Chapter 328: Chapter 219: Wallens Governor (Part 2)
David was more than happy for more such good things to come his way. It was said that some noble knights were quite valuable, and selling them back as hostages could net a large sum.
However, David was somewhat stunned by Alianna’s next words. "Moreover," she said, "the most important thing is that the Governor’s wife possesses Luwalden royal blood and is also a powerful Countess of Luwalden. As long as you, Prince David Uthos, issue a proclamation in Lady Freyameya’s name, you can become the legitimate Governor of Port of Wallens in the Luwalden Duchy."
"..." David instantly felt his sister Tania’s gaze on him turn somewhat strange.
Damn, what does she mean by issuing a proclamation in Lady Freyameya’s name? Is this crafty Drow actually inciting me to take down the Countess and then legitimately take over?
Although this was indeed the unwritten rule and common practice among the nobility of this world, am I, David, such an indiscriminate dragon? Hm?
"Tania, transform for me," David ordered, flicking his tail. In full view of everyone, he picked up his Silver Dragon sister, who was beside him.
Having a tacit understanding with David, Tania instantly transformed at his voice into a noble girl with silver hair and a luxurious dress. David placed her on his head like a mascot, then looked around at the Dragons and their kin, declaring,
"Behold! From this day forward, our Miss Silver Dragon, Princess Tania, shall be the new Governor of Port of Wallens in the Luwalden Duchy. Now, Princess Tania, do you have the confidence to be a good Governor and provide all vassals and citizens with a peaceful and prosperous life?"
"Of course!" Tania replied with utmost confidence, tilting her chin up as the dragons around her laughed knowingly.
This seemingly frivolous arrangement was a decision David made on the spur of the moment.
In David’s plans, the Luwalden Duchy had always been merely a stepping stone, a bridgehead for his eastward advance toward the Elven Kingdom. Therefore, the nominal identity of the ruler didn’t matter. What mattered was who would be more easily accepted by the local populace as the figurehead ruler and who could ensure greater efficiency in policy execution.
Theoretically, it would be simplest and most effective to support Lady Freyameya, the actual Countess with power, or to follow Alianna’s subtle suggestion: directly take down the Governor’s wife and, in her name, support himself—the Red Dragon—to ascend to the governorship. Both approaches conformed to the rules of human royal politics; no matter how absurd, they were still the most readily accepted by the nobility.
But the question is, why do I, as a Red Dragon, need to be accepted by a bunch of nobles? If anyone dares to oppose me, I’ll just deal with them directly!
For David, it was enough for his Chromatic Dragons to be accepted by the more numerous common folk. Then, through the bloodline bestowal ceremony, he could conjure a knightly noble system, similar to those in Human Kingdoms, out of thin air.
It wasn’t about power and titles, as in Human Kingdoms. He was more direct: he would bestow powers granted by the Chromatic Dragons and then, through bloodline, convert the recipients into his own kin and vassals.
On neighboring Blue Star, this would be like giving ordinary people a choice: be a customs employee, or be a ’captain’ with the actual authority of an employee and the power of a super-soldier? Most would know which to choose, right?
In a way, this was truly about dyeing the entire world red with his own bloodline.
The only problem was that the stereotype of Chromatic Dragons bringing ’destruction and disaster’ was too deeply ingrained in people’s minds. Under his rule, fear and unease would undoubtedly predominate.
On this point, Metal Dragons fared much better. Gold Dragons were mostly seen as impartial wilderness judges, while Silver Dragons, often the subjects of human fantasies involving spellcasting, were practically social butterflies.
A Red Dragon Governor versus a Silver Dragon Governor—there was almost no choice to be made; everyone would simply vote with their feet, even if this Silver Dragon Governor had under her command an assortment of Chromatic Dragons, Drow, Dwarves, Barbarians, and even Ogres.
But humans are sometimes like that. As long as they are given a plausible superficial reason, they will cling to that notion and hope, frantically conditioning themselves into compliant subjects.
"Lead the way. Let’s see our Governor’s Mansion," David ordered immediately.
Most importantly, it was time to inventory the loot.
This was every dragon’s most anticipated activity after seizing a new territory.
Meanwhile, as David prepared to set out, he pondered how to manage the idle Dragons behind him—who showed an increasing tendency to ’wreck the place’—and the Dwarves, who were about to vomit from hunger. Just then, a Humanoid Creature cloaked in a linen robe hurried over.
With a CLANG, the Barbarian Rosinde and the skin-changing Ogre Monado, who were always stationed near David, drew their Exile’s Blade and Horse-Slaying Saber respectively, blocking the newcomer.
"Halt! Who goes there?" they challenged.
However, the figure, under the wary and puzzled gazes of Rosinde and the others, yanked off the linen robe, revealing Dragon Scales and Dragon Horns that marked them as different from ordinary people.
A Dragonkin?
Dragonkin Rhodes, his face alight with fervor, stared at Rosinde, who possessed similar ’Dragonkin traits.’ Believing Rosinde to be one of his own kind, he dropped to his knees, kowtowing in an almost prostrate plea.
"Prince David Uthos!" he implored. "I, Dragonkin Rhodes, have always revered the fame of Your Excellency, the Flame Steel Dragon! I beg to join your ranks, to become one of your kin, and to serve You!"
David, who had just spread his wings and was preparing to fly to the Governor’s Mansion in the Upper City, paused. His eyes narrowed slightly as he regarded this humble, minion-like figure with keen interest and then inquired.