"Hmm? Merfolk or sea sirens?" Riding in the dragon-bird chariot, Muria arrived at a coastal city, which was also part of the Thorn Territory. The unique feature of this city was that half of it lay submerged in the sea. The primary residents were not humans but intelligent marine creatures, with humans making up only a small portion of the population.
With a hint of curiosity, Muria descended from the chariot to explore the city. There, he met the ruler, a mermaid, who warmly welcomed him.
During the banquet held in his honor, Muria learned about the city's development and took the opportunity to inquire about the background of the Dragon Knight, Bernard. However, the mermaid wasn't too familiar with his origins.
"I've only heard that Bernard was born into a noble family, though his status wasn't particularly high. But as his power grew, so did his position, eventually becoming the pillar of his family. I only met him after he rose to prominence, so all I know are bits and pieces."
"I've heard that when he was young, he saved a sea spirit in distress. With the help of that sea spirit, he began to acquire resources from the ocean. It's also thanks to that sea spirit that he was able to recruit us."
"What are your duties? Or rather, what does this human expect you mermaids to do for him?" Muria wasn't surprised that merfolk were serving a human. In fact, as long as there was enough profit involved, almost anything could happen.
"He has us mermaids protect every ship from the Thorn Territory that sails the seas," the beautiful mermaid city lord explained to Muria, as Bernard had already instructed her to be forthright with him.
"Ships departing from the Thorn Territory are relatively safe, but those coming from the mainland to the Thorn Territory are more troublesome. They often carry special cargo, which attracts sea monsters. When that happens, we have to help fend them off."
"The cargo on those ships from the mainland... it's human, isn't it?" Muria asked suddenly.
"Yes, humans are indeed the most important commodity traded by the Thorn Territory," the mermaid complimented him. "Your insight is remarkable."
"It's nothing," Muria replied nonchalantly. This was simply a deduction based on the information he had gathered. There were almost no humans on the Dragon Peninsula, yet in just over a decade since the Thorn Territory was established, it had accumulated a population of over a million humans. Most of these people still bore the marks of chains on their wrists and ankles, so their origin was clear.
"Lord Moo, we're not the only ones protecting the fleet. There's also a bronze dragon involved," the mermaid city lord suddenly added, hinting that she had already guessed Muria's identity.
"A bronze dragon," Muria's eyes narrowed slightly. Bronze dragons were aquatic creatures that liked to inhabit shallow seas and nest on sea cliffs. They rarely interacted with humans, so it was curious how Bernard had managed to get one to serve him.
"Do you know where that dragon is? I'd like to have a chat with him," Muria inquired. The sapphire dragon beneath Thorn Castle hadn't wanted to talk to him, but this bronze dragon might be different. After all, Muria was a higher-ranking gold dragon.
"Of course, I know. According to Lord Bernard's orders, my city is responsible for providing resources to the bronze dragon."
…
"Vayne," the mermaid city lord called out to the bronze dragon as they arrived at the sea. Soon, under Muria's watchful gaze, the turquoise waters parted, and a slender, youthful dragon emerged from the waves, looking expectantly at the mermaid.
"Where's the food?" The bronze dragon scanned the area and, noticing only the mermaid city lord and a young man, grumbled with dissatisfaction.
"It's not time for your meal yet, Vayne. This ancient dragon here wants to meet you."
"Ancient dragon!" The young bronze dragon's eyes turned to Muria. After a brief inspection, his eyes showed a mix of awe and respect, as he recognized the aura Muria was deliberately emitting.
"It seems you're living quite well," Muria observed the bronze dragon, noting his shiny scales and excellent physical condition, indicating a plentiful supply of resources. Clearly, the human wasn't mistreating him.
But this still didn't explain why a bronze dragon would serve a human. Dragons were certainly greedy, but they wouldn't lower themselves to slavery for treasure. A dragon's pride was as great as its greed. Treasure might motivate a dragon to work, but it couldn't force it into servitude.
"Tell me, why are you serving a human?" Muria asked calmly, unable to understand the situation.
"I made a pact with Bernard," the bronze dragon Vayne replied, a hint of embarrassment in his eyes. His relationship with Bernard had begun by chance, and after some coercion from Bernard, he had agreed to the contract. Although he hadn't been happy about it initially, the continuous flow of resources and treasures from Bernard had made him complacent.
Vayne's plan was to outlive the human with his long lifespan. Once Bernard died, the contract would naturally dissolve, and he would return to the sea, free once more.
Through a detailed conversation with the young dragon, Muria learned the full story of how Vayne met Bernard and discovered the crucial method Bernard used to bind him.
"The Dragon Knight Contract!" With Vayne's cooperation, Muria learned about this Dragon Knight contract, a secret technique passed down through generations of Dragon Knights. It was specifically designed to bond dragons to their riders.
Of course, this contract was an equal one, not a form of slavery. Still, to dragons, it was a form of insult. How could a mere human be on par with a noble dragon?
The contract allowed humans to harness a dragon's power for their own cultivation. It also benefited the dragons, enabling them to better control and develop their internal power through the rider's guidance, accelerating their growth. Additionally, the dragons gained resources through their riders, varying depending on the rider's capabilities.
To Muria, the Dragon Knight Contract seemed more like a mutually beneficial transaction. Both sides gave and received something in return. From a neutral perspective, it was a win-win deal. However, the process of forming such a contract was rarely pleasant, as dragons generally looked down on humans.
"This contract is quite interesting. I'll have to get Bernard's Dragon Knight legacy and study it. After all, it's a technique that can help dragons grow faster."
Through Vayne, Muria investigated the specifics of the Dragon Knight contract. According to Vayne, Bernard would train with him periodically, guiding the dragon's internal power.
Vayne didn't find these training sessions particularly unpleasant. On the contrary, he appreciated the way Bernard concentrated on guiding his power. Each training session left Vayne slightly stronger.
Muria also took a closer look at the bronze dragon's condition and was surprised to find that Vayne's development far exceeded what was typical for his age.
Vayne wasn't a young dragon, as Muria had initially thought, but a juvenile dragon who had just transitioned from adolescence. His appearance and power had led Muria to mistake him for a young adult.
…
In the days that followed, Muria continued to explore the Thorn Territory, discovering more intriguing aspects. He found that the land was home to more than just humans; there were also many non-human races. For example, in the coastal cities, he encountered numerous intelligent marine creatures, including merfolk and naga. Bernard had even enslaved a large number of fishmen, who now worked for him, extracting resources from the ocean and constructing cities.
In the interior, Muria discovered a sizable dwarf tribe. Upon inquiry, he learned that Bernard had purchased the entire tribe at an auction and transported them here via the sea. The dwarves seemed to be living well, enjoying a steady supply of good food and drink, courtesy of Bernard.
Besides the dwarves, Muria found a small number of elves, also acquired by Bernard through slave traders. The elves worked in the Thorn Territory to cultivate rare plants and enhance the greenery.
In addition to these races, Muria also found hill giants working for Bernard, tasked with building cities. It was thanks to these hill giants that Bernard had managed to construct over thirty cities in just over a decade.
"Bernard, you really are quite the all-rounder," Muria couldn't help but marvel as he traveled throughout the Thorn Territory. While Bernard had initially used forceful methods to make many of these non-human races serve him, he had gradually won their genuine cooperation through mutual benefit. He treated these races generously.
In the Thorn Territory, ordinary humans held the lowest status, while skilled races like the dwarves, elves, and hill giants enjoyed higher positions. The hill giants, in particular, were a privileged race here, thanks to their expertise in city building.
"From now on, you'll be my chief farmer. Spend the rest of your life farming for me!" After completing his inspection of the Thorn Territory, Muria decided Bernard's fate.
_________________________
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