As captain, Cooper told over 100 common captives:
"Be honest, you've seen that there's a wizard in Bauhinia who can blow up half the ship. As long as you remain silent, I'll give you food and water, and you'll be free when you reach the southern continent."
Rudolf began using this to intimidate people, but this type of intimidation is the most effective. The captives simply glanced at Rudolph and casually lowered their heads.
Having calmed these common captives, Rudolph sought out Kedric: "I don't know how to thank Master Kedric. You, the Nanom Palace, helped me endure the druid's scourging when I was in a very dangerous time."
Kedric showed great gratitude for Rudolph's thanks. As good as Nain the butler had become, he completed the task under Kedric's command. There's a difference between master and servant.
"That's as it should be. We've established a deep friendship in Port Hodor. I believe our friendship will grow deeper and deeper."
Rudolf was prepared to offer a few practical things. He said, "Master Kedric, you can create a magical weapon at any time. I can't do much, and I can only assist you in this matter. In two days, I will give you the Pisces magical weapon. I hope you'll be satisfied."
Nain made his move, and Rudolph crafted a magical weapon for Kedric. Rudolph considered this fair.
Kedric also considered it fair. A fourth-level wizard was willing to serve him for free, which would play a very important role in the future. If he had a suitable magical weapon, it would be very useful for his advancement.
Butler Nain looked interested:
"Mr. Rudolph, your magical weapon is very powerful. There are countless magical weapons in this world, and there are always wizards who can create magical weapons with superior power. Mr. Rudolph, could you satisfy my curiosity and tell me what kind of magical weapon this is?"
Logically, such behavior, when you appeal to the other party's trump cards, is highly inappropriate. However, despite Butler Nain having just helped Rudolph, Rudolph still came up with an excuse:
"This magical weapon... was given to me by my alchemist friend. His experiment required a high-temperature flame, and I don't know where he got this magical weapon."
Nairn found this explanation extremely outrageous. It was impossible for a "furnace" to have another alchemist. Even if it did, it would only be a dead alchemist friend.
Although he didn't believe this explanation, Nairn believed it could indeed be a magical weapon crafted by a failed alchemist. Rudolf was a 4th-level wizard and couldn't make a 5th-level magical weapon. It was more likely that Rudolf's teacher had crafted the magical weapon so that Rudolf could defend himself.
Nairn glanced at Rudolf's youthful appearance and assumed that Rudolf must have had a very powerful wizard teacher; otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to become a 4th-level wizard at the age of 21.
On the two captured merchant ships, the first and second mates each piloted them. Cooper sent 50 corpses to each ship and instructed them to obey the orders of the first and second mates. The corpses were clumsy and unable to follow complex commands, but they were very obedient, enough to frighten the prisoners on two ships.
Butler Nairn led nine knights, but now only the fourth and fifth knights of the alliance remained in battle. Knights must wear clothes, and they must not be separated from them even in death. Rudolf saw the neat bodies of five knights in the distance. Under various disguises, they were already mummies, close to skeletons.
After several minutes of silence in memory of the brave knights, Rudolf said, "I will pay these knights' pensions. If not for me, they would not have had to sacrifice themselves here."
Butler Nairn did not back down from this decision. He simply said, "Mr. Rudolf, your ships and Captain Cooper's are too few rank-and-file crew members. There are only over 20 crew members, and all of them must be princes, so these knights cannot gain additional power.
Now, everything is fine. Death is with the prisoners. If we encounter the Mage Association again, these prisoners will be harmful, and the knights will not have to consume so much."
Rudolf frowned slightly, but did not argue with Nairn about it. He does not exist among the crew members to provide nutrients for the knight Nairn. He will keep his promise and release them upon reaching the southern continent.
Knights can observe the supreme strength in ordinary soldiers, which is intended for them for battles on land. One of the virtues of knights is protecting the weak. This virtue is very important to knights. They can't let the weak die too quickly, because the weak are also a resource in their own right.
"Mr. Nairn, I have no idea how fast the ship is. When will the next attack by the Wizarding Society be?"
Hearing Rudolph's question, Nairn first asked the navigator about their current location.
position. Having received the exact location, Nain said:
"There's nothing to worry about for now. It will take at least a month for the news to reach the Ancient Sea Magic Association and for the Magic Association to respond.
If we move forward at full speed, we'll land before they catch up. Once we land on the Southern Continent, the influence of the Magic Associations will be much less. The Ancient Sea Magic Association is the ruler of the sea, but the Church of the Evil God rules the Southern Continent.
The Magic Associations mostly extend to these maritime trade associations, so needs aren't as tense as at sea."
Rudolf remained relieved. "Better land quickly. It's still too dangerous."
For the first few days, the Bauhinia moved forward at full speed. Two armed merchant ships and Butler Nine's speedboat headed for the nearest port on the Southern Continent.
During the voyage, Rudolf also acquired a Level 5 Fisheye to observe other waters. Whenever suspicious ships appeared, he asked Cooper to change route to avoid these large vessels. This magical weapon is very practical at sea and can be the first to attack an enemy.
Eleven days later, Rudolf saw a black line on the horizon. This was his destination—the Southern Continent.
I don't know when I crossed the equator. In the last few days, as Rudolf observed the night sky, he noticed that the starry sky was slowly changing, and it stood out strongly against the starry sky of the northern continent. Unicorn, Centaurus, Canis Major, and other constellations that had never been constant on the northern continent appeared above Rudolf's head.
The stars moved, and the magnificent night sky and the twinkling stars set Rudolf's mood. The night is much calmer.
For other apostles, the night sky is a jumble of countless stars jumbled together, some dark and some bright, some sparse and some dense, but for wizards, the secret of a 5th-level wizard simply haunts the naked eye above everyone's head.
As we were about to dock, Butler Nein found Rudolf: "Lord Rudolf, my knights are almost half wounded. I wonder if you could guide us from a distance? This journey takes place over land, avoiding the realm of wizards' meetings. As long as we reach our estate, Master Kedrick's safety will not be a problem."
.
"Of course, Manager Nein. While Bauhinia rests, I will take Master Kedrick to the estate. Master safety is paramount."
When other ships appeared around, Bauhinia was very close to Naville's port.
"Naville's port is the port of the Temple of Oblivion. Unlike the new names of the evil gods on the northern continent, the southern continent does not have to be so hypocritical. Drowned priests can use their names to travel." Steward Nein explained this learned port to Rudolf.
The doctrines of the evil god are rapidly evolving, and many doctrines have changed from what they once were.
For example, the evil god Annihilation—Annihilation is his real name, and Lord of Nothingness is his divine name. If you make sacrifices and pray to these names, you may receive a response from the evil god.
Approaching the port of Naville, the Bauhinia and three ships anchored in the shallow waters, awaiting instructions at the port.
Soon, a small boat approached the Bauhinia. The people on the clothes were the port managers of Naville. Two priests of Annihilation approached the ship, checked the people, and loaded them on board.
"Your ship has no cargo? Then what are you doing here?"
All Oblivion priests have deep, sunken eye sockets and cheekbones, giving them very high cheekbones, sunken eyes, and a very dark appearance.
First Mate Mackenzie said that Bauhinia was more suitable for a voyage to Black Harbor, where pirates roam, but the Mage Association's authority in Black Harbor was too strong, so they would have to go to a port controlled by the Church of the Evil God.
First Mate Mackenzie, who was more familiar with maritime affairs, answered the priest's question on behalf of Captain Cooper:
"Dear Priest, we are here to escort two merchant vessels. The two armed merchant vessels behind us are the only large shipping vessel on the Northern Continent, and he wishes to sell the two merchant vessels here." The Kingdom of Elba on the Northern Continent is at war, and it's very chaotic, so the Southern Continent has a better chance."
The Oblivion Priest believed Mackenzie's words. They had also heard that the Northern Continent was at war, and ambitious knights always started wars. As for whether the two armed merchant ships belonged to the Northern Continent's owners or to pirates, the Oblivion Priest didn't care.
After Mackenzie presented 10 silver shields, the priest issued permission to enter the port: "You are proceeding to Pier 6!"
During the entire inspection process, Rudolf, Kedric, and Butler Nein said
The axis, they didn't avoid trouble.
Rudolf stood at the stern, looking at a low mountain beyond the port of Naville.
The low mountain wasn't very tall, about 200 meters high, and at the top of it sat a group of buildings, or, more accurately, a structure.
It was a circle of stone pillars. The stone pillars were very rough and naturally formed. They weren't artificially carved, as if they were large, long ribbons of stone pulled from somewhere. According to estimates, the diameter of the circle formed by the stone pillars exceeded 50 meters, and the height of each stone was 5 or 6 meters.
There was no connection between the stone pillars, and the circle surrounded by the stone pillars was also empty. This was the temple of the Church of Oblivion. The end of Oblivion was nothingness. It was said that when the sacrifice took place in the temple, a black hole appeared in the mass of stone pillars, which was the gaze of the Lord of Nothingness.
Having received permission, the Bauhinia headed for Pier 6. The Bauhinia stopped here to replenish ammunition and supplies.
As soon as it entered the port, Rudolf suddenly saw a crowd of ships ahead, some even gathering for classes.
Rudolf, not in the mood to observe the Temple of Oblivion on the mountaintop, headed for the bridge. As soon as he stepped onto the bridge, he saw First Officer Mackenzie order the onboard staff to prepare.
"What's going on?"
Hearing Rudolf's question, First Mate Mackenzie explained, "Nothing out of the ordinary, just a scramble for position on the Southern Continent."
The 20 guns aboard the Bauhinia were extended from their gun ports, their black muzzles pointed precariously.
Rudolf wanted to say something, but felt he owed Mackenzie respect. Mackenzie explained himself:
"Mr. Rudolf, this is the Southern Continent, these are the Black Vosges, something completely unseen in our hometown, the Northern Continent.
Here, ferocity and recklessness are the rules of survival. People here bully the weak and fear the strong. When they promote the poor, they rush the fastest, and when they promote the strong, they hide the furthest.
"You see, as long as the Bauhinia blows its whistle, they can calm down."
A high, shrill whistle rang out, and the Bauhinia, with its twin-cylinder steam turbines, platform hull, and dense artillery, quieted the other ships.
More and more ships, rather than being obstacles, made way for the Bauhinia.
"Doesn't the Church of the Evil God care about this?"
"Regardless, in their eyes, we're all heretics without faith, poor creatures who should be stoned. Unless you scream out that you want to convert to the Church of Oblivion, no one will care about you." Mackenzie asserts: "Captain Cooper, Mr. Rudolph, considers the Bauhinia to be very high-class, with 40 phenomena and 4th-level alchemical effects." Most ships in the Ancient Sea aren't as powerful as the Bauhinia. As long as we don't encounter enemies like the Ancient Sea Wizards Association, we don't have to worry too much."
Chief Engineer Salmon, a senior member of the engine room, remarked, "That's also one of the reasons we're willing to board the ship. It's safer on a ship like this. I hope we never encounter enemies of the Wizards Association again."
Confronted with Salmon's wishes, Rudolf didn't know how to support him.
Upon arriving ashore, the second and third mates released the captives, and Rudolf, Cooper, and Mackenzie managed to sell two armed merchant ships.
The captives are skeptical, eyeing the second and third mates of the Bauhinia with suspicion. Aren't they selling them as slaves? Captives become slaves, a common occurrence in the Saragu Sea. When they departed from Bauhinia and began working on the project, they discovered that Bauhinia had indeed let them go.
"I suggest we rent a horse first." First Mate Mackenzie suggested this as soon as he disembarked.
Arriving in an unfamiliar place, Rudolf was willing to listen to other people's advice. Seeing the streets littered with silt and horse manure, he finally understood the purpose of a horse. The mud here exceeded Rudolf's imagination.
No matter how good his leather boots, it was impossible to shield himself from the splashing horse manure. A horse, instead of stepping on horse manure instead of his healthy feet, might have made him feel happier. The composition of horse manure here is unknown. Perhaps in the mornings you can still see people emptying their chamber pots in the street. Many cities on the northern continent have rules prohibiting horses from entering the city, and there will be people there who clean it regularly, so the streets are much cleaner.
I've long heard that this place is dirty and unkempt, but I didn't expect it to be this dirty.
For some reason, two people broke into each other on the street.
At first, they could barely stand, but later they were simply struggling, rolling around in the mud and horse manure, one of them shoving horse manure into a rotating round. Feeding
A friend covered in horse manure could also be considered an enchanted attack. The man with a mouthful of horse manure viciously bit the first man on the shoulder, and I don't know if that causes an infection in the wound.
The central part of Naville is made up of several temples of the Church of Oblivion. Rudolf and his men don't need to go to the central part; they can simply move outside the trading area.
"Let's go to the ship market first. They have what we need there, and there are people there who can buy our two armed merchant ships."