Chapter 2

Pleased to make your aqcuaintance, my name is Leo and I'm a humble farmer in Achenheim, which is a region controlled by the emperor, one of the 14, in fact.

The life as a farmer is hard. Thieves, carnivores and dry days, weeks, months, even years.

Theres constantly a liability you have to care for. Then, every week you have to make a long way to the emperors castle to pay the forced labour.

Though I do pity the unlucky ones visiting my humble abode in search of my belongings, killing and sending them off to slave traders is the least evil thing I can do. They didn't have a place in this world dying to a lowly farmer like me anyways.

I just so happen to be quite blessed concerning my physical well-being so I manage to take care of way bigger fields than others may. This allows for me to suck up to the emperor by offering a hefty amount of yields. As soon as he takes note of my capabilities, I might be able to make it as a knight in the royal grounds.

Two weeks after the incident, Rufus was already sold off as a slave and the crime scene was tidied up. Leo is just about to head for the emperors castle up on a hill. He wasn't in need of horses, as he was strong enough to carry his luggage alone and the path he treaded every week was to narrow for any horse to traverse anyway.

*At the castle gates*

{Leo}: „Leo from the plateau, I've arrived to submit my work for the week to our almighty emperor."

Guard: „Freaking monster. How do you manage to carry that much all the way up here anyway?"

{Leo}: „I may not be of royal blood, but that does not mean, that I can't be blessed in other aspects. Am I allowed to pass?"

Guard: „Go on and show that talent off somewhere else, your talent is rotting away in this place."

{Leo}: „Will do, but it'll take a while. I've got my sights set high."

Guard: „Good luck, the kingdom is in trouble lately and the emperor's pretty worked up."

{Leo}: „Good day to you too. May no thieves and other scum wander thy premises."

{Leo}: „Thy humble servant has arrived to submit his weekly labour. Am I permitted to enter?"

{Emperor}: „Is that Leo I hear? Sure, you may enter my dear friend."

{Leo}: „Greetings. What seems to be the situation in the kingdom I heard you were oh so troubled about?"

{Emperor}: „Theres an arms race with the kingdom to the east, as the fire of potential war is starting to throw sparks. I wonder… you would be a good fit as a soldier, rather than wasting your immense potential out here in the midde of nowhere."

{Leo}: „Haha, depends on what kind of soldier, don't you think? I would rather not uselessly dye the battlefront red with my innards."

{Emperor}: „Actually, the king himself has requested the emperors of regions to the west to send troops. you might even end up a royal instructor if they were to recognise your talent."

{Leo}: „Sign me up. Where do I need to go? Eastway to the kingdom?"

{Emperor}: „I'll write you a letter of recommendation. Just give it to the king and from then on it will depend purely on your talent where you end up."

{Leo}: „Thank you, Aurelius. I will surely come by to visit sometime."

{Aurelius the seventh (Emperor}: „Remain humble, friend."

As if! Coming to visit will be the last thing on my mind if I were to actually become a royal instructor of some noble brats. With this I can finally see to my legacy.

Even if my talent is lacking, all I need to do is suck up to someone of high rank in the royal palace and beg them to let me stay. It's almost too easy.

It certainly must be a harsh situation considering Aurelius sends out his top source of food and money to the royal kingdom. I should find out more about it during my journey. If it turns out the land east of ours is stronger than expected, maybe I should retreat, as they would without a doubt send me to the frontlines.

I wonder… if I take the shortest path there, I wouldn't pass any major cities. That would rob me of the necessity to inquire about the situation to the east. I reckon I'll stray from my path, even if only a little, to a city in the center of our land called Eldenhoph.

With this, my journey to the royal kingdom begins.