"The ceremony begins—"

As soon as Cassius finished speaking, hundreds of half-red dragon readers dressed in scarlet-gold robes and holding animal skin scrolls appeared at the foot of the altar.

Looking at the scrolls filled with names, the imperial citizens crowded around held their breath, closed their eyes, and prayed in low voices.

Whether they were humans, tieflings, ogres or hobgoblins, they were all extremely nervous at this moment. Anticipation was revealed in their pupils of different colors, and their hearts of different sizes were pounding.

"Cassius above"

“My name must be included.”

"Your Majesty, please give me alms and let me become a dragon-blood noble."

"I killed twenty-one demons by myself. The officials in the Supervisory Department will surely see my performance. I am at least a first-class citizen."

"That's nothing. I killed seventy-five of them! If a fellow like you can be made a baron, then I will become an earl, right?"

"Humph, another fellow who uses inferior demons to make up the numbers."

The empire now has a population of nearly ten million, and its system has undergone several reforms and become seamless. It is no longer the original crude aggregation of monster tribes.

The bonus period at the beginning of the founding of the country has passed. The days when one could get a title by catching a spy or making an invention are gone forever. Every position requires fierce competition.

Even for the lowest position of Dragon Blood Baron, there are hundreds of thousands of imperial citizens with military merits who are eyeing it and scrambling to grab it.

Moreover, the empire has always prioritized ability, even to an exaggerated degree. Almost any position is occupied by the capable, and rewards are meticulously distributed according to military merit.

Under such a system, it is almost impossible to become a dragon-blood noble without risking one's life for the empire.

Especially after experiencing this tragic Abyss War, almost everyone who can make it to the list is an ambitious person who puts his head on his waist and throws his life behind his mind.

Only the most loyal, bravest, and most powerful citizens are qualified to stand on the altar of Istalia and become the envy of millions of people.

Suddenly, the altar slowly turned, and new seats emerged from the white marble.

"boom--"

"That is."

"Look, the altar has changed!"

"It's the Duke! The number of Duke positions has increased! No, the number of all titles has increased!"

At this moment, at the top of the majestic altar, the number of dukes has increased from three to nine - that is to say, six new dukes will be born in this investiture ceremony.

Suddenly, hundreds of thousands of eyes focused on the nine exquisite seats with giant dragon relief carvings. Many people swallowed their saliva, with endless desire revealed in their eyes.

Even though they knew they were absolutely not qualified to sit on that position, that was the Duke of the Empire!

In the Burning Empire, the Imperial Duke is the most noble being under the Emperor. Almost every duke possesses the powerful strength comparable to that of a dragon, a long lifespan, and unparalleled power.

For example, the three current dukes, each of them can decide the fate of millions of people and even affect the pattern of the entire empire.

Rump was in charge of the entire empire's administrative system, Doro commanded a large army, and Medorash controlled special forces such as Nocturne and the Imperial Guard.

Duke Dolo once said that a soldier who does not want to be a general is not a good soldier. How can such power and status not be coveted?

The half-dragon announcer standing in the front row took another step forward. He was wearing a standard crown shaped like a dragon horn - this was a symbol of his right to read the content of the grant on behalf of the emperor.

"The Duke of Trump."

"Duke Doro."

"Duke Medorash."

"These three people were in charge of logistics, military affairs, and intelligence work during the war against the Abyss. They were the general planners of victory in the war. For this achievement, they were promoted to special dukes."

"As expected"

"It's so enviable."

"Yes, they are the three leaders who first followed Your Majesty. They are veteran figures, and they are very different from us northerners."

"As expected of the three pillars of the empire, even if they are given the title of Duke, their status is still the highest."

"Alas, if I had joined the Burning Embers Nest earlier, would there be four people who have been conferred the title of Special Duke by now?"

Amid the envious, longing, or worshipful gazes of the audience, the three dukes took a few steps forward, half-knelt in front of the red dragon, lowered their heads, and spoke in respectful voices.

"Thank you for your gift, Your Majesty."

Then, they came to their respective positions with ease and stood on the highest level of the altar.

"If I can stand in that position one day, it will be worth it even if I die!"

"Yes, that is the highest honor."

Trump looked down at the expectant, crowded crowd below the stage and listened to the noisy noises. He suddenly felt a little emotional, as if he was in another world.

“I didn’t expect that the empire would become like this without me noticing.”

Although he had long been accustomed to such a bustling scene, he still remembered the fortress that seemed extremely simple now, the primitive monster lair from more than ten years ago.

After more than a decade, his status is no longer what it used to be, and many of the Burning Ember followers who once fought side by side with him have died in the years of war or have fallen far behind him.

For example, the chimera still lives in the caves of Storm Peak like a wild beast. However, it has more than a dozen chimera mates, giving birth to chimeras for the empire continuously.

Perhaps this is also a kind of happiness for this beast?
The former kobold leader, Gold Fang, died on the battlefield with demons a few days ago. It was said that he was surrounded by hundreds of cunning Vrocks in the air and torn into pieces by them.

Now, after a bloody family infighting, the kobold army is mainly led by Jin Ya's thirty-third child, Bao Ya, the kobold who inherited the dragon bloodline.

However, for the current Prime Minister of the Empire, Trump, this is no longer a major event worthy of his attention. After all, in his eyes, the priority of the kobold people is very low.

The empire was developing too fast, and His Majesty the Emperor Burning, his master, had grown even more terrifyingly.

Rumple witnessed with his own eyes how Cassius grew from a fledgling young dragon of only five or six meters in length to a being with wings that covered the sky and that even the ancient dragons were frightened of.

Although he was left far behind, the ogre magician was already satisfied that he could help His Majesty.

Beside Rump, the usually taciturn Medrash suddenly chuckled. The tiefling looked at the various creatures at the foot of the altar and said in a relaxed tone:

"Ambition, desire, thirst.
It’s a vibrant, alive picture, isn’t it? That’s the Burning Empire.”

Doro turned his head and grinned, revealing a mouthful of jagged fangs and spewing out streams of hot white smoke. "Only a country like this can help your majesty accomplish the great cause of conquering the world. Fianso is within reach."

Although they were always at loggerheads with each other and their respective forces were constantly at odds with each other, during these exciting days, the three dukes managed to maintain a rare superficial peace.

Trump's ugly face also showed a smile, and he whispered: "I wonder who will be the new Duke?"

As the highest level of the empire, Trump actually already had the exact answer in his mind, and even some of the drafts were drafted by him personally.

But he didn't know what revisions and changes His Majesty would make.

The second half-red dragon reader stepped forward with the scroll in his hand and read aloud to the sound of the passionate music of the Centaur military band.

"Marquis Alger led the Red Scale Conquerors and the Imperial Dragons to fight bravely, defeated the Abyssal Dragon Legion, and made many outstanding achievements on the battlefield.
Promoted to Duke."

"It is indeed Marquis Alger. He is the leader of the Red Scale Conquerors! He is also a veteran from the Burning Embers Nest era!"

"But I heard that he used to be a close associate of that old vampire."

"That's nothing. Earl Freed was once the attendant of Leo, who was transformed into a demon. The Empire has always valued ability instead of background."

"Wow—"

Accompanied by the loud cry of an eagle, Alger, holding the Everburning Greatsword, controlled the Dragon Vein Giant Eagle to circle in the air for several circles before landing on the altar and kneeling in front of the red dragon.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your gift."

The half-dragon announcer's voice continued, echoing in the noisy meeting place, but could be clearly heard by everyone.

This is not simply a magical effect, but the magic loudspeaker of the Ministry of Science and Technology, which has been widely used throughout the empire, including but not limited to steam locomotive broadcasts, square lectures, and bounty missions.

"Count Anthony, led the Dragon Paladins to resist the demons' attack and stopped the Balrog, and his military exploits were outstanding.
Promoted to Duke."

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd was in an uproar. This young dragon-loving holy warrior had actually been promoted several levels, directly jumping from earl to duke!
But it seemed that he was the same last time, being promoted directly from a commoner to an earl. After all, the Dragon Paladin is the emperor's scales and claws, and his loyal sword.

"Great Red Dragon, this new Duke is only 21 years old! This is too young!"

"Yes, haven't you read the report in the Imperial Daily? Anthony was a child rescued from the basement of a northern noble by the Imperial Army. Who would have thought that in just a few years, he would become a distinguished duke!"

"What's so strange about this? Lord Anthony is the leader of the Dragon Oath Temple and has hundreds of dragon-loving paladins under him."

"Casius, if only my child could be as hardworking as him, I would let him participate in the Temple Trial when I get back!"

Antony's rise was part of Cassius' plan. The imperial officials had long since portrayed him as an example of a commoner rising to the top, and he became the embodiment of the "imperial dream" of countless people.

His promotion sent a message to people: as long as they put their heads on their waists and worked hard for the empire, even a former noble boy could become a high-ranking duke.

Can't you do that?

The answer is obviously no.

In the neat fortress-like square formation of the Dragon-loving Holy Knights, two rows of Holy Knights moved to the left and right, leaving a straight path in the center of the formation.

Anthony, holding a sword and shield, strode out of the team, surrounded by the holy knights, and half-knelt at the foot of the altar.

He paid no attention to the rumors around him, his eyes firm as he waited calmly. The heavy armor on his body was stained with blood and covered with scars - it was a symbol of glory on the battlefield.

Cassius gave a wink, and Trump, who was standing on the top of the altar, immediately understood and raised the staff in his hand.

Suddenly, an invisible force field appeared out of thin air under Anthony's feet, lifting him up easily. In an instant, he climbed nearly a hundred meters and arrived on the altar of Istalia.

"Dragon Lord."

Anthony took a few steps forward, knelt in front of the red dragon, buried his head deeply in the ground, his eyes filled with piety.

After receiving Cassius' personal consent, he slowly got up from the ground and walked to his seat without saying a word - but the sweat on his forehead, the pounding heartbeat, and the slightly trembling legs still revealed his inner nervousness and excitement.

Although he had endured a lot of hardships, managed the Dragon Oath Temple with the assistance of Fried, and personally experienced the bloody battlefield, Anthony was ultimately just a young man.

In such an occasion, it would not be excessive for him to be excited or nervous.

"Misha, who once killed several high-ranking demons who attempted to create chaos in the city, defeated the Balrog on the battlefield.
He should be made a duke."

Suddenly, more heated discussions broke out among the crowd, and the venue became noisy.

"She, she was actually directly made a duke!"

"Casius is above!"

"I've heard of her name, the Daughter of Dragonfire!"

This is the Dragon Blood Duke! This is the highest position a mortal can obtain in the Burning Empire, and this time it was directly conferred upon him!
Although many people have heard of this "Daughter of Dragon Fire" who has killed high-level demons several times from the war section of the Imperial Daily, this is just hearsay.

After all, Misha’s rise has only happened in recent years, and she is still far behind those well-known heroes.

But soon, military soldiers stood up, their expressions were excited and their tone was extremely admiring.

"You wouldn't understand. I've witnessed Lady Misha's power with my own eyes!"

"Without her, our entire legion would have been killed by that Balrog! She is a true imperial duke!"

"laugh--"

Along with the sound of air exploding, a scorching gale blew, sparks and flames flew, and the space was suddenly torn into a burning crack.

And the tall girl walked out of the space crack.

Misha was wearing an exquisite robe with a dragon pattern on it, her red hair was flying behind her, brilliant dragon flames were swirling around her, and an invisible pressure was descending.

She looked around, her beautiful golden eyes flickering, revealing the pride of being a relative of the emperor.

"Is this the daughter of Dragon Fire?"

"No, you are worthy of being His Majesty's family."

Under this momentum, those who had originally raised doubts were suddenly speechless and shut up obediently.

Misha tapped her toes lightly, and two broad dragon wings suddenly spread out behind her. The flapping of the wings created a hurricane, allowing her to climb to a height of a hundred meters and descend onto the altar.

"Owner."

She folded her dragon wings, half-knelt on the ground, and spoke softly. (End of this chapter)