CHAPTER 601: THE PORT OF THE ASCENDANT RACE

TL: Rui88

“Interesting. Their appearance is similar to ours, but they don’t have horns.”

Horace looked at the ‘human’ before him, his arms crossed over his chest, speaking with great interest.

“Respected sir, we are a human race that has come from another continent across the great ocean.”

Gran smiled, his right hand on his chest, and gave a slight bow to the goat-person before him…what the bull-headed people called The Ascendants.

What a strange-looking race, he thought. Their height and build were similar to humans, but the two curved horns on their heads, just like a goat’s, looked so out of place.

After bidding farewell to the Great Stream Tribe, the Western Exploration Fleet had sailed south along the coast, crossed the southern strait, and arrived at the Southern Continent that Priest Egbert had spoken of.

Then they had discovered a port city built by the goat-people.

Yes, the civilization of the goat-people was indeed much more advanced than that of the bull-headed people or any other race on the northern continent. They were already building ships with sails, though their main propulsion was still oars.

Gran made a bold decision: they approached the goat-people’s port.

Compared to the ships of the goat-people, the three-masted sailing ships of the Western Exploration Fleet could truly be called behemoths. The goat-people on the docks watched in shock as the “castles” suddenly appeared from the sea.

Gran boarded a small boat and landed on the dock. Amidst a crowd of curious onlookers, he met the administrator here, Horace, which was how the other had introduced himself.

Fortunately, the language of the goat-people was very similar to that of the Great Stream Tribe, seemingly like a dialectal difference, so Gran and his men were able to communicate with them.

Following their usual practice, Gran presented his gifts, which Horace happily accepted.

But when Horace saw the paper among the gifts, he burst out laughing.

“Guests from afar, I thank you for your gifts, but as for this paper, we have our own, you know.”

He proudly showed Gran the goat-people’s paper.

Gran took it curiously and examined it. Yes, it was indeed usable paper, though its texture was not as good as that produced in the Northwest Bay.

Horace puffed out his chest and said with some pride, “This is an invention of our wise Queen.”

Gran flattered him, “So your country is ruled by a great woman.”

“Yes!” Horace continued proudly, “Her Majesty the Queen is our pearl, the one favored by the gods.”

Once ashore, Gran was invited by Horace into a building resembling a tavern for a detailed talk. He seemed very interested in this group of people from afar.

The two sides introduced some information about themselves.

“Oh? You’ve met the bull-headed people of the northern continent?”

Horace showed a surprised expression.

“Yes, we have just come from the northern continent.”

“A bunch of pitiful fellows.” Horace shook his head, his horns swaying with his movements, waving back and forth in front of Gran.

“A bunch of pitiful fellows?” Gran was both surprised and confused.

“Yes.” Horace confirmed. “Since you have already met them, you probably know their impression of us Ascendants. It’s likely all descriptions like ‘brutal’ and so on.” Ȓ𝘈𝐍Ỗ𝖇Ε𝐬

“Er… something like that,” Gran admitted honestly.

“But… we can’t help it either.” Horace spread his hands.

Lord of Light, be praised, Gran silently thanked the deity in his heart. Fortunately, what was waving in front of him was not a hoof or something, but a normal, human-like hand.

“You probably learned from that group of bull-headed people that we Ascendants are now divided into three countries, constantly fighting each other. But while the wars must be fought, who is to do the farm work in the fields?”

He lamented, “We have no choice but to ‘import’ some labor from the northern continent.”

“Forgive this outsider for being a bit confused. Since you are all of the same race, why can’t you live in peace?”

As soon as Gran said this, he felt very awkward. The continent he came from was also full of humans, yet countries were constantly fighting among themselves.

“Oh, actually, I’d like to know that too.” Horace touched the horn on his head, much like a human scratching the back of their neck. “It’s a pity I’m not a decision-maker, just a low-level official managing a port.”

Gran’s conversation with Horace lasted for two hours. Horace agreed to their request to trade and resupply in the port area.

The Western Exploration Fleet stayed in the goat-people’s port for five days before deciding to leave.

It was at this time that Horace welcomed the master of the city into his office.

“Honorable Lord Hubbard, what wind has blown you here?”

Horace was very puzzled. Lord Hubbard rarely concerned himself with matters of the port area. His appearance here was a very strange thing.

The port area had been built under the Queen’s command. In the past, the Ascendants were not very interested in matters of the sea, but a decree from the royal city had ordered all coastal cities to have their own ports and to try to use ships for transporting goods between coastal cities.

Although Lord Hubbard had complied with the Queen’s order, it was merely compliance. He was not attentive to the specific affairs, leaving them all to the officials below, and even then, to those officials he did not value, such as Horace.

Hubbard was an excellent nobleman. He was handsome, wealthy, and learned, but at the same time arrogant. He had an indescribable charisma that was very attractive, especially to the opposite sex, and he was very good at using this charisma, always surrounded by beautiful women of all kinds.

However, Horace knew that the city lord was just playing the field with other women. The one he truly favored in his heart was the pearl who resided in the royal city.

“I heard…” Hubbard sat in his chair, toying with his gloves, “that a group of guests with a strange appearance has come to our port?”

“Oh, you mean the hornless people? Has the news already spread throughout the city?”

“Yes, my dear Horace.”

Hubbard said with a smile, “I was thinking… shouldn’t we invite them on a trip to the royal city?”

“The royal city?” Horace asked. “To have them as guests in Her Majesty’s palace?”

“Guests?” Hubbard sounded as if he had heard something amusing. “No, no, no! I mean, have them go to the royal city, as a… gift.”

“A gift?” Horace was bewildered.

“Yes!” Hubbard’s smile widened. “Capture them, put them in cages, and present them as a gift to our Queen.”

Horace’s face suddenly turned grim. “I believe this is highly inappropriate. The other party is also a highly civilized race.”

“Watch your words!”

Hubbard stared at Horace.

“In the presence of us Ascendants, any member of another race is of a lower class.”