[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ember-dragon":3,"chapter-ember-dragon-ember-dragon-chapter-557":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},1162756,1504,"Chapter 557: Investiture","ember-dragon-chapter-557",557,"\u003Cp>>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 557: Investiture\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The ceremony begins—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Cassius’s voice fell, over a hundred half-red dragon heralds in scarlet-gold ceremonial robes, each holding a beast-hide scroll, appeared at the foot of the altar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gazing at the scrolls filled with names, the crowded imperial citizens held their breath, closed their eyes, and whispered prayers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether human, tiefling, ogre, or hobgoblin, all were particularly tense. Expectation flickered in every colored pupil, and hearts of all sizes pounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cassius above.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please let my name be there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Great Emperor, I beg of you, grant me the honor of becoming dragon-blooded nobility.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I personally killed twenty-one demons. The officials in the Ministry of Surveillance surely saw my efforts. At the very least, I deserve First-Class Citizenship...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s nothing. I slew seventy-five! If a guy like you can be made a baron, then I should be an earl!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmph, just another guy padding his count with lesser demons.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, the Empire’s population had reached nearly ten million. After multiple reforms, its system had become tightly structured, no longer the crude monster-tribe coalition it once was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The early-stage development benefits had long passed. Gone were the days when catching a spy or inventing something minor could earn a title. Every position now required fierce competition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the lowest title of Dragonblood Baron was eyed hungrily by over a hundred thousand war-decorated imperial citizens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empire always valued capability first—almost to an exaggerated degree. Nearly every position was merit-based, and rewards were strictly distributed according to wartime contributions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under this system, becoming dragon-blooded nobility without risking life and limb for the Empire was nearly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially after the brutal Abyss War, every person who made the list had likely staked their life and dreams on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the most loyal, courageous, and powerful citizens were worthy of standing atop Istaria’s Grand Altar, becoming existences envied by millions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the grand altar slowly rotated, and one by one, new seats emerged from the white marble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Boom—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look! The altar is changing!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s dukes! The number of ducal seats increased! No—all ranks have increased!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the top of the majestic altar, the ducal seats had increased from three to nine—meaning six new dukes would be born from this honors ceremony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, hundreds of thousands of eyes locked on the nine ornate seats carved with dragon reliefs. Many swallowed hard, eyes burning with endless desire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew they had no chance of sitting there, but those were imperial dukes!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the Ember Empire, dukes were the most exalted beings beneath the Emperor, each wielding power comparable to dragons, enjoying longevity, and commanding immense influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take the current three dukes for example: each could shape the fate of millions and influence the entire Empire’s landscape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Langpu managed the entire administrative system, Dolo commanded the vast military, and Medrolash oversaw special forces like the Nocturne and the Imperial Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duke Dolo once said, a soldier who doesn’t wish to be a general isn’t a good soldier. Such power and status were irresistibly desirable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lead half-dragon herald stepped forward again. He wore a formal crown resembling dragon horns—a symbol of his authority to declare the Emperor’s rewards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Duke Langpu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Duke Dolo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Duke Medrolash.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These three oversaw logistics, military, and intelligence respectively during the Abyss War and were chief strategists in the war’s victory. They are hereby promoted to Grand Dukes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As expected.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So enviable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, they were the Emperor’s first followers, founding elders—not like us northerners.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No wonder they are the Empire’s three pillars. Even with new dukes added, their status remains highest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sigh, if only I’d joined the Ember Nest earlier, maybe there’d be four Grand Dukes now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the envious, admiring, and reverent gazes of the crowd, the three dukes stepped forward and half-knelt before the Red Dragon, heads bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you for the grace, Your Majesty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, they calmly took their places on the altar’s highest tier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I could stand in that seat one day, even death would be worth it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, that is supreme glory.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Langpu looked down at the eager, packed crowd and listened to the noisy bustle. He suddenly felt emotional, as if lifetimes had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unbelievable. The Empire has become like this without me realizing it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though long used to such scenes, he couldn’t help but remember the crude fortress of decades ago, once just a primitive monster nest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the years, his status had changed dramatically. Many former Ember Nest comrades had died in the ceaseless wars or fallen far behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take that chimera, for instance. It still lived like a beast in a Storm Highlands cave, though it now had over a dozen mates, birthing little chimeras for the Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps, for that beast, this too was a kind of happiness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Gold-Fang, the former kobold chieftain, he had died a few days ago on the battlefield against demons. Surrounded in midair by hundreds of cunning Vroll demons, he was torn to shreds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, after a bloody power struggle, the kobold army was led by Gold-Fang’s thirty-third child, Silver-Fang, who had inherited dragon blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to Prime Minister Langpu, this wasn’t even worth his attention anymore. In his eyes, the kobold race held low priority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empire’s growth was simply too fast, and the Ember Emperor—his master—had grown even more terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Langpu had watched Cassius rise from a five-to-six-meter young dragon to a being whose wings blotted out the sky and even awed primordial dragons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though now left far behind, the ogre mage was content simply to aid His Majesty where he could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside Langpu, the always-quiet Medrolash suddenly let out a light laugh. The tiefling looked at the multitudes below the altar and said with casual ease:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ambition, desire, craving...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Such a vibrant and dynamic scene. This is the Ember Empire, is it not?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dolo turned his head too, baring jagged fangs in a ferocious grin and exhaling streams of scorching white smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Only such a nation could help His Majesty fulfill the grand conquest of the world. Feanso is within reach.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they often clashed, the three dukes kept surface-level peace on this thrilling day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Langpu’s ugly face bore a smile as he murmured, \"I wonder who the new dukes will be.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Empire’s uppermost elite, Langpu already knew the likely names—he had even drafted some of the proclamations himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just didn’t know what revisions His Majesty would make.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second half-red dragon herald stepped forward with a scroll and, to the stirring music of the satyr band, read aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Marquis Alger, leader of the Crimson Scaled Conquerors and the imperial dragonflight, fought valiantly and shattered the Abyssal Dragonkin Legion. His merits are great...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He is hereby promoted to Duke.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As expected—Marquis Alger! He leads the Crimson Scaled Conquerors and is a founding elder from the Ember Nest days!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I heard he used to be that old vampire’s confidant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So what? Count Freed once served Leo, who became a demon avatar. The Empire only values strength, not origins.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Screech—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a piercing eagle cry, Alger wielded the Ever-Burning Greatsword and circled the air atop a draconic giant eagle before descending to kneel before the Red Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you for the grace, Your Majesty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The herald’s voice continued, clear amid the noisy venue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t merely magic but the work of the Technology Ministry’s magical amplifiers, now widely used across the Empire for locomotive announcements, square broadcasts, and bounty missions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Count Anthony, leader of the Dragon-Oath Paladins, held back demon onslaughts and halted a Balor Flame Demon. With heroic feats...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is hereby promoted to Duke.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd erupted. This young Dragon-Oath Paladin had leapt multiple ranks—from Count to Duke!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had done the same before, rising from commoner to Count. After all, Dragon-Oath Paladins were the Emperor’s scales and claws, his loyal longswords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Great Red Dragon! This new Duke is only twenty-one! That’s so young!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haven’t you read the \"Empire Daily\"? Anthony was rescued by the imperial army from a northern noble’s basement. In just a few years, he became a noble Duke!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s nothing strange. Lord Anthony is the leader of the Dragon-Oath Sanctuary, with hundreds of paladins under his command.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cassius above! If only my child could be that promising. I’ll have him join the sanctuary trials when we return!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anthony’s rise was planned by Cassius himself. The Empire had long shaped him into the model of commoners rising to nobility—a beacon for the imperial dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His promotion conveyed a message: risk your life for the Empire, and even a former noble squire can become a high Duke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why not you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer, obviously, was no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fortress-like phalanx of Dragon-Oath Paladins, two rows parted to reveal a path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anthony, sword and shield in hand, strode out down the middle, flanked by paladins, and knelt at the altar’s foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring the gossip, his eyes were firm. His heavy armor was bloodied and scarred—badges of battlefield glory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassius gave a look. Langpu, standing atop the altar, instantly understood and raised his staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An invisible field lifted Anthony effortlessly. In moments, he ascended nearly a hundred meters to the top of Istaria’s Grand Altar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dragonlord.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anthony stepped forward, knelt before the Red Dragon, and bowed low, eyes full of devotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after receiving Cassius’s personal affirmation did he rise and silently take his seat—though his sweaty brow, pounding heart, and trembling legs betrayed his excitement and nerves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite many trials, managing the Dragon-Oath Sanctuary with Freed’s help, and firsthand battle experience, Anthony was still a young man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In such a setting, his excitement and nervousness were understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Misha, who slew several high-ranking demons attempting to cause city chaos and defeated a Balor Flame Demon on the battlefield...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is to be conferred the title of Duke.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd erupted even louder. The venue was suddenly in uproar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She—she’s directly made a Duke!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cassius above!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve heard of her. That’s the Dragonflame Girl!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a Dragonblood Duke! The highest status a mortal could attain within the Ember Empire—and it had been granted just like that!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though many had read about the \"Dragonflame Girl\" in the Empire Daily’s war section, she was still just a rumor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha’s rise was a recent one. Compared to legendary heroes, she was far behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soldiers soon stepped forward, visibly moved and awed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You wouldn’t understand. I witnessed Lady Misha’s power with my own eyes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Without her, our whole legion would’ve been wiped out by that Balor! She’s a true Duke of the Empire!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fsssh—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a burst of searing wind and fiery sparks, the air ripped open with a blazing rift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tall girl stepped out from the spatial tear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha wore a dragon-emblazoned ornate robe. Her red hair flew behind her, surrounded by dazzling dragonfire and intangible pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She glanced around, golden eyes shimmering with pride befitting the Emperor’s kin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s her? The Dragonflame Girl...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No doubt about it. She truly is His Majesty’s kin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with her presence, skeptics fell silent and shut their mouths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a graceful leap, dragon wings unfolded behind Misha. With a flap, a gale lifted her a hundred meters to the altar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Folding her wings, she knelt and spoke softly.\u003C\u002Fp>",1860,"2026-06-03T12:47:18.890Z","2026-06-03T12:47:22.748Z",1,"novelbin.me","3043b4a90dc7e02d247a7fe49dc7ecf2513f48207f6c27c73dcc283d85728604","ember-dragon-chapter-558","ember-dragon-chapter-556",603,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fember-dragon-cover.jpg"]