Warhammer: Return of the Dragon.

"I haven't found any news about the Druzy rebellion yet. It may be that the law enforcement is not strong enough, allowing the rebels hiding in the dark to escape our attention. All it takes is one order from you..."

"Another purge? Phyllis, don't forget, if we investigate Nagarythe only because of the Black Lotus, those old things will soon be brought up again."

Phyllis was slightly dissatisfied with the prince's attitude: "Your Highness, you have the power to do this, everyone knows it..."

"I am not the Phoenix King. I am not qualified to interfere in the internal affairs of an independent kingdom. Please stop saying such things. I would rather hear some meaningful intelligence."

Draconian said in a decisive tone, the maid had been interrogated many times in recent days, and the Dragon Palace had launched the most stringent blockade in a hundred years, but no clues were found.

The movement of personnel, the transportation of materials, and even the birds and beasts flying overhead were all thoroughly checked. The bottle of poisonous wine mixed with black lotus seemed to appear out of thin air and was inexplicably sent to the most important occasion in Caledo by the maid.

He would not use a bottle of poisoned wine as an excuse for the search, which would be too strange for anyone to see. There were many forces that wanted to assassinate the Dragon Prince. Even if the biggest suspect was Druzy, the remnants of Kane and the Cult of Joy, the Shadow Exile Tribe, and the looting ships at sea were all suspicious targets.

"The Shadow King will understand your decision. You are the regent, equivalent to the Phoenix King. You have the power to investigate any suspicious individuals who threaten the stability of Ulthuan."

"But I don't agree with this approach... You still have three days. If there is no solid evidence, the matter will be shelved."

The dissatisfied maid left in anger. From any angle, it was clear that Druzy must have been investigated, rather than being weak enough to believe the meaningless remarks of some maids.

The human who had been waiting for a long time walked out from the shadow of the stone pillars in the hall, looking at the pretty figure leaving the hall with a subtle expression.

"Your situation doesn't seem to be very good... I rarely see a prince who would be troubled by an insignificant assassination."

Draknir rubbed his brows and extended his hand to invite the human to sit down in front of him.

"Maybe I appear too weak, which makes most people think that they can test the attitude of the Dragon Court at will, don't you think so, Mazov?"

The human hero, who showed no signs of aging and the actual controller of the New World city, landed in front of the prince very skillfully.

"Every era requires a different way of governing. If you had taken over your father's duties, I don't think your rule would have been much more merciful than his. It was a dark era that required a strong way to control the situation. Even the most compassionate heart could not stop a ruthless blade.

But now, haha..."

Mazov smiled mysteriously, put his hands on the table, and showed understanding: "Of course we all understand that you want to get rid of his shadow. No one wants to be someone else's shadow, even if they are father and son."

"Is this what you came up with after your long meditation? I once thought that you were present at the riot sixty years ago."

“That was the hidden danger left by your father, the remnant of Gorum’s plan… and the hero who shed his blood for Caledor in the badlands, also returned to Ursun’s arms forever with the fall of the guillotine.

I watched those brave children shout, resist and persevere, and in the end I could only clench my fists in frustration. "

When saying this, Mazov's expression remained calm, as if he was indifferent to his compatriots who died in resistance.

That is a period of history that cannot be mentioned, and it is in stark contrast to the people-friendly image that Draconian established. Apart from a backup in the palace's top-secret archives, all those who knew about it except Long Lin were purged.

Draconian waved his hand and sent out a magical message, and no one would be able to enter the hall from now on.

The prince crossed his arms, as if he thought everything was under control.

“It’s hard to believe that two hundred years ago, you were a villain who would take the general away from home because of your emotions... instead of the numbness you are now.

That riot must be stopped. I cannot tolerate any attempt to subvert the rule of the Dragon Court, no matter how much contribution and sacrifice they have made. The existence of those dead should not be made public, which will only affect the peaceful coexistence of races that my father and I have worked hard to create. "

"Time always washes away many things... I'm not an elf that can treat a year as a peaceful night. Many people envy such a long life, but I just want to end it all quickly."

Mazov shook his head and smiled, his relieved eyes seeming to show that he was tired of everything.

The human raised his head and sighed, looking at the towering yet extremely cold palace, feeling deeply moved.

"I guess you want to ask me who did it. I won't deny that there are forces among humans that want independence. This is one of the prices of universal education. I have reminded you before that if people become more educated, the conflict between elves and humans will become more obvious."

"And the price is that we have the largest number of literate workers in the world, students who can adapt to various positions... and the highest quality professional army in the world."

"Sometimes civilization does not mean progress, and ignorance is also a kind of happiness..."

"You never answered my question. Do you know the origin of this bottle of black lotus?"

Draconian narrowed his eyes slightly. If Mazov said he knew, it would mean that the bottle of black lotus must have come from Lustria or Naggaroth. If he said he didn't know, then he would definitely have a way to guess who it was.

Don't underestimate this human being. This is what his father taught him, based on a hundred years of experience in dealing with him.

This man chosen by the four gods is more astute than imagined.

Mazov held the bottle in his hand. The human stared at the dark red liquid that was mostly left inside and shook his head slowly.

“I don’t know, but you must think I know… This bottle of wine flowed into this place in an incomprehensible form. No matter how you and Phyllis, whom Imrick firmly believes in, investigate, you can’t find any clues.

Besides, do you think that just a bottle of black lotus can poison the dragon prince who is being protected in the meeting room?"

"Interesting remarks, keep going."

Although it is some speculation, Mazov's strange prophetic ability is one of the reasons why Draknir trusts him. He will not do something stupid. At least before Caledor shows signs of decline, humans will show submission under his control.

And if a decline occurs...Prince Caledo, who has a century-long friendship with Mazov, will kill him personally.

"Perhaps the murderer didn't want someone dead, but chaos... If my guess is correct, someone in the Noble Council has already put pressure on Nagarys, asking someone who was at the center of their discussion to explain the recent situation."

"Marus Blackblade..."

Mazov did not comment, but pushed his chair away to indicate that he had told everyone what he knew, and all that was left was to wait for the results.

He had his back to him and spoke in a calm tone.

“Many people think you are more merciful than your father, but this is just a way of ruling… I know that after I lose my value, I will soon leave this world. I don’t care when I die. Living is an accident.

But Katerin Boha, the Tsarina who carries the blood of the Khan’s Queen, your child is the hope of Caledor, and she is also the hope of Kislev… I will not allow anything to happen to her.”

"This matter has nothing to do with her, and the same goes for any similar conspiracy in the future. This is my guarantee. No one will be able to interfere with the friendly relations between Caledor and Kislev through some insidious means."

Mazov said nothing and walked out of the cold hall. He needed to be ready... to use his 200 years of savings to help Katerin lead Kislev through the upcoming darkness. (End of this chapter)