Your Majesty's money, why don't you engrave my name on it?

The position of emperor did not exist at that time, so he was the first consul of the empire and the founder of the empire's first dynasty. However, the first dynasty was very short-lived. Flavius had no children, so his only nephew inherited the empire, and his nephew became the empire's first emperor in the true sense.

As this "nephew" handed over the empire to his beloved, the first empress of the empire, before his death, the Second Dynasty came on the stage and continued until her ancestor came to power.

"The elves believe that during the First Dynasty and even into the early Second Dynasty, two empires existed simultaneously in this land. One was founded by humans, while the other was primarily composed of goblins, bugbears, hobgoblins, and other goblin-like races. It wasn't until a certain emperor that this goblin empire was completely destroyed, and its remnants fled west and north to Inassus and other areas."

This is obviously not "orthodox" history, at least as a member of the most noble group in the empire, Angrita has never been allowed to hear this version of the story.

"It doesn't feel real..." the girl muttered after thinking for a moment. "Otherwise, this history should be widely publicized. Why am I hearing about it for the first time?"

The mercenary couldn't answer this question: "How would I know? If you meet Amantha one day, you can ask her yourself."

"But I think the elves' lifespan is almost ten times that of humans. What we consider to be a long history may not be that long for them. If they all say so, then it may indeed have some reference value."

Reslaufer stood up suddenly: "It's almost time, get ready!"

Not far away, two goblins scrambled up the back of the mercenary leader, using their long, thin fingers and toes to cling to the crevices in his armor while their curved teeth began to tear at his fragile neck. In a moment, the mercenary collapsed to the ground, breathing his last.

"Like wild beasts..." Bella whispered with some disgust, "Did these guys really build an empire?"

"Don't be careless," Leslough warned, rushing out first. "Every piece of human flesh they eat is filled with contempt or fear for the goblins!"

The goblin closest to Reslaufer had never expected that someone would dare to ambush them in their hunting grounds. When he saw a tall man in black armor rushing towards him, he tried to nock an arrow to fight back, but his fingers were shaking so much that he dropped the arrow to the ground!

In just a few seconds, Reslaufer had already grabbed the creature's neck and lifted it up with one arm!

"Don't even move!"

A spear was thrown at him before he could speak, but Reslaufer simply raised the prisoner in his hand and easily knocked it down from the air!

And the goblin didn't even faint!

Edward gasped, stunned by the agility of this unexpected guest. The Dragonborn then looked at the goblins and found that they were also startled.

"Whoever dares to move again will be killed!"

The ferocious owlbear-headed warhammer hung at Reslaufer's waist, but the man made no attempt to remove it. He threatened in Imperial, and his words were quickly translated into goblin language. Since goblin language is primarily guttural, a series of grunts and gasps echoed around the Dragonborn and the surviving young man.

Suddenly, Reslaufer took a step to the side, and the spinning hand axe flew out from behind him and hit the feet of a goblin who had just drawn the bowstring. The despicable creature who tried to attack was frightened and almost lost control of his bow and arrows, and fled away in a tumble.

Two humans, a "half-elf" and a dwarf came out from behind Raslaufer. The dwarf was taking down another axe. It was he who had just attacked.

Reslaufer looked at the goblin in his hand, and then turned to the group of goblins standing among the bloody corpses. After experiencing a dangerous hunt, there were at least thirty goblins standing there at a loss, not knowing what to do.

Perhaps he had not yet gotten rid of the influence of the priests, or perhaps he simply did not have enough weapons at hand to give him pleasure. After a brief thought, Leslaufer gave up the idea of attacking these weak and cowardly monsters and making them flee in panic.

"Who is your leader?" The human's question turned into a grunt and spread among the goblins.

Chapter 167 The hero appears

The leader of the goblins was still reluctant to show up, but the other twenty or so goblins showed their unparalleled loyalty and courage with practical actions: they turned around on their heels and voted for the leader with their fingers.

The goblin leader was helpless. He could only puff out his chest, pretending to understand, and strode towards the man opposite him. "Bablak!" He pounded his chest with his fist and said his name to appear more powerful.

"Why are you here?" Leslaufer sneered as he looked at the goblin, who was stronger than other species.

"……Uh?"

This is their hunting ground! Why are they here? Why aren't they here?!

Bablak didn't know how to answer for a moment. He had never thought about getting approval for his tribe's hunting activities.

"This is the holy land of Eldath!" Raslaufer shouted at him. "You shouldn't be here!"

"The holy place of Eldath is on the other side of the mountain..." Barbrac muttered. He could speak Imperial language with the habits of Goblin language and gestured behind Raslaufer with his hands. The direction was slightly off, but Raslaufer didn't care. "Here, our hunting ground."

"It used to be that way," the mercenary pushed out Bella, who was wearing the attire of an Eldath believer. "From now on, this place will also be under the protection of the Goddess of Peace. Killing is prohibited here!"

"Do you mean to commit evil in the goddess' holy land and be entangled in misfortune?!"

Barbrac was frightened and wrung his hands helplessly.

The gods of nature have similar popularity among most races. Although almost no goblins believe in Eldath, almost no goblins intend to actively attack Eldath's believers - the curse of the gods, this is what they believe in.

Especially after their former Earth Spirit System was conquered by Magrubiye.

"Get out of here now!" Leslaufer declared loudly, raising the goblin in his hand even higher and throwing it to the ground. "Barblak! You and your kind are still alive now, all thanks to the goddess! If it were the god of war, Okchuwa, you wouldn't be able to keep your lives now!"

Barbrack cast a pleading look at his subordinates. Eldath's followers would certainly not intervene in the conflict, so the current situation, with a 1 to 15 ratio or even more (he only listed Reslaufer and Vondar, who had demonstrated their strength, as opponents), was not necessarily disadvantageous to them.

"Get out!" Leslaufer stepped forward and threatened, pointing his finger in a random direction. "Don't set foot on this sacred ground again. Don't let me see you again!"

Barbrac dug the ground at his feet provocatively with the end of his stone knife.

At this moment, he saw the woman holding the strange object began to pluck the thin string on it, causing it to make strange noises.

It wasn't a battle horn, but more like... the wailing sound goblins make when they mourn the death of their companions.

The mercenary mentally gave the poet a thumbs-up. Not missing the opportunity, he immediately launched a flying kick, sending the goblin, who had just escaped his grasp, several meters away. "You dare to refuse? Very good!"

"Your doom has arrived! Let foolish Bablak die first!"

Before he could finish his words, the goblin leader had already taken the lead and fled in the direction that Reslaufer had just indicated. The other goblins, in a show of loyalty to their leader, immediately followed his footsteps, even outpacing their leader.

“Run faster!” Daisy screamed from behind. “Misfortune is catching up with you!”

In less than a moment, the goblins had abandoned all their hunted and unfinished prey and disappeared in a flash, leaving only the young man and the dragonborn hanging upside down in the tree looking at each other in a daze.

That’s it…over?

Those goblins just nearly killed them all! And ate them alive!

"Go and rescue that guy," Leslaufer pointed at the dragonborn. Angelita immediately went up and found the other end of the rope and slowly lowered him down.

The insidious trip wire and sharp wooden stakes on the ground were still there, and cutting the rope directly would kill him.

"Hello, I'm Leslaufer, 'Easterner'." The mercenary walked up to the young man, grabbed the soft hat on his head and put it on his own head, then casually took off his hat and saluted.

"Easterners" in Inassust refers to the people of East Inassus. In fact, they are more appropriately called Northerners, but this title was first taken by the Ampyri pirates further north. The residents who are actually located in the east are called Imperials.

"Philip... Fengquan." The young man, six or seven years younger than Leslaufer, stared blankly at the mercenary's chest and gave his name. It was as if he was not a poor man who had been rescued, but an unfortunate man who had fallen into the hands of bandits.

He should be so. Although they belong to the same Inassas and once belonged to the same country, the "Easterners" are only slightly more friendly to the "Westerners" and the "Central" than to Anpiri and Haidong.

But even so, Philip couldn't help but glance at Angelita beside him.

That... such a beautiful face, it's impossible for her to be from the East.

"Fengquan?" Angelita looked at the young man curiously.

"Fangboro family, follow the customs of the Imperial language," said Reslaufer. While Inassus and Imperial languages differ somewhat, the Western Inassus languages have heavily influenced each other, and aside from similar nuances, there are few communication barriers.

"Bati Antichi," Angelita nodded and extended a hand, "My family and you have been exchanging letters for some time..."

The girl's half-true, half-false introduction came to an abrupt end. When Philip tried to lift her hand and put his mouth close to it, Angelita pulled it back with the fastest reaction speed in her life, looking at the barbarian youth with shock and disgust.

How dare he? !

This damned Inassus barbarian! He wears clothes that clearly belong to aristocrats, yet he's even more despicable than the rudest peasant in the empire! At least the latter doesn't pretend to be a gentleman with these rascally actions!

Kissing the hand is not a proper gesture for an underage girl—even if she's an adult! She's nowhere near getting married!

Besides, where is this place? This is deep in the forests of the Kolin Otto Mountains! Is this barbarian planning to hold a formal banquet here? Why would he do that?

"Please respect yourself, Mr. Fang Boro!" Angelita scolded him in a tone that was almost as if she was keeping him at a distance. This sudden hostility made Philip stand there in embarrassment.

"Pfft-"

During this awkward meeting, behind Angrita, an uncontrollable chuckle slipped out of the dragonborn's throat.

Chapter 168: Cheap Blood Horse

It is intolerable to fail to please others and instead make a fool of yourself, and the ridicule at this moment is even worse - especially since the person who is ridiculing you is of such a huge difference in status from you.

"If you dare to make a sound again, I swear I'll make you scream in despair and reveal where you hid the stolen goods!" Philip's face flushed red as he pointed at the Dragonborn who had hidden behind Angelita. "You disgusting, despicable reptile!"

"And if you dare to do that, I don't mind throwing you back to those goblins." Angrita took a half step sideways, allowing Philip's finger to point at her. "Are you going to give me this finger to show your resolve?"

"You don't understand, Mademoiselle!"

As Leslough, who was watching the show, leaned forward, Philip immediately pulled his hand back as if bitten by a poisonous snake and protested, "This scaly creature is a thief! He stole a precious wand from my family! That's why I'm here, trying to catch him!"

"Don't let him fool you!"

"I've told you like a hundred times I've never seen that stupid wand of yours," the Dragonborn retorted immediately. "Are you deaf? I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Really? Then how do you explain your appearance in the Maple Springs family cemetery late at night and your being caught red-handed by the gravekeeper?" Philip's shout could almost be described as hoarse. "You robbed my brother's grave, you cold-blooded reptile!"

"enough!"

Angelita interrupted their quarrel with a loud voice: "If you want to continue arguing, I don't mind leaving you on the mountain! Uncle Leslaufer, let's go!"

"Even though we just drove away those goblins in the name of Aedas, they will definitely not give up this place easily..." Daisy came closer and added softly, quickly fading the angry red on Philip's face, leaving only a paleness of fear.

He brought over a dozen people with him! He'd spent a fortune hiring that mercenary group. Their leader had claimed he was going to the Empire to participate in the war against the current Mad King, but he'd never even made it over the Golinoto Mountains before being killed by a group of goblins!

He stayed here, with this Dragonborn? He would die, and he couldn't die here!

"Heh, heh... But then again," Philip raised his hand. "This grave-robber can't get away anyway. As a member of the Maple Springs family, I feel it's my duty to show hospitality to guests from the Empire. Our camp is at the foot of the mountain, with carriages and horses. And while I'm not very talented, I know the location of the nearest town, which I think might facilitate your journey..."

"It's to prevent you from being eaten by the goblins." The Dragonborn snorted with a slightly sour breath and pierced through the thin paper with disdain.

Despite his reluctance, Philip had no reason not to take the Dragonborn with him, so he took him to the camp at the foot of the mountain like he had done with the others. The embers of the campfire there were still warm, but unfortunately, the people who had gathered around it the night before would never return.

Angelita noticed that the horses used to pull the carriages seemed somewhat different from the steeds kept in the imperial palace. Besides their mottled coats and slightly rugged features, which were far different from the horses she had imagined, they were also considerably shorter than the imperial breed.

Although the bulging horizontal muscles and thick skeleton make up for this, it makes their overall appearance even more weird.

"What breed of horse is this?" The princess couldn't help but step forward and try to stroke the mane of these livestock. She had some talent in riding, but since she had never been in contact with Sienasas's horses, she was still cautious when she started.

Their docile nature surprised Angrita. As a complete stranger, they showed no reaction no matter how she touched them.

"These are 'low-blood horses,'" Philip said, hastily introducing them to show his enthusiasm. "They are lowly creatures, possessing great strength but lacking intelligence. They cannot understand any command other than the whip. They cannot be ridden, and are of no use in battle or hunting. They can only be used for pulling carts, carrying loads, and plowing. They are naturally inferior horses."

"It's an artificial 'inferiority,'" the Dragonborn said, placing quotation marks with his thick fingers. "The nobles have far less control than they realize. Even the lowest slaves might produce offspring with innate divine powers or natural spellcasters. But horses rarely do. Therefore, those desperate to prove their superiority artificially created these so-called 'low-bloods.'"

"It's so sad," Bella said, walking over to correct Angelita's gestures, so that the horses would feel more comfortable. "They... have been deprived of their intelligence. I can't even talk to them."

"There's nothing in their hearts... How could you do this? It's simply—"

"Pathetic?" "That's the word."

"Don't be fooled, young lady," Philip said quickly. "Don't you know where dragonborn came from? They themselves were once slaves created by dragons, so they have such absurd ideas! We are different from him."

"Ha, so you think you're closer to dragons?" The Dragonborn scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself. You're bringing shame to the Fengquan family."

"We only recently saw a dragon," the druid said, sizing Philip up with disdain. "Honestly, it's a far cry from that. Anyway, whoever wants to ride it may do so. I refuse to use this vehicle; it's simply unreasonable!"

Bella, or most druids, weren't opposed to the use of livestock; the only difference was how they were used. But even the mildest druids couldn't accept this kind of treatment of animals. If it were the Returners, they'd probably put a halter on Philip's head.

In order to take into account the druid's excitement, and also because they did have varying degrees of aversion to this situation, no matter how Philip explained, everyone finally decided to continue walking - after all, this was how they had come all the way here.

Philip, feeling bored, did not dare to drive the car alone in front of everyone, and finally he could only stay at the end of the team, pulling and dragging two animals that "could not understand any instructions except the whip", begging not to be abandoned in the wilderness by others.

These "cheap blood horses" are artificially bred and cannot survive alone in the wild. Coincidentally,

Nor could Philip Fambreau.

Chapter 169 Counterfeit Currency

When the group finally arrived at the small town of Joffrey, Philip was nearly exhausted. He impatiently threw the reins, which had rubbed his hands raw, to the guard at the town entrance and ordered him to deliver the livestock to the Maple Springs family's residence. After taking care of everything, he hurriedly followed the others.

The people in the town who knew this noble young man looked at him in surprise when they saw him like this. Philip wanted to glare back at them at first, and couldn't help but feel angry in his heart, but he soon convinced himself.

Who was he serving now? This young lady claimed her last name was Antichi! He knew it was the surname of the survivors of the Second Dynasty of the Empire—Imperials!

The Fengquan family had migrated to Western Inassus during the Second Dynasty and had taken root there! Rounding it off, he was already an imperial citizen! He was a level above these lowly barbarians!

As soon as he figured this out, Philip felt refreshed and his back straightened a little, but this psychological victory also brought him some real troubles.

"Hey, what are you doing?" The dragonborn walking in front hit Philip's forehead with the bony horny protrusion on its head. The latter was about to get angry, but shrank his neck when he met Angelita's eyes.

"People are asking you a question. Why, now that you're back in your own territory, you're acting so arrogant again?" The Dragonborn seemed to really enjoy teasing the young man and would never give up if he got the chance.

"I dare not, I dare not, I was just... a little distracted." Philip waved his hand quickly. "Miss Barty, what do you want to know?"

He was certainly superior to those lowly people, but compared to a noble daughter of the Empire with elven blood, there was a world of difference. Philip was well aware of this.

However, this was also due to the fact that elves rarely ventured west of the Golinoto Mountains, or even to the western part of the Empire. In the Empire, having elven blood did not make a person noble; instead, it increased the risk of being labeled a "bastard" or "spy."

"I have a question," Angelita looked at him, "I'm a little curious, this... the town of Ruofrei, is it the fiefdom of your Fengquan family?"

Leslaufer briefly described to Angelita the appearance of some large cities outside the empire. Perhaps they could not be compared with Magpares, but at least they were at the same level as Xinmu City. Here, it was just a town.