Date Town, one of the dozens of small settlements scattered across the Great Plains. These small towns do not pay taxes to any government, and none of the lords or nobles come to claim sovereignty - in fact, many of them are even older than the Empire of Adamus, and if you really want to ask the owners of these small settlements, it is probably more appropriate for "gods" to come here.

In the scarcity of the Great Plains, where barren meadows make it difficult to grow a steady crop of food, there is one species of date palm tree that can take root and thrive in this environment. Average five to seven metres tall, the date palm tree has no forks, only drooping strands of fruity branches hanging from the crown, its bark is dry and hard, protecting the trunk like thick scales, and the leaves have evolved to retain water. It's June, the harvest time for the first dates, and the heavy red fruit stands out even in the moonlight.

The entire date town was built in a date grove, and the townspeople lived by grazing cattle and sheep and planting dates, and every month they would organize caravans to exchange the best dates for their produce in other settlements, or to travel long distances to Sawes for necessities. Life here is not rich, but people seem peaceful and seem to be content with their current lives.

The "Date Palm Manor", a building nestled under one of the tallest date palm trees, was also an inn for the town to host caravans from other settlements, as well as selling the region's specialty, date wine. The date palm town is famous among the many settlements in the surrounding area, so caravans come and go almost daily. It is designated as a welcome for guests, and most of the town's outsiders live here.

It's probably the only building in date town that doesn't rest.

The young mercenaries visited the town at this time of silence, and naturally took up residence in the brightly lit tavern.

"Welcome to the inn - hey, a new face I've never seen before!" The tavern keeper was a burly man, and his voice was as rough and powerful as his appearance, "Is this your first time in Date Town, stranger, and what settlement are you from?"

The tavernkeeper's continental lingua franca is a bit odd, with accents, and the grammar doesn't seem to align with the prevailing grammar rules, giving it a more retro feel - but it seems understandable to consider the sparse communication between these settlements and civilized society.

"We are from the human nation, Yadu, mercenaries from Yadu. "We were passing through this town and wanted to rest here for a few days and replenish our necessities. ”

"It's a human from Yadu, no wonder your accent is so weird," I heard that the three of them were from Yadu, and the tavern owner didn't show any special joy or disgust, but just led the three of them to their seats and took another order, "It's been three years since the last time a mercenary from an outsider stayed here - what do you want to do?"

"Hmm...... A glass of date wine, followed by a pan-fried meat and soup. As if dinner didn't satisfy Del Cola's stomach, he ordered what seemed to be quite a generous portion.

"All I need is a glass of fruit wine. Satya said.

"Me too. Assas said.

The request for food was sent to the kitchen, and the boss dragged the tray from the counter and walked steadily, and the three glasses of almost overflowing fruit wine were as undisturbed as if solidified in his hands, until the moment they were placed in front of the three of them, the smooth liquid surface did not show a single ripple.

There were no other customers in the shop, and it seemed that they had all rested. The boss took the tray back to the counter, took a glass of wine himself, and sat down near the three of them.

"If you have time, can you tell the curious old soldier about the news outside? ”

——————

Born in a small date palm town, Pitb Dan grew up in a date palm town, and at the age of thirty accepted a job from his retired father to run a date farm, until thirty years later.

He has never joined a caravan, but has lived in the outside world. He is the person in the town who knows the most about the world beyond the Great Plains, and is one of the few people who is interested in the world beyond the Great Plains.

So, it would be exciting to see three mercenaries claiming to be from the human empire - although it may seem like they are just three children, being able to cross the Great Plains to get here alone is already a feat that many young warriors in the town can't do.

"The last time anyone came, I heard that the current Emperor of Addu was His Majesty Ron of the Seventh Cage, and that the Prime Minister of the Empire was Russell Sfiodor—allow me to greet them. So, the leader of the empire hasn't changed yet, right?"

"Of course. "Your Majesty and His Highness Russell have reached the Holy Ranks, and if nothing else, they will lead the clan for fifty to a hundred years—until they think they should hand over power to the next generation, Cage and Sfiodor." ”

"Yes, each generation of Cage and Sfiodor is destined to be a Holy Order, destined to lead the Clan—but perhaps never to lead our date towns. Pieber made a little joke, "You're from Casbah City, the shining city?"

"If you see the light coming from glory and medals instead of shiny gold coins, I think we're talking about the same place. Delkora replied as she dealt with her own food on the table, but her expression and tone did not make people feel the slightest discomfort, "As you expect, I am from the capital city of Kasbah. ”

"Ah...... I guess I can guess that you should be a nobleman. Pieber noted Del Cola's elegant and cumbersome way of eating, "But would a young heir of a noble man also go out on an adventure alone......?"

Piper blinked, trying to say something, but Delcora interrupted him in time: "Uncle, I am not the second son abandoned by my father, nor am I a victim of defeat in the family struggle - maybe you think worse than that, but please listen to me. We just wanted to go to Reims College in Randmont, but our adventurous nature led me to take a new path that wasn't safe, and the date town was just passing through – would that dispel your doubts?"

"Ah...... Belch...... Perhaps, forgive me for my recklessness. The boss raised his glass, "Will let a fourteen-year-old go out alone, crossing such a long distance to go to Landmont...... This must be a glorious family. So, you must be well-educated?"

"Of course, I have the best tutors. Delcora ate the last piece of fried meat, put down her knife and fork, breathed a sigh of relief, and asked, "Do you want to ask any questions?"

"There have been a few outsiders who have asked me this question, but their answers have not satisfied me. Pieber shook his head, as if dissatisfied, "I think it's because they don't have a high level of education—young nobleman, I hope you can answer my doubts." ”

"Speak. ”

Piab Dan pondered for a moment, as if organizing the language. After a while, he cleared his throat and spoke slowly.

"As far as I know, the highest political body of the orcs in Kulot is the Ancestral Council, the consul is hereditary of the beast blood tribe, and some people call the chief of the beast blood tribe the orc emperor; But in Yadu, the Imperial Council existed, and the council was composed of representatives of the city-states, and the supreme speaker was hereditary from the Sfiodor family, but in the political system of Adu, the supreme head was His Majesty the Emperor—young nobleman, tell me, His Majesty the Emperor, or Sfiodor, what is the significance of the existence of both? Who is the actual ruler of the Empire?"

This seems like a very acute question. Anyone who is not familiar with the politics of Yadu and the workings of all the state institutions on the continent will have a hard time giving a proper answer - but Pie noticed that the three young men in front of him, neither the magician with whom he was communicating nor the two young men who were silent, did not seem to have any particular expression of embarrassment.

It seems that this is already a commonplace problem for them.

If that's the question, the answer can be pretty simple. Del Kola subconsciously turned his glass, "There should be a priest here, right?"

"Yes. Pieber nodded, "Pastor Seris is in charge of all of our settlements here, he lives in the town of Red Bones, and he used to preach here and treat our sickness. ”

Then he should have preached that we human beings were not created by the hands of the creator God, but by the firstborn son of God, the substitute Nofen, and that the first human beings were born in the Great Plains, and later went to the western part of the continent and established the kingdom of our human beings. ”

"Yes, this is the knowledge that we have passed down from generation to generation, and every inhabitant of the Great Plains is proud of it, and we guard the birthplace of humanity. There was a real hint of pride on Piber's face.

"Well, the reason why Sfiodor and Cage are in power together is simple. Del Cola drank the last bit of wine and said seemingly nonchalantly, "They are the test specimen of Noffen's creation of humanity, the 'perfect specimen' created by Nophon, and should have led humanity from the beginning - is this answer acceptable?"

“...... Is that your answer?"

Piber's face was disappointed, and there was a slight suspicion, "That's what the last mercenary said, I can't deny it, I think it's one of the reasons, but-"

He took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

"Forgive a curious old warrior, I just want to know something that is not so simple and crude, and can be accepted without suspicion...... Reason. ”