Following the death of Duke Brad, the Cinder Nest swiftly seized Northwind Keep in its entirety. Key installations such as the municipal hall and the armory naturally fell under the control of the evil dragon's minions.
Wreathed in the shadow curse, Lakeman Castle was cordoned off by troops, transformed into a forbidden zone.
Musket-bearing hobgoblin soldiers stood guard at every gate of Northwind Keep. The entire city was placed under martial law, and no one dared attempt to flee, for dragonblood goblins and kobolds patrolled the perimeter, itching to tear any runaway to shreds.
An oppressive atmosphere permeated Northwind Keep.
Among the city's population of over thirty thousand, every single person felt a profound dread for their uncertain future.
With the breach of Northwind Keep, news of the Principality of Lakeman's fall spread across Anzeta.
Nearly all the northern nobles had anticipated the principality's doom, but that it collapsed so swiftly was something none had foreseen.
Cassius, the "Infernal Calamity," leading his villainous thralls, demonstrated terrifying martial prowess. In less than a month, he had overrun the vast territory of the Principality of Lakeman, causing this four-century-old nation to fade into the river of history.
All at once, panic swept across the Northern United Kingdom, leaving everyone trembling in fear for their own safety.
Soon, however, wyverns appeared in skies throughout Anzeta, showering down flyers like snowflakes.
It was a formal proclamation—
"The ruler of the Principality of Lakeman, Brad Lakeman, entered into a pact with an evil entity to transform himself into a vampire. During his two centuries of reign, he slaughtered and enslaved the local populace, perpetrating horrific atrocities and bathing his hands in blood. Furthermore, Brad Lakeman repeatedly dispatched agents to violate the territory of the Cinder Nest, going so far as to deploy an army, gravely threatening regional security and disrupting the peace and order of the Great Anzetta Waste.
"To this end, the great red dragon, the King of Cinders, His Majesty Cassius Claudew Norixius, championing justice and righteousness, brought retribution on behalf of the deceased populace by slaying Brad Lakeman and absorbing the dark, decadent Principality of Lakeman into his wise and enlightened domain. This hereby officially proclaims the establishment of the great Kingdom of Cinders."
Following this proclamation was a dazzling series of supplementary clauses:
"The Principality of Knott abetted evil by assisting the Principality of Lakeman in attacking Storm Heights, violating the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Cinders. We deem the actions of House Knott to be exceedingly reckless. Devoid of the capacity to govern their own subjects and territory responsibly, they shall be subject to the supervision and administration of the Kingdom."
"The Principality of Bosque, having been deceived by Duke Brad into joining the so-called coalition army and causing substantial losses to the Kingdom, shall pay reparations of twenty-five thousand gold coins, and furthermore..."
"The Principality of Carter dispatched agents to fabricate shameful rumors, and its Song of Cinders exerted an egregious influence on public perception of the Kingdom..."
"The Principality of Fano, having colluded with House Lakeman and provided financial support, thereby indirectly inflicting on the Kingdom..."
An uproar erupted among the nobles of the northern realms.
This rapacious dragon dared to extort the entire Northern United Kingdom!
He was far greedier than typical red dragons who knew only how to slaughter cities to flaunt their might!
The once-obscure "Dragon of Flying Flame," Cassius—who had existed only in the tales of bards—had in just a few short years grown right under their noses into such a behemoth, someone whose mere wingbeat could now make the Northlands tremble.
Even "Glacial Wing" a century ago had merely laid waste to a single city, never conquering a principality, let alone extorting the entire Northern United Kingdom.
For dragons to rule the land was a phenomenon found only in legend, dating back to the First Age when dragons contended with giants—yet now, it was unfolding right before the eyes of the northern nobility.
In several centuries—or at least since the founding of the Northern United Kingdom—the Great Anzetta Waste had never seen a dragon so brazen!
Inside the magnificent Lion Council Hall in Stravburg, the titular capital of the United Kingdom and seat of the Principality of Bosque:
Hundreds of northern nobles were gathered together for a rare assembly to deliberate on how to deal with this terrifying dragon. This was the first such gathering since the "Lionheart Alliance" three decades ago.
"Intolerable!"
"This vile beast goes too far!"
Duke Leo Bosque slammed the flyer face down onto the long table with a sharp crack.
His face was purple with rage. His tall, burly frame trembled with fury, shaking even his lion-like mane of whiskers, and his thunderous roar struck terror into the attendants at his side.
"Our Principality of Bosque will never accept terms so humiliating and treasonous!"
"Who does he think he is? Nothing more than a fire-breathing lizard! We Scanians slaughtered dozens of overweening lizards like him to carve out our place in Anzeta!"
Not far from him, Grand Duke Oliver Norton of the Principality of Norton surged to his feet, slamming his own hand onto the table in indignation. "Indeed! We must reclaim the territory of the Principality of Lakeman and slay this arrogant red dragon!
"Nothing less will quell the people's wrath!"
Grand Duke Oliver ground his teeth, his hatred for Cassius burning to the bone.
The announcements from the Cinder Empire to other realms had merely extorted money, transit rights, and the like. Yet what it demanded from the Principality of Norton was a so-called "international trusteeship." The pretext was utterly preposterous: "Grand Duke Oliver lacks the ability to govern the Principality of Norton, requiring the assistance of a more civilized, orderly Cinder Empire."
What an absolute farce!
It was a blatant, unadulterated insult!
An empire ruled by monsters had the gall to issue such a shameless proclamation to him! The notice had cost Grand Duke Oliver several nights of sleep, and in a fit of rage, he had dismissed every envoy he had initially prepared to dispatch to the Cinder Nest.
"Yet... that red dragon can cast eighth-tier spells.
"Scarcely a handful of spellcasters of that caliber can be found across the entire North. Against an army, he is devastating."
A hoarse, weary voice spoke up.
Schroeder, the "Grey Hawk," was also present at the council. But at this moment, his eyes were dim, laden with exhaustion and helplessness—alongside a hatred for the red dragon that reached into the depths of his soul.
The lord he served and the country he belonged to had both perished. Left with no recourse, he had fled here as a vagabond, barely securing refuge under Grand Duke Leo.
"Perhaps we could seek outside aid."
"Yes! Rumor has it that six years ago, the 'Twilight Blade,' who traveled here from the south, slew a red dragon. Though whether that's true remains to be seen..." one of the nobles chimed in.
At these words, Grand Duke Leo's temper subsided slightly. He turned to a noble nearby and asked, "Count Tapley, didn't that 'Twilight Blade' once stay in your domain? Can you still contact her?"
Count Tapley shook his head helplessly. "She departed in haste five years ago without leaving behind any word."
Grand Duke Leo spoke with a heavy voice. "Then perhaps we must look south and seek aid from the Holy Fadlan Empire."
"I fear that will not do," said Count Treitsch, who had served as an envoy to the south for many years. "Unprecedented rebellions have recently erupted across multiple provinces in Fadlan. His Majesty Aragorn has been campaigning at the head of the Blazing Sun Legion for months. He is unlikely to have any attention to spare for us."
Grand Duke Leo bellowed in fury,
"Then what are we to do? Must we sit idly and await our doom, surrendering to that red dragon and watching him flaunt his might before our very eyes?"
The nobles fell into silence, leaving only Grand Duke Leo's roar echoing through the hall.
Just then, a hoarse voice broke the quiet—
It was none other than Schroeder, the "Grey Hawk."
"My Lord Duke, I know of an entity who might rival that red dragon—and who may well be willing to help."
Chapter 146