NOVEL NEXT Chapter 159: What do you suggest!
He spent the next few days in the library searching for clues about Blood Spike that might be a Dragon or not.
The Red Leaves is not Kragthar and did not have what he needed, but he still looked at what they had, and what he found out made him a bit worried.
It seems someone had intentionally erased the Blood Dragon from history books.
He knew that the Red Leaves couldn't have information that the family has on Blood Dragon, but for them not to make any mention of the Blood Dragon at all?
It was a bit suspicious considering that the Red Leaves are a family that goes way back.
At the same time that he was in the library, he was also keeping track of events outside through Kagerou.
The information about the War Artifact had leaked, and people were waiting for how much rebelling the Vorrakyn would face once the time to stop using the War Artifact came.
Hours before the time was up, Jellyfish visited him and gave him a small box and the promise to help him with a little task later.
And then the time limit reached, and Vacuse lost the power to use the Warbine War Artifact.
Within that hour, the Dragon Lord personally visited the library and ordered everyone out because he needed to talk to the Dragon heir alone.
"You're looking for something in the library?" Drenvar asked as he entered the private room in the library.
Vacuse looked at him wearily. Since Drenvar had advanced to a half Sovereign Ascended, he had started to be more careful around him because he didn't trust him not to kill him just to avoid having a potential competition for the throne.
One thing that still made Vacuse relax a little was the fact that he was still a Dragon, and even Drenvar would think seven times before he deemed him disposable.
But Vacuse wasn't sure. He wanted to know for sure.
"I just want to learn a bit about the history of the Empire as a whole now that we have taken the central stage again. Our family had declined so much that we don't compare to the other Regions at all. The difference is too obvious and clear."
Drenvar nodded, a dark look on his face. "Indeed. When the power of the family started declining, the Emperor could have helped out a bit by increasing the allocation sent to us, but because we have no S Dragons and 'potential' Soulbearers, he withheld a lot of our rights from us.
"Of course, on paper, formally what he said was that he didn't know which of the Dukes he should be giving the right to since all the Dukes in the Western Region call themselves Grand Duke and actually contributed to the Empire!"
Drenvar smiled. "Vacuse, what do you think makes a Soulbearer?"
Vacuse narrowed his eyes. "Pathway and Beast Rank?"
"Yes. All of that and a load of money and resources. The Western Region is the smallest region, and even with our proximity to the tail of the Wilderness behind us, we have the lowest possible numbers of Dungeons.
"But the Empire at large has an outpost in the Dark Island itself, and all the Regions have territories within the Island where they can hunt monsters and farm resources that help them build their Soulbearers.
"Are you getting it now? This is one of the rights that has been denied the Western Region and the Vorrakyn. The weak kept getting weaker!
"Besides, the Emperor controls all the Dungeons, mines that don't fall into any Regions. They then use the help of Grand Dukes closest to such Regions to help farm such Dungeons. They share the profits and such.
"Those too, the Emperor took away."
Drenvar's eyes flashed. "Do you get it now? The Western Region is weak because it was made so, brought on by the fact that we stopped producing S ranked Dragons."
"Why... did we stop producing S ranked Dragons?" It was a quick question Vacuse had asked before, but now he asked it even more forcefully because why did a powerful Pathway like their own stop producing S ranks? It doesn't make sense!
Drenvar's eyes tightened and went cold, his mouth pursed as if he had a lot to say, but he shook his head at the end. "Let's leave that. We have talked about the cause and the problem. Now... let's talk about the solution!
"We can't reverse and give our Soulbearers higher rank beasts, but we can raise their Advancement stage! We can look and give them powerful treasures and Artifacts. We can use the Dragon Pathway's natural dominance to bridge some of the gap.
"Once the allocation starts flowing, we need to start getting stronger again. That's why we need to stabilize this Region as fast as possible. But the other Regions are going to step in the way of things."
Vacuse nodded. "What we need is to make sure the Region army is united under the Grand Duke. Right now, the General Commander is more like an honorary title than anything else. None of the different forces that made it up are united. They hate each other, and they hate us."
Drenvar smiled. "Then... what do you suggest?"
Vacuse's eyes sparked. "We need to give them a common enemy. A purpose. Leaving them standing like that is only going to breed more disunity and cause them to think of rebelling.
"If you throw your tool down, then you can't blame anyone for picking it up and using it!"
"Vacuse... what do you want to do?"
"War. Nothing unites more than having to watch out for each other's backs in war. It will bring unity and keep them busy!"
Drenvar's eyes sparked. "Hahaha! You constantly amaze me, Vacuse. To think that what you want is to make us do more war. But which side would you want us to point our forces to without us biting more than we can chew?"
Vacuse narrowed his eyes. "That... such things could be provided!"
Drenvar's eyes widened. "You don't mean...!!"
Before he could finish his words and before Vacuse could hear what he wanted to say, an assassin appeared.