Xingtie, started with a guitar, and made a living by singing

The blond young man had a calm expression and seemed unfazed by Cocolia's questioning.

"Oh? Are you trying to defend your sister? For someone who has already betrayed Belloberg, I think it would be wise for you and the Landau family to quickly sever ties with her. Otherwise, this misunderstanding (reread) will probably be bigger than a hole in the sky."

Cocolia stared straight into his blue eyes. If he showed any fear or hesitation, she would make a decision without hesitation.

She would keep him only because among all the Iron Guards, Jeppard was the most outstanding warrior, what was called a "heavy piece" in the board game.

If you can make good use of the other party, you can easily accomplish many things -

But now it’s different. He is not indispensable. There is a “chess piece” that is easier to control and is as powerful as him.

She has neither the complicated network of relationships between the city builder families nor any foothold in the upper class. Even her pursuits can only be satisfied by herself.

Is there any object that is easier to use than this?

"..."

Jeppard's silence made Cocolia think that she had grasped the rhythm of the conversation. She approached slowly, staring at him coldly from a position that was extremely psychologically oppressive.

"You seem to be still hesitant, still wondering if my actions are correct, believing there's still room for maneuver. But have you ever considered the despair of those trembling in the shelter under the threat posed by the dragon?"

Like a devil playing with people's hearts, her voice has a touch of "magic" that makes people lose control.

"Think carefully. As an outstanding and honorable garrison officer, isn't your most important duty to protect the people? If anyone threatens their safety, they must be eliminated at all costs. Isn't that the Langdao family's oath?"

“…You are right.”

"Remember, Sergeant Jeppard—doubt breeds pride, doubt breeds evil."

As she passed by him, Cocolia gently patted his treasured Aurora Arm Armor.

"As a model of Beloberg, you shouldn't have any extra thoughts. Just listen to orders and execute them. Don't let gossip cloud your mind, and don't let me down—"

After these words, Cocolia took Bronya straight into the prison, and the young guard just waited respectfully for them to leave.

Not until the two figures disappeared did he raise his head and look towards the battlements beyond the distant night, sighing for a long time in his heart.

He had no intention of obeying Lord Cocolia's orders as usual, nor did he intend to help the poet who had started the Dragon Rebellion.

As an Iron Guardian and a warrior bearing the name of Landau, he will defend Beloberg and her people, no matter the cost—

Even though, this time he has to fight against the torrent of fate.

He will also stand on the side that can truly keep people alive.

……

Stepping into the icy prison, the "click, click" sound of Cocolia's high boots echoed in the air, like a witch bringing an ice storm, which made people feel terrified.

She deliberately slowed down her pace, trying to prolong the duration of this "punishment" as much as possible, hoping to see the extremely angry expressions of the two men when she met them later, but they would be helpless and even beg for mercy in panic.

In the shadow of darkness, her unbridled desire for control and judgment grew so strong that the human side of her behavior became increasingly weak.

It seems that the one walking here is not Beloberg's guardian, but a destroyer who lets the devil in his heart run rampant and destroy everything.

This made Bronya feel a chill in her heart, and she became more and more resistant to the existence in front of her who was wearing the skin of "mother".

At this moment, Cocolia seemed to have noticed something and turned around to look at her.

Although it was pitch black, she felt that the other person's gaze could see through her inner thoughts as if it were real, and there was a buzzing sound in her ears.

This made her lose consciousness for a moment, and then she felt a strong sense of dizziness.

At this moment, Cocolia also held her hand, as if she was looking at her young daughter who was afraid of the dark, her eyes full of doting and pride.

It was not until they finished walking through the corridor, which was neither too long nor too short, that Bronya realized that she had been held by her hand the entire way, and she hurriedly tried to break free from Cocolia's hand.

Cocolia let her break free, but her timid appearance like a rabbit proved that an indelible shadow of her own had been branded in her mind.

It would not be so easy for her to resist after that.

In this state of mind, some evil thoughts in Cocolia's heart became even deeper.

However, the next moment——

"Hey. Look who's here! Isn't this our almighty and awe-inspiring guardian? Why did you bother to come all this way? Are you out of help?"

An untimely voice belonging to Shiluwa came from the other side of the cage, causing Cocolia to frown.

In addition, another sarcastic voice sounded.

"You can't say that. Everyone knows that the Lord Protector is the most compassionate to his subordinates and is deeply concerned about the country and the people. How could such a wise monarch fall into a situation where no one can use his power? Someone must be spreading rumors!"

Wendy grabbed the railing with both hands, and her messy appearance was now tidied up a little, making her look less embarrassed, and more like she had just come back from fooling around.

When he saw Bronya, he greeted her nonchalantly.

"Hey, isn't this Bronya? You're here too. Feel free to sit anywhere. Just treat it like your own home."

The irony revealed between the lines made Cocolia's face completely gloomy.

Chapter 81: The Demonic Dragon Rebellion Rises Again

"Heh. Recognize yourselves, you are but two hamsters that gnawed at wooden stakes and rice bags, causing so much trouble to Beloberg. How dare you disrespect me?"

Cocolia sneered and looked at the two people in the cell. Her gaze lingered on Shiluwa longer, while she was more impatient and annoyed with Wendy.

"Stop, stop. No one here is lower than you, and not everyone here is as jealous as you, always trying to prove that they are nobler than others."

There was a hint of anger on Shiluwa's expression. Since that day, she thought she would never see this woman again, but the fact was, in a world so rotten that it couldn't get any worse, there were always worse things happening.

Even living a good life on one's own piece of land has become an excessively luxurious idea.

After all, the city's doom had already been decided, and the woman in front of him was the madman who stepped on the accelerator and led everyone to rush into the bottomless abyss.

Just as Cocolia was about to scold Shiluwa for being as annoying as before, Wendy interrupted her.

"Besides, are you really talking about a hamster? It feels more like a mouse."

"You have no right to speak now, impertinent bard."

Her eyes fell on the thin young poet, who was not even as tall as Bronya, and her disdainful attitude became more obvious.

"I'll deal with you slowly later. Before that, if you don't want to get more frostbite on your pretty face, you'd better shut up!"

"Oh? The capital you use to mock me is the power you cheated from the people?"

This undisguised and blatant mockery made Cocolia's face completely gloomy. Before anyone could react, she grabbed Wendy's collar and lifted her high up, with her feet off the ground.

As she watched the young man struggling in her arms, Cocolia revealed a sneer of disdain.

"A poet with a smooth tongue is only as good as his tongue."

“Wendy—!”

When Shiluwa reacted and quickly stepped forward to help Wendy, Cocolia let go of her hand and watched the two of them fall to the ground in a mess.

She raised her chin slightly, making the smile on her lips seem even more mean and arrogant.

"Hmph. What a disgusting sentimental drama. Should we just say we're both fans of playing noisy music?"

"That just proves your taste... is really bad, right?"

Wendy was fine because she had Shiluwa as a cushion, but Shiluwa was grimacing in pain. However, after hearing what Wendy said, she burst out laughing.

It was like a funny spot that had never been touched before was touched, and I even laughed to tears.

Cocolia's expression also turned completely violent. She raised her hand without hesitation, and a cold light flashed across her fingertips. An ice spear that was strong enough to nail the two of them together was formed in an instant, causing the temperature of the entire cell to drop by several degrees.

But before she could do anything, she was stopped by Bronya, who had noticed it in advance. She grabbed Cocolia's hand tightly and glared at her with stubborn and angry eyes.

"You are resorting to unscrupulous lynching! Not even the court will tolerate such reckless behavior!"

"—!"

At this moment, Cocolia didn't know whether her daughter was being pedantic or deliberately using such words to provoke her.

However, the power transmitted from her hands was real. Bronya really didn't want these two people to die here.

Especially when she showed clear murderous intent, the protective will burning in her eyes like a substance made Cocolia feel even more irritated.

There was a time when I was so foolish and unaware that I thought that faith alone could solve all problems.

But it's all too late!

She looked at Bronya deeply, and then the ice spear in her hand slowly dissipated, and she in turn grabbed her daughter's wrist, no longer showing the previous mother-daughter warmth.

"...Be thankful that you can linger for a few more days. I won't execute you tonight, but don't think that this is the end of it. I will make you live in fear and regret for the rest of your lives."

Cocolia said this coldly, and then prepared to leave with Bronya.

But, in a place she had never seen——

There was a loud bang.

Almost the entire ground was shaking, and even Cocolia had difficulty keeping her balance for a moment and had to hold on to the wall to steady herself.

By the time the shaking subsided, the arrogance in her eyes had long since disappeared, and she was now muttering to herself in a daze.

"What did you say? That dragon appeared again?"

She ran out in disbelief, and Bronya subconsciously looked at Wendy. The poet just pushed his hat lightly and smiled as if to say "wait and see".

This smile made her feel at ease, yet also inexplicably uneasy.

It was as if the shackles that had bound her in the past were removed. The first thing she felt was not freedom, but panic. She lingered at the boundary of her bondage and was hesitant to take a step forward.

But this time——

Bronya took a deep breath, her expression became firm again, and after saying "Wait for me to come back and save you", she also ran towards the exit.

In the dim light of the night, Cocolia's figure looked frail and weak, her eyes fixed on the dragon that was wantonly showing off its presence in the air.

The dragon was eroded by the Rift, and when it tried to break into the city, it was rooted in its body by the newly born Rift Seed when it passed through the hole.

The Rift Flower, which continuously absorbed the power of the Demon Dragon and grew wildly, emitted a strange blood-red glow that could be seen throughout the entire city.

Along with it were dozens of giant tornadoes that appeared out of thin air. They came from all directions and crashed into the solid walls built by the city builders.

The tremor that seemed as if the entire ground was shaking came from there. The protective wall of light was brighter than ever at this moment. If it were not for its existence, Beloberg, who was hit by the tornado and entered the city, would have been doomed at this moment.

And it was at this moment that Bronya did not see a trace of uneasiness or anxiety on her mother's face.

Instead, there was an indifferent, empty expression, as if everything that happened there had nothing to do with her.

Bronya asked, unable to understand.

"...Are you just going to watch like this?!"

No matter how tyrannical and cruel the previous actions were, as the guardian of the city, how could we do nothing at a time like this?

The only thing that answered her was Cocolia's cold look back without any emotion.

The human nature hidden in the body was suppressed to the point of near extinction at this moment, replaced by a will so cold that it willingly embraced destruction.

In the distance, hurried footsteps could be heard. A large number of armored Silvermane Iron Guards, accompanied by a young guard officer, rushed towards them. Ahead of them came a cold, purple-haired girl, carrying a petite female intelligence officer on her shoulders, her speed showing no sign of slowing down.

In the face of that decisive external force, people gathered together.

This night will mark a historic transformation for Belloberg.

Chapter 4500: Cocolia is deserted by her friends and family ( subscriptions requested)

The first to arrive was Xier, her face, which always appeared calm and indifferent, now had a hint of solemnity.

Similarly, she unconsciously slowed down her pace as she approached Cocolia and Bronya.

She put down Pella, who was on her shoulders. The girl shook her head, which was a little uncomfortable due to the bumps, and tried her best to calm the dry heaving feeling coming from her chest and abdomen.

After regaining her balance, she didn't even bother to salute as she anxiously reported, "Emergency information! Lord Guardian! Just now... the eastern wall of Beloberg has been destroyed by an out-of-control Wind Dragon! It's now frantically destroying the place where it crashed!"

"What did you say?!"

The sound was like a raging storm, causing tinnitus and loss of consciousness in the listeners. Even the Iron Guards who arrived half a beat later and only heard the second half felt dizzy.

The rest of the people who still had some sense stared at her. Even Bronya didn't have time to care about Cocolia who was standing beside her, but asked anxiously.

"What's the current situation of the Iron Guard restricted area on the border front?"

"...At this point, we still don't know. The only thing to be thankful for is that, judging by the direction of the fall, the front-line restricted area wasn't the Wind Demon Dragon's direct impact point. However, if even the outer wall is breached, the structure of the city wall might not be able to withstand such a storm..."

There was a deep bitterness on Perla's round cheeks.