Lord of Caldera - Chapter 204

Chapter 204: Chapter 204

“If dragons were so common, we would’ve perished long ago. Even two dragons at once would be unheard of, and now we’re faced with four,” Ragnar muttered, shaking his head.

Sylas, standing nearby, scowled. “Unfortunately, there’s worse news.”

“Worse?” Thorburn asked. “What could be worse than this?”

“Sadly, the type of dragon matters almost as much as their number,” Sylas replied, his gaze fixed on the creatures. “And all four appear to be flame dragons.”

“…!”

Everyone froze. Flame dragons were among the deadliest of their kind, capable of flight and breathing fire. Under these circumstances, they were the worst type to face. They could easily fly over the walls, and the damage from their fire breath would be catastrophic.

“What about the townsfolk? They must be panicking,” asked Viscount Serge, his face pale.

“Not good, not at all,” Serge replied with a grim look that made him appear almost corpse-like in his pallor. “We’re barely holding them steady. The moment those dragons get any closer, there’ll be a riot. With the added crowds here for the king’s selection, the population is practically overflowing. If they lose their heads, we’re looking at chaos on an unprecedented scale…”

Serge gritted his teeth, his distress apparent. While he might have seemed unusually agitated, the other nobles understood why. This was his territory, and all these people were his guests. For a noble who prized hospitality, this was a nightmare.

‘What a blow to his reputation,’ thought some.

‘Tsk, tsk, even the most powerful family can crumble in an instant,’ others murmured, shaking their heads.

Meanwhile, Sylas’s eyes glinted as he picked up on something peculiar in Serge’s demeanor.

‘He seems furious… but not at the situation itself. He’s angry with someone specific,’ Sylas thought. But this wasn’t the time to inquire. Instead, he turned his attention back to the gathering.

“The third trial must be postponed,” Sylas declared.

A collective sigh escaped from the northern nobles. An emergency like this left no choice but to halt the proceedings. But it was unfortunate timing, just as they were about to elect their king.

‘Even if it’s temporary, there’s no guarantee this situation will resolve peacefully.’

‘At worst, the entire process could collapse.’

‘The heavens must not want a king in the North,’ some joked darkly.

In lengthy affairs, momentum was essential. A temporary halt might open doors for dissent, and it was all too common for political undertakings to crumble from a slight delay. Sylas caught a glimpse of Karl, who muttered a cynical prayer.

“Goddess, why must you test us at such a crucial time…” he lamented.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Karl interjected, though his calm tone only irritated some of the nobles. Given that he stood to benefit the most from this delay, his detachment felt distasteful to them. Serge, in particular, glared at him with open contempt.

Unperturbed, Karl continued, “We should focus on strategies rather than a postponed trial…”

“Who said anything about canceling the trial?” Sylas interrupted with a smirk.

“Excuse me?” Karl stared at him, baffled. Sylas, unimpressed by Karl’s attempted intervention, explained with a casual grin.

“The moment the dragon threat is neutralized, we resume the trial immediately. With a slight adjustment to the plan, of course.”

This was a rare opportunity for complete northern unification, and Sylas wasn’t about to let it slip away.

Sylas’s proposal was straightforward:

Each candidate would focus on protecting the North from the dragon threat.Once the situation was under control, the candidates would participate in a vote.Each candidate would publicly present the reasons for their vote and the virtues they recognized in their choice, giving a speech to the northern people.The candidate with the most votes would be crowned king.

“We’ll proceed this way,” Sylas concluded.

“Are you serious?” Serge stared at Sylas as if he’d lost his mind.

“This is no children’s game. What is this nonsense? We’d be better off electing a king through a simple vote among the nobles!” Serge scoffed.

Of course, this method was unlikely to sit well with Ragnar or Loghain. After all, a noble vote would favor a king from among the northern aristocracy rather than someone from their own clans.

The northern nobles found themselves agreeing with Sylas’s plan, albeit reluctantly. While voting and speeches might lack the grandeur expected of such a process, the logic behind it was undeniable. Viscount Thorburn voiced his hesitation, siding with Marquis Serge.

“I have to admit, this seems unusual. If it’s down to a vote, people will be tempted to choose based on hidden agendas rather than merit. And as for speeches in front of the northern folk—what’s the point of that?” Thorburn asked skeptically.

“Listen,” Sylas replied, raising a finger and pointing toward the dragons looming in the distance. “Every northern soul here is watching this crisis unfold.”

“Obviously.”

“They’ll also be watching how each candidate handles the situation,” Sylas continued.

Thorburn paused, considering. “That’s not wrong.”

“But if, after everything, the nobles select a candidate based on political schemes or superficial reasons, what do you think will happen?” Sylas asked, glancing around.

Thorburn’s eyes widened as realization dawned. If the people saw someone rise to power despite not fighting for them in this crisis, they’d resent it deeply. If the northern folk witnessed their saviors overlooked in favor of a backroom choice, they’d reject the new king outright.

‘It wouldn’t just be an issue of who’s king,’ Thorburn thought, chills prickling his skin. ‘An unworthy king would have his authority shattered, and those who supported him would lose their honor in the eyes of the people.’

Moreover, with the looming threat of the dragons, purely political considerations would be dismissed outright. No matter how strong the argument, anyone who voted for a candidate who didn’t fight would be met with contempt. The gravity of the current crisis demanded authenticity.

Thorburn shuddered at Sylas’s shrewdness. ‘Using honor to enforce loyalty and grant authority…’

The situation was almost forcing them to select the most active candidate. And since the voting process would appear voluntary, whoever won would possess legitimacy with no room for opposition. The voter’s involvement was akin to a pledge of allegiance. And if their chosen candidate were crowned, they’d have no grounds to challenge him later.