[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ember-dragon":3,"chapter-ember-dragon-ember-dragon-chapter-362":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},1162128,1504,"Chapter 362: The Extinguished Ember","ember-dragon-chapter-362",362,"\u003Cp>Chapter 362: The Extinguished Ember\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Another noble lord?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? A marchioness this time?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Which is higher, a marchioness or a count?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is she going to send us to the mines too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing these remarks, the peasants began murmuring among themselves, creating a commotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks broke into a cold sweat—he knew that the elite hobgoblin soldiers present could wipe them all out. He couldn’t bear to see his comrades, who had fought alongside him, die in vain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gritting his teeth, Sparks stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lady Darenna, what brings you here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darenna responded, \"I’m here to bring the kingdom’s goodwill. You’ve done well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Goodwill?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks was momentarily dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darenna covered her mouth, letting out a soft laugh, and continued, \"Of course. You are pioneers in resisting the decayed Northern rule. Even Lord Langpu has heard of your deeds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He even mentioned you personally in a meeting, giving verbal commendation and expressing high recognition for your activities.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks felt puzzled but still uneasily asked, \"So... does the kingdom have any plans for us?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the dual pressure of the elite army and Darenna’s noble status, he unconsciously lowered himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This brought a hint of satisfaction to Darenna’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The kingdom has made arrangements.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the main act was about to begin!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks held his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing his unease, Darenna smiled reassuringly, \"Don’t worry. The kingdom does not shortchange anyone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darenna took out a document from her pouch and calmly announced, \"Brave warriors of Fireseed, you will be granted citizenship of the kingdom and assigned stable, fulfilling jobs in factories across various cities.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does this mean... we’ll get to eat?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A peasant timidly raised his hand to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the Ember Kingdom, everyone has sufficient food. No one dies of hunger. That’s not even a problem.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darenna answered lightly, even nodding slightly to the peasant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that possible?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even freemen don’t always get enough to eat!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No one starves? My god, does such a place truly exist?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peasants were once again in uproar, astonished. For those who had lived their lives starving, this seemed like a dream—something straight out of paradise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will we have clothes to wear?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will we freeze to death in winter?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will we stop being beaten?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will we have homes to live in?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peasants, emboldened, bombarded her with questions, dreaming of a \"better life\" where they could simply survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These questions, so basic they bordered on absurdity to modern minds, seemed like a vision of Eden to the peasants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Clothing in the kingdom is affordable and well-made.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The kingdom’s mages ensure that the cities remain warm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Assaulting others is against the law. Even a duke cannot violate the kingdom’s codes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darenna patiently answered each question, her demeanor so warm that the peasants felt completely at ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perhaps a more direct demonstration would clarify things,\" she suggested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Clap.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a light clap of her hands, her guards presented a wooden box containing a magical crystal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darenna activated the crystal, projecting a translucent image into the air. The peasants gasped in astonishment, craning their necks to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—The image displayed a laborer with a peasant brand on his neck working on an assembly line in a clean, orderly environment—a stark contrast to the filthy, dilapidated huts the peasants were used to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The laborer’s task was simple: inspecting products and stamping them with a machine, seemingly effortless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this what our work will be like?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This... this is work?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He eats so much and only does that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peasants were in disbelief. Accustomed to backbreaking labor like plowing fields and mining, they had never imagined such light \"work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their astonishment, Darenna continued to entice them: \"This is what it means to be a worker in the kingdom. You’ll receive excellent treatment and only need to do the simplest tasks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Conveniently, she omitted the detail about \"at least fifteen-hour workdays.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This marchioness is a kind person!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, to offer us jobs like this!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Such good conditions!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She even answered my question personally—completely different from Northern nobles!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peasants were abuzz with excitement, already full of admiration for Darenna, oblivious to how deliberately she had guided their opinions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I... I want to be a kingdom worker,\" muttered Chai Gun, his face full of longing and reverence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks looked around, hearing the peasants’ hopeful chatter and noticing how they once again referred to their new benefactor as \"master.\" Their admiration for Darenna left him feeling bitter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This isn’t how the world should be,\" he thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had just led these peasants to break free of their oppressive chains, yet now they seemed ready to accept new, invisible ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But did he have the right to deny them their pursuit of a \"better life\"?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could he lead them to build a world free of oppression in Anzeta?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer was clear: no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was an open conspiracy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The members of Fireseed would be scattered across various cities, becoming ordinary workers, and the name \"Fireseed\" would fade into obscurity with time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fireseed, perhaps, had already been extinguished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long silence, Sparks asked, \"Is this what you all want?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Being able to eat every day without being beaten—what more could we ask for?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah, it’s like a dream come true.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m tired of fighting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peasants responded eagerly, fully accepting the kingdom’s arrangement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darenna maintained her kind smile and nodded slightly at Sparks, as if in acknowledgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Once these peasants are scattered across the North, my reputation among humans will rise even further.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I must carefully maintain this political image as a champion of human interests within the kingdom—only then can I climb higher.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pureblooded snake-person, still disguised as a human, thought this to herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peasants, completely swayed by the kingdom’s propaganda, ceased their months-long resistance and began cooperating with Marchioness Darenna’s directives to hand Denar City over to the hobgoblin forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks distanced himself from the exuberant crowd, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nick, his first follower, patted him on the shoulder and said quietly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The South—there are still many oppressed people there. Slavery might not yet have been abolished. We can reignite Fireseed there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Sparks clenched his fist, gazing at the distant horizon, and said resolutely:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, we’ll head South.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fireseed will never be extinguished.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he did not know that Marchioness Darenna had deliberately advised Nick to send those unwilling to give up on Fireseed to the South, to the Fadlan region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, they could pursue their ambitions to their hearts’ content and let Fireseed burn brightly.\u003C\u002Fp>",1077,"2026-06-03T12:47:02.952Z","2026-06-03T12:47:07.061Z",1,"novelbin.me","e637d1e3834d23a41bdaa8eb970fa86c536fadf4d977b735110f51ff95511e57","ember-dragon-chapter-363","ember-dragon-chapter-361",603,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fember-dragon-cover.jpg"]