Chapter 344 Ending
Ingrid Garces stood on the battlefield holding the scepter with a nervous expression, her plump body wrapped in a pure white robe trembling in the cold wind.

"Amaunator, above."

Ingrid whispered the name of God, trying to find some comfort from it.

She was surrounded by four tall humanoid suits of armor shining with golden light. They were spiritual guards summoned by her divine art [Faithful Guardian], capable of blocking tens of thousands of troops.

However, these guards could not bring her even a little sense of security, because Ingrid knew that the terrible red dragon might return at any time.

Suddenly, Ingrid looked up subconsciously with a look of fear on her face, as if she had sensed something.

I saw the space around me fluctuating violently.

"Hiss-"

The two claws tore through space like tearing paper, creating terrifying cracks with flames burning at the edges.

Then, the red dragon's huge, ferocious head popped out, and its light golden pupils looked down at her, seeming to reveal a faint smile.

The almost tangible dragon might filled the surroundings, and the huge shadow blocked the sunlight falling on her, making Ingrid instinctively want to escape, but she was unable to move at all due to the pressure.

Cassius spread his wings and said:
"Your companion survived my hands, but he and the forces behind him paid a heavy price."

"What price can you pay?"

"me"

Ingrid was at a loss for words for a moment, but finally answered timidly.

"I am the honorary bishop of the Fadlan Empire Church. The Empire should be happy for me."

This legendary priest did not make up the lie about the so-called "Chosen One" because she had witnessed with her own eyes how Desk Yanjin died because of the lie.

The Red Dragon hates people who deceive him.

Cassius deliberately asked in a surprised tone: "Empire?"

"Don't you know yet?"

"Your old emperor is dead, your Fadlan Empire has been broken into hundreds of pieces, and I'm afraid your dear gods are now too busy to handle it - who would care about a mere honorary bishop?"

"What?"

Ingrid was suddenly struck by lightning. She opened her mouth wide and stood there in a daze, even unable to hold the scepter of the sun god in her hand.

She grew up in the capital of the Fadlan Empire. At the age of eight, she was chosen as a priest of the Church of Amaunator because of her excellent affinity. At the age of twenty-five, she was promoted to a legendary priest and became an honorary bishop.

During this process, the empire has always been her strong support, protecting her from wind and rain.

But now, facing a seemingly invincible enemy, she no longer has the protection of the empire behind her, and she herself is in a desperate situation, facing the choice of death.

"I, I don't want to provoke you."

"Can you let me go?"

Ingrid felt extremely aggrieved, and there was even a hint of crying in her tone.

She chose to speak the truth in her heart and beg for mercy right there.

Cassius lowered his head and chuckled:

"I know you're the only one who's still sane in this team, but that doesn't mean anything."

"Again, what price can you pay?"

As the red dragon lowered its head, Ingrid could feel the hot air blowing towards her and the smell of sulfur.

Maybe the next moment, the red dragon will open its mouth and eat her.

"me"

At that moment, Ingrid thought about surrender.

But she is already a priest of legendary rank. If she easily changes her beliefs and submits to a specific existence, she is likely to be punished by God.

Cassius raised his head again and said calmly:
"Thirty years - I want you to stay in my kingdom for thirty years. Your magic can serve the Fadlan Empire, and naturally the Burning Embers Kingdom."

He paused, an ambitious smile on his face. "Besides, my kingdom does not exclude any faith. Even Fadlans and Amaunator believers can become citizens of the kingdom."

"Perhaps, in the near future, you will be able to return to your hometown openly, not as a captive, but as a bishop of the church affiliated to the kingdom."

"This"

Ingrid's expression suddenly changed, she understood the hidden meaning of Cassius' words.

That is the Fadlan Empire that has dominated the continent of Feanso for a thousand years. Its magical power far exceeds that of Anzeta, and the Red Dragon would actually covet such a behemoth!

But now, her life is in the hands of the other party, and her chance of survival is fleeting.

She bit her lip lightly, her beautiful golden eyes showing a complicated expression, but she still made a decision.

"Greetings, His Majesty Cassius."

Ingrid supported herself on the ground with her scepter and performed the standard etiquette of an audience with the king.

The moment she lowered her head, a series of emotions such as guilt and annoyance surged into Ingrid's heart. She was a genius who grew up in the Imperial Church and a priest who served Amaunator all her life. Yet, she was serving a country ruled by dragons!
But she told herself over and over again in her heart - at least I survived, didn't I?

"very good."

"Ingrid, as a legendary priest of light, you should know spells to control the weather, right?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Then let this sky be bright again."

Cassius said so.

After this long battle, even he was a little tired, and he didn't want to cast the spell himself.

After this protracted battle, the earth has become devastated and has lost its original appearance.

All I saw on the devastated wasteland were broken shrapnel, piles of corpses, flowing rivers of blood, charred and then solidified lava, and icebergs that were about to melt.

The wide Inaki River and the Orl River were also dyed red with blood, and broken body parts floated on the river from time to time.

It was already evening and the sky was getting dark.

Even the sunset glow was gradually fading away and about to blend into the night, but the biting cold wind was still howling.

"call--"

The mood of the coalition forces was as dark and desperate as the sky, but even more so, they were anxious and worried.

An oppressive atmosphere permeated the coalition forces. There was dead silence in their army formation, and no one even dared to look at the red dragon in the distance.

These northern nobles witnessed with their own eyes that the legendary "King of Burning Ashes" defeated the ancient silver dragon that they had placed high hopes on, and then killed the legendary adventurers who were recruited with a large sum of money one after another.

Even the "hero" Archduke Leo who stepped forward has disappeared.

"I wander with the north wind."

From somewhere, a desolate and sad ballad echoed across the battlefield.

That was the Song of the North, which was said to be a ballad spread by the Scanians when they fled to Anzeta. Later, whenever white dragons and frost giants invaded and people were displaced, the tenacious people of the North would always sing this ballad.

"The snow covered my body, and my lover couldn't recognize my face."

Viscount Luton also hummed along. He looked at the devastated land with a sad look on his face.

He knew that the North, or rather the United Kingdom of the North, was about to perish.

That is simply an invincible enemy.

It is absolutely beyond human power.

The red dragon was clearly the embodiment of natural disaster, the punishment of fate, and the reproach of the gods for their corrupt rule.

Suddenly, Viscount Luton looked up at the sky with his mouth wide open in a daze, and the same thing happened to the northern nobles who were immersed in sorrow.

Because it's dawn.

(End of this chapter)