[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ember-dragon":3,"chapter-ember-dragon-ember-dragon-chapter-553":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},1162749,1504,"Chapter 553: The Empire’s Afternoon","ember-dragon-chapter-553",553,"\u003Cp>>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 553: The Empire’s Afternoon\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the gates of Isthalia, banners fluttered and crowds surged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tens of thousands of imperial citizens gathered there, crowding both sides of the broad roads, waving flags and banners, cheering in waves to welcome the returning imperial army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For the Empire! For His Majesty Cassius!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Welcome home, heroes of the war to defend the nation!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Under His Majesty Cassius’s wise leadership, the Empire has once again achieved a great victory!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Warm congratulations to all returning imperial heroes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this passionate atmosphere, the Empire’s soldiers marched in neat ranks, heads held high, stepping into the city with the rhythmic stomp of standardized leather boots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steam tanks rolled in behind them, their engines rumbling at low intensity, issuing deep growls like steel beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were also \"heroes\" of the war to defend the nation, having slain countless demons on the battlefield. Even their treads were stained purple-black with blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By Cassius!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Steam tanks! These are our Empire’s secret weapons!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of monster could possibly damage these imperial war machines?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look, it’s the Emperor’s Wrath! They say it killed tens of thousands of demons in battle!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the \"Emperor’s Wrath\" was covered in scars. Its left armor plate bore a shocking gash several meters long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this was no simple damage, but a testament to its glorious combat against monsters like Demon-Hunting Spiders and Slaughter Demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dragon-blooded goblin wearing a \"Hero of National Defense\" medal stuck his head out of the tank, waving excitedly and shouting:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long live the Empire!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long live His Majesty Cassius!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd paid no mind to the goblin’s race, enthusiastically responding, raising fists and echoing the cry of \"Long live the Empire!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This goblin, named Bill, had appeared in the Imperial Daily for killing multiple Demon-Hunting Spiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been awarded titles like \"Loyal Imperial Tank Commander\" and \"Three-Foot Giant,\" becoming a role model among goblins, kobolds, and other often-scorned smaller races.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Buzz—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steam whistles sprayed white mist, like roars from iron beasts. The spectacle amazed the watching crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is the Empire’s steam tank legion!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How impressive!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even a goblin can become a war hero—I want to drive a tank too!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the infantry was George, wearing his imperial uniform adorned with medals, standing at the front. As he looked at the celebrating crowd, a rush of emotions filled his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could feel his searing, dragon-blood-filled heart pounding within his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Another brilliant victory... as always.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter the enemy, His Majesty always leads us to victory—even when that enemy is godlike.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the brutal battlefield, George had survived the siege of several Bazut Demons thanks to the red dragon’s blessing, holding out until reinforcements arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just days ago, he had witnessed that earth-shattering battle, where the entire Anstica region became ruins, and a godlike Abyssal dragon fell before the emperor’s feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By Cassius!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George quietly looked up at the towering Great Altar of Isthalia in the distance. The red dragon’s majestic figure seemed to reappear before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The triumphant troops continued their march. The Empire’s ogre heavy artillery corps, hobgoblin infantry corps, Crimson Scaled Conquerors, and Dragon-Oath Paladins—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These groups that had proven themselves in the demon invasion now paraded before the citizens, displaying the Empire’s military might and evoking deep pride and belonging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long live the Empire!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Long live His Majesty Cassius!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cheers echoed endlessly throughout the city of Isthalia, nearly all day long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as night fell, under the dim streetlights and in the flickering taverns, drunken patrons still raised bottles, shouting those same slogans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Postwar Ember Empire was always the liveliest, and in city squares across the land, festivities often lasted for days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The returning soldiers needed alcohol and tobacco to forget war’s pain, to release their long-restrained emotions, and to splurge their abundant spoils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As such, returning soldiers were usually the most lavish spenders—especially those just back from the front lines, known to spend like rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing this, sharp-nosed imperial merchants would hang banners reading \"Soldiers First,\" \"Welcome Home Heroes,\" or \"Imperial Soldiers Receive Discounts\" at their storefronts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They laid out dazzling arrays of \"special deals\" for soldiers to buy in bulk, earning huge profits in mere days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Players in the commercial sector came up with shameless marketing tactics to ride the hype, often dominating the market and raking in unending gold narls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even establishments offering \"special services\" advertised with slogans like \"Reward the Heroes\" or \"Serving the Defenders of the Nation,\" both hilarious and absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the war brought a flood of orders to the Empire’s arms factories. Workers toiled overtime but received generous bonuses—they were exhausted yet delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Victory brought unimaginable rewards, energizing the economy and making imperial life vibrantly lively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After repeated suicidal attacks by demons, hatred toward the Abyss had reached its peak—nearly a unanimous fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This war let the imperial people vent their rage, earning widespread cheers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tens of millions of abyssal demons were slain under the Empire’s concentrated firepower. Even that mountain-sized Abyssal dragon was felled by the radiant and supreme His Majesty Cassius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of that glorious victory, every citizen would puff their chest with pride and joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three days had passed since the army’s return, but the nightly celebrations continued, and the stirring \"Cassius Anthem\" echoed in the emperor’s plaza.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This grace, how could we forget? His Majesty made the mountain springs flow across the plains, blessed all lands with gentle rain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fired-up \"Conquest Party\" supporters marched in packs, singing crude songs about conquering the south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Humans, hobgoblins, ogres, tieflings—soldiers from many races crowded the square, toasting together despite racial differences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come! To the Empire, cheers!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To victory! Cheers!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Drink more! We barely survived, so now we live it up!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ogre roared, \"Boss, two more barrels of ale! Yeah, the biggest ones—I’ll chug them all!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Which front were you stationed at? I was in the third—fierce battles! I crawled out of a pile of corpses!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What a coincidence, I was third front artillery.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ha! Maybe you fired the shell that saved my life!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid this lively scene, George and Grace, two unremarkable humans, stepped into a tavern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The doorman was initially indifferent, but seeing George’s \"Hero Medal\" and his badge as a Dragonblood Baron, his eyes lit up and he welcomed them warmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Empire, such military nobles were most revered. Taverns and shops loved them—for they often spent dozens of gold narls at a time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attendant blushed, gesturing, \"Right this way, my lords. Let me take you to the VIP table.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George, clearly used to this treatment, replied casually, \"No need. We’ll find a spot ourselves.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attendant nodded repeatedly, \"Of course, sir. If you need anything, just call.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George and Grace found a quieter corner and ordered a few fine liquors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Including the wildly popular and extremely expensive \"Song of Triumph,\" priced at three gold narls per bottle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The server soon brought over the elegantly packaged bottles, gently shook them, and poured into their glasses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Legend said \"Song of Triumph\" was specially brewed by a master brewer among the Starfallers, made for triumphant soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said to evoke the thrill of battlefield victory, flooding the mind with joy and triumph—but it came at a steep cost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single bottle cost months of wages for a common worker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though once a starving serf, George wasn’t fond of luxury. But in this moment of triumph, he chose to treat himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heh, Grace...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve always said, as long as His Majesty Cassius stands supreme, the Empire will never lose. Your worries... were unnecessary.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George gazed out the window at the bustling streets and downed his drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magically infused warmth surged through his body, indeed recalling the thrill of slaying on the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah... The Empire will always win.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grace chuckled, shaking his head, \"How foolish I was to ever doubt His Majesty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a sip turned his face red, sweat beading on his forehead, and excitement flickering in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George nodded slightly, then said seriously, \"But... the demons were no joke. Totally different from those northern trash. They say this war cost over a hundred thousand lives.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grace burst into laughter, \"Still, we survived. Didn’t we?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rose unsteadily, toasting George and nearby soldiers, \"To victory! To surviving!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George smiled, refilled his glass, and said softly, \"To victory.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised his head and drained it in one gulp—yet his face remained calm, unaffected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thud!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grace collapsed onto the table, drenched in sweat—just one glass and he was down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that \"Song of Triumph\" contained powdered flame drake bones, producing fierce effects. Even dragon-blooded beings could barely handle two glasses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lying on the table, Grace looked up at George with envy, \"You really stole the show this time, George.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leaned on his elbow, scanning George: \"Your dragon blood concentration must be at five percent by now, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pointed at George’s hand, where faint crimson scales could be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Close.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George nodded again and took another sip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grace marveled, \"Tsk... Holding a ragtag squad alone, defending against elite abyssal heavy infantry—dozens of Bazut Demons, even killing some. No wonder you got the Hero Medal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just luck.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George glanced at his scaly hand and replied, \"If I hadn’t awakened my dragon blood mid-battle, I’d be dead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haha, Prime Minister Langpu once said: luck is part of strength. Without that clumsy mage apprentice, he’d still be just a regular ogre.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grace, clearly drunk, let slip the Empire’s well-known secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George’s face changed and he quickly gestured to hush him. Langpu’s vengefulness was notorious. Grace nodded knowingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But... I don’t envy you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grace leaned back, eyes glazed, staring at the dragon-claw carvings on the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sure, life’s better now. Back when I was a peasant under northern nobles, who dreamt of gold, wine, or fine food? But now I’m scared.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He trembled, voice shaky, fear on his face. He pointed to his heart and pounded it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You know, George—just one inch more, that demon’s claw would’ve pierced my chest. My most trusted man blocked it. He took death for me. I could only... watch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George frowned, \"You mean—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grace’s eyes dropped, a bitter smile on his face, \"As much as I enjoy victory... I don’t want to fight again. I’m afraid of losing everything. Afraid all this luxury will vanish like a dream.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at George again: \"You know, right? The Empire’s next goal is the south—Feanso Continent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I’m tired of this uncertain life. I want to stay in Anzeta. They say His Majesty will give us power to guard the homeland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What about you? What will you choose?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George barely hesitated. He looked south, eyes burning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The south. I’ll go to the south—to win land under the sun for the Empire. And for myself... to reach the true peak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even drunk, George’s tone remained firm and resolute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Knew it. Still the same, Baron George.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haha... I hope I live to see you become a duke. When I do, I’ll salute your statue.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grace, unsurprised, raised his glass again and said softly, \"To the Empire.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To the Empire.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>George clinked glasses and drained his drink. A faint light flickered in his golden eyes, like dragonfire igniting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around them, ogres, hobgoblins, tieflings, lizardfolk—all kinds of soldiers raised their glasses, echoing the cry of \"To the Empire.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the dragon-blooded goblin Bill, a fellow \"Hero of National Defense,\" shouted it sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>",1895,"2026-06-03T12:47:18.890Z","2026-06-03T12:47:22.748Z",1,"novelbin.me","3796561c0dfc9ecc40fac29f4a8b7975646a40602926ffc39b84c26963298cdd","ember-dragon-chapter-554","ember-dragon-chapter-552",603,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fember-dragon-cover.jpg"]