Annan could not show his face too often among the Freemen. Grand Lord Raymond's false evidence and Wilson's Freemen were both maneuvers within the rules.
You could do such things, but you couldn't do them openly.
It was enough to let those poor people know they had someone firmly in their corner.
The public trial tomorrow, by contrast, was what Annan truly needed to take seriously.
Annan spent a peaceful night in Meditation.
By morning, the snow had briefly stopped. The sky was overcast, and the snowfall overnight had draped Golden City in a layer of pale white.
A maid knocked on his door shortly afterward, saying Grand Lord Raymond had invited him to breakfast.
"Tell the Grand Lord we can eat together after the trial."
Annan politely declined and set out with Black Widow for the Council Hall, where the trial would soon take place.
On the way, Annan opened a Portal and summoned Illymoyas.
"How is the group doing?" Annan asked her.
Illymoyas said the dragons had left their lair and were migrating farther south in search of a new place to settle.
"How about coming to Gem Bay? It's big enough and safe enough. Most importantly..." Annan looked at the gemstone ring on Illymoyas's pale finger in her human form. "It's closer to Free City."
"Unless you're willing to give my group half of Free City's tax revenue."
Annan almost said yes, but on second thought, dragons were exploiters just like nobles. By nature, they gathered anything valuable nearby, whether by plunder, theft, or deception.
Not all dragons were Blue Dragons, and not all Blue Dragons were Illymoyas.
If the Blue Dragon Group settled in Gem Bay, Free City would more likely end up their vassal.
"You're still the best..." Annan couldn't help saying.
Black Widow shot