Christiana ultimately failed to receive a response from the great Platinum Dragon God, Bahamut. Yet, even after the banquet concluded, and countless people departed with satisfied smiles and tipsy cheer, she remained lost in thought.
She no longer cared about the strange, scrutinizing glances from the weaklings passing by; her cocooned mind was undergoing subtle changes, and for the first time, the noble Silver Dragonreflected upon herself.
The Silver Dragon Christiana had lived for countless years, and her ingrained dogmas and prejudices were, for the first time, laid bare by a weak, short-lived being.
It made her ponder whether the actions of the good alignment, cloaked in justice and crowned with light, truly aligned with the sacred definition.
However, habitually prejudiced creatures, once they overturn their original views and begin to look at problems from another perspective, often fall into another extreme of prejudiced change, and their ideological inclination will rapidly slide, extending towards the other extreme.
Scene after scene, previously hidden under the guise of self-evident prejudice, flowed through the Silver Dragon's mind, and in her brain, which had been most active during her long years, she realized that the weak, short-lived being was right.
For the first time, The Silver Dragon Christiana, inherently trapped in fixed prejudices by the influence of her True Dragon's Inheritance, discovered that many people and things in the world could not be simply categorized by alignment and preference.
Whether it was the True Dragon's Inheritance or the rigid dogmas circulating in the world, they constantly shackled her thoughts, her heart, and her soul.
"So, is this why the great Platinum Dragon God, Bahamut, is unwilling to bestow his guidance and wisdom?"
The Silver Dragon Christiana dragged her chains, crawling out of the deep corridor, and looked up at the bright moon suspended by the Moon Maiden.
At this moment, she realized that even the bright moon had shadows and night behind it, just like her once self-proclaimed pure aspirations and heart.
"Or perhaps, even the great Platinum Dragon God, Bahamut, he also…" The Silver Dragon Christiana's opened thoughts surged like a tide, becoming uncontrollable.
However, after all the guests had departed and the mountaintop had returned to a peaceful atmosphere, lines of soldiers ascending the steps caught the attention of the Silver Dragon and the two Bronze Dragons.
Even the few True Dragon s caught in a mental storm had their full attention instantly drawn by these soldiers.
Because these soldiers guarded group after group, collectively carrying one heavy, laborious large box after another. These large boxes were filled to the brim with heavy treasures.
There were countless sparkling gems, gold coins, pearls, agates, tridacna, mithril, and valuable treasures. These treasures reflected the moonlight even more dazzlingly than the Silver Dragon's scales.
Among them were refined precious metals, and jewelry crafted from various gems.
Mithril bracelets, adamantine necklaces, gold ornaments, jade earrings, agate hairpins—almost all valuable items that could be collected in the Ekania World could be found in these boxes.
The scent and luster of these countless treasures instantly made the True Dragon s' breathing grow heavy, and their vertical pupils gleamed with a predatory light—it was the True Dragon s' greed.
These True Dragons were utterly unable to resist the inherent greed brought by dragon blood; even if Platinum Dragon God Bahamut were here, he would not be able to resist taking a few extra glances.
Even the severely injured Gold Dragon Obirasch, who was in a deep slumber, unconsciously lifted his fore-skull in his sleep; though his eyes were closed, his nostrils flared, sniffing the overly rich and enticing scent of wealth.
But these few adult True Dragons could only watch as this vast wealth flowed like water into the magnificent Fortress. Looking at this massive procession, the wealth in each box they carried surpassed the entire accumulated fortune of these few True Dragons.
If they were not constrained by the Ancestral Red Dragon's might and magic, perhaps at this moment, they would automatically display the True Dragon s' double standards, denounce this wealth as evil blood and tears, and then openly claim it as their own.
However, this also made the gazes of these three adult True Dragon s fall upon the magnificent Fortress, which now seemed exceptionally quiet.
The Silver Dragon's four claws, at this moment, moved like those of a large cat silently stalking through the jungle, silencing the heavy footsteps of her massive body.
She carefully used the wing claws on her wings to steady the scarlet chains, and by the side of the seemingly eternally open grand entrance, she quietly extended her beautiful and dignified head, peering into the Fortress.
The two adult Bronze Dragons also made the same choice at this moment, after seeing that the soldier guards carrying boxes and boxes of wealth did not stop The Silver Dragon Christiana.
These two Bronze Dragons also imitated The Silver Dragon Christiana, furtively sticking their heads out at the Fortress entrance, peering at the commotion inside.
True Dragons, these strange creatures, possess long lives and almost inexhaustible energy; they can casually spend countless days and nights sleepless, yet they find it extremely difficult to maintain their focus. Making them concentrate on one task is an extremely difficult thing.
Except when soundly asleep in their lairs, it is very difficult to make these irritable True Dragon s wait quietly and silently.
But the excellent eyesight of the three adult Metal Dragons, superior to that of an eagle in the sky, revealed that inside the Fortress hall, apart from the guards moving with boxes of treasure, every Dragon Lord was quietly coiled in their respective positions.
Although their terrifying True Dragons eyes flickered with a vibrant gleam, no True Dragon made a sound, nor did any True Dragon show impatient movements or expressions.
Even among the True Dragons, the two irritable Red Dragons, Kadilos and Klenaya, whom the Metal Dragons did not even consider, maintained a steady silence at this moment.
Even if the greed in their eyes was almost materializing into claws, scratching at the treasures, they still maintained a quiet posture.
It seemed that in the face of this vast wealth, the evil True Dragon s' self-control was more steadfast than the Metal Dragons' will.
"Incredible, unimaginable!"
This thought simultaneously floated through the minds of the three Metal Dragons.
The Silver Dragon Christiana's gaze couldn't help but turn to the deepest part of the Fortress, that elevated True Dragon Throne. She was curious what expression that Ancestral Red Dragon, the monarch of the Dragon clan, the Emperor of the Empire, would have now.
She saw him: that Ancestral Red Dragon, who was incomparably violent and fierce on the battlefield, that Dragon Lord who was overbearingly arrogant before the world, was now like a true, noble Emperor ruling an ancient empire, seated high upon his throne.
Absolute rationality and wisdom, absolute restraint and tranquility, completely contrary to the ferocity and dominance this Dragon Emperor displayed on the battlefield.
This vast wealth surprisingly failed to cause even a ripple in his gaze. Even greed, the most uncontrollable primal desire in dragon blood, could not manifest the slightest trace under the will of this Ancestral Red Dragon.
If not for the innate arrogance and coldness of True Dragons hidden beneath those dark golden vertical pupils, The Silver Dragon Christiana would have even thought he was a calm human monk or an emperor whose lust for power surpassed all else, like those human monarchs.
Just like the monarch ruling the vast lands of the Central Continent, an ancient empire that had been passed down for thousands of years.
The Ancestral Red Dragon coiled on the throne possessed the stability and weight of the earth, his face had the sharp angles and fortitude of steel, and his will revealed the aggression and fervor of fire.
Even though he had reined in all his aura, The Silver Dragon Christiana could still feel the naturally present chill, like some essential manifestation.
In The Silver Dragon Christiana's eyes, before the more mature Ancestral Red Dragon, the seemingly noble Gold Dragon Obirasch was merely like an immature child, a fledgling who had gained power that did not belong to him.
Only his shimmering golden scales could give Obirash that false nobility.
And the other, he was the Dragon King who looked down upon the earth from the sky, ruling all True Dragons.
A sensation akin to a human shiver rapidly transmitted from the tip of The Silver Dragon Christiana's tail, up her spine, spreading throughout her entire body, causing the scales on her back to rapidly close, tightly adhering to the skin beneath them, locking shut.
Because she saw that majestic, beautiful, and noble Dragon Emperor casting his calm gaze upon her.
In a daze, The Silver Dragon Christiana seemed to see his calm face gently ripple at this moment. The Red Dragon curled his lips, and amidst his gleaming fangs, a meaningful smile appeared.
The Silver Dragon Christiana instantly felt as if a basin of the coldest, most chilling water from the River Styx had been poured over her head.
Even the cold resistance inherent to Silver Dragons could not resist the chill that permeated her limbs and connected to her rapidly beating heart, so she quietly withdrew her head.
True Dragons of varying scale colors were coiled upon the Black Stone Throne and exquisite long carpets, allowing the maidservants to clear away the dining tables and leftovers, waiting quietly.
The human banquet had ended, but the True Dragon's banquet had just begun, and even these impatient True Dragons had sufficient reason to await this moment.
The loyal female slave, Kalon's personal financial officer and the territory's tax official, Fafna, whose figure was as voluptuous as if carved from jade and whose face was as enchanting and alluring as if a succubus incarnate, stood to the right of the Red Dragon's throne.
Fafna wore a professional skirt suit for a public servant, and her charming face appeared exceptionally serious and proper, because the Giant Demon knew that her master disliked subordinates who couldn't distinguish between occasions and priorities.
Therefore, she had long since reined in her innate charm aura, although her inherent beauty and posture already possessed a charm that ordinary creatures found difficult to resist.
"Master, this is all the wealth consumed and gained within the territory during your slumber. Every expenditure from the True Dragon's Treasury has been truthfully recorded."
"And due to the development of the Green Field Forest plane, the True Dragon Treasure House's expenditures during the several years of war have been replenished. Regarding your dividend banquet tonight, the wealth is accumulated and drawn from the fixed surplus of profits created by the territory in the past,"
"Among them, due to three years of war, there was no surplus in the income generated within the territory, so the average share was paid out by the True Dragon Treasure House."
Fafna's soft voice sounded, explaining everything to her master.
Ding, ding, ding.
Kalon's bent claws gently tapped on the armrest of the throne. He first lightly smiled, affirming the Giant ogre's work, "Fafna, you've done very well, you haven't failed my trust or your ability! I know your request, and I will give you a satisfactory answer."
"Generous and tolerant master, Fafna offers you loyalty until the end of her life!" Fafna, like those officials, placed her long, fair hand on her chest and responded directly.
These dependents, though long accustomed to humans, were still straightforward and hadn't learned the subtle ways of human bureaucrats.
Kalon turned his gaze to the True Dragons. Among these True Dragons were companions who had grown up with him since childhood, partners who had joined the Dragon clan later for various reasons, and some True Dragons who had been confined by the power of the Dragon clan, including Chromatic Dragons and Metal Dragons.
But at this moment, they had formed a common group—the Kogmora Dragon Clan. Their destinies converged here and now, becoming inseparable.
Each True Dragon also responded to the Dragon King with their gaze.
Facing the gaze of the True Dragon, Kalon revealed his long, thick fangs and said, "Initially, we formed this special True Dragon Group by agreement, spontaneously gathering together. While I was dormant, you excellently fulfilled the True Dragon's agreement, so I will also fulfill my promise,"
"Tonight, it is not only to celebrate the victory of the war and the establishment of the empire, but also to share the profits of so many years of rule. This has been the tradition of the Kogmora Dragon Clan from beginning to end."
As soon as Kalon's words fell, the atmosphere among the True Dragon, which had been forcibly quiet, immediately became lively. Camid's two heads swayed from side to side.
Antagena's gaze also shifted from the Ancestral Red Dragon to the treasures on the ground. Rosani's tail excitedly slapped around, making Bang Bang sounds.
One by one, the Dragon Lord ground their teeth and flicked their tails, some unable to hold back.
Even the Young White Dragon Sloka and the Young White Dragon Loni, who joined the Dragon clan later, as well as Ellie and Kadilos, all showed expectant gazes. Carlit was also participating in such an occasion for the first time, so she appeared particularly excited.
Although these True Dragons had not received a clear response from the Dragon King, at this moment, being able to stay here proved that they had been accepted by the Dragon clan and had become true members of the Dragon clan.
And The Silver Dragon Christiana and the two Bronze Dragon Gros and Natalierie, who had quietly poked their heads out from the Fortress gate, were all startled. In the impression of these three True Dragon, whether it was the Chromatic Dragons or the Metal Dragons, such a thing would absolutely never happen.
Let alone sharing wealth with other True Dragons, even if Tiamat and Bahamut demanded their True Dragon believers to offer even a single silver coin, these True Dragon would probably unhesitatingly retract their faith in the Dragon God, and then sell the statues of the two Dragon Gods as commodities to exchange for the last copper coin, putting it into their treasure trove.
This was the attitude of these True Dragons towards the two Dragon Gods after the True Dragon Fall Holy War.
This made the three adult Metal Dragon quietly raise their hearing to the highest level; they had been piqued by the curiosity of this strange True Dragon Group.
"During the several years of the Dragon clan's dormancy, facing the invasion of the Orc Kingdom's army, Alina, Akzi, Naxon, and Alfred, you have done very well, rendering great service, and are the primary contributors to our victory,"
"Therefore, your gains are the most,"
Although the several True Dragons had different divisions of labor and different impacts, Kalondid not want to overly subdivide the merits, which would not only be troublesome for the Dragon clan but also lead to some nascent disputes. Therefore, he regarded the merits of these several great True Dragon as being of the same rank.
The several True Dragons excitedly hooked their wing-claws onto the Black Stone Throne, their long necks extended, resting their heads on the heavy treasure chests carried over by several Gnoll guards.
This wealth was something that wandering wild True Dragons could never collect in a lifetime. Even some Dragon Lord would need to spend a considerable amount of time squeezing the blood and sweat of their dependents to fill the treasure chests in front of them, but in terms of quality, it was difficult to compare with these fine goods.
And these were merely the gains from several years of rule within the Dragon Clans Territory. This made the several True Dragons suddenly feel that their previous hardships and toil were nothing more than a small storm.
"At the critical moment of the war, the dormant True Dragons awakened one by one, laying the foundation for our ultimate victory, so your gains are nearly identical."
Box after box of treasures were carried before the True Dragons who had passed their juvenile stage and entered their adolescent years. Each True Dragon impatiently claimed their own wealth.
Only Camid raised his two heads high, looking around, and after a long time, he satisfactorily rested his heads on the treasure chest.
Camid was very satisfied. This was the first time he had received as much wealth as Dos and Red Dragon Klenaya, which satisfied his vanity, making him proud.
"Kadilos, come forward," Kalon turned his gaze to the expectant Young Red Dragon and said.
The Young Red Dragon Kadilos stiffened his long neck and slowly paced to the front of the throne.
Kadilos originally did not have much left. His desire to challenge the Dragon King had long been shattered by the aftershocks of the battle on the plain. In front of this terrifying Ancestral Red Dragon, Kadilos did not feel that he could do better than the Ancestral Golden Dragon Obirash.
Even though the Red Dragon's arrogance made him look down on that Ancestral Golden Dragon, the huge factual gap made him somewhat apprehensive when facing the Dragon King.
After all, the first severe beating of his True Dragon life was at Kalon's claws.
The Young Red Dragon Kadilos obediently extended his proud head under Kalon's True Dragon claws, which were forged like steel. The undulating Dragon Language of the True Dragon sounded in his ears.
"Kadilos, in battle, you earned your freedom with your bones and blood, and you earned recognition with your strength. From this day forward, you are a member of the Kogmora Dragon Clan."
At this moment, Kadilos felt the vast and majestic yet surging ocean-like power of the Ancestral Red Dragon pouring into his body. The True Dragon's contract that had bound him finally dissipated at this moment.
The iron ring on his neck also quietly fell to the ground, making a clang.
He, Kadilos, gained freedom, but he had more things he wanted.
So the Young Red Dragon Kadilos raised his head, looking eagerly at the Ancestral Red Dragon's majestic vertical pupils, and stammered, "Then, then, what about my reward…?"
"Tsk, hahahaha,"
The Blue Dragon Akzi let out a mocking roar of laughter. He laughed, "Kadilos, have you forgotten? You still owe the True Dragon clan over two hundred years of free service. My suggestion to Kalon is that your merit, after deducting the freedom you earned, can still offset one year of service."
In an instant, the entire Dragon clan burst into undisguised laughter. The Young Red Dragon Kadilos slunk back to his seat with his tail between his legs, burying his head under his broad wings. For the first time, he felt an emotion that a True Dragon should not have—shame.
"Sloka, Loni, Ellie," Kalon did not laugh, though his long fangs were almost completely exposed.
He said to the several True Dragons, "In the war, you gained the recognition of the Dragon clan due to your excellent performance. Therefore, you also enjoy the rights of the True Dragon's agreement. If you are willing to join the Dragon clan, you will gain freedom and rewards. If you are unwilling to join the True Dragon Group, you will gain freedom!"
"Of course we are willing," the several True Dragon said in unison. After witnessing the prosperity of the Dragon clan, none of these True Dragons could refuse the temptation of treasures, as well as the sense of security brought by banding together in this increasingly powerful Dragon clan.
The alliance of True Dragons with Dragon clan, the nation of True Dragons with Dragon claj, would be incredibly powerful.
At the Dragon Emperor's signal, the guards placed three small boxes in front of the three True Dragons. Although the wealth in these three small boxes was only one-tenth of the large boxes, these several True Dragons still showed satisfied expressions.
Kalon's massive body was coiled on the tall throne, and he turned his gaze to the uneasy Blue Dragon sitting in the corner. His scrutinizing gaze brought heavy pressure that made Carlit's heart sink, sink, sinking into the abyss.
The crime of betrayal, in any race, any ethnic group, any organization, is an unforgivable sin. Even though Carlit had paid with blood for her redemption, she still had no certainty that she would receive the Red Dragon's forgiveness.
She even wondered, if she had not been redeemed and was driven out of the Dragon clan again, where on this vast land could she find peace to stay?
If the Red Dragon did not forgive her, no True Dragon in the Dragon clan would naturally forgive her, because the will of the Red Dragon was the will of the Dragon clan.
It was only after a long time that the Dragon Emperor's gentle voice came from the distant throne, pulling Carlit's heart, which had been gradually sinking into the endless darkness of the abyss, back and injecting immeasurable light.
"Welcome home, Carlit!" The Dragon Emperor, high on the throne, smiled at this moment and said gently.