Enemy Approaches

"Your Majesty, how did you do that?"

Orhan stared in stunned disbelief. Deep down, he had even begun to suspect that Constantine XI possessed the blood of the House of Osman.

"Have someone prepare more cheap meat. This Clawed Dragon is so scrawny—what fighting strength could it possibly have?"

Lothar glanced at the awestruck Orhan and his Turkic guards, then said casually, "Later, I'll perform a ritual for you and grant you new power, allowing you to communicate with this little fellow as one."

Lothar had already decided to elevate Orhan into Dragon Blood Kin, then feed the Clawed Dragon some of his dragon blood and transform it completely.

Otherwise, with Orhan's personal strength, even adding the Clawed Dragon would not make him particularly useful.

"Also, have the Dragon-Slaying Crossbow delivered to my bedchamber."

The Dragon-Slaying Crossbow was a divine artifact Constantine XI had originally prepared to deal with the Ottoman dragon. It was also the only divine artifact the aged Roman Empire could still produce, though according to Jeanne, it had not accomplished anything at all.

Still, it was one of the few remaining divine artifacts. Lothar intended to study it carefully.

The Ottoman held most of the vast territories of Asia Minor and the Balkan, so they surely possessed no small number of divine artifacts. He had to strengthen his own side as much as possible.

After settling Orhan and the Clawed Dragon, Lothar returned to his bedchamber.

He still had two Dragon Blood Kin slots left unused.

Dragon Blood Kin was an ability unique to him. Using it in this world would not affect any of his slots after he returned. In addition, the Kheshig Army slots stemmed from his own ability, so he could convert some of the stronger militia into them as well.

Although converting