Beneath the Red Dragon

Every world is complex and interconnected, and around every colossal entity, there exists a force that restrains its power.

Because the world tends toward balance within order, on the other end of the scale, there must be an equivalent counterweight, and what the Golden Empire intends to do now is ensure the east wind prevails over the west, issuing a severe warning.

However, the Empire is not the passive one, so...

"Open the door, Judicial Court!"

The Beauty and the Beast Tavern is the largest and most luxurious tavern and inn in the Royal Capital.

It boasts spacious accommodations, clean and tidy beds, and the attentive service of Wild Elf maids and Naga maids, along with the best security environment Within the Imperial.

In the Royal Capital, regardless of location, everyone receives focused attention from the idle Kobold Security Guard.

Thus, merchants able to open shop taverns in the outer ring of the Royal Capital’s center are ’big figures’ with certain economic strength and social status.

The laws of the Golden Empire explicitly state that the legally acquired private property of the Empire’s citizens is sacred and inviolable, with clearly defined property protection statutes.

This means that even if it concerns a merchant’s shop or their residential area, while wind and rain may enter, no one else can forcibly intrude without the owner’s permission.

Even the Empire’s Security Guard needs a patrol order from the relevant Imperial department to enter a citizen’s legally private domain.

Under the clear stipulation of property laws, with clearly defined individual ownership, the societal impact of the Empire has begun to form.

Under the influence of law, each person becomes a truly individual self, and independent personality and free will are born under the protection of every citizen’s rights.

For personal independence is established on an important condition—the sanctity and inviolability of legal private property.

Deep within everyone’s heart, there’s a humble abode, and that is their independent personality.

Once a person possesses an independent personality, free will will naturally emerge.

Free will means making one’s own decisions on their matters and freely managing everything that belongs to them.

Thus, the forces of families cannot weave their webs in the Golden Empire because family will cannot surpass the will of the law.

Therefore, the youths in those families no longer see the will of clan leaders and elders as ’Royal Laws’ they must follow; they only need to heed the will of the Dragon King Court.

Beneath the Gogomola Dragon Group, governance by law has been achieved.

Under absolute clarity of inequality, the multitudes have gained the greatest possible equality within a relative scope. Although they must align their will and thoughts with the Empire’s will, this correct guidance and restraint are indispensable.

Thus, by last year’s statistics, there were four and a half million citizens in the Golden Empire, and within just three months, the population increased by a hundred thousand, all immigrants from outside.

And those newcomers, including sailors, merchants, adventurers, and travelers, can speak freely about their businesses and future plans within the Empire’s taverns without worrying about being watched by ill-intentioned individuals.

Even some minor nobles seeking refuge frequently find footing in this tavern, and some high-level adventurer teams have used this largest tavern as a long-term base.

But in front of the Judicial Court Knights of the Empire, the personal lawful private territory clause in the Empire’s law becomes ineffective!

Because the Judicial Court Knights of the Empire are directly under the rule of the Dragons, executing the clear will of the Dragons, thereby having the qualified authority to enforce law.

Barkeeper Dark is a young man who always seems to wear a smile. His eyes, squinting with a smile, always look kindly at others, yet a massive scar running from his wing of the nose to behind the ear adds a touch of fierceness to the young barkeeper’s appearance.

When the Knight Captain of the Judicial Court ordered the tavern’s door to open, it drew the gaze of some minor nobles and adventurers enjoying breakfast in the tavern’s ground floor hall.

However, these people do not fear these Judicial Knights because they are legitimate merchants and travelers. In everyone’s eyes, these black-armored knights only appear after a specific target is determined.

The Judicial Court Knights are nightmares for those harboring ill intentions, unrelated to normal people.

"The people in the painting, which room are they staying in?" A Judicial Knight casts down a scroll, depicting a young man’s face appearing before barkeeper Dark.

While polishing a wine glass in his hand, Dark glanced over and quickly lifted his head, nodding his chin slightly toward the left side of the tavern’s third floor, speaking in a deep voice, "The deluxe common room at the far end, and that guy pretending to look around from the third-floor corridor is the ’eyes’ of those ’guests’."

Before Dark’s voice had faded, the ’eyes,’ pretending to loiter in the corridor, was struck in the back by an arrow shot from the tavern’s open skylight on the third floor. An arrow imbued with magic paralysis and concealment effect instantly felled the thief-stalker who noticed something amiss and tried to retreat.

A nimble Black Armored Light Cavalry dexterously flipped open the skylight, lightly leaping down from the rooftop.

The architectural style of the Golden Empire is extremely grand and spacious, so even the knights in black armor can easily slip through skylights.

When this black-armored knight leaped down and caught the thief-stalker while still not touching the ground, it sufficiently proved the strength of these black-armored knights.