Chapter 351: Escape from Stravsburg
"Don't kill me!"
"Huff, huff..."
Viscount Ludon jolted awake from his nightmare, sitting upright as he gasped for air.
Nervously, he touched his neck, and only after confirming it had not been severed by a guillotine did he breathe a long sigh of relief.
But the bloody memories resurfaced—visions of that lifeless, wide-eyed head and the frenzied faces of the crowd.
Immediately, he retched again.
"The public trial..."
"They're all mad, everyone's gone mad..."
Viscount Ludon shook his head repeatedly, unable to stop mumbling to himself.
He struggled to take in his surroundings: the hard stone floor beneath him, cold iron bars to his left, and walls stained with grime and blood.
He recognized this place.
It was Stravsburg's dungeon, used to hold criminals or vagrants from the streets.
Never before had any noble of the Northlands been confined here.
Still, compared to his peers, Ludon was fortunate—he had kept his head.
The thought made him uneasy again.
Could he too be dragged to one of those so-called "public trials"?
Recalling those nightmarish scenes, Ludon's heart began pounding furiously.
He panted heavily, shaking his head incessantly.
"No..."
"I need to get out of this cursed place!"
"The Northlands... the Northlands have become the dragon's lair! Everyone's gone insane!"
Ludon gritted his teeth as he spoke.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed nearby. He quickly covered his mouth, feigning unconsciousness while squinting to peek through barely opened eyes.
In the flickering candlelight of the corridor, several tiefling guards passed by, their spears in hand.
Only when he was certain they had left did Ludon cautiously open his eyes and curse under his breath.
"Damn it..."
"With so many patrols, how am I supposed to escape?"
Suddenly, the shadows in the corner seemed to stir, and a low, unfamiliar voice emerged from within.
"Do you want to escape?"
"Who's there?"
Ludon, desperate for a lifeline, clung to the voice, his fear overridden by the possibility of salvation.
After all, this might be his only hope of escaping.
He had to survive!
"Quick, get me out of here!"
Viscount Ludon urged anxiously.
The shadows swirled before condensing into the form of a man clad in a black robe. The man bowed politely to Ludon.
"Viscount Ludon Seager, I am an agent of the Holy Fadran Empire. His Majesty Wilhelm believes that the Northland nobility are the rightful rulers of Anzeta."
"Y-Yes, of course," Ludon stammered.
"However, it is unfortunate that Grand Duke Leo Bosk's heirs have all met untimely ends. You, it seems, are his closest surviving kin."
"Oh?" Ludon's eyes lit up.
The robed man grabbed Ludon's hand, silently dragging him into the shadow plane. He leaned in close, whispering into his ear:
"His Majesty Wilhelm will install you as the titular Grand Duke of the Northlands. In the South, you will promote Anzeta's history and rally attention against this red dragon."
"Good, good, I accept!"
"What many may not know is that Duke Ludon embellished his tale. His true identity... was a male courtesan."
"How else could a mere idle viscount suddenly become the so-called 'Duke of the Northlands'?"
"In fact, Duke Ludon's escape through the Thalessian Kingdom involved servicing His Majesty Wilhelm as a male courtesan."
— An Anonymous Historian, Miscellaneous Chronicles of Faianthor
Northwind Fortress, Steel Dragonwing Palace.
Cassius lay languidly on his throne, exhaling sulfurous breath as he watched a distant magical projection with disinterest.
"See that?"
"This is what conflict looks like."
"We are not of the same kind as these humans. It's entirely possible they will be swayed by the Northland nobles to rise in rebellion for the so-called 'Skanian common cause.'"
"What we must do is divide them from within—separate these Northland nobles from the commoners. Through seemingly fair trials, we'll position the kingdom as a just arbiter, stripping the nobles of their reverence."
"In doing so... our rule will become all the more secure."
Langpu immediately dropped to one knee, his expression filled with reverence. "Master, your wisdom in governance humbles me. Only under your guidance can the grand vision be realized."
"Huh?"
Tinia tilted her head in confusion.
But soon, she shrugged it off, excitedly approaching and affectionately nuzzling the red dragon's tail with her neck.
"Smack!"
"Awooo—"
With a pitiful cry, the white dragon was sent flying by the thick tail, rolling several meters across the ground before finally stopping.
Yet, Tinia quickly sprang to her feet, wagging her tail enthusiastically.
Cassius cast her a glance.
It seemed unlikely this scatterbrained white dragon would ever become a competent ruler.
Langpu, on the other hand, appeared to have mastered the art of governance, needing little further instruction—after all, beyond praising the majesty of the red dragon, the Kingdom Daily was filled with accolades for Langpu's foresight and dedication.
Nowadays, Langpu even paid attention to his image, disguising the string of skulls around his neck as a gold necklace.
Cassius gave his body a slight shake, dislodging the dust from his scales, then casually asked:
"What's your report? Present it."
"Yes, Master."
Langpu eagerly produced a magical crystal and donned his oversized golden-framed glasses.
Instantly, a massive magical projection spanning over ten meters illuminated the grand hall, displaying bold, gleaming words at the top.
[Five-Year Development Plan for the Northlands]
Below it was a meticulously detailed map, marking cities, mines, and estates across the Northland nations and the Ember Kingdom's current territories.
Nearby annotations outlined future goals, such as "Construct 15 food processing plants," "Extract at least 300,000 silver coins annually," and "Establish a comprehensive railway network."
"Your victory was truly monumental. To bask in your glory is the greatest honor for all beings of the Anzeta Wasteland."
"While you rested, we began preparing this plan, encompassing all of Anzeta's lands. We hope for your guidance and corrections."
Langpu's voice trembled with excitement, his thick neck and "gold necklace" shaking slightly.
"I am pleased," Cassius nodded with a smile.
Ten years had passed, and this "exceptional workhorse" of an ogre had exceeded expectations, relieving Cassius of mundane concerns.