-threaded handkerchief, wiping his brow. With his keen mind, he had likely pieced together what had transpired, though he still pretended ignorance.
"Master, despite having just awoken, you have already uncovered so many rare items—truly impressive," Langpu praised cautiously.
"How have the kingdom's affairs fared during the three years of my slumber?"
Langpu immediately perked up, taking out a prepared mana crystal from his dimensional pouch, skillfully projecting the information within.
This presentation style, known as a "PPT," was simple and efficient. Thanks to Langpu's efforts, it had become a popular form of reporting among spellcasters throughout the Ember Kingdom.
"Master, over the last three years, the kingdom has conducted a thorough census. Under the guise of quelling rebellion, we also accounted for the population hidden by noble landlords. Currently, we have 470,000 citizens in total, including 80,000 draconic lineage followers and 390,000 humanoids."
"In these three years, following your instructions, we have utilized the serfs as cheap labor to develop magical industries. Currently, there are seventeen food processing plants, six armament factories, and one everyday goods manufacturing plant. They employ nearly forty thousand workers and supply food and armaments nationwide.
"In terms of trade and commerce, we dispatched emissaries..."
"Regarding kingdom laws..."
"Concerning the rebellion incited by remnants of the Northland nobles..."
Langpu droned on until Cassius yawned, signaling him to stop as the final slide displayed: "This is your great achievement!"
It wasn't just Langpu's report—from talking to Olivia and observing the circumstances, Cassius could tell that the kingdom was flourishing as he had envisioned. Cassius merely set the grand vision; the many details had to be handled by followers like Langpu and Medrolash.
However, the report also mentioned several potential issues within the kingdom, the most notable being tensions between various races. Langpu had already exhausted himself attempting to foster some semblance of harmony between old enemies and, in some cases, predator and prey.
Cassius praised him.
"Excellent, the kingdom is advancing on the path of a grand blueprint—already taking shape, and you have played your part."
Langpu, filled with emotion, knelt on one knee.
Cassius continued to ask:
"The system of noble ranks and the ceremony of conferring titles that I mentioned before my slumber—are they ready?"
Langpu quickly presented a scroll, answering, "Everything is prepared. They've worked out the detailed ceremonial procedures for you to review. Every citizen of the kingdom will remember this glorious moment."
Like the Northern lands, the ranks of Ember Kingdom's nobility were divided into duke, marquis, count, etc., each with multiple sub-levels. But unlike the North, these ranks did not come with land, and they could only be obtained through military merit.
However, these were not "honorary titles." In Cassius's plans, each noble rank had corresponding privileges, most notably relating to the level of one's draconic lineage.
Those who made significant contributions could acquire stronger draconic power. With each rank advancement, they would ascend further, and those at the pinnacle—the dukes, marquises, and others—would even receive the red dragon's direct blessing, becoming descendants of the ancient line.
This would make the Ember Kingdom an even more formidable war machine. Every member of this system, whether human or monster, would strive for greater power and a longer lifespan.
The war chariot of Ember Kingdom would thus become even sturdier, with every citizen becoming a cog in its gears, solidifying Cassius's plans to crush the Northland nations.