Warning: violence
In the morning, crowds flocked to the Aegean docks. The ships were loaded and ready to depart for the Hraun Nation.
There were five ships in total in the convoy: the main ship, two cargo ships, and three combat-orientated ships. With a proud smile, Count Aegean ushered the Sedaverian convoy onto his biggest, best ship.
Ren Xiyang followed up behind Rian onto the ship’s deck. “Prince Rian, why don’t we collaborate with Count Aegean to make a floating carriage that can work on water?”
The current floating carriages only worked on land, with several limitations including height from the ground and speed limits. There were many areas for improvement and innovation.
Rian nodded. “We could.” He gave Ren Xiyang a meaningful look. He was looking forward to this portion of the trip—Count Aegean, Duke Blewitt, and Baroness Blanc would be busy navigating, overseeing the ships and maintaining the ships’ spells.
That gave Rian and Ren Xiyang time to spend together—
“I hope Count Aegean lets us see the ship’s spells,” Ren Xiyang said, sounding genuinely interested as he looked around the ship.
Rian: “…”
“—And I wonder what the fishing is like. We could have fresh seafood every day.”
“…”
“If we have time, we could head down in the sea and see what it’s like underwater. There should be many sea creatures living on the sea floor. Some of them should be edible too.”
“…” Admittedly, that sounded interesting to Rian and also counted as spending time with Ren Xiyang.
Rian and Ren Xiyang moved to the side as everyone else boarded the ship. Under Count Aegean’s command, the ships departed. Rian waved back to people gathered at the docks to see them off.
The moment Rian stopped waving, Ren Xiyang turned away.
“…Where are you going?”
“Exploring,” Ren Xiyang said.
It didn’t take long for Count Aegean to notice them taking a look around. “Would you like a tour?”
Ren Xiyang brightened. “If you’re free. This is an amazing ship. I noticed a lot of inbuilt spells around too.”
“You have a good eye, Earl Rosewood,” Count Aegean said, pleased. “There are many spells to ensure safety, stability, speed, and comfort. If we begin with right here, there are…”
Ren Xiyang nodded, following along with Count Aegean closely as he introduced every part of his favourite ship.
Rian: “…”
He couldn’t believe it. He was following along too, but he was the third wheel! He was competing with Count Aegean for Ren Xiyang’s attention.
Ren Xiyang and Count Aegean going shopping together had been only the beginning.
And then, when Ren Xiyang asked Count Aegean if he could teach them all the spells involved in navigating and propelling a ship, Rian could see his romantic cruise trip with Ren Xiyang fly away in the wind.
Count Aegean smiled, looking ten years younger. “Why, of course, Earl Rosewood! We can begin right away. Prince Rian, will you join us?”
“Yes, I’m also very interested,” Rian said with a smile. He had to come—he couldn’t leave Ren Xiyang to Count Aegean’s clutches!
“Very good.” Count Aegean swept his hand grandly. “Let’s go up to the stern deck. We’ll begin with navigation.”
That evening, Rian meaningfully invited Ren Xiyang to his cabin to talk ‘business.’
“Oh,” Ren Xiyang said, “by understanding ship navigation spells, we could incorporate navigation spells in our magically-propelled carriages. This would reduce the possibility of getting lost.”
Then, the next day, Ren Xiyang monopolised Count Aegean again.
That evening, Rian meaningfully invited Ren Xiyang to take a walk with him around the deck to digest their dinner.
“Oh, by understanding how ships are built, we could think about building a ship that could fly on land. Wouldn’t that be interesting?”
Then, the next day, Ren Xiyang and Count Aegean acted as a great student-teacher pair again!
That evening, Rian meaningfully invited Ren Xiyang up to the crow’s nest to have a look.
“Oh, by understanding all of the water spells that Count Aegean knows, we’ll be able to determine his weaknesses.” Ren Xiyang patted Rian on the back.
Rian was not amused. “Why does that sound like an excuse, Earl Ayden Rosewood?”
“Don’t you think we’re well equipped now?”
Rian frowned. “For what?”
The corners of Ren Xiyang’s lips went up. “Let’s do something fun tomorrow.”
The next morning, after breakfast, Rian went up to Count Aegean.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Jbeca Cfufjc, Sjgi Ebrfkbbv P kjca ab afra bea rbwf bo atf atlcur kf’nf ifjgca gfmfcais, rb kf kbc’a tjnf jcs ifrrbcr abvjs.”
Jbeca Cfufjc tjv j rerqlmlbc. “Lbk rb?”
Eljc rwlifv. “Gbc’a kbggs, kf’ii rajs rjof.”
“…Ccv ktfgf lr Sjgi Ebrfkbbv?”
“Yt, atfgf tf lr.”
Rian pointed over the side of the ship.
Ren Xiyang was sitting on one of the small boats. The oars weren’t on the boat: instead, the boat was propelled by magically powered waves. Sensing that they were looking at him, Ren Xiyang stood up, and the boat raised too, as the very-localised waves rose. He nodded in greeting.
Count Aegean: “…”
“Bye, Count Aegean,” Rian said. With that, he jumped off the side of the ship. Rather than a wooden boat, Rian crafted an ice boat for himself and met up with Ren Xiyang in the water. The two of them raced off together, doing rings around the convoy of ships and who knows what else.
Count Aegean sighed and walked away. If Prince Rian and Earl Rosewood really wanted to do something, then he couldn’t stop them—he was no magical match for them. He was making peace with this fact.
Not every day on the ships was like this. Rian still had some lessons, and Ren Xiyang was also conveniently busy at various times. But Rian and Ren Xiyang still found time to take a trip into the water to catch fish; they also competed against each other running on water; and Ren Xiyang even tried his hand at steering the ship under Count Aegean’s supervision.
This playfulness was the opposite of the storm that was brewing in Angio.
Eight days after the handover at the border, in the early hours of the morning, the Angio agents carrying the contract variation reached the castle. They had barely slept; they had switched over dozens of horses. But they had made it in record time.
King Augustus read the contract variation carefully before signing it.
The magic was instant: new words materialised on the original contract: See the First Contract Variation for amendments that override the terms detailed below.
King Augustus relaxed a fraction. He turned to the agents. “Where’s the gold?”
“Your Majesty, it will take another two days before they reach the border.”
King Augustus’s expression tightened. Fifteen thousand gold coins weren’t light—it would take that team a bit longer. He dismissed the agents.
When Aurelia came in the morning to take over guard duty, she had news.
“Your Majesty, I estimate that Prince Marcus’s forces may arrive at the Capital by this evening,” she said sombrely. “What would you like to be done?”
King Augustus tensed. “You said he’ll arrive in four more days!”
Aurelia pursed her lips. “I’m afraid that Prince Marcus has formed a vanguard team and left behind all foot soldiers.”
King Augustus cursed. Had Prince Marcus found out about the secret gold convoy? “Prepare the army and close the gates!” he ordered. “Morning court proceeds as usual.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
King Augustus clenched his fists. Just two days! Two days, and he’d have his magic back.
The rest of the day was tense.
With the city gates closing unexpectedly, the common people could feel that something was happening. They quickly finished any urgent business and went home, closing the door tightly.
The common people who lived in the outer city, outside the city gates, prepared what weapons they could and hid inside their homes.
After morning court was over, most of the nobles left the castle. King Augustus kept only his most loyal people and had the bridge to the castle raised.
He paced back and forth.
From his quarters at the top of the castle, he could see over the city into the distance. He couldn’t see Prince Marcus yet.
He had lunch. Then he alternated between sharpening his weapons and looking over the city.
The tiniest movement in the distance caught his eye.
Thump.
Someone knocked on the door.
Thump.
“Your Majesty, it is I, Princess Aurelia.”
King Augustus strode forward and opened the door—with the new shield spells put in place, it was locked from the inside. “What is it?”
Princess Aurelia’s head was lowered. “Your Majesty, a small group of people have been spotted quickly approaching the city gates. We suspect that it’s Prince Marcus.”
“He must sign the contract, or else don’t let him enter the city at all costs,” King Augustus ordered.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After Aurelia left, King Augustus strode back to his windows, muscles tense.
His quarters were high up and distant. He sharpened his sword and his axe some more. He paced, filled with energy but with no place to exert it.
The sun lowered in the sky as afternoon arrived.
In the spur of the moment, King Augustus went to his door and opened it. “Aurelia! We’re going to the gatehouse.”
Aurelia, who had been standing outside, tightened her lips. “Your Majesty, I would advise against—”
“Don’t question me!”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I beg your forgiveness.”
Aurelia, three of her ladies-in-waiting, and King Augustus’s guards took their positions as they accompanied him out to the gatehouse. The portcullises, wooden gates, and stone gate were closed. The bridge beyond was pulled up, leaving a vertical cliff and moat.
At that moment, the head of the castle guard emerged from the gatehouse. “Your Majesty!” The captain fell to one knee.
“Speak.”
“Rebels are en-massing just beyond the castle moat, but they won’t succeed.”
“Rebels?”
“Anti-royalist rebels, Your Majesty.”
“Get me a war bow,” King Augustus ordered.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” The captain rose to his feet and dashed off.
“Your Majesty—” Aurelia started.
“Quiet!”
King Augustus accepted a war bow and arrows from a guard. He ascended to the very top of the gatehouse. From there, he could look past the battlements and down on the open field below. His eyes narrowed, notched an arrow, and shot down.
A figure below toppled.
A roar of anger swelled up.
“Down with the monarchy! Down with Augustus!”
A volley of arrows suddenly flew up, heading straight for King Augustus.
Aurelia stepped forward, raising a shield. “Your Majesty, we should leave.”
“Can’t you protect me from a few commoners?” King Augustus said derisively.
At that moment, as though to immediately prove King Augustus wrong, a blast of fire smashed into Aurelia’s shield.
Thump.
There weren’t just common people mixed in with the rebels—there were mages. But King Augustus had mages protecting the castle too.
“Your Majesty, I’m too weak to protect you here,” Aurelia said subserviently.
“Tch. Then we’ll leave.”
If Duke Ignis were here, King Augustus wouldn’t have a problem. But Duke Ignis was resting, because he needed to take the night guard shift.
King Augustus strode down the stairs of the gatehouse and out into the main courtyard. Behind him, rocks smashed into the walls, and the castle guards were shouting as they attacked back.
“Who is that?!”
“Whoever it is, archers, shoot! Mages, attack!”
CRACK-ZING-BOOM!
King Augustus’s head snapped back. Thump. He had a very bad feeling.
Lightning crashed down from above as a figure flew up over the castle walls and landed on the castle square behind King Augustus. Marcus straightened, casually dusting himself off. He met the shocked eyes of the people in front of him and smirked.
“You—you flew—” King Augustus spluttered.
Marcus’s smirk deepened. “Prince Rian can fly. Why can’t I, Your Majesty?” After the Sedverian convoy had left in a hurry, Marcus had secretly developed and practised his own method of flying. All that practising had paid off, for the expression on his father’s face.
“Aurelia! Make him sign the contract!”
Aurelia stepped forward, producing one of the many spare copies of the contract that she carried around. “Prince Marcus, if you please.”
Marcus ignored his eldest sister. “Why are you wasting time with this, Your Majesty? Rebels are attacking. I can protect you better than Aurelia.”
“Then sign,” King Augustus said coldly.
Aurelia stepped closer to Marcus.
“Your Majesty, why such a cold greeting? You said that you would have a flying carriage made for me—”
A flash of lightning slammed into a shield.
Aurelia stopped walking, maintaining her shield.
Marcus raised his eyebrows. “Fast, eldest sister. Guarding against me already.”
“Your Majesty, please allow Lady Helios to take you to safety,” Aurelia said clearly, without removing her eyes from Marcus.
“Your Majesty, please allow me,” Lady Helios said.
Without saying a word, King Augustus turned on his heel and hurried back into the castle. His guards and Lady Helios followed him, while Aurelia’s two other ladies-in-waiting remained.
Marcus sneered. He released lightning after King Augustus, only to be blocked by Aurelia and her two followers.
“Three versus one? Don’t you need a few more people?” Marcus said idly.
“Yes,” Aurelia said.
At that moment, Viscountess Venenum and her team stepped onto the courtyard.
Marcus scoffed. “Really? That’s it?” He crossed his arms, gathering dark clouds ahead.
The back of King Augustus’s neck prickled, feeling the static electricity in the air. He threw one last look over his shoulder, seeing Marcus call lightning down on Aurelia.
His view was blocked as the castle guards closed the castle doors. Lady Helios activated the castle’s main shield, muffling the subsequent crash of thunder.
King Augustus’s pace quickened. He could faintly hear the sound of fighting.
He entered his quarters, feeling safer once the door closed and the defensive magic settled in place.
Now, with fear fading away, anger surged. That traitor! He thinks he can kill me and become the king! He’s fifty years too young!
King Augustus strode to the big windows. From the front windows, he could see part of the courtyard below. His fists clenched as he frowned in concentration, but no lightning materialised.
He should have sent the gold convoys out earlier.
Why weren’t the gold convoys travelling faster?!!
Knock knock.
King Augustus turned towards the door in annoyance. “What?”
“Your Majesty, Prince Pollux wishes to speak with you,” came Lady Helios’s voice.
You’d think that after watching more than one youtube video, I would know more about the different parts of a castle…
whoislikeaparadox is amazing! The caption was— Them talking about doing ‘that’ for Xiyang’s ‘research’ 😏😏😏
Teeheheheh
Wow, so much going on.
😆😆😆😆😆 I suppose I could have had shorter chapters!
YESSS!!! YEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!
YYeppp!!
Prince Pollux better kill him— if anyone deserves that satisfaction of doing that, it’s him and Aurelia! But Aurelia needs to become queen, so it’s best if Pollux does it so she doesn’t have that on her hands.
😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
Get him Pollux! Slap that face!
Face-slapping, hahah
“research” 🤭
😏😏😏😏 research indeed~
Time is almost up… hahaha… Would this be magical power surfing? Thanks for the latest 🤣❤️🤣❤️🤣
Yes! Magical surfing, I didn’t think of that! 😎😎😎😎
Ohhhh, tensions are high! I wonder if the gold was intercepted.
Thank you for the chapter.
😏😏😏😏 Thank you for reading!
How I hope the “talk” pollux meant could just become a torture session 😔
😎😎😎😎
Enter Underdog: get him, Pollux!!!
Yeah, I wish I could draw sth other than trees. The things I would draw! 😏
😎😎😎
Drawing trees is cool!! I can’t draw trees T_T
DOWN WITH THE MONARCHY!! WHEEEEEE
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Completely unrelated to this chapter but could you do something with paludiculture (wet peatland farming)? I just discovered it and I think ren xiyang would also find it cool
WOW that sounds cool, thank you!