The most luxurious and heavily guarded estates in Sartosa undeniably belonged to the infamous pirate lords. Many of these pirate lords chose Sartosa as their base and retreat, building castle-like estates within the city to indulge themselves. Despite Sartosa's fertile land, which produced wine, olive oil, and seafood, the chaos and frequent murders meant that farmers needed the protection of the pirate lords, who in return took most of their surplus.
"Kind of like Bretonnia," Ryan and his group muttered after learning about the situation.
Over time, pirates, merchants, and mercenaries on the island had reached a tacit understanding. They could fight each other as fiercely as they wanted, but no one would disturb the farmers. If a farmer were accidentally killed in the skirmishes, the perpetrator would be caught and beaten by everyone and forced to compensate for the loss.
"Oh, oh, oh! I've heard Sartosa is famous for its pearls. They're large, high quality, and affordable. I must buy some while we're here! Darling, did you bring enough money?" Veronica, the Garland Witch, gleefully clung to Ryan's arm, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "New jewelry, new clothes, new shoes! Sister Sulia will love them too."
"Pearls can wait. We have business to attend to first," Ryan scolded, casting an annoyed glance at Veronica.
As they advanced through the chaotic streets, Ryan led the group uphill. Fedemond had been called away by Saltwater. The sea god Mannan had granted his daughter a vision, bestowing the artifact "The Braid of Baldur" to Duke Bodrick and his heir Fedemond. Fedemond, along with his retainers and part of the old guard, left with Saltwater. The rest of the group continued forward with Ryan.
"In theory, Sartosa is a fully free city where everyone is equal, and each person enjoys individual freedom. But in reality, it's just an illusion. While there are no nobles, bureaucrats, or churches here, the pirate lords still rule. The politics of Sartosa are simple: the pirate lords decide everything," Ryan mused, rubbing his chin. "And the status of these lords depends entirely on wealth and military power."
"That's how it should be. In far-off Naggaroth, the rank of a Dreadlord is determined by how many slaves they own and how much power they wield. The weak perish, survival of the fittest. It's fair," Olica, Ryan's personal maid, whose face was always covered in public, commented. Even in Sartosa, she encountered many of her fellow Dark Elves, but upon seeing her, they paled and fled in terror.
Ryan's presence had a similar effect. As the King of Bretonnia, many dishonored former Bretonnian knights on the island hid in fear upon seeing him.
"That's completely wrong!" Karad angrily retorted to Olica. "Slavery is a backward system!"
"And serfdom is advanced?" Olica coldly shot back. "We live in Naggaroth, where the land is extremely barren, and the climate is freezing. Grail Knight, the Druchii have our own unique circumstances. You have no right to criticize us. If we swapped places, your people would have perished long ago."
"..." Karad, knowing little about the Dark Elves, paused and admitted he lacked the standing to criticize, shaking his head. "In essence, the system here in Sartosa is no different from your slave system or our serfdom."
"That's why it's a paradise for pirate lords," Ryan nodded and signaled for the group to stop arguing. They had arrived at their destination.
Before them stood a large, fortified mansion perched on a cliffside. The estate covered about 2,000 square meters and was guarded by several men. The walls, some seven to eight meters high, were covered in vines. The iron gate bore a strange symbol—a large "4" and a hammer.
From within, a booming song echoed:
"The Chaos army is the black raven,
They want to trample us underfoot.
From the Lynsk River to the East of Praag,
Hey, Ursun is the strongest in the world.
Kislev warriors, shine your scimitars,
Grip your rifles tightly in hand.
We should all grow stronger the more we fight,
To face our enemies in battle to the death!"
Despite the song's strength, there was an air of sadness and melancholy. The singers were clearly aging but still full of spirit. Ryan's group hesitated briefly before knocking on the door.
"Vatutin, our esteemed guests have arrived. Open the door," a steady voice called from within after the first knock.
"Yes, sir," answered a towering Kislevite man built like a bear. He opened the door and nodded to Ryan and the others. "Come in."
The group entered the estate and found it to be quite run-down. Only a dozen Kislevite men gathered together, surrounding an elderly man. He wore an unkempt slicked-back hairstyle, round glasses, and a thick mustache with a goatee. He stood there in a plain shirt and trousers, looking like a wise mentor despite his age. "Welcome, King of Bretonnia."
"Hello, Mr. Lev, I am..."
"You've come to ask me about Captain Ross, haven't you?" the man smiled politely.
"Yes, I..."
"You want to know about the Graveyard of Ships and how to locate the sundial that guides you to the maelstrom at its heart, don't you?" the man interrupted again.
"Yes, I..."
"You want to tell me that you have an important reason to acquire the sundial, and you hope I'll reveal its location. You believe you can help me, right?" The man cut Ryan off once more.
Ryan's group stood there, mouths agape. Some of the old guards stepped forward, ready to aim their firearms at this strange man.
"Are you a prophet?" Ryan asked calmly. Having seen much in his forty years, the King of Bretonnia remained unfazed by the situation, making a casual joke.
"Prophet? Oh yes, I do enjoy being called that. In Kislev, people loved calling me 'Tov the Prophet' because I always foresaw things," the man chuckled, nodding repeatedly. Then he dropped his smile. "But my foresight comes from intelligence analysis and reading people. If I were a true prophet, I wouldn't have been exiled from Kislev, nearly killed by the Tsar's assassin's ice pick. I lost everything. Now I'm surviving in Sartosa, where the salty sea air and hot climate have changed me."
"Alright, Mr. Prophet. We didn't come here to hear you complain. You know why we're here." Ryan cut him off this time. He raised his hand, gesturing for the man to talk. "We want to know where Captain Ross's sundial is. Can you tell us?"
"Please, take a seat, and we'll discuss this further." Tov gestured for them to enter the mansion. Karad and Antelm expressed doubts about the invitation, with Karad openly stating, "This could be a trap, Mr. Prophet. If possible, I'd prefer you tell us here."
"Hahaha!" Tov laughed, throwing the doors of the mansion wide open.
What Ryan and the others saw left them speechless. The interior of the building was charred black, clearly the aftermath of a severe fire and battle.
Tov seemed pleased with their reaction. From his pocket, he pulled out a letter. "This is a letter from Gold Wizard Karim. He also mentions the sundial. Now, do you believe me?"
Ten minutes later, standing inside the burned-out remains of the mansion, Ryan's group was surprised. The 2,000-square-meter estate had been ravaged by fire and fierce combat, with damage evident everywhere.
"This was once the mansion of Captain Ross," Tov explained with a smile. "After he disappeared into the depths of the Graveyard of Ships, I inherited his estate and the few riches he left behind. I've been barely surviving here, hiding from Tsar Bokha's assassins like a walking corpse."
"It seems like a major battle took place here. What happened?" Ryan asked as he walked beside Tov.
"Captain Ross came from a family of navigators. He was once the Pirate King, a man who ruled the seas for over thirty years," Tov recounted. "Feared and respected, Captain Ross sent hundreds of enemy ships and tens of thousands of foes to the ocean floor. He was a genius, a strategist, and the master of the seas."
"When I fled Kislev, it was Captain Ross who helped me. We traveled the seas together, raiding Lustria. But when we returned to Sartosa, we found his mansion in flames. His family had been killed, and a strange artifact left by his father led him to the maelstrom at the end of the Great Ocean, the Graveyard of Ships, where countless treasures and dangers await."
"Captain Ross set off with his crew aboard *The Hammer of Salvation*, a flagship he cleverly tricked the Empire into giving him, and sailed toward the end of the Great Ocean, leaving this wrecked estate to me."
"So, he took the sundial with him?" Ryan asked, focusing only on the sundial.
"I... I'm old, and suddenly, my memory is failing me," Tov feigned ignorance, dodging the question. "King Ryan, we need to talk. I'm an old man. If you give me some time, maybe my memory will come back?"
"Name your terms," Ryan replied bluntly, knowing they had
reached the point of negotiation. "If it's something simple, I can help you. After all, I assume you don't want to spend the rest of your days in Sartosa?"
"My king, you're right. I no longer want to stay here. I need a place where I can realize my dreams, somewhere I can live freely. I can't stay in Sartosa waiting to die, but Kislev's internal affairs council wants me dead. For over twenty years, they've been searching for me throughout the Old World. I've had no choice but to remain here," Tov explained frankly. "I know your brother Fugen has opened up new lands in Lustria..."
"You want me to help you?" Ryan quickly grasped Tov's meaning. "You want to go to the New World?"
"Exactly. I hope you can help me, and my followers. All we need is new identities, a ship to take us to the New World, to your brother's lands. I can tell you everything in exchange. I swear, I've been trapped here for too long. Please, I beg you." Tov bowed his head in pleading. "As you can see, I'm old. I don't have many years left, but I still have dreams to fulfill."
"Tell me where Captain Ross's sundial is," Ryan asked directly.
"It's on a secret island in the Great Ocean, surrounded by countless reefs. It's where Captain Ross hid his treasures and riches. I'm the only one who knows the location and how to enter it," Tov implored again. "My king, my followers and I need a place to call home."
"You and your followers?" Ryan understood that Tov had come to see him as his last hope for escape. Tov was a heavily wanted criminal in Kislev, and he knew that pirates, driven by greed and devoid of honor (Tileans too), couldn't be trusted. Thus, he dared not leave Sartosa. Even if his small fortune could build a ship, he and his Kislevite followers weren't skilled sailors. To save his life, he had hidden in Sartosa for over twenty years.
Finally, an agreement was reached. Ryan agreed to help Tov and his followers leave Sartosa, and Tov would do everything in his power to help Ryan and Fugen obtain the sundial that pointed to the Graveyard of Ships. As a token of gratitude, Tov also promised Ryan a small portion of Captain Ross's remaining treasure, worth about 1,500 gold crowns. Ryan accepted, knowing he was risking a potential diplomatic conflict with Kislev.
"It's finally settled," Veronica, who had remained silent throughout the negotiation, spoke up once the deal was struck. "Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as we feared. This Kislevite knows how to negotiate."
"I hate Kislevites, but I never turn down a deal that involves someone offering us treasure, information, and help," Antelm laughed, satisfied with the arrangement. "Look, we didn't lose anything and gained 1,500 gold crowns, two former Kislevite marshals, a former bear cavalry general, and a bunch of officers. All it cost us was a ship to transport a hundred or so people."
"Wait, Antelm, what are you talking about? Marshals? Generals?" Karad still hadn't caught on.
"You're still young, Karad. This Lev fellow isn't just anyone. The two men behind him—one is former Kislev Marshal Yegorov, and the other is former Marshal Petrov of Kislev's First Infantry Regiment. As for the guy who opened the door, he's former Bear Cavalry General Vatutin," Antelm explained with a sly smile, much like his cousin François. "The dozen Kislevites we saw when we entered? None of them have ranks below general. Once Fugen reorganizes them in Lustria, they'll become a formidable force. These men are battle-hardened veterans."
"…Alright, I admit I didn't recognize them," Karad said sheepishly. "I don't know as many people as you, Sir Antelm. You're very knowledgeable."
"It's no big deal, Karad. Even I didn't know all of them," Ryan chuckled, easing the tension. "Well, it's about time we tasted the food at Sartosa's famous *Bull's Head Tavern*."
"This is also a good chance for us to discuss our strategy," Ryan added with a smile.
"I'm calling it—the two-step strategy."
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