Chapter 323

As Arran had already guessed from the carts, the journey from the fortress was as long as it was slow . For days on end, the column of soldiers and borderlanders moved through wide grasslands, traveling at so slow a pace that Arran could not help but be frustrated .

After the first few days, Arran began to see signs of civilization among their surroundings — farms, several villages, and even a small town . And although they didn’t stop in any of those places, he could see farmers working the fields, and several merchants passed them as they moved along the road .

The familiar sights caused Arran some pause .

He’d known there was more to the Imperium than just a powerful army, but knowing it was different from seeing it with his own eyes .

Of course, even this was only barely a glimpse . Half a dozen villages and a small town represented an utterly insignificant part of the Imperium . But it was enough for Arran to understand that the Darian Imperium would resemble the Empire, where the vast majority of the population consisted of commoners . Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www . webnovel . com for visiting .

Arran did not dwell on the comparison . In the end, what mattered was that he was an enemy of the Imperium . And that wouldn’t change — not with Arran being a mage .

And so, he focused his efforts on gathering what information he could .

This proved no easy task . Most of the soldiers refused to talk to any of the borderlanders, and those few who did said nothing of interest . Although none said so outright, it was clear that they had been ordered not to mix with the men and women they guarded .

Perhaps the captain would have been at liberty to say more, but Arran did not dare risk approaching the man . Too much curiosity would certainly be conspicuous, and he had already drawn more attention than he would have liked .

Yet three days into the journey, he was presented with an unexpected opportunity — one that came in the form of a wide-eyed young soldier .

As they were setting up camp for the night, the young man approached Arran hesitantly, and asked, “Did you really speak to the Archon?”

“I did,” Arran replied . He noticed the reverence in the soldier’s eyes at the mention of the Archon, and with a thought, he added, “He gave me some valuable advice about my future in the Imperium . “

At this, the young man’s eyes went wide with surprise — as well as a hint of awe . “What did he tell you?”

“He said he believed my future path might lie in the priesthood,” Arran said . “After I earn my citizenship, of course . “

The soldier gave him a joyous smile in response . “To receive such advice from an Archon is a great honor,” he said . “In truth, I long hoped to become a priest myself . But my family…” He sighed . “They insisted I chose a different path . “

Arran gave the young man an understanding look . “Our duties and desires are often at odds with each other,” he said . “But there are many ways to serve the gods . Remember, the heavens smile on those who spurn the easy path . “

He copied the Archon’s words as best he could, adding in some empty platitudes to feign profoundness . And to his relief, the attempt appeared to be successful, as the young soldier nodded eagerly .

“I see why the Archon thought you suited for the priesthood,” the soldier said, his expression thoughtful as he pondered Arran’s words . “And you’re right — even as a soldier, I can still serve the gods . Thank you for reminding me of that . “

“Of course,” Arran replied . Then, in an intentionally hesitant voice, he continued, “But could I perhaps ask you a question? About what I must do to earn my citizenship?”

The young man gave him an uncomfortable look . “We’re not really supposed to talk about that,” he said in an awkward voice .

“No need to worry,” Arran said . “All I want to know is how best to prepare myself, so that I waste no time in following the Archon’s advice . I am not looking for an easy path — just an honorable one . “

The soldier narrowed his eyes, then gave a small nod . “There isn’t much to tell,” he began . “Outsiders have to earn their citizenship through labor . Some choose to work on the farms, some in the mines, and others as servants . “

Arran suppressed a grimace . “That sounds like a fair system,” he said, concealing his frustration . “How long does it usually take to fulfill one’s duties?”

“It depends,” the young man replied . “But the easier the work is, the longer it takes . Servants often have to spend over a decade earning their place . “

“The Archon told me that there is honor in toil and labor,” Arran said . “What’s the most difficult path?”

“You want a difficult path?” The soldier looked at Arran in astonishment, but a moment later, his expression turned to one of respect . “Working in the mines is both difficult and dangerous . You can earn your citizenship in just a couple of years there, but many who go there never return . Even for Body Refiners, the mines are filled with peril . “

Arran had no desire for either difficulty or danger . But he wanted as quick a path as he could find, and he had little doubt that he could handle whatever dangers awaited the miners .

“Thank you for your help,” he said . “I will take the Archon’s advice to heart, and choose the difficult path . “

The young soldier gave him a respectful nod, then lightly touched his hand to his forehead . “May your path be a blessed one . “

Arran repeated the gesture . “The same to you . “

As the young man made his way back to the other soldiers, Arran cast a troubled look at the empty road ahead . Much as he’d expected, infiltrating the Imperium would be a difficult matter .

Of course, the Knight’s ring offered him a different path — a way to skip the things that were required of other outsiders, and join the Darians’ ranks immediately .

Yet doing so would likely cost him the chance to freely explore the Imperium . And unless there was no other way, that wasn’t a price he was willing to pay .

Not yet, at least .

They resumed their journey the next morning, continuing onward through the hilly grasslands that filled the edge of the Imperium .

While Arran found the pace painfully slow, several of the children among the group still had trouble keeping up . Yet to Arran’s surprise, the otherwise gruff-faced captain did not scold them for it .

Instead, the captain gave only a brief frown, then allowed the children to ride on the carts that trailed the long column .

And that wasn’t the only thing to catch Arran’s attention . Because while the food the borderlanders were given was simple, the quality was good and the portions generous . And although most of the soldiers weren’t exactly friendly, they showed no sign of hostility either .

That the borderlanders were treated well came as a relief to Arran . He’d worried how he might react if they were mistreated or abused, but it appeared his concern had been unnecessary .

Still, as more days passed, the borderlanders grew restless, and some grumbles of discontent sounded among the group . Many of them had likely expected to have found a place to settle by now, but instead, they were traveling to some faraway destination .

After roughly a week, Arran was approached by the farmer whose son he had saved .

Ever since his talk with the Archon, the other members of the group had looked at Arran with wary eyes, still unsure of what his relationship with the Imperium was . The only exception to this was the farmer, and even he approached Arran uncertainly .

“I had a question for you, if you don’t mind,” the man said, his tone cautious .

“What is it?” Arran asked .

The farmer looked at him uneasily . “The others and I, we’re wondering when we might reach our destination . Not that we’re complaining, mind you — it’s just that we’ve been on the road an awful long time already . “

Arran shrugged . “I have no idea where we’re going,” he said . “But there’s less than a week’s worth of supplies in the carts, so I figure that wherever we’re going, it’s bound to be close . “

The farmer had more questions to ask, of course, but Arran had answers to none of those . What little he knew about their destination, he kept to himself .

Though the borderlanders would doubtless be unhappy when they learned they’d have to spend years earning their citizenship, that was something they’d discover soon enough .

They reached their destination barely half a week later, and when Arran saw it, he looked ahead in wonder . Because what lay before them was a vast tent camp, easily large enough to hold tens of thousands of people — like a city without a single building .

This was no camp like the ones he’d seen on the outskirts of Esran, however . There was none of the chaos and disorder he’d seen there . Instead, the people he saw in the distance looked clean and well-fed, and the tents seemed to be large and well-maintained .

Yet to Arran, the more interesting thing was the sheer number of people he knew the camp must house . Tens of thousands, all of them likely borderlanders who fled their homes .

Now that he knew they would all have to earn their citizenship, his thoughts returned to the war ahead . Contrary to what he had feared, the borderlands had not provided the Imperium with fresh soldiers .

Instead, they gave the Darians something just as important — the labor to supply an army .

As the column of soldiers and borderlanders approached, a group of several dozen soldiers emerged from the camp — or guards, rather, Arran saw when he got a closer look at them .

Unlike the soldiers, they were unarmored, instead wearing dark uniforms with a red symbol embroidered on the chest . At the head of the group was a tall woman whose uniform was similar to that of the other guards, except with a silver rather than a red symbol .

When she reached the soldiers, she spoke to the captain for some minutes, and Arran was unsurprised to see the man briefly point at him . Then, the woman stepped forward .

“Outsiders,” she said in a loud but calm voice . “For the next few weeks, this camp will be your home . You will be escorted to your tents shortly, where you will be provided with food and clothes for those who need them . “

She cast a look at the group, and when no questions came, she gave a satisfied nod . Then, she walked up to Arran .

She gave him an appraising look, then asked, “You’re a Body Refiner, correct?”

“I am,” Arran replied .

“Then come with me . ”