Translator: AnubisTL
Evil dragons would never surrender their wealth.
For dragonkind, who cherished wealth above all else, not even the Dragon God could force them to relinquish their treasures, let alone a human noble—and the viscount was hardly a major noble.
Both Solgorn and Samantha, upon receiving the news, immediately considered killing the tax officials, flaying them, and hanging their remains along the trade route as a warning.
It was Garos who restrained their fury.
For Garos, parting with his wealth was painful, but not entirely impossible.
To secure better development and long-term stability, Garos was willing to pay a price. Thus, he orchestrated the first negotiation with the tax officials from behind the scenes.
Through this negotiation, Garos sensed that the noble lord behind the tax officials might not be acting in pursuit of long-term interests.
For instance, their insistence on collecting a year's back taxes and their refusal to budge from the 3,000 gold coin minimum made Garos suspect they were trying to extort him.
However, it was also possible that the tax officials lacked sufficient authority, and the negotiation was merely a probe.
Therefore, Garos offered a second opportunity, requesting the dispatch of higher-ranking personnel for more formal talks. The Ironforged Clan's "Lord" would also make an appearance.
"Solgorn, Samantha," Garos said calmly, his gaze steady. "Don't let your emotions cloud your reason and composure. This matter concerns our future development and is of utmost importance. We must approach it with cool-headed decision-making."
The red-iron dragon's authority gradually calmed the two.
Samantha's tail thumped against the ground as she spat, "Three thousand gold coins? Why doesn't that greedy human just come and rob us directly?" Her vertical pupils narrowed dangerously. "My stance remains unchanged: we should slaughter every last one of these insolent, provoking vermin and dismantle their alchemy golems."
Samantha raised her head, sparks erupting from her nostrils. "The wilderness has always been ruled by the strong! What value do human laws hold here?! Their deaths will be far more persuasive than any tax payment."
Garos remained silent, turning his gaze toward the Iron Dragon Solgorn.
Solgorn's iron claws scraped deep furrows into the ground as he growled, "Human nobles understand neither respect nor reverence. They arrogantly deem all other races as monsters, even classifying us dragonkind among them. Hmph! If we compromise and pay taxes today, tomorrow they'll demand we serve as their mounts!"
The iron dragon was more rational than Samantha, but when it came to matters of wealth, this pure-blooded, pure-souled evil dragon refused to yield an inch.
"Let's kill the tax official first! That will show the humans we're not to be trifled with!"
The iron dragon and red dragon surprisingly found common ground.
Garos spoke slowly, his deep voice resonating through the rain.
"Directly declaring war is the most foolish option. Have you considered that if we kill one tax official today, tomorrow we might face the Lothurn Federation's knight order?"
He continued, "Our clan's foundation, built over years of accumulation here, could be destroyed in an instant."
After a pause, Garos narrowed his eyes, his tone shifting. "But if they insist on war, then let them have war!"
It would merely result in mutual destruction and another relocation.
In truth, Garos had already sensed a deep sense of danger since the arrival of the tax official and the viscount's hostility.
Now, their peaceful life had been shattered.
The Ironforged Clan had been forced into the open.
And this was just the beginning. Soon, they would face increased scrutiny and surveillance from all sides. If the existence of the three dragons were accidentally revealed, they would face a perilous encirclement and extermination campaign.
Compared to the wealth the three dragons could bring, the Ironforged Clan's accumulated wealth from years of trade routes paled in comparison.
Dragon hunting, in the eyes of human nobles, represented immense wealth and glory. Moreover, hunting evil dragons required no fear of political repercussions. Hybrid dragons like Garos were particularly prized, commanding exorbitant prices.
Especially since the viscount behind the tax official seemed desperately in need of funds.
Under these circumstances, the consequences of revealing their dragonkind identity were all too predictable.
Garos's plan was this:
If negotiations went smoothly, they would continue to lie low and develop for a while longer, acquiring growth resources and seizing opportunities as they arose.
If negotiations failed:
He would immediately overturn the table. Before their presence could be discovered, denying the human legions a chance to encircle and annihilate them, he would strike first, inflicting devastating blows on the nobles who had disrupted their peace and making them pay a terrible price. Then, they would gather all their valuables and relocate with utmost speed.
Dragons, with their long lifespans, never permanently settle in a single territory.
Garos felt little attachment to the land beneath his feet. When he decided to seize the Scaly Earth Rift Road to secure growth resources, he had already anticipated this day would come.
"For the next formal negotiations, we need to send a lord to represent us," Garos said, his gaze sweeping over the two juvenile dragons. "Our true identities must remain concealed, or we'll invite annihilation. Karu will impersonate the lord and conduct the negotiations."
Solgorn and Samantha had no objections.
They were no longer naive young dragons, unaware of the consequences of revealing their identities as evil dragons.
At that moment, Iron Dragon Solgorn, reflecting on their current situation, murmured, "We should have a metallic dragon among us."
Submetallic dragons and metallic dragons were not on good terms.
In ancient times, submetallic dragons had once belonged to the metallic dragon lineage. However, due to some unknown, hidden reason, they were banished, splitting off to form the submetallic dragon race. This history had left a delicate tension between the two groups.
Despite this history, Iron Dragon Solgorn still desired a metallic dragon ally.
On one hand, his dream was to establish a Dragon Empire that included metallic dragons.
On the other hand, the metallic dragons' reputation for benevolence made them ideal allies. Many nobles even took pride in forging alliances with them, unlike evil dragons, who would be hunted down the moment they revealed themselves.
Samantha bluntly stated, "I hate metallic dragons. I don't want to associate with them."
Garos narrowed his eyes, saying nothing, but inwardly agreed with Solgorn's idea.
The iron dragon was right. A dragon group consisting entirely of evil dragons would be too conspicuous and dangerous.
Although Garos was a Red Iron Hybrid, a natural-born evil dragon, and shared Samantha's dislike for metallic dragons, he could suppress his innate instincts.
Garos reasoned that having a metallic dragon ally to stand at the forefront would resolve many unnecessary troubles. Moreover, while most evil dragons were capricious, metallic dragons were generally more approachable.
However, metallic dragons rarely traveled alone.
After careful recollection, Garos could only recall the red copper dragon with a penchant for riddles.
It had been over a decade since their last encounter. Back then, the red copper dragon must have been over 25 years old, already in its adolescent stage.
If I could meet the red copper dragon again, Garos thought, I'll find a way to bring it into the fold.
The mere presence of a metallic dragon would make those seeking to attack him hesitate, weighing the risks carefully.
Looking back, Garos regretted his initial heavy-handedness, realizing he hadn't fully grasped this point. He vowed that the next time he met Deborah, the red copper dragon, he would never again steal her possessions but would instead treat her with kindness.
Next, Garos instructed the Gluttony Demon Karu to disguise himself as the Ironforged Clan's lord and represent him publicly. He also tasked Samantha with crafting armor that would conceal Karu's dragonkin features.
Though Karu was burly, he possessed a keen mind and could handle the task.
Time flowed by, day after day.
A week passed, but Viscount Ironthorn's forces still hadn't arrived.
However, the monsters of the Ironforged Clan keenly noticed that the number of merchant caravans traveling the Scaly Earth Rift Road had dwindled by nearly a third and was continuing to decline, severely impacting the clan's trade.
When they inquired with the merchants, they learned that Viscount Ironthorn had raised the road tax on the Scaly Earth Rift Road to its maximum limit.
According to the Lothurn Federation's trade laws, road taxes had a maximum cap, but few routes actually charged the full amount. Now, with the Scaly Earth Rift Road's tax raised to the limit, many merchants were avoiding it altogether.
To prevent tax evasion, tax officials and Fearless Alchemical Golems had stationed themselves at the entrance of the Scaly Earth Rift Road, personally collecting taxes from passing caravans.
Garos learned of this development as well.
Clearly, this was the viscount flexing his power to exert pressure ahead of the upcoming negotiations.
He was sending a clear message to the Ironforged Clan: if they refused to pay the taxes, he had plenty of ways to deal with these primitive, uncivilized beasts.
As for the viscount himself, while his long-term interests might suffer, he was currently focused on short-term gains. Moreover, his holdings extended beyond the Scaly Earth Rift Road, so he wasn't entirely dependent on its revenue, giving him the confidence to take such drastic measures.
Furthermore...
The sorcerers of the various clans had also discovered that some of the recently traded goods contained hidden alchemy items used for tracking.
Garos had foreseen this.
He had long established a strict protocol:
All goods acquired through the trade route were not immediately transported to the territory. Instead, they were gathered in a central location and subjected to repeated inspections by multiple sorcerers to prevent accidents. This scrutiny was especially rigorous for items destined for the dragons.
This foresight prevented the direct exposure of the Ironforged Clan's core territory.
As for the source of the tracking devices, there was no doubt it was the work of Viscount Ironthorn.
Whether to exert further pressure or prepare for failed negotiations, he sought to obtain the coordinates of the Ironforged Clan's territory.
However, he had underestimated Garos's caution and wisdom.
To guard against the possibility of the viscount possessing more advanced, undetectable tracking devices, Garos ordered his chosen to stockpile all recently traded goods in the wilderness, away from the territory, and temporarily halt trade with the merchant caravans.
The tracking devices hidden within the goods were then scattered across the territories of powerful ferocious beasts and demonic creatures.
Any scouting parties following the tracking signals would not only fail to locate the core territory but also face attacks from these formidable creatures.
Formal negotiations hadn't even begun, yet an invisible clash was already underway.
(End of the Chapter)
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