[Vol. 7] Chapter 143: The Hand That Manipulates the Game
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Claire and the other Dragon Priests looked more solemn than ever.
"You mean... the Empire might strike first and try to suppress us with full force?"
"Not suppress. Annihilate."
Violet shook her finger and spoke with a blank expression.
"You said it yourself, the Austre Empire spent over a hundred years trying to assimilate the Dragonkin through cultural influence and peaceful means. But then, the emergence of the Dragon God shattered all their efforts. That’s why the Austre Empire is so desperate to gather intel on this ‘game-changer’, to find a way to counteract him."
"The Dragonkin are strong and united, a force that’s incredibly difficult to deal with. Even the Austre Empire would rather avoid facing you head-on. But that doesn’t mean they can’t eliminate you."
"Times have changed. Technology advancements are steadily narrowing the gap between the strong and ordinary soldiers. The Austre Empire today is far stronger and more ambitious than it was a century ago."
"The fact that they’re bold enough to bare their fangs at the old-world powers, like the Holy Empire, means they’ve already made all the necessary preparations. Their ambitions won’t be stopped by something as small as the Dragonkin."
"So, you’re left with only two choices. Submit or be completely destroyed."
"The Austre Empire is still probing for information. The fact that they’re not making outright aggressive moves yet means they haven’t fully committed to wiping you out at all costs. But if you respond too aggressively, if you’re the one to tear away the last mask first, then you’re forcing both sides into an all-out war. At that point, there’d be no turning back."
As the Dragon Priestess' face darkened, the priestess girl suddenly smiled. Her expression carrying a hint of mystery.
"Hmm… I suppose that kind of reasoning is too hard for your pride to accept. So, let me put it this way instead. At least for now, avoid making any rash decisions. Otherwise..."
She took a step forward and leaned in, whispering a few words softly into Claire's ear.
"What!? How do you know about that…!?"
The woman, the only one who had heard the whispered words, instantly turned pale with shock. But before she could react or demand an answer, the priestess simply smiled and spun away, offering a reassuring remark.
"Relax, relax~ This is something only I know. I won’t tell anyone else. I think it should be pretty obvious by now that I’m not your enemy, right?"
"You…"
Claire stared at her, her expression full of suspicion and uncertainty, but Violet remained unfazed. She simply gestured for Lenka to come over. The little girl quickly left her aunt's side and ran up to her true temporary guardian.
"Are we going back now, Sister Violet?"
Violet playfully tapped her nose.
"Yep. The sun’s setting soon. Unless… you don’t want to leave your people behind? Are you planning to spend the night here~?"
"Eh… Alright, alright. Aunt Claire, I’ll see you next time!"
"Ah… Oh, goodbye, Lenka. I’ll let your mother know you’re safe."
Amidst the cheerful farewells and playful chatter, the group soon left the tent, their footsteps fading into the distance. Meanwhile, Claire stood rooted in place, a conflicted expression on her face, hesitant but ultimately choosing not to take any further action.
The Dragonkin were not ones to betray those who had helped them. And that woman… she was not the same as the Austre Empire’s spies.
Noticing her troubled expression, the other priests approached her.
"What’s wrong, Claire? What did that Violet woman say to you just now?"
Claire remained silent for a moment, then slowly turned her gaze toward the sealed, cube-like metal container resting on the table.
"…She already knows the truth about Her Divineness."
"What!?"
Above the valley, overlooking the distant camp that was gradually being unsealed, a carriage arrived beside the black-haired girl, ready to take them back to the city. Holding onto her small hand, the blonde little dragon girl finally showed a hint of confusion.
Even though Violet had spoken in a hushed voice earlier, for a young dragon girl with exceptional senses, catching most of the conversation wasn’t difficult at all.
As Lenka climbed into the carriage with Mia and the coachman’s help, the small golden-haired figure, who was still a short distance away, glanced in another direction before lowering her voice.
"Master, why did you let that one human leave? He’s probably one of those spies from the intelligence bureau too, right?"
Though her wording was a bit odd, Violet remained calm and simply nodded.
"Some information needs to reach the Empire. They need to know Marlon is dead. They need to know this situation hasn’t yet reached the point of no return. This will help keep things stable, at least for now, and buy her more time."
"Her…? You mean the Dragon God? But how does Master know She’s fallen into slumber? You’re going to such lengths to help Her people… Do you know Her?"
Turning her head slightly, the black-haired girl gently ruffled the little one's soft golden hair and smiled.
"Xiao Guang, let’s say, hypothetically, if you woke up one day and found that all your followers and subjects had been completely wiped out by some country, what would you do?"
"Uh…"
Tilting her head in thought, the little dragon girl seriously considered it before answering with conviction.
"I’d probably be really angry. I mean, my followers aren’t that important to me, but if someone knows they worship me and still dares to slaughter them like that, then that’s an outright challenge, a provocation. Of course, I’d have to strike back and burn that country to ashes in return."
"Heh, you..."
"What? Master, do you think that’s too cruel? I can be a bit more merciful if you want. I’ll only burn down their capital and a few important cities. After all, the ones making the decisions must be living there..."
"Alright, alright, don’t say terrifying things like that with such a calm face. That’s not going to happen. It was just a hypothetical situation, nothing more. Let’s go... it’s time to head back."
………………………………………
Austre Empire, Frederick City.
Royal Palace, Inner Hall.
"I see... so it failed."
Seated on a lavish throne, a towering man with a statue-like, hardened expression fell into a brief silence after listening to the report from a figure cloaked in gray.
"It was merely a test operation. A failure is a failure, what matters is whether all loose ends were taken care of."
The gray-cloaked figure bowed respectfully.
"Yes, Your Majesty. All members involved in the operation took poison and died before they could be captured. This has been personally verified by the [Tail Severer], none of our intelligence was leaked."
"Hmm... They were all warriors of the Empire. Give them proper burials. If they have families, ensure they are well compensated. Handle it the same way as before."
"Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness."
After bowing again, the cloaked figure hesitated for a moment before speaking up.
"Additionally, Your Majesty, according to the [Tail Severer]’s report, our failure this time is directly linked to a certain legendary adventurer, recently honored as a Professor at Sainz Academy. She’s known as the [Priest]. Somehow, she was able to locate our agents hidden among the crowd through unknown means. She also seems to have an exceptional understanding of the Intelligence Bureau. Regarding this matter..."