Chapter 517: Act 265 – Arrival at Ampere Seale
As Erluin and, indeed, the busiest commercial port in all of Cruz’s southern region, the harbor has been bustling from the dawn of the early morning, where flickering, cold lights hang from the lighthouses, until the moon rises over the sea. Merchants and dockworkers toil all day, accumulating an astonishing wealth for this massive port. Only during the storm season, when the shining sea is visited by tempests each year, does this golden shipping route become quiet, allowing the townsfolk a brief respite.
High Priest Wood, dressed in a white robe trimmed in red, stood under the white stone lighthouse. As a person of his stature, he was sent by the Temple to serve as the parish leader of Ampere Seale and also acted as the spiritual leader of the entire Temple of Fire in Erluin. If he stays in this position for another fifteen years, he will be eligible to enter the core power structure of the Temple, becoming one of the eleven High Priests. Once he reaches that step, the position of High Priest will be only a step away.
Ordinary people can’t even imagine what one at his level would still strive for—Wood’s face was gaunt with sunken cheeks; though he was not yet eighty years old, he looked like a weathered elder. Only his deep-set eyes shone with a fierce energy that would intimidate ordinary people at first glance. The High Priest pursed his lips, appearing calm, yet his heart was not much more tranquil than the nobles of Erluin, large and small, in recent times.
“The Lionmen under Toquinin are stirring; they must have the support of the Hallowed Temple of Earth.” Wood stood on the hillside, watching the various sailing ships come and go in the harbor, drawing long trails in the blue bay. The sails of numerous ships formed a striking scene in the dock area, each waterway filled with seasoned navigators waiting to enter or exit. The wealth contained within this endless flow prompted even this high-ranking figure to exclaim, “Erluin stands at the frontline against the Hallowed Temple of Earth; we cannot allow this internal strife to linger for long; our time is running out.”
Beside him, his friend Ikhan nodded in agreement. The two had partnered in this role for many years; although neither of them were locals of Erluin, they possessed an intimate understanding of this ancient kingdom. “However, the Lionmen are only agitated; they probably won’t invade until next year, especially since the grain confiscation this autumn hasn’t occurred, and the Hallowed Temple wouldn’t dare to act rashly.”
Wood glanced at his companion.
“Do you know how old this white stone lighthouse is, Ikhan?”
Ikhan looked at the lighthouse nearby, which once symbolized Ampere Seale. When the late King Eke established the port here, Ampere Seale was not nearly as grand as it is today, nor was it recognized as a trade port. This lighthouse once guided King Eke’s navy in battles against the navy of the Temple of Fire in nearby waters. The white stone lighthouse has always been regarded as a symbol of Erluin, representing steadfastness in darkness.
“It’s a pity that the lighthouse was destroyed in a fire fifty years ago; its historical value was lost in the flames. Although a new lighthouse has been rebuilt, it is not the same as the original.” Ikhan understood his companion’s sentiment. He admired the royal party and that princess because they shared his commitment to honor. However, history is history, and Wood was clearly reminding him to view everything with impartiality.
“This kingdom is the same; no matter how many years of history it possesses, the honor it once upheld has been abandoned by its successors, leaving only a shell behind. In comparison, being given a new mission, much like this lighthouse, is its true value.”
“I understand, High Priest,” Ikhan replied humbly.
High Priest Wood nodded; the Temple has always been just and would not easily intervene in the internal affairs of its subordinate nations, thus ensuring its authority. He had partnered with his assistant for many years and appreciated the other’s commitment to justice and honor; nevertheless, this was a different time, and he would never allow his assistant to interfere in Erluin’s internal affairs, favoring the princess’s side.
Thinking of this, the High Priest couldn’t help but turn back to look in the direction of the city. Ampere Seale is one of the largest cities in the south, its rooftops sprawling like an ant colony toward the horizon, and the tallest building in the city is undoubtedly the Temple of Fire. The temple appeared vaguely visible through the mist, and he recalled the matters the young girl Margadale had mentioned to him, shaking his head.
That was impossible; the Temple would never lean toward either side, and the High Priests would not act in haste.
At that moment, the bell of the white lighthouse rang once more, its bronze tone causing the ground nearby to tremble, sending vibrations for miles, clear enough for half the city to hear. This bell indicated that a ship was entering the harbor; Wood and Ikhan looked up to see a three-masted sailing ship coming into port.
“It’s a ship returning from Rubick,” Ikhan immediately recognized from the flag on the ship.
“This time of year, storms will soon block the southern shipping routes, so this should be the last ship returning from Rubick this month; it’s already a bit late, for those who sail on the sea year-round, danger awaits.” Wood glanced at the ship and sighed.
“Everyone is blinded by money. Wealth is important, but life is far more precious.” Ikhan shook his head.
Yet this time, the High Priest did not agree, merely recalling a famous saying by Heisen I, who was mocked in Erluin’s history as the ‘Wide Road King’: “Without wealth, how can there be life?”
…
While the two priests lamented the state of the world atop the lighthouse hill, the various officials of the Ampere Seale Port Authority were not so leisurely. To be precise, these often-busy little people were now in a state of chaos. Junnoan Oparis, a scion of a not-so-large noble family within Ampere Seale, had just recently ascended to the position of deputy director of the port authority thanks to his father’s connections. He had only been in office for less than half a week when news broke that almost made him lose his pointed helmet and flee in panic.
“What did you say? Palen, you idiot! What did I tell you yesterday? If you keep drinking or joking with me, I’ll kick you out! I don’t care who your old man is!” This unfortunate young man shouted angrily into the communication crystal, nearly throwing the valuable item away. “Do you think I’m an idiot?”
“No, I’m serious!” On the other end of the communication crystal was Junnoan’s friend. In Erluin’s common tongue, he was considered a lifelong buddy, a fellow noble, albeit one who had a reputation for being unreliable, an alcoholic, engaging with women during duty hours, and fighting—he had practically committed all the possible offenses at the docks. Yet, Junnoan kept him around because of their tight bond. However, at this moment, this usually carefree young man seemed deeply frightened, speaking in a mournful tone, “Bro, I swear in Lady Martha’s name, I’m not lying! I really saw a sea monster whale!—Of course, if that woman who claimed to be a female pirate last time wasn’t lying to me, what I saw looked just like the tattoo on her left buttock… no, no! I mean that thing out at sea is much more terrifying…”
“Get the hell out of here; don’t talk to me about that woman,” Junnoan snapped, disregarding even the last traces of noble decorum; of course, their generation of noble heirs had little such decorum, especially growing up in the diverse environment of Ampere Seale. He nervously pulled at his collar but felt a twinge of uncertainty upon hearing his friend swear in Lady Martha’s name. He understood that if possible, that reckless guy might even dare to go after Lady Martha—of course, that was just talk, but now Junnoan was beginning to panic.
A sea monster whale preparing to attack the port?
Good heavens, was he living in some kind of mythological era? He sat at his expensive mahogany desk, contemplating for a long time, eventually coming up with three comprehensive plans:
To take the money and run, to take the money and run, and to take the money and run.
But he quickly ruffled his hair; if he did that, his old man would definitely be the first to kill him. Junnoan was as reckless as his buddy; not even the king of Erluin would terrify him, but in front of his father, he immediately showed his true colors. The moment he thought of his father in a rage, his legs weakened. After considerable hesitation, he picked up the communication crystal and, after swallowing, blurted out, “Hold on, I’ll be there right away!”
The harbor was in disarray among the sailors, while someone at sea gazed at Ampere Seale from a distance, feeling quite helpless.
“The port city of Ampere Seale and its surrounding areas and towns have a population of three hundred and ten thousand. A vast magical system maintains the city’s operations, including sewage, lighting, water supply, and waste treatment. The mysterious magic that is rare in the southern countryside of Erluin is ubiquitous here. Merchants spend extravagantly to hire wizards to serve them; some of these wizards have worked here for decades, their positions firmly established. The wizards have even formed a guild known as the ‘Eye of Ampere Seale.'”
“This wizard organization not only maintains the city’s daily operations but also intervenes in port security, preventing brawls among adventurers, enforcing city locks that forbid outside wizards from casting spells within the city, and they have also set up a super-sized anti-air spell formation within the inner city of Ampere Seale to prevent attacks on the port from above.”
Brendel stood at the edge of the ship, introducing the situation to the others, but suddenly sighed. He turned around, his eyes filled with an expression bordering on despair, as he finally caught sight of the legendary monster, the king of sea beasts, a giant sea monster whale. It waved its fin at them playfully before slowly descending into the depths of the ocean.
“My elder said that the intelligence of a sea monster whale is no less than that of an adult human; it seems to be true.” Captain James, having witnessed the scene as well, couldn’t help but exclaim.
But Antinna looked at Brendel with confusion, unable to help but ask, “My Lord, what exactly did you give those Nagas? They look at you as if they see their king. They even had the sea monster whale escort us into port; how can we hide our identities now?”
“But I heard that the ruler of the Nagas is a woman,” Romain, having trained for a week, was now able to freely appear on deck, her eyes darting as she suddenly feminized Brendel.
Brendel wiped the sweat from his brow; he hadn’t expected the Nagas to be so ‘hospitality-oriented.’ Nevertheless, for them to make the sea monster whale escort them into port was something Brendel felt only Saneer, that foolish fish, could do, as it was quite a creative feat.
He cleared his throat and said, almost unbelievingly, “Let’s see how it goes; anyway, the people at the port won’t know that this big fellow is following us, as long as we don’t admit it.” He then looked at the young captain. James shrugged and replied, “If my Lord doesn’t wish to become known, I won’t overstep. Please rest assured about the crew on my ship,” he continued, even sounding a bit helpless. “To be honest, your reputation among them is far greater than mine; even if I don’t say anything, they’ll keep their mouths shut about it.” What he said referred to how those two vials of holy water had a miraculous effect, making the entire crew of the ship revere Brendel as a noble lord who had the Sword Saint as his mentor, kind and benevolent.
…(To be continued. If you like this work, please visit qidian.com to cast your votes of recommendation and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
