Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 1432: Chapter 10: The Impoverished Noble—Hill

Because the advancement of technology is fast enough, the number of humans in Aesces is also increasing.

Originally, the Human Kingdom, which had little contact with the lands of different races... Dwarves and Gnomes, has now expanded to adjacent areas.

Currently, there are no Elves in Aesces; a thousand years ago, the last Elf tribe also chose to leave this world... Even though the consumption of Crystal Stones doesn’t harm the environment as much as oil does, humans chopping down trees and mining and farming everywhere made the world unsuitable for Elves.

Humans, after all, always value survival and development over green mountains and clear waters.

And Elves, who have never faced a survival crisis and can easily get what they need from nature, can never understand the sense of crisis of the short-lived race.

For the free-spirited Elves, this low magic world is too restrictive, so they left without looking back, which Hill could understand.

However, the Dwarves, who are good at mining, and the Gnomes, who are adept at manufacturing, are developing well. Although their population is not as large as that of humans, they still have a population of several million.

The difference in innate levels allows a few million Dwarves to easily resist tens of millions of humans... And humans, with enough energy, do not intend to fight to the death with different races.

Compared to the different races who can locate underground water and love living in mines, war is more likely to occur between the Human Kingdoms, which depend on rivers and oceans.

Therefore, regardless of whether in a state of war or not, all countries pay great attention to the military and national defense.

Moreover, since everyone’s power is pretty much the same... weaker countries have long been annexed... the spy industry in this world is very flourishing.

Both commercial spies and national spies are rampant, not to mention the assassination industry is also thriving.

Because of this, even an ordinary city will have a large number of troops stationed.

Hill leaned against the mineral hill, pondering for a while before he slowly said, ”I originally thought I might as well give up the spell-casting profession, pretending to be a level 12 knight to go out.

But it doesn’t seem to work.”

”Why?” Purwell, who was watching with great interest by the window, turned around in surprise, ”Is your strength too great?

But I remember you control it well~ You’ve never broken anyone’s hand when shaking hands, have you!”

Hill helplessly tugged at the corner of his mouth, ”I’ll take it as a compliment...”

Purwell quickly stepped back, ”Ah... I’m praising you!”

Hill raised his hand, giving a virtual light pat towards the small light orb in the air, ”This is also an expression of goodwill.

If I really hit it, it would be a very sincere expression of goodwill.”

Purwell cooperated by flipping in the air and retreating a great distance, then flew back, ”Alright, I’ll remember next time, speaking like that might have an ironic meaning... Humans are so troublesome, taking honest words as sarcasm!”

”Reality is the greatest irony,” Hill said without blinking, ”So, leaving half the words unsaid is the true way.

Just remember to speak less and not to act, and you’ll do well.”

”I remember... Didn’t the Undead Tribe say speak little and act more?” Purwell asked curiously.

”Yes, but for people who are clumsy with their hands and tongue but have strong willpower, their requirement is not to speak or act, just follow along.” Hill smiled, ”You are one of those, so just follow suit.”

”The human world is really troublesome for giant creatures,” Purwell thought for a while before understanding Hill’s meaning.

But as a standard Otherworldly Whale, Purwell was very open to advice, so he straightforwardly said, ”I know~ Once we go out, I’ll keep quiet unless I’m alone with you!”

Then he continued to ask, ”So, why can’t you pretend to be a warrior? I think just imagining it is quite interesting!”

”In this world, the relationships between countries are outwardly friendly but secretly competitive... If anyone exposes a loophole or a weakness, the outcome would be terrifying... Complete annexation, being divided by other countries, is not impossible.”

”Ah, isn’t Toril the same?”

”Without the support of Deities, Toril cannot completely eradicate a Royal Family supported by transcendents, and most officials at most only change their boss,” Hill said softly, ”But in this world, extinguishing a country means the Royal Family is uprooted and the Nobles too. Those who manage to flee to other non-participant countries are considered lucky.

Hence, they are very wary of outsiders, and even though they compete among themselves, there is a baseline.

They basically unite in the face of external foes.

Conversely, the power of the Nobility is immense... No Noble would entrust their life and family’s future in the hands of a foolish king.

So, if the Noble Council reaches an agreement, they can really ask the King to abdicate.”

”Why go to such lengths?” Purwell didn’t quite understand, ”Bane... only kills those who disobey him!”

”Different capabilities! The strongest Professional in this world cannot obliterate a nation in an instant,” Hill shook his head, ”Even if most are killed, and some escape the net, it would only cause some Great Nobility or General involved to be assassinated.

But if a large number of Nobles survive, a war to restore the kingdom can very likely occur.”

Hill laughed, ”So, while there might be reclusive Magicians or Mages, there’s absolutely no warrior without backing... A warrior in this profession won’t advance beyond level 10 without ever participating in a battle.

Mages, in fact, are the same. In this low magic world, relying on oneself to independently find all the necessary resources is also very troublesome.

Only Magicians can do that.

Putting together an unknown crest... Anyway, Aesces promised to directly back it up for me at the Rune Temple... I can pretend to be from an ancient and reclusive magician family.

As for magicians... Sometimes, it’s normal for the family lineage to suddenly awaken after several generations, or even in the descendants of some daughters married off to other families~

Hehe~

I have never appeared openly in Teraxil as a magician either!”

Purwell tilted his head, pondered for a while, and nodded understandingly: ”Actually, being a magician is not bad.

If you mess something up, you can always shirk responsibility... magicians! Moody, and isn’t that quite normal for them!”

”Phew...” Hill let out a breath, ”That Santalin Mage who tricked you is really quite tenacious!”

The Otherworldly Whale wagged its tail, nodding sincerely: ”Exactly!”

Hill couldn’t help but lean against the stone wall beside him, laughing helplessly... No wonder straight-forward people always have many friends, but even more enemies.

After observing for a few days, Purwell decided to engrave his carriage with Windbell Grass.

This herb, which only exists on tall mountain tops or in colder areas, does exist in this world but is indeed rare.

After confirming that Hill’s Lily of the Valley was being used by a small family, he thought of the blue and white wildflowers commonly found on the Sword Mountain Range.

No choice, Thorns are a royal symbol in this world... and the image of the Murderous Vine can easily be misunderstood.

Duke Jasmine is also a well-known presence.

Hill touched the little Gold and Silver Bells hidden within the pale green foliage on his hair... The bell shook discontentedly for a while, but eventually turned into blue and white Windbell Grass.

Luckily, Lily of the Valley is always gentle... Even though it prefers the rare pink-purple series of Windbell Grass, it still chose blue and white for Hill’s sake.

Hill was truly touched.

For him, the biggest hassle in this travel preparation was... how to keep the carriage’s attributes from being too good.

Hill never imagined that just using a fist-sized piece of Mithril, coupled with a notebook-sized piece of Mithril, would hit the world’s limit.

When the carriage was marked with an unusable stamp, Hill nearly blurted out his true feelings... he actually didn’t mind if the World Will directly locked the carriage’s upper limit.

Aesces didn’t need to be so conscientious, even ensuring his work was perfectly presented.

However, Hill finally realized his face wasn’t thick enough... When faced with goodwill, he just couldn’t bring himself to speak up.

So, Hill, who always spent lavishly to maintain superiority, had to pick up Fran’s past teachings this time... relying on extensive calculations to determine a cost-effective balance point.

He couldn’t even use the best kind of steel!

Hill silently withdrew the Black Steel he had learned from the Dwarves from the pile of materials and replaced it with ordinary Hundred Refined Steel.

Fortunately, the Mixed Primordial Fluid Gold that could assist in changing forms could still be used a bit... but only on certain key parts.

In the end, Mithril was reduced to just a finger-sized amount... mainly used in the interlayer for storing the Magic Tower.

Mithril was also reduced to a thin slice, with the rest made from Mithril’s substitute material — bronze-colored Red Copper Alloy.

The flying function was completely removed, not even a floating array was possible!

However, a weight-reducing array could be added to the bottom of the carriage, but it could only maintain at most one-twentieth. Fortunately, Space Crystal Powder could be used to create a small space.

The Magic Tower could be placed in the interlayer... but to use it, it had to be taken out.

Like before, directly entering it from the cabin was absolutely impossible.

Hill could only reluctantly make an amphibious vehicle... Luckily, the properties added by using natural materials for the waterproof coating didn’t exceed the limit!

When this carriage was completed, Hill began to question his life... Was he perhaps really too extravagant in the past?

Hill’s expression as he looked at the carriage made Purwell, who had taken over this temporary transport tool, dare not utter a word of complaint.

The Otherworldly Whale looked at the carriage with an internal space of only 30 square meters... simply divided into one room, one living room, and a 3-square-meter small bathroom... and gave Hill a sympathetic look... His master probably hadn’t experienced such a simple life in a long time.

At this point, all they could do was persevere.

He used to live in a 10-square-meter prefab house!