Translator: AnubisTL
Whether it was to wash away the shame of his forced departure and avenge his past humiliation, or to seize the far more abundant, tempting resources and infinite possibilities of the wilderness compared to the Frontierlands... his desire to return to his homeland was both understandable and inevitable.
The red-silver dragon tilted her head and asked curiously:
"So... what specific opportunity or event... finally made you decide to return to the wilderness at this point in time?"
She wanted to know the final straw that had pushed Garos to make his ultimate decision.
Garos did not look back, merely offering a concise account of his encounter with Crystal Princess Eileen.
"The Lothurn Federation?"
A flicker of obvious astonishment and concern flashed through Deborah's eyes.
"You want to get involved in the internal affairs of that behemoth? Garos, isn't that a bit too risky?"
"That is a massive federation composed of several powerful kingdoms, possessing deep heritage and strength. The internal waters are deep enough to drown a dragon—even a dragon in the Legendary realm would find it difficult to resolve a mess of the Kingdom of Lothurn's magnitude."
Garos shook his head.
"Deborah, you've misunderstood one thing."
He slowly turned his head, gazing at the Red-Silver Dragon, correcting her misconception.
"The object of potential cooperation with me—or rather, with our Ironforged Tribe—has never been the entire Lothurn Federation, nor even the Kingdom of Lothurn itself."
"The one speaking with me is merely a princess named Eileen."
After a brief pause, Garos continued, "And Her Highness, because she devoted herself to magical research in her youth and did not actively participate in the cruel power games within the royal court... she does not hold a position that can influence the kingdom's decisions within Lothurn's intricate web of power."
"However,"
"The resources she controls—especially that fertile magic crystal vein—possess a value and scale far beyond what any ordinary noble lord could muster. This is precisely what we need most."
"More importantly,"
"To this day, the kingdoms at the very pinnacle of power, the core of the federation—Lothurn, Ribos, and the rest—have shown no intention of directly intervening or getting their own hands dirty."
"The ones who have lit the fires of war and are clashing at the borders are merely their subordinate duchies, acting as proxies to play out their masters' will. Specifically, the Duchy of Haltai and the Duchy of Abel, who are fighting fiercely on the front lines."
"Once we secure a partnership with the Crystal Princess, the level at which we can participate and exert influence will be limited to the 'stage of ducal-level warfare.'"
Garos's iron dragon bloodline granted him an extraordinary strategic vision, allowing him to see through the current situation with absolute clarity.
The Lothurn Federation was now split into two major factions.
One faction, still claiming legitimacy and firmly believing that the great tree of the Kingdom of Lothurn would not easily fall, chose to continue supporting its leadership.
The other faction consisted of nations dissatisfied with the existing order and the distribution of resources and power, eager to reshuffle the deck. The strongest and most ambitious among them was the Kingdom of Ribos, second only to Lothurn in comprehensive national strength.
The cores of the two factions—the behemoths Lothurn and Ribos—remained restrained for now, like two silent volcanoes, refusing to enter the fray personally.
The other kingdoms also stood firm.
They chose to let their subordinate duchies serve as proxies, fighting on the battlefield to represent their wills.
The outcome of these ducal wars was not merely about the gain or loss of the duchies themselves. More importantly, it was about the methods, strength, and resolve demonstrated by the kingdoms they represented in this proxy war.
Their victory or defeat would, to some extent, influence the choices of other minor kingdoms and duchies—those who had outwardly declared their allegiance but remained wavering and observant.
—Would they continue to support the seemingly legitimate but clearly declining Lothurn?
—Or would they side with the ambitious and reform-minded Ribos?
"Crystal Princess Eileen is no fool," Garos thought.
"She would never be so naive as to believe that we, a mere pack of evil dragons rising from the wilderness, could directly shake the intricate web of the Federation's high command or fundamentally alter the entire Federation's fate."
"But—"
"Intervening in and influencing the wars between the lower duchies... exerting power at the level of a proxy war... that is entirely possible and offers room for maneuver."
For Garos, leading his dragon pack and the Ironforged Tribe into the Sierre Wilderness to seize its abundant resources meant an inevitable clash with the duchies that already controlled them.
If he could secure an additional sponsorship from the Crystal Princess in the process—whether it was the coveted treasures and resources she held or the invaluable intelligence on the Federation's internal movements—it would undoubtedly be the icing on the cake, granting him the strength of a tiger with wings.
Just as they were conversing, Garos and the Red-Silver Dragon simultaneously sensed a familiar aura rapidly approaching from the distance.
They both turned their heads as one, their sharp gazes piercing through the air, and stared in the direction of the aura.
On the distant horizon, a draconic silhouette shimmering with pure golden light was rapidly expanding in their field of vision.
Soon, Alberto appeared in the skies above Dragon Valley, then folded his wings and landed on the cliff opposite Burning Steel Citadel.
"Garos! I challenge you."
For some reason, Alberto seemed impatient. The moment he landed, he spoke in a deep voice, his tone laced with an irrepressible urgency.
Garos did not answer immediately. His vertical pupils narrowed slightly, his gaze fixed on the gold dragon's noticeably changed form.
It was different from how Alberto had looked a few years ago.
His body, once lean and agile, had grown more robust and powerful. Muscles rippled beneath his golden scales, which had become denser and thicker. His claws and fangs seemed sharper, too.
His sheer strength now rivaled that of a red dragon of the same length, and his dragon might had grown considerably.
However...
Alberto's eyes were shot through with bloodshot veins that shouldn't have been there. His tail lashed back and forth incessantly, his demeanor bordering on irritable—a sharp contrast to the majestic serenity typical of a gold dragon. He looked as if he hadn't rested in ages.
"You seem to be in a hurry," Garos said after a moment's thought, "but don't be."
"I have no interest in challenges that are pointless and without cause."
"As the challenger, what are you willing to offer?"
"Or rather, what kind of stakes are you willing to put up to match the value of this challenge and make it worth my while to accept?"
(End of the Chapter)
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