Chapter 83: Serulian Patriarch
[Southern end of the empire, The Sea: ]
What’s the difference between the sea and the ocean? People would answer that oceans are deeper while seas are more shallow and surrounded by land.
But that is not all there is to the two in a world full of all kinds of beasts.
"Ghaaaaaa...!"
Sea are the water bodies that are relatively safer to the people of the land, places where they could go, hunt, and live to obtain beasts.
"GHAAAAA...!"
Oceans, on the other hand, are places where dangerous monsters reside. Places filled with all kinds of Oceanic horrors: things that were too dangerous for the humans and mortals.
People did not venture into these dangerous waters without preparations. If anything, the sea was a territory very few could navigate through anywhere in this world.
To go into the sea and cross great distances was a challenge not just anyone could take on. To begin with, the creatures of deep water were similar to the demons: dangerous, ferocious, and deadly.
Every year, the number of people who survive after venturing into deeper seas could be counted on our hands.
And yet, whenever it is about going into these dangerous waters, within the great Topaz empire, only one name is spoken aside from the imperial family: The guardians of the south, the Serulians.
"Miiiiiiiiiiihaaaaaaaaaaa...!"
With one of the largest water creatures, the Great Blue Mareens, a ginormous whale species under their command, the Serulians have navigated through the great waters for generations.
The family is one of the richest in the world not just because they have amassed great wealth over the years, but because of their established trade routes in the dangerous oceans.
They are powerful, ruthless, and throughout history, they are known as unforgiving by nature.
The family has stood as a pillar of the south ever since they came to this continent from beyond the oceans and now they were a power unlike any others.
"We will arrive soon."
"Miiiiiiiiiiihaaaaaaaaaaa...!"
As the richest family, their support was one of the most crucial elements for any rebellious forces. Be it the prince and the crown or the princess and the nobles, they would need their support for anything that comes their way.
And, while the Serulians have been known as the followers of the crown for all this time, things might change going forward from here.
’The mutiny at the great conference changes everything.’
Much like the Sungrade representative at the gathering, the most important figure of the Serulians was also under oath now.
Stubborn as he may be, he valued his life enough to come to terms with the princess’ forces.
He would not give away the oath his ancestors had taken before the founders of the Empire, but he would not be involved in the fight for the throne either.
The great Serulians, the supporters of the crown, were soon going to declare their neutrality in this battle for power, and because of that, the crown prince would soon lose one of the relabel forces that he had considered to be under his command.
"Haaaa..."
Things weren’t supposed to be like this. He was the patriarch now but until a couple years ago, he was a simple sailor of the Serulians.
His elder brother was the patriarch. The stronger, more ambitious and charismatic individual that sailed off to the unknown dark waters beyond the last continent.
Unlike someone like him, he was a high level tamer as well as an amazing combatant.
The current patriarch, Lord Jace Aquinox (Blue) LeSerulian, was now looking after the family in place of the true lord who vanished beyond the dark waters and never made it back.
He had vowed to look after his brother’s family, including his children, but he knew the White Lady was moving on her own.
He was aware of her exploits already. She was playing with things the consequences of which she could not handle.
But even if he tried his best to protest her, if the time comes where he must choose between her and the name that his brother cherished more, he knew what decision he would make.
’She will get what is coming for her soon enough.’
Until then, he was supposed to look after the house. When any of her three children are ready to take over his place, he would gladly step aside and go back to doing what he loved the most.
"Miiiiiiiiiiihaaaaaaaaaaa...."
"I can see that too."
Leading a fleet of a hundred ships, the frontmost ones covered in magical shields, escorted by three Legendary creatures that equalled the size of a few dozen of these ships combined, standing on the head of the largest of the whales at the very front, was a pirate.
Red hair and dull face, there was a strange aura surrounding this person.
Right behind him, dug into the very skin of the creature, was a flag depicting a blue skull and a familiar flag of ’world peace’.
Leather boots, long beard, a black jacket that reached almost to his feet, and an eyepatch covering his left eye... he looked rough, just as a soldier in their fifties.
Flying around him were two birds: a black seagull and a blue crow. They were his partners, but not the giant mountainous creature that he was standing on.
He wasn’t the most powerful Serulian, but he commanded the largest Great Blue within the family.
While he was only a (Rank-4) tamer and had never managed to tame the partner that he had spent two decades in the sea, their unique bond was known throughout the continent.
He was one of the rare few individuals that were weak and loved by a legendary beast.
He was a weak tamer... but people called him the Mighty Blue Jace for a reason.
"What new trouble do you think my dear wife has caused this time?"
"Miiiiiiiiiiihaaaaaa?"
The whale did not know the answer to that, but, even this giant creature was aware of one thing: she had certainly caused trouble.
It was always like that.
She just could never stay still without doing harm to someone or pulling down the family name along with her despicable acts.