CHAPTER 340: PROBLEMS IN THE KINGDOM OF KALDARION (2)

"Run! That monster is attacking everything around it!"

On the snowy plain, a man shouted in fear, giving frantic orders to the others.

The blue-armored soldiers trembled violently at his cry, but their bodies refused to move as the monster slowly rose.

It was a white dragon as massive as a small mountain, its enormous wings stretching toward the sky.

Standing about sixty meters tall, its face was terrifying, framed by two long, sharp white horns.

Its teeth were like swords honed hundreds of times, and hot, searing breath poured from between its fangs.

The monster’s gaze swept over the hundreds of blue-armored soldiers surrounding it before it let out a bone-rattling roar.

Roar!!

A shockwave of unimaginable power spread in all directions. Soldiers were thrown violently, their ears assaulted by unbearable pain.

"Argh!" The man who had shouted first screamed, clutching his chest.

The taste of iron flooded his mouth before a spurt of blood followed.

This is truly the end of the world... The Kingdom of Kaldarion is finished... he muttered weakly, eyes fixed on the sky.

Above him, the dragon raised its head, opened its jaws wide, and formed a glowing blue plasma ball between its teeth.

A desperate smile flickered across his face as he closed his eyes and whispered, "Long live... the Kingdom of Kaldarion..."

Whoosh!

The dragon hurled the plasma ball at the soldiers. A tremendous explosion erupted, obliterating everything in its path.

In an instant, the area was engulfed in a sea of blue fire, scorching the ground for over a kilometer and melting the snow that blanketed the land.

Though snow continued to fall relentlessly, the temperature within the blast zone kept rising, creating a strange yet awe-inspiring sight.

The dragon spread its massive wings and lifted its head to the sky.

Roar!

***

"Danger, Your Majesty! Terrible news from our troops!"

In the throne room, the king and his ministers were in the midst of a meeting when a panicked voice rang out from the direction of the gate.

Everyone present stiffened, turning toward the source of the voice with startled, displeased expressions.

The king, seated on his throne, regarded the soldier calmly. "What is it? Why are you so panicked?"

The soldier gasped for breath, then dropped to one knee, bowing deeply in respect.

"Your Majesty, the troops we sent to confront the monster... have all been defeated."

The words struck the king and his ministers like a hammer. Their breaths caught, and a creeping fear took hold.

The king struggled to steady himself, his voice trembling as he asked, "All of them? None survived?"

The soldier shook his head, despair in his eyes. "No, Your Majesty. All are gone. This news just arrived from our spies on the battlefield."

The atmosphere grew tense once more. Everyone looked panicked, their faces pale with fear.

They had already anticipated this outcome, but hearing it confirmed made the danger feel painfully real.

The king was silent for a moment before turning to the beautiful woman beside him.

"Did you send the letter I asked you to send to the Great Velmora Empire?"

The woman nodded slightly, her voice steady and firm. "Yes, Your Majesty. I sent it a few days ago. If everything went according to plan, it should have reached them today. Now, we just have to wait for their response."

The king sighed deeply, rubbing his temples.

"Thank you, Prime Minister Leina. I hope they will approve it... and aid us in this crisis."

...

In the throne room, Ragan sat on his throne, while Roswell stood at his side.

His gaze was fixed ahead, where the princes—Aldric, Cedric, Adalen, Cassian, and Nolan—stood in a row.

On the opposite side, the princesses—Seira, Novaria, Sharon, and Eliza—stood gracefully. With Zarak absent, the space next to Cassian remained empty, though the princes seemed largely unconcerned.

They were indeed shocked by Zarak’s death, except for Cedric and Nolan. For most of the others, however, the news felt like a stroke of fortune.

With one rival out of the way, their chances in the battle for the throne had just improved.

"Thank you for coming, my children," Ragan said, nodding slowly in acknowledgment. "You must be wondering why I called you all here, right?"

His gaze swept over them one by one, pausing on Sharon, who looked embarrassed and uneasy.

For some reason, she sensed a flicker of hidden anger behind her father’s calm demeanor.

No one answered, knowing it wasn’t really a question—it was just a customary opening line.

"About two hours ago, I received a letter from the Kingdom of Kaldoria. You all know that kingdom, don’t you?"

"The Kingdom of Kaldarion?" The princes and princesses exchanged surprised glances.

Of course, they knew the kingdom. It was one of the great powers of the northern continent, a region blanketed in eternal snow.

Legend said the snow there had lasted tens of thousands of years. Despite the harsh climate, the kingdoms in that region were far from weak. In fact, most of them were formidable.

Kaldarion was a force to be reckoned with. Though several tiers below the Great Empire of Velmora, it possessed a powerful elite force known as the "Blue-Furred Wolves."

This unit was feared for its ability to strike and kill even in the midst of blizzards, making it nearly unstoppable by any invading army.

Now, their father had suddenly brought up the kingdom, prompting the children to speculate about his intentions.

"The Kingdom of Kaldarion has requested our assistance with a pressing problem in their territory," Ragan said. "A white dragon has appeared about twenty kilometers from their capital, Nivara. Its presence has severely affected their economy. So..."

He paused briefly, smiling faintly as he studied the expressions of each of his children.

"I plan to send two delegations to help resolve the issue. Naturally, Draco and Cassiopeia will accompany them—as protectors and as executioners tasked with killing the monster. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, everyone’s faces immediately turned serious.

At last, they understood why their father had summoned them—to discuss the monster threatening the northern continent.

To be honest, since the incident in the eastern region, many of the princes regretted not volunteering to go. Had they acted sooner, they might have claimed the title that Elina now held.

"Father, let me handle this problem."

As Cedric, Adalen, Cassian, and Elina moved to raise their hands, Aldric stepped forward first and volunteered.

He crossed his muscular arms, casting a condescending glance at his siblings.

Of all of them, he felt most entitled to this task—especially since his earlier hesitation had left him a step behind Elina in the race for the throne.

But suddenly...

"No, you can’t do it."