[Vol. 7] Chapter 136: Resistance, War, and the Evolution of Peace
Since Claire was Lenka’s aunt and a member of the Dorgon tribe, she wasn’t really an outsider. So, Violet decided to be open and honest about the current situation in Sainz City and the reason they had come all the way here.
Upon hearing this, Claire and Kurt exchanged glances, their expressions turning somewhat complicated.
"So the conflict here has caused such trouble for Sainz? None of the previous investigators ever mentioned anything like that. I was wondering why they kept coming so frequently but never explained their reasons..."
With a slight sigh, the Dragon Priestess nodded.
"To be honest, we had some idea that the roadblocks might affect Sainz Academy, especially at a time like this. We’ve been allies for a long time, and if we had any other choice, we wouldn’t have taken things this far. But in this case, the Dragon Temple has no room to compromise. We can only apologize in advance."
"There’s no need to apologize to us. It’s not like we’re actually part of Sainz Academy… But what’s really going on? What exactly was stolen that made you go to such extreme lengths?"
"Well…"
Claire hesitated, noticing Violet's expression, which seemed to be genuine curiosity, and then looking down at the brown-haired girl tugging lightly at her priestly robes. She paused for a moment, then exchanged another glance with the Dragon Guardian beside her.
"What do you think, Kurt?"
"Hmm… Since both Lenka and Lady Cleo trust her, and she’s already helped our race so much, I don’t see a problem with telling her. Adventurers come from all sorts of backgrounds and don’t have strong ties to the Empire’s officials, so I doubt there’s any issue with her identity."
"That’s true."
After a brief moment of consideration, Claire turned back to the group, her expression growing serious.
"Lady Violet, we Dragonkin recognize your character. But can you personally vouch that everyone here is completely trustworthy and that they will not leak the secret we’re about to share? Please forgive my caution… but this matter concerns our faith in the Dragon God. We cannot afford any mistakes."
Lenka and Xiao Guang had nothing to say, while Violet glanced at Mia, who stood behind them, hands folded neatly at her abdomen, maintaining a flawless and dignified maid-like posture. She had not spoken a word throughout the conversation. Seeing that Mia remained with her eyes slightly closed, showing no reaction, Violet smiled and nodded.
"Of course. I vouch for them. If anything goes wrong, I’ll personally take responsibility."
"Alright, in that case…"
Since things had reached this point, Claire no longer hesitated and dropped a shocking revelation.
"To be honest, there never was a so-called sacred artifact. That was just an excuse we made up to the public."
"Huh? Aunt Claire, if nothing was actually stolen, then why is everyone being stopped from leaving?"
Hearing Lenka’s confused question, the Dragon Priestess shook her head gravely.
"No, something important was stolen. But it wasn’t a sacred artifact, it was… information."
Violet’s eyebrows lifted slightly.
"Information?"
"…You could put it that way."
Claire paused for a moment, as if carefully choosing her words.
"Lady Violet, how much do you know about the history of the Dragonkin, our beliefs, and the dragons we revere?"
Before the black-haired girl could answer, Claire let out a soft sigh and continued.
"Never mind. To avoid any misunderstandings, I’ll start from the beginning…"
"As you may already know, the Dragonkin were not a naturally formed race. Instead, we came together over time due to our deep reverence for the most powerful beings in existence, Dragons, or because our ancestors once received the protection and blessings of the Dragon race. Over time, we gradually gathered as a unified people, and ultimately, by the grace of the Dragon God, we underwent a partial transformation from ordinary beings into dragonkind."
"Because we were born from our devotion to Dragons and serve as their followers, we have only ever acknowledged the rule of Dragons and obeyed the will of the Dragon God. For this reason, we could never truly integrate into the Austre Empire, nor could we ever submit to its imperial authority."
"Over a hundred years ago, the Austre Empire suddenly rose to power and began aggressively expanding its territory. Its armies swept across the land, conquering nation after nation. During this period, they clashed violently with the Dragonkin territory, what is now known as the Lannas Province."
"The war lasted for more than ten years. Although the mythical Dragon species had vanished, leaving us without their protection, the power bestowed upon us by the Dragon God never faded. With that divine blessing, we defended our lands against foreign invaders, holding our ground without losing a single inch of territory for an entire decade."
As Claire spoke, both she and Kurt couldn't hide the pride on their faces. After all, in an era when the Austre Empire was expanding unchecked and countless nations had crumbled before its might, very few could stand against its iron cavalry. The fact that the Dragonkin had resisted for so long was a testament to their strength as the people of Dragons.
"However, while we managed to protect our homeland, we faced many challenges that made it difficult to launch counterattacks or assist other nations that had fallen under imperial rule. As the war dragged on, one neighboring country after another collapsed, leaving the Dragonkin lands completely surrounded by Austre’s forces."
"After more than ten years of battle, the Empire realized that defeating us by force was nearly impossible. So instead, they switched to a different strategy, sealing off all transportation and cutting off our resource supply. Their goal was to isolate us, weaken our strength little by little, and gradually wear down our will to resist."
"I have to admit, their strategy was highly effective. The prolonged war caused a severe decline in the Dragonkin territory’s economy, and resource shortages, especially in medical supplies, became a major crisis. The lack of supplies led to a significant number of non-combat casualties."
"At the same time, the Empire infiltrated our lands using spies and saboteurs. They burned our farmlands, destroyed our crops, poisoned our water sources, and sowed chaos among our people. This further accelerated the collapse of our social structure."
"By then, the Dragons had already vanished for a century. We Dragonkin possessed strength, but it was not enough to stand alone against the vast Austre Empire. The Empire’s conquest was inevitable. To prevent total annihilation, the leaders of our major clans held multiple discussions and, in the end, decided to compromise with the Austre Empire to a certain extent, agreeing to their terms of annexation."
Hearing this, the priestess nodded thoughtfully.
"The details of the war aren’t really recorded in books, but I have read about the agreement… The [Lannas Armistice Treaty]. It’s one of the few instances where the Austre Empire actually made concessions during its conquests, and many historians find it fascinating."
"If I recall correctly, the treaty renamed the Dragonkin lands as the Lannas Province and incorporated it into the Austre Empire. The Empire stationed troops and government officials there, but the Dragonkin were still allowed to maintain a limited military force. The province’s highest official would still be elected from within the Dragonkin clans, but its administration had to follow certain imperial directives, including taxation… Is that about right?"
"Exactly. Of course, the Empire wouldn’t allow records of their underhanded tactics to be documented. As for the treaty, it was essentially a form of 'peaceful assimilation.' The Austre rulers knew that if they pushed the Dragonkin to the brink, the backlash would be catastrophic. They also feared that exterminating us might provoke the wrath of the long-lost Dragons, whose whereabouts remained unknown. So instead, they sought to integrate us into their empire through cultural absorption."
Claire’s expression turned slightly disdainful.
"But as I said from the beginning, the Dragonkin serve only the true Dragon race. We were never meant to be the lapdogs of the Austre Empire."
"If we were to submit to another race, then we would no longer be Dragonkin."