Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
The announcement board was filled with information, and as Xi Na and Wen Ni were engrossed in listening to the Bard’s repetitive recitation, Marko returned disheartened, like a rooster that had lost a fight.
“Damn it, I’m so damned! I can’t even book a room…”
Xi Na heard Marko’s mumble and turned to ask him, “What’s wrong?”
“Apologies, Your Highness Princess.” Marko bowed. “All the rooms here are occupied by many traveling merchants heading to Winter City. I heard that Loli has become the Goddess of Life or something… It’s all superstitious nonsense. In short, there are no rooms. I offered the innkeeper more money to clear out a room, and that arrogant fatty directly told me he was just experiencing life and that a little money meant nothing to him?”
Marko thought if the people of the Andor Empire were crazy, or if these merchants were crazy. Becoming a god was simply a fantasy!
“Mr. Marko, look at this announcement.” Xi Na pointed to the announcement board.
Marko walked closer with a hint of doubt. His eyesight was good, and he could clearly see the words on the announcement without getting too close.
“Goddess of Life… Building a shrine? They’re serious about this?!”
He exclaimed in surprise, and two hunters nearby turned around, chuckling, “You must be a foreigner visiting Eagle Territory for the first time, right? Haven’t you heard outside? One of our Winter King’s women has ignited the divine fire and become a god, I think her name is Loli, the Goddess of Life. Tsk tsk, so many people want to go to Winter City to admire the Goddess’s grace.”
“Shouldn’t one ascend to the Divine Realm upon becoming a god?” Marko questioned.
“That, I’m not sure about. Perhaps the Winter King is so powerful that he kept his woman here? Anyway, I haven’t seen anything the Winter King can’t do.”
The hunter spoke with a matter-of-fact tone. He didn’t understand much about many things, but that didn’t stop him from having absolute faith in the King of Winter.
“You guys…” Marko shook his head helplessly. He knew he couldn’t reason with these people.
Furthermore, saying too much would only arouse their displeasure, so he simply stopped talking and refocused his attention on the announcement board, hoping to extract some useful information.
“Mr. Marko, I am an Earth Mage, and Winnie is a Water Mage. Perhaps we can apply, and then we’ll be able to stay at the Knight’s inn.”
Xi Na voiced her thoughts to Marko.
She and Winnie were sticky all over from their journey. They hadn’t changed their clothes, and their once beautiful blonde hair was almost tangled.
Right now, the most she needed was a place to stay, take a bath, and change into new clothes.
The linen clothes they were wearing were not only suffocating but also made of coarse fabric that stung their skin.
“Your Highness, would it not be beneath your status to stay with those laborers?” Marko hesitated.
“What status do I have left?” Xi Na gave a bitter laugh. “Now, Winnie and I are just slightly better-looking commodities. Our status as princesses means nothing. Let alone staying with a group of laborers, what if we become slaves to the King of Winter? As long as we can bring back reinforcements to guarantee my father and the empire’s continuation, then our lives won’t have been lived in vain.”
The young Princess Winnie stood beside her elder sister, her face pale and filled with sorrow.
She originally thought she was favored by the King of Andor. When she was young, her father often took them hunting and told them various legendary stories. She never expected that now they would be treated like objects and abandoned at will. She couldn’t understand why throughout their journey.
“This… Alas, alright, Your eldest Highness. It is our fortune to have you in the Andor Empire.”
Marko bowed deeply to Princess Xi Na. Not every princess could set aside her pride. Even after recognizing their situation, years of pampered upbringing made it difficult for them to adapt quickly to their new identities. However, Princess Xi Na undoubtedly excelled in this regard.
Since they had made a decision, the three of them did not delay. They immediately followed the announcement board’s information to the Town Mayor’s Residence to register. By this time, many craftsmen and strong young men had already gathered around.
“Sir, can I do it?”
At this moment, an old man was negotiating with a Knight. The Knight had removed his helmet, revealing a stern middle-aged face that looked ordinary yet sharp.
Marko could clearly sense the Great Knight’s aura on the heavily armored Knight and couldn’t help but sigh.
The Andor Empire’s development was indeed rapid. Great Knights were now being used to relay messages between cities and small towns. It could only be said that Great Knights were not as significant in the Andor Empire anymore.
In fact, this was true. The first batch of Crusaders in the Andor Empire all started at the Great Warrior level.
Great Knights were indeed rare in the past, and they were respected wherever they went.
In some smaller territories, they could even act as local potentates.
However, this was impractical in the Andor Empire. Great Warriors were stationed in every city and town, and they were incorruptible, strictly obeying the King of Winter’s commands.
Great Knights were still respected now.
But the days of being able to act presumptuously in a small town were long gone.
Moreover, those who dared to act presumptuously had already been killed by the King of Winter. The remaining ones were loyal followers who followed orders.
“Do you have any special skills? Are you a carpenter or a mason?”
The Knight raised an eyebrow and asked the old man, speaking very politely.
“I don’t have any.”
“If you don’t have any skills, you should just stay home. Opportunities are for the capable, otherwise, you won’t get paid even if you go.”
“But I am very strong!”
As he spoke, the old man walked to the side and easily lifted a stone pedestal.
The Knight’s mouth twitched, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
“Alright, you’re hired. Go and stay with those young men. You’ll be staying here tonight and departing tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you for your recognition! Hehehe~” The old man scratched his head and let out a simple laugh, then stood aside.
Marko watched this scene unfold and his evaluation of the Great Knight’s character increased.
At least this Great Knight was not overly arrogant.
Unlike those Great Knights in Andor, whose noses were practically in the air, as if their faces were their necks.
Soon, it was their turn.
The Great Knight looked up and frowned at the peculiar combination of a middle-aged man with two young girls.
“What are you here to apply for?”
“Sir, I am a Mage.” Xi Na did not reveal her true identity in advance.
She used her Earth Magic to conjure a sturdy earth wall, as tall as a person, nearby, then pulled Winnie to her side:
“This is my younger sister, she is a Water Mage, and this is my butler. Hmm… he’s strong. Can we apply?”
“Of course.”
The Great Knight’s eyes lit up, and he smiled, “We are desperately in need of all kinds of Mages!”
At the same time, he added in his heart, “Once these Mages enter Winter City, they’ll never leave!”
