Two dragons were flying toward the kingdom of Astir using stealth magic to avoid being detected. They also made sure to travel in their humanoid forms to prevent their wings from creating a bunch of wind every time they flapped.
They easily passed the border patrol and avoided the guards at every outpost. Landing in an unsuspecting area, they scanned their surroundings to make sure they weren’t spotted or being tracked, then removed their stealth.
"So this is the Holy Empire, huh? Pretty nice for a human civilization. Their security is rather bad, though. Our nation’s defense is way better than this."
"Shut up, Dreg, we’re here on a mission, not to compare our nation’s security." The woman dragon said with a neutral tone.
"Sorry, Doloris. Anyway, where should we go first?"
"We’ll check out their military might first. The strength of your enemy is one of the most important things to know when fighting a war."
"Cool, let’s go then." Dreg folded his arms over his shoulders and started walking.
Both of them had already landed in the city, so they didn’t need to show their identification to the guards and were able to walk around without any problems.
Also, since they weren’t wyverns or drakes, their bodies looked identical to humans, making them blend in even better.
"Hmm, it seems like the other races are living here in harmony. No sign of discrimination or anything. I’m surprised. This place is a lot different from when I was here some years ago. Doloris commented.
Dreg scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, who cares. Mutts always hang around each other regardless of the breed."
"I don’t need your commentary unless it is related to our mission. I do not wish to report you to Lady Circe."
Dreg shuddered. "Y-Yeah, you got it."
They continued walking and observing their surroundings, taking in everything they could. The city was no other. The roads were paved and crafted with the finest materials. Streets were clean and properly maintained.
When the two of them asked where the slums were, to see if they could bribe them into disrupting Zion’s plans, the person they were speaking to looked at them like they were lost lambs.
"Slums? What are you talking about? Queen Crystal and Lord Zion completely transformed the slums into a beautiful place. In fact, this area we’re in right now used to be where the slums were." The man responded.
"What?! That’s impossible. I’ve been here before, and there was an abundance of homeless people and crime here. How can this place change so quickly?" Doloris asked
"Ahh." The man nodded. "You must be from another part of the Holy Empire. Well, after Queen Crystal took the throne and Lord Zion abolished the teachings of Arion, they worked together to make the kingdom a better place. Anyone who didn’t side with or agree with their changes was either forced to or killed. This included the people of the slums."
The two dragons took a step back in shock. They’ve been around long enough to know how big a problem homelessness was in the human kingdoms, as well as the crimes that took place in the slums.
Generations of kings and nobles tried to fix this problem, but none succeeded. This was partly due to them using the slums and everything that went on in the place as a way to make more money and conduct things in secret.
"How did the nobles allow this?" Dreg asked
"Nobles?" The man wondered. "Oh, well, like I said, everyone was either forced to comply, or they were killed, regardless of who they were. Hell, Queen Crystal eliminated her siblings’ maternal families, who were all dukes, and replaced them. Nobles also lost a ton of their power, so they simply can’t do anything they want anymore."
"And how did this affect you commoners?" Doloris wondered. "Surely you all have been affected by this."
"Oh, yeah, we have alright. I can’t thank the gods for letting me be born at this time to witness such an event take place. Commoners are now treated like people and arent being discriminated against or put down anymore."
"Recently, my granddaughter got into a fight with a noble girl. The girl thought she could do anything she wanted and bullied my granddaughter, using her background as a noble to justify her wrongdoings. My granddaughter told her teachers, and they punished the girl. The girl told her dad, and he got angry, saying that a lowly commoner doesn’t matter, bla bla bla. Long story short, the Queen demoted the family, but they still kept up saying that they did nothing wrong, so the Queen ordered their extermination."
"Oh, she’s still alive. But the Queen said that she has to live knowing that her actions are what caused her family to not only be demoted, but also to die. It’s a punishment worse than death, and she had it coming if you ask me. There aren’t only noble things anymore. Commoners have access to the same education as nobles, and the plus side is that it’s all free. Man, I love Queen Crystal and Lord Zion."
"I see. Thank you for your time. We’ll be on our way."
The two of them left and continued to walk around.
"It seems that Zion’s reputation far exceeded what we expected."
Dreg nodded. "I thought he would be like some evil dictator or something. Turns out, he actually bettered the country."
"This still doesn’t change the fact that he did so forcefully and is trying to do the same to us. He is a threat, and we are going to make sure he’s eliminated."
"Oh yeah! I can’t wait for this war to start. My body has been itching for a battle after so long!"
Doloris smiled. "I concur. Now, let’s find out where their military is and see the strength of their soldiers. We also need to locate whatever weapon, wherever Zion’s mega weapon I, so he cannot use it."
"This will be a piece of cake." Dreg smirked.