A Special Delegation

The Bosque Duchy did not send just a special envoy, but a whole high-level delegation, including historians, Bard, Court Mage, and more.

Leading the group was Count Trischka, a Earl of great social skill who frequently served as an envoy to the Holy Fadlan Empire.

His title was merely an honorary one, without any actual fiefdom. This served as both a testament to his outstanding diplomatic achievements and a demonstration of the importance the Bosque Duchy placed on the country he was sent to.

Led into the hall by the guards, the handsome Earl Trischka, dressed in a magnificent formal suit, bowed deeply, his manners as warm and welcoming as a gentle breeze, showcasing the etiquette of the Northern Nobles for centuries.

"Greetings, Your Majesty, Embers of the Burned King."

"I bring you greetings from Duke Leo."

Keosius remained seated on the Iron Throne, looking down at the envoy, without responding immediately.

The air suddenly froze.

The guards in the hall gripped their spears tightly.

Although Trischka appeared calm and composed, her slightly trembling hands and avoidant gaze betrayed her inner tension.

And the delegation behind him goes without saying.

Despite having prepared himself mentally, when faced with the twenty-meter-long dragon, the over-fifty-year-old historian Morr turned pale, broke out in a cold sweat, and nearly fainted. He barely managed to stand with the help of his attendants.

The renowned female Bard of the court, Yelina, known as the "Flower of Strafford," who could normally play music and sing at a party of thousands, was now terrified and even cried out in fright.

Keosius found it somewhat amusing.

Red Dragon narrowed his eyes slightly and finally spoke slowly, breaking the silence.

"Esteemed envoys from Bosque, I would also like to extend my greetings as a matter of courtesy."

"But your duke just orchestrated an assassination attempt against me. How can I be sure that you are not yet another group of treacherous assassins?"

These words immediately made the hearts of everyone in the delegation leap into their throats, still pounding.

Such a dangerous problem caused Trischka to break out in a cold sweat, but this special situation was also within the plan.

He followed his prepared response, trying to keep his tone calm, and replied:

"Your Excellency, Embers of the Burned King, our Bosque Duchy did not participate in that operation, nor were we even aware of it. It was all the result of the Norton Duchy acting on its own initiative."

"And you should know very well that they have now received the punishment they deserve."

"As for those Lionheart Knight, they have long been expelled from the Bosque Duchy. This is their personal matter, and we have no power to interfere."

That's enough.

Trischka was interrupted by Keosius before he could finish speaking.

"Emissary from Bosque, you don't need to put on airs in front of me. Everyone here knows what has happened, and I am also well aware of your duke's ulterior motives."

A sinister smile curled at the corner of the Red Dragon's mouth, and even the scales around his eyes lifted slightly, sending chills down the spines of the members of the delegation.

"However, this time, I welcome you to become so-called 'observers' because only when you see the difference in strength can you avoid causing me trouble in secret."

He exhaled a breath that smelled of Sulfur Scent.

"After all, flies can be easily crushed, but it's still annoying to have them chattering around your ears all the time."

Upon hearing Keosius's assessment, Trischka felt a surge of indignation, but dared not show it.

After hesitating for a moment, he mustered his courage and said, neither humbly nor arrogantly:

"Lord Keosius, I admit that your power is immense. Even thousands of people like me combined cannot compare to your strength."

"But."

He slowly raised his head, trying his best to suppress his instinctive fear, and looked directly into the Red Dragon's golden eyes with trembling eyes.

"Aren't you being a little arrogant?"

Upon hearing this, the members of the delegation behind Trischka were immediately filled with fear, terrified that the Red Dragon would suddenly unleash its fury and turn them all to ashes with a single breath.

But Keosius did not fly into a rage as they had expected; instead, he looked at Trischka's eyes with interest.

Why do you say that?

Hearing the Red Dragon's question, Trischka forced himself to remain calm and continued, "To be honest, Anzeta is ultimately just a remote place. Everything here is like a desert, whether it's wealth, culture, or power."

"In the past ten years or so, I have been to the Fadlan Empire in the south and the Free Trade Confederation in the west. I have seen lands flowing with honey and milk, the emperor's vast treasures, and the Sun Warrior who are like demigods. The prosperity of those places is unimaginable to the people of the the North."

Hearing this, Keosius finally understood the envoy's other purpose—to divert trouble southwards, using the Red Dragon's inherent greed to lure this formidable god to other regions.

"That's a good idea. With my current strength, if I went to the south, I'm afraid I would be dealt with by all sorts of people."

Keosius thought to himself.

Red Dragon narrowed his eyes slightly, offering no reply, but simply said:

"I'm tired of your Bosque people's sweet talk. I will arrange for you to go to the Trill's Gullet and observe this battle."

"Please write all of this down carefully and go back to tell the duke."

"That way, he'll have fewer tricks up his sleeve."

Having said that, Keosius summoned the Hobgoblin guards and escorted the envoys out of the Hall of Governance.

Morr, Yelina, and the others had long been unable to bear the intense oppressive atmosphere in the hall, and upon hearing Keosius's order, they felt as if they had been granted a pardon.

They breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that they no longer had to worry about being roasted by the capricious Red Dragon.

Earl Trischka, however, remained lost in thought.

The delegation had already arrived outside the palace.

The old scholar Morr, took out a handkerchief, wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead, and couldn't help but complain, "Trischka, you were far too reckless this time!"

"If we anger that Red Dragon, we'll all perish here!"

Yelina, arms crossed, said with lingering fear, "That scene was terrifying, like a guillotine about to fall at any moment."

"Yes, thankfully the gods protected us and allowed us to survive unharmed this time."

Trischka, however, frowned and stared worriedly at the locked metal door behind him. "If he is really so easily angered, then it can only mean that he is just an ordinary Red Dragon, capricious, wantonly burning, killing, looting, and insatiably greedy."

"Although they are unbridled for a time, such a existence will not last long and will eventually be eliminated by those big shots who maintain order."

But he didn't.

"I think he is by no means a typical Red Dragon in the academic sense, cruel and tyrannical, but a more cunning and terrifying being."

"Perhaps... he really will completely shake the rule of the the North."