Ashen Dragon-Chapter 495 - 410 Cassiuss Persuasion_2
Chapter 495: Chapter 410 Cassius’s Persuasion_2
Chapter 495: Chapter 410 Cassius’s Persuasion_2
Cassius explained in great detail.
In his eyes, compared to the hopeless White Dragon, this Silver Dragon from Melwood seemed more suitable to become a ruler.
In Cassius’s plan, with the expansion of territory and the increase of the races under his command, the Ashen Empire should not become an evil faction but rather a diverse empire that embraces all.
Pure goodness or evil was insufficient to describe this complex nation.
And the Silver Dragon was undoubtedly an excellent banner representing the “Orderly Good” faction, which could significantly help improve the empire’s image.
At that time, maybe they could establish a two-party system: one playing the good cop, the other the bad cop, transforming this empire, built on slaughter and plunder, into a glorious and honorable “Utopia.”
For now, it seemed this Silver Dragon was quite easily deceived; at least, she couldn’t perceive the empire’s true nature. For instance, Guges, who wrote “On Social Security,” seemed to have already seen through it.
Olivia listened attentively, nodding repeatedly and occasionally using a spell to take notes.
For some reason, she felt like she had returned to that night of discussion and exchange with “Angel.”
The figure of the knowledgeable Young Gold Dragon gradually overlapped in her mind with the imposing Red Dragon before her….
That was clearly just a false guise, yet it left a deep impression on her.
“Alright, that’s about all for these questions.”
Cassius yawned, gently shook his enormous wings, and exhaled a puff of sulfur-scented white smoke,
“Hmm, I got it. I’ll make the necessary changes when I get back. I’ll bring it to you another day.”
Olivia nodded, picked up the documents scattered on the ground, and said earnestly,
Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.
Cassius looked down at the silver-haired girl from above: “Olivia, is there anything else you want to say?”
Immediately, her gaze trembled.
“…”
Olivia clutched the documents in her hands tightly and tucked her silver hair behind her ear.
She bowed her head in silence for a long time before slowly looking up, meeting the tepid golden eyes of the Red Dragon that were filled with an oppressive aura.
“Cassius, I think… your empire shouldn’t develop in this way.”
Cassius was momentarily taken aback, then asked with interest: “What do you mean by ‘this way’?”
“I’ve always believed that you are not the kind of dragon who would trade others’ lives for money.”
Olivia locked eyes with Cassius, biting her lip slightly, her tone somewhat heavy.
“But my kin in the South told me that the Ashen Empire is massively dumping horrible weapons that can be used by common people onto the disintegrating Empire of Fadlan.”
“The mortals of Cassandra, Thrace, and the Kingdom of Seleucis are using weapons sold by the Ashen Empire to kill each other, causing terrible casualties. It is said that the entire Central Plains have been stained with blood, and the Holy City has turned into ruins.”
“I’m glad to see the empire thriving, but—”
Olivia bit her silver teeth lightly and paused in her speech.
“I don’t want to see this development nourished and watered by the blood of the Fadlan People.”
“So, please stop, Cassius, make the empire stop selling those cruel and evil weapons. This is what I truly want to say.”
Cassius immediately shook his head, laughing.
This was indeed a textbook “Silver Dragon statement.”
After Olivia spoke, Cassius could almost guess what she was going to say next—much like the last time she begged him to stop conquering the North.
Despite her considerable experience, this Silver Dragon was still naive and full of fantasies, like most of her kin.
She always thought words could change others, yet failed to realize she was the one being changed more deeply.
Cassius did not respond directly, but under Olivia’s gaze, he extended a claw.
“Shh——”
The invisible force field controlled a knife from the weapon rack, making it fly from a distance and hover before the Red Dragon, the blade gleaming with a cold light.
Cassius asked with a smile: “Do you think this knife is evil?”
Olivia frowned slightly and gently shook her head.
She sensed a familiar pattern; it seemed this Red Dragon was about to use smooth talk to persuade her again.
“Then, what if I told you this knife was owned by a brutal bandit who used it to kill over a hundred innocent commoners?”
Olivia pondered for a moment, and then somewhat uncertainly replied: “Then… it would be evil?”
Cassius shook his tail, denying: “No, the knife itself is not wrong. It’s always the person wielding the knife who is at fault.”
“…”
Olivia fell silent once again.
It seemed like… what he said made a lot of sense.
Cassius continued: “Just like the war in the Empire of Fadlan—you got one thing wrong. It wasn’t our selling of weapons that caused the war to break out, but rather the war broke out, leading us to sell weapons.”
“Even without my involvement, the three princes would still fight for the position of Fadlan Emperor, causing countless innocent civilian casualties.”
Saying this, the Red Dragon sighed rather “sincerely.”
“I deeply regret this, but since the war is inevitable, why not take the opportunity to earn some gold coins and improve the lives of the imperial citizens?”
“As you can see, over these years, the thriving military industry has brought numerous job opportunities and a substantial income to the empire. Countless imperial citizens have been saved from hunger because of the military industry’s development.”
“As the emperor of the Ashen Empire, I am powerless to stop the war in Fadlan, but I do have the ability to address the subsistence of the imperial people.”
