Tax officer

Colin's words caused Quincy to freeze on the spot.

After a while, he came back to his senses and asked in disbelief, "S-Sir Viscounts, y-you mean …"

"That's right, I'm giving you this chance to return to the position of tax official in Icestone City."

"Thank you so much! Your kindness and wisdom are as dazzling as the sun, as bright as the ocean … "

"Don't be in such a hurry to thank me," Colin waved his hand and interrupted the overly excited Quincy, "If you mess it up …"

"Then I'll guard the library for you for the rest of my life!" Quincy said loudly.

Colin rolled his eyes.

He didn't expect this old man to be so crafty.

At his age, who knew how many more years he had left to live.

If he messed it up and came back to guard the library, it wouldn't be a loss no matter how he looked at it.

Instead, it would seem like Colin was taking care of him in his old age.

"No, it's not just you. If you mess it up, your son, oh right, you have a son, right? " Colin saw Quincy nod before continuing, "Your son will also come and guard the library for the rest of his life!"

Quincy's expression finally changed.

"What? Scared? Could it be that all your bold words from before were just boasting? "Colin saw this and began to provoke him.

"Of course not!"

"Good, then you choose. Either you continue to guard the library for me, or you take this chance I'm giving you and take a gamble. "

Quincy's chest rose and fell violently. After a while, he clenched his teeth and said fiercely,

"Sir Viscounts, if I can really make Icestone City the most dazzling city on the Northern Frontier within ten years, can you agree to a request of mine?"

"Tell me."

"I hope you can bestow me with a surname!"

Colin's eyebrows twitched.

In the Radiant Empire, only nobles were allowed to have surnames.

Of course, Quincy didn't make this request to have Colin bestow him with a title.

Because, this was not allowed.

According to this world's noble laws, commoners were not allowed to be granted titles.

Because they didn't have noble bloodlines, they didn't deserve it!

However, it wasn't true that commoners couldn't change their social class.

And the only way to make this leap was to marry a noble's daughter.

As long as this noble's daughter gave birth to a descendant, then this descendant of a commoner and a noble would have a noble bloodline. Although it wouldn't be so pure, it would still be able to enter the eyes of the nobles.

Thus, he would have the qualifications to accept the title of nobility.

After being granted a title, the descendant could ask the lord to give him a surname (if he didn't inherit his mother's surname).

This surname could be shared with his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

This was truly bringing honor to their ancestors.

And that was what Quincy's current request meant — to ask Colin to help him. Uh, he probably wouldn't be able to marry her.

It should be to help Quincy's son marry a noble's daughter, so that their family could achieve a social transition!

"Okay." Colin nodded.

Not only did he not think that a commoner like Quincy, who had not made any contributions yet, was being tactless, he felt that it was a manifestation of self-confidence.

One's ability was generally proportional to one's temper.

Compared to a mediocre person with a good temper, he preferred a capable person who had a temper and personality and dared to make requests.

If this former tax collector could really make Icestone City the wealthiest city on the Northern Frontier, then Colin felt that this person had the qualifications to enter the ranks of nobles.

Seeing that Colin had agreed to his request, Quincy first showed an expression of disbelief, then ecstasy.

In the end, he decisively knelt in front of Colin and swore his loyalty.

Colin used [Judgement Blade] to tap Quincy's shoulder, accepting his loyalty.

"Okay, the tax collector's matter is settled. Now, you should help me look for any records related to this sword. "

"Of course, of course! Please wait a moment! "Quincy still hadn't recovered from his excitement, his body trembling non-stop.

For a commoner, there was nothing more glorious than entering the ranks of nobles.

Even if there was no sign of it yet, Quincy seemed to have seen his family's bright future.

Colin didn't have to wait long before Quincy walked out, trembling as he held a thick tome in his hands.

After flipping through it for a while, Quincy said respectfully, "Sir Viscounts, the records related to [Judgement Blade] are all here."

Colin nodded and sat down to carefully flip through the book.

In reality, there was no such thing as a "divine weapon" in this world.

It was impossible to dominate the world with just a blade or a sword.

Perhaps the gods had such things in their hands, but they had never entered the mortal realm.

[Judgement Blade] was just a well-made knight's sword, forged by a famous dwarf blacksmith. It was sharp and tough, but it wasn't invincible.

The arcane array carved on it would indeed greatly increase its value, but that was it. It was obviously impossible to rely on this sword to challenge those of a higher rank and kill everyone.

If it really had such power, the Duke Of St. Hilde wouldn't have casually given it to Colin.

What truly made this sword famous was still to see who wielded it and what great things it had done.

According to the records, this sword was originally the sword of Duke St. Theon.

The most amazing thing that Duke St. Theon had done in his life was to kill the emperor of the Radiant Empire with his own hands!

And the weapon he used at that time was the [Judgement Blade]!

This matter had a great impact at the time, almost causing the Radiant Empire to fall apart.

After the "kingslayer" Duke St. Theon killed the emperor, he became the target of public criticism and was spurned by all humans.

The entire human empire was in a state of panic, and the lords all raised their troops, preparing to suppress this "kingslayer".

But then something happened that changed this "kingslayer" into a "judge".

Not long after the kingslayer incident, the Pope of the Radiant Church declared Duke St. Theon innocent in front of everyone and announced an oracle:

"Those who have darkness in their hearts will be judged!"

Thinking back to the situation at the time, this oracle clearly said that the emperor had darkness in his heart, and Duke St. Theon was judging him!

This oracle had saved Duke St. Theon.

Even the Radiant God had given an oracle, so naturally, no one dared to continue condemning Duke St. Theon.

All the curses immediately shifted to the emperor who had been killed.

Because of the words "those who have darkness in their hearts" in the oracle, the poor emperor was called the "Dark Emperor".

The public opinion changed instantly, and the "Dark Emperor" became the most foolish and evil monarch in the history of the Empire, while the "judge" Duke St. Theon became the hero of the Empire, and the limelight was unparalleled.

So, the knight sword he used to kill the "Dark Emperor" was called the [Judgement Blade].

After Colin finished reading this part of history, he had even more doubts in his heart.

Why did Marquis García want him to know these things?

Was he hinting something to Colin?

The former Duke St. Theon used this sword to kill his own monarch. Could it be that Marquis García also wanted Colin to use it to kill his own monarch, the Duke St. Hilde?

It can't be that straightforward …

Colin suddenly remembered that when Marquis García asked him to understand the history of this sword, he was discussing the topic of loyalty.

So, the message that Marquis García wanted to convey should have something to do with loyalty.

What was loyalty?

Was Duke St. Theon's king-killing considered loyalty?

If it was betrayal, then why was he pardoned by the Radiant God?

Colin thought for a while, then suddenly asked Quincy, who was beside him.

"Go and find the detailed records of the Dark Emperor's life for me to see."

"Dark Emperor?" Quincy thought for a while, then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Lord Viscounts, there are no records of this emperor's life here."

"No?" Colin looked up in surprise.

The confusion in his heart deepened.

How could there be no records?