Chapter 391

Ten minutes later.

The palace's main gate was smashed open, and two Crimson Flame Dragon guards flew in.

"Constantine, I'm here to negotiate."

The man stood in the main hall, showing no fear even when surrounded by dozens of Crimson Flame Dragons.

Constantine remained calmly seated on his throne, looking down at Leon.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, trying to negotiate with me, and I don't want to know. Guards, get out of here."

The guards rushed forward.

Leon wanted to make a move, but then he remembered that he was there to negotiate, and if he made a move in someone else's "office," it would definitely affect the efficiency of the negotiations.

So I could only pretend to be pushed out the door by the other party.

Another minute later.

The palace gates were forced open again.

This time, four Crimson Flame Dragon flew in as security guards.

"Constantine, I really am here to negotiate."

Apart from Losweiser, General Leon had never been so sincere to any other dragon king.

But Lao Kang didn't buy it.

Who knows what you're up to?

"Get rid of them, get rid of them."

Another group of people pushed Leon out.

Another minute later.

The palace gates were smashed open.

"Constantine, I really am here to negotiate."

"Get rid of them."

They shoved people away, closed the door, and then rammed it open again.

"Constantine, I'm here to negotiate."

"Get rid of them, get rid of them."

"Constantine, I am—"

"His Your Majesty!"

In the main hall, a trusted confidant with a bruised and swollen face knelt on one knee, his hands clasped in a fist salute.

"Your Majesty, please talk to him. If this drags on any longer, our brothers can't afford it!"

Constantine looked at his men writhing and groaning on the ground, at a loss for what to do.

Since this guy is so persistent and doesn't seem inclined to fight, let's... listen to what he has to say first.

Constantine rose and stepped down from the throne.

He stood in front of Leon, the man and the dragon less than five meters apart.

Constantine waved his hand. "You may leave now."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The security guards helped each other leave the main hall.

Great, they've finally gotten to talk about this B-round.

After everyone else had left, Constantine said in a cold voice,

"You've got some nerve, coming to my territory all by yourself."

"You're quite bold, aren't you? So many Dragon Kings have sent troops to monitor you, and you haven't even flinched."

"Hmph, a bunch of useless trash. You have the guts to peek, but why don't you have the guts to barge in?"

"Stop being stubborn, Crimson Flame Dragon King."

Leon shrugged. "If they really rush in all at once, with the current strength of your Crimson Flame Dragon Clan, you might not be able to stop them."

Leon saw through Constantine's bluff at a glance.

Stop bragging, Lao Kang. Do you think I don't know your current level?

For many years, the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan has been leaderless, and many outstanding clansmen and warriors have either died or fled, so their overall strength is far from what it used to be.

And how long has Constantine been back? There simply hasn't been enough time to rebuild.

Seeing that his thoughts had been exposed, Constantine was slightly embarrassed, but he still forced himself to continue.

Whether you can block it or not is none of your business.

"Hey, how come it has nothing to do with me?"

"What does this have to do with you?"

Do you know Alles?

Constantine nodded.

"He suggested at the Dragon King Secret Meeting that we attack directly and steal the Primal Power that you finally managed to obtain."

Leon said, "Then guess who rejected his plan and changed the operation to just stationing troops for surveillance, without waging war?"

Constantine narrowed his eyes slightly, and seeing the guy's smug expression, he knew the answer.

But he deliberately refused to say it.

"Who? Odin? Morgan? Or some other old man?"

Since it was a secret meeting specifically for him, Constantine could guess which dragon kings were attending.

The descendants of Odin and Morgan were also at the ruins at the time, so naturally they had to go.

Leon rolled his eyes, speechless.

"It was me! It was me who temporarily saved your Crimson Flame Dragon from imminent disaster, do you understand?"

"Casmod, I'm not attacking you right now just because I'm surprised you had the guts to come here all alone, but that doesn't mean you can talk to me with such a mocking attitude, understand?"

"No, no, no, you haven't attacked me yet because you're not sure if you can beat me," Leon said confidently.

"..."

Brother, are you really only in your twenties?

Why do I feel like you're incredibly shrewd, like you're over two hundred years old?

After several conversations, Constantine realized that Leon had now seized the initiative in the situation.

Then there's no need to keep testing the waters; let's get straight to the point.

"So, what exactly do you want to talk about?"

"Let's talk about the Empire."

After a pause, Leon added, "To be precise, it's about the Empire and you dragon kings. I want to know why you're cooperating with the Empire, and what your purpose is?"

Why should I tell you?

Even if Leon holds the initiative in the situation, it doesn't mean he holds the initiative in the negotiations.

Constantine also understood that Leon's trip was for "private business" and had nothing to do with the Dragon King Secret Meeting.

Seeing Constantine's firm stance, Leon remained unhurried.

"Because the Empire is now our common enemy; because I didn't bring a single soldier with me, just to have a good talk with you; because the thousands of Dragon Race outside haven't invaded yet, all because I refuted Alles at the secret meeting."

"Of course, the most important thing is that the Empire has tormented you to this state. Even after all this, do you still want to protect the Empire?"

The last point is indeed the key point.

Constantine's mind stirred slightly, and after a moment, he slowly spoke.

"I can only briefly share what I know about the inside story. As for things like the Far North, I had absolutely no involvement in them."

Hearing Constantine agree to talk, Leon secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He said that this crazy dragon wasn't really insane; at least it could communicate.

"Yes, I'm all ears," Leon said.

Constantine slowly turned around and began to pace.

"About thirty years ago, during the most intense phase of the war between you humans and our Dragon Race, the Empire reached a cooperation agreement with a small group of dragon kings."

"The purpose of cooperation, simply put, is to prolong this war."

This question startled Leon, who asked incredulously,

"Continue the Human-Dragon War?! How is that possible?!"

Years of war increased taxes on the people, not to mention the sharp decline in population, which made the people suffer greatly.

Although every victory was celebrated nationwide, the price paid behind the scenes could not be ignored.

Why should this war continue?

"I was surprised at the time, but upon closer reflection, Casmod, you'll find that the benefits of war far outweigh its drawbacks."

"What nonsense are you spouting, Constantine! War brings only death and suffering, nothing of value!"

"The interests of the people are not those of ordinary citizens, but those in power."

Constantine explained,

"The longer the war drags on, the more manpower, financial resources, and material resources the people provide to the country, and the more the rulers of the empire can reap the benefits."

"This is much safer than rashly improving the country's personnel and tax systems."

"And when someone questions or resists this war, a pre-arranged victory can be used to stabilize public sentiment."

"For the past thirty years, the Empire has been using this flawless charade to continuously exploit your people. Therefore—"

Before Constantine could continue, Leon interrupted him.

"How could this be... How could this be!"

He rarely gets this emotional.

Because at this moment, his inner faith has more or less collapsed.

Was the honor I once defended with my life, the war I once fought to end with everything, just a show in the end?

How can he accept this?

"And what about your Dragon King? What benefits will you get?" Leon asked eagerly.

"It will be a piece of cake for us to seize territory."

Constantine said, "In many battles, your Empire's Dragon Slayer Army and the Dragon Race have both suffered heavy losses. Once the Dragon Slayer Army retreats, it will be a good time for us to reap the rewards. Taking over territory and resources will be a piece of cake."

"Of course, the resources of just one tribe are enough for us to use for a long time. Otherwise, if we use this method too frequently, it will be easy for others to find out."

Leon frowned, and cold sweat slowly slid down his forehead.

He suddenly remembered that his master had once said that he had left the Dragon Slayer Army because he had discovered some of the darker aspects of the empire.

So, did Master also perceive only the tip of the iceberg of the truth behind this war back then...?

Seeing Leon's reaction, Constantine chuckled.

"I think you should regret coming to me seeking the truth now, right?"

Leon quickly composed himself, his tone low and somber.

"Why does the empire want me dead?"

"Don't you understand, Casmod? Because you almost ruined their plan."

"What's the meaning?"