Ashen Dragon-Chapter 354 - 278: Public Trial

Chapter 354: Chapter 278: Public Trial

Stratholme Fortress had fallen.

The forces of the Ashen Kingdom marched into the city, their steps in perfect synchrony, swiftly seizing the armory and the Ducal Mansion, smoothly taking control of the entire city.

Stratholme Fortress, the largest city in the North, even under siege, was home to nearly seventy thousand people.

“Tampas above…”

“It has truly fallen…”

“I hope these monsters won’t cause a massacre…”

...

“But, but those are retainers of evil dragons. Haven’t you read the ‘Book of Ashen’?”

“God, who can save us now?”

The townspeople shut their doors and windows tight, nervously staying inside, envying those who had already left, and speculating about the assurances of the giant dragons.

The city seemed to be shrouded in a dark cloud, the oppressive sound of hushed whispers echoing within.

Some curious players also began to “explore” the city, rummaging through everything in sight, with one even ending up in the sewers before being arrested by the accompanying military governor.

However, the well-trained tieflings quickly followed orders, knocking on doors house by house.

“Don’t, don’t kill us!”

“Don’t hurt them, I surrender!”

“By the kingdom’s orders, please proceed to the assembly square.”

There were not many bloody clashes during this period, though it did terrify several townspeople into fainting.

Reluctantly, people were forced to leave their homes, anxious and praying they could survive the dragon’s tyranny.

“What, what do they plan to do?”

“Are these devils going to eat us?”

“No… no way, are they going to feed us to that Red Dragon?”

Before their words fell silent, a tremor resounded through the city, causing people to look up in terror, all eyes fixed on a single point.

“Boom!”

A massive red dragon descended from the sky, crushing the high city wall to pieces, causing countless stones to fall.

The majestic wall, a sight to awe even the Frost Giants, looked like a paper sculpture before the Red Dragon, liable to collapse with the slightest neglect.

Cassius cautiously climbed the tallest tower, opening his mouth to release a long roar that drowned out all the noise in the city.

Countless fearful gazes looked up at this colossal existence.

“Humans, the North has fallen.”

“In the name of the King of Ashen, I declare that the centuries of oppression by the Northern Nobility upon you have ended.”

“Recognize the situation. The hundred-thousand-strong allied forces of the North have been annihilated, and the kingdom will bring you a new order, one free from the decadent and lavish ruling of the Northern Nobility.”

“Lastly… the public trial is about to begin. Enjoy it.”

With a gust of wind, Cassius flapped his broad wings and soared into the sky, then vanished amidst the warping space.

The tower beneath him crumbled under its own weight, collapsing with a loud crash, leaving behind a heap of smoke and rubble.

“A public trial?”

“What’s that?”

“My God, how could there be such a giant dragon.”

The people exclaimed in shock.

The townspeople, still reeling from the recent shock, clutched their chests and took deep breaths, their hearts filled with confusion.

This giant dragon seemed unlike a brutal conqueror.

One must understand, this was an era where “soldiers passed like combs”. Even when the troops of the Boske House marched through their city, looting and coercion were inevitable. They were long accustomed to it.

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But the Tiefling army, as “conquerors” entering the city, did nothing outrageous, maintaining remarkable order.

So what were they planning?

A sacrifice?

The people of Stratholme Fortress had never heard of the term “public trial”.

And the words of the Red Dragon puzzled the townspeople, who had always regarded the Ashen Kingdom, influenced by the Boske House’s propaganda, as a land of monsters.

But soon, they would understand.

…

Under the supervision of the Tieflings, people nervously gathered in the major squares, creating a cacophony of noise.

“What are they planning to do?”

“I hope we survive…”

“Keep your voice down, that ogre is watching you!”

Under the escort of the Tiefling guards, Mezulash walked onto a high platform covered with a cloth and spoke in a solemn voice:

“The public trial is about to begin, please remain silent for now. It’s not yet time for you to speak.”

His voice was not loud, but it spread throughout the venue through several black boxes.

“Bang!”

The surrounding Tiefling guards fired shots into the air, creating deafening bangs.

The crowd instantly fell silent, the square holding ten thousand people descending into quiet.

“Very good.”

Mezulash nodded slightly, signaling with a glance.

The Tiefling guards on the sides of the platform immediately understood, pulling down the massive curtain covering it.

Instantly, the crowd erupted again, their eyes widening in disbelief and letting out uncontrollable gasps.

“How is this possible!”

“I must be seeing things…”

“That, that is—”

“Tampas above—that is Marquis Horace!”

On the high stage stood several tall wooden frames, and a middle-aged man with blonde hair and blue eyes was bound tightly to them.

He was bare-chested, his head hanging low, his body covered in blood, appearing extremely disheveled.

It was the eldest son of Duke Leo, Marquis Horace Boske!

No wonder the people were so shocked.

The once untouchable, incredibly noble figure was now tied to a wooden frame like a prisoner, showing no sign of the noble lion blood running through his veins.

Mezulash glanced at the crowd’s reactions with a satisfied smile, taking out a prepared document from his pocket.

“Very well, as you can see, this is Leo Boske’s eldest son, the former Marquis of the Boske Duchy—Horace Boske.”

“He is a heinous war criminal, one of the main instigators of the war, the primary orchestrator of the ‘Great Levy’, and the perpetrator of countless atrocities.”

“And today, you will judge his crimes.”

The crowd boiled over once again, their faces brimming with disbelief, even suspecting they were dreaming.

Judgment?

Decide the guilt of Horace Boske?

Letting a bunch of commoners decide the actions of a former marquis was unthinkable before, almost shattering their worldviews.

“That is Marquis Hollen…”

“Who would dare judge him?”

“Indeed…”

“What if he’s released later? Wouldn’t the person who spoke be in trouble?”

Amidst the murmurs, no one dared to try.

The people had long been accustomed to the high-standing Northern Nobility. Even with the opportunity in front of them, they did not dare to challenge it easily.

In the captive ranks below the stage, Viscount Luton looked at the marquis on the stage, then at the discussing crowd—he saw the insidious intent in what appeared to be a farce by the Ashen Kingdom.

They intended to utterly destroy the Northern Nobility!

Not only physically, but also mentally and culturally, uprooting the bloodline that had ruled the North for millennia!

Viscount Luton’s face turned pale, his purple lips trembling, his body starting to weaken.

“They…”

“They dare to do this… this, this is to root us out…”