[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ember-dragon":3,"chapter-ember-dragon-ember-dragon-chapter-20":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Ember Dragon",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1161836,1504,"Chapter 20: The Baron's Rage","ember-dragon-chapter-20",20,"\u003Cp>Late night, at the Baron’s residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Smack!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pair of pale hands slammed heavily on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Useless! You’re all useless!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man cursed loudly, spittle flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face was harsh, filled with gloom, his thin body wrapped in formal attire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small, intricate medal bearing the image of an eagle and sword was pinned to his chest. Those with knowledge would recognize it as the Northwind Eagle—the crest of the Lackman family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His name was Todd Lackman, one of the lesser-regarded sons of the old duke, perhaps the twelfth. He had been granted a barony in a remote place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing before him was Hart, a stout middle-aged man, once a slave trader who had since become a steward at the baron’s estate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, I had no choice…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you’re telling me that all the kobolds ran off, and the gold mine was abandoned?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, no, let me explain…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t want explanations; I want gold! Gleaming gold! Without gold, I can’t sustain this barony, I can’t support the army, and I certainly can’t compete with my dear brothers back in the family. All I can do here in this forsaken place is starve!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Todd grew angrier as he spoke, finally kicking the man in front of him, completely disregarding any noble decorum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hart got up from the ground without a hint of resentment, saying only, “My lord, it all happened so suddenly. Half of the mercenaries we brought simply disappeared.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to those guarding the kobolds in the mine, their companions vanished without even a scream.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There really is a monster in the mine!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And we know nothing about it—its habits, or why it suddenly attacked. Given the circumstances, to avoid further losses to your resources, I had no choice but to retreat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Todd sneered, “That just proves you and your mercenaries are useless! If you were even a bit competent, you wouldn’t have fled without even glimpsing the enemy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hart wiped the cold sweat from his brow and forced a fawning smile, “Of course, my lord. How could lowly commoners like us ever compare to you, the noble blood of the Northwind Eagle and a powerful spellcaster?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Todd adjusted his collar, saying slowly, “That’s more like it. Well said.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The baron sat back in his leather chair behind the desk, half-reclining with his fingers interlaced. “Since it’s come to this, do you have any remedy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I need you to provide me with a solution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relieved that Todd had calmed down, Hart exhaled deeply, saying, “My lord, we could request a few Eaglesguards from the duke to secure the mine. What do you think—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eaglesguards?” Todd interrupted coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t believe you’d even think of that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you not realize—they’re all spies for my father? Letting them into the mine would mean the gold would be lost to us completely!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It would just be shipped straight to Northwind Keep!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hart hurriedly amended, flustered, “My apologies, my lord. That was a trivial suggestion. Surely, with your wisdom, you have a far better plan. It’s just…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough. If I don’t see gold by next month, I’ll go to the mine myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Todd cut off his excuses, fixing Hart with a chilling stare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-yes, my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My patience is limited. There won’t be a next time, Hart. There really won’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Todd’s fingers drummed rhythmically on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood, my lord,” Hart replied, bowing his head quickly, not daring to meet the baron’s gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look up, Hart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you really understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hart reluctantly lifted his head to meet the baron’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Todd’s gaze was cold, a faint red glimmer in his pupils, looking not at a subordinate but rather at—meat on a plate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes… yes, my lord,” Hart’s voice trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prepare yourself, and gather those useless mercenaries.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, I’ll take my leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After receiving the order, Hart left without hesitation, almost as if fleeing for his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff, huff…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the door, Hart panted heavily. He knew he still had some use to the baron; otherwise, he wouldn’t have escaped so easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, Baron Todd Lackman adjusted his collar in front of the mirror, unconsciously licking his lips, revealing his unusually sharp teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another distinctive trait of the Lackman family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this the place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The red dragon stood atop a high hill, gazing at the seemingly bottomless mine in the distance, with a kobold held in his claws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“M-master, yes, this is the place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gold-Fang rubbed his head involuntarily, barely recovering from the dizziness of high-speed flight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then take me in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, my great master, I am but a humble kobold, this… this…” Cold sweat appeared on Gold-Fang’s scaly forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mine was like a nightmare to the kobolds. Nearly all his kin had been devoured by that monster, and having barely escaped once, he dreaded returning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with the red dragon’s support, he still felt uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, a dragon wouldn’t care about the life or death of a single kobold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? You’re unwilling?” Cassius asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course I am willing, absolutely willing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the dragon’s displeased tone, the kobold hastily replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Serving you is the greatest honor of my life, it’s just…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just that… I need a little time to recall the path through the mine.” Cold sweat dripped from the kobold’s chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clip-clop, clip-clop…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves interrupted their conversation, allowing the kobold to breathe a sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking down the road, several riders galloped towards them, each one wearing leather armor and carrying crossbows at their belts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The red dragon crouched low, hiding his form as much as possible, and whispered to the kobold with a message spell, “Who are they? Do you recognize them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peeking out, the kobold observed the humans’ armor and carefully noted a few of their faces before speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, it’s those slave traders who once enslaved us. Their leader… I remember his name is Hart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Human slave traders? Are they also here to claim the gold mine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, these seem to be scouts. They had over twenty people before, including some Professionals. The main force is likely waiting behind,” the kobold added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How convenient. They’ll make fine pathfinders.” Cassius’s eyes narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>",1028,"2026-06-03T12:47:02.671Z","2026-06-03T12:47:06.781Z",1,"novelbin.me","bc4ac57a1f5617884e0514d50a235b8408e87f9718629cc5886bf36707f6b0fe","ember-dragon-chapter-21","ember-dragon-chapter-19",603,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fember-dragon-cover.jpg"]