A mage's journey begins with a battle mage.

Chapter 513 No More Nobles

Amidst the biting wind and snow, a small group of refugees trudged through the wilderness.

"Do you think we can get to Mahablay?"

"A young man in the group asked."

He was thin and bony, clearly having not eaten for a long time and suffering from malnutrition.

"Perhaps, but it's better to fall on the road than on the chopping board, those beasts!"

"Alas, we have a bumper harvest, yet we can't pay our taxes and are starving to death. Tell me, what kind of world is this!"

"If the late emperor were still alive, how could this be..."

An old man said, but before he could finish speaking, another middle-aged man interrupted him.

"You always think about the late emperor. You never hesitated to criticize him when he was alive. How come you're suddenly nostalgic now that he's gone?"

"Sigh! I just hope that Mahablay is truly like paradise on earth."

With a sigh, the group began to move forward in silence.

Soon, they arrived near a village.

However, the entire village was deserted, and everything that could be salvaged had already been cleaned up.

"So, they've fled to Mahablay just like us?"

The group was stunned for a moment, then they understood.

"According to the map, we're near Mahablay. It'll be a few more days' drive from here."

"Then we..."

"Eat up, this is the last handful of rice, the last meal. If not, then we'll just have to..."

After the old man finished speaking, he fell silent for a moment. He didn't say anything more, but everyone else knew what he meant.

If they still don't arrive in the end, then the team will be short of people.

As for why so little? Of course, it's so we can eat meat.

The next day, after resting in the abandoned village, the group set off for the legendary earthly paradise, Mahablay.

Fortunately, it seemed that the heavens were on their side, and the group finally arrived at Mahabrai before running out of ammunition and food.

When they arrived in the city and were served a bowl of hot food, they all burst into tears instantly.

Forty-seven days, more than a hundred people, and now only a dozen or so remain.

The world has descended into chaos to this extent.

"What's the situation outside?"

The locals looked at the group with some curiosity.

In Mahablay, everything was fine, nothing special, and they were doing well.

These people were all very curious, after all, this was the seventh wave of people who had escaped here.

"They levy exorbitant taxes, they are insane and ruthless; even a bumper harvest cannot cover the tax burden..."

With the old man's explanation, the group finally understood the general situation outside.

Taxes are far higher than before; normally, a heavy tax of 85% would be enough to ruin these ordinary people.

But this time, the nobles have once again lowered the bar for humanity.

The tax rate is not displayed at all. You may have seen heavy taxes of 90% and think that's outrageous.

But have you ever seen a tax rate of 135%?

This is outright robbery, even worse than outright robbery.

It can only be said that, relying on their strength, these nobles truly do not treat people as human beings.

Such high taxes are clearly intended to plunder the people's wealth.

If you can't afford to pay, you have to sell your land, even your children, and even yourself, just to pay the taxes.

Even ordinary landlords couldn't withstand this kind of treatment.

This is exploiting the common people, forcing those unwilling to flee to sell themselves to the nobles and become their private property.

Then, since nobles' private property is exempt from taxation, the empire also receives no tax revenue, so this whole operation only benefits the nobles.

The others? They either escape or become slaves, losing their dignity and self.

Sometimes, the decline of a dynasty comes just as suddenly.

However, the big shots at the top don't care about the lives of the people at the bottom.

After all, the Senate's superior strength gave them the confidence to suppress any rebellion within the empire.

But if an empire has extraordinary individuals but no people, how can it be called an empire?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In the reception room of Jiang Shuzhou's laboratory in Mahablay.

Jiang Shuzhou was meeting with Kosoroya.

"A banquet will be held tomorrow, and all immediate family members of the nobles are required to attend. It's an important event."

Jiang Shuzhou said.

"What's the big deal?"

Kosoroya was somewhat puzzled.

"You'll find out when the time comes, it'll be a huge deal."

With a wave of his hand, Jiang Shuzhou smiled and saw Kosoroya off.

After Kosoroya left, Jiang Shuzhou's expression turned indifferent, devoid of any emotion.

Not long ago, Jiang Shuzhou received intelligence that Prince Conrad had summoned local nobles of Mahabray on multiple occasions, seemingly planning to launch an uprising or cultivating his own power base.

To be honest, he is indeed Rosemary's offspring, looking exactly like his mother.

However, scheming and plotting are hardly respectable. Without strength, everything is in vain, especially when Jiang Shuzhou doesn't need evidence, only an excuse.

Perhaps it's time to take it down and examine closely how the Covenant granted an ordinary person legendary power.

The current stability of the empire is not in Jiang Shuzhou's interest.

He planned to study it carefully and figure out how the covenant elevated ordinary people to the legendary level.

Then he can make the method public.

In this way, the empire will likely descend into chaos.

This is an open conspiracy, and it cannot be thwarted.

After all, Jiang Shuzhou was exploiting human nature.

Countless ambitious nobles dreamed of going further and ascending to the throne.

However, due to a lack of strength, they gave up.

But if Jiang Shuzhou were to give them a slight push and help them acquire legendary combat power, even if it's just a fake legendary power, it would definitely create a rather chaotic scene.

At that time, I wonder if the legends in the Senate will still be able to sit still?

With the world in chaos, Jiang Shuzhou had these nobles as his vanguard, testing the strength of the Senate for him.

At the same time, this can also deplete the alliance's strength, weakening it.

It is impossible for Jiang Shuzhou to retain the alliance after ruling the empire; the birth of a new order is often a negation of the old order.

He has become the new order, so the covenant as the old order can only be swept into the dustbin of history.

It can be said that a battle between the two sides is inevitable.

Of course, Jiang Shuzhou's method for becoming a legend will definitely come with certain conditions and costs. Otherwise, would Jiang Shuzhou be trying to cultivate an opponent for himself?

Even so, these people will probably have to swallow their pride and bear it all in order to achieve their ambitions.

If they don't act, then the Senate will act first, killing all the nobles who might rebel, and then trying every means to destroy the secret technique.

This is suspicion.

Soon, the next day arrived.

Quite unusual, Jiang Shuzhou wore a white robe with gold trim and pulled down his hood to show his face at the banquet.

Others might assume this was Jiang Shuzhou's way of showing his importance, but Grace knew that her master had no intention of letting these people go back alive this time.

"Let's go. After today, there will be no more nobles in Mahabé."