Chapter 835
Swoosh—
Beneath a sky choked with heavy storm clouds, the steady rhythm of oars cutting through the water echoed in Ian’s ears. Standing on the stern deck, he took in the coastline sliding past the starboard side once more, slowly and carefully.
"Roll up the front sail properly! It’s not secured right!"
Sanford’s shout rang out from below, but Ian paid it no mind.
At both ends of the curved shoreline, towers of stacked brick rose into view—lighthouses, and watchtowers as well. Even now, torchlight flickered within them. The terrain was all jagged rock rather than sand. It sloped upward the farther inland it went, making any approach from the sea effectively impossible.
Even at a glance... not an easy place to rotate shifts.
Ian’s gaze drifted naturally toward the bow. With most of the sails already furled, the view ahead had opened up.
What caught his eye first was the dark, squat fortress built at the center of the coastline. It wasn’t particularly tall, and its structure looked simple enough, but it was more than sufficient to serve as a defensive stronghold. Especially with the outer walls facing the sea, where narrow arrow slits lined the surface between the flanking towers.
To take that fortress, one would have to land on the shore and circle around. Of course, even that was not easy.
So it really did start as an outpost.
All around it, wooden houses had been built in clusters along the rising ridgelines. The city, clearly expanded without any real plan and lacking any sense of cohesion, was none other than Villanueva.
It even looked like a haphazard blend of Rune Catis and Racliffe.
"Hashim! Slow it down more! Turn the lead a bit to starboard!"
Ian’s gaze swept down the city and across the docks extending on both sides of the fortress.
Among the sparsely anchored ships, one noticeably larger vessel stood out.
That must be the command ship.
He nodded slightly, then glanced at the two ships floating ahead in the open water. As if to receive them, they were turning their bows in his direction.
Hopefully that’s not all of them.
Ian’s eyes narrowed slightly, as the number of ships he had seen on the way here had been far fewer than expected. He could only hope there were more patrolling the surrounding waters.
Footsteps climbing the stairs drew his attention back to the deck.
"Agent of the Saint!"
It was Sanford. Stepping onto the stern deck, he approached Ian and gave a slight bow.
"Preparations are nearly complete. Just as I mentioned, it seems they intend to escort us all the way to the front of the fortress."
Ian nodded. "Yeah? Works for me."
Originally, the inspection procedures were meant only for ships entering the archipelago’s waters for the first time.
But this was practically a wartime situation. Three ships had forced their way through the doldrums, after all. Even with black flags raised, it was only natural they’d want to confirm identities and intentions.
"No need to worry. I know the captains here—and so do the others. It won’t be difficult to summon Count Drapier," Sanford said, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.
Ian nodded again, unconcerned. "Just don’t mess it up. I don’t really care, but the others probably won’t take it so lightly."
"I’ll do my best... ha ha."
Letting out an awkward laugh, Sanford turned his gaze, then added as if to change the subject, "Ah, looks like they’re pulling alongside us now."
Following his gaze, Ian turned and stepped toward the stern railing.
The Silent Storm came into view, its bow angled slightly as it moved in. Just as Sanford had said, it seemed to be drawing up alongside the port side of the Black Wave.
"Row faster, you bastards!"
Captain Nikau’s voice bellowed from the central deck of that ship. Like theirs, its deck was filled with gathered beastfolk and fairies.
Ian’s gaze settled on two figures standing at the front of that group—Charlotte and Elia, deep in conversation.
Sensing his gaze, Charlotte snapped her head toward him.
Ian gave a faint smile and tilted his chin—a gesture meant to say the dragon relic suited her well.
Charlotte, however, seemed to take it differently and gave a firm nod. It likely meant not to worry about her side.
With a chuckle, Ian shifted his gaze again, catching sight of the Crimson Coral Reef turning its bow toward the starboard side of the Black Wave.
Swoosh—
Like them, its sails were fully furled, its oars churning powerfully through the water.
Unlike the Silent Storm ahead, fairies and beastfolk lounged here and there, resting where they sat.
Ian scanned over them, one eyebrow lifting slightly.
Is he alright?
Miguel was hunched over the railing like a shrimp, his upper body dangling forward.
Just as he’d said, he was clearly suffering from seasickness.
It was then that Lily, standing beside him and mechanically patting his back, looked toward Ian.
With her usual blank expression, she gave a slow shake of her head as if to say, this one’s done for.
Well, we have Charlotte, so it’ll work out.
Ian shrugged inwardly.
"As expected, they’re cutting off our retreat," said Sanford. He was watching the rear, now revealed as the smuggling ships spread apart.
Ian followed his gaze and nodded. "Looks like they’re planning to open fire from behind if anything happens."
The four warships that had been guiding them were gradually slowing, falling back.
They were even spacing themselves out, as if forming a line. It wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest if they were preparing to expose their broadsides and fire.
Sanford clicked his tongue. "So it really is a wartime situation. I’ve never seen them go this far. They must be seriously suspicious of us."
Ian shrugged. "Fair enough. We just crossed a doldrums crawling with corrupted ships that control sea creatures."
Arriving here without a single clash was a miracle, so being met with this level of suspicion was something he could accept without complaint.
Bwooo—
A horn sounded from ahead.
It came from the ships waiting offshore, the ones that had turned to face them.
Sanford spun forward, narrowing his single eye slightly as he said, "They’re signaling the fortress of our approach."
Ian turned his gaze forward as well.
Ships stood spaced apart ahead, facing them. Crew members gathered around the large ballistae mounted on their decks.
"We’ll pass between them, then turn the bow toward the fortress and dock."
At Sanford’s quiet explanation, Ian let out a chuckle. "So if things go wrong, we get wiped out from all sides."
Arrows would rain down from every direction. And that might not even be the worst of it.
Sanford swallowed, as if unwilling to imagine further. "We should probably head to the front soon. Shall I go ahead first?"
"No. Let's go together." Ian shrugged and started walking, glancing over the other smuggling ships drawing alongside them on either side.
Sanford let out a breath of relief and followed close behind, as though Ian’s presence alone made things safer.
Ian didn’t pay it much mind as he descended the stairs, his gaze fixed on Villanueva growing closer by the second.
It wasn’t long before he lowered his gaze again, feeling the weight of stares. Every beastfolk and fairy gathered on the central deck had turned to look at him.
They all look like a mess.
The corner of Ian’s mouth twitched faintly. It wasn’t just their disheveled state; it was the way their gazes fell upon him.
Their gazes weren’t the same.
"Stay here and wait. If we get attacked, scatter," said Ian casually as he passed between them, the group parting naturally to make way.
The fairies nodded, while the beastfolk bared their fangs, low growls rumbling in their throats. They clearly wanted different things, but Ian didn’t care. He simply kept walking toward the front.
"Hashim. Stop once we’re close enough."
"Yes, Captain!"
As the voices of the captain and first mate followed from behind, Ian glanced to both sides once more.
The other smuggling ships moving alongside them weren’t much different. Charlotte and Elia were already making their way to the front, following Captain Nikau.
Clicking his tongue lightly, Ian glanced at Miguel, who was still hanging over the railing.
Yeah, that one’s not going to make it.
With Yalo leading the way, Miguel was being dragged along sideways like a crab by Lily. He even seemed to still be vomiting in the middle of it.
Sanford, walking beside him, muttered in shock as he stared ahead, "Good heavens... Hector Drapier has come out in person."
Following his gaze, Ian looked up at the fortress wall now looming closer.
Rows of men stood lined along it, armed with ballistae. Their attire marked them as islanders, yet every one of them bore the air of imperial soldiers.
Ian’s gaze settled on the far right tower.
His eyes twitched, and it wasn’t just because he had finally spotted the two men standing there unarmed. Compared to the relatively neat man behind him, the middle-aged man in front was far more unsettling.
That’s the most pirate-looking guy I’ve seen in my life.
He wore a wide-brimmed hat pulled low over his half-gray, unkempt hair. One eye was covered with a black eyepatch, marked with a golden circle enclosing a white skull. His face was riddled with scars, and it looked like he was missing one ear as well.
"Doesn’t look like I’ll need to step in after all," Sanford muttered under his breath. After all, his role had been to call that man out in the first place.
Just as Ian was about to nod, Hector Drapier’s voice rang out.
"Sanford Plum. So the great deserter has returned."
His rough voice carried far and wide. Even without any trace of divinity in it, Ian instinctively knew that he truly was an apostle of Lu Logis.
"And at such a convenient time, too. Bringing along other smuggling ships, and even stuffing them full of fairies and beastfolk."
As Hector continued, the ships were already coming to a halt. The rowers had reversed their strokes, forcing them to slow.
Sanford hesitated for a split second, then broke into a laugh as he turned.
"Ahaha! It’s been a while, Your Excellency!"
As if he had never faltered, he strode forward confidently, spreading both arms wide.
"Glad to see you’re alive and well! To be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure until we got here!"
"Hearing you say things you don’t mean only tells me you know exactly how suspicious this situation is."
Hector let out a chuckle, stroking the beard around his mouth.
As he did, Ian caught sight of his right hand—his ring and middle fingers were each missing a joint.
Sanford stopped, lowering his outstretched arms and gesturing broadly to either side. "That’s a harsh thing to say. It may have started as a contract, but I’ve risked my life to bring reinforcements and to settle an old debt, no less."
Hector’s lone eye narrowed.
"Reinforcements, you say?"
His gaze swept past Ian and over the other ships, that strange smile still lingering on his lips.
Whether he doubted Sanford’s words or found the sight of fairies and beastfolk traveling together too bizarre to accept, it was hard to tell.
"Unfortunately, it seems the role I’ve been permitted ends here," Sanford added calmly, then gave an exaggerated imperial bow before turning back.
He returned to Ian’s side, shooting him an urgent look—as if telling him to begin.
Guess that guy really scares him.
Suppressing a chuckle, Ian turned slightly to the left, intending to signal Charlotte.
"As a follower of Lu Enter and a member of the Sacred Flame Priesthood—"
A booming voice rang out at that moment.
Ian stopped and turned to the right.
Miguel, who had looked half-dead moments ago, now stood on his own two feet with Lily supporting him as his eyes blazed while he stared up at the fortress wall.
"—and as the messenger of the great Platinum Dragon, I, Miguel, shall formally introduce here and now! All civilized beings are to lay down their weapons at once and kneel on one knee in proper respect!"