https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-308-The-Request-of-the-Silver-Dragon/13676625/
Chapter 309: Invitation and Collaboration
"But..." Olivia tried to argue, yet found herself speechless.
Because she realized once more—Kai Xiusu was speaking the truth. She had once been furious at the Northern Regions’ treatment of humans, reducing them to mere "livestock." Yet her elders had only told her to respect human customs and traditions, to refrain from interfering.
Over time, this oppression had become so normalized, so unquestioned, that even she had failed to notice the insidious mental trap she’d fallen into.
The Silver Dragon fell into another long silence.
Snap!
Kai Xiusu snapped his fingers sharply, snapping her back to attention.
With a flick of his hand, a series of vivid magical images materialized in midair—ordinary, everyday scenes from the citizens of the Kingdom of Ashen.
A scribe sorting documents in a dusty archive.
A guard patrolling the cobbled streets.
Workers laboring tirelessly along the flowing water lines.
A merchant hawking goods in the early morning market.
A researcher bent over a complex experiment in a lab.
They were weary, perhaps even exhausted. Some grumbled, others sighed. But one thing was certain: every single one of them was giving their all—striving toward their own hopes, their own dreams. The scene radiated a vibrant, unyielding energy. Even Olivia felt it—a stirring of life, of possibility.
Watching the images unfold, observing the Silver Dragon’s dazed expression, Kai Xiusu spoke again, guiding her like a master weaver:
"This is the kingdom I’ve built."
"Not a simplistic dichotomy of good versus evil—but a real, complex society."
"Here, those once deemed 'Gray Livestock' in the North are at least granted the status of people. They don’t die in the cold wind for a single sack of wheat. They aren’t forced to beg like dogs on their knees. And they don’t have to hand over their own children to noble whims."
Another crisp snap.
The serene scenes shattered instantly.
Now came the grim truth:
A skeletal peasant laborer trembling in the biting wind.
A boy sold into nobility, curled in the dark corner of an underground dungeon.
A slave dragged by whip to the frontlines, treated like livestock.
No exaggeration. No malice. Just raw, unfiltered reality—the shadow side of the Northern Kingdoms.
Kai Xiusu knew well: this kind of truth would resonate deeply with a Silver Dragon of inherently kind nature, especially one still forming her worldview.
His kingdom’s surface was polished, its facade noble—hiding the darker mechanisms beneath, manipulating the world through invisible chains.
Few young Silver Dragons, with their limited life experience, could see through it.
But the Northern nobles? They ate with their hands bare—no pretense, no veil. They openly devoured people. Even Kai Xiusu, a true Evil Dragon, found their behavior… excessive.
Sure enough, as he expected, Olivia’s gaze dropped. Doubt crept in.
Maybe… this is what I’ve truly been seeking?
This—is it the justice I’ve long pursued?
Is this the order that aligns with true humanity?
Then… everything I’ve done before… was meaningless. Was I even hindering history itself?
Staring into her eyes—so calm and deep, like still water—Kai Xiusu pressed forward, seizing the moment:
"Olivia, as the highest leader of the Kingdom of Ashen, I sincerely invite you to join us."
"Once Anzeta Great Wasteland is unified, I won’t demand you become some so-called 'Evil Dragon Follower.' You can even rise through legitimate channels to become a member of the council. Speak for the weak. Aid the civilians suffering under Northern Noble oppression. And in doing so, fulfill your own purpose."
The Red Dragon’s voice echoed in her ears—seductive, tempting, like a whisper from the Devil himself.
[Charmer]
Under the overwhelming supernatural charisma—so potent it could warp reality—Olivia was utterly ensnared. Paralyzed by hesitation, drowning in inner conflict.
In the past, she could have leaned on the radiant image of Anher, her moral anchor.
But after that encounter… the truth had been laid bare.
The ideals she once clung to—now dissolved like mist in sunlight.
"I… don’t know," Olivia whispered, biting her lip, hesitant, lost for words.
She had prepared a speech, ready to "save" Kai Xiusu, to pull him into the fold of goodness and justice—perhaps even bring him to kneel before the King of the Northern Wind, Bahamut.
But the truth was, it had all been wishful thinking.
She couldn’t even convince herself.
In this conversation, Olivia had been completely in Kai Xiusu’s control—trapped in a carefully laid web. And worse, she felt something unsettlingly familiar, a strange dependency toward the Red Dragon. It made escape nearly impossible.
Kai Xiusu stepped beside her, offering a reason she couldn’t refuse:
"The unification of Anzeta under the Kingdom of Ashen is now inevitable. You, of all people, must know that. But you can use your strength to accelerate it—spare more innocent lives, let more people live in peace under our order."
As he spoke, reality twisted.
Before her eyes, a hellish battlefield unfolded—
a river of blood flowing thick and slow,
a mountain of corpses piled high,
the wails of agony echoing through the air.
The Silver Dragon recoiled, her heart wracked with pain.
She didn’t want to see this.
But she knew—this might very well be the future.
The image broke through her last psychological defense.
"I…" Olivia’s lips trembled. Her blue-gray eyes shimmered with turmoil.
At last, she lifted her gaze to Kai Xiusu—her expression heavy, complex.
And with a breath like release, she exhaled.
"I accept."
"But you cannot force me to kill anyone. I will only follow orders I believe are just."
She didn’t know why, but in front of the Red Dragon, she always felt powerless—like a puppet in his hands. She couldn’t find a way to rebel.
The final condition was all that remained of her defiance.
Kai Xiusu smiled—genuine, pleased.
One red claw, one silver claw, clasped together.
"Excellent."
"Then, let our collaboration begin."
"Fortunately, there’s already an urgent matter concerning the kingdom’s fate—and I believe you are the only one capable of handling it."
Olivia stiffened instantly, her brow furrowing slightly.
Her many past misadventures had taught her well:
Every time Kai Xiusu smiled like that… something terrible was coming.
And sure enough, his voice remained calm, serene.
"Your grandfather, Lord Oszedro of the Silver Wings, has arrived in Anzeta. Unfortunately, he’s been blinded by false justice—choosing to support the rebels in the Northern Regions. He will stand in my way as I unify the North."
He paused.
"Kai Xiusu! You—!"
Olivia trembled with rage. Her voice cracked, edged with the raw edge of a sob.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
