Trump continued eloquently, "Master, in just a few short years, you unified Anzeta and wiped out the frost giants of the north. This is an achievement, a monumental feat unmatched on this land for over a thousand years."
His voice grew increasingly passionate and fervent.
"The rank of 'King,' on par with the rulers of the Northlands, is no longer enough to describe your greatness..."
Here, Trump made a deliberate pause and bowed his head low, his eyes filled with adoration and deference.
"Your servant believes you should claim the exalted title of 'Emperor' and elevate the Kingdom of Cinders to an Empire—just like Holy Fadlan once was. This is what all your subjects earnestly desire."
"An Empire, is it..."
Cassius sank into thought, his gaze flickering.
Trump continued his quiet counsel. "You could hold a coronation ceremony alongside the conferment of honors, displaying the might of the Kingdom of Cinders to all of Anzeta—and indeed the entire continent. It would utterly crush any remaining rebel forces in the Northlands.
"Moreover... this ceremony will make all of Feanso aware of our presence, letting them know that Anzeta is no longer isolated or aloof from the world.
"We can use this as an opportunity to carve up the legacy of the Fadlan Empire. The scions of Fadlan are locked in endless strife, and having long been cut off from the continent, we can become a powerful foreign ally they compete to win over."
Cassius nodded slightly, genuinely swayed.
Trump was not wrong.
The Kingdom of Cinders—or rather, the Empire—needed to bare its fangs to the world.
The current Kingdom of Cinders possessed a vast territory of 2.7 million square kilometers and a population of over nine million.
Though merely a remote corner of the sprawling Feanso Continent, it was already a major power that could not be overlooked—especially with a ruler at the peak of mortal might, a terrifying dragon variant.
With scarcely any hesitation, Cassius said, "In that case, go make preparations.
"However... I want a grand coronation, a ceremony magnificent enough to echo the Empire's name across the entire continent."
"Yes, Master!"
Trump knelt on the floor, his face flushed with intense excitement and joy. He promptly took his leave in haste.
As the kingdom's Chief Minister, Trump had a mountain of affairs awaiting his attention, and the newly proposed coronation was undoubtedly paramount.
—Yet the kingdom's think tanks had already drafted dozens of plans before the war even began, compiling a detailed proposal of over three hundred pages and several hundred thousand words.
From ceremonial procedures and etiquette to itemized budgets, it covered everything without omission.
...
Once Trump was gone, Cassius finally set about putting the thought in his mind into practice.
With a faint flick of intent, he took off the crown.
Then he produced the silver-white gem—the Wind of Bahamut.
He had previously noticed that Oszedro's silver disc was fundamentally mismatched with the gem, yet it had been forcefully elevated to artifact status by the Wind of Bahamut alone.
Guided by force magic, the silver-white gem embedded itself into the crown's adamantine frame, gradually melting into it.
A silver luminescence rippled across the crown's surface.
Their inherent ranks were not an exact match, but this was Bahamut's orderly, gentle power, versatile enough to assimilate into anything.
*Whoosh—*
[Crown of the Supreme True Dragon - Divine Radiance]
[Quality: Minor Artifact]
"Tsk. The divine power of the Lord of the North Wind is something else, forcefully elevating an item to this level."
Cassius could not help but marvel. Stretching his draconic frame, he placed the crown atop his head, savoring the purifying sensation of order.
In the end, he removed the crown, extracted the silver gem, and kept it on his person.
Cassius still had a coronation ceremony to attend—and while the metallic dragons already knew about it, he had no desire to display a treasure of this magnitude before the public eye.
Suddenly, the voice of the tiefling guard captain, Ekmon, came through the communicator.
"Your Majesty, Lady Christina requests an audience."
Cassius furrowed the scale-crests above his eyes, exhaling a breath of sulfurous heat in irritation.
"Her again?"
Small wonder Cassius was in such a foul temper.
Over the past several months, that blue dragon had come no fewer than ten times. Each time, she had been turned away by the guards under the pretext that "His Majesty is slumbering to nurse his wounds," leaving in disappointment.
Cassius casually ordered, "Tell her again that I am asleep."
Ekmon went silent for a moment before replying with a helpless tone, "Your Majesty, Lady Christina said she saw Lord Trump and a human leaving the palace.
"Lady Christina begs that you allow her in as well, and... she is lying sprawled across the palace gates."
"..."
Cassius let out a sigh.
"Forget it. Let her in."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Soon, a soft, seductive female voice drifted from outside the doors.
"Prince Cassius..."
The grand doors slowly parted to reveal Christina in human form.
She still wore a silk gown that accentuated her curves, stepping briskly into the hall as if she could hardly wait.
Holding her skirts with one hand in a curtsy, her striking face took on a pitiful, delicate expression. "Your Majesty Cassius, you are finally willing to see me."
Reclining on his throne, Cassius did not even bother to look her in the eye. He merely said flatly, "The mission given by Her Majesty the Dragon Queen is already complete. Is there anything else?"
"Uh..."
Christina was momentarily at a loss for words, but quickly recovered, offering a radiant smile. "I came to congratulate you, of course.
"You defeated the renowned 'Silver Wings' Oszedro, shattered the coalition army of the Northlands, and achieved such a glorious victory. As your loyal ally, it is only natural that I come to celebrate your triumph."
Cassius remained impassive. "Then your congratulations have been delivered.
"Now... Lady Christina, please take your leave. I need to rest."
Christina's expression changed instantly. Waving her hands in frantic protest, she said, "O-of course not! Please let me stay a little longer."
"Why?"
Cassius tilted his head slightly.
Faint magical auras shimmered across Christina's body as her form rapidly expanded, reverting to the true body of a young blue dragon over a dozen meters long.
The blue dragon gently swayed her thick tail, unfurled her sky-blue wings, and let out a "coquettish" laugh from her horned snout:
"Your Majesty Cassius, according to the traditions of us chromatic dragons, after a thrilling battle, we often unwind and relax our minds and bodies through all-night revelry.
"Before you sleep, why not indulge in a thoroughly satisfying..."
With that, the blue dragon took step after step toward the red dragon, her deep-blue body deliberately swaying and twisting.
"What kind of bullshit tradition is that?"
Cassius wore a strange look.
"Your Majesty Cassi—*AWOO!*"
With a pulse of force magic, the blue dragon went flying backward, tumbling more than a dozen times across the floor before finally grinding to a halt.
Just as Cassius was about to sweep her entirely out the door, Christina scrambled up from the ground. Flustered, she raised both foreclaws and forced a strained smile.
"Wait! Your Majesty Cassius!
"That was an accident! I really did bring a new oracle from the Dragon Queen this time!"
"Speak."
Christina lowered her voice. "Her Majesty the Dragon Queen says... please do not forget the prior agreement."
"Understood," Cassius replied without expression.
The red dragon gazed into the distance, a faint light flickering in his pale-gold pupils, as if the majestic, five-headed, five-colored figure had appeared within them.
*Dragon Tyranny, is it... I'll see who ends up using whom in the end.*
He thought to himself.
...
Meanwhile, Christina slunk out of the kingdom crestfallen and dejected, suffering yet another defeat—the charm she took so much pride in had proved utterly useless.
The blue dragon attendant who had waited for hours offered soothing words:
"My lady, do not lose heart. If worst comes to worst, the clan can find you another male dragon with a progenitor bloodline. With the influence of our Faria Clan, we can still—"
Christina shook her head like a rattle-drum, static crackling faintly across her hide from her intense electrical nature.
Her expression was filled with bitter resentment as she repeatedly slammed the ground in frustration, gnashing her teeth. "I don't care! This was a personal promise from Her Majesty the Dragon Queen herself! Only he is worthy of me! Besides, where else could I find a dragon like Prince Cassius? The rest are nothing but useless trash!"
Chapter 367