Chapter 962: Act 134 – The Gentle Breeze of the Outer Harbor II
After clarifying her thoughts, Faina understood her situation. The change in sunset times over the past week indicated they were moving north. A few times, she had heard the sound of the waves. Between Metz and the Evergreen Path, there were several mountain trails along the sea, supporting the idea that the caravan was also heading west. It was likely passing through several provinces located along the western edge of the Sublime Inner Sea, heading towards the port to sail to the imperial capital.
Days passed, and living in darkness was enough to drive a normal person insane, let alone the overwhelming fear buried deep within her. Most of the time, she curled her feet up, buried her head in her knees, and wrapped her arms around herself in a corner of the cage, as if that might provide her with a semblance of safety. A day earlier, the caravan had made a brief stop at a small town on a plateau east of Fatan Port in Naka. During this stop, she figured out her location. Information from the guards indicated that the caravan was heading towards the western end of the Evergreen Path, which was also the starting point of East Metz—Fatan.
Earlier that day, she had indeed clearly heard the sound of waves crashing against the cliffs. This was a path she had walked more than once, but at that time, she had visited as the Duchess’s daughter. Faina weakly leaned against the cold iron wall, strands of her golden hair falling against her pale cheeks. Her eyelids drooped in fatigue, her thick eyelashes fluttering slightly. Outside the prison carriage, seagulls cried out. Strangely, the road was eerily quiet, with no sound of merchant caravans passing by. Theoretically, this should be an important land and sea hub for East Metz, bustling with merchants; or perhaps Rodney had no intention of going to Fatan Port, but had established a secret anchorage nearby.
A shiver ran down the girl’s spine; these people were surprisingly cautious.
However, that was not the case. The sunlight had just begun to disperse the fog between the straits, but a light layer of mist still cloaked the coastal cliffs. A pass loomed amid the foggy water vapor. Rodney quickly commanded the caravan to stop and looked up at the soldiers on the city wall clad in battle robes adorned with anchor emblems. This pass, built against the mountains and by the sea, was the outermost defense line of Fatan Port. Typically, its gates were rarely lowered, yet today they were unusually shut tight.
“It seems the war caused by Her Majesty has already impacted this area,” Rodney thought. News of the civil war had not yet reached these regions east of Metz, but as the Queen’s secret envoy, he had first-hand information. He raised his voice, “Open the gate quickly!”
“Who are you?” The soldier atop the city tower finally poked his head out to ask below.
“We are from the White Legion. We have urgent military affairs to attend to at Fatan Port. I had sent someone to notify you beforehand; didn’t you see them?” Rodney’s knight replied impatiently.
The soldiers atop the tower stirred, scrutinizing them to confirm their identities. This scene further confirmed Rodney’s suspicions—these people were not usually so loyal. The so-called inspection was mostly for show, or an opportunity to take bribes. After a while, it seemed the tower soldiers had confirmed Rodney’s group’s identity—after all, the attendants with Rodney were all genuine knights of the White Legion, mounted on tall mountain drakes, clad in silver-scaled special armor, and with battle flags marked with the emblem of the white dragon. Their long spears gleamed, exuding a majestic aura, making it evident they were not impostors.
Soon, the city gates creaked open.
In the darkness, Faina felt the cage sway slightly as the caravan resumed its journey. She was still oblivious to the war unfolding to the east, feeling somewhat puzzled. Did they not intend to take her to a secret port? Why were there guards and city gates? Even Fatan Port did not have such tight defenses.
Brendel, Oni, Romaine, and Charles watched from the observation platform above, looking down at the procession as it crossed the drawbridge and passed through the city gates. Brendel pointed to the knight at the front and introduced him to the other three, “That’s Rodney, Veronika’s younger brother, and the youngest son of Duke Eryshiko. However, he’s not particularly capable; at best, he’s just a courtier. After Lady Veronika was placed under house arrest by the Silver Queen, he distanced himself from his family to win her favor, and now he acts as Her Majesty’s secret envoy.”
“Each member of the Eryshiko family is a hero, yet they’ve produced such a dud,” the Duchess’s daughter replied disdainfully, wrinkling her nose.
“You can’t say that. This guy has some skills in discerning the right time to act and cutting ties with family for the greater good,” Charles laughed, responding cheerfully. “Seems like the Lord is quite familiar with him?”
Regarding this question, Brendel remained noncommittal. As a player familiar with ‘enemies,’ he knew of certain notable figures among them. However, it wasn’t solely because of that; Rodney was historically known to be shrewd and adept at playing the game of power. His reputation had allowed him to navigate comfortably among the upper echelons of imperial nobility. He was known as one half of the Eryshiko family’s dual pillars—himself and his sister Veronika. Who could have guessed that he would turn out to be a complete coward? During the siege of White Eagle Fortress (located in present-day Ludwig) by the Madara army in 411, he surrendered without a fight, opening the gates to the enemy, nearly causing the annihilation of the White Legion. This infamous scandal wiped out the Eryshiko family’s prestige, and even Veronika lost her position as legion commander because of him.
Thus, it was hard for players from later generations not to be familiar with this notorious traitor.
However, having such a weak and incompetent person as an ally was the epitome of a liability; yet as an enemy, he was genuinely fortunate to have. Luckily, his reputation was still obscure; probably even the Silver Queen didn’t know what kind of person she had appointed as her new envoy. The misfortune of the enemy became one’s own good fortune, Brendel thought. Charles had indeed said one true thing: if utilized properly, this man was not only a big fish but a fat, juicy one.
“He doesn’t look half bad. He’s just a little less handsome than my Brendel,” the Merchant Miss observed from a unique perspective, squinting her eyes as she took a long look before reaching her conclusion. “Cough, cough, cough!” Brendel nearly choked on her comment. What did she mean by only looking half decent? The Eryshiko family’s genes were excellent; his sister Veronika was a renowned beauty in her youth in the imperial capital, and Rodney had perfectly inherited this lineage, being one of the empire’s most famous pretty boys. Besides, he was also skilled with women, rumored to have entangled relationships with many noble ladies in the capital. Judging purely by looks, Brendel knew enough about himself to realize he could never catch up to him, which only made Romaine brave enough to say such a thing.
He shot an irritated glance at the two beside him and immediately caught sight of the Duchess’s daughter looking at them with a strange expression, while that wicked wizard attendant was struggling to suppress his laughter.
“If you want to laugh, laugh; just be careful not to hurt yourselves,” Brendel said lightly.
“That’s not necessary. Hehehe, Lord,” Charles chuckled, “There are still people below; it wouldn’t do to draw their attention.”
Oni, finally under stricter guidance, quickly reined in her emotions. She placed her fist against her mouth, gently coughing, “I heard Her Majesty sent him to monitor the White Legion. Why is he suddenly appearing in this place? Who is in that cage?”
“Right on the mark,” Charles laughed. “There’s a mermaid in there.”
“A mermaid?” The Duchess’s daughter raised her eyebrows high.
“That’s just a metaphor. The little beauty in the cage is actually someone from the Lord’s past—Wow!” Charles yelled, sidestepping as Brendel swung a sword towards him. “Lord, you actually made a move! Those guys are still down there…”
“Shut up,” Brendel replied coldly.
He had guessed who was being escorted in the iron cage the moment he saw Rodney. Faina had written him a reply, in which she had already clearly expressed her forthcoming intentions. In fact, Brendel had anticipated that she might run into trouble; the young lady still viewed the situation too simply. Since the Silver Queen had placed Veronika under house arrest and chosen to support Rodney as the next head of the Eryshiko family, it raised many questions. How could Rodney possibly help her out of consideration for his sister, especially when he was essentially a complete scoundrel?
Unfortunately, even if he were to reply now, it would be too late. He never expected that after capturing Faina, Rodney would inadvertently walk into his trap. Furthermore, Brendel had also misjudged Faina. The Silver Queen’s information blockade towards the east and north was far tighter than towards the south, so some of the information he had received had not reached her in time. Just like she had no idea of the intricate interests between the Eryshiko family and the Silver Queen.
Brendel silently watched the carriage pass through the pass and enter the harbor area, feeling a faint, barely perceptible surge of anger rise within him.
Regardless of the circumstances, Rodney’s actions had already crossed his bottom line.
…
Finally, the carriage boarded the ship. Watching the bustling scene at the pier before him, Rodney finally let out a breath of relief. He understood his identity clearly; in terms of ability, he couldn’t compare to his sister, and in terms of popularity, he couldn’t rival the military aristocrats of the north. Yet, he prided himself on being sufficiently loyal to the Queen and comfortably placed himself in the role of a flatterer. Since he had positioned himself correctly, he realized he would have to assist the Queen in some underground matters, not only needing to do so but to do it well without leaving any traces. Just like what he was doing now, he knew he would offend many noble families, but as long as he played the role of the scoundrel, it was much better for him to do it than for the Queen, as she would remember his contributions.
As for the disgraced nobles, if he offended them, so be it. He understood well what Her Majesty was aiming to achieve—something no less significant than the achievements of the Four Sages—no, it should far exceed what the Sages had accomplished. Let those decaying and ancient nobles be reduced to ashes in the new flames of birth.
Including the Eryshiko family.
Rodney told himself that he had no regrets about what he had done. There are gains and losses; that’s just the way it is.
With that thought, he glanced back at the cage that was about to be taken down to the hold. He understood the value of the young lady within—although Her Majesty had taken action early and established a new doctrine on the ruins of the Temple of Fire, she did not intend to overturn the entire empire. The noble families in the north who harbored ulterior motives had indeed proved to be utterly unreliable, but many other nobles were still observing. The Queen had once told him in person how important the great nobles in eastern Metz were. If they sided with the new doctrines, the old guard in Ludwig would be isolated on all sides. Not to mention, East Metz was also the main route to the Altania region.
Though he didn’t quite grasp why Her Majesty placed such importance on the Alca region, East Metz had to be controlled to gain access to Alca.
Among these, the most vital piece on the chessboard was the Flowerleaf Territory.
Currently, the person in charge of the Flowerleaf Territory was Earl Helix, a hardliner who emotionally leaned towards the noble lords from Ludwig. He had lived in the Eryshiko residence for a long time during his youth, forming a deep bond with the previous Duke of Eryshiko. Therefore, he was unlikely to side with Her Majesty. Furthermore, both of Earl Helix’s sons represented the military aristocrats and were staunch local factions, which made them untrustworthy. Lastly, Earl Helix’s daughter, the rebellious eldest daughter Faina, was a disciple of the Sword Saint of the Blue. These individuals were not suitable candidates. Now that the duke and his two sons were under house arrest, bringing this young lady secretly back to the imperial capital would mean keeping the little princess, known as “the flowerleaf territory’s little angel,” as a hostage—a timid and well-behaved girl who had her father, brother, and sister as hostages would not be difficult to manage.
Once the Flowerleaf Territory turned towards the Queen, East Metz would essentially be pacified, and the remaining weaker lords would likely no longer hesitate.
As for the return of the Minren—
Rodney was somewhat dismissive. What was this? This world originally belonged to the Minren; the Black Iron People merely stole the power. Her Majesty was doing the right thing, returning power to its proper place. She would crown herself as the Dark Dragon in the guise of the Crusian, and at that time, the empire that ruled the entire land would reemerge, with the Crusian standing shoulder to shoulder with the Minren. It was laughable that some people still failed to understand this.
This was the righteous cause.
Faina felt cold and hungry.
Over the past two days, she had felt the outside surveillance of the carriage tighten. In the earlier days, she could at least breathe fresh air for a while each day, but recently, they scarcely opened the carriage door, and the frequency of delivering food and water had decreased to once in the evening. This made her feel both wronged and scared. Deep down, Faina understood it was because they were nearing their destination—such is human nature. Whenever something was nearing completion, people would become increasingly tense to avoid failure, and their attention would heighten. This indicated that the day she would face her fate was not far off.
This thought left her feeling restless.
She did not know what awaited her—would she be secretly executed, used as a hostage, or made a pawn in a political marriage? She had heard many such stories in the past, but she was not the main character then, only feeling that they were somewhat terrifying. But today, a profound unease gripped her, making it hard to breathe. It seemed she could see a road leading to darkness—a path filled with blood and despair stretching before her.
Faina trembled as she huddled against the cold iron wall. Memories replayed in her mind like a film reel. Back then, she was the respected princess of the Flowerleaf Territory, favored by her father and the Queen. No matter where she went, she was the center of attention among everyone around her. Then she became Veronika’s student, traveling to many places with her teacher, having breathed the air of freedom. Living in a cage was unbearable for her. She once thought she was different from those delicate noble ladies, fragile and solely accepting fates arranged by others, while she, like a fledgling eagle, could choose her own future.
Reality proved her naive; all her fantasies dissolved into bubbles. She felt as if she had been deceived by hope, only to be callously abandoned.
Tears fell like a string of pearls onto the floor, and the young lady began to cry helplessly.
As she cried, Faina recalled her days at the Loop of Trade Winds—that was her first real adventure away from the empire. She had once thought that was the most terrifying experience of her life—a detestable country bumpkin who not only humiliated her but also reprimanded her several times, and even the legion commander could do nothing about him. Yet compared to now, those encounters were completely insignificant, and looking back, there was even a hint of warmth in those memories.
“Oh, if only I could go back to that time—”
Faina was startled by her own thought and soon fell back into lamenting her current predicament.
“Brendel… Brendel…”
Faina felt feverish; her burning forehead pressed against the cold iron wall. Her mind couldn’t help but wander, as if these whimsical thoughts could dispel her worries. She suddenly recalled that Brendel had already reached the empire, so close yet oblivious to her current plight. Perhaps he thought she could help him, rescue his subordinates. But the once high-and-mighty Duchess’s daughter now struggled for her very survival, facing an uncertain future and fate, possibly facing death tomorrow, or scraping by, living in worse conditions than death.
The thought of possibly dying namelessly, without him ever learning of her demise, struck her hard. Perhaps many years later, he might recall her and think, “Oh, that girl named Faina, I once had an adventure with her when she was young. It’s a pity I haven’t heard anything about her in a long time.”
The mere thought of such a scenario tore at Faina’s heart, darkening her eyes.
Brendel soon received news that Rodney’s ship had set sail. As he had predicted, this guy was so secretive that he didn’t even show his face to Baron Metz. Such caution was also a skill. This allowed him to evade a trap; otherwise, once they entered the castle, Brendel would have ordered the net to be cast, and at that point, Rodney could not escape even if he had wings. Now, he had to implement a backup plan and send the fleet stationed in the outer sea to intercept Rodney’s flagship.
He had considered capturing the enemy within the harbor, but since he had just taken over the port, he had yet to allay the suspicions of the mid-level officials within. Creating an incident now would be unwise, especially since Earl Orkans had not yet decided whether to completely stand against the Silver Queen. At this crucial moment, Brendel feared alarming the snakes in the grass, forcing him to arrange the battlefield at sea.
Still, he wasn’t worried about Rodney getting away.
Rodney’s fleet was among the fastest ships in the imperial navy, but unfortunately, a ship so conspicuous docked in the harbor was hard to miss when the Erluin people took control. Marjory promptly reported this conspicuous vessel to Charles—naval warships rarely acted alone, especially fast ships, which were generally used for sending messages or executing special tasks. They quickly traced clues about the messenger Rodney had dispatched to Fatan Port; this approach had also led them to information about the caravan.
As a result, Brendel had long arranged for someone to tamper with that ship, replacing the quality of the magic crystal used for airborne ship propulsion, and removing some spare sails. Rodney, eager to set sail, naturally hadn’t conducted a thorough check—indeed, he hadn’t thought to check, because the warship had remained docked in harbor. Who would want to find trouble with the imperial navy? Everything was already set to determine his fate.
Three airships disguised as imperial patrol vessels flew out of the harbor early, waiting for Rodney’s flagship to arrive in the outer sea.
