The Fall of an Empire

The cannons roared for a day and a night, and the city was filled with fully armed patrolling soldiers.

The mechanical boilers in major urban areas, which had been dormant for a long time, roared to life, transforming into a war-torn landscape. Countless chimneys spewed billowing black smoke, turning the entire sky a grayish-black hue from the coal fumes.

To escape the chaotic artillery fire, every household in the city kept their doors and windows closed. Apart from a few panicked pedestrians hurrying across the streets, the deserted city was almost deserted.

This once bustling metropolis, known as the most prosperous city on the Ice Ridge Wasteland, turned desolate and bleak overnight.

Although the Fifth District was not affected by the war, the chaos of the conflict emboldened thieves and gangsters to take advantage of the situation. They broke into homes to kill, rob, and rape, and many minor nobles suffered as a result, causing widespread fear and unease.

Unlike the tense atmosphere elsewhere, the "Black Rose Post Station" was remarkably calm.

This is where the group from Black Dragon City stayed.

The hotel is guarded by a powerful Mechanist Legion and Wyvern Legion, so no one dares to cause trouble here.

Ironically, this small inn became the safest place in the entire city.

Several maids who served Ymir year-round had been waiting at the door of the suite for quite some time.

Ymir has a very regular schedule. She usually washes up and leaves the house at seven o'clock every morning.

No matter how late I go to bed, I never have the habit of staying in bed.

But today is a bit unusual. It's almost ten o'clock now, and the Princess still hasn't shown any sign of summoning them into the house.

"Her Highness the Eldest Princess not gotten up yet?"

"Shh~ The city lord is inside too."

"Oh, Your Highness has never allowed the City Lord to stay overnight in your boudoir. Could it be that..."

"."

Then I heard very quiet, hushed laughter.

Although everyone in Black Dragon City knew that Rein was Ymir's man, the two maids knew very well that the two lords did not seem to have a close relationship yet.

Even back in Black Dragon City, the city lord never spent the night in the Princess's apartment. If he did, it was always when he was hosting Elder Wudo. And he never stayed in the master bedroom, but in the guest room.

The commotion at the doorway naturally did not escape the notice of the two High-tier Extraordinary, Rein and Ymir, inside the house.

Inside the room, on the snow-white bed, two naked bodies nestled together.

Rein's skin, tanned from years of training away from home, had a dull, yellowish hue. In contrast, Ymir's skin appeared incredibly white, almost glowing faintly in the light.

She lay on her back on the bed, looking somewhat languid, with a lingering flush on her pretty face. Her long, flowing golden hair cascaded across the bed, revealing her graceful figure in no way.

Rein admired the exquisite body before him, propping his head up with one hand and using the other to transform into a tiny figure, "climbing over mountains and valleys" on Ymir's body. The ultimate gentle touch glided across his fingertips, making him extremely happy.

Once lust is ignited, it is difficult to stop.

Once you've done it the first time, there will be countless more.

The intimate first encounter by the hot spring pool the night before had a touch of urgency. But this time in bed, the two of them enjoyed themselves to the fullest.

Ymir, the cold and aloof Princess Oma in the eyes of outsiders, revealed a charm to Rein that no one else had ever seen before.

She didn't stop Rein's shy gestures, which he had somehow learned. Although her aloof nature prevented her from being too accommodating, she didn't refuse him either, allowing him to fully enjoy her irresistible tenderness.

"Alright, enough fooling around, it's time to get up."

"Anyway, I don't have anything to do, so it's a rare day off."

"If we're any later, we'll become a laughingstock."

Finally, Princess Oma, being too proud to do such absurd things as daytime debauchery, couldn't bring herself to do it.

She looked at the increasingly bright sky outside the stained-glass window, then pushed away the body pressing against her from behind, which was gradually becoming hotter, and said reproachfully, "Again?"

She thought that the Strength Extraordinary seemed inexhaustible; if given the chance, this guy could probably mess around all day.

Upon hearing this, Rein smiled and gave up.

Ymir rang the rope bell by the bed, and four maids dressed as maids pushed open the door and came in.

The four of them worked together, running hot water in the bathroom and preparing clothes for the day, just like any other day.

However, upon seeing Rein lying on the bed, the maids couldn't help but smile knowingly.

They were all close maids who had served Ymir for many years, and they were used to seeing her naked body, so they were not so restrained in their speech.

"Your Highness, the water is ready."

"Um."

Ymir gracefully went to the bathroom, leaving Rein with her beautiful back exposed.

The maid named "Potia" remained among the four. She looked at Rein and said respectfully with a smile, "Lord of the City, shall I assist you with washing and changing?"

Ymir's maids were all quite attractive, easily ranking among the best of the average person. Because they were there to serve their mistress during her bath, they wore thin, light gauze clothing, revealing glimpses of their ample bosoms.

In this world, the maids in noble families are the private property of the noble masters.

She's somewhat like a "dowry maid" from ancient times in Rein's previous life, responsible for daily life and even warming the bed. And at times, she'll serve the master in place of the mistress who is unable to attend to her needs.

This is a custom, and the women usually don't mind.

But Rein wasn't used to being dressed like those old nobles, with his bare bottom exposed and served by maids. He shook his head and said, "No need, I can do it myself."

He got dressed and washed up.

Perhaps because their relationship had become very close, Ymir no longer avoided the man in the room.

She showered and dressed right under Rein's nose.

For the first time, Rein witnessed the elaborate and luxurious washing process of the world's royalty.

However, she's beautiful, so the wait is also a pleasure.

Before long, Rein and Ymir sat down at the dining table and enjoyed the breakfast that the maids had prepared.

The two chatted as they ate.

"Breaking news: Calen has been surrounded and killed by the Imperial Guards in the palace. Muller (the Fourth Prince) and Eber (the Eighth Prince) are engaged in fierce combat, and the noble families they support have all joined the battle."

"With the [City of Destruction] joining the war, the situation at the Imperial Palace is dire. The most likely outcome is a mutually destructive conflict."

"Preliminary estimates suggest that even after the fighting in the capital ends, military conflicts will continue to erupt across the country for a considerable period of time."

"."

Ymir calmly recounted the information the maid had just reported to Rein.

This was expected.

Ever since they saw the Xid Empire and City of Radiance get involved in the power struggle for the throne, they knew that no one could inherit the Imperial Throne peacefully.

The split of Omar is now inevitable.

Neither the Fourth Prince nor the Eighth Prince had the ability to win the complete trust of those Established Nobles groups.

Regardless of who wins this battle, it will ultimately set back the strength of the Omar Kingdom by decades.

It will also completely erode the deterrent power that the Spurglin Royalty has inherited for thousands of years.

When imperial power loses its former deterrent force, those powerful nobles who already possess the strength to establish a nation will no longer be willing to be bound by imperial power.

Moreover, there's the Xid Empire, which is determined to split Omar, and the City of Radiance, whose situation is unclear.

Many forces have stirred up the waters of Omar, and none of them will allow this powerful empire to continue to grow stronger.

Predictably, the final outcome will likely be that the seventy-two provinces of Omar will split into dozens of "principalities" and "kingdoms".

Just as the squinty-eyed man predicted, Omar was completely annihilated.

From this day forward, the Omar royal family will exist in name only.

Rein couldn't get a word in edgewise on political matters and listened silently.

But in reality, the split of Omar is beneficial and harmless to Black Dragon City.

Where there is war, there are refugees. Whether it is wealth, population, or various talents, they will all flow to more stable countries.

Now that the conspiracy of "Evil God Worship" in City of Radiance has been exposed, the Omar hunters probably won't be thinking of going to City of Radiance to beg for food in the future.

After the collapse of the Oma Imperial Power, control over the borders was certainly not as strong as before.

Back then, for hunters and merchants alike who wanted to make money west of the Alkolon Mountain Range, Black Dragon City was the only option.

Rein was also confident that anyone who had actually been to Black Dragon City and enjoyed the benefits of territorial equality would never think of returning to the two great empires.

However, Ymir, after all, a member of the Spurglin Royalty, and the development of Black Dragon City was essentially a matter of drinking the blood of Omar, that old camel.

Although she had long been dissatisfied with the empire's corrupt system, witnessing the collapse of her homeland filled her with a slight melancholy as she said, "I wonder what will become of Omar in the end."

Sooner or later, the development of civilization will inevitably drive changes in social systems.

As he spoke, Rein gently brushed the hair that had fallen in front of her face behind her ear and then kissed her forehead.

"Um."

Ymir glanced at him and responded with a slight smile.

She changed the subject, saying, "This time we were assassinated by Sid. We will send people to negotiate and retaliate, issuing Wanted Order. But we don't need to pay too much attention to them. Sid's system is more corrupt than ours in Omar. We don't need to do anything. Once our Black Dragon City develops, they will naturally collapse."

Rein nodded. "Yes."

At this moment, Ymir seemed to remember something and said, "After we finish eating, I plan to go to the Oma Royal again. Given the current situation, many of Grandmaster Jürgen and the academy's mechanics haven't participated in the war. I intend to try and persuade them to return to Black Dragon City with us. Also, I'll try to get some neutral personnel from the hospital, academy, and municipal offices in the city."

After hearing her plan, Rein said, "Then I'll go with you in a bit."

"No."

Ymir smiled and shook her head, saying, "Those places and those people are more suitable for me. You've just broken through to the Fourth Tier of the Transcendent, so just stay at the inn and consolidate your newfound understanding. I'll be back soon."

From the very beginning of Black Dragon City's construction until now, Lord Rein, aside from offering a general direction, has hardly participated in any of the detailed management. Ymir, on the other hand, always manages to get everything done quietly.

Everyone has their own area of expertise; leave professional matters to professionals.

Rein never thought he should be an "all-rounder".

Unable to get a word in edgewise, he raised an eyebrow. "Oh, then I'll wait for you to come back in the room?"

"."

Ymir naturally saw the ambiguous meaning in Rein's words and rolled her eyes at him.

However, after a moment's hesitation, she nodded slightly and responded softly, "Mm."

Seven days later, the intense artillery fire that had reverberated Oma Imperial Capital gradually subsided.

Upon learning that Calen had been controlled by the "Three-Eyed Evil God," the Established Nobles who had originally supported the Second Prince immediately withdrew from the war. Fearing retribution afterward, they did not stay but instead chose to manipulate the Mechanical City and leave Wussenbar.

On the other hand, the Fourth Prince and the Eighth Prince were evenly matched, neither able to defeat the other.

Although the Fourth Prince eventually gained control of the palace, the two sides suffered extremely heavy losses because they were evenly matched.

Instead of fighting to the death, the Eighth Prince led the seven districts under his control away from Wussenbar and retreated south of Omar, towards the border with Sid.

Now, the war in the capital has finally come to an end.

The capital city originally comprised nearly thirty Mechanical City, including the imperial palace and academy, spanning twenty city blocks. Due to the war, seven were severely damaged, more than ten were destroyed, and ten remained in their original locations.

The number of casualties exceeds one million.

This was an outcome no one had anticipated.

The sudden war stunned everyone in Omar.

Apart from Metternich, almost no one expected things to turn out this way.

As the situation of the battle becomes clearer, everyone faces a question: which side should they choose?

Even the nobles who had originally chosen to remain "neutral" and intended to pledge allegiance to the royal family began to waver.

Everyone could see that the Spurglin Royalty had lost control of the empire. This infighting among the princes had completely torn the empire apart.

The capital is now ravaged by war, with countless deaths and injuries among its people. This has left many extremely disappointed and even disheartened with the leadership of Omar.

Especially the mechanics of the Oma Royal Academy of Sciences.

They were originally staunch neutrals, loyal only to the imperial power.

But now they realize that pledging allegiance to either the Fourth Prince or the Eighth Prince is not pledging allegiance to "imperial power".

Instead.

Speaking of the bloodline of the Spurglin Royalty, besides the Fourth Prince and the Eighth Prince, isn't there also a Princess?

If they truly wanted to pledge allegiance to the royal family, they felt that the Old Emperor's own sister was more qualified than the two princes who had killed each other.

Moreover, Black Dragon City also boasts top-tier mechanical technology for mechanics.

With Ymir's lobbying efforts these past few days, many people, even if they outwardly refused to go to Black Dragon City out of consideration for past relationships, actually preferred the "Black Dragon City" with its unlimited potential.

On this day, Rein and his group finally set off and left the Oma Imperial Capital.

The delegation that originally came with a little over a thousand people turned into a massive entourage of tens of thousands when they returned.

In addition to Ilubeck's sons and their families, the team now includes a large number of talents from various fields, such as mechanics, medicine, and municipal management.

Although Jürgen, the only "Grand Mechanical Master" in the Oma Empire, stayed out of old friendship, he did not stop his disciples and the mechanics in the academy who were pursuing mechanical skills from following Rein to Black Dragon City.

The Oma Royal Academy of Sciences has lost its status as the "holy land of Steam Machinery," and there is little point in clinging to it, except for stagnation.

The current OMA no longer has that stable research environment.

From any perspective, "Black Dragon City" is the better choice.

The Fourth Prince, who controlled the capital but was overwhelmed by the mess, could only watch helplessly as "Black Dragon City" poached people from Omar.

With the Mechanist Legion and the Wyvern Legion escorting them, no one dared to harm Black Dragon City.

As for Metternich...

Having avenged his great grudge, Omar saw no reason to stay any longer.

The squinty-eyed man naturally chose to follow the main group to Black Dragon City. He said he wanted to experience firsthand the "miracle" new city. If possible, he said he wanted to become an official in Black Dragon City.

It doesn't have to be a high-ranking official position; being a staff member will suffice.

The deaths of the First Prince Quentin, the queen, the Old Emperor, and the collapse of Omar are all directly related to this "advisor."

Most people would probably not dare to keep such a treacherous advisor by their side.

But Rein welcomed the guy very much.

Putting aside his Transcendent strength, Metternich's abilities are also evident to all.

Moreover, the two had a life-or-death bond, so trust was established immediately.

The team made their way back to Black Dragon City from the Oma Imperial Capital without any major incidents.

There is fighting everywhere in the entire territory of Omar.

But seeing the Black Dragon City flag hanging in the ranks, no one dared to make a move.

Although the force of tens of thousands encountered several waves of Beast Tide on the wasteland, they were quickly repelled and annihilated. Both the Wyvern Legion and the Mechanist Legion were "invincible."

Along the way, they gathered some war refugees, and their group grew larger and larger.

Finally, after more than a month, they returned to Black Dragon City.

I heard some news as soon as I got back.

The hunting party in the city found the exact location of the "Tomb of the Black Emperor".

However, at the entrance to the tomb, a black dragon that was in hibernation was coiled up!