Golden Dragon: Six Thousand Years of Empire

"Father, I passed the temple's test. From now on, I am a glorious Flame Sun Knight. I've already received the first divine blessing."

When the young Lune returned to his family's territory, full of excitement, to report this joyous news to his baron father, he was somewhat puzzled to discover that his father did not show any hint of a smile. Instead, his father's face was extremely gloomy, as if about to drip with water.

"Father, what's wrong?"

Lune couldn't help but stop in his tracks and look down at the Flame Sun Radiance Pattern on his body. After confirming there was nothing wrong with it, he spoke with utter confusion.

"Why didn't you tell me before you accepted the divine blessing?"

The baron's voice was hoarse as he asked, trying to maintain calm, but anyone could feel the underlying fury and anxiety in his words.

"But isn't the divine blessing one of the rewards you inevitably receive after passing the test? Didn't you always ask me to participate in the test just for the blessing? Now I've received the divine grace, and from today our family is a noble blessed by the divine."

Lune could no longer understand the current situation. Isn't the achievement he obtained now exactly what his father longed for? Why, after passing the test, did his father show such a look of despair?

"Noble blessed by the divine? Hah!"

The baron let out a cold laugh, but within the laughter was an indescribable despair,

"Do you know why you failed the test for four consecutive years, yet succeeded this year?"

"That's because my usual efforts finally paid off, gaining the bishop's recognition..."

"Bah, efforts. Don't you know your own capabilities?"

Unable to maintain the dignity of a noble, the baron yelled at his son, who he was once most proud of,

"Let me tell you, the reason you could pass the test, receive the blessing, and become a Flame Sun Knight is that Dragon Country of the Other Shore Continent has declared war on our Theocracy. The front line has been breached. The Theocracy needs more combat power and cannon fodder, and you just delivered yourself up. Now, you're dragging our entire family toward doom."

"Father, what are you saying?"

Stunned by his father's utterly insulting words, Lune stood in shock,

"What Dragon Country? What breached front line? What's happening? Am I dreaming?"

"Dreaming?"

The baron grabbed a vase on the table and smashed it onto his son's head. As strands of blood dripped from the youth's forehead,

"I too wish you were dreaming, but tell me, do you feel pain now?"

"Pain."

The intense pain spread, though the newly acquired Flame Sun Radiance Pattern gradually emitted warmth, helping to ease the pain and speed up the healing of the wound. But this sudden change had nearly shattered the young man's will.

"Pain is right, because this is the damned reality. The Theocracy has been caught up in the war. On your way back, did you notice anything amiss?"

The baron said coldly, not caring at all about the violent act committed towards his son due to a momentary emotional lapse, as the family's downfall and even his own safety were at stake.

"After passing the test, I spent fifty Golden Sun Coins and used the temple's Transmission Array to rush back without noticing what you mentioned."

"I neglected to educate you in this regard, to the extent that your stupidity has reached a level capable of destroying the family."

If your stupidity could materialize, I think it would be the hardest thing of our family, enough to be passed down through generations."

At hearing his child's response, the baron couldn't help but sigh.

"Father, what is Dragon Country exactly?"

"Have you heard of the Holy Dragon?"

"I've heard of it."

Lune furrowed his brows, unintentionally showing disgust and loathing on his face. According to him, this Dragon Clan also holds the title of Golden Sun, a title that is an invisible blasphemy and insult to the Flame Sun he worships.

"It has declared war on the Theocracy. Its legion has annihilated three Temple Knight Orders—Fiery Light Dawn, Flame Radiance Vanguard, and Red Judgment—in less than ten days, and the border has declared fallen."

"That's impossible!"

Reacting instinctively to his father's words, Lune denied,

The Temple Knights were his highest aspiration, but he knew he was far from joining them and could only dream about it. But now his father tells him that his ideals and pursuits have been entirely obliterated by the military troops led by a dragon he despises.

His dream was shattered, his pursuits all gone.

"What's impossible? Would you need the Dragon to fly over your head to believe?"

The baron let out a cold chuckle.

"How could the Theocracy's knight order be so weak? Isn't Your Majesty's gaze still watching over us? I felt it during the blessing."

"The Theocracy's knight order is certainly not weak, but the power of Dragon Country is too strong!"

Mentioning the Dragon Clan, the baron's face uncontrollably showed fear,

"The power of the Dragon Clan compared to us humans is truly overwhelming."

"No matter how strong the dragon, it will fall under the glow of the Flame Sun!"

The blood on his forehead had already scabbed over and stopped flowing. Lune's gaze was firm; he had been raised to become a Flame Sun Knight since birth, and his level of devout belief was unmatched by followers.