Volume 8 Chapter 2 Part 6

(What I want to do now…)

Ulrika murmured to herself and beckoned Flint to her side.

「Once my injuries have healed, I’ll leave this castle. I haven’t decided what I want to do. I don’t have anything or anyone else with me right now, but will you come with me regardless? No, please, come with me. I want you to come with me. 」

「When I met you back in Castle Unicorn, I knew I couldn’t win against you. Because you were strong, you were fierce, and you were so attractive. That’s why I decided to submit myself to you. We Werewolves always honor the oaths that we vow. And once we establish a vow, that vow can never be changed no matter what. 」

Flint answered with a straight face.

「Thank you. 」

Ulrika smiled and kissed Flint lightly on the cheek.

A few days later, Erik’s daughter Ulrika left the territory of the Nords and traveled to Bretland. She has decided that the new chapter in her life would begin there.

* * *

Theo and Siluca left Castle Unicorn on a fast boat and headed for Halusia via Stark, Dartania, and Sistina.

At the port in the capital city of Laxia, they met with Theo’s subordinate Lords such as Juzel Rossini, Ender Selik and Radovan Torvas. Although they each have their own problems to deal with right now, the governance of their own countries has returned back on track, and it’s because of their help that Theo could concentrate on aiding the continent.

During the voyage, Siluca felt a bit like a proper traveler, and so she wanted to be on the top deck of the ship more than she was during their last voyage. However, she was only there when she was sure that the sea was absolutely calm. Because the fast boat was small, it would sway up and down and left and right when the waves rose, and Siluca had no choice but to hide in her cabin each time.

Still, it could be said that they had a relatively smooth sailing. After only ten days from Sistina, the fastboat arrived at the port city of Palmas, the capital of Halusia.

Ships of all sizes were moored at the port. Among them, there was a large ship that stood out more than the others. The hull was pitch black with four slender masts. Moreover, there were ten ships of the same shape lined up at both its sides.

「What is that? 」

Theo asked.

「It’s an iron-clad ship. I believe it was a Viscount rank reward… 」

It was a warship reinforced with iron armor. This is the first time Siluca has seen it in real life, but she’s definitely seen in the list of rewards for the titles in the peerage system before. And since Archduke Silvestre Ducet had an abundance of those, it would stand to reason that he has received many rewards.

However, the ship is slow and has no use in practical naval warfare because of it, or at least that’s what the rumors that were circulating about it were saying. However, because it was in theory a warship against which no other enemy ship could possibly fight, it was eventually nicknamed The Invincible Ship by the locals.

Siluca proceeded to relate that anecdote to Theo.

「I have to say, the feeling of intimidation that it invokes is certainly amazing. 」

Theo said while rolling his eyes.

「I heard that the late Archduke Sylvester Ducet used to be laughed at for making too many unnecessary purchases, but if you want to receive many rewards for the title that you’re holding, you need to have proper logistics and people who’ll take care of there rewards for you, like engineers. 」

Siluca offered Theo further explanations and stressed the importance of engineers.

The same goes for Haman’s turret cannon, but in order to receive actual weapons, the Lord’s rank needed to be sufficiently high. Since it was originally created in preparation for the battle against Chaos monsters, the Mages Association did not want to give it to the Lords at all. However, in recent years, as the power of the Lords has increased, they have become unable to refuse requests and have started offering them as rewards.

「Anyway, it looks like it’s been well taken care of. Iron tends to rust easily, so it’s hard to imagine anyone allowing it to be destroyed by seawater just like that. 」

「Yes, taking good care of the things in your possession is common sense. 」

「I feel like it’s even more wasteful to work on something that’s useless…「

Halusia probably has that much national power that they could easily afford it.

Eventually, the fast boat arrived at the pier, and the group set foot on the land of Halusia.

They were planning to meet Alexis privately, so they haven’t talked to the other’s contracted Mage themselves. Instead, they then decided to rely on their Chamberlain, Irvin, since he is acquainted with Noelia, Alexis’s head maid. rvin and Noelia had witnessed Alexis and Marine’s fatefull meeting in Elam and their subsequent falling in love from the very beginning.

(If it weren’t for that tragedy, the two of them could have become the couple that would’ve been envied by everyone right now…)

However, at the time, she had complained about being forced to attend their wedding and read a congratulatory speech as the representative of the students of the Magic University.

* * *

The city of Palmas had a bright and cheerful atmosphere to it.
On the market, a wide variety of agricultural products and seafood was being sold, as well as jewelry and crafts. Halusia is close to the southern Demonic Realm, the Dark Continent, and rare products from that land have also arrived there more easily than in the other parts of the continent.

The group dressed up in Dartanian costumes as disguises and strolled around the city of Palmas for a while. After a while, Irvin came back and reported.

「Lord Alexis says that he will gladly receive you. 」

「That’s great to hear. 」

Siluca was relieved. She was a little worried about what would happen if their request for a meeting was refused. Then, they head to the palace of the Marquis of Halusia and entered through the back door used by servants and merchants.

Once inside, they were guided to Alexis’ waiting maid, Noelia, and ushered into one of the guest rooms. Irvin and the others were moved to a separate room. Probably to make it possible for Theo and Siluca to talk with Alexis in a truly private manner.

After a while, Alexis came in wearing casual clothes.

Even though he wasn’t dressed up, the Marquis of Halusia was still as beautiful as always. He has a slender body that makes it hard to believe that he is a Lord, and his skin was silky smooth and shiny. Siluca often wondered if it’s not like that because he might have some of the blood of the faries from the world of Tir na Nog mixed into his own blood.

「I missed you, Theo Cornero. 」

Alexis looked pale when he came into the room, but as soon as he saw Theo, he lit up. He even smiled and hugged him tightly.

Then he took Siluca’s hand and kissed it gently. The girls who admired him would have fainted if they saw that.

Theo and Alexis sat side by side on the banquette. Siluca prepared a round chair for herself nearby, and then sat down on it.

「I had heard rumors about your success. It was like the legend of the Founding Lord Leon.」

Alexis’ voice sounded clear and excited.

「It’s all thanks to Siluca and my friends who were with me. 」

Theo answered humbly.

「Leon also had friends with him on his journey. A great Mage who later founded the Mages Association, a traveler from another world, a Fairy Queen… 」

He’s just talking normally, but Alexis’ tone made it sound as if he was reciting a poem. Alexis then asked Theo to tell him the story about how they quelled the Chaos Vortex and what kind of place Sistine was.

Theo answered all of his questions gladly, and the friendly exchange continued for a while.

「…You became a leader of the Artuk Treaty, right? 」

Once they finished talking about Sistina, Alexis changed the subject.

「And became independent from the Fantasia Union because of that as well. 」

Alexis turned his melancholic eyes towards Theo, who simply nodded silently.
Siluca felt nervous. At this moment, it felt like soldiers might burst into the room and capture them.

But fortunately, that wasn’t the case. Of course, she knew that Alexis is not that kind of person. If he had been a man of intrigue, the Fantasia Union would not have been in as much trouble as it currently was.