In the north of the source continent, Uppsala is a medium-sized city located in the east of the Icelandic country Atlan.

Woo woo woo...

Even though the last month of spring has arrived in other parts of the mainland, this land still seems to be in winter. The cold wind blows on the eaves and the remaining snow on the treetops makes people's faces hurt.

"Stop! Stop it! The king's, the church's, the lord's, my three window taxes and the fireplace tax have been paid. You can no longer take away my collection of porcelain!"

An old man wrapped in a worn-out sheepskin coat screamed miserably, but he was unable to stop the wolf-like soldiers and the thin tax collector in the lead who had a faint smell of sulfur.

Neighbors on this street cautiously poked their heads out, all showing annoyance, but even a few young people were filled with indignation and did not dare to take action.

Because none of them can avoid what happened to the old man!

The natural environment of the Kingdom of Atlan is harsh. About 30% of the territory in the north is located within the polar circle. Most of the remaining areas are severely cold all year round, and agriculture and animal husbandry are not developed.

Not to mention that they did not take advantage of the steam industry at all, and the characteristic striped cloth produced in handicraft workshops was also severely impacted by tulip industrial products.

Although it was once a large maritime country that followed the Silius Empire in its exploration of the outside world, it has declined severely due to various reasons in recent years.

Especially, as the older generation of "kingdom guardians" passed away one after another, Atlan's national destiny was no longer there.

The peak military force that could support their bloody shadow covering the mainland's coastal waters for four centuries has disappeared.

Now there is only one titled knight "Bloodthirsty Hunt" left to support it alone.

If it weren't for the lingering dangers and the barely-maintained navy, this country would almost completely fall out of the list of mainland powers.

in addition.

Skadi, the "Breath of Frost" goddess whom the Atlan people believe in, has her holy residence at the end of the world in the northernmost part of the kingdom. It is also the deepest part of the Eternal White Continent, the land of ice and snow, and the source of all cold waves in the northern hemisphere.

As a natural god, this goddess is as indifferent as her [clergy], like a north wind coldly watching the human world, rarely interfering with the progress of the human world.

Only the "Frost Breath Church", under the banner of the goddess, competes with the secular rulers.

These characteristics have resulted in the Kingdom of Iceland having strong folk customs and strong "feudal" remnants, with many actual feudal lords and private armed forces subordinate to them still remaining.

In other words, the king has to collect taxes, the church has to collect taxes, and the lords have to collect taxes!

For example, the "window tax" and "hearth tax" currently being levied by local lords.

"Window tax": All houses have a basic fee of 20 copper fulls (converted). If the number of windows reaches 10 or more, you will have to pay 40 copper fulls.

"Hearth tax": 10 copper fulves per fireplace, levied every six months, which means that a normal family with only one fireplace must pay at least 20 copper fulves every year.

There are many more bizarre taxes than these two taxes. For example, the "Fat Corpse Tax" stipulates that the width of the coffin used by the deceased must be 58 centimeters, and if the width of the coffin exceeds 1 centimeter, a tax of 50 copper furls will be paid.

Various exorbitant taxes and levies cover every aspect of people's lives.

What's even more terrible is that the same tax has to be paid three times to three objects respectively, and the citizens are all complaining.

And because the "hearth tax" had to be entered into residents' houses to be counted, tax officers and soldiers had to go door to door to collect the tax.

In this process, the "taxes" belong to the lords, but the additional gains belong to... themselves.

After all, there are only a few ruling classes like Ivan and Levina who have the ability to exercise self-restraint and know how to implement "wealth redistribution" to ease social conflicts.

Most royal families are better at using violence rather than profit to rule the people.

It can be said that many times everyone is just competing to see who is worse.

The king's autocratic rule, the rigid political system, the disregard for human rights, government corruption, economic recession, high unemployment, and people's lives are in hardship...

The ruling class has been in power for a long time, does not think about reforms, and has opaque political and economic distribution, etc., which has become a chronic disease of not just Atlanta.

Especially now that the "Tulip Alliance" dominates the sea and clipper ships are quickly launched, even pirates' lives are gradually becoming difficult.

Unable to plunder externally, it could only strengthen internal exploitation, and Atlan gradually fell into a vicious cycle.

Looking at these soldiers who brazenly robbed residents of their property while collecting taxes, it really looks like the end of the dynasty, when order has collapsed and the situation is in turmoil.

Creak! Creak!...

In this depressing and numb atmosphere.

A tall and burly young man with the appearance of an Atlan and a Koyak walked into this unspeakable city through the snow that had not been cleared.

The young man was wearing a clean and decent hunting suit, shiny leather boots, and a long sword hanging from his waist. Although he did not wear any aristocratic crest, he looked like a different kind of person from those miserable commoners.

The city gate official, who was used to watching people serve food, didn't even collect his entry tax.

"This place is really unexpected...it sucks."

Bach, Ivan's fifth disciple, set foot on his father's hometown for the first time in his life - Atlan, a country with pirate genes.

However.

Ever since he took up the task of being a teacher and set foot on this land, Bach was really disappointed with this so-called motherland that he had never been to before.

Although they are much stronger than the Koyak people who also live in the polar circle of the New World.

But let alone compare it with the civilized and rich Garriott Principality, even it is far inferior to the former Cyrus Colony.

Bach, who came to the Origin Continent for the first time, couldn't help but feel a bit disillusioned with his expectations.

"Um?"

Under the guidance of the [Psychic Network] sent in advance, after walking through several streets, his ears suddenly moved.

But I heard a down-and-out bard with shabby, starched and white clothes singing poetry in a sheltered place on the street corner nearby.

There was nothing wrong with the poet himself, but what made him stop and listen was the poet's singing.

The general idea is:

“All the sufferings of the people are due to the dictatorship of the monarch and the dictatorship of the nobility.

The people of the "Low Countries" in the south are already qualified to choose their own leaders. The country's leaders must serve the people instead of sucking their blood.

Not only can people have enough food and clothing, but they can also enjoy loans and subsidies from the government, giving them the opportunity to become human beings...

If a democratically elected leader is unqualified, the people have the right to replace him.... Only when we unite can we have our own happy life..."

Words like this are mixed in with the story.

In the end, even if no one rewarded him at all, his expression remained unchanged.

He took off his hat and bowed to every yearning audience, saying: "The Atlanta Office of Democracy and Freedom Process wishes you the best!"

There seems to be some kind of "bewitching" power in the tone, making people unable to help but believe what he says.

The crowd dispersed again, and only Bach stood there thoughtfully:

"Is this the [Democracy Fighter] in the [Faceless Men] intelligence? Is the Low Countries targeting Atlan?

This place is really full of demons.

Forget it, none of this has anything to do with me, it’s more important to complete the teacher’s tasks first.”

The "world currency" plan in the mortal world does not affect the two mid-term goals set by Ivan:

Explore the unknown behind the door of "The End of the World", and the [Mobius Ring] that may be hidden there; explore the space tightly blocked by the "Purcers", and the [Catriol Wheel] that may be hidden there

.

If you want to go to the world behind the door and get the "ultimate secret" of this world, if you don't pass through the door guarded by the "Golden Kingdom", you will most likely be completely lost in the storm belt.

so.

Since returning from the last exploration of the "Muria Civilization", Jaros has set out to find the remaining [Golden Compass].

Only when the thirteen golden compasses converge can the door to the endless ocean "Phorcus" be opened.

When the last message was sent, including the original ones, Jaros had a total of seven in his hand, plus one in Alvin's hand and one in Olivia's hand.

Now they have nine compasses in their hands, and it is not too far away from collecting them all.

There is also someone who has a clear clue...

With his thoughts surging, Bach had already come to a busy street under the guidance of the [Psychic Network] and saw a group of soldiers and tax collectors who were collecting taxes from house to house.

Just one glance made him frown deeply.

Although Bach's main career path is on the physics side, he also studies [Wizard] and received corresponding witchcraft knowledge from Ivan.

When I stood downwind, my keen sense of smell had automatically captured the scent of the thin tax official:

"Brimstone? A... demon from the lower realms?"

At this moment.

ah--!

A slightly immature girl screamed across the street.

Immediately afterwards, he heard a soldier who was "collecting taxes" in a certain household shouting excitedly:

"Hahaha, head, look! The poor guy living here actually has a compass in his collection. It seems to be pure gold!"

"Shut up, what kind of poor man's collection? This is obviously stolen goods! Take it away with you!"
Chapter completed!