Chapter 253: Affairs
"In the Stravburg Suburban Cave, at this exact coordinate—send someone to retrieve the treasure hidden by the Silver Dragon. There are precisely thirty thousand four hundred and seventy-two gold coins, and twelve kilograms of red and blue gemstone jewelry. The numbers must be exact—I will personally verify them."
"The Crown Ring of the Stars lies within the Silver Coffin in the Triefa Cathedral."
"The Silver Dragon Scale Armor is concealed beneath a stone tile in the corner of the Hall of Phatry."
"The Two-Faced Words can be found on the bookshelf at the Witch's Veil Tavern."
"Numerous spell scrolls—three hundred and seventy-two in total—are hidden within the waterfall deep in the Southern Aghul Forest, where a secret mage tower stands."
"And here, at Katriane Castle, there is an Observation Spell Array through which the Old Silver Dragon of the Melward Family has been spying on the Northern Regions. Destroy it."
"Truly wealthy—no wonder the Silver Dragon clan is so prosperous."
Kai Xiusu reclined upon the Iron Throne, reciting the intelligence he had extracted from the Silver Dragon’s own mouth.
Ogre, High-Level Mage Lanpu, stood before him, adjusting his golden-rimmed spectacles with meticulous care. With a flick of his magic, a feather quill formed in midair, darting across a translucent sheet of enchanted paper, diligently recording every detail.
Poor Silver Dragon—believed it had found the romance of a noble love story, confiding all its secrets to a Gold Dragon in disguise, only to be betrayed by the cruelest truth: it had been deceived, utterly and completely.
The image Kai Xiusu had crafted—his fabricated persona—had, in Olivia’s imagination, grown increasingly vivid. It had become her last lifeline, her only hope in despair.
Kai Xiusu knew that when the truth finally shattered that illusion, the collapse would be absolute. And that moment—when the carefully constructed dream crumbled—would be the perfect time to break through her psychological defenses and fully guide this naive young Silver Dragon.
"Tsk, tsk… rather tragic, isn’t it?"
At the thought, Kai Xiusu felt a flicker of guilt—almost regret.
After all, he prided himself on being a man of moral principle, a true noble—even if he was a villain in the eyes of others. Not the brutal, merciless kind of evil dragon. But the enemies of the Red Dragon clearly needed to be reminded otherwise.
Yet despite the twinge of conscience, his voice remained unrelenting. After all, ideals were one thing—tangible rewards were another.
After a brief pause, he continued:
"The Stellar Shards are hidden in the cellar of the Merk Forester’s Tavern. Though, it appears to be a stronghold of the Lute Players’ Alliance—our people must proceed with caution."
"The Astral Amulet is also located in the wizard tower I mentioned earlier."
"Anstther’s Lute of the Minstrel—find it in Verner’s Music Shop in Stravburg. Show them this token."
"The Power Staff lies inside a crate on the thirteenth floor of the Karyana Tower."
"..."
By the time he finished, Lanpu was drenched in sweat, beads rolling down his forehead. The enchanted paper was completely filled with treasures—so many, so valuable, that the sheer volume of information was overwhelming.
It was clear: Olivia had laid bare her soul, revealing every last secret, every treasure the Silver Dragon held dear.
Lanpu pulled out a golden-thread handkerchief and wiped his brow. Though his intelligence was undeniable, he feigned ignorance—playing the role of a humble subordinate.
"Your Majesty, mere hours after awakening, you have uncovered so many priceless relics. It is truly awe-inspiring."
"During my three years of slumber, how have the affairs of the kingdom fared?"
Lanpu straightened instantly. From his dimensional sack, he withdrew a pre-prepared Magic Power Crystal and effortlessly projected its stored knowledge into the air—a vivid, animated presentation, a “PPT”-style report, a format he had championed and perfected. It had since become the hallmark of spellcasters across the Kingdom of Ashen.
"Master, in these past three years, we’ve completed a comprehensive population census. Taking advantage of the rebellion’s suppression, we’ve uncovered the hidden populations of noble landowners as well. The kingdom now has a total of 470,000 nationals—eighty thousand Dragonline followers, and 390,000 humanoid beings."
"Following your orders, we’ve harnessed Peasant Labor as cheap, efficient manpower, fueling the rapid growth of our magical industry. Today, we operate seventeen food processing plants, six armory factories, and one daily goods workshop—capable of housing nearly forty thousand workers and supplying the entire nation with food and military equipment."
"Additionally, in commercial trade—"
"Kingdom Law—"
"Regarding the rebellion instigated by remnants of the Northern nobility—"
Lanpu spoke without pause, his voice steady and precise, until Kai Xiusu finally yawned, signaling the end. The presentation concluded with a final, triumphant image: "This is your great achievement!"
Indeed, Kai Xiusu already knew—by the reports, by his conversation with Olivia, and by the state of the realm itself—that the kingdom was thriving exactly as he had envisioned. He provided only the grand vision; the execution was Lanpu, Meizhuolashi, and their allies’ doing.
Yet the report also highlighted serious underlying issues—most notably, the deep-seated racial tensions. The forced coexistence of species that had once been bitter enemies, even enemies who consumed one another, was a monumental challenge. Lanpu had given it his all.
Kai Xiusu nodded approvingly.
"Well done. The kingdom is advancing along the path of our grand blueprint. The foundation has been laid—and you have played a vital role in it."
Lanpu fell to one knee, trembling with pride and reverence.
Kai Xiusu pressed on:
"Did you prepare the merit-based Noble Rank System and the Award Ceremony, as I instructed before my slumber?"
Lanpu immediately unrolled a scroll. "Already prepared, Your Majesty. The rituals have been meticulously designed. Please review them. Every national will remember this historic moment."
Like the Northern Regions, the Kingdom of Ashen’s noble ranks were structured into titles such as Duke, Marquis, and Baron—each with multiple sub-levels. But unlike the north, these noble titles carried no actual fiefdoms. They could only be earned through military achievement.
Yet these were no mere honorary titles. In Kai Xiusu’s design, each rank came with tangible benefits—most crucially, the ability to elevate one’s Dragon Vein Rank.
Those who served with valor would receive stronger dragon bloodlines, ascending in power with each rank. At the pinnacle—the Dukes, Marquises—some would even receive a Direct Blessing from the Red Dragon, becoming part of the Ancestral Bloodline.
And this system would make the Kingdom of Ashen an even more terrifying war machine. Every citizen, human or monster, would strive with everything they had—not just for strength, but for longevity, for glory.
The war chariot of the Burnt Kingdom would grow ever more unbreakable. Every national would become a vital component of the machine. And Kai Xiusu’s dream—of crushing the nations of the Northern Regions—would become inevitable.
(End of Chapter)
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