"Everything is finally arranged. Can I go to sleep now?"
"What else was there...?"
Cassius yawned again, sorting through the tangled affairs in his mind. But being an indolent, drowsy red dragon, his thoughts kept drifting, nearly sending him back into slumber.
Yet compared to the typical red dragon lord whose head was filled solely with muscle and magma, Cassius was positively diligent. Even during the era ruled by ancient dragons, he could have passed for a so-called wise monarch.
Having foreknowledge of the future granted him an urgency vastly different from other dragons.
Most dragons slept until heaven and earth turned dark, letting decades or centuries slip by. Upon waking, their retinue of ministers would have changed entirely once, twice, or several times over—after all, mortal lifespans were brief, and most had already withered away in that vast stretch of time.
*Thud!*
A plume of black smoke puffed from Cassius's nostrils as he propped up his massive, nodding head with a claw just before his heavy eyelids clamped shut.
"Right... I almost forgot about the demons."
The red dragon rubbed his bleary eyes and muttered to himself.
That had been the main storyline quest in his past life for the *Northland Winds* expansion: "Wrath of Winter."
Under the leadership of the original Cassius—known as the "Wrath of the Mountains" and the "Demon Dragon"—countless demons had poured forth from the mountain depths, invading the Great Anzetta Waste en masse and slaughtering all life in their path. The various nations of the Northlands had been forced to unite, fighting alongside players to stem the demonic tide from the Abyss.
Yet under Cassius's drastic alterations, the political landscape of the Northlands had changed completely. Now, the realms trembled beneath his crimson wings, vaguely inclined toward unity out of sheer terror.
Still, of one thing he remained certain: the demonic invasion was inevitable.
That was precisely why he intended to swiftly conquer the Northlands four years from now. Only by uniting the northern realms and consolidating most of Anzeta's strength could they hold against the endless, surging tide of abyssal demons.
With that thought, Cassius commanded, "Bring Alger here at once."
His tone was irritable, driven purely by the urge to sleep as soon as possible; even his draconic instincts were urging him to rest.
His command was swiftly relayed by magic.
Before long, a clear, piercing screech rang out beyond the palace—Alger had arrived on his dragon-blooded giant eagle.
According to protocol established by kingdom officials, visitors were expected to land at the outer perimeter of the palace grounds, pass identity checks, wait for formal announcements, pass through the main gates, walk several li along the broad thoroughfare, and only then enter the grand hall where the red dragon held court.
Cassius, however, had no patience left to put on a display of majesty. Projecting his voice across the distance, he snapped, "Fly straight in. Don't waste time out there."
Hearing the dragon's direct command, the tiefling guards atop the walls hastened to throw open the gates, while the wyverns perched on stone pillars lowered their heads, falling silent.
Alger flew unimpeded into the palace grounds.
Within mere moments, he and his giant eagle touched down lightly before the grand hall's entrance.
Dismounting in a single fluid motion, Alger addressed the doorway. "Master, I have arrived."
"Enter."
The heavy metal doors, embossed with ferocious dragon heads, slowly swung open.
Alger stepped steadily inside, while the dragon-blooded giant eagle, sensing the situation, waited obediently outside.
Dropping to one knee before the dais, Alger spoke with utmost respect. "Forgive me, Master. I was delayed."
With the players gone, Alger's Redscale Garrison had grown desolate.
The qualifications to become a Redscale Conqueror were exceedingly strict, so even now, very few natives had attained the rank. He was practically a commander without an army—a stark contrast to when nearly twenty players had served beneath him.
Still, with his vengeance fulfilled, Alger had little lust for power and was content with the quiet.
"Alger, since the departure of the Starfallen, how many Redscale Conquerors remain in the garrison?"
Alger replied, "Forgive my inadequacy, Master. Including myself, there are currently... four."
Cassius shook his head. "Not enough. Far from enough."
"The Redscale Conquerors cannot rely solely on the Starfallen. You must cultivate new blood."
Alger bowed his head with a wry smile. "Master, training this kind of cavalry takes years. The standards are harsh, and the expenses immense. I can only do my utmost."
"I will provide ample funding," Cassius said. "With the kingdom's current population, I refuse to believe we cannot select a hundred wyvern knights from several hundred thousand people."
Alger could only answer, "Yes, Master."
Cassius continued, "Did your recent patrols turn up anything?"
After a moment's thought, Alger replied, "The Principality of Bosque has been very quiet lately. Half a year ago, their cavalry could still be seen prowling along our borders, but now they are practically gone. The other northern realms are quieter still. It seems your great might has thoroughly cowed them."
"Good. Just as I expected."
Cassius paused briefly.
"However, I have an arduous task for you—patrol the region around the Anstica Mountains and scour the area for any sign of demons."
The red dragon's words left no room for debate.
Alger dropped back to one knee and took the order. "Yes, Master."
After a brief hesitation, he offered a cautious reminder. "However... our borders do not meet the Anstica Mountains. We would likely need to cross Bosque territory, and I fear stirring up unnecessary conflict between nations."
The red dragon replied calmly, "I have already relayed the order to Trump; he will cooperate. I will have him grant you access to a Dimension Door. Once you confirm the specific coordinates, you can travel back and forth by magic."
"Even if magic cannot be cast properly, the kingdom can simply demand military transit rights from Bosque. They owe us plenty of debts, and securing passage will take nothing more than forgiving a fraction of what they owe. You need not worry about that."
A fiery gleam flickered in Cassius's golden eyes.
"This mission is of paramount importance, concerning the future of this kingdom and the entire Northlands. You must carry it out without fail. The moment you uncover any trace of demons, report it to the kingdom's high command at once."
Hearing this, Alger grasped the gravity of the situation and raised no further questions, knowing it would only irritate the red dragon.
He replied straightforwardly, "Understood, Master. I will see it done."
Accompanied by a piercing eagle screech, Alger departed atop his mount.
Watching the giant eagle knight recede into the distance, Cassius could not help letting out another yawn, releasing a blast of scorching heat as he muttered to himself:
"Tsk. Finally... I can get a decent sleep."
Chapter 233