Ashen Dragon-Chapter 635 - 66 Conferment

Chapter 635: Chapter 66 Conferment

Chapter 635 -66 Conferment

“The ceremony begins—”

As Cassius’s voice faded away, hundreds of Half-Red Dragon heralds, dressed in crimson gold robes and holding beast skin scrolls, appeared at the base of the altar.

Gazing at the scrolls laden with names, the crowd of Imperial Citizens surrounding the area held their breath, closed their eyes, and prayed softly.

Whether Human, Tiefling, Ogre, or Great Goblin, all were especially tense at this moment; their various colored pupils shimmered with anticipation as hearts thudded in various beats and sizes.

“Oh, Cassius above…”

“Please let my name be there.”

“Great Emperor, I beg of you, grant unto me the boon that I might become Dragonblood Nobility.”

“I alone killed twenty-one demons; the lords of the Inspection Department must have seen my deeds. At the very least, I should become a First-Class Citizen…”

“What are you bragging about? I’ve killed seventy-five! If you’re to be raised to Baron, surely I should be an Earl?”

“Hmph, another fool padding his numbers with Inferior Devils.”

The population of Imperial People was now nearly ten million, with a system that had been reformed several times, becoming tight-knit. It was far from the rudimentary alliance of Monster Tribes it once was.

The initial boon years of the nation had passed; the days were gone when one could acquire a Title of Nobility by capturing a spy or inventing something. Every position now required intense competition.

Even for the lowest rank of Dragonblood Baron, there were hundreds of thousands of soldiers with battle honors vying for the position.

Moreover, the Empire had always prioritized ability, to an almost absurd degree; almost every position was allocated to those who were able, and rewards were meticulously distributed according to battle honors.

Within such a system, to become a Dragonblood Noble without risking life and limb for the Empire was nearly an impossibility.

Especially after the grim Abyss War, every person who made it onto the list had gambled their life, aspiring for more with no thought for their own safety.

Only the most loyal, the bravest, the most powerful citizens were qualified to stand upon the Isdalia Grand Altar and become the envy of millions.

Suddenly, the Great Altar began to rotate slowly, and new seats emerged from the pure white marble.

“Boom—”

“That’s…”

“Look, the altar is changing!”

“It’s a Duke! They’ve added places for a Duke! No, they’ve increased the spots for all the Titles of Nobility!”

At that moment, at the imposing altar’s peak, the number of Duke positions had increased from three to nine—meaning this coronation ceremony would spawn six new Dukes. freeweɓnøvel.com

Instantly, hundreds of thousands of gazes focused on those nine seats, carved with intricate giant dragon reliefs. Many swallowed nervously, their eyes leaking boundless desire.

Although they knew they had no right to claim those seats, it was, after all, the Title of Nobility of a Duke of the Empire!

Inside the boundaries of the Ashen Empire, a Duke of the Empire stood in nobility second only to the Emperor, each possessing mighty strength akin to giant dragons, a long lifespan, and incomparable power and authority.

Take, for example, the current three Dukes, each of whom could determine the fates of millions and even influence the entire Empire’s structure.

Duke Ramp managed the entire administrative system of the Empire, Duke Dolores commanded a vast military, and Duke Mezulash retained control over special forces such as Nocturne and the Imperial Army.

Duke Dolores once said, “A Soldier who doesn’t aspire to be a general isn’t a good Soldier.” With such power and status, how could one not be envious?

The Half-Dragon herald at the very front took another step forward, wearing a ceremonial crown shaped like dragon horns—a symbol of his authority to proclaim the Emperor’s benefactions on his behalf.

“Duke Ramp.”

“Duke Dolores.”

“Duke Mezulash.”

“These three, who oversaw logistics, military operations, and intelligence during the defense against the Abyss War, are the masterminds behind our victory. For their contributions, they are elevated to the rank of Special Duke.”

“Just as I thought…”

“Truly enviable.”

“Yes, they are among the first leaders that followed the Emperor, elder-level figures. They’re not like us Northerners.”

“They truly are the pillars of the Empire. Even with the addition of new Dukes, their status remains the highest.”

“Ah, if only I’d joined the Ashen Nest earlier, would I now be one of the four Special Dukes?”

Amid the audience’s mix of envy, longing, and admiration, the three Dukes stepped forward, knelt before the Red Dragon, and lowered their heads, their voices respectful.

“We thank Your Majesty for your grace.”

Then, they moved with practiced ease to their respective places, standing on the highest level of the altar.

“If I could one day stand in that spot, death itself would be a worthy price!”

“Yes, it is the ultimate honor.”

Duke Ramp looked down upon the eager and packed crowd below, listening to the noisy chatter, suddenly feeling a bit nostalgic, as if in another life.

“Who would have thought that, before I knew it, the Empire would become like this.”

Though accustomed to such bustling scenes, he occasionally remembered the exceptionally simple fortress of more than a decade ago, that primitive Monster den.

Over those years, his status had changed radically, and many of his comrades-in-arms from the Ashen Kin had either perished in the successive wars or had fallen far behind him.

Like the Chimera, which still dwelled like a Beast in the caves of Stormy Ridge. Yet it did have a dozen Chimera mates, continuously breeding new Chimeras for the Empire.