In the Name of Empress

Chapter 664 377: Land of the Forsaken or Land of the Blessed? (Part 2)

Roland even disagreed with Lisa becoming the new Empress of the Magic Empire.

It was only out of respect for his sister that he reluctantly accepted this outcome.

Facilitating the Magic Empire's alliance with the Divine Court of Nature to deal with the Dark Race was his way of standing up for his sister.

But only this once.

He would rather secure passage on the ship to a new era for Lisa and Anthony than help the Magic Empire regain its glory.

Everyone has their own desires, and he is no exception.

Cyrus didn't hesitate much before accepting Roland's arrangement.

He had no other choice.

The Nubian Kingdom was caught right between the Magic Empire and the new Dark Race. If they chose wrongly, they wouldn't even qualify as pawns but would directly become the board instead.

After reaching a secret agreement, Cyrus placed no obstacles in the way of Roland's speeches.

He didn't even read the speech that Roland drafted but nodded in agreement.

He trusted Roland to handle it well, and he also trusted in the steadfast faith of the Natural Believers.

However, Roland's public speech still gave him a headache.

Half a month after the secret agreement, Roland's journey spanned from the northern Adri Port to the southernmost Ogaden Region, and his speeches caused a sensation even he found surprising.

He did not conceal his identity; this time, he chose to speak as the Imperial Cardinal Minister of the Vladimir Empire.

But he did not expect the crowd's cheers to be mostly for "Governor Roland."

After all, most of his achievements were made under the title of Overseas (Northern Rodinia) Governor.

Since the Battle of White Mountain, although he's done a lot, he has done so without seeking fame, and the public is unaware of his deeds.

Some even believed that since being kept by Sofia, his actions were far less spirited than before.

The public's cries of "Governor Roland" carried a tinge of lament for a hero past his prime.

Faced with public enthusiasm, Roland's schedule changed repeatedly, turning the originally planned week-long journey into one that dragged on for over half a month.

But even the longest journey has an ending.

The Ogaden Region was the endpoint of his speaking tour.

Choosing this place was also a carefully considered decision.

Although Ogaden is located in the central part of the South Continent, its ethnicity and civilization system remain part of Pan Rodinia civilization.

Tracing back thousands of years, the southern boundary of the Magic Empire at its peak was also here.

The borders of the great human empires in history also mostly stopped here.

Everyone did this, and of course, there are deeper reasons.

"So why are they unwilling to venture beyond Ogaden?" Lisa propped her chin in her hands, her curious eyes resting on Roland's confident face.

The Celestial City of Ogaden is the southernmost central city of Pan Rodinia civilization.

Though its population is only around three hundred thousand, it ranks among the top five large cities in the Nubian Kingdom.

Further south is a wild land, truly untamed.

It's said that even the radiance of the gods does not shine south of Ogaden, hence it is also called the Celestial City.

Since even the divine radiance refuses to grace it, the lands south of Ogaden have earned the fearsome moniker, "Land of the Forsaken."

The saying goes that there are no mistaken names, only mistaken nicknames. Truly, the southern part of the South Continent, south of Ogaden, is remote from the center of human civilization.

Here, there are no enduring nations, and most regions still exist in the form of tribal and factional alliances.

If someone else asked such a silly question, Roland wouldn't bother answering, but Lisa was different.

Even if she asked why the sky was blue, Roland would patiently explain and try to help her understand.

Lisa was no longer the postal worker who did not know the vastness of the world; she is about to become the Empress of the Magic Empire, having seen much.

She certainly knows that Ogaden is the boundary between civilization and wilderness.

Roland knows this is his sister's gentle way of giving advice.

Given his current strength, as long as he doesn't act recklessly, he can protect himself even if danger arises. Plus, with Eden, unless Sofia acts personally, no one can stop them.

Just by being cautious and not reckless, even with danger, it won't be fatal.

But for a young and ambitious person, saying "be cautious" is easier said than done.

Can someone still be called a young person if they're not bold?

Fortunately, Roland is past the age of youthful arrogance. He smiled slightly and said calmly, "Thank you for the reminder; I won't be careless."

"There are many reasons Ogaden became the dividing line between civilization and wilderness, including geography, culture, history, and ethnicity. It's not something that can be explained in a few sentences. If you're interested, this can be a story for the journey."

Lisa's eyes curved into crescent moons, looking exceptionally beautiful.

She smiled contentedly and said softly, "Great, the next city—or rather, the settlement—is still a few hours away. I indeed need an interesting story."

Roland's status and position are entirely different from before, but he is still the brother who listens to reason.

Lisa's gentle reminder prompted Roland to acknowledge it candidly, which, in a way, made her seem slightly unconvinced of him.

Relieved, Lisa poured Roland a cup of thirst-quenching floral water, smiling as she listened to Roland storytelling.

Roland's story was a long one, beginning from the Fifth Era.

In the early Fifth Era, the South Continent once entered the core circle of human civilization.

At that time, there were nations and civilizations south of Ogaden.

However, these civilizations faded away like the tide. Even the Alamanni Empire of old never ventured southward to Ogaden; their advance stopped at Adri Port.

The Alamanni Empire, although once at its height, never had a powerful navy. The land part of Adri Port connects to the main body of the Rodinia Continent, marking the southernmost point they could control.