Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1431 - 489: Intense Aerial Battle (Part 3)

In truth, anyone with basic intuition could detect the smirk Richmond was struggling to hide at this very moment.

The outcome of this operation left Richmond feeling immensely satisfied.

It had surpassed even the most optimistic scenarios he had envisioned.

According to his original plan, the two Imperial Dragon Knights might suffer a defeat but would still manage to escape. If the encounter could merely inflict some casualties and damage upon the Empire Delegation’s airships, it would have been considered a significant victory.

To his surprise, the Ancient Fire Dragon ‘Anguskin’ proved to be so ferocious that it seemed as though a little more pressure might actually knock the Empire’s ‘Red Queen’ Menia right out of the sky!

At the very least, the Red Dragon serving as her mount was almost certainly finished.

“Eh? What is that?” a subordinate gripping a brass telescope suddenly cried out in shock.

“Why is there another dragon appearing?”

“And it is massive!”

Driven by curiosity, another subordinate raised a brass monocular telescope to investigate the scene.

A moment later, he joined in the exclamation:

“Eh? It is true! Another dragon is emerging from the Empire’s airship fleet. But how can this be? The intelligence reports stated the Empire only brought two Dragon Knights this time!”

By now, several subordinates had raised their telescopes to observe. They began to whisper among themselves, seemingly witnessing something beyond belief.

“Hmm? A different dragon?”

Richmond, who had just swallowed a large gulp of wine, initially assumed he had misheard or that his men were hallucinating.

However, seeing several people reacting the same way, he was stunned and immediately grabbed a telescope to see for himself.

In an instant, his expression turned dark.

Damn it! There truly was a dragon that had not been accounted for!

The Empire Delegation had certainly kept their secrets well-hidden.

....

Aboard the Federation’s Giant Airship.

“Hurry! Get in touch with Lord Terrio and Lord Hernandez! We cannot allow Prince Menia of the Empire to be harmed!” Vice Speaker Bertrand shouted, his composure crumbling as he saw Menia’s Red Dragon suffer an injury.

He had assumed that the intervention of two Imperial Dragon Knights would make the battle effortless.

Yet, contrary to expectations, Menia’s Red Dragon was wounded in the very first clash.

This Abnormal Fire Dragon was proving to be far more formidable than anyone had guessed!

Furthermore, and most critically, Menia held a uniquely vital status as the Emperor’s aunt and the leader of the Empire Delegation. If she were to be injured or—heaven forbid—fall in battle...

The repercussions would be beyond imagination!

This was the reason Vice Speaker Bertrand had lost his cool.

This time, even Senator Trena did not attempt to offer words of persuasion.

As a high-ranking senator, she shared Bertrand's understanding of the catastrophic fallout that would occur if the ‘Red Queen’ Menia met with an accident within Federation borders.

To put it bluntly, even the death of a Federation Sword Saint would be preferable to the death of ‘Red Queen’ Menia here.

For a period, messengers scrambled away while generals debated tactics, leaving the bridge in a state of mild chaos.

“Look quickly! What is that!”

“An unidentified dragon is charging from the Empire’s fleet to provide backup!” a lookout yelled.

That shout instantly drew every eye on the bridge!

“What? Such a thing is happening?!” Bertrand seized the brass telescope to look.

Indeed, within his field of vision, a Dark Silver Dragon gleaming with a metallic sheen was racing toward the heart of the conflict.

“Intelligence department, are you all useless? How did you fail to notice a dragon of that size hidden within the Empire Delegation!”

Bertrand felt a mix of relief and baffled frustration!

“Well... I swear, Vice Speaker, I can promise you that this dragon was not with the Empire’s fleet when they left the Westin City Admin Hall,” the middle-aged intelligence officer defended himself, his face turning red.

“That... Vice Speaker, it is that young Lord Rein!”

“I just saw it—young Lord Rein leaped from the airship, and in the next heartbeat, he transformed into a dragon,” a gray-haired general remarked, speaking with a hint of hesitation.

He had kept quiet initially, fearing his aging eyes were playing tricks on him.

However, after double-checking and realizing the young Lord Rein was no longer on the deck of the Empire’s flagship, he felt confident enough to speak up.

After all, Rein could not have possibly retired to his cabin in the middle of such a fierce struggle.

“What! Rein turned into a dragon?”

Bertrand and the other high-ranking generals all raised their telescopes once more to scrutinize the dragon.

“Sir! It is confirmed! Lord Rein is no longer on the deck of the Empire airship,” a lookout reported loudly after a thorough sweep.

That report made the conclusion unavoidable!

The Dark Silver Dragon before them had to be Rein’s transformed state.

Senator Trena, the elegant woman also observing through a brass telescope, had her beautiful eyes wide with shock and her cherry-red lips parted in a gasp.

It was rare to see such a stunned expression on a Federation senator of her standing.

And while everyone watched in total disbelief!

Rein had already closed the distance to the Abnormal Fire Dragon...

....