In the north of the Source Continent, in Uppsala, a medium-sized city in the eastern part of the Iceland Nation's Atlant.

Woooo...

Even though it's the last month of spring in other parts of the continent, this land seems to remain in winter, with cold winds swirling around eaves and trees, blowing away the lingering snow and stinging faces.

"Stop! Please stop! I've already paid the three-fold window and fireplace taxes for the King, the Church, and the lord. You can't take my precious porcelain away!"

An old man wrapped in a shabby sheepskin coat cried woefully to the heavens, unable to stop those soldier-like wolves and the lean tax officer leading them, who carried a faint smell of sulfur.

The neighbors on this street cautiously peeked out their heads, each showing reluctance, yet even the few young people who were outraged dared not take action.

Because none of them could avoid the fate that befell the old man!

In the Atlant Kingdom, the natural environment is harsh, with about 30% of the northern territory located within the Polar Circle, and the remaining areas are mostly cold year-round with undeveloped agriculture and animal husbandry.

Not to mention, they have completely missed the ride of the steam industry, and the striped fabrics produced by hand workshops have been severely impacted by Tulip industrial goods.

Although once a leading maritime power following the Hilus Empire in external exploration, the kingdom has indeed declined significantly in recent years due to various reasons.

Especially after the consecutive deaths of the old generation Kingdom Guardians, Atlant's national fate is no longer.

The peak military force that supported their bloody shadow over the near seas of the continent for four centuries has vanished.

Now only the Titled Knight "Bloodthirsty Frenzy" stands alone in support.

If it weren't for the remnants of viciousness and the barely maintained Navy, this country would almost completely fall out of the ranks of continental powers.

Additionally.

The Atlanteans' belief in the Goddess of Frost Breath, Scáthach, who resides in the holy abode at the northern World's End of the kingdom, is also the deepest part of the Eternal White Land and the Land of Ice and Snow, the source of all cold waves in the Northern Hemisphere.

As a Natural Spirit, this Goddess is as indifferent as Her Divine Position, like a cold wind watching over the mortal realms, rarely interfering in earthly affairs.

Only the Frost Breath Church waves the flag of the Goddess, contending with secular rulers.

These characteristics have resulted in the Ice Nation Kingdom being fierce in customs while retaining significant feudal remnants, still keeping many real feudal lords and their private armed forces.

In other words, the King collects taxes, the Church collects taxes, and the lords collect taxes!

Just like the "window tax" and "fireplace tax" currently being collected by the local lord.

"Window Tax": Every house has a basic fee of 20 copper fuer coins (converted), if the number of windows reaches ten or more, it is 40 copper fuer coins.

"Fireplace Tax": Each fireplace costs ten copper fuer coins, collected every six months, meaning a normal family with only one fireplace must pay at least twenty copper fuer coins per year.

There are many stranger types of taxes than these two, such as the "fat corpse tax" which stipulates: if a deceased person's coffin width exceeds 58 centimeters, each centimeter beyond incurs a tax of fifty copper fuer coins.

Various levies and miscellaneous taxes encompass every aspect of people's lives.

Even more dreadful is the same tax must be paid three times to three different entities, causing endless complaints from citizens.

And since the Fireplace Tax requires entry into residents' homes to count, tax officers and soldiers go house-to-house to collect.

During this process, the "tax" belongs to the lord, but any additional gains belong to... themselves.

Like Aiven and Liweina, those with self-restraint and understanding to apply "wealth redistribution" to alleviate social conflicts among the ruling classes are in the minority.

Most of the royal family relies more on force than interest to govern the populace.

It can be said that many times everyone is just seeing who is worse off.

Autocratic rule by the King, political stagnation, disregard for human rights, government corruption, economic recession, high unemployment rate, people living in hardship...

The long-term rule by the ruling class, reluctance for reform, lack of transparency in political-economic distribution, etc., have become chronic problems in not only the Atlant Kingdom. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Especially now with the Tulip Alliance ruling the seas, and the Flying Clippers quickly launched, even the Pirates find their days gradually become difficult.

Unable to plunder externally, internal exploitation is intensified, and so, Atlant falls further into a vicious cycle.

And yet, these soldiers are blatantly robbing civilian property during tax collection, resembling the end times of a dynasty, with order collapsing, and trembling under stormy skies.

Crunch! Crunch!...

In this oppressive and numbing atmosphere.

A tall and burly young man, exhibiting both Atlantean and Koyak features, walked into this indescribable city, stepping on untouched accumulated snow.

He wore clean and decent hunting attire, shiny leather boots, a long sword at his waist. Although lacking any noble emblem, he indeed appeared different from the impoverished civilians present.

Used to sizing people up, the gate officer didn't even charge him an entry tax.

"This place is surprisingly... rotten," he commented.

Bach, Aiven's fifth disciple, for the first time in his life set foot in his father's homeland—Atlant, a country with Pirate genes.

However.

Since receiving the teacher's assignment and stepping onto this land, Bach has been deeply disappointed by this so-called homeland he has never visited before.

Although it is far better than the Koyak People who also live within the Polar Circle of the New Continent.

But not to mention comparing it with the culturally rich Galliot Duchy, it's even far inferior to the former Hilus Colony.

Causing Bach, who has come to the Source Continent for the first time, to feel a sense of expectant disillusionment.

"Hmm?"

Under the guidance of the advanced Mind Network, after walking through several streets, his ears suddenly twitched.

He heard a ragged bard with faded, washed-out clothes singing beside a street corner sheltered from the wind.

The bard himself was nothing notable, but what made him stop and listen was the bard's song.

The gist of the song was:

"All the suffering of the people is due to the monarch's dictatorship and the aristocracy's autocracy.

In the southern 'Lowland Republic', people already have the right to choose their leaders, and the national leader must serve the people, not feed off them.

The people can not only have enough to eat and wear but can also enjoy loans and subsidies given by the government, allowing them the opportunity to rise above...

If an elected leader is unqualified, the people have the right to replace them... Only by coming together can we have a happy life..."

Such words were interspersed in the story.

Even without a reward, he remained expressionless.

He took off his hat and bowed to every audience member who felt inspired, saying, "The 'Atlant Democracy and Freedom Process Office' wishes you well!"

The tone seemed to carry a kind of enchanting power, making people instinctively believe his words.

As the crowd dispersed again, only Bach stood there, pondering:

"Is this the Democracy Fighter from the Faceless Man's intelligence? Is the Lowland Republic targeting Atlant?

This broken place sure is a hotbed for chaos.

Forget it, none of this concerns me, it's best to focus on completing the teacher's task first."

The 'World Currency' plan in the mundane world does not affect Aiven's two mid-term goals:

Exploring the unknown beyond the World's End door and possibly the hidden Möbius Ring; exploring space tightly locked by the Purifiers and potentially the hidden Catrio's Wheel.

In order to reach the world behind the Door and obtain this world's "ultimate secret," unless going through the gates guarded by the Golden Country, one could be utterly lost in the Storm Belt.

Therefore.

Since returning from exploring the Muriyan Civilization last time, Jelos has already set out to find the remaining Golden Compass.

Only when thirteen Golden Compasses are gathered can the door to Endless Ocean's Phorcys be opened.

In the latest communication, combined with the previous ones, Jelos has already collected a total of seven, plus one in Aiven's possession, and one with Olivia.

Now they have a total of nine compasses, and they're not too far from completing the collection.

Additionally, there's one more with known clues...

As thoughts surged, Bach, under the guidance of the Mind Network, arrived outside a somewhat chaotic street and saw a squad of soldiers and tax officers going door-to-door collecting taxes.

With just one look, he couldn't help but frown deeply.

Even though his main career path is the physical side, Bach also practices Wizardry and has received corresponding witchcraft knowledge from Aiven.

Standing downwind, his keen sense of smell automatically captured the scent on the skinny tax officer:

"Sulfur? A... Demon from the Lower Realm?"

Just then.

Ah—!

A slightly immature girl's scream pierced through the street.

Soon after, he overheard excited shouts from soldiers "collecting taxes" in a certain house:

"Ha ha ha, boss, look! The pauper living here actually has a Compass, it looks like pure gold!"

"Shut up, what pauper's collection? This is clearly stolen goods! Take them all away, along with the person!"

"Ah! Let go of me!"