Reincarnated as a Phoenix

Chapter 42.5 - Empire's POV

---This takes place shortly after the city incident way back in the beginning, 0.5 is for that reason and is a little shorter than usual as well---

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Roughly ten months ago...

(Temporary Perspective Change)

"Thank you, chancellor Marcello"

The chancellor leaves the room now just leaving just me and Leone alone in the study, he's just shared the damning news that we've lost an entire city in the blink of an eye, I really should be angry but all I can feel is disappointment right now. Leone is sitting on my study table while I'm in my desk chair.

"I already told you what would happen if you went down this route Alistair"

Of course, she now feels the need to start lecturing. She is the reason for it though.

"Must you start?"

"This is what happens when you ignore my advice"

That's it, she's getting me irritated now.

"Don't you be acting innocent in all this, you're the witch who decided to share this information with me and decided to try and capture that odd bird that just so happened to be hatched from a dragon"

"My goal is only to assist the royal family. If you tell me to do something stupid, then it's on you. I didn't misinterpret your orders and you know that"

This immortal witch just sits there picking her nails, she really couldn't give two shits about everything that's gone down. Sure, I guess I could be a little more sensitive to all the citizens that were lost as well but I feel more aggrieved on the amount of progress we've lost, that city in question held a lot of this empire's top soldiers. I guess this is the price to pay for trying to achieve an immortal empire.

Fucking dragons, why is it so hard to just capture one? Wyverns are an absolute joke to capture yet the thing we so desperately want, just cannot be achieved. So close, yet so far out of reach.

All we need is one dragon, then this empire's future is all but guaranteed, are we asking for that much? Just one, lousy, stinking beast that we can put a crest on, must we suffer such injustice?

Of course, we come across the daughter of the only dragon my ancestors couldn't capture or kill, it had to be that red monstrosity, didn't it?

Oh, can't forget I lost my brother Blake in that city, it's a shame but he was always a bit of an idiot anyway. Still a bit unsure why Leone put that bird with him after the crest failed to apply but my best guess is that even she was a bit confused on the whole situation and just wanted to give me an update, I guess phoenixes must be resistant to the crest.

"*Sigh*... this really is troublesome"

"Why are you getting so concerned anyway? Just go and grovel up to them, the daughter is safe so you'll survive, probably"

She's really making that suggestion? That I, the royal prince who basically controls nearly an entire continent go and beg to some dragons for forgiveness?

It wouldn't be hard to do such a thing, just would need to plan the whole thing out so that the situation would still end up in our favour, manipulation could work. Huh, that is something I could do thinking about it.

"Am I not allowed to be concerned?"

"Hmph, we both know the only reason you're annoyed is that you've taken an ego hit, I did practically raise you after all"

Urgh, such great memories being raised by the woman who raised quite a few generations of the family. If I didn't know better, I'd think she's trying to manipulate me by bringing that up right now.