Deep within the Serel Wilderness, the rock walls of the Coniferous Valley shimmered with a grayish-white hue under the thin light of dawn.
Garros's massive and imposing figure stood in the valley clearing, his metallic scales refracting the faint light of early morning.
He lowered his head, his vertical pupils intently examining the items laid out before him: pieces of pure, transparent black oil crystals, and several large, open wooden crates beside them.
Inside the crates.
Were Magic Gems piled high like small mountains, radiating the brilliance of various elements—red as fire, blue as ice, green as the vitality of a forest—pure and translucent, without a single flaw or crack.
These priceless treasures were part of the generous return gift sent by Princess Elena of Lothern.
Setting aside the equally substantial yet somewhat vulgar gold and silver, the core of this return gift consisted of five units of Rank 1 black oil crystals, along with over a hundred Magic Gems, each of excellent quality.
"It is a pity that even with Elena's status and position, she cannot easily produce more black oil crystals."
Garros extended his claw, carefully picking up a cold piece of black oil crystal, and toyed with it between his claws for a moment.
He could feel the pure energy contained within it, exerting a strong, instinctive temptation upon him.
Ultimately, he suppressed the primal urge to devour it completely, placing it carefully back where it belonged and storing it away with the other crystals.
Just a short while ago, Garros had communicated with Princess Elena, who was far away.
Garros's attitude had been very direct, clearly expressing his desire to obtain more black oil crystals, and stating bluntly that he could exchange other portions of the return gift for them.
However, Princess Elena found this difficult to do.
She candidly expressed that even as a royal princess, the amount of black oil crystals she could mobilize at one time was extremely limited, and she could not satisfy Garros's request.
In times of peace, there might have been room for negotiation.
But now, the situation in the Federation was turbulent. Scarce resources with immense strategic value like black oil crystals were almost universally classified as top-tier controlled materials by every kingdom, with circulation channels strictly blockaded. If not for her status as a royal princess, Elena likely wouldn't have been able to produce even a single unit of black oil crystal.
"This stuff is watched too closely; no kingdom will easily let it flow outward."
"To obtain black oil crystals steadily and in large quantities, one must ultimately rely on establishing a sufficiently advanced alchemy industrial system, refining it by concentrating ordinary black oil step by step."
Garros pondered silently in his heart.
Desire is like a boulder rolling down from a mountain peak; once ignited and set in motion, its momentum is difficult to curb.
Garros clearly remembered that during his weak Young Dragon days, being lucky enough to drink some ordinary black oil was enough to satisfy him for a long time.
However, things were different now.
Now, sitting atop the resources of The Borderlands and the Scale-Earth Rift Road, ordinary black oil was no longer scarce to him, and that longing had faded accordingly.
Naturally, his gaze had turned hotly toward a higher level of energy crystal—black oil crystals.
However, although Princess Elena could not provide a large quantity of black oil crystals to demonstrate her sincerity, she was not without gestures; she had additionally gifted Garros a considerable amount of No. 98 Refined black oil.
This highly refined black oil was also a treasure that the Molten Iron Tribe currently could not produce steadily with their own craftsmanship.
Garros easily pried open the seal of a barrel of No. 98 black oil with his sharp claw tip.
Instantly, an energy scent, more intense, mellow, and carrying a strange burning sensation than ordinary black oil, permeated the air, stimulating his senses.
Without hesitation, he raised his massive head, opened his tooth-filled dragon maw, and took several large gulps!
That scorching energy, like liquid flame, surged down his throat, as if igniting the blood within his body.
Immediately after, Garros's strong, metal-scaled tail coiled nimbly, scooping up several brilliant gems containing abundant elemental power from the gem crate beside him.
He took a deep breath and swallowed those gems, along with another large gulp of No. 98 black oil, whole into his stomach.
The elemental energy contained in the gems and the pure power of the No. 98 black oil violently intertwined, collided, and burned within his stomach!
An indescribable sense of comfort swept through his entire body instantly.
It was as if the fiercest flames had exploded within his internal organs, surging and churning!
"Refreshing!"
A low and satisfied dragon roar echoed through the valley.
Garros's scales bristled, his muscles bulged, and his blood roared like flowing lava.
He would absolutely not waste this excellent opportunity.
Excitement! Blood Burst!
Accompanied by a series of dull, thunderous booms that made the entire valley floor tremble, Garros began a frantic, extreme-intensity, almost masochistic workout on the spot.
Time, like the wind circling the valley, passed silently.
Soon, a few days flashed by.
This morning, the sunlight, like molten liquid gold, was generously spilled over the tundra and coniferous forests of the Serel Wilderness, and the sky presented a nearly transparent, clear azure blue.
In this tranquil and brilliant morning light, the Flower Knight, Charles Hines, who had been unconscious for a long time, felt his eyelids twitch slightly, and finally, he slowly opened his heavy eyes.
His blurry vision, like glass covered in mist, slowly became clear.
The first thing he saw was the cold, rough, gray rock ground beneath him.
Then, his vision slowly moved upward.
A massive, deep, and imposingly oppressive outline gradually focused and solidified before his eyes, eventually taking the form of that imposing, strong Red-Iron Dragon he would never forget.
"The war has ceased."
The Red-Iron Dragon's gaze fell calmly, looking down at the Flower Knight, who had just awakened and still appeared extremely weak.
"However, this by no means implies it is over."
Garros continued, his voice devoid of joy or anger: "The timing last time was not suitable for either of us, but now, we can continue that interrupted conversation."
Over the past few days, Garros had not just been working out and digesting energy.
Through the secret visits and investigations his subordinates had conducted among the adventurers in Ximu Town over the past few days, it was confirmed that this Flower Knight, Charles Hines, was actually a figure with an excellent reputation, deeply respected and admired by many adventurers.
And not just within the borders of the Duchy of Raymond.
Because he was friendly, warm, generous, and of good character, and even when his own interests were at stake, he was still willing to lend a helping hand to the weak, the Flower Knight enjoyed considerable fame in the adventurer circles and was a recognized, famous hero.
Garros asked straight to the point: "What exactly is your relationship with the Albert Family?"
Charles struggled to steady his dazed mind from just waking up, his voice still carrying a hint of weakness: "I once received grace from the Albert Family."
He paused, using his arms to support his still-aching body, managed to sit up, and continued: "Earl Mills accused the Molten Iron Tribe of tyrannical atrocities to me and implored me to resolve this matter for the Albert Family and reclaim the lost territory."
"To repay the kindness of the past, and to rescue the residents of Ximu Town who were said to be suffering, I came here. However, after investigation, I ultimately discovered that the actual situation differed significantly from what Earl Mills had described."
Hearing these accounts, Garros roughly understood the cause and effect of the whole matter.
"So that is how it is."
The Red-Iron Dragon's voice was filled with undisguised mockery: "Yet another cliché, nauseating, and hackneyed story—a foolish knight who thinks himself righteous, easily deceived by a cunning and treacherous noble lord with lies, traveling a thousand miles to challenge an Evil Dragon, only to serve as a cheap tool for the noble to eliminate a thorn in their side."
"And I, Garros, have unfortunately played the role of the Evil Dragon in your story, destined to be crusaded against by justice."
"How utterly boring."
The Flower Knight did not think so.
He had traveled north and south for many years, seen countless lights and darknesses in the world, and considered himself no green, naive youngster.
"Respected King of Molten Iron, I am more inclined to believe that there is some deep misunderstanding here."
Charles carefully considered his words, keeping his tone sincere: "Earl Mills is charitable and kind-hearted; he is a virtuous lord with a well-known reputation throughout the entire Southern Federation noble circle."
"Every year, he devotes a considerable portion of the Family's income to charity, has established several well-equipped orphanages, and has adopted a large number of homeless, wandering orphans."
"Regarding measures to combat evil and uphold justice, he is never stingy, always opening his purse generously to provide free funding to the Adventurer's Guild and local guards."
Charles's tone was serious as he continued: "Moreover, his attitude toward the ordinary civilian farmers in his territory is extremely kind, without a shred of that high-and-mighty arrogance characteristic of most nobles."
"Precisely because of this, all the subjects in the Albert Family's territory support this kind Earl from the bottom of their hearts."
Charles looked at Garros with earnest eyes: "Perhaps it is some people with ill intentions who deliberately distorted the facts before the Earl, blinding his eyes and ears, which led to this misunderstanding of you and this unfortunate conflict."
"Respected King of Molten Iron, I, Charles Hines, am willing to become a bridge for communication and will do my utmost to eliminate the misunderstanding between the Molten Iron Tribe and the Albert Family, and facilitate a reconciliation between both sides."
Reconciliation?
Were he not joking.
Garros tilted his massive head slightly.
He clearly realized that this young knight before him might have experienced many adventures and seen some of the world, but his perspective remained on the superficial layer, misled by the virtues carefully adorned by nobles, failing to discern the much colder and more cruel truth hidden beneath that bright and beautiful facade.
Speaking of charity?
In the distant heartland of the Southern Federation, he had also spent a vast fortune through the secret channels of the Gem Merchant Guild to establish the Starfire Monastery.
It also housed a large number of homeless orphans and abandoned infants.
He gave those children a roof to shelter them from the wind and rain, food to grow strong, and books to receive an education... In a sense, he, too, had changed the fates of those people.
However, Garros never considered his actions to be out of kindness.
Behind this seemingly benevolent gift, the price had long been clearly marked.
All of this was never a gratuitous offering.