Coronation (I)

"Breaking News! The coronation ceremony will begin in thirty-seven days!"

"His Majesty is about to be crowned Emperor!"

"The Chief Minister issued a statement declaring that the Embers of the Burned Kingdom has met all the conditions for being upgraded to an empire!"

"Marshal Dolo unconditionally supports His Your Majesty Keosius!"

Such voices resounded throughout Anzeta, in cities already under the control of the Embers of the Burned Kingdom, and in newly conquered territories.

Meanwhile, on the vast and boundless Feanso Continent, people amidst strife and war also learned of this news—in the distant northern Anzeta Great Wasteland, a nation ruled by Red Dragon had destroyed the millennia-old Northern United Kingdom and established a new kingdom.

The Red Dragon Keosius, also known as the Embers of the Burned King, the Purgatory Calamity, and the Dragon Prince. Legend has it that he was Tiamat's biological son and was born with power comparable to that of a legend.

While the news was surprising, it wasn't enough to draw people's attention.

The Anzeta Great Wasteland is a remote and isolated place, blocked by the rolling Anstica Mountains. It is isolated and has almost no other communication with other parts of the Feanso Continent.

Most people only vaguely know that on the other side of the mountains, in that cold wilderness, there seem to be some countries.

That's all; it has little to do with them.

But then, new rumors began to circulate: the Ancient Silver Dragon, known as the "Silver Wing," who had once stopped several world-class disasters, was heading to the Anzeta Great Wasteland Oszedro fight the "Embers of the Burned King."

Legend has it that in the "Dual Dragon Battle," these two incredibly powerful dragons fought for several days, from day to night, until the entire Okaglar Wasteland was reduced to scorched earth.

The battle ended with the Silver Dragon falling from the sky.

It is said that Oszedro fled in a sorry state, severely injured, and lay dormant in the Dragon's Nest, where it may take nearly a hundred years to recover.

The Silver Dragon of the Melvord Clan remained silent, simply blocking all visitors and refusing to reveal any information. Silver Dragon reaction further corroborated the news— Oszedro had indeed been defeated!

It was only then that people on the mainland were shocked.

That's the renowned "Silver Wing" Oszedro! Praised as the Chosen One of Bahamut, the guardian of the world's balance!

As a result, various factions began to pay close attention to the mysterious "Red Dragon Kingdom" in the north, and listed it as a potential ally or enemy.

Kassand, Thrace, and Seleucia, the Three Great Kingdoms mired in war and fiercely vying for the legacy of the Holy Fadlan Empire, are keeping a close eye on it.

A Red Dragon capable of defeating Oszedro would be an asset to either side, and could even turn the tide of the war.

Of these Three Great Kingdoms, Thrace Kingdom was particularly hostile to the "Embers of the Burned King"—a situation inevitable due to geopolitics and history.

They occupy the northern part of the Holy Fadlan Empire, and the Anzeta Great Wasteland is considered their safe rear.

However, the entire the North have now fallen. If the uncontrolled Embers of the Burned Kingdom were to invade from the south, they would face the danger of being attacked from both sides.

However, while guarding against enemies from the north, the Thrace Kingdom also had to try its best to stabilize the Embers of the Burned Kingdom, because they were not yet ready to be deployed and could face great risks at any time.

While various factions were busy with this news, another rumor came from the north and spread rapidly throughout the entire continent.

—The Embers of the Burned King Will Be Crowned Soon.

This Red Dragon will become the true emperor of Anzeta, the supreme ruler of this place.

"Empire" refers to the monarch of a powerful nation that rules over a vast area, and the Anzeta Great Wasteland clearly cannot satisfy his appetite; the Red Dragon's ambition is now obvious.

This coronation ceremony became the focus of attention across the entire continent.

As invitations from the Embers of the Burned Kingdom were sent out in droves, envoys from various countries and factions hurriedly headed north, some by teleportation, some by flying high in the sky, and some by driving carriages.

The usually quiet Anzeta Corridor suddenly became lively, with even instances of envoys from opposing countries attacking each other.

For the first time, the desolate Anzeta Great Wasteland became one of the focal points of attention across the entire Feanso Continent —all because of the appearance of that Red Dragon.

The cities of Anzeta are no longer sufficient to meet the needs of the Embers of the Burned Kingdom; they require a much larger territory to carry out a ceremony that will attract worldwide attention.

As for why not the Iron Dragon Wing Palace? Too many secrets are hidden there.

The coronation ceremony will be held on the Doyle Great Plain —located in the heart of the Anzeta Great Wasteland, at the confluence of several rivers, and known as the "gift of the Ice and Snow Goddess."

Several large cities are situated on the plain, encompassing almost the entire core area of the former Bosque Duchy.

The kingdom's construction teams worked day and night to build the various structures needed for the coronation ceremonies, and a steady stream of stones and logs were transported to the site by strong Frost Giant slaves.

Spellcasters such as mages Druid also used various spells such as Stone Wall Spell and Wood Creation Spell to assist them.

However, a month later, a massive altar appeared on the plain.

The roads here have been repaired to be exceptionally well-maintained, and some railway tracks have even begun to be laid.

In fact, this is also laying the groundwork for a new city— Lang Pu believes that cities such as North Wind Fortress and Strasbourg are not suitable as the future capital of Anzeta.

The Embers of the Burned Kingdom, or rather the future empire, needs a flatter, larger city that can accommodate more industry and population, and a more advantageous location, to become the absolute political, economic, and even cultural center of the Anzeta Great Wasteland.

And this city under construction is the beginning of everything.

It will continue to expand, encompassing several surrounding cities and growing into a massive industrial city.

The altar for the coronation ceremony, and the soon-to-be-built city, are called Istaria, which in the Draconic means "land of eternal rule" or "city of immortality".

On the Doyle Great Plain, the kingdom's servants were still busy. Tall Frost Giant slaves with collars around their necks were bent over by the weight of the logs, yet they still struggled to walk under the overseer's whip.

Lang Pu stood atop the hillside, staff in hand, gazing at the altar that was about to be completed in the distance.

"His Majesty."

Your Great Blueprint is gradually becoming a reality.

The Ogre's lips trembled as he muttered to himself, his eyes brimming with tears of excitement.

"Call--"

A biting north wind howled past, drowning out the Ogre's panting and silencing the distant wails of the Frost Giant slaves.