The People's Choice

At the top of the Istaria Great Altar, Keosius sat on the newly built marble throne adapted to his growing size, exhaling a puff of hot white smoke.

"Having said that, you should know what to do."

Beneath the throne, hundreds of clan leaders from all over the empire, including Ogre, Hobgoblin, Tiefling, Lizardmen, Wyvern, gathered together.

Many special-status companions, such as the White Dragon and Chimera, crowded around the altar, each occupying a spot. There were even more than a dozen player representatives.

At this time, the Imperial People was approaching ten million, and its internal racial structure was becoming increasingly complex, with its management system becoming somewhat bloated.

Most of the people present were members of the Imperial Senate, and almost all of them held titles of Earl or higher. They were the real big shots who controlled the direction of society. Of course, there was only one person who could decide the fate of the empire— Embers of the Burned Emperor.

"Rua! Kill them all, rob them of all their money! Let these damned humans see what you're capable of! Oh, and don't forget to take all the frozen meat from their houses!"

Keosius didn't even need to look up to know who made that statement.

Sure enough, the White Dragon Tinia wagged her tail, raised her head high, and roared with great excitement, wishing she could fly south right now to rob someone.

The Red Dragon completely ignored her suggestion, looked around, and swept his gaze across his many relatives with indifferent eyes.

After a moment's thought, Dolo, who also served as the Imperial Army Marshal and Minister of the Military Department, took a few steps forward and knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, I believe that while Miss Tinia's words are somewhat exaggerated, they are not entirely without merit. You once said, 'Truth lies only within the range of cannons.'"

This operation will be the Empire's first appearance on the Feanso Continent, and we must make a 'deep' impression on them.

We should crush their army, hang all the rebels, turn their cities into Gunsmoke ruins, and instill in these troublemakers a deep-seated fear!

Dolo's report was delivered in a powerful and resonant voice, conveying his confidence, determination, and ruthlessness to everyone present.

Keosius merely glanced at him indifferently, neither agreeing nor objecting.

Dragon Blood Monsters —this is the true nature beneath the glamorous exterior of the Embers of the Burned Empire.

The beast within them had been suppressed for far too long within the steel cage of the empire, and only during war could it be fully unleashed, allowing them to freely release their brutal and destructive desires.

But Lang Pu followed suit and spoke up under Dolo's unfriendly gaze, "Master, I think Duke Dolo is too extreme. His emotions have outweighed his reason and may even harm the interests of the Empire. He is no longer suitable to lead this operation."

"Lang Pu, you—"

"Duke Dolo, please follow the rules and speak in an orderly manner."

Before the other party could explain, Lang Pu used a higher level of authority to freeze the air around Dolo, preventing him from even making a sound.

"Destroying everything in North Aisel sounds satisfying, but it will only make the major powers of Fei An Suo hostile to us, and may even prompt them to unite Contend Against the Empire, this 'vast and evil entity'."

What we need to do is demonstrate the strength of the empire and gain a foothold on the Feanso Continent.

Therefore, we should make full use of the Empire's mechanized and spellcasting forces to launch a lightning strike on the enemy before anyone can react, and completely annihilate the forces entrenched in North Aisel.

Then we will occupy all the cities there, leaving other powers with no choice but to acknowledge the Empire's existence.

"But that damned human, he insulted His Majesty! He insulted the Empire!"

"We can't let them off so easily!"

"Yes, make them pay the price! Let them witness firsthand the Imperial Steel Torrent!"

The Hobgoblin and Bugbear officers brandished their weapons and shouted incessantly—this was the current atmosphere in the Embers of the Burned Empire.

In the eyes of these extreme warmongers, any resistance from the other side, or any failure to submit to them, would be a great insult to the Empire and to His Your Majesty Keosius, and they would have to make them pay a "heavy price."

There are hardly any doves left in the current imperial leadership; there are only hawks and relatively less extreme hawks. Peacemakers like Olivia have long been squeezed out of the core of power.

"But this is not in the interest of the empire! It only satisfies the destructive desires of you fools!"

"What we demand is the interests of the Empire! His Your Majesty Keosius's authority is sacred and inviolable! Anyone who dares to challenge it—shatters to pieces!"

"I think you're all blinded by greed! You say you're upholding His Majesty's dignity, but in reality, you're just trying to use up more cannonballs so you can earn more Gold Coin, right? His Your Majesty Keosius said that pointless killing only brings trouble. What His Majesty wants is a nation of order, not a den of beasts!"

Thus, the two sides on the Istaria Great Altar once again engaged in a fierce debate over the tactics of heading south, with spittle flying everywhere.

Both sides used Keosius's words as their arguments, accusing each other of being disloyal and not considering the interests of the empire, which was quite akin to "quoting scriptures".

But Keosius had no patience to listen any longer. He simply glanced up, and the crowd, which had been arguing fiercely, instantly fell silent. The once lively hall was now eerily quiet.

The family members present all raised their heads, and hundreds of eyes focused on the Red Dragon's enormous body.

Keosius looked down at the crowd and said calmly, "Three days. Within three days, I want to see the Empire fully enter a state of war."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Whether they were Ogre, Hobgoblin, humans, Tiefling, or even larger monsters and dragons, they all knelt on one knee, bowed their heads respectfully, and echoed in unison.

In the Embers of the Burned Empire, the emperor's every word and action is worthy of everyone's attention, study, and contemplation. There are even publishing houses that have printed "The 《Emperor's Admonitions》," which are bestsellers within the empire and sell like hotcakes.

Three days—that's the deadline Keosius gave.

For any normal major power, completing war preparations in three days is almost impossible, but the Embers of the Burned Empire is different.

Entering a state of war is as simple as pressing a button or starting a machine for the Embers of the Burned Empire, because in a sense, the empire has never truly entered a state of peace.

—The military factories were constantly producing weapons and ammunition, while the Imperial Army was continuously training and could be transported to the south at any time via the extensive railway network.

It was a massive machine meticulously crafted by Keosius and the imperial high command for the war, and every Imperial Citizen involuntarily became a cog in it.

Now, with the emperor's decree, this terrifying machine is about to be fully activated, spewing thick smoke and appearing on the vast Feanso Continent.

The Istaria City was in a frenzy. Even from hundreds of meters in the air, one could hear the fervent shouts of the city's inhabitants and the stirring, melodious strains of the Keosius Anthem.

Meanwhile, on the stairs of the Great Altar, Olivia, dressed in a smart black dress and carrying a thick stack of documents, was hurrying towards the top of the Empire.

However, the fully armed Tiefling Guard quickly extended their spears, crossed them, and blocked her way.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Olivia, His Majesty is speaking privately with Lord Lang Pu. Without His Majesty's permission, we cannot let you in."

"But... I have something important to tell His Majesty!" Olivia's expression was solemn, her words hurried, and even her silver hair looked somewhat disheveled.

Ignoring the guards' attempts to stop her, she kept calling out, "Your Majesty Keosius— "

"Let her in."

The familiar voice came from the top of the altar, Tiefling Guard immediately complied, withdrawing their spears to allow the silver-haired girl to pass through smoothly.

Olivia strode forward, and what came into view was Red Dragon was far larger and more unfamiliar than she remembered. It lay coiled on top of the altar, like a sculpture in a temple, for everyone to worship.

For some reason, the Silver Dragon felt that Keosius had become more distant, as if he was no longer the dragon that could be talked to, but one of those beings that only appeared in myths and legends, high above others.

Although they exist in the world at the same time, they seem to have entered different dimensions, parallel to each other, close at hand, yet difficult to touch.

The words he had prepared on the way were now stuck in his throat, unable to be uttered.

Olivia bit her lip and hesitated for a long time before finally mustering the courage to speak, "Your Majesty Keosius, you have deceived me again."

"You once promised that the Embers of the Burned Empire would only sell weapons and bring a better life to the people, and would not invade other people's territories or start any wars."

At that time, I believed you and voluntarily joined the Imperial Parliament, working for the people of all regions, hoping that the Embers of the Burned Empire would become a better and more orderly nation.

Olivia stubbornly raised her head, tears welling in her eyes, her voice choked with sobs.

"You've lied to me again. You said the Empire wouldn't start a war, but look at me now! I've seen your Declaration of War —or rather, your declaration of aggression!"

Keosius grinned and said calmly, "Olivia, the Embers of the Burned Empire has always pursued peace."

Olivia was somewhat annoyed and couldn't help but question, "Peace? Your soldiers are gathering along those railways, and countless terrible weapons are being transported south. You are about to unleash an even greater catastrophe in North Aisel!"

"Disaster? I don't think I brought disaster; I was clearly bringing peace to Fei An Suo."

Keosius slowly rose, stretched his body, and shook his head slightly. His expression and tone were quite relaxed, showing no sign of the seriousness of the impending war.

"Olivia, do you know? The Three Emperors War has been going on for three years and it still hasn't stopped."

According to the Imperial Statistics Department, at least 8.5 million people died in this war, and countless others were affected and displaced, all for the selfish desires of three kings.

I am weary of the endless war on this land. I want to bring peace and order to the tens of millions of people living in Fadlan, to bring them true peace.

Olivia retorted sarcastically without holding back, "The peace you speak of is achieved through aggression?"

Unexpectedly, Keosius nodded and said meaningfully, "War is the only way to achieve peace. It is not the goal, but only the means."

After the successive annihilation of Three Great Kingdoms, the Empire will bring true order to the Feanso Continent, and at least a century of peace—just as Holy Fadlan did.

"You... you still want to destroy the Three Great Kingdoms?"

Red Dragon declared righteously, "Of course, they are the source of all wars."

It was these self-proclaimed descendants of gods who, by any means necessary, rose above the rest, vying for the old emperor's legacy, which led to the many tragedies on the Feanso Continent.

Keosius's words were resounding and exceptionally firm, as if he were the one on the side of justice, not the shameless aggressor.

Olivia trembled with anger. "This, this is sophistry, I've had enough of this flattery."

Your Majesty Keosius, stop using these words to embellish your actions! You are clearly acting out of selfish desires! To expand your territory! This is blatant aggression!

"You are sacrificing your own people, exchanging their lives for your own gain!" At this moment, Silver Dragon's emotions finally erupted completely.

As a creature of kind nature, she found it difficult to stand idly by while an invasion took place, especially since she was one of the invaders—something no Metallic Dragon could tolerate.

"Personal desires?"

Red Dragon grinned, then shook his head with exceptional confidence, exhaling a cloud of Sulfur Scent smoke.

"No, you're wrong, Olivia."

He suddenly extended his giant claws, grasped the Silver Dragon that had transformed into human form, then spread his incredibly wide wings and flapped them, creating a strong gust of wind, and soared into the air from the top of the Istaria Great Altar.

"Keosius, what do you want to do?"

Olivia couldn't help but cry out. In her panic, she even forgot to use honorifics, but as Young Silver Dragon, she was completely powerless against the current Red Dragon.

"I just want to make things clear to you," Keosius said.

"Clear what?"

Olivia looked down from the sky and saw that Istaria was unusually lively. The tall chimneys were spewing thick smoke, and the steel monsters were in operation.

In the streets, squares, and even the outskirts of the city, there were crowds of people everywhere, including commoners in plain clothes, guards in armor, and nobles in long robes.

"Conquer those damned Southerners! Destroy their army!"

"Long live His Your Majesty Keosius! Conquer! Conquer! Conquer!"

"For the Great Blueprint of the Embers of the Burned Empire!"

Regardless of their identities, these Imperial People were all fanatical and excited, waving their imperial flags and shouting impassioned and crude slogans.

Even teenagers took to the streets, hawking newspapers and singing popular songs that supported the war.

"This is."

Looking at those faces, each different yet with similar expressions, Olivia felt a little dazed, a little ironic, and even began to doubt her own actions.

Was she truly "petitioning for the people"? Or was she merely satisfying her own moral desires? Was she the one who, for her own selfish desires, was obstructing the tide of history? Keosius flapped his wings and smiled as he spoke softly to the silver-haired girl in his claws, "What I want to correct is this—this war was not caused by my own selfish desires, but by the choice of the people of the Empire."