Chapter 457 The Golden Law, The Prelude to War
Kingdom of Aura, City of Law.
Galos and Bescal transformed into human form and walked along the clean and tidy streets.
One was tall and imposing, unlike any human, while the other was thin and had long, white hair.
This unusual combination attracted a lot of attention.
However, people often only glance at it briefly before looking away, as if looking at it for too long would violate some unspoken rule.
They walked down the street with light, steady steps, speaking in hushed tones, creating a quiet atmosphere throughout the street.
As they strolled, they also observed their surroundings.
"The City of Law under Alberto's rule... appears to be well-organized and orderly on the surface."
Galos pondered silently in his heart.
After leaving the Royal Dragon Academy of Ignas, he did not return directly to the Crimson Flame Royal City, but instead came here.
Alberto the Golden Dragon is both the lord and the city's ruler here.
This city of law can be said to be a direct manifestation of his ideals.
When Galus first stepped onto the city's edge, he felt not the usual urban clamor, but a pervasive, heavy sense of order.
The streets are wide and straight, as if they were carved on the ground by the most precise rulers and compasses. They crisscross and divide the city into square blocks of almost identical size. The ground is paved with neatly cut gray-white stone slabs, and the gaps between each slab are so fine that they are almost invisible. The road surface is almost abnormally clean, with no fallen leaves or debris and very little dust or dirt.
The buildings on both sides of the road present a unified minimalist style, with the exterior wall colors strictly limited to gray, white, and light brown. There are no overstepping decorations or abrupt shapes. The windows are the same size and spaced equally, and even the hanging sunshades are uniformly dark gray.
The city appears visually very orderly, yet it is also so monotonous that it can be somewhat oppressive.
In addition, the place where the City of Law was founded is said to be ruled by a noble golden dragon, which has attracted many humans, and the inhabitants are mainly humans.
They walked down the street, their steps carrying a certain unconscious rhythm, neither fast nor slow.
They were neatly dressed, with calm, almost indifferent expressions. When they spoke to each other, they kept their voices very low and never talked loudly or shouted.
Their routes also seemed purposeful; few people wandered aimlessly, and there were few scenes of groups of three or five chatting idly on street corners.
The most conspicuous buildings in the city are rows of austere public halls.
The names of the court, arbitration institution, legal archives, public notice hall, etc., are neatly engraved on the lintel, with solemn and unadorned characters.
In addition, there is a crossroads at almost every fixed interval.
In the center of each intersection stands a tall stone monument.
The monument is covered with densely packed small characters, which are the local regulations such as the "Code of Conduct", "Traffic Rules", "Hygiene Standards" and "Dispute Resolution Procedures". Pedestrians often stop in front of the monument and read it carefully, as if it were a daily task.
"Rules are paramount, and laws are the guiding principle."
Galos stopped in front of one of the stone tablets, silently recited the declaration engraved at the top, and looked around, unable to help but frown slightly.
At first glance, the city is indeed orderly, but it lacks something more important.
--vitality.
It lacks the hustle and bustle and vibrant energy that a typical emerging city should have; everything is too orderly and quiet.
"Everyone here knows where they should stand, what they should do, and what they shouldn't do."
Bescal whispered beside him, a playful smile on his lips, "Heh, even the rhythm of your breathing is almost dictated, isn't it? This place is certainly worry-free, no need to worry about unexpected troubles, but it's also really boring... like a huge, solidly frozen surface of ice, not even a fish swimming underneath."
After saying that, he turned to Garros and guessed, "Your Majesty, I guess the one who governs this city must be some extremely lawful blue dragon?"
"This rigid approach to everything should be very much in line with their understanding of order."
Garros shook his head slightly: "The lord of this place is not a blue dragon."
Bescal asked in confusion, "What kind of dragon is that? Or some kind of lawful evil?"
Galos replied briefly, "It is a golden dragon."
Upon hearing this, Bescal was visibly startled, then his eyes widened.
He suddenly remembered the exaggerated boasts the ogres had made to the Red Iron Dragon Emperor, saying that when the emperor founded his kingdom, metal dragons came to congratulate and spread the word... Could such outrageous things really be true?
In an instant, a strong sense of doubt arose in Bescal's mind.
Those stories he originally thought were fabricated might actually have all happened.
This Emperor Hong Tielong cannot be judged by ordinary standards.
The two continued walking and came to a relatively open square.
Dozens of identical two-wheeled vehicles were neatly parked along the edge of the square, with simple arcane drive runes on their bodies.
This is a public transportation system promoted by Law City, available for rent by citizens for a fee. It aims to replace the chaotic private vehicles or long walks to ensure the "safety and order" of traffic within the city.
However, at this moment, the atmosphere in one corner of the square was somewhat stagnant.
A dozen or so ordinary citizens surrounded several law enforcement officers and a testing instrument that was flashing with runic light.
Ahead of the crowd, several slightly old-looking private vehicles were separated out.
These private cars come in various styles; some are equipped with solar panels, some have expanded storage space, and some have even been fitted with black oil engines, creating a stark contrast with the public vehicles next to them.
A middle-aged craftsman was anxiously explaining to law enforcement officers:
"Sir, I live in the outer city, which is too far from the unified market area."
"If I don't install a black oil engine, I won't have enough time to finish the job! By the time I get to the market, it'll be dark, and I won't be able to do any business. Don't worry, I check and maintain it every day, and this engine has never had any problems!"
The lead law enforcement officer was a stern-faced man who read the articles in his hand in a flat voice.
"According to Article 3, Section 7 of the 'New Standards for Safety and Technology of Personal Vehicles in Law City,' your vehicle has been illegally modified and does not meet the new standards, which constitutes a serious violation."
"The vehicle has lost its eligibility to drive on public roads in Law City and must be immediately modified to comply with regulations or scrapped."
"At the same time, you need to hand over one silver Aura as a penalty for the violation."
Not only this car with an illegally fueled engine, but several other non-compliant private cars nearby were also stopped and awaited to be towed away.
More voices of discontent immediately rose from the crowd.
The law enforcement officer, expressionless, interrupted all the discussion: "The new vehicle regulations are based on the best considerations for city-wide safety and unified management."
"If you have any objections, you may submit a written complaint to the lawmaking department in accordance with the law, but you are not allowed to make noise or cause trouble here."
"Otherwise, they will be severely punished in accordance with the Public Order Maintenance Ordinance."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. The surrounding crowd gradually quieted down, but the pent-up helplessness and discontent in that silence almost permeated the air.
Upon seeing this, Galos lost all interest in continuing his stroll.
He shook his head slightly, took half a step back, and his figure quietly disappeared into the crowd.
Bescal followed closely behind, and the two disappeared in the blink of an eye, like drops of water falling into the sea.
Not long after, high above the City of Law.
Hidden within the thick, layered clouds are the true forms of the Red Iron Dragon and the Ancient White Dragon, their scales appearing and disappearing amidst the clouds, casting faint shadows.
"Alberto, come out."
Galos's voice was not loud, but it clearly pierced through the clouds and spread like ripples towards the city lord's hall below.
This is a sound transmission technique, one of the convenient spells he has mastered.
Swoosh—
A golden streak shot out from the tallest building in the city, rising straight into the sky until it stopped opposite the red iron dragon, revealing the figure of the golden dragon Alberto.
He was agile and strong, his golden scales shimmering with a bright and solemn luster in the sunlight, and his dragon eyes held a hint of expectation as well as a touch of hidden pride.
It really is a golden dragon...
Bescal gave the other person a strange look.
Given the state of Law City, it was hard for the dragon to fully believe that this was a city ruled by a golden dragon.
“Garos, you’ve arrived.” Alberto’s tone was light, even somewhat exuberant. “You should have already seen my City of Law.”
"How about that? Did it surprise you?"
He puffed out his chest, clearly proud of the city's current state, and stared intently at the red iron dragon, seemingly waiting for its approval and praise.
Galos lowered his eyes and glanced once more at the chessboard-like city below.
Then, he raised his gaze and calmly looked at Jinlong.
“Alberto, your Law City has indeed impressed me.”
Alberto raised his golden dragon-like lips slightly, taking this as a prelude to praise.
“The streets are spotless, the buildings are uniform, and the pedestrians are well-behaved,” Galos said slowly. “Every dispute seems to have a legal basis and a procedure to follow.”
"It's like a huge, wind-up machine, with every gear running on its pre-set track, without any noise or deviation."
"From the perspective of stability and order alone, it even surpasses many cities that have been managed by kingdoms for hundreds of years."
Alberto's eyes shone even brighter, and his dragon tail swayed gently, exuding a great sense of accomplishment.
"That's right, Garus!"
He said earnestly, "What I am pursuing is precisely this stable order based on reason and rules."
“You see, even if I leave for months, this city will still operate according to its established laws.”
“The court will adjudicate according to the law, law enforcement officers will patrol according to the regulations, and residents will abide by the rules… The cost of governance is minimized, while order remains unchanged.”
"This is the proper form of law, the path to lasting peace and stability."
Garus raised a front paw and made a stop gesture, interrupting the golden dragon's incessant explanation.
"You just said that Law City can operate on its own without your personal management, and that makes you very proud, doesn't it?"
He asked.
Alberto paused for a moment, then nodded: "Of course! This means that the law is so perfect and comprehensive that it can sustain itself, and I am very proud of that."
Galus gazed at him, his eyes like a silent abyss.
"Since this city doesn't need you, Alberto, what is your purpose as a lord, as the city's ruler? Are you merely a figurehead?"
Upon hearing these words, the excitement on Jinlong's face suddenly froze.
He opened his mouth, but couldn't make a sound for a moment. It seemed that he had never thought about this problem from this perspective before. A look of confusion and struggle appeared on the dragon's face. Then he looked at the red iron dragon.
Galos continued, "What is your ultimate purpose in using meticulous laws to regulate and constrain the behavior of your people in every aspect?"
Under the calm yet weighty gaze of the red iron dragon, Alberto pondered for a moment.
"For the sake of order, for long-term stability, and for...efficiency, everything must be done according to the rules. This will reduce conflict, eliminate chaos, and make the city more efficient."
He spoke hesitantly, slowly.
"wrong."
The voice wasn't harsh, but it decisively interrupted him again.
Hong Tielong said in a deep voice, "This is essentially the arrogance and incompetence of the ruler."
Upon hearing this, Alberto's scales tensed slightly, and his eyes showed confusion.
"Arrogance lies in your inability to trust your people to possess basic judgment, creativity, and self-management skills."
Galos continued, each word clear and steady, “You think you can control everything, that everything must go according to your plan to be correct.”
“You treat them as parts that need to be completely controlled, rather than as individuals with their own thoughts.”
"The incompetence lies in your inability to manage an organic society that is full of vitality, occasionally has friction, but is constantly adjusting and progressing. You are afraid of the unexpected, afraid of losing control, and afraid of facing the complex and ever-changing reality."
"So you chose the laziest way."
"Use strict legal provisions to confine everyone to a safe and controllable range, thereby avoiding any trouble and uncertainty."
Galos's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap, exploding in Alberto's mind.
He stood frozen in place, his golden pupils slightly contracting.
Gu Bailong, standing to the side, chimed in at the opportune moment, his tone tinged with a hint of teasing:
"When I first entered the city, I really thought it was the work of some extremely obsessive blue dragon... I never expected it to be the work of a gold dragon."
"This approach of turning a living city into a specimen is usually more like the work of some extreme control-freak blue dragons."
"As for the Golden Dragon, well... Golden Dragons are often guardians of order, but rarely participate in its construction. I'm not too sure about that."
These words were like a fine needle, gently piercing Alberto's heart.
Stinging, convulsions.
The proud expression that had been on Jinlong's face had completely vanished, replaced by astonishment and bewilderment.
He involuntarily followed the red iron dragon's gaze and looked down at the city below once more.
The neat streets, the austere buildings, the orderly yet silent flow of people... at this moment, in his eyes, they seemed to have suddenly lost their glamorous exterior, revealing a dark and monotonous background.
As if a fog had dissipated, he suddenly saw the unsmiling calm on the faces of pedestrians and the rigidity of law enforcement officers.
"I...I just want to build a stable, fair, and efficient city..."
Alberto's voice grew hoarse and weaker, all his previous high spirits gone. "I thought that strict and complex laws were the best way to achieve these things..."
Galos stared directly at him, his eyes devoid of reproach, yet possessing a kind of insight that the dragon could not ignore.
"Stability, fairness, and efficiency—achieving these goals requires more than just legal provisions."
"It requires wisdom to balance rules and human nature; it requires courage to accept a certain degree of uncontrollability and trial and error; it requires tolerance to allow different voices and ways of life; and it requires repeated self-examination, adjustment and improvement."
"The law should be a framework for upholding justice and protecting growth, not a shackle that stifles all vitality."
"You set up hundreds of rules to make the city run like a machine. It may seem perfect, but in fact you lose the most precious things: the vitality of life, autonomous creation, and spontaneous upward spirit."
He paused slightly, letting his words sink into Jinlong's heart.
"Think it over carefully, Alberto, think about what I'm saying."
"When I come back next time, I hope to see that Law City, within the framework of order, can still breathe, have warmth, and have different voices. Otherwise, I will take back your power to rule this place."
Having said that, Galos said no more.
He took one last look at the city, which seemed quiet amidst the order, and then at the golden dragon, which was deep in thought and had its wings drooping slightly. He then flapped his wings, turned around, and flew towards the Crimson Flame Royal City.
Bescal quickly spread his wings and followed.
He couldn't help but glance back at Alberto, who was still standing motionless in the clouds, and sighed inwardly.
Isn't the golden dragon known for its arrogance and its utter contempt for evil dragons?
This guy was reprimanded by Red Iron Dragon to his face, but instead of getting angry and arguing back, he seemed deeply shocked... It's unbelievable.
The Red Iron Dragon Emperor is indeed unfathomable.
Gu Bailong's inner submission unconsciously increased even more.
The clouds slowly closed in, gradually swallowing their figures.
High in the sky, only Alberto remained, hovering in the biting wind, silently and earnestly contemplating the various problems facing the City of Law.
Meanwhile, Garos returned to the Crimson Flame Royal City with the ancient white dragon.
The towering walls of the royal city shone like a burning fortress in the sunlight, while the bustling streets inside were brimming with life.
Galos led the ancient white dragon through the outer city sky, all the way to the spacious Dragon Court on the side of the Dragon Spine Mountains.
The amethyst dragon was lying in a courtyard, its scales shimmering with a faint glow under the light.
“Iseramas, this is Beskar, the Ancient Dragon.”
Galos stepped forward and introduced himself in a steady voice.
The amethyst dragon raised its head and looked at the ancient white dragon carefully.
“Beskar, this is Yseramas, the Amethyst Dragon.”
Galos turned to the ancient white dragon and continued, “You all currently reside in the Kingdom of Aura, yet you have limited knowledge of the details of this land and need to learn more. In my opinion, you should travel together and familiarize yourselves with the customs and terrain of the various parts of the kingdom.”
Behind this arrangement lie some considerations of Galos.
If the submission of the Ancient White Dragon can make the Amethyst Dragon value the Kingdom of Aura more, that would naturally be a good thing; conversely, the existence of Yseramas can also make Beskar realize that this kingdom is not to be underestimated.
However, Galos knew very well that these were merely auxiliary means.
Whether the two legendary dragons can ultimately be retained depends on the development of the kingdom itself and whether it is worth their stay.
Gem Dragon is not fixated on the distinction between good and evil among dragons.
Iseramas stretched out his forelimbs and stood up.
“Going it alone is getting a bit boring,” the amethyst dragon said casually. “Beskar, come with me. I know some interesting things and can take you with me.”
Ancient White Dragon tilted his head slightly and looked at Amethyst Dragon.
He asked, "What's interesting?"
“You’ll understand in a moment,” Yseramas smiled mysteriously. “Let’s go, we’ll talk about it on the way.”
Two legendary dragons spread their wings side by side and took off one after the other.
Their figures swept across the sky above the royal city, gradually turning into two black dots on the horizon.
Garus watched them go, then turned and returned to the back of the royal court, where he continued his training in the howling mountain wind.
About a month later, the Kingdom of Aura officially announced the submission of the legendary ancient dragon.
This quickly attracted attention from all parties.
The royal courts of the various kingdoms reacted differently to this, but all regarded it as important intelligence.
Especially the Kingdom of Theo.
Their high command almost held their breath when they first heard the news, and several generals were summoned to the palace overnight to discuss the matter.
However, the tense atmosphere eased slightly when they learned that the dragon they had pledged allegiance to was a white dragon.
However, their vigilance has not completely disappeared.
Although it is a white dragon, it is still a legendary dragon and should not be underestimated. However, it does not need to be taken too seriously like the ancient red dragon.
Time, like the wind in the wilderness, constantly shifts the seasons and changes the situation, quietly slipping away.
On the surface, basic peace and diplomatic etiquette were maintained between the countries, trade continued, and diplomatic exchanges proceeded as usual.
But in the back alleys of taverns, border outposts, and in the files of spies from various countries, more and more friction and probing are accumulating.
A sense of oppressive tension, like an undercurrent, permeated the nations.
And just like that, five years passed in the blink of an eye.
In 341 AD, Emperor Hong Tielong celebrated his 120th birthday.
With the resources provided by the Kingdom of Aura and his own rigorous training, he did not experience a long slumber, and his life level naturally broke through to twenty-two.
For dragons, this level is usually equivalent to the realm that only extremely old golden dragons over six hundred years old can reach.
The growth after becoming a legend becomes increasingly difficult. Ordinary dragons often need one or two hundred years to advance one level, while the Red Iron Dragon Emperor's advancement speed is already incredible.
In the same year, a major event occurred.
The Duchy of Sloan, which had long been dependent on the Kingdom of Ryan, suddenly declared its independence.
Almost simultaneously, the army of the Kingdom of Sak marched into Sloan and took over key cities and fortresses.
The Kingdom of Leon is an important member of the Lorthen faction, while the Kingdom of Sak belongs to the opposing Reipos faction.
These two countries share a common history, but later split into opposing regimes. They fought fiercely in their first civil war, resulting in deep-seated resentment.
Following the incident, the Kingdom of Ryan issued a strong diplomatic condemnation.
They demanded that the Kingdom of Sak immediately withdraw its troops, return all sovereignty of the Duchy of Sloane, and execute the rebellious lord who led the independence movement.
However, all of these demands were firmly rejected by Sack's side.
Negotiations quickly broke down. The Kingdom of Ryan did not stop at verbal protests but brazenly declared war on the Kingdom of Sak, and flames of war were ignited along the border between the two countries.
That's not all.
Both sides' allies are also watching nervously.
They are sharpening their weapons and preparing for battle, ready to unleash their power.
A great war, which could sweep across more kingdoms, including the Kingdom of Aura, has begun.
(End of this chapter)
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