Truth serum, the most common interrogation tool in the empire, usually requires just two small drops to make people spill their deepest hidden secrets. However, in this world without alchemists and magicians, the truth serum naturally does not exist.

As a master of espionage, Rowena certainly wouldn't limit herself to eavesdropping everywhere; when necessary, she would obtain information by delivering a heavy blow to someone's head and then dragging them into a dark corner to feed them truth serum.

This time was no exception.

"I also heard a more important piece of news; someone revealed that early this morning, Black Steel went into the Royal City to meet the King, bringing along a black dragon egg."

"Wait, wait."

The white turban gestured for a "pause," "You wouldn't be planning to sneak us into the Royal Palace, would you? If we're caught, we'll definitely be locked up for life!"

More importantly, he never obtained a map of the interior of the Royal City, so he couldn't lead them to roam around aimlessly like in the Royal Summoner Association.

"I've been prepared." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Rowena's voice grew more and more smug as a cloak drifted down from mid-air.

Charlotte curiously took this gauzy item, "What is this?"

"An invisibility cloak; as long as you wear it, no one can see you."

"But...how many people can fit under it?"

The white turban posed the soul-searching question. Although it seemed that all three of them could fit inside, even by just using his toes to think, he knew that the seemingly germophobic Charlotte would absolutely not want to squeeze in with him, the "mud-stained" one.

Thinking of this, he took a deep breath, making a decision in his heart, "I'll be on the lookout outside, ready to assist you if necessary."

Perfect team coordination was far better than having a teammate kick him out of the upcoming task team because they disliked his smell.

At his words, Charlotte also breathed a sigh of relief.

The news in the "Cuckoo Bird Daily" had long spread throughout the Royal Capital. After leaving the Royal Summoner Association, the streets were dead silent. At the call of some people, many citizens had voluntarily left the city to head to the location of the Divine Tree, hoping their prayers and pleas could win the favor of the Crimson Queen.

However, not everyone was shrouded in panic; everything inside the Royal City continued as usual.

Seeing this, Charlotte's blood pressure soared, finally understanding why the Royal Summoner Association could be so brazenly fearless.

She had witnessed the horrific scenes during the mechanical monster invasion and observed the chaos brought on by the mechanical plague in Foggy Forest County. Yet, at this critical moment, the royal family members leisurely maintained their usual life of music and dance.

Even when she told the guards she brought a letter from the City Lord of Foggy Forest County, the guards impatiently directed her to hand the letter over to the Royal Summoner Association, saying that the royal family members were observing the dragon egg and had no time for the small matters of Foggy Forest County.

This time, Charlotte could see that the guards' attitude didn't stem from procedure; they clearly hadn't heard of Moon Forest City's legend.

This was arrogance; they simply didn't care about the plagues in Foggy Forest County or the dead summoners in the first monster engagement battle. Now it seemed the content in the "Cuckoo Bird Daily" was simply a facade to stabilize public sentiment.

With negotiations fruitless, Charlotte was ready to retreat into the shadows and use the invisibility cloak when a tall figure came striding towards her.

Seeing the newcomer, the guards who were impatient a moment ago suddenly wore flattering smiles.

"Who is she?"

Black Steel glanced at Charlotte and asked.

"A visitor from the border city, claiming to have a letter personally written by Lady Fengweidie."

Saying this, the guard then proudly continued, "I made great efforts to prevent her from barging in and disrupting your pleasure."

"Since it's a letter from Foggy Forest County, perhaps there's something important inside...you should take the letter to His Majesty the King."

"Yes, sir!"

With a turn, the guard suddenly became arrogant again, raising his voice considerably, "Did you hear that? Why are you still dawdling? Give me the letter, then you can roll back to Foggy Forest County!"

Charlotte clenched her teeth; she never expected to be treated like this in the Royal City.

She had to get inside and take a look; the Royal City was no longer the place Lady Fengweidie remembered.

She didn't entangle more with the guards, handing over the letter, pretending to leave, then hiding in the shadows, donning the invisibility cloak borrowed from the little purple bat, and she tailed the guard deep inside. The grand palace was bustling with people, all gathered around a black dragon egg in utmost praise.

From their discussions, Charlotte learned that the black dragon egg was Black Steel's gift to the prince for his coming-of-age ceremony.

The Prince would become an outstanding summoner.

These were the ones determining the future of the Kingdom.

Charlotte watched as the guard passed through the crowd to deliver the letter into the King's hand. She heard the report, and the smile on the King's face froze for a moment. He didn't open the envelope but directly crumpled it into a ball, casually letting the guard dispose of it.

"Seems to be news from Foggy Forest County."

Murmurs arose within the crowd, quickly reaching a consensus, "With Black Steel around, there's nothing to worry about."

Also involved in tailing was Ethan, his eyes closely following Black Steel after he left.

Upon Black Steel's first appearance, Ethan noticed something strange.

'Ignatius Votigan (Dragon/Steel), Level: ???'.

It was just like a monster's panel, even considerately marking the corresponding attributes.

Black Steel did not return directly to the Royal Summoner Association but stroll through the deserted Market District towards the secluded southwestern district, his destination the abode in the Royal City, a three-story manor. Dragon Maids greeted him at the manor entrance, their eyes towards Black Steel as if he were the true king.

They were called Dragon Maids because they had long dragon tails of different shapes and thicknesses. If a dragon research scholar were here, they might identify their species by their tails.

Returning home, Black Steel headed straight for the study, halting for a moment in front of the third-row bookshelf. After pushing two books, the hidden door issued a sound, emitting an indescribable odor from the basement.

Once Black Steel's footsteps disappeared, Ethan descended along the steps.

The strange smell grew stronger.

Soon, he discovered the source of the smell—it was the scent of dragon egg shell fluid from hatchling dragons breaking out. Though not intense ordinarily, when hundreds of dragon eggs were placed together, it formed the smell Ethan now perceived.

The scene beneath the manor didn't resemble a cozy home but more a ritual altar in layout, the dragon eggs arranged circularly around the altar, atop which lay a dead green adult dragon, its abdomen torn open, with hatchling dragons rolling and gnawing inside.

Broken eggshells were scattered everywhere, along with hatchling dragon corpses.

Some had been devoured by their kind, leaving only stark white bones, while others died before even breaking out.

The surviving hatchling dragons displayed varying degrees of deformity.

A mechanized body, some wings turned into wriggling tubes, others lost their skin, exposing the gears underneath.

Black Steel ignored the whimpering hatchlings on either side and headed straight to the altar.

He bent down, carefully examining the dead green dragon, then stretched his hand into its abdomen to take out a hatchling dragon that seemed freshly hatched. Its mouth still held a piece of flesh torn from the green dragon, looking almost identical to the black dragon baby in Ethan's arms except for the color.

Seeing Black Steel, the green dragon baby chirped happily, comfortably lying in Black Steel's palm, extending its little claws in adoration.

What should have been a heartwarming scene of father and son meeting now appeared grotesque.

Black Steel's face showed no joy; his gaze was cold, like examining a lifeless piece of meat.

His gaze revealed disappointment.

A dark red light briefly flickered from his right palm.

The green dragon baby's chirp disappeared.

Black Steel released his grip; the crushed flesh scattered across the ground.