Chapter 309 The Wildfire, the White Young Dragon
"The dark cloud hanging over the Albert family has finally dissipated."
When the news of Count Mills' assassination finally reached the Wilderness of Sel, a distance far away, and reached the ears of the Red Iron Dragon, he smiled with satisfaction.
This was not just the destruction of an enemy, but also the removal of a potential threat that could have caused long-term trouble, which made him feel much more at ease and at peace.
To be frank.
Even if Earl Mills only sends his family's private army to the wilderness to seek revenge, Garros is fully confident that he will annihilate them all and cause heavy losses to the Albert family.
However.
For a count living in the heart of the southern Principality of Raymond, enjoying noble privileges and legal protection, even Garros's power felt somewhat inadequate.
He couldn't very well fly all the way to the Albert family's territory and then slap the Earl to death.
Such simple, brutal, and direct methods of evil dragons are not unprecedented, but they have almost all failed to leave the core area of the Human Federation alive.
Galos never believed he could break through the encirclement under those circumstances.
On the contrary, the unexpected arrival of the Flower Knight, Charles, opened up another avenue for Garos and provided another possibility.
It's obvious.
Count Mills overestimated his skills in managing people and seriously underestimated the independent will and ability to act of Charles Hines, the Flower Knight.
He was convinced that this young, renowned hero, like most adventurers blinded by fame, fortune, and gratitude, would be easily swayed by a little persuasion from the Earl, who would paint a picture of the immense prestige and glory that could be gained by slaying the evil dragon. He believed that the hero would be swept away by a surge of passion and rush into the wilderness without a second thought, becoming a sharp but mindless blade in his hand.
pity.
Although the Flower Knight was young and inexperienced, he was indeed deceived by the Earl's hypocrisy and instigated and manipulated by carefully crafted lies.
However, he was by no means a foolish or pedantic person, and did not act entirely according to the script that Earl Mills had anticipated.
"However, I really didn't expect that the Albert family's underhanded methods are even more ruthless than mine."
"They probably want to select children with talent, so that they will regard the family as their only belonging and faith from the bottom of their hearts, and dedicate everything without reservation. Therefore, after selecting a suitable target, they will personally plan accidents, artificially create orphans, and then appear as saviors to adopt and brainwash them."
"In comparison—"
Red Iron Dragon grinned, revealing his mouth full of sharp teeth: "--I, a dragon in the eyes of the world, seem to be too upright and honest, and can be called kind."
Some nobles, beneath their magnificent and respectable robes, indeed concealed unimaginable evil and depravity.
It's no wonder that the first lesson many paladins learn upon entering society is that they are strictly forbidden from using spells to detect evil, ostensibly because such actions severely infringe on their privacy and violate the basic principles of paladins.
Looking back now, the profound meaning behind it is quite thought-provoking.
However, in any case, the turmoil surrounding the Albert family can now be considered largely over.
Those who once regarded their family above all else and were willing to sacrifice their lives for it, such as the rune knight Rhodes and the alchemist Sienna, now, after learning the cruel truth about their tragic past, will feel an even more intense longing to tear Albert apart and burn him to ashes, no matter how fervently they had supported him in the past.
It is foreseeable.
Having lost its leader and facing internal collapse, the Albert family will soon find itself unable to care about anything else, let alone the affairs of the Sel Wilderness.
"Ciel, come back."
"I have a new task for you to complete."
Galos contacted the Flower Knight, who was away, through the communication stone.
At this very moment, Charles Hines is on the run.
Although he sealed off the scene with his Border Walker skills during the assassination of Earl Mills, his actions were swift and clean, leaving no trace of himself.
but.
In a supernatural world where magical power is omnipresent, as long as those in power are determined to investigate at any cost, they can still find a way to lock onto a target even if no substantial clues are left at the scene.
The Albert family was, after all, a highly influential earl family in the Duchy of Raymond.
The patriarch was attacked and killed on the manor, which caused quite a stir in the aristocratic circles, and people were in a state of panic.
The higher-ups ordered a thorough investigation into the murderer, so they spared no expense in hiring a powerful divination spellcaster to track him down, and finally locked onto the famous Flower Knight.
During the subsequent investigation, the Albert family's shady dealings gradually came to light.
However.
In order to maintain the dignity and reputation of the entire aristocratic class, other authorities chose to cover up and suppress the news, simply characterizing the incident as a revenge killing, and arbitrarily fabricating a reason to launch a nationwide manhunt for the Flower Knight.
Fortunately, Sharl studied both the Arcane Knight and the Border Walker professions, and was quite skilled in spatial teleportation and counter-tracking.
Although he encountered several dangerous ambushes during his escape, he managed to overcome them all without serious injury, getting closer and closer to the wilderness.
Time seemed to flow both slowly and swiftly during the escape.
Finally, one morning, the Flower Knight, weary from his journey but with an even more resolute gaze, crossed the final boundary, his figure reappearing on the desolate yet familiar horizon of the Sel Wilderness.
Finally, he stopped in Riverwood.
Following instructions from above, Ludwig the Green Dragon officially handed over the responsibility of managing this increasingly prosperous wilderness town to Charles Hines.
In the overall plan for the Iron Smelting Tribe, this remote town on the edge of the wilderness will be further expanded and developed in the future.
Because its primary target audience is intelligent beings like humans, and there is a natural barrier and distance between humans and dragons.
Therefore, having a powerful, upright, and trusted human lord act as the representative of the dragon's will, responsible for maintaining the town's daily order and conveying and implementing policies, is undoubtedly the most ideal choice.
Judging from strength, reputation, and current situation, the Flower Knight is the most suitable candidate.
After that.
As news spread that the Ironforge tribe had legally obtained the right to pass through the Scaled Earth Rift Pass rather than through brutal robbery.
In addition, the Ironforge tribe has been continuously clearing out ferocious beasts and dangerous monsters in the surrounding area and has strictly prohibited any form of robbery or extortion. The safety and order of this place have become well-known, attracting more and more people to come here.
The number of caravans traveling along the rift road increased significantly.
The number of adventurers, mercenary groups, and merchants choosing to rest, resupply, or even stay in Riverwood for an extended period has seen a sustained increase.
Even more remarkably, this place has attracted metal dragons known for their kindness and order.
A young man named Jinlong visited Riverwood and praised the town's orderly environment, stating publicly that the Ironforge tribe was not the evil faction it was rumored to be.
The head of the metal dragons, a powerful, noble golden dragon that symbolizes order and goodness.
For most humans, this is a creature that exists only in legends.
His visit and endorsement brought great positive prestige to Riverwood and the Ironforge, and many adventurers traveled from afar just to catch a glimpse of the golden dragon.
Jinlong seems to enjoy this attention quite a bit.
He would often, on a whim, gracefully land in the central square of Riverwood, or leisurely stroll along the newly paved streets, satisfying people's curiosity and bringing immeasurable positive prestige to the town.
Where there are people, there will inevitably be disputes, but this also brings about the flow and accumulation of wealth.
Days flowed by amidst a mix of hustle and bustle and tranquility.
The streets, riddled with cracks and crevices, became increasingly bustling with traffic. The town of Riverwood quietly expanded, its facilities were continuously improved, and it presented a unique prosperity that was both wildly growing and orderly.
In addition, the Ironforge tribe did not take advantage of the situation to expand its territory.
Instead, the tribe opted for a more conservative strategy, consolidating its strength and focusing on developing its core areas. It concentrated its resources and manpower on managing and strengthening the defenses of Scale Rift and Riverwood, making the area virtually impregnable.
In the Serian wilderness, known for its chaos, danger, and survival of the fittest.
This territory under the rule of the Ironforge tribe presents a rare and precious scene of tranquility, as if the world were at peace.
However, many insightful people understand that this tranquility is likely just a brief respite before the storm arrives.
As time goes on, the situation within the Human Federation is rapidly deteriorating and becoming increasingly turbulent.
Following the initial conflict between the Duchy of Abel and the Duchy of Haltai, several other duchies broke off relations and brazenly declared war on each other.
Even more dangerous is...
This chaotic conflict did not remain at the level of each acting independently, but quickly evolved into a confrontation between two major camps centered on the Duchy of Abel and the Duchy of Haltai.
The flames of war began to spread and burn wildly along the long border between the duchies, showing a prairie fire-like momentum.
While other principalities were busy attacking each other, plundering their rear areas, and destroying each other's war potential, the Ironforge tribe, living in the wilderness, was also quietly participating in the conflict in its own way.
Including but not limited to:
Attacking the logistical supply lines of the Principality of Abel, raiding and harassing their resource outposts on the edge of the Sel Wilderness, and so on.
While these actions were not fatal, they were constantly depleting the war potential of Abel's forces and increasing the pressure on their front lines.
As time went by, the shadow of war continued to accumulate, churn, and brew greater destruction on the southern land.
Finally, the relentless march of time ushered in the year 258 of the new calendar.
At this time, the Ironforge tribe's rule over the Scaled Earth Rift was rock-solid, the territory was well-ordered, and its strength was steadily increasing.
Galos briefly left the noisy wilderness and returned to the border region.
now.
He stood quietly on the edge of the terrace of Burning Steel Castle, his eyes reflecting the view of the valley.
White Dragon Therese is training a newly joined white dragon hatchling there.
The little guy was discovered by chance by the tribe's kobold scouts in the northern ice plains a few months ago.
When it was discovered, it was baring its sharp teeth, tearing and fighting with an equally hungry old direwolf for half a frozen, hard piece of animal carcass, looking utterly pathetic.
After bringing it back to the border area.
The other dragons all showed unanimous indifference and disdain towards this ignorant, wild, noisy, and weak young dragon.
Only the White Dragon Therese showed great enthusiasm.
She paid less attention to the other baby dragons that were growing and steadily improving their ecological niche, and instead focused more of her energy on this naive white baby dragon.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com