Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 563 - 563 561 Mountains Roar and Tsunami (Added

Chapter 563: Chapter 561: Mountains Roar and Tsunami (Added chapter, asking for monthly passes) Chapter 563: Chapter 561: Mountains Roar and Tsunami (Added chapter, asking for monthly passes) Red Castle, officially known as Grand Duke Shadowflame’s Palace.

On July 8, the coronation ceremony of the new Grand Duke, Russell Fluorescent Fungus, took place in the main hall of Grand Duke Shadowflame’s Palace.

Eight o’clock in the morning.

Red Castle was packed to the brim, with nobles from all across the country gathered here to witness a new sovereign ascend to the long-vacant Grand Ducal throne.

The sun shone brilliantly, as the rising morning sun evenly scattered its radiance over the grand hall; more than twenty bipedal flying dragons circled overhead, roaring towards the rising sun. Their roars, echoing one after another, endlessly surged, rapidly heating up the atmosphere of the ceremony.

The Dragon Blood Knights opened the way, galloping over from the main thoroughfare connecting the Red Castle’s Inner Fort and Outer Fort.

Following them came a multitude of court servants and Red Castle guards, parading out in succession, lining up along the avenue to greet, holding flowers and beating drums.

Boom, boom, boom!

In the midst of the drumming, the assembled nobles in the main hall watched a processional of ceremonial knights escorting a figure dressed in Earl’s formal attire, riding a black steed, slowly making their way down the main avenue.

His posture was upright, his features deep and chiseled.

His light golden hair casually tied at the back of his head, a wisp of hair at the forehead gently swaying with the breeze.

Twin golden lightning bolts, a turquoise tornado, emblazoned brilliantly upon his brow, as if seared there.

Russell’s expression remained calm as he walked, step by step, toward the main hall, step by step, toward the throne of power of this nation.

The pseudo-nightmare beast dragon beneath him, though not as holy and beautiful as a unicorn, was all the more ferocious and domineering.

Above his shoulder, the Ouroboros Snake flicked its tongue, adding a touch of majesty to Russell.

Amid the solemn attention of all, Russell entered the grand hall.

The magnificent hall glittered with gold; the pure gold Grand Ducal Throne stood quietly at the highest point at the end of the hall, from which any who sat upon it could look down upon their subjects, the ultimate symbol of power.

At the foot of the Grand Ducal Throne’s steps, court knights clad in golden armor and helmets stood guard over the staircase leading to the throne.

A red carpet extended from the entrance all the way to the foot of the Grand Ducal Throne.

Russell reached the end of the red carpet.

“Proclaim the edict!” one of the court knights bellowed.

Instantly, everyone’s demeanor turned respectfully attentive, waiting for the edict to be read. Chief Steward Lord Kunbei emerged solemnly from backstage, hands bearing a shimmering golden edict.

“For over four hundred years since our nation’s foundation, generation after generation of Grand Dukes diligently governed, under the protection of the Shadowflame Dragon, to foster our warm lands…” The edict, with its archaic wording, was solemnly recited by Lord Kunbei.

The content was nothing more than praise for the nation’s flourishing development and people’s contented living.

Soon, he read the substantive content: “Today, by the command of the Shadowflame Dragon and the will of the Council of Elders, we welcome Count Russell Fluorescent Fungus to ascend to the throne and succeed as Grand Duke… Count Thunderflame’s youthful fame, founding of the Warm Enclave, has established his illustrious contributions for the nation, for the Shadowflame Dragon…”

After a lengthy tribute to Russell’s achievements.

Lord Kunbei couldn’t help but swallow to moisten his somewhat dry throat before continuing: “… on the seventh day of July, he shall ascend to and be enthroned!”

He closed the edict.

Lord Kunbei again smiled and said, “Please may Lady Anxia Lieyang of the Flamecrest Dragonblood Family, perform the coronation ceremony for the new Grand Duke!”

Princess Anxia, dressed in her finest, stepped out from behind the stage.

She was followed by several maids bearing various ceremonial regalia and ritual implements.

All the superfluous words had been said during the reading of the edict, so Princess Anxia had no need for excess speech, simply smiling as she placed the crown upon Russell.

“This is the regalia, the Grand Duke’s Oath Morning Dress,” Princess Anxia said, lifting an ornate robe.

The attending maids immediately helped Russell remove his Earl’s formal attire, and donned him in the red Grand Duke’s morning dress. As the clothes changed, his noble aura was enhanced threefold, and with Russell’s own tall and handsome frame, the custom-made Grand Duke’s morning dress perfectly complemented him.

“This is the regalia, the Ring of Humility,” Princess Anxia then presented a ring set with a deep green gemstone from the tray.

Russell took it and slipped it onto the little finger of his right hand.

“This is the regalia, the Sword of Valor,” Princess Anxia next held forth a sword adorned with multicolored gemstones.

Russell took the sword and hung it at his waist.

With the three regalia in place, the grand ducal aura hit everyone full force; among the nobility, the elderly seemed to see a rebirth of Quentin III Shadowflame. Despite the differences in stature and appearance between the two, their auras were equally formidable.

Even Princess Anxia herself was momentarily distracted.

She too had once performed the coronation ritual for her own son, Kunstan, but although Kunstan was handsome enough, he lacked the persuasive presence.

All three regalia, crafted of metal, gemstones, and magic materials, had the effect of amplifying magic power, the more vigorous the wearer’s fighting spirit, the more fully the power of the regalia could be displayed.

It could be said.

At this moment, Russell brought these three artifacts to their pinnacle of power.

“Prince Russell, under your leadership, this country will once again become powerful,” Princess Anxia couldn’t help but exclaim.

Russell smiled faintly, “Naturally.”

The voice was soft, yet the confidence within it was as if a sharp sword had been thrust into the hearts of everyone in the hall.

Everyone believed that these were not mere pleasantries from Russell, but a reality that would indeed unfold in the future.

“Please crown the Grand Duke!” Lord Kunbei timely reminded Princess Anxia, who was somewhat entranced by Russell’s confidence.

Princess Anxia took a deep breath, picked up a crown from a maid’s tray, “This is a ceremonial artifact, the Crown of Compassion of the Grand Duke.”

The Grand Duke is not a King.

But the Grand Duke is a ruler of a country and, therefore, also a king in that sense, which is why the Grand Duke’s crown is also called a crown.

Russell bowed his head to allow Princess Anxia to place the Crown of Compassion upon his head.

Subsequently, Princess Anxia took out two other ceremonial artifacts, the Scepter of Honor and the Seal of Sacrifice, and handed them to Russell.

The three artifacts: the Ring of Humility, the Sword of Courage, and the Morning Dress of Oath; the three ceremonial artifacts: the Scepter of Honor, the Crown of Compassion, and the Seal of Sacrifice.

Together with the representation of justice by the person of the Grand Duke himself, and the representation of faith by his Contracted Dragon,

they formed the eight great virtues of the Way of the Knight, the cornerstone of civilization inherited from the Holy Glint Empire.

Humility, courage, honor, faith, compassion, sacrifice, oath, and justice!

At this moment, with the eight knightly virtues embodied within Russell, with his left hand resting on the scepter and his right hand holding the seal, his crown shone brightly, his morning dress radiated dignity, his sword trembled lightly at his side, and his ring flickered with a cold light, his aura completely unfurled.

He slowly turned around to face the many nobles within the great hall.

His gaze swept around the room, and the nobles touched by his look all bowed their heads and thumped their left chests, offering the Knight’s salute to Russell.

No one dared to stand erect and meet his gaze.

This scene made Russell truly feel what it meant to have power—the power that not only came from his strength but also from the legitimacy the ritual conferred.

He felt overwhelmed with emotion, his blood surged with excitement.

But quickly he suppressed this surge of emotion and declared aloud, “I, Russell Fluorescent Fungus, do formally assume the position of the Grand Duke!”

“Please, Your Grace the Grand Duke, take your seat!” Lord Kunbei sang out in a loud voice.

“Please Your Grace the Grand Duke, take your seat!”

“Please Your Grace the Grand Duke, take your seat!”

One by one, the crowd echoed, like a thunderous wave.

Russell then ascended the stairs to the throne amidst the roar of the nobles and finally seated himself on the pure gold throne of the Grand Duke.

No sooner had he sat down

than every noble in the hall kneeled on one knee, crying out loud, “Greetings to Your Grace the Grand Duke!”

Their voices echoed throughout the hall.

The Court Guards, servants outside the hall, and knights at various posts immediately followed suit, kneeling in the direction of the hall, “Greetings to Your Grace the Grand Duke!”

The entire Red Castle shook with this cry.

The guards of the Inner Fort, public servants, petty officials of the Outer Fort, and merchants knelt on their own accord without any orders, “Greetings to Your Grace the Grand Duke!”

From Red Castle outward—Furious Wind City, manors, marketplaces… Merchants and serfs, craftsmen, no one dared remain standing.

Like dominoes falling one after another, they knelt down towards Red Castle, persistently bowing on both knees, “Greetings to Your Grace the Grand Duke!”

“Greetings to Your Grace the Grand Duke!”

“Greetings to Your Grace the Grand Duke!”

“Greetings to Your Grace the Grand Duke…”

From the Northern Poplar Gobi to the Southern Lumina Valley, from the Southeastern Golden Plains to the Northwest Fire Ant Swamp, from Gravel Domain to Tributary River Mouth, from Blackgarden Mountain to Cloud Dream Marsh. At this moment, everyone spontaneously kneeled.

A thousand words converged into one phrase: “Greetings to Your Grace the Grand Duke!”

The call reverberated across the entire Shadowflame Grand Duchy, unceasing, until it was interrupted by a loud and piercing roar of a dragon.

“Roar!”

The Shadowflame Volcano began to tremble as the Shadowflame Dragon flapped its wings, emerging from the volcano’s crater, gliding toward Red Castle…