Chapter 302 - 297: Witnessing a Promise
The next morning, at a secluded cove outside Light City.
The gloomy rain of the past several days had finally broken, and the long-awaited morning light pierced through the clouds, dappling the sparkling sea.
The sea breeze, carrying a hint of warmth and salt, felt exceptionally refreshing against the skin.
The sun had warmed and dried the beach, leaving only the damp marks from the receding tide to glitter like flecks of gold in the morning light.
Diana’s vassals were gathered in small groups. The rare good weather had prompted them to shed their heaviest coats and bask in the warm morning light, but it did little to quell their doubts or their complaints.
"A gift? He dragged us out to this godforsaken beach at the crack of dawn just to see some gift?"
A Knight with a short mustache grumbled, "I bet His Lordship the Baron caught a big cod."
His companion let out a dry chuckle.
"Maybe he wants us to admire the little boat he used to flee? I hear it’s rather well-made."
Old Baron Ansel didn’t join the younger men’s chatter. He simply stared at the sparkling sea in the distance, his brow deeply furrowed.
He didn’t understand what Countess Diana was planning, but he could sense that things were not as simple as the young men claimed.
Roland Sun stood at Diana’s side. His posture was ramrod straight, and he wore a plain black Knight’s jacket, a stark contrast to the restless nobles around him.
He looked at his cousin’s calm profile, wondering where her confidence came from.
"Diana, this is just a childish charade."
"That man only knows these cheap theatrics. When this is over, I’ll make him leave the Dawn Territory."
Diana didn’t answer. She just gazed at the horizon.
WOOOO—WOOOO—WOOOO—!
Suddenly, the mournful sound of a horn blared from the direction of Light City, shattering the morning calm.
The sound was long and urgent, clearly audible from miles away. It was the harbor’s highest-level attack alarm.
The chatter in the cove died abruptly.
Everyone whipped their heads toward the source of the sound.
"What’s going on?"
"Pirates? Or a Sea Monster?"
The nobles grew agitated. A few of the more timid ones were already subconsciously ducking behind their guards.
The guards they had brought drew their weapons, forming a protective circle around their masters as they stared warily at the sea.
Roland drew the Longsword at his waist, his eyes fixed on the horizon.
He took a few steps forward, placing himself in front of Diana to shield her.
"Don’t be afraid."
Something was approaching on the surface of the sea.
At first, it was just a vast shadow beneath the water, larger than any fleet they had ever seen.
Then, the sea began to churn. Waves crashed against the shore, and small crabs, as if sensing a threat from the ocean depths, scuttled inland.
The shadow rose to the surface.
It was no ship.
A tentacle covered in strange patterns broke the surface first.
It was so enormous that its emergence seemed to raise the very sea level.
The sun could not fully illuminate its form; its very presence cast the entire cove into shadow.
"What the hell is that thing...?"
The voice of the short-mustached Knight, who had been joking just moments before, trembled uncontrollably, his teeth chattering.
No one answered.
Everyone stared, dumbfounded, at the colossal beast.
Seawater cascaded down its rock-like skin in countless waterfalls.
The tense guards raised their crossbows, but in the face of such a behemoth, they all knew it was futile.
Just then, a smooth, bone-like mast rose from the highest point of the beast’s back, and a banner unfurled.
On a black field, a thicket of thorns coiled around a new sprout.
The guards preparing to fire froze.
Baron Grey Marsh?
This was... the gift?
The nobles’ minds went blank.
This was a nightmare from the depths of the sea.
Then, they saw him.
A dark-haired figure stood atop the colossal beast’s head.
The sea breeze tugged at the hem of his clothes. He just stood there calmly, looking down at the insignificant humans on the beach.
Roland’s hand tightened on the hilt of his sword.
As a Level 5 Knight, he could sense the terrifying power contained within the beast.
It was at least a Level 4 Peak Magical Beast.
’This Baron Grey Marsh... he can command such a powerful Magical Beast?’
He turned to look at Diana and saw that while her face showed astonishment, her eyes held no fear. Instead, he saw... the relief of a foregone conclusion.
’She knew all along.’
Roland’s heart sank.
"He... didn’t he run away?" a noble in the crowd murmured. "Wasn’t he called the ’Swamp Deserter’?"
"Shut up! Do you have a death wish?" The person next to him clamped a hand over his mouth.
At this moment, all the rumors about him being a "fraud" and an "opportunist" seemed pathetic and laughable.
Would a man who commanded such a beast need to resort to trickery to deal with Philippe and Valerius?
He would only need to sail this "pet" into any of their ports.
Diana took a step forward, emerging from behind Roland.
She surveyed her vassals, who were now pale-faced and utterly silent.
"My lords, the Baron’s gift is on the sea."
"Now, who is willing to join me for a closer look?"
Silence.
A dead silence.
Old Baron Ansel was the first to react. He bowed deeply to Diana.
"At your command, Countess."
His deference acted as a signal.
"We are willing to go!"
"It would be our honor, Countess!"
The short-mustached Knight, who had been grumbling earlier, was now pushing his way to the front, a sycophantic smile plastered on his face.
Roland watched the absurd scene unfold, feeling as though the principles he had always upheld were crumbling.
He sheathed his sword with a crisp ring.
"Diana, what are you really planning to do?"
"To witness a promise, cousin," Diana said, looking at him. "A promise that will make the Dawn Territory stronger."
Several cutters that had been waiting in the shallows were pushed off the beach by their crews.
The nobles clambered aboard, scrambling over one another for fear of being left behind.
Before the behemoth, the boats looked as small as wood chips in a washbasin.
The small flotilla slowly departed the cove, following in the wake of the giant beast.
The sea wind blew across their faces, but the nobles felt no cold.
They huddled on deck, staring in awe at the colossus ahead, almost afraid to breathe.
Roland stood at the bow. He wasn’t looking at the beast, but at the man standing on its head.
’Just who is that man?’
’A schemer who could make Philippe and Valerius flee in disarray.’
’The master of a terrifying beast capable of destroying a city.’
’An... ally for whom Diana was willing to risk everything.’
The flotilla sailed for about ten minutes, reaching a stretch of open water.
The beast came to a halt, and the nobles began to whisper among themselves in confusion.
There was nothing here.
Nothing but sea and more sea.
Just then, the man on the beast’s head raised his hand and pointed down at the water.