The Port of the Upper Species

Translator: Cinder Translations

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"Interesting, they look quite similar to us, but they don't have horns," Horace remarked, looking at the person in front of him, arms crossed over his chest, with great interest.

"Esteemed sir, we are humans who have traveled across the sea from another continent," Gran replied with a smile, his right hand resting on his chest, and he slightly bowed to the sheepman—the higher species in the bull-headed man's words—before him.

What a peculiar-looking race! Their height and build were similar to humans, but the two curved horns on their heads, resembling those of sheep, looked quite out of place.

After bidding farewell to the Great Stream tribe, the Western exploration team traveled south along the coast and crossed the southern strait, arriving at the southern continent mentioned by the priest Egbert.

Then they discovered a port city built by the sheepmen.

Indeed, the civilization of the sheepmen was much more advanced than that of the bull-headed men or other races on the northern continent; they had already begun constructing sailing ships, although their primary means of propulsion was still rowing.

Gran made a bold decision to approach the sheepmen's port.

Compared to the sheepmen's vessels, the Western exploration team's three-masted sailing ship truly appeared to be a colossal structure. The sheepmen at the dock stared in shock at the "castle" emerging from the sea.

Gran stepped onto the dock in a small boat and met the port's manager, Horace, among a crowd of astonished onlookers; this was how he introduced himself.

Fortunately, the sheepmen's language was quite similar to that of the Great Stream tribe, seemingly akin to dialects, allowing Gran and the others to communicate with them.

Following previous protocols, Gran presented his gift, which Horace graciously accepted.

However, when Horace saw the paper among the gifts, he burst into laughter.

"Traveling guests, I appreciate your gift, but as for this paper, we have our own," he said with a grin.

He then showed Gran the sheepmen's paper.

Curiously, Gran took it and examined it. Yes, this was indeed usable paper, although its quality was inferior to that produced in the Northwest Bay.

Puffing out his chest, Horace proudly declared, "This is an invention of our wise Queen!"

Gran flattered, "Your country is indeed ruled by a great woman."

"Yes!" Horace continued, "The Queen is our jewel, favored by the gods."

Gran was invited by Horace into a building resembling a tavern for an in-depth discussion. He seemed very interested in this group of visitors from afar.

Both sides exchanged some information about themselves.

"Oh? You have encountered the bull-headed men of the northern continent?" Horace appeared surprised.

"Yes, we come from the northern continent," Gran replied.

"A bunch of pitiful fellows," Horace shook his head, his horns swaying with the motion, swaying in front of Gran.

"A bunch of pitiful fellows?" Gran was both surprised and puzzled.

"Yes," Horace confirmed. "Since you have seen them, you must know their impression of our Upper Species, probably describing us as brutal and such."

"Uh… more or less," Gran admitted honestly.

"But… we have no choice," Horace shrugged.

By the grace of the Lord of Light, Gran silently thanked the gods in his heart, relieved that what was swaying in front of him were not hooves but a normal hand resembling that of a human.

"You might have heard from those bull-headed men that our Upper Species is currently divided into three nations, constantly at odds with one another. But while we fight wars, who will do the farming in the fields?"

He sighed, "We have no choice but to 'import' some labor from the northern continent."

"Forgive me for my confusion as an outsider, but why can't you, as the same race, coexist peacefully?" Gran felt quite embarrassed as he spoke; his home continent was also populated entirely by humans, yet there were incessant conflicts between nations.

"Oh, I would love to know that too," Horace scratched his horns, much like a human would scratch the back of their head. "Unfortunately, I am not a decision-maker, just a low-level official managing the port."

The conversation between Gran and Horace lasted two hours, during which Horace agreed to their request for trade and resupply in the port area.

The Western exploration team stayed at the sheepmen's port for five days before deciding to leave.

It was at this time that Horace welcomed the city's lord into his office.

"Esteemed Lord Hubbard, what brings you here?" Horace asked, puzzled. Lord Hubbard rarely concerned himself with port affairs, so his appearance here was quite unusual.

The port area had been constructed under the Queen's orders. The previous Upper Species were generally uninterested in matters of the sea, but an order from the royal city mandated that coastal cities must have their own ports and attempt to use ships for transporting goods between them.

Although Lord Hubbard complied with the Queen's command, he did so only out of obligation, paying little attention to the specifics and leaving everything to the lower officials, especially those he deemed unimportant, like Horace.

Hubbard was an exceptional nobleman—handsome, wealthy, and knowledgeable—but he was also proud and possessed an indescribable charm that attracted many, particularly the opposite sex. He was skilled at utilizing this charm, often surrounded by various beauties.

However, Horace knew that the Lord's interest in other women was merely for show; his true affections lay with the jewel residing in the royal city.

"I heard that…" Hubbard sat in a chair, playing with his gloves, "a group of oddly-looking guests has arrived at our port?"

"Oh, are you referring to those hornless ones? Has the news spread throughout the city already?"

"Yes, my dear Horace."

Hubbard smiled and continued, "I was wondering… should we invite them to the royal city?"

"The royal city?" Horace asked. "You mean to have them as guests in Her Majesty's palace?"

"Guests?" Hubbard laughed as if hearing something amusing, "No, no! I meant to say, let's invite them to the royal city as… gifts."

"Gifts?" Horace was baffled.

"Yes!" Hubbard's smile widened. "Capture them, put them in cages, and present them to our Queen as gifts."

Horace's face suddenly darkened. "I find this highly inappropriate; they are a highly civilized race."

"Watch your words!" Hubbard glared at Horace.

"Before our Upper Species, any members of other races are considered inferior."

TLN: Damn, let's go...

(End of the Chapter)

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