TL: Etude
The sky was densely covered with red clouds, and the cold north wind howled over the port city of Port West.
The streets within the city were deserted, as residents, gripped by fear, stayed huddled inside their hos. In such a peculiar period, no one wanted to venture outside and invite trouble.
More than 20 days ago, a group of pirates, erging from seemingly nowhere, suddenly attacked Port West. The kingdom’s naval forces stationed there were annihilated, and the pirates quickly took control of the entire city.
These pirates were like devils bursting out of hell. Anyone daring to defy them was dragged to the square for public execution. The residents of Port West, who had only heard of pirates from the stories of the older generation, now deeply understood what a great disaster looked like.
The pirates went door-to-door, forcing hoowners to hand over half of their money, claiming a moral high ground with their ‘thieves’ code’ of only taking half.
As for those of noble status, their fate was less fortunate. They were rounded up and imprisoned in the city hall.
At that mont, inside the most luxurious room of the city hall, the pirate leader Edward was perusing a ledger, the slight curve of his lips indicating his imnse satisfaction.
A frivolous voice echoed at the door. “I used to think that Edward, the great pirate who road the seas, was a hero who cared little for money. I never expected that in reality, he would be as materialistic as any ordinary person.”
The young wizard spoke with a hint of sarcasm.
Edward, unconcerned by the mockery, picked up a cigarette from the table, taking two leisurely puffs, and blew out a smoke ring.
“Young man, do you know why I chose to be a pirate? For the thrill of adventure? To establish a fearso reputation? Ha ha ha, those are labels others have given . Besides…”
Edward stood up and walked to the window, gazing out at Port West’s docks.
“To maintain a real fleet, especially a pirate fleet that lives on the edge of danger every day, it’s not enough to just know how to fight. You need money, and you need the ability to manage it. Moreover, the funds required for our endeavor are like a bottomless pit. After all, the support from that highness is still limited.”
Nathan shrugged and said, “Okay, you’re right. How much have we collected these past few days?”
Edward held up the ledger proudly and replied, “The ‘donations’ from the residents, the treasury of the city hall… In terms of Ordo’s gold coins, almost 50,000. Heh, after all, Ordo’s mariti trade isn’t that developed. If we could take down a port city in Horn Bay, the amount we could plunder would be trendous.”
“Oh! That’s right!”
Slapping his forehead, the pirate leader added, “Our wealth will continue to increase. Rember the ‘invoice’ we sent to Crystal Shine recently? So of it hasn’t been accounted for yet.”
Nathan chuckled and said, “So most of it has been received? Our great King Rodney actually allows such acts of aiding the enemy.”
Edward, as if it were the most natural thing, said, “Noble support is the cornerstone of royal authority. If it’s forcibly prohibited, those nobles will make enough trouble to give the king a headache, especially during sensitive tis like the rebellion in the south. Nathan, you watch. Even our illustrious highness, despite our assistance, will eventually have to seek the support of the nobles.”
“Hmph! Those leeches who only know how to suck the blood of the nation.”
Nathan clearly despised them.
“What about those pigs locked up in the city hall? Are you going to release them back?”
“Of course, those who have paid will naturally be released. I, Edward, am a man of my word. As for those who haven’t paid by the deadline – which is the day after tomorrow – I, Edward, am equally a man of my word.”
Nathan smiled slightly, “Captain, perhaps you could extend the deadline a bit longer, to receive more money.”
Edward shook his head: “I’m afraid Baron Abbott won’t give us much ti. Judging by the days, he should be arriving soon, right? I must say, this baron is quite cautious. Perhaps he, newly promoted from royal guard to military commander, doesn’t want his first campaign to have an inglorious record. It seems… he’s waiting for sothing?”
“I just found out what he’s waiting for.”
“Oh? Let’s hear it.”
“Your fellow countryman – the Northwesterners!” Nathan said sowhat sarcastically. “Abbott is waiting for a fleet from Northwest Bay!”
Edward raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “It seems the victory over the pirates the year before last has greatly boosted the confidence of the lords there. They’re daring enough to dispatch fleets from afar to pledge loyalty to the king.”
“Mr. Edward, I don’t think it’s entirely out of loyalty to the royal family. Apparently, mariti trade between Northwest Bay and this area has been increasing. By occupying this place, aren’t we essentially a thorn in their throat?”
The pirate leader fell silent, thoughtfully tapping his pipe.
Today, they had received a report that a patrol ship had not returned at the scheduled ti. Could it be…
“Nathan, let’s leave tomorrow. Of course, we should leave a little ‘gift’ for Lord Abbott, who’s coming from afar.”
“Heh, are you scared?”
“Call it what you will. Rember, our goal is to exhaust the enemy, not to open a second front for Jars. To transport the resources of Port West, more than half of our ships have already returned. We only have 30 ships left now, so we must be cautious.”
“Tsk, Mr. Edward, I agree with your caution, but aren’t you being a bit too careful facing a fleet of only 12 ships?”
“12 ships? Are you sure?”
“12 ships! I’m certain! My informants counted them one by one at Port Kiel. Their red dragon flags are very distinctive.”
“Port Kiel? That’s not far from here.”
“What do you think, another surprise attack?”
“With the incident at Port West, the enemy won’t be foolish enough to let us succeed a second ti.”
Nathan raised his hand and clenched it tightly. “Then let’s wait for them to walk into the trap.”
Edward nodded: “Alright, young man, your suggestion is tempting. We’ll leave only the ‘gift’ for Lord Abbott on the shore and then ambush the Northwestern fleet at sea. However, I must leave the day after tomorrow.”
“Sothing else?”
“Yes.”
Nathan suggested, “If it’s just 12 ships, you can leave only half of your ships.”
Edward, pressing his forehead in frustration, said, “I can’t stand you. Why do you seem more like a bloodthirsty pirate than I am?”
Nathan’s lips curled into a smile, a glint of excitent in his eyes. “Alright, I admit it. I’m here for fun, the bigger and more thrilling, the better. Dull days are too tedious.”
The pirate leader sighed. “You win. I’ll leave half the ships for you, and my deputy will stay to coordinate with you.”
The young wizard narrowed his eyes, reminiscing about the granary in Crystal Shine and the imnse fire that had brought him much joy.
It seed new excitent was on the horizon. How long would this thrill last?
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