Prelude

"Go on," Iwa ordered blandly as he coiled himself up again.

Muer nodded and continued, "The dark elves have made enormous profits recently from the resources they obtain from the surface."

"Those blackskins have been selling large quantities of surface-produced resources and peculiar little trinkets to the vassal cities within the kingdom, filling their bowls to the brim."

"How much did they make?" The red dragon Yuwen raised himself, his dragon eyes fixed on Muer.

Compared to Iwa, the other true dragons of the kingdom's dragon legion were so poor they were practically coughing blood. Each year, they received only a pitifully small reward of magic stones.

Those magic stones were not even enough for the true dragons' usual cultivation. If Yuwen had not advanced to Legendary rank and gained a share of the kingdom's tax revenue, there would not even be enough magic stones beneath him to cover the floor when he slept in his dragon nest.

That was why Yuwen would not let any opportunity to make money slip by now. Vito was the same.

Hearing this, Muer said, "According to our estimates, the magic stones and resources this dark elf city earned last year were roughly equivalent to four or five years of the kingdom's tax revenue!"

"Roar!!!" Yuwen flew into a rage at once and roared, "How much? Five years of tax revenue?!"

"The kingdom has dozens of underground cities, and the tax revenue from all those cities for five years was earned by the dark elves in a single year?"

"How much tax did those blackskins pay last year?"

Yuwen lowered himself, his dragon head staring fixedly at Muer as he questioned him.

"The same as in previous years, Your Highness," Muer said slowly.

"Damn it! These damned blackskins!" Yuwen roared furiously. He beat his