Chapter 239: Chapter 165: Harpist Alliance (V)
Faced with the scorching breath and the threat of death, Abir bit her silver teeth lightly. The declaration she made when joining the Harpist Alliance and Richard’s submission flashed repeatedly in her mind.
But undoubtedly, she wavered, no longer as resolute as she was just now.
“Don’t worry, I won’t make you reveal information about the Harpists.”
“Then, then what do you want?”
The elf trembled as she spoke. She seed to have anticipated the worst possible outco.
Cassius simply said in a flat tone, “The ‘Twilight Blade’ Rhea, the half-elf paladin from Serinia, do you know her whereabouts?”
...
“Why are you asking about her?”
At the ntion of this na, Abir’s eyebrows slightly furrowed. She never expected that the ‘Twilight Blade,’ who had stirred such a commotion within the kingdom, would have any connection to the Red Dragon in front of her.
To be honest, Abir didn’t have a good impression of this half-elf, although they even shared so kinship.
Rhea was at the center of the power struggle between the Elf Queen and the Elder Council, causing significant turmoil in otherwise stable Serinia. So conservative elf elders even called her a “lowly mongrel” and “a thief trying to steal power.”
The reason was simple—the queen wanted to grant this trusted lieutenant, who had human blood, the supre grace of the Elven Goddess, making her a powerful Blessed by Moonlight. This undoubtedly broke the sacred traditions of the High Elves, receiving fierce resistance from the Elder Council, and even led to signs of unrest.
The elf’s hesitation made Cassius a bit impatient.
“Do you think this is a request? You have no choice.”
The Red Dragon grabbed the elf again with its claw, slowly increasing the pressure, making it hard for her to breathe.
“Wait… I, I know.”
Rhea’s whereabouts weren’t a secret, and Abir had long been dissatisfied with the unrest within Serinia. Under the pressure of survival, she chose to tell the truth.
“She’s in Serinia, now a general under the king’s command. That’s all I know. Really, I haven’t been back to my holand for a long ti, and this information is just hearsay from my fellow tribesn.”
Only then did the Red Dragon let go, carelessly tossing the bruised elf to the ground.
This elf was still very young and weak, hard to get in touch with Serinia’s secrets, so to him, her utility was not great. However, she might be a bargaining chip to threaten the Elf Kingdom.
After all, after nurous Crown Wars in the previous era, the once continent-ruling elves had long entered a decline. For their sparse population, every one of their citizens was a valuable asset.
“Escort her back alive,” Cassius ordered casually.
“I… survived,” Abir felt a bit incredulous. This Red Dragon really didn’t covet anything; it simply asked for basic information.
It seed the intelligence provided by the Northern Nobility might not be accurate—at least in the eyes of the elves, this Red Dragon was not that irredeemably cruel and evil.
“Sigh…”
But thinking of Richard’s betrayal, she sighed heavily again, feeling deeply pained and conflicted, with nowhere to vent her complex emotions.
The Tiefling guards escorted the elf back to the dark and damp cell, where it seed she would spend a long ti.
…
“That ‘old acquaintance’ might have already stepped into the legendary level,” Cassius muttered to himself.
When they first t, the half-elf paladin had already reached Level Twenty, capable of slaying Red Dragons solo. At that ti, he was just a young dragon, barely escaping under the paladin’s scrutinizing gaze, utterly embarrassed.
And now, he was about to rule the entire North, needing to plot against the South.
Cassius still rembered the past humiliation. Although he was not fond of his dragon mother, the Red Dragon still wanted this half-elf, who had once driven him to flee, to pay a price. More importantly, she had sothing that the Red Dragon coveted.
According to his mory, Rhea, after traveling through various countries and eradicating evil, gained fa as the ‘Twilight Blade’ on the continent, then took the final step to beco a legendary paladin. Following that, she returned to the Elf Kingdom under the queen’s decree, quelled the Elder Council’s rebellion, and received the divine grace, becoming the Shenshen (God’s favorite).
In the future ‘Dark Moon Cataclysm,’ she would play an even more important role, being amusingly referred to by players as ‘Elf Long Aotian.’
Thinking of this, Cassius exhaled a breath of sulfur-scented air.
“Tsk, the strength of the North is still too weak. If we don’t successfully unify in four years, we’ll struggle to withstand Anzeta’s demon invasion, let alone touch the vast South.”
Just then, a Tiefling guard reported at the door.
“Your Majesty, Lord zulash has arrived.”
“Let him in.”
“Yes.”
zulash walked into the hall familiarly, half-kneeling in front of the throne.
“I have followed your orders and instructed the ‘Nocturne’ unit to conduct a thorough investigation. We have found twelve Harpist Alliance spies within the territory. After interrogation, their so-called organization seems to take us seriously. More may infiltrate the kingdom for small-scale espionage in the future. What do you want to do with them?”
“Make them spill everything they know and imprison them. There’s no need to break off completely with the Harpists yet.”
Cassius sneered.
“When the kingdom’s rule extends far enough, they will remove from their so-called ‘evil organization’ list. They might even actively try to recruit us. These spies can then beco bargaining chips for compensation in the future.”
“Understood, Master.”
Cassius narrowed his eyes and continued, “zulash, as you know, I am about to enter a years-long slumber. When I wake again, I hope to see a well-established intelligence network both inside and outside the kingdom, not the current ragtag group.”
“I won’t disappoint you.”
zulash replied calmly.
Having escaped the desperation of being hunted, and having moved past the blood grudges from his kin, zulash now only wanted the burgeoning Ashen Kingdom, this ever-expanding monster, to thrive, and to secure more benefits for his kin within it.
Tieflings held a special status in the Ashen Kingdom, present in City Defense Armies across different regions. These were considered decent positions.
Because among the retainers in the Ashen Nest, their numbers were sufficient, and they were far more composed than the brutal goblins and ogres. However, this advantage also caused many retainers to harbor jealousy toward the Tieflings.
The chaotic and undisciplined goblins and kobolds could only be stationed in desolate places like the Stormy Ridge, with so unlucky retainers even sent to guard the Ice Field. They had an intense longing for the lucrative post in the prosperous cities.
“You may leave.”
“Yes.”
With that, zulash withdrew.
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