Evil Red Dragon

Goron and his companions were thus arranged to mingle with a caravan.

The streets are completely different now, and the Silver Knights have begun to take over the main thoroughfares.

The sun gradually sets in the west.

A caravan of dozens of horse-drawn carriages slowly made its way toward the city gate. The closer they got to the gate, the more guards appeared.

Upon reaching the city gate, the captain of the guards stopped the caravan to inspect the goods.

The caravan leader hurriedly stepped forward to negotiate with him.

He smiled ingratiatingly and secretly took out a token and showed it to himself.

The captain's expression changed slightly: "The documents are fine, let's go."

The caravan slowly passed through the city gate.

Once outside the city gate, the road became rugged.

The caravan traveled eastward along the dusty dirt road at a slow pace.

After walking for about half an hour, it became completely dark.

A wind rose over the wilderness, rustling the withered grass by the roadside.

A small grove of trees appeared ahead, and the head of the caravan signaled for the caravan to stop.

"Deliver the goods right here."

He jumped off the carriage, spoke to Goron, and waved for his men to leave the remaining nine carriages behind.

"Five hundred people for three months, or more."

The leader of the line patted the bag of dried meat on top:

"These are all top-quality air-dried meats, soaked in brine, so they keep well."

Goron cut open a bag to inspect it; the jerky was dark brown, hard in texture, and had a faint smoky smell.

He nodded in satisfaction: "Thanks."

"It's just a transaction."

The leader of the group waved his hand, then suddenly lowered his voice:

"But you guys are really bold, daring to come and buy grain at this critical juncture."

Goron's eyes narrowed: "You know about us too?"

"Greystone Town isn't that big. You think nobody will notice you bunch of big guys coming into town?"

The leader of the group smiled:

"But don't worry, the rules are all the same there. If you mean no harm, we'll turn a blind eye. Just a heads-up, don't come over anytime soon."

Thank you.

The caravan leader said no more and led the caravan away.

The sound of wheels gradually faded into the distance, leaving only the six Goron beasts and nine carts in the forest clearing.

"Chief, what do we do now?" Batu asked.

Goron looked up at the sky.

As the moon rose above the treetops, he estimated the distance:

"We'll pull the cart frame and travel through the night. We should be able to meet up with Rag and the others before dawn."

Without further ado, they tied the reins around their bodies and headed north.

They ran wildly across the wilderness, the wind howling through the withered grass and rocks.

Occasionally, cries could be heard from afar, adding to the desolation.

"arrive."

Goron stopped and gave a coded signal of six short and two long utterances.

Several tall figures emerged from the shadows, with Rag leading the way.

"Did it go smoothly?"

Rag glanced at the vehicle behind Goron and the others, a look of delight in his eyes.

Goron handed over a bag of dried meat: "We bought the food, but we spent all our gold coins."

Rag took it, tossed it into his mouth, chewed it, and savored the delicious taste.

"Good, it's good to have food. This dried meat can solve our immediate problem."

They quickly packed up and prepared to continue their journey.

With the dragonborn of Rag taking on most of the load, the team's progress was significantly faster.

In Greystone Town, in front of the council hall, Baron Odo, dressed in a meticulously prepared magnificent suit, led the town's main officials in a line to wait.

He specially ordered people to sweep the square in front of the council hall until it was spotless, and even laid out a small red carpet, showing that he was being exceptionally solemn.

click, click, click...

The sound of hooves came from the end of the street, gradually becoming clearer.

A troop of about thirty cavalrymen slowly approached, clad in light silver armor.

The procession stopped in front of the council chamber.

At the front, Isa wore a black dress with silver trim and light armor, covered by a dark cloak. Her long silver hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing a delicate face.

Oddo quickly stepped forward, forcing a fawning smile, and bowed respectfully:

"Miss Isa, welcome to Graystone Town! You must be tired from your journey. I have prepared a feast and lodging for you, please..."

Isa sat upright on her horse, glancing down at him with a condescending look, showing no intention of dismounting.

She took a roll of documents from her waist, flicked her wrist, and the documents flew through the air and landed in Oddo's hands.

"Baron Odo, this is His Majesty's appointment. Effective immediately, I will assume command of the defense and administration of Graystone Town. You shall take your private guard and return to the capital to report for duty."

Odo's face turned pale instantly.

This was a spot he worked so hard to get, and it's just gone like that?!

He gripped the reel tightly, forcing a smile:

"Miss Isa, is there some misunderstanding? Graystone Town is located on the border, and its affairs are numerous and complex, including monster invasions, resettlement of displaced people, and commercial tax accounts... A hasty handover might lead to oversights. I have already ordered a banquet to be prepared for you to welcome you, so why don't we..."

There is no misunderstanding.

Isa interrupted him:

"The Silverwing Knights have taken full control of the town's defenses and affairs. You have one day to pack your things."

She gently pulled on the reins, and the unicorn beneath her snorted and trotted its front hooves twice, showing some impatience.

"You may take your personal belongings, but the lord's seal, all the keys to the warehouse, the financial ledgers of all years, the military deployment files, and the population and land registers must all be handed over immediately. My adjutant will handle the handover with you."

She nodded slightly to the knight beside her.

The knight nimbly dismounted, his armor clanging, and strode up to Odo.

Odo's face was flushed and pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

After a moment of struggle, he finally lowered his head:

"Yes, ma'am. I'll go prepare for the handover right away."

He admitted it.

First the Silver Wing Knights, then the Thirteen Princesses—it's clear a storm is brewing. He's just a nobody, so he won't get involved.

Being broke is a small matter, but being dead means you have nothing.

Moreover, he has saved up a lot of money over the years. Several hundred thousand gold coins are enough for him to operate again. If all else fails, he can rely on his family to live a comfortable life in his later years.

Seeing Odo's decisiveness, Isa glanced at him unexpectedly.

You should know that these border towns are very lucrative, and most people wouldn't give them up easily.

It's good that he's so sensible; it saves us from making things ugly.

The transfer of power in Graystone Town was completed quietly in the twilight.

Inside the council chamber, Odo handed over the seals of authority, keys, and thick ledgers to his adjutant.

His movements were slow and slightly trembling, but he ultimately uttered no further words.

Outside the window, the soldiers of the Silver Wing Knights had taken over the city wall sentry posts, replacing the original town guards. The whole process was swift and silent.

Isa did not participate in the handover ceremony.

The moment the adjutant received the seal, she turned and left the council chamber, her dark cloak casting a silent silhouette against the stone walls of the long corridor.

Two bodyguards followed her, but she stopped them by raising her hand:

"Stand outside the hall; no one may enter without being summoned."

"Commander, are you safe...?"

"There aren't many people in Graystone who can threaten me."

The guards bowed and withdrew, the sound of their armor scraping against each other fading into the distance in the corridor.

She walked alone through the narrow passage at the back of the council chamber and into the alley behind it.

In stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the main street, sewage swelled into murky puddles between the stones, and rotten vegetable leaves piled up in the corners of the walls.

Isa did not stop walking; the hood of her cloak was pulled down to cover her face, and only the rapier at her waist swayed slightly with each step.

Her destination was a bookstore after the eighth dawn...

The signboard had long since faded, and dim candlelight shone through the window, casting a hazy glow.

Isa pushed open the door and entered, the brass bells on the lintel jingling.

The bookshelves crammed the walls, piled high with parchment scrolls and thread-bound books, almost obscuring the original color of the walls. Behind the counter, no one was there; only an oil lamp burned slowly.

Isa spoke, calling out, "Neither human nor beast, Helena."

The shadows deep within the bookshelf stirred, and a figure emerged from behind the mountain of books.

She was a woman who looked to be about thirty years old, with long, dark brown hair that fell to her shoulders. She had a thin face, deep-set eyes, and very rare dark purple eyes, like gemstones.

She was wearing a large purple robe and holding a quill pen in her hand.

"Both human and demon, Isa?"

Helena put down her pen, a half-smile playing on her lips:

"You're three hours late."

Isa approached the counter:

"The Silver Wing Knights need to take over the defense first."

She looked up, her gaze sharp as a blade:

"Where is the Red Dragon?"

Helena chuckled softly, turned around, and pressed a spot on the wall.

A whole bookshelf slides inward, revealing stone steps extending downwards behind it.

A cold wind blew from deep within, carrying the smell of sulfur.

"Come with me."

Helena picked up the oil lamp and stepped into the darkness.

Isa followed closely behind, and the bookshelf slowly closed behind them.

About twenty meters down, a huge underground space emerges in the light.

This is not a natural cave. The walls have been carved flat, the ground is paved with neatly cut stone slabs, and there is a circular magic circle with a diameter of fifty meters in the central area.

The magic circle pattern is intricate and precise, divided into three concentric rings from the inside out, each ring inlaid with magic crystals of different attributes.

There are also twelve magic pillars standing on the edge, their bodies covered with runes, which are now flashing intermittently as the magic array operates.

In the center of the magic circle, a deep red figure was crouching.

It was a young red dragon, about the size of two adult warhorses.

Her wings were folded to her sides, and her long tail coiled beneath her.

At this moment, the red dragon, which should have been ferocious and violent, was unusually listless.

Her limbs were firmly fixed by dark purple chains, the other end of which was embedded in the patterns of the magic array.

A purple amethyst the size of a pigeon's egg was embedded in her forehead, with purple light threads spreading from its surface and connecting to a magic circle.

Red Dragon's eyelids were half-closed, her vertical pupils were unfocused and lifeless, and only the slight rise and fall of her chest proved that she was still alive.

Isa stopped at the edge of the magic circle.

"Red dragon cub, pure bloodline, no more than six years old."

"According to the growth stages of dragons, she should be in the juvenile stage, but the magical fluctuations show that she is already close to the edge of becoming a juvenile dragon, with an abnormal growth rate."

"As expected of the leader of the Silverwing Knights, he has a sharp eye."

Helena walked to a magic pillar, placed her palm on the pillar, and infused it with a trace of magic.

The aura of the magic circle intensified, and the red dragon in the center let out a muffled groan.

"I encountered her unexpectedly in the Endless Mountains. This little red dragon was fighting to the death with the Skyhorn Eagle King, and I took the opportunity to imprison her and transfer her here."

Isa silently watched the red dragon within the magic circle.

Helena was still rambling on:

"This magic circle is an improvement on the Dragon Binding Array, a composite technique that combines dream weaving and soul shackles."

The amethyst at the top is a fragment of the Nightmare Core, which can continuously suppress her consciousness and force her into a dream, but maintaining the magic circle requires a large amount of materials.

Especially the Nightmare Core, the price of which has risen to five hundred gold coins per gram…

"His Highness will reimburse you."

Isa walked closer and bent down to examine it more closely.

A hint of smugness flashed in Helena's eyes as she continued:

"Besides the little dragon itself, I also found a piece of mithril ore on her."

Isabella suddenly turned to Helena.

She was holding a piece of silvery-white ore in her hand.

Isa reached out and took the ore, examined it briefly, and was somewhat disappointed:

"The purity isn't high; did she bring this from the Endless Mountains?"

"It should be."

Isa remained silent.

She paced slowly around the magic circle, her gaze fixed on the red baby dragon.

"Is it possible to access her memories?"

Isa stopped and asked.

Helena shook her head:

"It's very difficult. Dragons have extremely strong mental barriers, especially red dragons. Deep within their consciousness lies a protective mechanism rooted in their dragon heritage. Forcing a breakthrough will only trigger a backlash, resulting in anything from memory loss to..."

She made an explosion gesture:

"Consciousness annihilated!"

Isa said calmly:

"But we need to know the mithril she found there; even a small amount would be of great help to Your Highness."

"Since Your Highness has come in person, if we add mithril to the process of taming this red dragon, then..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but Helena understood what she meant.

"I can try to use dreams to weave guidance."

Helena pondered for a moment and then said:

"Let her relive fragments of her memory in her dreams, but there are risks involved. Dreams are distorted, and what we see may only be a product of her subconscious processing, not reality."

"It's better than nothing, what do we need?"

Helena walked to the edge of the magic circle and began to check the status of each magic pillar:

"Weaving dreams requires a large supply of magic power, and I need three level-five or higher magic crystals as a medium..."

As she spoke, she extended her hand to Isha, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Without saying a word, Isa took out three fist-sized level-six magic crystals and handed them to him.

Helena inserted them one by one into the grooves of the magic circle.

The moment the magic crystal was embedded, the halo of the magic circle suddenly brightened.

The red dragon's body convulsed suddenly, and it whimpered incessantly.

"Bear with it, little one."

Helena spoke softly, her magic coiling around the magic pillar and flowing along the patterns towards the center.

The area above the magic circle began to distort, gradually forming a hazy light curtain.

Within the light screen, fragmented images began to appear.

The scenes jumped around quickly, and Isabella and Helena stared intently, not missing a single detail.

"Look there."

Helena suddenly pointed to a corner of the light screen.

In the scene, Alector is swallowing pieces of ore one by one.

"Is he eating minerals?"

Isa frowned.

The scene continues.

Alekto leads two female dragons to mine mineral veins and hunt magical beasts.

His growth rate was astonishingly fast. In less than a year, his size increased dramatically, his dragon might began to manifest, and his magical talents awakened one by one.

It was during this time that Cinsera found the mithril near the lair.

Helena and Isa's expressions grew increasingly serious.

Isa murmured, "He's studying."

Helena nodded: "The intelligent red dragon, the most troublesome kind."

The scene then jumps to the moment of separation.

The Dragon Mother awoke and drove the three baby dragons out of the nest.

Then comes Cinsera's solo adventure.

She hunts in the forest and fights against monsters.

The scene features several perilous encounters, including being surrounded by a pack of wolves, and a final battle to the death with the King of the Skyhorns.