Chapter 186: 186 Dragon City (Up)_1
As one of the oldest cities on the continent, Dragon City was established long before the Glorious Empire.
Its history traces back to seven thousand years ago when the giant dragons were not yet extinct and the High Elves had not yet vanished.
These two powerful races were the masters of the world at that time.
However, one mountain cannot contain two tigers, the war between the giant dragons and the elves also dominated that era.
At the beginning of the war, the Giant Dragon Clan, with their far superior individual strength, suppressed the elves decisively.
But with the continuation of the war, the scarcity and difficulties in reproduction of the Giant Dragon Clan were gradually exposed.
The Elf Clan began to gain the upper hand, and gradually drove the Giant Dragon Clan out of the center of the continent.
Subsequently, the Elf Empire was established, and Dragon City, was the capital of the Elf Empire at that time.
The name of this city was purposely given by the Elf Clan to humiliate the giant dragons.
The so-called “imperial” implies control and domination.
For this reason, from the day of its establishment, Dragon City has been a thorn in the side of the Giant Dragon Clan. In history, countless angry dragons have tried to burn it to the ground with dragon flames, but none has succeeded.
As time passed, and the land has changed, the giant dragons and High Elves have already disappeared from the world. Dragon City, the most dazzling stage in the heart of the continent, now has new protagonists.
There are not many buildings left by the Elf Clan in the current Dragon City. The long river of time can wash away all traces. Humans, who have become the masters of Dragon City for more than a thousand years, have deeply engraved their mark on this city.
But the royal palace is an exception.
This palace, known as “Phoenix Palace”, is the only building left by the Elf Clan.
The ruler of the High Elves was known as the “Phoenix King”, and this palace was his royal palace.
Because it encapsulates the heart and soul of the most outstanding building masters of the Elf Clan, this magnificent palace has been preserved to this day. Even the St. Lorenzo royal family was conquered by its beauty, its glory, and the honor it symbolizes, willingly using it as the royal palace of the Glorious Empire.
The Phoenix Palace is located at the center of Dragon City, a palace complex composed of hundreds of palaces. The high dome of the main hall is immaculate white, made of entire blocks of white jade, shining brightly even on moonless nights.
The palace walls are embedded with light blue frosted marble tiles, which shine in various colors under the sun. The roof, held up by hundreds of columns with rose carvings made of marble, is lined with all sorts of frescoes.
The large windows neatly arrayed with small rounded girl sculptures, each one different and endearing.
The aura of kings accumulated over thousands of years makes the main hall exude a strong and substantial oppression, making anyone entering it involuntarily want to worship.
However, at this moment, sounds of decadence could be heard from this solemn and quiet palace.
An attendant stopped in front of the hall in embarrassment, smiled wryly, then stood quietly waiting in the cold wind.
But the passionate moans from the hall still entered the attendant’s ears, making him feel restless.
But a gust of bone-chilling wind brought him quickly back to his senses. He hurriedly covered his ears with both hands until he could no longer hear the sounds from the hall.
After a long while, the door of the hall finally opened, and out came a slim, beautiful noblewoman.
The attendant quickly lowered his hands and bowed in respect.
Seeing the shivering attendant in the cold wind, the noblewoman gave him a charming smile: “Oh, were you eavesdropping?”
After speaking, without waiting for the attendant to answer, she left with a burst of laughter.
The attendant kept his head down from start to finish, not daring to look at the noblewoman, but the familiar voice still allowed him to identify the woman’s identity it was the Marchioness Grandi.
However, the attendant was not too surprised.
After all, His Majesty the Emperor’s penchant for cuckolding his nobles was no longer a secret in the Empire’s nobility circle.
The nobles of Dragon City had long gotten used to this, to the extent that if they weren’t wearing a bit of ‘green’, they would be embarrassed to call themselves true nobles of the imperial capital
The attendant stepped into the hall with measured steps, and saluted impeccably, not daring to reveal any emotion on his face.
The current glorious emperor of the empire was named Reinhardt Saint Lorenzo, also reverently known as Emperor Reinhardt.
Emperor Reinhardt was a robust middle-aged man with golden blonde hair, blue eyes, a thick moustache, and sword-like eyebrows. Combined with the distinctive hooked nose of the Lorenzo family, he cuts an imposing figure.
His attire at the moment was exceedingly casual, dressed in only a light shirt with an unbuttoned chest revealing his thick golden chest hair. The cold breezes brought in by the attendant from outside the palace did not seem to make Emperor Reinhardt feel chilly.
“Your Majesty, the envoy from the Goblin Kingdom will arrive in Dragon City tomorrow morning. Will you personally receive him?”
Emperor Reinhardt picked up the tall wine glass on the table, gulped down all the red wine within, and then, still apparently thirsty, poured himself another full glass and drained it in one go.
Burp
Having unceremoniously let out a burp, Emperor Reinhardt glanced at the attendant, and asked in an indifferent tone, “Didn’t we already agree that the Queen would meet him?”
The attendant replied cautiously, “Your Majesty, it was the Queen Herself who asked me to inquire. She was hoping that you ”
Emperor Reinhardt waved his hand impatiently, “The Queen can handle a Goblin Kingdom’s envoy. Anything else?”
“The Prime Minister wishes for your attendance at tomorrow’s Imperial Conference. He said that it is time for the spring farming, and he needs you ”
Emperor Reinhardt became even more impatient, “The Prime Minister can preside over the Imperial Conference himself, I have other things to do.”
The attendant nodded and then delicately asked, “Your Majesty, in three days it’s Prince Lexi’s birthday. The queen asked me to enquire, should the Prince’s birthday celebration be held in the Banquet Hall of Phoenix Palace like the previous years?”
Upon hearing this, Emperor Reinhardt fell silent.
The attendant, who had not received a reply for a long time, covertly lifted his gaze, only to be met by the Emperor’s chilling stare.
The attendant trembled in fear, quickly lowered his head again, regretting his audacity to have looked up in that situation.
The atmosphere within the hall seemed to freeze instantly.
Finally, after an immeasurable amount of time had passed and the attendant had almost completely soaked his clothes in cold sweat, he heard the soothing voice of Emperor Reinhardt:
“Hmm, just like the previous years.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” The attendant was relieved and quickly saluted and retreated, not daring to delay any longer.
The heavy palace doors opened and then closed, shutting out the snowy world outside.
Emperor Reinhardt once again picked up his wine glass, and began to pour and drink by himself.
A sense of decadence filled the hall, along with a faint hint of resentment.
Suddenly, Emperor Reinhardt’s gaze sharpened, and he abruptly turned towards the back of the room.
The golden curtain moved without any wind, and a man cloaked in a black mage’s robe appeared there.
However, his neck was held at sword point.
But the man did not seem to regard such a threat seriously. He still smiled and said to Emperor Reinhardt:
“Your majesty, when did Prince Lexi become entitled to hold a birthday banquet in Phoenix Palace?”