Chapter 343: The Silver-Haired Half-Elf
The longest-standing and most ancient nation on this continent was the southern Vollachian Empire, followed by the northernmost Gusteko Holy Kingdom in its frozen wasteland, and finally the eastern Lionheart Kingdom of Lugunica where Roy now found himself - founded by the first "Lion King."
Vollachia and Lugunica shared borders, with both enjoying temperate climates and fertile lands far more developed economically than northern realms and smaller nations. Over centuries, these two powers had clashed countless times.
The Gusteko Holy Kingdom endured perpetual blizzards in its frigid climate, wholly unsuited for crops or livestock - an environment naturally hostile to life. Yet thanks to a sacred beast called "Odglass," its people survived these frozen wastes with support from spirits and lesser spirits.
Thus "Odglass" was revered as "Mother of the Nation" in Gusteko, even selecting both its monarch and the Holy Church's leader. This northern realm's existence prevented all-out annihilation wars between Vollachia and Lugunica, as neither dared risk leaving themselves vulnerable to Gusteko's opportunistic interference.
This perfect 037 triangular structure had persisted for centuries.
'Hmm, just like the Three Kingdoms period.'
Roy nodded slightly as he listened to the tavern owner recounting history.
"Ah, right! Not long ago, a man named 'Hoshin' united numerous small nations in the west to form a federation called the 'Kararagi City-States', and this Hoshin proclaimed himself the 'Wasteland Hoshin'."
The tavern owner seemed to have just remembered something and hurriedly shared the news with Roy.
"This information just arrived in Lugunica from western merchants. That 'Hoshin' appears exceptionally skilled in commerce. Currently, merchants hold very high status in Kararagi City-States. Many traders from both the Empire and the Kingdom have flocked there. I'm even considering opening a shop there myself."
The owner explained every detail of his newly acquired information to Roy.
From earlier introductions, Roy had learned that the western lands were an area where numerous small nations vied for dominance. The land there was relatively barren—not as extreme as the northern Holy Kingdom of Gusteko where crops couldn't grow—but still considered poor, barbaric territory in the eyes of the Empire and Kingdom, which explained their longstanding disinterest.
This was precisely why so many small nations had managed to survive on that barren land.
But now, a man called 'Hoshin' had suddenly risen to prominence, uniting these small nations through alliance to form a massive coalition that barely qualified as a fourth major power capable of rivaling the other three nations.
'Interesting. In both the Empire and Kingdom, merchants hold low status—these are aristocratic nations. Yet in Kararagi City-States, merchants have achieved the highest standing, where wealth directly translates to status. It's almost like... capitalism!'
Roy's expression showed keen interest. He had some basic knowledge of the "Re:Zero" setting, but no written setting could truly capture a living world. Only by coming here had Roy witnessed cultures, species, and landscapes unlike anything on Earth.
Now, he was finally beginning to understand this world's current political landscape.
"Wasteland Hoshin?"
Roy's tone suggested he wanted to learn more about this individual.
Seizing the opportunity, the tavern owner racked his memory to provide more details: "...Sir, this man seemed to appear out of nowhere. There were no famous figures named 'Hoshin' before. He claims to come from a nation beyond the Great Waterfall, but that's obviously nonsense."
'A transmigrator...'
Upon hearing this description, Roy quickly identified 'Hoshin's' likely identity.
This 'Hoshin' was most probably a transmigrator, similar to the future 'Natsuki Subaru'—though not someone who crossed worlds like Roy himself, but rather someone who came from this world's version of Earth.
Since arriving in this alternate world, Roy had noticed its peculiar structure—two interconnected worlds: the fantasy realm he currently inhabited, and this world's version of Earth. Under specific circumstances, passage between them became possible, making transmigration feasible.
Roy inquired further with the innkeeper about other matters, particularly the topic that most intrigued him—witches.
Unlike the era centuries later, 'witches' in this age were not a forbidden subject. While people still feared them, it was merely the fear of the unknown. In the public consciousness, witches were eerie and enigmatic beings, but not so terrifying that their very mention was taboo.
"Pride, Greed, Sloth, Lust, Gluttony, and Wrath—these six great witches are common knowledge to many. Plenty of powerful figures pursue them, though we merchants want nothing to do with them."
The innkeeper casually listed the titles of several witches, proving that their names were indeed not forbidden.
"Why is that?"
Roy continued chatting with the innkeeper, quite satisfied with the information he was gathering. The six infamous great witches were known far and wide, yet 'Envy' was conspicuously absent. It seemed the current generation's Witch of Envy had yet to emerge.
Indeed, witches were passed down through generations. They were not immortal monsters—when one generation perished, the next would arise. Thus, the current witches were likely all young women, the eldest probably no more than twenty-something.
"Because those troublesome witches created monsters known as 'magic beasts.' When merchant caravans encounter them, they often pay a heavy price just to escape with their lives."
The innkeeper grumbled as he recounted his experiences from his younger days as a merchant.
Roy didn't mind the rambling; he listened with keen interest. This was crucial for understanding this world. After a long while, when the innkeeper had nothing new to offer, Roy dismissed him.
"It has been an honor to serve you, my lord!"
Under the influence of Gaze of the Divine, the innkeeper practically regarded Roy as a god he worshipped, addressing him with fanatical reverence.
Once the innkeeper was gone, Roy indulged in the exotic delicacies on the table, savoring the otherworldly wines that piqued his curiosity. As he pondered, he also kept his ears open, listening to the conversations around him.
Just as Roy had surmised, the racial tensions between humans and demi-humans in the Kingdom of Lugunica, the Lionheart Kingdom, ran deep. In fact, among the existing major nations, it was arguably the country with the most intractable racial conflicts.
The Holy Kingdom of Gusteko in the northern lands, due to environmental factors, fostered the strongest unity between humans and demi-humans. The Vollachian Empire adhered to the law of the jungle—the strong possessed everything, while the weak had no rights. Thus, in that nation, strength alone determined status, regardless of whether one was human or demi-human. The city-state of Kararagi, being newly established, was harder to judge. Only Lugunica bore the weight of deep-seated racial animosity.
However, Lugunica had a significant population of demi-humans, who had united to form a formidable faction. As a result, successive 'Lion Kings' had sought to ease tensions by implementing policies that allowed humans and demi-humans to coexist—albeit uneasily. If full-scale civil war were to erupt between the two races, it would likely invite opportunistic aggression from other nations.
The humans and demi-humans of Lugunica were well aware of this fact, which was why they suppressed their conflicts and lived together. But in Roy's eyes, it was like forcibly gluing two wooden planks together—sooner or later, a great war would erupt between them.
The relationships between humans and demi-humans varied from country to country, but there was one existence universally despised and ostracized in every nation. Take, for example, the topic being discussed in the tavern at that very moment—
"Hey, have you heard? Someone spotted a silver-haired half-elf in the slums outside our city!"