The council of True Dragons should have ended in a warm atmosphere, but Head Maid Charlize paced quietly to the foot of the Red Dragon's throne, softly reporting news that caused the Red Dragon, curled in his seat, to slightly furrow his brow, shifting the fine scales that adorned his skin like tiny gems.
"Someone seeks an audience? At this time?"
Kalon endured the slight irritability and annoyance in his heart, using his steel-forged claws to gently smooth the furrow in his brow.
Even if dragon blood could no longer easily influence Kalon, it is the nature of every creature to have a certain limit of tolerance for repetitive work and behavior.
Moreover, since Kalon awoke from his slumber, the talent instinct born from the combination of his accumulated massive psionic power and his bloodline source was calling to him.
It called to this Ancestral Red Dragon to use absolute power to tear apart these weak True Dragons before him—who could provide some small benefit to an Ancestral Red Dragon—treating them one by one like his prey.
To swallow their flesh and crunch their bones, satisfying his hunting instinct and desire to feed.
Thus, as Kalon sat upon his throne in the royal hall and looked around at the True Dragons, he was suppressing his instincts almost every second.
His talent originated from his bloodline but was stronger than it; in particular, the Ancestral Red Dragon blood that had surrendered to Kalon's will was also being passively stimulated to mount stronger resistance under constant suppression, making Kalon's revived Ancestral Red Dragonblood purer and more powerful.
The combination of the two added fuel to the fire, exerting a small influence on Kalon.
It made this Ancestral Red Dragon's temper slightly more explosive, no longer as deep and inscrutable as before; in his actions and gaze, a certain chilling essence would unconsciously leak out.
That was the manifestation of this Ancestral Red Dragon's nature as an apex predator that fed on the source of all things. Even though Kalon had done his best to restrain his power, he had not yet reached the point of perfect control; he needed a considerable amount of time to practice.
The reason the True Dragons appeared so well-behaved before this Red Dragon was not because of the Red Dragon's majesty; they had long known the character of their leader and were used to their way of interacting.
However, the sharp edge Kalon unintentionally revealed caused the True Dragons to uncontrollably lock their back scales tight, just as a weak creature might when targeted by a natural predator; naturally, they had no leisure time for jokes and chatter.
Kalon's choice to face the three adult True Dragons alone in battle was also for the purpose of venting his power through combat to perfectly master his own changes as quickly as possible.
It was just a pity that although the three adult True Dragons opposite him were remarkably strong, especially the The Silver Dragon Christiana, they still could not force him to use his full strength in his current state as an Ancestral Red Dragon.
The identity of Ancestral Red Dragon might represent the strongest power and highest status for other True Dragons, but for the current Kalon, it was merely his starting point.
But although Kalon was irritable and the True Dragons were somewhat unable to contain their excitement, under the Ancestral Red Dragon's slightly solemn expression, they were all like well-behaved big cats playing dumb after making a mistake, folding their wings to their sides, standing on their forelimbs, and sitting on their hind legs.
"Let her in. It's a good time to introduce her to the group, so they don't have to get to know her again later."
Kalon's deep voice rang out, and Head Maid Charlize hurried to shake the gold bell at her waist to transmit the signal.
In this kind of setting and at this time, an ordinary person would certainly not choose to seek an audience with the master of the Dragon clan. Even the Vampire Count Renis and the representatives of various noble factions, who were eager to extend an olive branch, had wisely left the royal court after enjoying the banquet.
Even a devil from Hell would maintain a polite attitude before tricking you into signing a contract.
The thought that the visitor must be a True Dragon immediately rose in Kalon's mind, given the timing of the request.
Only a creature like a True Dragon, even if they had received some education, would still be accustomed to being direct and maintaining a largely self-centered style.
Upon seeing the guest seeking an audience late at night, the thought "as expected" immediately formed in Kalon's mind.
The visitor was a True Dragon who had taken human form; she appeared as a delicate and lively young girl with bright grey eyes, looking quite spirited.
She had steel-colored short hair, and like some cosplay enthusiasts, she wore steel-like jewelry on her chest and waist, which further highlighted this characteristic.
But this True Dragon's true form beneath the transformation spell could not escape Kalon's True Sight.
This was also a type of Metal Dragon, but she did not belong to the ten orthodox True Dragon species of the Ekania World; rather, she was a variant of the Metal Dragons—a Steel Dragon.
The True Dragons cast their still-boiling gazes upon the Midir as she slowly stepped into the royal hall. This snapped the Midir, who had transformed into a slender but petite girl, out of the shock brought by the towering and magnificent castle.
Even in True Dragon heritage, the Midir knew of many spectacular buildings more ornate than this castle, but in the Material World, it was almost impossible to find a structure comparable to this giant fortress specifically designed and built for True Dragon s.
The massive castle was built entirely of stone as solid as steel, covered in a rich, halo-like magical glow that clung to the fortress, making it look like a true temple shrouded in divine radiance.
The massive main hall and the three-story fortress behind it were each taller and wider than the temples built by devout believers for their gods. This Steel Dragon, who was quite knowledgeable about real estate, couldn't help but feel a pang of regret; the sheer size of this fortress's footprint could have been used to develop so many residences.
Even the front garden of this magnificent fortress would have been enough for the Midir to develop an entire residential neighborhood.
But the Midir's regret was drowned out by the massive, gold-glittering, treasure-shimmering wealth placed before the True Dragons. This even caused the Steel Dragon to completely forget the etiquette she had been taught to display.
She simply stopped in her tracks under the watchful eyes of the True Dragons, staring unblinkingly at the chests of treasure and muttering, "Heavens, pearls of this quality, gold coins of this purity, gems of this craftsmanship... if only they were all mine."
Kalon didn't mind her reaction; the attraction of treasure to a True Dragon was incomparable to anything else. Moreover, this was one of the reasons he had intentionally kept several Metal Dragons locked outside the Fortress gates today.
In the future True Dragon Empire, it would be impossible to expect all True Dragon s to have the same goals as the current Dragon clan; other True Dragons would need more drive and enticement.
As long as other True Dragons could be enticed, guided, and absorbed into the Dragon clan, and then slowly transformed and influenced, the pace of the Dragon clan's growth in power could be accelerated.
And wealth was the most effective specialized tool against True Dragons, bar none.
While Kalon didn't care, the words spoken by this energetic and lively Steel Dragon girl annoyed the surrounding True Dragons.
Metal Dragons believed that the legitimate private property of all creatures possessed an inviolable sanctity; even the majesty of the gods could not overshadow this holiness.
They would bare their righteous fangs and extend their holy claws at any creature that coveted their property, subjecting them to the harshest judgment—destruction.
Chromatic Dragon, on the other hand, skipped a few steps; they would directly kill any creature that coveted their wealth, not even bothering to snarl.
But before the Ancestral Red Dragon showed his stance, these True Dragons could only bare their long fangs and stare fiercely at the greedy girl, letting out low growls of threat and warning.
The intimidation of the True Dragons suddenly woke the girl up. She hurriedly stepped forward, coming to a stop not far below the steps of the throne, looked around, and then performed a hand-to-chest salute to the snarling True Dragon s and the quiet Red Dragon.
She spoke: "Good evening, powerful leader of the different scales, noble Golden King, and noble Dragon clan. My name is Midier, and I am a Steel Dragon."
Kalon nodded. The aura emitted by the Steel Dragon before him made his hunting instinct stir; to avoid putting too much pressure on her, he could only fix his gaze on her neck.
There hung a steel necklace, but it was not an accessory for this Steel Dragon; rather, it was an innate talent of the Steel Dragon species, manifested when they took human form.
The Life Chain, this special talent of the Steel Dragon species, originated from a common trait among them.
Throughout their long lives, Steel Dragons walk the earth in the identities of men, women, nobles, beggars, humans, elves, orcs, and various other humanoid intelligent races.
But these Steel Dragons do not treat the identities they play as disguises or masks; instead, they view these played roles as real lives and as friends of the Steel Dragon.
The Life Chain is the collection of the lives of the characters the True Dragon has played; in the hands of these True Dragons, it can exert some marvelous abilities.
However, some Steel Dragons choose another way to create their Life Chain, which is to carve the characters they have played onto their own scales, much like some True Dragons with an extreme addiction to magic.
Furthermore, these Steel Dragons also possess an extremely powerful talent—Empowerment—which stems from the disguise skills of what could be called the most adept at disguising among all True Dragons.
Steel Dragons need to spend about a month performing profound and complex disguise Empowerment for their new form. Once they complete this Empowerment, they are almost as powerful in their new form as they are in their True Dragon form.
Strength identical to their true form, spellcasting ability identical to their true form; only their physical defense is slightly more fragile than True Dragon scales.
There were also some mysterious, unique talents that served as the trigger for Kalon's rapidly surging predator instinct.
However, Kalon's will was far beyond what this instinct and dragon blood could shake, so he continued to listen to the Steel Dragon girl's words.
But the Steel Dragon girl's words were interrupted by the Antagena.
"You are standing too close to the King, True Dragon of strange scales," the Antagena said, her True Dragon pupils nakedly releasing hostility. Her wing-claws gripped the armrests of the black stone throne, and her slender neck supported her delicate head as she leaned forward.
"Furthermore, at a gathering of True Dragons, you should participate in the capacity of a True Dragon, rather than speaking grandiosely in this human form."
Antagena's protruding head carried hostility as she threatened in a low voice, "This is disrespect to the King of the Dragon clan, rudeness to the Dragon Emperor of the Empire, and moreover, contempt for all True Dragon s!"
Hearing Antagena's words, before Midir could react, the Young White Dragon Sloka, situated at the end of the True Dragon line, excitedly jumped up from his exquisite long carpet.
"Let me do it, let me do it, let me say those words," the Young White Dragon Sloka stretched his wings, baring his teeth and growling excitedly, "How dare you defy the will of the Dragon clan!"
The Young White Dragon then turned to the adolescent female White Dragon Roni and shouted, "Quick, Loni, help me! Let's take down this Steel Dragon together and let me step on her while I say those words. I'm afraid I can't handle her alone—one gold coin, no, one silver coin!"
This Young White Dragon had once been severely beaten by the female Red DragonKleinaia in Fortress for offending the will of the True Dragon s, which had left the Young White Dragon Sloka brooding over the incident.
This fellow, having been drenched in rain himself, always thought about dismantling others' umbrellas. Fearing that other True Dragons would be too lazy to help him, he even intended to pay a silver coin to get the adolescent White Dragon Loni to act with him.
The Adolescent White Dragon Loni rolled her vertical pupils, showing the whites of her eyes, and flicked her tail, saying, "One gold coin, and I'll help you."
"Damn it, I see you hanging around Germott all day, and you're always so proactive in helping him with anything. When it's my turn, you open your True Dragon mouth wide for a bribe? I'm the older brother who raised you since you were little!"
The Young White Dragon Sloka growled dissatisfiedly.
"Tch, if you were as beautiful, strong, and smart as Germott, I could help you for the price of a silver coin," the adolescent White Dragon Loni said, turning her head away in disdain.
"Damn it, one gold coin it is!" The Young White Dragon Sloka shouted urgently, hopping in place.
Having secured a satisfactory price, adolescent White Dragon Loni was lazily getting up from the right side of White Dragon Germott when she saw the girl Midir, who called herself a Steel Dragon, quietly reveal her true form at that moment.
The Adolescent White Dragon Loni was instantly stunned.
It wasn't because the other's true form was exceptionally beautiful or strong, but because the other's body was unexpectedly small to the adolescent White Dragon Loni.
Currently the smallest in size within the Dragon clan, the adolescent White Dragon Loniwas still a size larger than this mysterious Steel Dragon.
Steel Dragons are the smallest of all known True Dragon species in the world. As a trade-off for this, their spellcasting abilities are extremely powerful.
The adolescent Steel Dragon appearing before the group's eyes was only a little over seven meters long. Her body was cat-like, and her face was rich with expression, looking almost human. Spines grew around her face near the top of her head, resembling hair.
She also carried a damp metallic scent, and her scales sparkled like polished steel plates.
Compared to other Metal Dragons, Midir had a slender build and a small head, with sword-like frills growing from her head, elbows, and toes.
However, Midir's wings looked exceptionally sharp, shaped like feathers and composed of overlapping blades. Furthermore, the scales on Midir's chest were like a single solid shield embedded into her torso.
But the moment Midir revealed herself, the True Dragons immediately understood why she preferred to meet them in human form. Many True Dragons—not just Chromatic Dragons, but Metal Dragons as well—liked to mock the size of True Dragon s of the same age to satisfy their own vanity.
"It was my mistake, but I did not intend to offend the majesty of the True Dragon Group and the King!" Midir's voice when transformed into her True Dragon form was not as vivid and lively as when she was a young girl; instead, it had a metallic resonance.
Kalon nodded. "You don't need to be overly constrained. Between True Dragon s, there is no need to be bound by complex etiquette."
The Red Dragon cast his gaze toward the disappointed Young White Dragon Sloka. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up, revealing his long fangs as he smiled and said, "Alright Sloka, do not be so rude to our guest from afar. This is not the hospitality the True Dragon clan should show."
Watching the dejected Young White Dragon Sloka lie back down on his long carpet, the Red Dragon turned back and said softly to the Steel Dragon, "Continue explaining your purpose for coming, fellow of different scales from afar."
Midir nodded and paid her respects to the King of the Dragon clan before speaking again: "Perhaps you do not know, but we Steel Dragons take pride in the mission bestowed upon us by the Creator Dragon God Io—to travel the mortal world, gathering wisdom to spread among many living beings."
"But under this glorious mission, we also make different attempts for our own hobbies, such as collecting a little wealth, a few works of art, some antiques, and so on."
Midir's fine scales, like thin steel plates, acted as a thick skin, so she spoke without any hint of blushing: "The great power you displayed in battle and your speech at the victory celebration left a deep impression on me. After wise reflection, I feel that you are an outstanding leader with great vision, profound wisdom, and sufficient strength."
The Ancestral Red Dragon's skin was even more solid and thick than his True Dragon scale defense, so he calmly accepted the Steel Dragon's flattery.
"Therefore, I wish to use my wisdom and knowledge to add a little value to the Dragon clan and serve you, an outstanding leader. However, as I am not skilled in combat and cannot serve the Dragon clan with great strength like other True Dragons, I have come with a nervous heart to take the initiative to request to join the Dragon clan!"
Midir's remarks were appropriate and generous, humble but not servile. This came from the teachings of another talent of the Steel Dragon race—Reflective Thought.
Kalon smiled. After the Dragon clan's reputation had spread, this was the first time a True Dragon had chosen to take the initiative to join. This was news worth celebrating for both the Dragon clan and himself.
"You don't need to worry, Midier," the Ancestral Red Dragon's voice became exceptionally gentle at this moment. "The Kogmora Dragon Clan does not judge solely by strength. Ability is what the Dragon clan expects and values. Your wisdom and knowledge are your abilities."
"But you need to prove that your abilities are sufficient to earn the position you desire within the Dragon clan. So, what value can you bring to me, to the Dragon clan, and to the Empire?"
Midir's expression clearly became more animated at this moment, and her voice rose significantly. She excitedly wagged her Steel Dragon tail, making a whistling sound.
"Oh, noble King of True Dragons, Midier has accepted the inheritance of wisdom and knowledge from previous generations of Steel Dragons. I have some rather good views on commercial development, and the real estate industry in particular is a primary focus of mine."
Midir spoke eloquently: "As the Empire established by the Dragon clan grows, we should regulate and manage the commerce and economy of the entire Empire in advance."
"Currently, the Empire's market and economy are only under simple superficial management, allowing economy and commerce to grow wildly. This has no impact in the early stages of the Empire."
"However, if this situation is allowed to continue, those greedy merchants, for the sake of profit, will be even more bloodthirsty than we True Dragons. They will use economic means to manipulate the market and the economy, thereby influencing power and the operation of the entire Empire."
"Although True Dragons can easily sweep away these greedy cockroaches, taking action then would damage many interests and result in the loss of a lot of wealth."
Looking at the Red Dragon's appreciative gaze, Midir felt she had met a wise leader. The Dragon Clans Territory would also be the place where she, an adolescent Steel Dragon leaving the Dragon Nest for the first time, would make her mark.
So Midir said in a decisive tone: "Therefore, I hereby suggest to you to establish a specialized Imperial department, which could also be under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, to specifically engage in macro-control of the Empire's commerce and economy, and to manage those freely growing businesses and merchants to avoid the loss of interests."
"I also have many other means to allow the Dragon clan to earn substantial profits, and I look forward to demonstrating them to you one by one!"
Kalon rubbed his steel-forged jaw with his claws, feeling very satisfied with the arrival of this Steel Dragon.
In his vision, the True Dragons empire was not just a simple gathering of True Dragon s or an accumulation of numbers. These various types of True Dragon s had unique and diverse talents, making them very suitable to fill various departments and organizations of the Empire to share Kalon's tasks—no, his power.
For example, the Midir before him had reminded him of an oversight he hadn't noticed before; macro-economic control of the entire Empire is an indispensable tool for a mature nation.
Thus, Kalon satisfiedly extended a pair of Dragon claws and, like a human, applauded the Steel Dragon before him.
Each of the True Dragon s also pounded the floor or slapped their tails, echoing the Red Dragon's actions. Midir's rhetoric had also gained the approval of the True Dragons—earning wealth for the group. At this moment, Midir was even more popular with the other True Dragons than the Young Red Dragon Kadilos.
"Your words have made me feel your wisdom and professional knowledge, Midier. I will appoint you as an Itinerant of the Ministry of Finance. Let your methods be shown; I look forward to your wisdom!"
Midir proactively stepped forward and lowered her delicate and small head, allowing the Ancestral Red Dragon's massive claw to loom over it.
"Welcome to the Kogmora Dragon Clan, the Golden Empire, and the Land of Dragons!" Kalonreached out his steel claw and gently covered her head!