“Success came from the dragon knights, and so will defeat.”

Upon hearing these words, Lint’s spirits lifted, and his previous languid, carefree demeanor vanished.

Sander, who stood beside him, also took notice. This stranger had said something remarkably similar to the young master.

“How so?” Lint pressed.

In truth, Richard’s words seemed a bit too profound for their budding friendship, but one couldn’t exactly hedge one’s bets when trying to curry favor with a powerful noble.

One had to take a gamble and pique the interest of the listener, because even in the worst-case scenario, it wasn’t as if the listener could drag the speaker out and chop him to pieces in his own territory.

“It’s just a case of ‘blessed are those who live through adversity, cursed are those who die from idleness.'”

“Blessed are those who live through adversity, cursed are those who die from idleness?”

Though the syntax was a bit odd, Lint’s comprehension was quick, and he grasped the meaning instantly, his interest piqued even further. He stared at the young man, clearly signaling for him to continue. The latter wasted no time, launching into a lengthy monologue upon seeing Lint’s interest.

“The strength of our kingdom—or, I should say, the Human Race—was never sufficient for us to occupy the rich lands of the Central Plains, the River Valley, and the like. Ever since Great Emperor Charlemagne forged an alliance with the Golden Dragon Clan, however, we have pushed back the beasts to the east and the cannibals to the north.

In every major battle, we have had the aid of our dragon allies, and our people, who were once a trifling race confined to the southern corner of this continent, have risen to become a second-rate power.

Under the Golden Dragon Clan’s protection, the Human Race had lived in peace for too long. In the three hundred years since the founding of the kingdom, our population had grown more than tenfold, but the number of knights probably by no more than three.

Today, our race boasted a hundred million people, but given the strength of our knights, we likely could not field more than one hundred thousand.

The nobility jealously guarded their skills, refusing to pass them on to commoners. It was customary for them to keep their martial arts secret, and even their breathing techniques were closely guarded.

Without external threats, this system helped maintain social order and stability, but we have never truly been safe. If not for the Golden Dragons, we would be at the mercy of the beasts to the east, the naga to the south, and the dwarves further beyond. Who among us could fight such foes? We would likely be annihilated within a few short years.

In the Imperial Capital, everyone indulged in the prosperity afforded them by the Golden Dragon’s protection, blind to any lurking dangers.

Even Lint, who understood the situation, remained silent, clinging to a small measure of hope.

But Sander could no longer remain quiet. “It has been two hundred years since the passing of Great Emperor Charman. In all these years, five Golden Dragons have died in battle for humanity. Surely, no matter how deep our gratitude, it has been repaid?”

The stronger an individual species, the more difficult their reproduction. The Golden Dragon Clan’s population had never reached a hundred, so the fact that five dragons had fallen for the Human Race was already a terrifying number.

“This is merely your speculation.”

Though Sander wavered slightly, the Imperial Dragon Knights had existed for so long. He couldn’t imagine a day when they would disappear.

Without golden dragons, could the Golden Dragon Kingdom still be called the Golden Dragon Kingdom?

The young man across from him seemed to have fully opened his floodgates, continuing to spew venom: “This isn’t mere speculation, but rather a reasonable deduction.”

“Three hundred years ago, the Golden Dragon Clan directly dispatched a dozen ancient dragons to aid Emperor Charlemagne in annihilating the beastmen’s army.

For the next fifty years, every generation of adult dragons and ancient dragons would enter into equal contracts with members of the Charlemagne family, forming the Imperial Dragon Knights.

“But since the death of Emperor Charlemagne, no more ancient dragons have contracted with the Charlemagne family. Even the number of adult dragons has gradually decreased.

At the peak, the Imperial Dragon Knights numbered twelve, but now, the Charlemagne family only has five dragon knights, three of whom are inferior green dragons.

“It’s been fifty years since the last recruitment. How many more will be lost next time? Or will there be no new dragon knights at all?”

The young man’s words struck the deepest part of Sander’s heart, and Sander opened his mouth but could not find any rebuttal.

Though Lint remained impassive, he felt a thrill of encountering a kindred spirit.

“That’s why the dragon knights have protected humankind, but they’ve also paralyzed it. How can the fate of a nation be entrusted to a favor bestowed upon a single clan, bound by a single contract?”

“Indeed, your explanation cleared the fog in my mind. Let’s raise a glass.”

Finally, Lint spoke, raising the wineglass in his hand toward the young man before draining it.

The young man reciprocated, draining his own cup as well, before replying, “Indeed, if you wish to know what happens next, you’ll have to wait for the next episode.”

“Oh, come on, you always leave us hanging.”

“That’s enough for today.” With a slam of the gavel, the storyteller packed up his belongings and prepared to leave.

The patrons in the main hall grumbled a little but soon returned to their own conversations, breaking the atmosphere between the two men upstairs.

“I have some business to attend to today, but if we have a chance to speak again, we can continue this conversation another time.”

With that, the young man stood up to leave.

Lint waved his hand in farewell, but just as the young man reached the staircase, he seemed to recall something. “Oh, right, don’t forget to pay for your meal.”

Taken aback at first, the young man soon laughed heartily.

“Of course.”

The young man descended to the main hall, where he waved the proprietor over. “Old Mark, make sure to give the bill for the table upstairs a pass.”

“Yes, sir.”

The one who enjoyed pleasant conversation with the fourth son of the Lancelot Family, naturally, was Richard.

Richard had been conducting an unannounced inspection tour of Tie Mu City, so he hadn’t expected to see Lint’s information pop up in his mind as soon as he laid eyes on him:

Lint Lancelot

Race: Human Race

Strength: 0.7

Constitution: 0.8

Agility: 1.1

Spirit: 4.7

Skills: Finances (Master Rank), Diplomacy (Master Rank), Administration (Master Rank)

Specialty: Premonition (His premonitions are highly accurate, allowing him to make decisions that lead to more desirable outcomes.)

This was the first time Richard had encountered someone with a hero template outside of those connected to the System, and he nearly drooled over the impressive attributes.

However, the name “Lancelot” extinguished the flame within Richard’s heart. He knew he wasn’t qualified to recruit this person—not yet, at least.

After a quick mental calculation, Richard took the initiative to strike up a conversation with the young man. At the very least, he needed to make an impression on this young noble, and temporarily clinging to his thighs wouldn’t hurt either. In the short term, the Marquis Estate of the northern lands was definitely a thigh worth clinging to.

And so, the scene unfolded as it had.

After Richard left, silence fell over the table once more.

“What do you think of this person?”

“His combat skills are good, and his manner of speech is eloquent. He’s likely no ordinary person.”

“If everything goes according to plan, this is the actual ruler of the Hunter family, Richard.”

Sander was unsurprised by Lint’s words; with his discerning eyes, he could tell that Richard was an expert knight. Furthermore, given his youth and eloquent speech, it wasn’t difficult for him to identify Richard’s status.

“This person is ambitious and possesses the talents and means to match; allowing him to grow unchecked won’t be good for our drifting snow city.”

Sander wasn’t a fool; recent events had also caused him to begin taking notice of Richard and the Hunter territory.

“Ah, but he’s ambitious! Once we find an opportunity, we must lend him a hand,” Lint said.

You must be the spy for the drifting snow city, Sander thought upon hearing Lint’s words.

“You don’t understand.”

As if sensing Sander’s doubts, Lint continued his soliloquy. “If it were a hundred years ago, I’d rush back and urge the Jingbei Army to sweep away the Hunter domain with decisive force. Even fifty years ago, I’d find some way to hinder their growth.

“But alas, our dragon knights are no more. The beasts beyond Dragon’s Breath Pass have been probing our borders with increasing frequency; I dare not count on the aid of the Golden Dragon Clan should another war erupt.”

“Sir, do you think he’d be able to hold off the beasts if the Golden Dragons were no longer here?”

Even though Sander had already come to respect Richard, he doubted the young man possessed such ability.

Lint shook his head. Despite his high evaluation of Richard’s rule over the Hunter domain, a conflict between nations and species was not something a small fief like the Hunter domain could influence.

“It’s merely a contingency plan. Perhaps it will yield pleasant results.”

“Let’s go out and take a stroll. We’ll depart at first light tomorrow.”

With that, Lint stood and walked toward the street, Sander following close behind, luggage in hand.

This trip had been worthwhile; Lint had met with Richard and judged for himself the state of affairs in the Hunter domain.