Chapter 284

The Nayt Archipelago referred to a collection of dozens of islands situated between the Empire’s eastern region and the Eastern Continent.

The name was derived from the islands’ elongated shape, resembling an upside-down ‘T,’ similar to an anchor, and also from the fact that it was the anchor that had come down from the archipelago known as the “Graveyard of Ships,” located a bit further north.

The islands that spread out horizontally like wings were mostly desolate rock islands lacking even soil.

While they were well-suited as fortifications to block enemies, they were not habitable for humans. Therefore, the few pioneers who had moved there dreaming of a new life, the numerous prisoners abandoned on the new land, and the pirate captains appointed as privateer leaders settled along the shaft of the anchor.

The largest port, of course, was the massive bay where the anchor’s wings met its shaft.

Due to the concave geography and large and small reefs, the bay had relatively calm waves, and the islands that acted as shields against the Undersea People’s offensives made it even less exposed to their assaults. Crucially, Cariosa’s enormous flagship could not reach those shallow waters.

However, the “Pirate King” Aquila knew that the “White Shark” Cariosa would never give up.

It was not a product of political calculation but a sailor’s instinct.

She was a distant descendant of the monster that ruled the sea, and would never stop until that sea was in her hands once again.

Thus.

He told the prisoners who had crossed over to start a new life on the island a slight lie.

“Let’s start by building the fortress.”

He instructed them to perform some labor before cultivating farmland.

That “some labor” meant constructing balista emplacements along the long reaching wings of the anchor, building massive defensive walls protecting the entire harbor, and erecting stout towers that could likely withstand bolts fired from the “Spear of Might” up to several tens of meters high.

Therefore.

“Uwaaaah!”

“I’ve been completely deceived!”

“You said we’d get to start a new life!”

“Where’s my farmland? The soft, seaside meadows? The fair maiden? Why are we back in chains and under the whip?”

Thousands upon thousands of prisoners had to quarrel rocks on the wing side of the anchor, cut them to suitable sizes, and lay them to pave the harbor and construct the walls and fortifications.

To prevent escape, chains were placed on their legs, barnacles thrived on the wounds inflicted by sharp shells and rocks, and endless purulence and blood seeped from spots infected by rust.

The pirates wielded the fearsome whip known as the “Nine-Tailed Cat” to urge the prisoners along, and many prisoners dyed the sea red with their blood.

But eventually, fortifications and triple walls rose behind the port, breakwaters were piled up outside the bay, and balista emplacements had been set along the wings of the anchor.

* * *

The “Pirate King” Aquila looked down at the scene from a mansion built on the highest hill of the port village.

He was a hybrid of subjects from the Eastern Continent and the Empire, possessing an appearance that would draw the attention of people from either side.

His features were sharp and solemn, his eyes bright brown, and the deep dark circles beneath his eyes were quite striking.

He neatly styled his black hair and wore a wide-brimmed blue hat, which was rumored never to be removed even while sleeping.

Dressed in a sturdy magic tool breastplate with a magical sword at his side, he wore a coat embroidered with gold threads on a blue background, packed the damp tobacco tightly into an ivory pipe, and lit it with a magic tool “lighter.”

He appeared more like a noble from the port city than a pirate king.

He took a few puffs to gather his thoughts and returned to the seat of honor at the end of the table.

“Right. My thoughts are finally coming together. Now, great admirals, I am ready to listen. Please share your wisdom for the sake of our cargo.”

The privateer captains gathered around the long table looked cautiously at the king.

They were all pirate admirals authorized for privateering activities by the nobility of the Eastern Continent.

The first to speak was the fallen noble from the Eastern Continent, Tarti.

“Your Majesty, we must strike quickly and eliminate them.”

He was clad in a splendid red armor and wore a horned helmet, a powerful admiral commanding over thirty ships.

“With spring approaching, the real food crisis will begin. While that White Shark, the great lord, has nothing to fear, we are many in number but the proportion of elite soldiers is low, making us vulnerable. Let’s settle this before our strengths turn into weaknesses.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

A healthy woman with red hair and brown skin interrupted sharply.

“Do you know how paranoid Cariosa is about her scouts? A wyvern is basic, and she even has druid mages flying water eagles all day long. Don’t you realize that if we go out to face a massive flagship, we’ll be doomed?”

She was Fayjin, an admiral who had accompanied Aquila for a long time.

A remarkable curse user and also Aquila’s lover.

Of course, Tarti was a brutal pirate who didn’t care about such background.

“Are you suggesting we just hide here and tremble? Like cowards? Are you really a privateer captain? Let’s clash!”

“I’m not a coward; I’m cautious. You might want to die as a fool on the sea, but I want to live as the landlord of this island.”

“It’ll be too late after the land is soaked in blood. ‘If you want peace, prepare for war.’ Do you really not understand?”

“Who says we won’t fight? Why go out after building a fortress? We can intercept every time they send landing ships. Let’s kill time and negotiate as we defend our land. Then we can become true nobles.”

Tarti and Fayjin’s voices grew louder, and a captain slowly raised his hand.

“Um…”

Arins was a master archer, cloaked and masked, hiding his face, but his revealed eyes showed that he was an extraordinarily handsome man.

“Why don’t we do both? Draw them in as much as possible, then ambush them when they send landing ships. Once their combat strength is depleted, let’s send a flanking force to the flagship.”

Though his region was unknown, his soft-spoken and dignified voice led them to assume he must be of noble birth from the Empire.

It was quite a reasonable compromise, so Tarti and Fayjin quietly released each other’s hair.

* * *

Aquila nodded and looked at a man.

“Tennye. What do you think?”

Tennye had a peculiar hairstyle, with his head shaved except for the back, which was long and braided. He was so large that he needed to attach two chairs together, and his personality matched his appearance.

He spoke in a booming voice.

“The port guards are ready. The shark men from the eastern region will never set foot on land. If you ask about an attack… I think it’s worth attempting at least once.”

“Really?”

“Cariosa has a duty to protect her subjects and her allied lords. If we extend our hands in all directions, she will be forced to focus on stopping us.”

“Hmm.”

“We are pirates. Our advantage lies in always being on the offensive. Let’s not cling to land and ports. We go to sea.”

The swordsman captain next to Tennye, who wore a robe with plum blossoms, nodded as well.

Aquila smiled, satisfied.

“I’ve heard your opinions well. I feel quite pleased.”

He took two more puffs and laughed heartily.

“Alright, let’s do this. Tennye will oversee the port defenses, Fayjin will lead the attack on Cariosa, and Tarti will attack the Empire’s eastern region. Other captains shall join beneath any noble they desire. I trust everyone agrees?”

The pirate lords gathered at the table pondered for a moment.

‘Joining under Tennye would make it easy to gain land.’

‘Under Tarti would provide opportunities for plunder.’

‘Considering purely the gains and losses, Fayjin is a fail. But if Cariosa really comes, everyone will be pushed to the battlefield, so we need to have some positional advantage to stay back just a little. In an emergency, we can escape.’

And they politely bowed their heads.

“Let’s do it.”

“Very well.”

“As expected of Your Majesty.”

The sailors had their fair share of equitable and democratic aspects.

Just as the three major strategies were about to be decided, a strange voice from a corner of the table shook its head.

“Your Majesty Aquila. I see a considerable lack in our plans regarding Cariosa.”

He was cloaked in a robe with blue vine patterns, and a strange darkness swirled within his hood, making it so even his eyes were hidden unlike Arins.

Having handled powers similar to divine strength, the pirate lords referred to him as the Blue Robe Priest, secretly suspecting him of being an infiltrator.

He was a significant figure trusted deeply by Aquila, but those who interrupted just as a plan was about to be finalized were seldom treated well, and if such a suspicious figure were to emerge, they were even less welcomed.

Thus, the pirate lords shot sharp glances in his direction.

“Tsk!”

“No sense of timing.”

“You should have spoken up sooner.”

The Blue Robe Priest continued as if unaffected by their reactions.

“We cannot face that mage.”

Tarti glared.

“Are you suggesting we run away?”

The priest did not even look at him.

“Seek help. Call upon the Undersea People from the Graveyard of Ships and the Serpent Isles.”

“…!”

As soon as those words were spoken, the pirate lords erupted in curses.

“You damn bastard! Speaking nonsense with that mouth of yours—.”

The flesh-eating Undersea People were a source of terror and fury even to pirates.

Bam! Bam!

The sound of people crashing out of their seats was tumultuous.

Saliva flew from a toothy grin, hook-like hands waved threateningly, and an eye behind a patch glimmered wildly.

Some even drew their swords and daggers right there.

The chandeliers and silver candlesticks shook, and the once respectful and noble shadows flickered.

They revealed their true natures hidden behind the titles of admiral and privateer captain.

“Someone set that damn robe on fire, so we can see the bastard’s face.”

“That’s a downright disgusting thing to say.”

“Do you want to be thrown into the water?”

“Let go! If I don’t kill that bastard today, I’ll take the castle.”

Bam!

“Shut up!”

At that moment, Aquila slammed his hand on the table and shouted.

The polite mask he had previously donned shattered, revealing the true nature of a sea thug.

“Quiet down! You fuckers! Before I chop you all up into fish paste!”

He too was the chief of such people.

The pirate admirals trembled, gritting their teeth, while Aquila glared at the Blue Robe Priest.

“What do you mean we can’t? If we spread their focus with plundering and then ambush them, that White Shark will have no choice but to retreat, right?”

The Blue Robe Priest calmly continued.

“They say a blood prince from the imperial family has arrived. We do not know how strong he may be.”

Tarti stuttered in rage.

“Are you seriously saying we should call upon the Undersea People just because of one guy?”

The Blue Robe Priest shook his head.

“It’s not just one person in question. It doesn’t matter how strong he is. What matters is the uncertainty of how strong he is. If he’s weak, we can capture him. If he’s strong, we can avoid him, but we can’t do that if we don’t know.”

Thud!

Tarti threw a teacup at the Blue Robe Priest.

“You bastard! What drugs are you selling from where?!”

Click!

“How dare you!”

Aquila slapped Tarti’s cheek.

Tarti fell from his chair and fainted, and Aquila spoke in a voice so fierce it sounded like he would devour the next words.

“Consider it, Blue Robe Priest.”

The pirate lords gritted their teeth and looked between Aquila and the Blue Robe Priest.

To them, figures like the Blue Robe Priest were thorns in their sides.

‘Not even a pirate.’

* * *

Deep in the night.

The bustling sound of footsteps began to echo around the Ketusion Naval Port.

The most dangerous sailors and soldiers from the east were wearing scale-like iron armor, moving in a coordinated manner from place to place.

The Knight Officers called in lower-ranking officers and non-commissioned officers to do the final equipment checks.

“Biscuits.”

“Loaded aboard!”

“Dried fish.”

“Loaded aboard!”

“Rum and water.”

“Loaded aboard!”

“Two magic tool essences. Tablets, large barrel type.”

“Loaded aboard!”

I found myself puzzled by a term I had never heard before even before my return.

“Duke, what is the tablet magic tool essence?”

Cariosa answered as if it were a matter of course.

“It’s a magic tool that turns seawater into fresh, settling waste down below. It comes in a form that each person gets one in their personal barrel. We place them in waterproof bags and distribute them to individuals. They’re mainly used for drifting at sea.”

I spoke, contemplating how much I could buy the recipe for.

“The soldiers cherish their lives.”

“The navy and sailors can’t easily regain their strength overnight.”

Various medicines were being moved into the cargo holds of the transport ships, healing priests boarded the landing vessels with reluctant expressions, battle mages from the east gathered their reagents, and wyvern-riding knights took off from Ketusion’s Wyvernfit.

Cariosa seemed unable to contain her excitement.

“Shall we set off, then?”

We had a luxurious fast ship that was 50 meters long.

Until we sailed out of the port, the crew rowed downstairs.

The speed wasn’t very fast, leading me to doubt if long-distance navigation was even possible.

“Captain?”

“Right. Now’s the time!”

Setting aside those worries for the moment, the instant the ship left the harbor, the crew unfurled the sails, and Cariosa drew her magical sword “Fair Wind.”

The moment Lady Trentia recoiled in surprise at the sword she had faced, Cariosa pointed at the sail and sang out.

“I have called upon the wind!”

All combat mages on the transport ships, landing ships, fast ships, and escort ships simultaneously shouted toward the sails of the vessels they were aboard.

“I have called upon the wind!”

In the next moment, a breath of wind like that of a giant blew from behind.

Whoooosh!

The sail billowed as if it were going to burst.

At that moment, I understood why this ship was called a fast ship.

It felt as if it was as fast as the sound.

Chwaaaah—!

Waves split from the bow, and the shining harbor behind faded away in an instant.

It was truly amazing that a ship over 50 meters long could move at this speed.

“Duke Valen, how is it?”

Cariosa shouted confidently.

Her water-colored hair streamed forward.

I replied with a bright smile.

“It’s magnificent.”

After about thirty minutes of sailing, lights began to appear ahead.

The lights from magic tool lanterns attached to the bow, stern, and mast could be seen.

Cariosa dispelled her magic, and Lady Trentia blinked as if she were dreaming.

“Your Majesty, how many ships are lined up right now?”

Although I had seen these ships before even my return, I felt equally overwhelmed upon seeing them again.

“I told you, milady. The real battleships are about the same size as Marcus’s Nibelungen.”

The battleship, made in the form of a colossal vessel, spanned 150 meters in length, and the moniker of a floating island seemed perfectly fitting.

Cariosa turned to me with a triumphant expression.

“Welcome aboard the Storm Fleet, Duke.”

The massive warships looked so imposing that the sea seemed narrow in comparison.

They were the most powerful fleet in the eastern sea.