Garoth: "Do you have a concrete plan now?"
Hearing the red iron dragon's question, the iron dragon scratched his head,
"...No."
He said awkwardly.
After a pause, his eyes suddenly brightened: "Garoth, I once read about you in the Federation Daily. They called you Death's Harbinger and said you had potential to beco a Great Evil Dragon."
"That report was over ten years ago. By now, out in the wasteland you must have carved out territory of your own."
"Now the Federation is in chaos, many kingdoms are showing ambition and trying to redivide southern resources. They pay little attention to the Ser Wilderness. You could develop faster and better there."
Gordon had assud the red iron dragon was still in the Ser Wilderness.
To prevent this foolish dragon from accidentally revealing his situation, Garoth didn't explain current circumstances and said, "It seems you're not completely incompetent if you can clearly see the current situation."
"Plan early. Make arrangents, or you might die in the Lothrian Federation's turmoil."
After hearing Garoth, Gordon hesitated for two seconds, then voiced his true thought:
"Garoth, my dear brother, may I bring Princess Elina to seek refuge with you? When you co to take us in, I'll bring enough wealth to satisfy you as paynt."
The mont Garoth heard the word "wealth,"
the evil dragon in him stirred, instinctively wanting to answer yes. But he held himself back; now that he could swallow four magic gems at once, his resistance to wealth had grown much stronger.
"Idiot. If the Federation fractures and you bring a princess with Lothrian royal blood to us, you'll only bring destruction." Sorog said in a low voice, speaking seriously.
That was also why Garoth had not agreed.
The Lothrian princess is a burning-hot liability; the Molten Iron Tribe might accept her, and then a legendary hunter could co knocking.
"Gordon's idea is immature. Leaving aside whether Princess Elina would agree to go with him, getting out of the Federation alive into the wilderness or the convergence lands with enemies on all sides is a huge problem."
"Besides, as long as I'm not a legend yet, I can't harbor a Lothrian princess in chaotic tis."
"Moreover, the probability of the Lothrian Kingdom's total collapse is actually low. They might lose large swaths of territory and resources, but the idea of the entire nation perishing is unrealistic... After all, they've sat at the top of the Federation for centuries, with deep roots. They won't fall easily."
Garoth pondered silently.
Using Gordon as a fulcrum and the royal princess as leverage, perhaps he could snatch unimaginable gains from the Federation's chaos.
After a brief thought,
the red iron dragon said, "Gordon, don't think about spiriting the princess out of the Federation—that's unrealistic."
"The Federation's unrest will co sooner or later, but it's not as catastrophic as you imagine."
"Without the Holy King's presence, this giant might tear itself apart and Lothrian might be heavily damaged."
"However, a grand kingdom that has enjoyed eight hundred years of favorable resources and has deeply entrenched foundations, even if riddled with problems, won't collapse overnight."
Iron dragon Sorog agreed in chorus:
"I think the southern nations will be reshuffled through war, with resources and territories redistributed. During that ti, the Lothrian Kingdom might fall from its central position and beco an ordinary kingdom; total annihilation is possible but extrely unlikely."
Hearing his two brothers, Gordon froze.
He had not considered that.
When he first heard the Holy King's death and Princess Elina's resolute vow to die for the kingdom, his iron dragon blood reacted instinctively. After a flurry of analysis, he concluded the kingdom would collapse, which turned his anxiety into appetite—he both fretted and ate day after day.
But thinking carefully now,
Elina's words were more a declaration than a genuine intent to die.
The Federation as a whole might 'collapse,' but the nations that compose it—principalities and deeply rooted kingdoms—may not all perish. Those with strong foundations have a low probability of destruction.
"I think I equated the Federation with the Lothrian core, but they're actually different concepts. Damn it, Gordon, did you eat your brain too?!"
"Wait—so does that an I can go back to enjoying life without worry? Stop stressing about the future?"
"No, no. If the royal court gets caught in the war, I have to at least be able to protect myself and Elina."
Iron Dragon Gordon's left and right brain wrestled, his thoughts in chaos.
Until Garoth's reassuring words rang in his heart.
"Gordon, my dear brother, I know you're a complete ss right now."
"But rest assured, I will be your solid rear guard and guide you to make the right choices."
Garoth coaxed gently: "You and I, brothers belonging to the inner and outer parts of the realm, should join forces—the inside and the outside—take advantage of the coming Federation turmoil to quickly rise and build a realm dominated by dragons."
A dragon realm?!
Gordon's pupils constricted, his breathing growing much heavier.
[Dragon Taming Technique · Iron Dragon Notes]
[All iron dragons fantasize about establishing a realm ruled by dragons. To earn an iron dragon's trust and recognition, it's best to tailor conversations around this idea.]
"I have countless servants and provisions within the Federation, but openly building a dragon realm is too difficult."
Iron Dragon Gordon spoke without overconfidence, in a low voice.
Hearing this, the red iron dragon laughed, then grew serious: "Then start from the wilderness!"
"I can move more freely outside, and I'm determined to build a dragon realm."
"Gordon, you and I share similar blood running in our veins; we share the sa surna."
"One day, when a dragon realm stands on this earth and basks in the sun—my brother, I will share that light and glory with you."
Whoosh!
Gordon's ntal projection ignited! A layer of illusory flas surrounded him.
This was the ambition so thick it felt tangible.
The iron dragon's eyes shone, his gaze more resolute than ever: "Garoth, tell what to do!"
Good, full of spirit.
Garoth nodded in satisfaction: "Tell about this Princess Elina—how many resources does she control? How much can she do for the Lothrian core?"
The fat on Gordon's belly trembled as he thought, and he said: "She is the royal family's most beloved jewel."
"She is the late king's last child, naturally gifted in magic but not very ambitious. She spends her days absorbed in magic, not competing for power."
"Because of that she has the king's favor and controls several fiefs and various properties."
"I don't know the exact sums, but I know of at least three fiefs that produce magic crystal, and shares in three royal alchemical factories... In any case, she's wealthier than ordinary princes and princesses."
Otherwise she couldn't support a lazy foodie like him.
"She told she would live and die with the Lothrian Kingdom and would never cling to life."
Hearing that last sentence, Sorog couldn't help but ask, "Wait, that's contradictory to your earlier description. If this princess is so headstrong, why would she agree to run away with you?"
"Well... I planned to knock her out when she's not paying attention, bind her, and take her away."
Sorog fell silent for a few seconds, then said, "In a heavily guarded royal court where even Ancient Dragons won't rush in, you plan to knock out a princess and abduct her? Are you serious?"
Gordon nodded guiltily.
He was serious, but he had never thought his plan through, because deep down he also felt it unlikely.
"Gordon spends his life in the earth domain with comfortable conditions, it's normal for him to lack foresight."
The red iron dragon continued to ask, "Has Princess Elina shown any particular reactions lately because of the Federation's situation?"
Gordon said: "She's been tearing the corners of magic books lately—that's her nervous habit. A few days ago she ca to to vent, saying she wanted to help the kingdom but was treated like fragile porcelain."
Royal siblings aren't particularly close.
Elina disliked the fake smiles of her brothers and sisters and the flattery of nobles. When she had worries or felt troubled, she often confided in Iron Dragon Gordon.
Therefore Gordon understood her thoughts and situation very clearly.
Next, Garoth asked about many aspects, mostly related to Elina—
from the princess's daily routines to her interactions with other princes, princesses, and noble lords, leaving no detail untouched.
This princess would determine whether he could claim a share in the Federation's chaos, so he treated her as extrely important and sought to understand her thoroughly.
Finally, with Gordon's descriptions, Princess Elina's image grew clearer in Garoth's mind—
a magical fla protected under a crystal do, longing to ignite the prairie but unable to find a fuse.
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