Beneath the Red Dragon

From arriving at the Golden Empire penniless to becoming a wealthy citizen through farming and commerce, this matter still hasn’t received a definite answer.

It was not until recently, when he learned from the Giant Dragon Daily newly established by the Minister of the Imperial Cultural Propaganda Department, Red Copper Dragon Alfred, that the Emperor of the Empire, along with the Dragon Group, reappeared and returned from the newly explored Plane World, that he decided he wanted to truly face that Ancestral Red Dragon. Perhaps only this way could he complete his mission.

A group of people were riding fine horses or dragon beasts, traveling along the forest path.

These horses and dragon beasts, improved and optimized by the Beast Park in the empire, have excellent stamina, are extremely resilient, and very docile. Even a child could easily handle them, making them the most beloved mounts of the empire’s citizens.

Even though the steel trains, running on tracks powered by steam engines and magic engines, offer more comfort than riding these horses and dragon beasts, the citizens of the empire still prefer this way of traveling.

In the distance, trains roared swiftly by, and occasionally a flapping-wing aircraft, like a steel dragonfly, would slowly glide through the sky, with Fremen Warriors on board curiously scanning the vast forest below, diligently fulfilling their duties.

”These steel behemoths might pack a punch on the battlefield, but for everyday life, these babies are more fun,”

A burly man patted the dragon beast beneath him and laughed loudly.

”Yeah, these flying fellows look odd and don’t compare to the might of those flying dragons,”

A young, tall man squinted his eyes, pointing at the Demon Dragon Knight flying by in the sky, his eyes showing admiration and awe.

Although the demon dragons ridden by these Demon Dragon Knights were not as gigantic and exaggerated as adult demon dragons spanning hundreds of meters, they were some younger dragons that could pass through the teleportation passage of the Plane World.

But because the appearance of these demon dragons was somewhat similar to the ruling Dragon Group of the Empire, in the eyes of the empire’s citizens, they were seen as very majestic.

The young man’s words received everyone’s approval. This is a culture unique to the Dragon Group Empire. While they do not reject new things and wholeheartedly accept those steel creations representing another form of advanced productivity, the citizens of the empire still hold their own favorites.

Just like how on the sea, steel-cast ships are beginning to dominate, but the citizens of the empire still favor riding those whale sea beasts and sea sharks, swimming freely on the sea. Cultures blend, yet retain their own characteristics, shining in their own right.

”It is said that in the world opened up by the empire this time, they encountered demons, those nasty brats from the Chaos Abyss, who were thoroughly crushed by the empire’s legions. It was really satisfying. If I had qualified in the legion election, I could have had a look with the Giant Dragon Lords,”

The topic gradually shifted, and the martial vigor of the Golden Empire went from top to bottom and from bottom to top.

The people living in the barren wilderness were exceptionally fierce, never considering what price needed to be paid in the war against demons. Perhaps, in the eyes of these lower-class people, as long as they followed the steps of the dragons, every enemy would only face destruction.

”Yeah, I also saw in today’s daily newspaper that among the warriors who performed outstandingly were the awarded and promoted ones, with the Legion Commander Saha of ’Burning Hooves’ being promoted to the empire’s only current general rank, and Lord Gilenis being directly elevated from a centurion to a legion commander,”

”This kind of instant ascending honor is the glory men should pursue,” said a man with a scruffy beard, looking a bit worn out and weak with dark circles, but he showed exceptional excitement.

”But you gotta have the kind of outstanding capability like Lord Gilenis,” a companion beside him laughed: ”I heard many strong warriors who have fought in the Royal Capital Arena and want to win the crown of a thousand victories, famous, want to challenge Lord Gilenis,”

”But guess what?” the man laughed: ”Some of them got a good beating from veterans returning from the battlefield. Those veterans even mocked them, saying they were fancy but fragile weapons meant for display in the house, not to challenge those sharpened in blood and fire, hahaha.”

Dragon Descendant Cranris occasionally chimed in, but these casual conversations were dissected in his mind.

Combining the current policies the empire issued regarding the citizen’s free exploration of new Plane Worlds, he had already realized that the empire was gradually, through these seemingly small acts, encouraging bold and adventurous spirits to embark on the journey of Plane World development.

Perhaps many forces not belonging to the Golden Empire would be tempted and influenced, thereby shifting the internal conflicts within the Icaria World in another direction.

Walking and talking, they still occasionally encountered some mysterious travelers cloaked in black robes, covering their entire bodies without revealing their faces, on this slightly remote path in the forest.

These travelers never appeared in their true form, but without exception, on their naturally black robes or those under the shadow of magic, they wore badges approved by the empire, indicating their identity information and their passage through each city and village.

The citizens of the empire knew well who these mysterious guests were, among them many were envoys of Witches, or even Witches themselves on occasion.