The steel behemoth galloped across the vast wasteland, and the steam pistons kept running, making a rhythmic dull sound.
Hours passed by in a hurry. Joseph looked out the window at the changing scenery and listened to Heya telling the history of the empire filled with words such as "loyalty" and "gratitude."
However, those histories that were obviously too embellished made Joseph a little irritated.
This guy is hopeless.
She had been bewitched by the red dragon and became the spiritual slave of the evil dragon emperor.
Joseph thought so.
"Look! It's a city!"
Soon, the sharp-eyed guards discovered the black city wall that was gradually revealed in the distance.
Joseph looked over and saw that the city was far taller and stronger than he had imagined, giving people an invisible sense of oppression. There seemed to be flying dragons circling and patrolling in the sky.
"This should be the so-called Istalia, the imperial capital of the Ember Empire."
He thought so.
It is true that it is far inferior to Teotihuacan, the holy city of Fadland.
Even the poorest and lowest-status people of Fadland will proudly puff up their chests when they think of that majestic holy city - because it is indeed the most glorious place that humans can imagine.
It's a pity that after several years of war, the once pristine holy city has become riddled with holes and filled with smoke. The corpses of soldiers from the three kingdoms have filled the ravines outside the city, and their blood has turned into a flowing moat.
The war in the south.
Thinking of this, Joseph was a little embarrassed. He sighed deeply, and then commented: "It's a very good city, but as the capital of an empire, it is still a little bit..."
Heya pointed to the city wall and introduced: "This is the largest fortress city in the south of the empire, Blackstone Castle."
Joseph's expression suddenly became stiff. He stopped talking and just stared silently at the city that was getting closer and closer.
"Blackstone Castle Station, here we are."
The clear voice of the flight attendant echoed in the carriage, seeming to be amplified by some device.
The train approached and stopped at the city gate. The people of the empire who had been waiting on the platform for a long time poured into the carriage.
There were not only humans among the passengers, but also hobgoblins, tieflings, orcs and even ogres, which made the caravan guards feel a little nervous.
Humans and these monsters live together peacefully, and even occasionally talk to each other, which is surprising to them who have traveled all over the country and killed many monsters.
"Give way."
"Don't block the aisle."
"Lord Baron, are you going to Istalya too?"
The carriage suddenly became a little noisy, but luckily Joseph had booked a VIP box, and large monsters like the Ogre had their own special carriage.
Joseph was briefly surprised for a moment, then focused his attention on Blackstone Castle.
Although blocked by the tall city wall, he could still see the clean, wide and flat streets through the city gate, as well as the brick and stone houses that looked like replicas.
It's really a good city, both from a business and military perspective.
As a businessman, he is absolutely willing to do business in such a beautiful city, and as a general, the tall and thick city walls with protruding towers will also become an important barrier against foreign enemies.
Even if an ordinary city is built like this, what will the imperial capital look like?
Joseph thought so.
He looked at the people rushing into the carriage and suddenly asked: "Why are there so many people rushing to Istalia? What are they going to do?"
Heya replied: "Isdalia is the sacred coronation place of His Majesty and the center of the empire. It has the most jobs and the highest wages in the country.
But on the other hand, it is also a place where land is at a premium. It is difficult for ordinary citizens to afford a house in Istalia. Even a basement can be sold for a sky-high price of hundreds of gold.
Therefore, some citizens choose to live in other cities and take steam locomotives to Isdalia for work every day. ”
"So that's it?"
Joseph was a little stunned. He had never seen such a new way of life, living in one city and working in another city.
Heya smiled bitterly and said helplessly: "If I could afford a house in Istalia, I wouldn't go to Tahan to work as a guide."
The steam locomotive was speeding, passing through several rolling mountain peaks and several cities.
"Amauna Tower is up there."
The guard sitting at the front widened his eyes, opened his mouth, and let out an uncontrollable sigh.
Joseph couldn't help but look out the window. Although he had made a lot of mental preparations, he was still deeply shocked by the scene before him.
"O Gods"
he muttered.
In the distance, there are endless towering city walls, spectacular and unique buildings, and tall chimneys rising from the ground, with gray smoke rising from them.
The most shocking thing is the huge stone pillar hundreds of meters high in the center of the city, which holds a magnificent white altar, surrounded by clouds and mist, like the Kingdom of God coming to the world.
——That is the Great Altar of Istalia. For some reason, Joseph suddenly remembered the first time he visited the Holy City when he was six years old and looked up at the "Tower of the Eternal Sun God".
And now Isdalia gave him such a feeling.
"What a miracle."
He couldn't help but express his true thoughts.
"Yes, for us Anzeta people, that is a miracle."
Heya also raised her head next to her and looked at the altar that was lifted into the sky with a pious expression: "Mr. Joseph, that is the place where His Majesty Cassius was crowned.
No matter where you are in Istalia, if you look up, you can see that sacred place. ”
"Isdalia South Gate Station, we have arrived. Please remember His Majesty's kindness and get off the bus in an orderly manner."
"Finally here."
"Come on, do you want to be charged for being late?"
People on the carriage got off one after another, and after Joseph calmed down and took a few deep breaths, he also got off the carriage with his caravan.
He asked the guards to unload the goods on the carriage, pick up their own equipment, and then the group entered the city in a mighty manner.
The roads here were wider than he imagined. The width of the main road was even more exaggerated than that in the Holy City, and could accommodate more than a dozen carriages traveling side by side.
The road here was far neater and smoother than what he had seen before. It seemed to be paved with some kind of black gravel, but there was no unevenness in the stone at all, which amazed him.
There are tracks laid on both sides of the road, and small steam locomotives run on them, while residents in the city wait and come and go at the platform.
At a glance, you can see all kinds of races: humans, tieflings, hobgoblins, orcs, satyrs, ogres
No matter what race they are, they are all quite busy and in a hurry, and people seem to have long been accustomed to all this, and are accustomed to getting along with alien species.
"Citizens, please obey the public order regulations!"
Knights riding wyverns patrolled in mid-air, and tiefling guards armed with rifles formed a neat queue and walked past the right side of the street.
Their caravan is inconspicuous in this city.
A tall ogre walked towards him. The guard of the caravan was so frightened that he raised his shield and broke out in cold sweat.
"You, what are you going to do?"
The guard had encountered ogres in the wilderness, and his teammates were all eaten alive. He knew the brutal nature of these monsters and was terrified of them.
But the ogre just glanced at him with disdain and snorted: "What a fussy country bumpkin. This is the first time I come to the imperial capital."
"Yes, stupid and weak humans."
The other ogre in a suit next to him was still echoing.
The two ogres cursed and left, and the guard's back was soaked with sweat. He thought he was about to be eaten.
But they just let themselves go?
Seeing such a scene, Joseph couldn't help but said: "Miss Heya, I have a question that I just wanted to ask.
How do they suppress their true nature? Those ogres and flying dragons are obviously the most brutal monsters
Now he can become like this and even still obey the order? ”
Heya looked taken as a matter of course. She raised her head again and looked at the white altar in the sky.
She clasped her hands together and murmured in a low voice: "Of course it is your Majesty's credit. His wisdom is as deep as the abyss, which influenced these ignorant creatures and allowed them to get the light of civilization."
"."
Joseph was silent.
Before coming to the empire, he always thought it was a dire place ruled by evil dragons.
People were imprisoned in huge mines, working endlessly with heavy shackles, constantly producing deadly firearms to satisfy the red dragon's endless greed for wealth.
The gap between the reality and his imagination was too great. According to the guide, the Dragon Emperor was described as a glorious and majestic existence like the sun god, and was worshiped by countless people of the empire.
Looking at those particularly spectacular and unique buildings, Joseph really began to doubt that the red dragon had so-called "divine power."
Otherwise, how could he turn the desolate and barren Anzetta into this state in just a dozen years?
"All people worship together, the great red dragon in the sky!"
"How can I repay this kindness? Your Majesty lets the springs from the mountains flow down to the flatlands, and lets the gentle rain and rain moisten every place"
"Your Majesty is like the sun in the sky, and we are like seeds on the ground, with endless light shining on the earth, growing vigorously and eventually becoming seedlings"
Suddenly, melodious chanting came from afar, and the sound echoed in the city for a long time.
Joseph frowned: "This is."
Heya listened to the familiar melody and said in surprise: "It's "Caesius' Hymn"! What an auspicious piece!"
"By the way, Mr. Joseph, it is February 29th, and Coronation Day is coming soon. That is an annual event."
Heya's tone was excited.
"."
Listening to the song "When will I repay this kindness?", Joseph fell silent again and even began to doubt himself.
If the people of this country are in this kind of fanatical and confident state, then the Burning Empire will be even more dangerous. (End of chapter)