Captain – Chapter 275 – Arriving with the Royal Ring, As If the Emperor Himself

The previously bustling street fell silent with the arrival of the imperial carriage, leaving only the patter of rain.

Faced with such a noble carriage, after experiencing confusion, shock, and surprise, all vehicles and people blocking its path cleared away, creating an unobstructed road—this naturally included the Hubbard family’s convoy.

Due to his noble birth and being deeply cherished by the old Duke, Young Master Snow rarely yielded to others, let alone bowed.

Yet upon seeing Lieutenant Harvi’s reaction and recognizing the emblem on the approaching carriage, even a proud and dignified young man like him promptly abandoned those “material concerns,” becoming one of many standing in the vast rain with lowered heads.

Only after the carriage entered the city gate, when even the sound of wheels could no longer be heard, did those present dare raise their heads, their eyes still reflecting lingering shock.

Especially those high-ranking dignitaries from the imperial capital, whose eyes filled with fear and alarm. Compared to ordinary citizens and nobles from remote regions, they were closer to the old man standing at the empire’s peak and understood certain truths better.

It was well known that the old man secluded in the royal palace hadn’t left St. Caloie since a calamity sixteen years ago.

Yet now, he had left the imperial capital and personally traveled to Colent—what was this for, and what did it mean?

No one knew the answer, but everyone understood that what would happen next would undoubtedly be an extraordinary event, perhaps affecting the current political situation or even world affairs.

“Lieutenant Harvi, please immediately send someone back to report His Majesty’s arrival in Colent to grandfather with the utmost speed,” Snow said to the officer who had returned to his side, speaking rapidly with barely concealed tension and anxiety.

“Yes, sir.”

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The lieutenant respectfully acknowledged, then instinctively lowered his voice, probing: “Young master, was that truly His Majesty the Emperor in the carriage?”

Though an officer who normally stationed at a fortress not far from St. Caloie, Harvi had never had the honor of seeing His Majesty, never had the opportunity to behold the splendor of this ruler who had created another golden age and was called the wisest sovereign in hundreds of years.

Therefore, as he asked this question, his eyes involuntarily revealed intense curiosity and undisguised admiration.

“Besides His Majesty, who else could ride in that carriage?”

Easily discerning the lieutenant’s thoughts, the youth coldly said, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Lieutenant. Trying to get close to the Emperor is suicidal. If he doesn’t wish to see anyone, forget about you—even grandfather wouldn’t dare approach.”

“So, put aside your foolish thoughts and quickly arrange the message delivery. We’re preparing to continue our journey.”

After receiving this blunt warning, Harvi watched the youth board the carriage, then sighed softly.

With a final glance at the city gate, the lieutenant only reluctantly turned away when Snow impatiently urged him on, abandoning thoughts of an audience and beginning to arrange the matters as instructed.

With the departure of the noble carriage, normal order resumed at the city gate, like the surface of water returning to calm after a stone’s disturbance, settling back to stillness after brief ripples.

Yet some couldn’t calm their hearts.

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Due to the downpour and approaching night, Colent’s streets were remarkably empty. Especially after the carriage emblazoned with the eagle emblem turned north at the central crossroads, even passing carriages disappeared.

Because at the end of that northern street stood a magnificent military fortress that replaced the city wall.

It was built within the city specifically to maintain order and security in Colent, a crucial hub city. Simultaneously, due to its stability and advantages for collecting and transmitting intelligence, it was designated as the empire’s western supreme command center, fully coordinating all military operations in the west.

But most importantly, it wasn’t about its status or reason for existence, but about that little-known important figure who had arrived there in recent days.

Auston Sanchez.

After traveling down a long, desolate street, the towering fortress with its daylight-bright illumination finally appeared before the carriage.

By now, the fortress’s heavy gates stood open, with two rows of soldiers standing at attention, arranged from the gate sides extending over a hundred meters outward.

Whipping the horses, Merri drove the carriage past the ceremonial formation of soldiers, slowly stopping before the main gate. He then nimbly dismounted and turned back to open the carriage door, completely ignoring the elderly officer standing in the rain.

Even though the man was a genuine General.

Seeing this, the old man’s eyes narrowed involuntarily, reflecting dissatisfaction and anger. Although the navy and army operated under separate commands, he still outranked the other man as a General is superior to a former Rear Admiral. Even if the coachman had leverage because of the noble passenger, he shouldn’t disrespect him so blatantly.

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But thinking of the important figure inside the building behind him, the General quickly suppressed these emotions, replaced by barely perceptible bewilderment and profound trepidation.

The Marshal’s arrival at Colent’s military center was absolutely classified information even within the military. Besides a countable few, nobody else could possibly know.

Yet now, this carriage representing the empire’s supreme authority had arrived without warning. Even before it entered Colent’s gate, the military intelligence network had completely failed, with no secret reports returning.

Everything happened too quickly—so quickly that even the General felt unsettled, as if dark clouds had instantly pressed down, making it difficult to breathe.

The carriage door opened silently.

Watching the person descending from the carriage, the General’s aged eyes widened slightly, his wrinkled face revealing uncontrollable shock.

Not shock that the Emperor had truly arrived, but shock that the person exiting the carriage…

Wasn’t the Emperor at all!

“You… you…”

Pointing at the person with trembling fingers, the old man seemed about to question something, but was coldly interrupted by Merri.

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The young officer opened a black umbrella, shielding the youth beside him from the rain while saying coldly, “Prince Curtis arrives bearing the royal ring, as if His Majesty himself were present. You see the Emperor but don’t pay respects…”

“Is this rebellion?”

The young man’s indifferent voice echoed, making the already somber atmosphere increasingly oppressive.

Casting his gaze on the ring on the youth’s right ring finger—an ornate ring with a dark gold border filled with ruby-red gemstones around the edges and a cross-shaped amethyst gem in the center—the old man’s lips trembled involuntarily.

That was the royal ring symbolizing the Emperor’s identity, also the coronation ring of Auran rulers throughout generations!

It should have remained on His Majesty’s hand, yet now appeared on this completely unfamiliar youth’s finger. This not only signified, as the young officer said, the Emperor’s personal presence, but also symbolized another deeper, more astounding hidden meaning.

That the position of Auran’s crown prince had imperceptibly changed hands, and this youth he had never seen before was just one step away from the glorious throne!

With this thought, without any further resistance or words, the old man knelt on one knee, slightly lowered his head, and solemnly greeted: “General Willis pays respect to Your Majesty.”

Seeing this, the soldiers on both sides knelt on one knee, their unified greeting rumbling like thunder and roaring like the tide, nearly drowning out the violent rain.

“We pay respects to Your Majesty!”