"My father asked me to oversee all affairs of Elisium City."
Upon hearing the news from the young man who ascended the mountain, Noah couldn’t help but cheer.
"What’s so great about it? Do you know how many people are in Elisium City now?"
The young man wore a worried expression.
Noah, who hadn’t been down from the mountain since the Dark Territory invasion, asked.
"The permanent population has already exceeded 1.1 million, with about fifty thousand transient merchants and adventurers, not counting some slaves."
"That’s too vague. Can’t it be more specific?"
Noah was not satisfied with such figures.
"It’s already good enough to estimate. These numbers were even deduced from the collected population and entry taxes. The part that’s missing can’t be calculated at all."
"Now, for a city of this scale to be handed over to me as the Governor, even if it’s temporary, it’s a huge challenge."
"Why is that difficult? Just follow the procedures. How was the city running before? Just maintain the existing order."
Noah dismissed the concerns.
"It’s not that simple. Don’t you know that with this order comes a conscription order? Half of the original six stationed Knight Orders will be withdrawn, along with many elite reservists.
Starting tomorrow, Elisium City will be left with only three Knight Orders and less than two thousand attendants and apprentice knights who have just mastered the Breathing Technique."
The young man’s face was practically etched with worry.
"Did something happen again in the Valley of Flames?"
Noah was surprised and concerned about the situation at the front line.
"No, everything remains the same. However, my mother plans to construct five more fortresses in that area, and pulling out the Knight Orders is also to prepare for city building."
The Golden Dragon was taken aback, even from the perspective of the Longevity Species, such actions were considered crazy, as it was the Barbaric territory where many supplies could only be transported via Transmission Array.
"Then there’s no problem."
If the strongest force sees no issue, then naturally there isn’t one. Perhaps many issues can be resolved through the Valley of Flames connecting to the Dark Territory.
However, with such extravagance at the front line, the rear naturally lives tightly, which is why the young man came up the mountain, troubled, to seek the Golden Dragon’s help.
"Noah, you must help me. I can’t manage Elisium alone."
"Wait a moment. Your Flying Dragon Knight Order wasn’t withdrawn, right?"
"What about Edith? Why not find her?"
"She took the Griffin Knights to the Valley of Flames, so right now, I can only come to you for help."
The young man stepped closer, his eyes full of pleading. To maintain the city’s operation and order, adequate armed forces were indispensable.
With a large number of knights pulled out, it’s easy for the city’s order to become problematic, with skyrocketing crime rates, potentially leading to chaos and even riots.
Now, throughout all Augustus’ territory, the only one with surplus forces remaining is the Golden Dragon residing on the mountain. Under him are many Cloud Giants.
Although the adult Cloud Giants have been deployed to the Valley of Flames, the remaining female giants and still-growing Cloud Giants are more than enough for maintaining city defense and order.
"How do you want me to help you?"
Noah got the hint. His adoptive mother’s assignment probably counted him in. This mage with a blazing fire of revenge couldn’t possibly ignore such an obvious idle force; of course, she would put it to use.
"You’ve agreed? It’s very simple; you just need to lead the giants down the mountain. Compared to knights, giants have a stronger deterrent effect."
Tidel had sharpened for so many years, surely he wasn’t useless. His mediocrity was only relative to his parents and wife. In reality, within the broader human population, his talent was at least one in a thousand.
"You’ve got everything planned out. What more do I have to say? Just go with your plan."
Since it’s not deploying the giants to the battlefield, Noah naturally had no objections, merely maintaining city order; even young Cloud Giants could do that.
So, when the sun once again rose from the eastern mountains, the residents of Elisium City were somewhat astonished to see giants striding heavily, rumbling down the streets, under the morning glow.
Even though overhead, griffins were soaring across the sky, and flying dragons were roaring with heads held high, compared to the Cloud Giants, these creatures’ presence was pitifully lacking.
With giants taking over city defense, it was extraordinarily awe-inspiring. So much so that, over the whole day, the city’s topics and discussions were all about the giants, to the point where hardly anyone noticed the disappearance of several core Knight Orders from the city.
Even those with keen attention who did notice, when they saw the giants patrolling back and forth on the main city roads, along with the griffins and Flying Dragon Knights skimming the skies, all kept silent without any action. Humans might offer verbal warnings, but monsters surely wouldn’t reason with people.
"What are you doing? I’ve dispatched all the able-bodied giants; you still want to keep me here?"
Noah looked at the young man in front of him, who was showing a seemingly honest smile, not quite friendly.
He had followed the giants down the mountain, quietly wandered around the city, and was planning to return, but this guy actually blocked him, not letting him leave.
"Noah, since you’re already here, why go back? It’s so lonely on the mountain!"
"Noah, you’ve already helped me; why not see it through to the end? I still have a lot of documents here; let’s handle them together!"
Tidel beamed, having long experienced the Golden Dragon’s talent and wisdom, thus today, he wouldn’t let this guy off for anything.
"Do you know what you’re saying?"
Noah’s eyes showed a hint of something unusual.
"Right now, you hold the highest authority in Elisium. If my handling of the administrative documents differs from yours, what will you do?"
The Golden Dragon asked.
"We can discuss it. If you’re more correct than me, then, of course, I’ll listen to you."
The young man had an air of inevitability, not feeling that there was anything wrong with his words.
"You want to share your authority with me?"
The hint in the Golden Dragon’s eyes grew stronger.
"Haha, your words are too serious. But if you insist on a serious answer, that’s how I think."
Tidel laughed, as if without a single thought.
"I’m just a Young Dragon."
"But you are a Golden Dragon."
"I’m about to enter the Deep Sleep Period. I won’t be able to help you for long."
"Help as long as you can. We can deal with your Deep Sleep Period later."
The young man revealed a bit of a roguish air, coming off somewhat irreverent.
"Alright, I can’t do anything about you!"