Volume 5 Chapter 0092 My family has a daughter who has just grown up - I, The Dragon Overlord

The gates of the City of Dragons swung open as a mighty army crossed the stone bridge between the mountain ravines, making its way into the city. This was a coalition force composed of various races—humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, and more—though humans were the predominant race among them. This grand army was clad in full-body armor; some rode warhorses, others giant wolves, and some even rode woodland leopards, showcasing the different beasts tamed by different races in diverse environments. Among the crowd welcoming the emperor's triumphant return, there were also spies from other nations. Even though the kings of these nations knew their own strength was insufficient to rival the empire, and though the presence of gods ensured that as long as they didn't provoke the empire, it generally wouldn't invade, the presence of a slumbering dragon by their side was a cause for worry. Thus, sending spies to assess the empire's military strength became a necessity. At this moment, however, the scouts from the various kingdoms of the Western Continent wore grim expressions. Seeing the returning imperial army, where almost every soldier was clad in full armor and the knights were an unending sea, something impossible for other kingdoms to achieve. The cost of producing armor was exorbitant. In most kingdoms, having a few thousand such knights would classify them as a military power. However, compared to the imperial army, it seemed as though the entire military strength of another kingdom was equivalent to just one legion of the empire. With its immense wealth, the empire's opulence in equipment could crush the entire material plane, not to mention the legendary and demi-god level warriors it fostered. Yet, upon reflection, these many kingdoms and duchies occupied the Western Continent, while the empire alone held sway over the entire southern and part of the eastern regions. In comparison, their inability to rival this giant became more understandable. "Her Majesty the Empress has returned victorious!!" Soldiers guarding the city proclaimed loudly. Much like Caesar crossing the Rubicon into Rome, Alexia rode at the forefront of the army, sitting atop a majestic unicorn. Knights beside her held the imperial standard aloft, emblazoned with the image of a dragon's head. The empress was dressed in luxurious silk garments, adorned with numerous arcane runes that shimmered with a radiant glow, exuding an incomparable aura of nobility. She wore a crown, with beautiful dragon horns on either side, and long, elf-like ears further enhancing her regal demeanor. As Alexia entered through the city gates, a military band immediately began playing a rousing tune. The crowds lining the streets erupted in cheers, and in an instant, the vast mountain city was engulfed in celebration. People hailed the empress' esteemed name, offering her the highest honors. Amidst the tidal wave of voices and from his vantage point, Louie saw his daughter's proud and authoritative visage. Even a dragon matures over two hundred years, and Alexia's human form was no longer the petite young girl of past years but was starting to blossom into womanhood, which made Louie reflect with a father's sentiment on how 'his little girl was growing up.' Louie's offspring were not numerous, but Alexia was undoubtedly the one to whom he'd devoted the most care and affection. He bestowed upon her everything he had achieved on the mortal plane, aiding her ascent to the pinnacle of power. Were it not for the necessity of having this queen lead the dragon nation, Louie might have already granted her a minor divinity and domain, allowing her to ascend to godhood and remain by his side. For a true divine child, reaching divinity was that straightforward. Two centuries of emperorship had long stripped Alexia of any naivety or immaturity. She had become a competent ruler. In a political system dominated by humans, over two hundred years had rendered the political landscape extraordinarily complex. Yet, though Alexia bore no human lineage, she deftly managed to balance power among her subordinates, and navigate the tensions between nobility and commoners. When Alexia entered the city gates, the army filed in afterward. Besides the soldiers of the dragon nation, the elven forces from the Silvermoon Kingdom, who had participated in the war, also joined in this triumphant return. Clad in armor, the valiant soldiers marched down broad streets wide enough for several carts to pass side by side. Young women tossed garlands with eager shouts, parents sought their children within the ranks, and wives looked for their husbands, while children searched for their fathers. At this moment, regardless of which deity they worshipped, as long as they were citizens of the empire, they all cheered with pride for the strength of their nation. In death, they might go to the divine kingdoms of their gods, but in life, they had to live in this empire. A triumphant ceremony held great significance. It could demonstrate imperial power and unify the nation’s morale, rallying the citizens to follow the empress' lead. Amidst the celebrating army, Louie spotted many familiar faces: Noveliera soaring in the skies; Lisafir, who, having achieved legendary status, considered the empire her home; Sisna, the elf ranger and adopted daughter of the Silvermoon Goddess, who had come to the dragon nation from the Silvermoon Kingdom more than two centuries ago; and even Roselia, who while having returned to the Church of Dwan, had changed her nationality to become an imperial citizen and was now a paladin of the empire. Besides these familiar figures, there were many Louie did not recognize. The empire's army organized its legion in a ten-thousand-strong formation, and in this campaign against the Underdark, ten of the most elite legions participated. The legion commanders were newly promoted in recent decades, unfamiliar to Louie. When Louie founded this city, the army was small, with uniforms that couldn't even match. Now, every soldier donned uniform armor, with each knight bearing a high professional rank of formidable prowess. The nobles who were ennobled during the empire's founding for military achievements had different fates after over two centuries. Some families remained at the core of imperial power, becoming genuine aristocrats with centuries of history, like White, whom Louie fondly remembered as romancing a male elf and whose family today held the hereditary count title, governing a province on the empire's border as its highest official. Aside from those founding nobles who maintained their political influence, some aristocrats gradually declined, reduced to small landholders, while others committed grave errors leading to Alexia stripping them of their titles. In addition to founding nobles, many new nobility filled the power void. Louie had not delved into heraldry of the empire, thus the heraldic symbols on the crests of many knights and mages remained unknown to him. Nonetheless, this demonstrated that the blood of the empire still flowed vigorously, the noble class continued its generational succession, and the descendants of noble families had not yet faltered; they aspired to become soldiers serving and battling for the nation. The nation was still vibrant, showing no signs of decay. In the eyes of a god and dragon like Louie, two centuries was merely a blink, but for humans, it represented generations of endeavor. The individuals who initially followed Louie had become names and memories within the annals of history, while those still living had transformed into true legends. Perhaps this is the true essence of the legendary status. They had performed feats of legend, and as time flowed and countless lives turned over, their stories continued to live on as legends, vividly present before humans. "If someone penned a biography, perhaps it would be the legendary tale of a dragon lord," Louie mused with a light laugh, enjoying the sensation of being a historical witness and a supreme deity. It truly felt splendid!