Chapter 113: Ships from the Starfall Islands
The sight of eleven sailing ships arriving at once was quite magnificent. However, the harbor on Black Forest Island hadn’t been expanded and could still only accommodate two at a time.
Fortunately, the people on these ships were very familiar with the area. As they approached the island, the first two entered the harbor, while the remaining nine slowed to a drift on the open sea, showing no intention of coming in.
On the lead sailing ship, crewmen directed the sailors as they prepared to dock. Amidst the bustle, a few others stood on deck, gazing at the island.
"We’re finally here!"
A man dressed in a fine linen tunic heaved a long sigh of relief.
After more than a month at sea, his body felt like it was falling apart, and he was dying to get on solid ground and run for an hour.
A similarly dressed man who looked like his second-in-command stood beside him.
"Yes, Commander. Once we’re off the ship, you have to let us rest for a couple of extra days!"
"If you want to, of course you can!"
The man called Commander shrugged. "I’m just worried you’ll find it too boring here and won’t want to stay."
The two men speaking were the ones in charge of this merchant fleet.
The former was named Garrot, who served Viscount Freddy Yalvis. He held the title of "Broken Reef Knight" and was the current Commander of the Third Legion.
The latter was named Blake. He also served Viscount Yalvis and was the Vice Commander of the Third Legion, making him Garrot’s second-in-command.
Blake looked at the approaching harbor and said with some regret, "The last time I was here was two years ago. I can’t believe the harbor hasn’t changed at all in two years."
"Tell me about it."
Garrot’s last visit had been... five years ago?
Five years ago, the place had looked exactly the same.
"Look, there seem to be a lot of people standing over there!" Blake pointed toward Duane’s position.
The distance was too great for them to see the situation clearly.
"It’s probably the people from the two gangs on the island," Garrot said, glancing at Major Hall beside him.
Hall had led the team responsible for the trade deal in the first half of the year, so he was the most familiar with the place.
"Probably?"
Hall shaded his eyes with a hand and peered into the distance. "We’re two months late this time. I bet they’re getting anxious. Seeing so many ships arrive, they must be trying to get more people over here to move the goods."
"Heh, in that case, we’ll have to make sure we drive a hard bargain on this deal!"
Two ships slowly docked. The people aboard disembarked one by one, and then the Captains sailed the ships away to drop anchor and wait on the sea not far off, allowing the next ships to move in.
After the fourth ship was securely docked, a woman walked down from it.
This woman was not young, and she walked with a graceful and noble air, suggesting a person of no ordinary status.
"Hey, Lady Selena, how was the journey?" Garrot greeted her warmly.
Selena walked slowly along the pier. "Not bad, Broken Reef Knight. So this is Black Forest Island? It doesn’t seem as terrible as you all described."
"That’s just an illusion, my lady!"
Hall said with a smile, "Once you’ve rested here for two days, you’ll definitely be eager to leave."
Selena stopped walking. "If that’s truly the case, then I can only hope I find the Red Sun Grass as soon as possible."
The group chatted and laughed, completely at ease.
"Strange, why aren’t Bard and his men coming over?"
Vice Commander Blake suddenly murmured in confusion.
In the past, Bard would have already run over to ask if they had brought any Breathing Skills or Magic Potions.
Garrot frowned and glanced into the distance. A large crowd had already gathered there, yet no one had taken the initiative to come and greet them.
"Hall, go check it out?"
"Right!"
Hall had been to Black Forest Island several times and was reasonably familiar with the place.
Hearing his superior’s command, he didn’t overthink it and simply ran toward Duane’s position.
"There won’t be any trouble, will there?" Blake asked, a little uneasy.
"It’s an isolated island in the middle of the ocean. What kind of trouble could there be?"
Garrot’s tone was dismissive, but he glanced behind him as he spoke.
The ships weren’t docking and unloading quickly. Twenty-odd minutes after they had landed, the third and fourth ships had only just finished disembarking their passengers.
Fortunately, his main forces were on the first six ships, and most of them were already ashore.
Meanwhile, as the merchant fleet was docking, Duane was also waiting for his own people to arrive.
Currently, his only high-level combatant present was Raymond; Kaelon, Simone, Gaius, and the others hadn’t arrived yet.
However, seventy or eighty Guards and Militia members had shown up, which gave him a good deal of confidence.
"My lord, someone’s coming!" Raymond warned.
Duane nodded. "You make contact with them."
Soon, Hall arrived before the crowd.
As one of the Majors of the Viscount’s Third Legion, he had a discerning eye.
The group opposite him was a mixed bag—many carried wooden clubs and wore tattered clothes, but a dozen or so were clad in standardized armor.
The two men in the center, in particular, seemed to exert a faint pressure on him.
"Where’s Bard?"
Hall wasn’t afraid. He ordered in a loud voice, "We’re here to do a big deal with him. Go and tell him to get over here, quickly."
No one responded, and no one left.
This surprised him, and he sensed that something was wrong.
Just then, Raymond stepped forward. "State your name and identity, Warrior!"
Hall was stunned. He looked Raymond up and down. "Who are you?"
Raymond sized up the newcomer and chuckled. "I should be the one asking you that... However, I don’t mind answering your question first."
His tone suddenly became very formal.
"This is the Pruck Kingdom, the territory of Baron Duane Brian. I am a Warrior sworn to his service, ordered to guard this harbor, and I have the authority to question you!"
His gaze was scrutinizing. "Now, state your name and identity!"
For a moment, Hall was stunned. ’This is bad,’ he thought.
Still, he voiced his disbelief reflexively, "Since when does Black Forest Island have a Baron? How come we were never informed?"
"Heh, what, does King Eric need to inform you before he ennobles someone as a Baron?"
Duane didn’t let Raymond continue the questioning.
He could tell from Hall’s arrogant demeanor that in past trades, Bard or Daniels must have been in a position of absolute disadvantage.
No wonder the iron ore was as cheap as five Copper Coins per catty.
"Have the leader of your fleet come speak with me."
Duane said, "Eleven ships, and all these warriors... Anyone in the know might think you’re here to do business. Anyone who isn’t would think you’re pirates here for a raid!"
Hall’s gaze shifted to Duane. Seeing the respectful attitude of the people around this young baron, he knew the man’s status was extraordinary.
"And you are...?"
"I am the master of this place."
Hall’s eyes flickered, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to do.
Black Forest Island had been without a master for a very long time. The Lord Viscount had come to treat it as his own private garden, plundering a shipment of goods each year to make a huge profit.
But now, the island had a master.
This meant that the goods here could no longer be traded to them as they had been before.
In that case, how were they supposed to complete the mission the Viscount had given them?
After a wave of anxiety, Hall forced himself to calm down.
In any case, he wasn’t the one in charge of this mission. He just needed to report back to the Commander.
Hall placed a hand over his chest and bowed slightly. "Hall, Fourth Major of the Gale Battle Group from the Viscount Yalvis Territory. I greet you, esteemed Baron!"
Duane nodded and waved him away, while inwardly assessing the man’s strength.
The officer ranks in the noble armies of the various kingdoms on the Shadow Mist Continent were more or less the same, with only slight differences in strength.
This man before him called himself a "Major"—equivalent to what Duane had designated "Camp Commander"—so his strength should be at the Advanced level.
Since this man wasn’t the main person in charge, he probably wasn’t their strongest fighter either.
’So, among these eleven ships, there must be at least one Human Tier warrior, or perhaps someone even stronger? Monbodt had said that merchant ships from the Starfall Islands were usually escorted by Advanced Warriors. I don’t know if his intelligence was inaccurate, or if this fleet’s lineup is just an exception.’
CLOP, CLOP, CLOP...
The sound of horse hooves came from behind. Duane turned to see Kaelon and Simone arriving from the direction of Broken Wave Bay.
Duane’s heart settled slightly.
On the other side, however, Garrot’s expression darkened the moment he heard Hall’s report.
"Damn it, how can there be a Baron here!"
He cursed and clenched his fist, his gaze sweeping over the Baron and his men, who were keeping their distance from the harbor.
No wonder they hadn’t come any closer; they were clearly wary of them.
Vice Commander Blake’s expression was also grave, as if he’d just encountered an unsolvable problem.
"What do we do?"
Garrot turned his head to look at the sailing ship. The Blazing Sword banner fluttering from it was extremely conspicuous.
"We should have taken the banner down!"
He paced back and forth. "Have all the soldiers assemble here with me."