The overlord of the gods is interrogating the alien female spy.

　slave?

　Tom, as a bard, has one thing in common: his head is the most valuable part of his body, simply because his clever mind can always come up with ways to save his life.

　Oh. Right, this is Syracuse, the region of Letania, the one that hates Sarkaz the most. It's only a few miles from the town, so how could any Sarkaz bandits dare to rob people nearby?

　The other party was merely a slave of the powerful figure before him, and this powerful figure... was clearly a nobleman. He must have encountered some problem; his clothes had been damaged, which was why he had to send this Sarkaz slave to interrogate him. After all, how could a nobleman lose face in front of commoners?

　"My lord, I was blind and ignorant... Please forgive my sins... I am willing to offer you all my treasures, and I will answer any questions you may have. I only beg you to spare my life."

　Knowing the situation makes things easier.

　If he were to encounter a Sarkaz robber, he would certainly lose his life.

　But if he were to encounter a nobleman like the one before him, as long as he adopted the right attitude and made the other party happy, not only would his life be safe, but he might even receive some reward.

　"Huh? I thought you were just a cowardly fool, but I didn't expect you to have some insight."

　The Qilin Overlord was quite satisfied with his submissive demeanor. He gestured for the little slave to rummage through his luggage while he continued to press for information.

　Chen Lingxu didn't need to ask any more questions. He only asked for information about the town, and the ram in front of him immediately spilled everything out.

　He explained everything, from the town's name and its location in Letania to his own purpose.

　Using his first visit to Letania as an excuse, Chen Lingxu inquired about Letania's history.

　The bard before him was quite skilled in this area. He mustered his courage, asked for his lyre, cleared his throat, and began to play and sing.

　"An ancient empire, ten wise sages..."

　Listening to the melody, Chen Lingxu gained a general understanding of the situation in this country.

　A thousand years ago, this area consisted of ten relatively large settlements, or small nations, located in the central region of Terra. However, due to its proximity to Kazdel and the Sarkaz, it was frequently in danger of being raided by the Sarkaz. These raids were particularly severe in the Syracuse region where they were currently located.

　Therefore, the leaders of the ten tribes discussed and reached an agreement to create a kingdom called Letania. The ten leaders became the first electors, and the king of Letania was jointly elected from the ten tribes to lead all Letanians in resisting the invasion of foreign enemies.

　Among the Letanians, a group called Caprini, or sheep, mastered powerful musical magic. Through mutual exchange and exploration, Letanian magic flourished and gave birth to the powerful 'Golden Melody'. It seems that the Letanians born under the protection of the Golden Melody are natural musical geniuses.

　The Syracuse region, where Chen Lingxu is currently located, is in a state of war preparedness due to its proximity to Kazdel, constantly ready to respond to attacks from the Sarkaz.

　"So that's it..."

　Listening to the bard's song, Theresa finally understood why he was so afraid of her, an unarmed Sarkaz, and why the people outside hated the Sarkaz so much.

　"You sing well. But since you're in Letania, why don't you use the local language?"

　The bard in front of him sang and told stories in another language, but fortunately this did not affect Chen Lingxu. Moreover, he found that the language the bard used was very similar to the tone of his little slave's voice.

　“Oh, sir, this is the language of Gaul. It is the most popular language on this land. Singing in Gaul will make me seem very professional.”

　He doesn't sing for nothing in the past, but today's situation is special; he has to watch the other party's expression after he finishes singing.

　"Interesting. Is Gaul the strongest nation right now?"

　"It should be, sir."

　Where did the person in front of me come from?

　Tom was also very curious.

　This man's speech and manner were filled with the absolute arrogance of a superior, treating everything as a handout, and his demeanor was even more pronounced than that of the baron he had met.

　He was undoubtedly a nobleman. But how could he, being both a nobleman and fluent in Gallo and Letanian, be unaware of Gaul and Letanian affairs?

　Or is this a test? If he dares to lie, then there's a reason to get rid of him.

　Yes, that must be it.

　Tom's eyes immediately sharpened. Luckily, he was only a little boastful, but a bard, after all, wouldn't listen to a story if he didn't boast.

　Moreover, this kind of boasting is most effective at fooling young girls. And this Sarkaz slave listened with great interest.

　"How much does it cost to stay here?"

　"Oh, sir, this is just a remote town. Ten Ducati coins will suffice for a night's stay."

　The common currency in Letania was the Ducat gold coin, but obviously not everyone could afford it. Therefore, silver and bronze coins emerged as alternatives, with the bronze coins also known as copper coins. Theoretically, the exchange rate between the three was ten to one, but when exchanging copper for silver or silver for gold, it was often a case of more coins for less. At least 120 coins were needed to exchange for one Ducat gold coin, and in some regions, it could even take more than 200 coins to exchange for one gold coin.

　"I have thirteen silver coins here, sir, and I offer them all to you. Thank you very much for listening to my performance."

　Tom obediently handed over all the money in his bag to the other party. The other party might look down on his money, but why should he bother?

　"good."

　Although Chen Lingxu did not know the value of the money, he was never stingy with rewards, especially for people who knew how to get things done.

　"take it."

　He then tossed him a ten-year lifespan.

　"My lord, what kind of treasure is this?"

　Chapter Seventeen: He still has to thank us.

　Although it was just a single page with some incomprehensible ten years written on it, Tom could talk. Anyway, anything bestowed by important figures was simply called a treasure.

　"This is a ten-year lifespan. Tear it apart, and those ten years are yours, and you can sell them. Those things that are dying of old age are most in need of time. But you also have to consider whether you have the life to earn that money."

　In a mere ten years, Chen Lingxu didn't care at all what kind of impact it would have if he threw this thing away.

　After all, this is not his previous world. This world has magic, and ten years is not a very precious thing for gods who have lived for at least a hundred years.

　Moreover, when he still ruled the Beast Kingdom, he had also bestowed upon many Beastmen the life-extending spells he developed through his research on immortality. The one he remembered most clearly was a lion he liked very much, named Gawain, who had given him over a hundred years of immortal energy and had fought alongside him in Kazdel until the very last moment.

　The bard before them was adept at handling affairs, told good stories, and provided ample information, so the Primordial Celestial Venerable was not stingy in rewarding these early people.

　"Hiss... Thank you, sir, thank you, sir!"

　Tom is now glad he's a bard; this experience has made him realize just how precious this seemingly ordinary piece of paper is.

　This land has never lacked miracles and adventures. The heroes who have left their mark on history all had their own adventures. One of the legends that Tom knows best is Sargon, the King of Kings. Legend has it that he possessed a treasure that could manipulate time, which allowed him to divide time in the Dark Ages after the glorious era had passed, create a new calendar, and bring Terra into the Crystal Age.

　He realized that the nobleman before him must be a great figure from the ancient kingdom of Sargon.

　Otherwise, why would he casually bestow upon someone a luxurious reward that lasts for a full ten years?

　Ah, he truly hated being a man at that moment. If he were a beautiful woman who looked similar to this Sarkaz slave, he would definitely cling to this important figure's leg and be his slave, even licking his feet!

　"Alright. Bring me one of your... clothes. I am not fit to go to civilized areas in my current state."

　"I have a clean dress here, why don't you try it on?"

　"..."

　Wow, this is so... so... obsequious.

　Theresa watched the bard's unsettling smile as he fawned over the monster, his manner reminding her of the 'treacherous ministers' often depicted in picture books.

　“Slave, what are you standing there for?”

　Tom, the black goat, was 1.8 meters tall, but for Chen Lingxu, who was over 2 meters tall, the only thing he could wear in that suit was the outer robe, which would expose a large part of his calves.

　But that should be enough. With the money the bards offered, you can go to that town and buy some clothes that fit.

　"Yes, Master."

　Having accepted the money thrown to her, Theresa, amidst the bard's flattery and praise, left with the Qilin Overlord.

　Although Tom survived and even received an unexpected reward for his bravery, he absolutely dared not go into town with this nobleman. Once he calmed down, he wanted nothing more than to stay far, far away from such an important figure…

　"Syracusa... turns out to be a pack of wolf cubs."

　There were some wolf guards with knives at the town gate. Chen Lingxu glanced at them and immediately saw through their true nature.

　"After ten thousand years, they still haven't shaken off this wolf-like instinct to survive in clusters. They're useless."

　The chirping of crickets from Chen Lingxu startled Theresa, who was standing behind him, making her very nervous.

　Please, I know you're very capable, but please don't say these things in front of people.

　Especially since you're also accompanied by a Sarkaz slave, which could cause conflict...

　But the guards didn't seem to hear him, or perhaps his language wasn't Lytanian and they couldn't understand what the foreigner was saying.

　However, given Chen Lingxu's domineering aura and oppressive presence, clearly indicating that he was a formidable nobleman, they quickly let him pass.

　The family gives you a few Ducati silver coins a month, why are you working so hard?

　"What's the panic? Even if you're a Sarkaz slave, you're still my slave. It's shameful to be so flustered in front of a bunch of wolf cubs."

　"Woo..."

　What can she do?

　It's the law.

　After hearing the bard's story, Theresa learned how much the Letanians hated the Sarkaz. She herself didn't possess the monster's abilities, so of course she was afraid.

　"Hmm, so the tavern and inn are located together."

　Chen Lingxu found an inn, which was usually a combination of lodging and tavern, making money from both.

　"One...two of the best wines here. And some dishes, please...pasta? Spaghetti bolognese? Two servings of spaghetti bolognese, and braised pork chops, not bad, one of those..."

　The tall, imposing Sarkaz noble accompanied by a Sarkaz servant/slave was a striking combination, and in a place teeming with drunkards, the hostile Sarkaz naturally attracted a lot of attention.

　Theresa felt uneasy under his gaze and followed closely behind Qilin with small, quick steps.

　Ignoring the covetous gazes, Chen Lingxu went straight to the counter, booked a room with a waiter, and listened to his recommendations for several dishes. The total cost was three silver coins.

　"Okay, so much... Master, can we... eat it all?"

　"What's so much? This little bit isn't even enough to fill my teeth."

　"what……"

　So there wasn't a share for her.

　Theresa did not press the matter further.

　Indeed, there were some dried bread in her basket, and as a slave, how could she possibly eat the same food as her master?

　The monster seemed to dislike eating in the crowded lobby, so it went directly to its reserved room and asked the servants to bring the food.

　"..."

　Theresa took out a hard, dry piece of black bread, intending to find some hot water to soak it before eating.

　But there was no hot water in the room, so she had no choice but to endure it.

　Looking at the piece of bread she had painstakingly scraped off with her teeth, Theresa felt a pang of longing for the turnips of Kazdel.

　Even though all we can eat are turnips, turnip soup is still more delicious than breadcrumbs.

　Chen Lingxu stared at the little slave who was silently munching on stone bread like a hamster, without interrupting him.

　Only after the tavern waiters had brought out the steaming, fragrant dishes and filled the entire table did he call out to the little slave whose mouth was sore from eating.

　"Hey, come and eat."

　Ugh?

　Theresa glanced at the table full of hot dishes, then at the mocking Qilin, and knew she had been bullied by this monster again.

　But don't think that'll make her go over to eat. That arrogant and rude... shouting, she... she's just...

　"Are all of these for me, Master?"

　Looking at the bowl of glistening meat sauce noodles in front of her, Theresa, who hadn't eaten meat in a long time, couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

　The last time the Qilin Overlord killed a horned beast, she used it for barbecue. At that time, she was already drooling from the aroma of the barbecue, but she was too scared to touch it.

　"Hmph, eat up, slave. Only when you're full will you be able to serve me properly."

　Qilin ate his portion leisurely, talking about the price Theresa paid for coming to the table to eat.

　"..."

　Okay, I'll eat it!

　Theresa didn't stand on ceremony. Since she was going to be tortured again later, she was determined to eat now and fill her stomach to make sure she didn't neglect herself.

　Chapter 18 All these dull-witted children are the same

　"Ugh... I... I can't eat anymore..."

　“Keep eating, slave. If you spit it out again, I’ll have to teach you a lesson.”

　Bad guy...this super bad guy...