"How did the negotiations go, Griffith?" asked the Nun Princess Magdal as she spoke up when Princess, in a pale silver ceremonial gown, stepped onto the carriage with the help of her attendant.
"Not well, that old fox Anlek wants Haruz to go to Anlek with him," Griffith replied calmly. The weather was still a bit cold, and the maid beside her draped a fur shawl over her shoulders. She adjusted the shawl and continued, "It’s impossible; I will never hand Haruz over to him. I believe that Teacher Liwu and Lord Macaro would not agree either."
"What shall we do then?" The gentle and charming Nun Princess showed a worried expression on her face, "I heard that your brother’s people have already approached Anlek."
"It’s fine," Griffith showed no sign of anxiety. "Our Duke is making outrageous demands. He knows we won’t compromise under such terms, but neither will he easily reveal his trump card. He also wants to know where our bottom line lies." As she spoke, the Half-Elf Girl looked up calmly at the sky over Ambeser.
Although it was already the Recovery Month of the Sword Year, the sky of this tropolis was still a leaden grey, as if snowflakes could drift down at any mont.
Griffith sighed, "There’s still more to discuss, Tine."
...
In Kruz, explorers refer to the Inner Sea west of Erune and south of Kruz as the Sea of Shining. Departing westward from Griss Fishing Port, one enters this shimring, light blue expanse of ocean, and then heading north, one would enter one of Ambeser’s main shipping routes.
Today, the weather was clear, and a beautiful, swift three-masted ship was sailing through the waves; still near the coast, seagulls circled around the mast. This ship was loaded with papyrus and crystal ornants, disguised as a rchant ship from the Southern Rubik Kingdom—a desert nation full of exotic charm at the southern end of the Sea of Shining. There is a land trade route from Rubik to Jiu Feng, but Brand had not been there many tis as it was too far away—currently, the ship riding the wind and waves was called the ’Distant Land.’ It was relatively new, officially registered in Ambeser as a genuine rchant ship. Caglis managed to acquire such a ship thanks to the reasonably good relations the Lengshan Domain Group, represented by Brand, currently had with the rchants of Ambeser. It was a fast ship, and according to those earning a living at sea, it was the ’finest young fellow.’
The captain of the ’Distant Land’ was quite young, only in his thirties. Most people his age were still serving as First Mate, but this also indicated the captain’s abilities. On the ship, the young captain was like a king, without much deference to the nobles’ authority, and fortunately, Brand had no noble airs, and the two got along fairly well.
The captain was nad Jas, unlike other seafarers, he kept himself neatly, whether it was his beard or attire, perhaps a common trait among young n. But this wasn’t necessarily a bad habit; the captain liked wearing a red wool coat, a tricorn hat, with his sword at his waist, and carrying a pipe. People making a living at sea often had so indulgences; Brand had seen captains directing fleets while dead drunk, compared to whom this captain was practically a role model in the industry.
In fact, Brand sensed a military air from this captain, disciplined and ticulous. Upon inquiry, he learned the captain was of noble lineage, with ancestral roots in the Kingdom’s navy. Though in this generation, he had turned to comrce, the ingrained deanor from childhood exposure remained unchanged.
The two stood by the ship’s rail, watching the sea gradually deepen from bright blue into a hint of deep purple. It had been a day since they entered the Sea of Shining, and the continental shelf’s shadow was no longer visible. After sailing another chain or two, they would fully enter the deep sea. By nightfall, the seagulls from the mainland would no longer be seen.
These views were familiar to Jas; although only in his thirties, he had sailed this route for twenty years, from sailor to First Mate, only recently becoming a captain. In terms of experience, few on this ship could match him. Brand was not surprised; he was knowledgeable and had seen the deeper oceans and could tell more sea tales than the most seasoned sailor.
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