Candlelight flickered on the long dining table.
The entire atmosphere was heavy and oppressive, with everyone focused on eating the dishes on the table.
Unbeknownst to them, more than half of the food on the three-tiered serving dishes had already disappeared.
Even with portioned meals, the nobles ate slowly and gracefully with knives and forks.
Meanwhile, the Dragon Riders of the caravan were already eating large chunks of meat with their forks, their mouths glistening with oil.
The nobles kept their heads down while eating, afraid to look at the Vikings' mouths and vomit on the spot.
The Dragon Riders of the caravan already had large appetites, and now having to deliberately pretend to be gentlemen while eating was even more unbearable than being killed.
Unconsciously, some had already started using their hands to eat.
No one noticed that Hiccup had consistently been using chopsticks to eat.
Night Fury also adorably mimicked Hiccup, extending two claws to pick up food.
He even lightly tapped Hiccup's back with his tail, signaling him to watch him eat.
Hiccup merely glanced at him before continuing to eat.
Night Fury's eyes immediately drooped, and he directly picked up a roasted lamb leg, tilting his head back to swallow it whole.
Count Jonaf, who sat below Hiccup, also wanted to learn Hiccup's way of eating, but his hands simply wouldn't cooperate.
The dinner ultimately concluded with the Dragon Riders full and satisfied, and the nobles feeling quite nauseated.
The long rectangular table in the banquet hall seemed to become a dividing line.
Normally, it separated nobles of high status from those of low birth, though not as obviously.
But now, on the left side, the Dragon Riders gathered, discussing which dish was delicious tonight, their hands swirling deep red wine.
The nobles wanted to gather and converse, but none dared, even feeling awkward, so they could only stare down at the dining table.
"Clap clap~~"
Count Jonaf clapped his hands, signaling the slaves to clear the dishes from the table.
Rows of slaves in pristine white maid uniforms entered the banquet hall, carefully carrying trays to remove the leftovers.
The Dragon Riders huddled together, whispering, "They're so beautiful, even more beautiful than roses."
"Look, they're like pure white snowflakes; I really want to eat them whole."
"These are all the Divine Envoy's maids; don't look around carelessly."
Hiccup's hearing naturally allowed him to easily hear their conversation.
"The ancestors of the original world were indeed right: 'When well-fed and warm, lust arises.'"
"Their eyes look like they want to devour these maids."
Hiccup gently put down his chopsticks, then turned to the Dragon Riders and said, "You and those maids go and see how many rooms there are in this manor."
Count Jonaf thought his chance had come and quickly said ingratiatingly, "Divine Envoy, I have already found out, there are…"
Hiccup directly interrupted him, saying, "I believe you already know how much gold and jewels are in the manor."
"Leave these remaining small matters to them."
"Remember, be sure to have the maids lead the way for them."
Count Jonaf paused slightly, then understood the Divine Envoy's intention.
The Dragon Riders truly believed Hiccup was sending them to investigate the rooms and check for potential dangers.
Count Jonaf smiled and nodded, saying, "Rest assured, Divine Envoy, I will personally give the orders."
However, as soon as Count Jonaf stood up, Hiccup immediately spoke, "Wait."
"Let them go together; give them a chance to turn over a new leaf."
Before the banquet began, these noblewomen must have given the Dragon Riders of the caravan a hard time.
The nobles naturally understood Hiccup's meaning, but no one dared to say anything.
Although they found mistresses who had been touched by these barbarians disgusting, they could always just replace them.
At this moment, only a fool would dare to defy the Divine Envoy's will.
The Dragon Riders initially didn't understand, but after seeing the message conveyed by Hiccup's gaze, they finally grasped Hiccup's intention.
As the first generation of Dragon Riders, they had been personally trained by Hiccup.
They would only diligently carry out Hiccup's commands, almost doing whatever he told them to do and nothing else.
During their usual training, shouting in the sky was inaudible, so they mostly relied on eye contact.
Upon receiving the clear eye-command, the Dragon Riders in the caravan all heavily swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
Each of them looked like a starving wolf that had been hungry for ten days, each fixing their gaze on a target.
Hiccup smiled faintly, thinking to himself, "The remaining meeting content won't even involve them."
"They're usually responsible for the caravan's safety, strictly enforcing military regulations, no drinking, no prostitutes; they must be bursting."
"Today, let them drink their fill and release their urges; they're all just slaves anyway, and they won't be picky."
"As for whether those noblewomen are willing, that's not up to them."
Once the irrelevant people had left, Hiccup lightly tapped the table twice.
The nobles sitting on one side of the long table all turned their heads to respectfully look at Hiccup.
Hiccup slowly spoke, "Which nobles from Green Town are not here?"
Count Jonaf thought for a moment, then said, "Besides Count Rejin who fled, there are also the Gray family and the Hayes family."
Hiccup said nonchalantly, "Since they're not here, there's no need for them to exist."
"No one is to be left, neither male nor female, nor slaves."
Count Jonaf respectfully clenched his right hand into a fist and pounded his chest, saying, "As you command, Divine Envoy."
Then, Count Jonaf quickly walked out of the banquet hall and shouted, "Hurricane Knights, assemble!"
"Hee-haw~~"
"Clip-clop~ clip-clop~~"
The neighing of warhorses mixed with the sound of hooves came from outside the door.
The nobles in the banquet hall turned pale, with fine beads of sweat even on their foreheads.
Although they were relieved to have attended the banquet, their lives were still in the hands of the Divine Envoy.
The Divine Envoy didn't even need to act; that Dragon spitting a ball of fire would be enough to burn them to ashes.
After giving the command, the Hurricane Knights quickly departed.
Count Jonaf then scurried back to Hiccup's side.
Hiccup looked at the nobles before him with a half-smile and said, "Now, let's discuss serious matters."
All the nobles' hearts sank, and they couldn't help but think that if they didn't agree to the Divine Envoy's demands, they probably wouldn't see tomorrow's sun.
Hiccup leaned back in his chair, half-reclining, with one foot on the edge of the chair, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
"From now on, everyone will dismantle their territorial boundaries, and all lands will be merged and unified."
"And you will all become my subordinates, receiving gold coins according to your respective contributions."
Upon hearing this, all the nobles' faces turned dark.
It was over; what was bound to come had finally arrived.
Their territories, after all, could not be kept.