Red Dragon, but chosen by all four gods

A rapid knocking sounded at the door, and the butler waited anxiously at the entrance, bowing low.

Since he began serving the lord, the number of times he has woken the lord up in the middle of the night can be counted on one hand.

If the lord is truly enraged, then more sacrifices will be needed.

However, given the current situation in the territory, many of the tribespeople who are suitable for having children have been relocated, and most of his administrative officers have also been reassigned.

If the hastily offered sacrifices do not suit the lord's taste, then he is in great danger.

Unexpectedly, François opened the door shortly after the butler knocked.

Although she was only wearing a bathrobe, her eyes were clear, and she did not seem to be asleep.

"Something happened?" Although he was asking a question, François spoke as if he were referring to a trivial matter that was destined to happen.

"Yes, my lord, something has happened in the dungeon. A group of thieves broke in, and I heard that... two of the Grey-Robed Lords have also died."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, François seemed to perk up and asked, "Are the dragon descendants of the Golden Dragon Court here to kill those people in gray robes?"

But before the butler could answer, François denied the question himself.

"No, that's not right. If it were the dragonborn warriors of the Golden Dragon Lord, those people would have already hidden themselves away. They wouldn't be courting death."

"But what kind of thief would go to the dungeon besides the people of the Golden Dragon Court?"

A sudden commotion erupted outside the castle.

François walked up to the wide viewing platform and looked down.

The butler quickly grabbed his outer robe and followed.

The castle's forecourt was in complete chaos. The guards on night watch had not yet received clear orders, but upon hearing shouts, they lit torches and searched everywhere.

From his vantage point, François looked down by the firelight toward the dungeon exit on the west side of the castle.

In the darkness, several indistinct figures darted out from the corridor.

Suddenly, a cloud of gray mist appeared around them.

From within the gray mist, four gray-robed figures emerged, staffs in hand, their dark green magical lights flashing as different spells attacked the figures.

However, those figures neither dodged nor avoided, but rushed outwards headlong.

The life-devouring magic fell upon them, some with blood splattering everywhere, others without a sound.

The bone hands that emerged from the ground to block their advance were crushed by their immense strength.

If a guard happens to be blocking the way, the leader with the sword, even with blood streaming down his shoulder, will still wield his sword with unwavering precision, ending the guard's life with a single strike, without even slowing down.

This performance left François somewhat puzzled.

While they are strong, they don't possess the overwhelming advantage of the Golden Dragonborn.

To say they are weak... to be honest, François had seen the Golden Dragonborn fight with all their might. They could also get injured, and when injured, they would be powerless.

But these people seemed to have no problem moving around, no matter how badly they were injured.

"Sir, look at that person in the middle, isn't he carrying...?"

Following the butler's suggestion, François looked and indeed saw a slender figure clinging to the back of one of the people, her hands and feet bound in chains.

Because these people were so tall and it was nighttime, he didn't see them at first.

"housekeeper."

"My lord, what are your orders?"

"Quietly pass down the order: have the archers go up the city wall and aim at that bitch and shoot."

"You mean... Miss Inanna?"

The butler immediately regretted asking the question. Sure enough, he saw François give him a cold look, so he quickly lowered his head.

"Whoever can shoot that bitch will be richly rewarded."

"Also, don't guard the gates anymore. If they escape the castle with that bitch, no guards are allowed to go out of the city to chase after them, understand?"

"Yes!" The butler dared not question it and quickly went to relay the order.

François didn't go back inside; he just stood on the balcony, watching quietly.

The butler's orders were quickly relayed.

After those people escaped through the main gate, the archers from the Galahren Guard also climbed the city wall.

Arrows rained down, and the strongest man in the group held Inanna in his arms, willing to be riddled with arrows himself to protect her.

However, he was still alive and able to move around.

Behind them, several gray-robed mages used magic to accelerate and catch up.

And so, both sides disappeared into the darkness.

François got the answer he wanted.

The butler finally returned to the viewing platform and inquired about the next orders.

François told him to leave him as he was and not to interfere with whatever the gray-robed man did.

The butler responded, expecting François to go back to rest, but François seemed to be in a good mood and actually started chatting with the butler.

"Aren't you curious to know why I rebelled against the Golden Dragon Court?"

Upon hearing this, the butler broke out in a cold sweat and bowed deeply, not daring to answer.

"Don't be afraid."

François did not display his usual cheerful and benevolent expression.

Instead, he straightened his body and asked with an unprecedented spirit:

"You've been serving me for ten years now, haven't you?"

"Yes, it will be exactly ten years after this year's Winter Veil Festival," the butler quickly replied.

"Ten years is not a long time for the Gallaheren generation."

"But for my generation, ten years is a long time."

"I have eight brothers and sisters. Apart from the two I killed with my own hands, the other six did not live past the age of thirty."

"Because we weren't born in the 'garden'."

François paused for a moment, and seeing that the butler didn't even dare to ask him what the "garden" was, he laughed self-deprecatingly.

"I liken the Jewel Islands to a 'garden,' the garden of the Golden Dragon Lord."

"It's very peaceful here. People like you, who were born in the Gem Islands, even take this peace for granted."

"But do you know why our Galahren family was able to gain control over the entire White River Valley?"

Seeing that François had taken the initiative to ask, the butler boldly replied, "Because we came to the Gem Islands with the Golden Dragon Lord."

"Yes." François nodded. "Many lords and nobles migrated here later, begging for the Dragon Lord's protection, but we have always followed the Dragon Lord here."

"Therefore, I have seen the Dragon Lord's enemies."

François's voice turned considerably colder: "These liches have probably forgotten that when the Dragon Lord last entered the Dragon's Rest, they almost wiped out an entire mortal race."

The butler was shocked: "Are you saying that we are actually their enemies?"

"They are enemies, that much is true."

There was no hatred or resentment on François's face; he simply spoke in a calm tone:

"The Dragon Lord is about to enter Dragon Sleep once more. Do you know what that means?"

Before the butler could answer, François replied on his own: "This means that this time, the Dragon Lord's enemies will go all out and risk everything to stop her from completing her dragon slumber, and her followers will face absolute annihilation."

"Then...we..." The steward had never thought about these things, only feeling that what the lord was saying seemed to be about to lead to the annihilation of the entire clan.

"Our goal is, of course, only one: to survive."

François turned around: "Galachron must survive, whether it's the golden dragons or the liches, we must ensure our bloodline survives."

"So, you understand why I made a deal with the liches, sending my heir, your family, and many of my people away, right?"

"They may suffer a lot out there, but they may still survive."

"Whether Jinlong wins or her many enemies win, there is still a glimmer of hope."

The steward was already moved to tears: "My lord, you have truly gone to great lengths for the continuation of our people, even staying behind yourself. I...I..."

"I'm sorry, I can't send you off. You may die in this struggle, just like me."

The butler immediately knelt down and swore to François that he would faithfully assist him and be willing to sacrifice himself for the family.

François seemed to have exhausted all his energy, and fatigue resurfaced in the wrinkles on his face.

He waved his hand, and the butler with tears in his eyes withdrew.

François maintained a look of pity on his face, as if he no longer cared about even his own life.

"Sacrifice?"

François raised the corners of his mouth almost imperceptibly.

"Sacrifice is good."

"We mortals are destined to sacrifice ourselves."

"Then why can't you sacrifice yourselves for me?"

"Even if I'm the only one living on with the Galahren name, it's better than the whole clan struggling in this world, right?"