The entire reception hall was filled with the scent of sandalwood, a fragrance that calmed the mind, but in the Bronze Dragon Hollister's nose and eyes, this enormous reception hall was filled with the scent of those glittering little darlings.
The inherent nature of Dragons is greed. Even Ancient Dragons who have passed the extremely old age stage can overcome some of the shortcomings of their dragon blood nature to a certain extent, but they still cannot avoid the innate, stronger, and deeper original desires that come from their powerful bloodline, which are more intense than those of ordinary races.
Some Ancient Dragons, relying on the power of their dragon bloodline alone, possess enough strength to challenge a Legendary individually. If they also transcend the limitations of Legendary, they can even rival powerful demigods on the Material Plane.
Logically speaking, such powerful Dragons should possess sufficient strength and wealth to embark on the most direct path to godhood in the True Dragon lineage—the Dragons of Consecration.
However, even in the universe that has been passed down from the most ancient times to the present, the total number of True Dragons who have ascended the steps of godhood using this method has not exceeded the number of fingers on one claw.
Because these Dragons are unable to resist or even abandon their racial nature, most of them do not even consider making an attempt.
But the idea of accepting benefits proposed by the adult Bronze Dragon Hollister was not simply driven by his own nature, although it would be difficult for this Dragons to distinguish which factor was more influential.
However, Metal Dragon have become accustomed to this style; as long as they do not admit it, they can always stand on the impregnable moral high ground.
But the Bronze Dragon Hollister felt that even if countless years passed, and he forgot many things he had experienced, he would still remember the gaze of the Ancestral Red Dragon before him.
Those dark golden pupils held not a trace of the ferocity or irritation typical of Chromatic Dragon; they were like a calm, green lake, so still that Hollister, the Bronze Dragon, could only see his own reflection in the other's pupils, with no other colors.
The Ancestral Red Dragon's eyes seemed to shimmer, but it was the light reflecting all external reactions.
Even for a Dragons, this blatant coveting of his wealth did not cause any emotional fluctuation in this Red Dragon.
"It seems this Red King is an existence whose will cannot be swayed, no matter how firm. Even the inherent nature of a Dragons cannot affect his judgment in the slightest,"
The Bronze Dragon Hollister mused silently. There are no fools among Dragons who have grown to adulthood, just as there are none among the gods in the heavens.
From an observer's perspective, they might sometimes appear extremely foolish, but these ancient beings are not foolish; they merely possess an obstinacy that is difficult to change.
This is also a common affliction of powerful and ancient beings: because they are powerful, they believe that their actions are flawless.
And an adult Bronze Dragon, as long as they do not fall into some kind of stubbornness while thinking, possesses wisdom comparable to the most outstanding Scholars among short-lived races.
Bronze Dragon Hollister had already realized that the Ancestral Red Dragon's avoidance of the topic regarding Gold Dragon Obilash's handling clearly represented his most obvious stance.
As the Ancestral Red Dragon's movement bypassed that most important topic, a sandalwood box carved with an exquisite flaming Dragons skull appeared between the Red Dragon's massive claws.
This box alone, with its meticulous craftsmanship and materials, could fetch several gold coins if sold in the Rose City to major merchants specializing in gifts for nobles.
Kalon bared his fangs and smiled, placing this precious box with its peculiar scent before the adult Bronze Dragon Hollister.
"Logically speaking, with the arrival of the Southern Good Dragon Alliance's inspector and envoy, the Golden Empire should have paid more attention, offering a grand reception and a banquet for all officials, which is customary."
"However, it is currently the early stages of the Empire's establishment, and even we Dragons, who should be soaring through the sky, are shackled by heavy duties, let alone the officials who wholeheartedly share the Empire's worries,"
"So, please bear with us for any shortcomings in hospitality."
The adult the Bronze Dragon Hollister automatically filtered out the Red Dragon's polite words at this point. His innate Dragons abilities allowed him to gauge the box's weight with just a light touch of his claws, without even needing to deliberately use magical perception, and he knew it contained the glittering little darlings that all Dragons would adore.
Kalon smiled at this, slightly raising his claw, signaling Bronze Dragon Hollister to open the box and take a look.
The Bronze Dragon knew the other party would not act without purpose; ordinary gold would not cause the Dragon Emperor, who ruled the entire Empire, to adopt such a posture.
So the adult Bronze Dragon grinned, carefully using his talons to push open the lid, which would have felt noticeably heavy to a mortal.
Instantly, brilliant, dazzling, and scorching golden light shone forth, making the Bronze Dragon's breathing a little heavier.
These were gold coins of craftsmanship and purity worthy of a merchant's collection, and the Bronze Dragon Hollister particularly liked the patterns and inscriptions on them.
The obverse of the gold coin featured a finely textured dragon skull, meticulously carved and engraved, with the unique appearance of Kalon Kogmora, the founding emperor of the Golden Empire and its supreme ruler, serving as the coin's imprint, adding extra allure to an already charming coin.
The intricate circular pattern around the exquisite gold coin depicted agile and delicate Dragonsof various scale colors, with their mouths and tails intertwined, encircling the majestic and beautiful Dragons skull in the center.
And on the reverse of the gold coin was a line of twisted Common script— "May this world shine like gold, and may civilization be passed down like a torch!"
The adult Bronze Dragon Hollister sighed, praising involuntarily, "This is not a gold coin; this is a perfect work of art and the finest collectible, transcending the value of the gold coin itself."
In any world, the currency issued by different countries and organizations, based on their credibility, influence, and overall strength, will have different values, even for gold coins of the same specification.
Generally, the currency issued by more powerful countries and organizations holds greater value than that of other countries and organizations.
Although the Golden Empire has only just made its debut on the grand stage of Ekania, the Orc Kingdom is well aware of the strength possessed by the Dragons Empire.
And the Golden Empire's declaration to the Orc Kingdom is still causing the Elder Council within the Orc Kingdom to squabble incessantly.
From a comprehensive strength perspective alone, the gold coins issued by the Golden Empire are sufficient to equate to the monetary standards of other countries.
Moreover, the Dragon Clans Territory has always been known for its abundant mineral resources, and the gold coins minted there are of much better purity and quality than those from other countries and city-states.
Most importantly, Kalon's words.
"These are the first, and also the last, commemorative edition master-mold gold coins issued upon the establishment of the Golden Empire," Kalon said with a smile, revealing his long, thick fangs, intentionally lowering his voice: "They are limited edition, not just within the Empire, but throughout the entire world. This is also a collector's edition issued to commemorate the birth of the Empire."
The adult Bronze Dragon Hollister's dull pupils instantly brightened. He grinned and said, "Then I must put these artworks into my treasury for collection. They are a testament to civilization, and the passage of time will only bestow more value and meaning upon them."
"Oh, my goodness, thank the fortune goddess! I feel like I want to show them off to others, but I also don't want those vulgar hands and eyes to see my treasures,"
The Bronze Dragon Hollister joked contentedly. However, the fortune goddess mentioned by the Bronze Dragon was not that unfortunate fortune goddess who was said to have once fallen into a swamp in the abyss and been forced to go to sea.
Among Dragons, there is also a fortune goddess belonging to Dragonkind, and that is the Dragons God Estellabo, whom Kalon placed in the Temple of Ten Thousand Dragons.
This Dragons God is a Lesser Deity of Dragonkind, a goddess of fortune whose form is a Dragoness shimmering with many colors, just like the shining scales of Kalon Kogmora, King of Gold.
Although the fortune goddess Estellabo represents Dragons's innate desire for wealth and power, she does not carry the stigma of greed like Tiamat.
The Dragons God Estellabo advocates that Dragons should have an inherent need to collect and protect treasures, and this Dragons God cannot tolerate any kind of theft by her followers and worshippers.
However, if these acts of theft are carried out in the name of establishing a treasury, she often deliberately turns a blind eye.
It can only be said that this Dragons God's principles and standards, like the dragon blooddomesticated by Kalon himself, only come into play when they are needed.
Therefore, this Dragons God is quite popular among neutral Dragons, and even some Chromatic Dragons like to steal in the name of this goddess; if caught by other Dragons, they usually only get a severe beating at most.
The Bronze Dragon Hollister, uncharacteristically, counted the gold coins in the box. This box, which was somewhat small for a Dragons, contained only two hundred gold coins, but even ordinary gold coins would be enough to satisfy a Dragons.
Once, the Silver Dragon Valkyrie Christiana sold her freedom for two thousand gold coins. And some Dragons who have grown to the Old Dragons or even Ancient Dragon stage take pride and vanity in having hundreds or thousands of gold coins and gems embedded in their scales.
What's more, these are collectibles whose value is no longer limited to the gold coin itself.
And Kalon, though his wealth was such that he could easily give more gold coins and riches—five hundred, eight hundred, or even one or two thousand—these would be but a tiny fraction of his vast treasury.
But True Dragons, like humans, possess an almost insatiable greed and desire, and their appetites grow larger with increasing gains, their desires never truly filled.
Therefore, Kalon needed to find a balance, one that would both demonstrate his generosity and not incite further greed in the other party, for Kalon believed that there might be many more opportunities for meetings or collaborations with this adult True Dragon in the future.
The pleased adult True Dragon accepted the gift with satisfaction, storing it in his Dimensional Magic Bag. Then, secretly rubbing his somewhat restless talons, he said, "Your Excellency Kalon Kogmora,"
"Your generosity shows me your noble and virtuous character. Gold Dragon Obirasch, at your coronation ceremony, proposed a challenge exclusive to Ancient Dragon Lords—the Battle of Skrith."
"In my opinion, your ability to show mercy is already enough to demonstrate your tolerant nature. You should know that among Ancient Dragon Lords, there is almost no concept of success or failure in a challenge, only victory or death."
Kalon listened quietly to the adult True Dragon's words. In the Red Dragon's view, anything that could be accomplished with gold coins was a minor matter. Greed, in Kalon's opinion, was actually a positive driving force, as long as it was useful.
"But some fellows in the Southern Good Dragon Alliance don't understand your virtue as clearly as I do. They are trapped in their own stubbornness and don't know enough about the True Dragon in the North."
The adult Bronze Dragon Hollister solemnly warned, "'Golden Flash' Mogsar Rabic, this powerful Gold Dragon Count, is not only an influential Count of the human kingdom of Fadley, but also one of the leaders in the Southern Good Dragon Alliance."
"But this wealthy, powerful, and charming adult Gold True Dragon, though we all respect him, Mogsar Rabic is not the strongest in the Good Dragon Alliance. Even in the 'Dragon Crown Council,' there are more powerful adult Gold True Dragon and Silver Dragon than him."
"But these ostensible leaders still defer to the opinions of the most powerful Council Elders in the most crucial decisions. Some of these Elders' ages can even be traced back to the distant ancient era when various races began to rise on the Material Plane."
"Although they do not participate in the daily management of the Good Dragon Alliance, they hold the most important say," the adult Bronze Dragon Hollister said softly, looking at the calm-faced Ancestral Red Dragon.
"Most importantly, Gold Dragon Obirasch's grandfather, the father of 'Golden Flash' Mogsar Rabic, is one of those supremely powerful Elders. Even within the entire 'Dragon Crown Council,' he holds extremely significant influence. Skolita, that is the name of that powerful being."
Kalon nodded, his expression unchanged. He had already anticipated these circumstances; the connections among Metal Dragon were no less intricate than he had imagined.
"However, every organization has different factions," Bronze Dragon Hollister's dull eyes brightened slightly.
"Just like the factions of hawks and doves in human kingdoms, I belong to the moderate faction, which is more inclined towards reconciliation,"
"I can speak well of you as much as possible after I return to report, but Gold Dragon Obirasch, even with the excuse of recuperating in the Empire, cannot be delayed for too long. You must make a careful decision."
The Ancestral Red Dragon smiled. He said, "Thank you for your kindness. It was a pleasure talking with you. I believe we should be able to get along well and become friends."
Kalon handed out another box from his claw. In the Red Dragon's view, this adult True Dragon, who took money and delivered results, had a good reputation and was a cooperative friend worth trying to get along with.
"What I just gave you was the Empire's goodwill and welcome etiquette to the envoy, and this is a gift from me personally to a friend. Although it's not expensive, it expresses my sincerity," Kalon smiled.
Hollister paused, then accepted the gift, nodding slightly, "It is my honor to have a friend like Your Excellency."