Chapter 204: In Strange Tides (2)
iYXdThere was a pole protruding from the misty sea.KvDQ
Tre2uVlad described it as an antenna, but it was actually a periscope allowing for views from beneath the sea.mcTr2x
1Hc1“…Damn.”ecV
LQSCdAfter guiding the ship Zemina, Vulcan was returning to his watch when he saw shadows approaching from a distance and widened his eyes.fx49
vppTzDAt first glance, it seemed there were more than ten ships.N0lAP6
GF1eJCwQuickly adjusting the periscope angle, he saw that the sails bore a flag with a golden sword.oDQNMjg
3kaIr“…Barbosa!”eXmP
DN9Vulcan clenched his teeth upon confirming the enemy’s identity.45k
VtonjgUntil now, humans had sent some reconnaissance ships, but never a fleet of this magnitude.S5rS
X9dVMc“Which direction are they heading?”0KL
b9xPorThe dwarf next to him quickly measured the direction of the ships in response to Vulcan’s instructions.Gxd
HhtzSUnlike before, they were advancing without hesitation, increasing Vulcan’s concern.iw4IzR
bzDil“They’re heading directly west.”1ZVPX5
zZRb“West?”4ku
ULc“…Directly towards the island of Lemnos.”Mv9
nHORealizing the source of his unease, Vulcan sent urgent signals to the crew. It was a signal for an emergency dive.2214Xd
EMaPD“Return to the island as quickly as possible.”xV3S
x3tT“Understood!”mitBHUX
7SDB8At Vulcan’s urgent gesture, the ship, which resembled a sunfish, quickly sank into the sea.64o
Y0zjp2RAt the same time, the sound of pedals driven by sailors began to squeak urgently.WVPKh9f
0eTWaP“We must get there before they do. Everyone, full speed ahead!”0DJS9
FWZA dense fog where even the sun doesn’t reach and the stars are invisible at night.PEG
5fjmJ7Although this place had no standard features except the underwater terrain, Barbosa’s ships headed straight for Lemnos island as if they knew the way.zljk
SL2fThe remnants of ships trapped on the reef began to be pushed helplessly by the massive waves created by the advancing ships.hDK3t2
Ep8jT***BxuB
QleRBoThe day after the wild banquet, Vlad was having tea with Baradis.gr4i
hMDrMuch of the discomfort among the group members had dissipated during the journey here, but Vlad remained the only one who could approach the elves.fv7cT
kYnz“It’s the same in Deirmar; wherever you go, children always follow you.”q1k6bAw
HZMSp“It’s quite annoying.”IoU1
HpjVEiVlad sighed and looked down.Xkr7KV
mRPLooking down from the balcony, the place was filled with dwarf children standing with bright eyes, just as Baradis had said.KNL
p4Q7xoS“Why don’t you wave to them?”Y2w4zs3
c1sKX“If I do, they’ll cling more.”qp5B
k3MVlad was looking at the children with a sullen expression, but even that seemed to spark interest in them.B1oI
RFm8LMoreover, though Vlad might not know it, among these children were some he had rescued from Nassau.MAP
m1p9cfC“How about it? Have you found any traces of the spirits here?”6Av1
yQDC“Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”5ddM33
e6lhThe elves had followed the traces of the World Tree to Lemnos island.Y0OsXU
eVSTheir leader, Baradis, put down his teacup with a meaningful expression in response to Vlad’s question.BVG
y5UNg“There are no visible spirits. The only thing I could sense is a small lizard in the forge.”NiOWT
Znyh“I see.”w0zTfx
xDTXQ“But there’s something more important than that.”BGJxew
oE56BogBaradis approached Vlad and whispered, fearing the children below might hear.gg5AF
6ny5IPM“The island is dying.”8bhkaJI
rENhZbl“…Yes?”h3AimJ3
Jk6uFcc“The flow of life is being cut off, as if it’s suffocating.”cep9Ct
4UmhUVlad was momentarily shocked by the completely unexpected response, but Baradis simply pointed to various parts of the island.Rx8OjKi
ElB“I thought it was due to indiscriminate logging, but not only the trees, other plants are also dying.”rxBSWQW
RCKTXd“…”7gvcP
t5iTy“For now, keep this secret. I need to investigate more.”JGml
V1gqefrIndeed, wherever Baradis pointed, the island was filled with desolate areas, as if eaten away by moths.hDuna
BR1INI didn’t notice at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that this wasn’t the only scene like this.fKD
5fqe“Vlad.”Xd9HUW
4zEg1bsAs Vlad frowned and looked around, someone cautiously entered the room.HW6
VQKLIt was Jager, the one-eyed knight.KwyD
YhbrF“I need to talk to you. Lord Joseph is calling you.”HdAA9F
7UtjA08“Understood.”jnY
8KzSJager greeted Baradis, who was having tea, with a slight glance and then called Vlad with a careful gesture.kwAa19L
J2W14Qi“What happened?”qUTpRJ6
TT4NG2B“Mmm.”oyl
fSeDSBIt was a hallway filled with bright sunlight.YWp
V21yHowever, as they walked down the hall, Jager’s face was stiffer than usual.S9VX
TJ3“It’s nothing special.”db6ttZ
3uwfu“Yes.”pxL
UxFVq“The captain and the wizard have been captured. Also, the man in black.”V7wGC
wOBs2sVlad paused for a moment upon hearing the words.gIB
iicJager turned around, saw Vlad’s unusually stiff expression, and shrugged.TOF
8aEGy20Though he tried to downplay the news, it was inevitably shocking.XD6
E4C4“…Why?”J8N
HLErYk“Lord Joseph is finding out.”XgZmhq8
jYc3UPk“Understood. Let’s hurry.”Du05bX
aDmHarven, Nibelun, and even Otar.CvP5GG
4pwThe news of these three being captured made Vlad quicken his pace.eyaGB
qRAHkF1Because these three were the people that Aureo, not Bayezid, had to protect.nGCohX
sMS***KyE
Wl72y8c– According to Captain Vulcan’s report…X0Xd
crDLbfZ– First, let’s catch and kill the humans!9qVpQfZ
R9Cs– What if we drop that crystal ball or whatever it is somewhere else right now? They say they’re following us because of it, right?ULP9C9N
J0LWhat was supposed to be a calm meeting turned into a lot of shouting.mVOoY
l1b8Amid all the yelling and exclamations, Joseph stood alone, dealing with the harsh stares.CdULBL
Wd9JRoThe chiefs who had been so friendly at the party yesterday were now looking at him with eyes that seemed ready to tear him apart.BkMk
TI9s6“Everyone, stop.”FcGGYt
fuxdJUnder the moderation of War Chief Olmukar, the other chiefs began to fall silent.hEceEC3
5CVOz“I think I need an explanation about this situation, Joseph of Bayezid.”l4tQ
RT2U“…”H7LQmbs
EwHcahFierce gazes approached after the silence.Lg2
8o3jihIt was natural for the atmosphere to be so hostile, as evidence of betrayal had been found among the visitors.5JnSy8e
hZH1wxQ“There’s no time. I’m not here to discuss guilt, but to prepare a future strategy.”TSTDY6X
Ydk6aThe sound of an axe handle hitting the ground resonated ominously.n8U
BJqJThe enemy was approaching, and the location of the island to protect had already been exposed.l4FYJ
21ZOlmukar, realizing they could no longer hide in the fog, pondered what to do with the guests, unsure if they were friends or foes.iuQI8y5
HzwPQr“I’m Vlad Aureo!”4PZ4E
5sqxAt that moment, before the guards could even introduce themselves, a man appeared, shouting his own name.AFI
T9R5Blonde hair and blue eyes. And a man wearing a sable fur cloak.KrSaX4
e0cNHe was a man who entered without anyone’s permission, but Olmukar simply nodded without saying a word.p5XO
LH7Y“I heard there was a misunderstanding.”9RO5x
qUZS“I’ll decide if it’s a misunderstanding or not. Knight Vlad.”fAoWK
qo5PThe northern knight who had rescued the children in Nassau.mvh
u23RAs expected, he was as young as rumored and made a strong impression with his appearance.SkGUUA
xoQb“If you don’t convince me now, all of you will go to prison. I have no intention of leaving uncomfortable matters behind.”DaGp
ydAR4XHowever, now he was not a benefactor but simply a suspect.Vs2XrJr
w9iOlmukar’s eyes began to turn fierce due to the distrust in humans that had accumulated over a long period.Eo9MbW1
8sNRokk“Then give us the opportunity to prove it, War Chief.”ZyH9
owZXSeeing Vlad’s silence, Joseph stepped forward.cppeKXc
csCqpAlthough Vlad taught much, he wouldn’t be immune to complex situations like the current one.UWugq
rxl7IE“Everyone already knows that Duke Barbosa of the South has a close relationship with the Dragon Blood Duke, so there would be no reason for us, northerners, to ally with Duke Barbosa.”bRB
uZe“Why should I believe that?”ut32pgu
TrQJoseph, seeing Olmukar’s still suspicious gaze, sensed that convincing him wouldn’t be easy, but he had no other choice.qTG
ty0zJ“I’ll stay here.”oJGra
QRmEpAz“What?”u3zTSG
kWiJBFK“I’ll stay here, so take them to the battlefield and give them a chance to prove their innocence.”Vc9fJ
izV6VMore than a thousand words, an action.gnIUr
0asK6MVlad couldn’t hide his surprise when he saw Joseph saying he would become a hostage.5zgn
DtkHAFm“Isn’t it worth taking Joseph of Bayezid as a hostage?”sT68d
tXl“…Indeed.”ZyYUCSe
KONZIn foreign lands, local customs must be followed.eAOcZO
gCfSeeing Joseph speak in the dwarves’ style instead of his usual noble tone, Olmukar fell into deep thought.RA0AmN
oz1He could tell that Vlad’s surprised expression was not feigned.jDbSHL
V3DfPu***U041
8fHBqd“I’m sorry, Vlad. I should have paid more attention.”fSoWf
qnxcRnL“…”byo5
eg8Amid a busy port, Vlad adjusted the strap of his sword scabbard.wsgiZxD
F7ywmHarven, understanding Vlad’s feelings as he watched him tighten the strap without saying a word, simply stepped back silently.Ge7Ggc
mipeMVlad had the same expression now as when he saw Joseph, who went to prison instead of them.LmJ
SQGTgI“What about the armor?”2ph0
g2i7u“It’s being repaired.”9Ay6q
ZT7“And you plan to go without armor?”NWmxK
yWO“I don’t have it; what else can I do?”G38
G5gPJager clicked his tongue as he watched Vlad attempt to go into battle wearing only a cloak and no armor.niv
uUBbThough he understood his feelings, he shouldn’t act so recklessly.IADKvF
SKbuX“Take mine. I don’t need it now.”bYo9n0g
BhJzl“…But.”alDW
PS8Xm5“Take it.”RZ0j3
M2WxgyThough lending a sword was uncommon, lending armor was even rarer.h2dKP3D
7QtHowever, seeing Jager willing to give up his armor without hesitation, Vlad could sense that he wasn’t offering it simply because he didn’t need it.kr0Ws1n
5sG“Knight Vlad! Where is Knight Vlad?”JZy7
x19zIn a situation where dwarves crowded around the ships in the port, a dwarf pushed his way through the crowd, urgently calling Vlad’s name.qMDN0i
8CPw6“Phew, phew! Finally, I find you! Luckily, your hair color stands out.”aVLun3
AfDy5The dwarf blacksmith, carrying a large amount of gear on his back, exhaled heavily with relief upon seeing Vlad.qiH
yGYBkrJudging by his tattered appearance, he must have been wandering for quite some time before finally finding him.FLFX
0gEj“It’s a message from the master blacksmith. The repair is complete.”wbscpsY
7HS“Just in time.”DLH
GGPexHearing that the armor was ready, Jager, who was loosening the straps, smiled with relief.zDIB
xftS“We adjusted it to the shape of the original armor, so it should fit well.”YSi
lWNnFortunately, the elven armor returned just in time.ekOL7X
VME4yqIHowever, Vlad was surprised to see the set of armor the dwarf brought.9pS
mgmOQKG“I don’t think this is mine.”BWZ
ZB6UKcg“Yes?”DAZPt
U30G“No, my armor was silver. It didn’t look like this.”uM0S
qnnThat’s because the armor the dwarf was holding was completely silver-gray, unlike the previous one.TKr
z9fFbxfAdditionally, the armor the dwarf laid out looked unusual in every detail, but it certainly seemed different from the armor he originally wore.Cra
I7HR“Ah! The original armor was too damaged, so we had to remake it entirely.”Gf3
DCzThe dwarf blacksmith remembered Rukhta constantly complaining while repairing the armor.Z6ydPqT
FkrpfHe kept muttering that he didn’t know what kind of hell the wearer had gone through to turn the armor into rags.lgB1C
mypnHXU“It looks new, but the quality is guaranteed. The master blacksmith repaired it personally.”GSKO8T3
AohRaising the armor for him to try, the dwarves in the port fixed their eyes on it.e52
u2dVIt was such a beautiful piece of armor that even Olmukar, traveling on a ship in the distance, lost focus for a moment.9fRiq2
j0lxt5“…Tell Lord Joseph.”vfTuM
Ub3bW9w“What?”nEkE0
9CWpauVlad was also impressed by the armor. But instead of admiring it, he evaluated its features.hDvtdvg
pQ6“Tell him I’ll return as soon as possible.”w0J
qk2The armor I received from the blacksmith was lighter than before.nB7rH2w
V0HP58sThe elven armor had changed in appearance, weight, and color.uXS8PL
hsYHowever, one thing that hadn’t changed was the engravings still etched on the breastplate.5oNgy
vrzYP0“I’m leaving.”O35
sat“Yes.”JIFM
ITdePDuring his time as a squire, Joseph’s knighthood title was his pride, and the engraving of protecting children his honor.fAq2eY
BTIIAnd now, with all that engraved on his new armor, Vlad walked toward the sea that called him.fKjlOrK
MpXCPbA silver-gray knight advancing to prove his name.byx0
5IVHe was followed by sailors, elves, and a wizard carrying a backpack.aMV27iE
jJkwThough he had left his home, Vlad adjusted the straps of his new armor for the opportunity that Joseph had given him.F0enLBN
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