"Kind miss, have mercy..."
A faint voice drifted down the street. Merlin opened his eyes and saw several raggedly dressed youths begging along the roadside. The sight left him deeply puzzled.
The Sacred Dragon Empire was vast and sparsely populated. Even within a lord's territory, the lowliest people could support themselves by doing odd jobs. At worst, they could become a noble's slaves, and ordinary nobles were not overly harsh toward their slaves.
Therefore, people simply did not starve to death. Much less in the prosperous Sacred Dragon City—yet beggars had actually appeared here.
"They are?"
Merlin asked hesitantly.
"Young Master, they are refugees! The Sacred Dragon Empire is beset by troubles within and without, with beacon fires rising on every side. We are not the only ones suffering—the common people have suffered even more. Now they have become refugees, stripped of everything, and can only beg."
Commander Hanson's tone was cold, his expression seemingly unchanged, as though he had seen this far too often.
Merlin's heart tightened. Yes, these people were refugees. The turmoil of the Sacred Dragon Empire had affected far more than just lords and nobles; it was the ordinary commoners who bore the brunt of it. They were the greatest victims, and many had even been reduced to refugees.
Wandering refugees had appeared even on the streets of Sacred Dragon City. From this alone, one could see that the unrest throughout the empire had already become extremely severe.
Merlin felt an intense sense of crisis, as though even Sacred Dragon City was no longer safe. The danger seemed to be closing in from all directions. This was the intuition Merlin possessed as someone capable of contending with a Dimensional World—there could be no mistake.
*Strength. I must increase my strength as quickly as possible. The Nutrient