"For Marienburg's disrespect toward the Angrund clan: 3,000 gold coins."
"For Marienburg's disrespect toward all dwarf clans: 5,000 gold coins."
"For Marienburg's disrespect toward all fallen dwarf brethren during the reclamation of Eight Peaks Mountain: 10,000 gold coins."
"To cleanse the insult of the 'failure expert' slander and celebrate Belega and his royal family's glorious return to their homeland: 20,000 gold coins, along with José Mourinho's head."
Under Ryan's guidance, Belega carefully added these entries to the Book of Grudges, and the King of Eight Peaks nodded in satisfaction. Belega patted Ryan's leg. "I have to say, brother Ryan, you truly understand dwarves. Yes, this is how we'll handle it. After we reclaim Eight Peaks, we'll settle the score with those merchant princes!"
Ryan's suggestion to Belega was simple: calculated vengeance with a price attached.
Normally, insults to dwarves were paid for in blood. However, since Marienburg was technically part of the Empire, with which the dwarves had a sacred alliance, Belega couldn't act as freely as he would like. Ryan suggested negotiating first and focusing on targeted revenge.
Ryan knew the merchant princes well. The bourgeoisie had a certain weakness: if a group of angry dwarves showed up at their doorsteps with hammers, axes, and cannons, they would definitely pay up to avoid trouble—and probably throw that so-called expert Mourinho under the bus in the process.
"Speaking of those troublesome human merchants, they are making things difficult." Belega finished writing in the Book of Grudges and, not standing on ceremony, pulled out two cornbread cakes from his pocket, handing one to Ryan. "So, what's your plan? We've embarked on this expedition; there's no way we can turn back to deal with them."
The dwarf cornbread was dry and hard, nearly chipping Ryan's teeth with each bite, though Belega enjoyed it thoroughly. He even offered Ryan some dwarf ale, but Ryan quickly waved it off. "I'll stick to water, thanks. Your ale is a bit too strong for me."
Outside, the Angrund Oathsworn guards immediately brought Ryan two bottles of sherry wine, and the two kings settled in for a chat while snacking in the small room.
Normally, the Book of Grudges contained not only dwarven grievances but also secret historical disputes. Sharing it with someone was a sign of deep trust. Few could read the High King of the Dwarves' great book, but scholars from the Empire could apply to study it, and some were even permitted to copy certain passages. That Belega allowed Ryan to see his personal book showed his high regard for him.
"The only answer we can give is victory." Ryan took another bite of the cornbread, this time with the sherry, and found it actually quite flavorful as he chewed. "A victory, Belega, brother. Do you remember Blackwater Bay? Across from Myrmidens, there's a greenskin stronghold called Giant's Tower, isn't there?"
"I recall it's held by the Jagged Tooth tribe. Are you planning to attack the greenskin outposts along Blackwater Bay?" Belega was puzzled. "Ryan, that's not going to work. Think about it: with an army as large as ours, do you realize how many supplies we consume in just one day? And unlike us dwarves, your humans can't endure long campaigns in the Badlands. It's a dangerous place; you won't last."
"That's exactly why we need to attack the greenskin outposts along Blackwater Bay." Ryan nodded. "Here's my plan…"
"Ohhh!"
———I'm the planning phase divider———
After a brief stop in Estalia, the knightly army continued onward to Tilea, planning to resupply in the Duchy of Luccini.
Aboard the flagship Randuin, Ryan was explaining the history of Luccini to Veronica and Olica. "Whether the Estalians want to admit it or not, Luccini is likely the origin of southern civilization."
"In the first year of Emperor Charlemagne's reign, a pair of siblings appeared on the land that is now the Duchy of Luccini. At the time, the king of the Tilean tribe had been usurped by his brother and driven into the wilderness, where he eventually died, leaving behind twin infants. The babies should have perished, but a two-headed, three-tailed leopardess found them and nursed them with her milk. A shepherd later raised them into adulthood."
"When the siblings grew up, they gathered their scattered tribe and found an ancient 'elven fortress' where they built their palace. They named their new kingdom after themselves, calling it Luccini. The siblings became King Lucan and Queen Lucina, and they were considered a divine gift to the duchy, believed to be children of the gods. From then on, the royal families of the Lupus and Luchese clans were thought to be descendants of deities. The throne of Luccini has always passed between these two families..."
Ryan was interrupted by Veronica, who was listening with her chin propped on her hand. "Wait! They were both siblings and spouses?"
"Correct." Ryan nodded slightly, a bit embarrassed. "Whether they were truly married or just co-rulers has been debated by historians. Initially, the Empire believed they were spouses, but after Brittany was founded, scholars reexamined the records and concluded they were simply co-rulers, which became the widely accepted theory."
"However, after the Great Holy War, Emperor Ludwig the Savior visited Tilea and inquired about the matter. The Duchy of Luccini confirmed to him that the two were indeed both siblings and spouses, so historians had to change their stance again."
"Ugh… I see." Veronica grimaced but motioned for Ryan to continue.
The dark elf, meanwhile, seemed entirely unfazed, as if such matters were nothing new to her.
"The two founders left behind two families, so the throne of Luccini has always alternated between the Lupus and Luchese clans. These two families have been at odds for generations, constantly vying for the throne. Due to frequent inbreeding, members of both families have become extremely arrogant, yet they have a peculiar fondness for humor. The entire culture of Luccini revolves around comedic skits and acrobatic performances, and even assassinations are carried out with a comedic flair. For example, one heir to the duchy slipped on a banana peel, slid dozens of feet, and crashed into a manure cart, where he drowned. The people of Luccini praised this as a high art of assassination, caring more about who orchestrated it than the unfortunate victim."
"The current ruler is Duke Lorenzo Lupus. The capital, Luccini, has about 85,000 residents, and their strongest military force is the Retained Veteran Corps, a unit of about 2,000 heavy infantry equipped with spears, large shields, and heavy javelins. Each soldier has served for over sixteen years, making them extremely experienced and highly disciplined. They almost never retreat and are only deployed in the most critical situations." After delivering this lengthy history, Ryan took a sip of fruit juice to wet his throat and pointed at Luccini's location on the map. "That's the history of the Duchy of Luccini."
"My dear, you never do anything without a reason." Veronica, lazily reclining on a soft couch, seemed exhausted from frequent aches and fatigue. The Garland witch kicked off her high heels and casually asked, "Do you have some kind of plan? Tilea, the land of mercenaries and war dogs—are you planning to…"
"Yes, Luccini once had a powerful army," Ryan nodded, "the Leopard Company, led by Leonardo. This elite mercenary group emerged from Luccini's internal strife, originally drawn from the Retained Veteran Corps."
"As I mentioned, the throne of Luccini always alternates between the Lupus and Luchese families. This generation was no different. At that time, Duke Lorenzo Lupus and Leonardo Luchese were vying for the throne, leading to several bloody battles. Ultimately, Lorenzo bribed the Twin-tailed Cathedral's bishop and gained a decisive advantage. The two reached a truce, allowing Leonardo to leave Luccini with his Leopard Company and swear never to return. Lorenzo became duke, but Leonardo retained the right to recruit new soldiers from Luccini."
"I've already made contact with Leonardo and his Leopard Company. They will join us in this war."
"I bet they didn't come cheap?" Veronica found a comfortable position and smiled teasingly. "Can you afford them, Your Majesty, with your war bonds struggling?"
"Drawing a big promise isn't hard." Ryan grinned and playfully pinched Veronica's delicate foot. "That's the beauty of mercenaries—they only care about money."
"Ah! No, stop that, Ryan! Let me rest for a couple of days!" Veronica squealed, quickly pulling her foot back. "Darling, I really can't handle it anymore. Go find Olica. If this continues, I won't even be able to walk."
"Heh heh heh… now you see my strength, don't you?" Ryan smirked, agreeing to her plea. He reached out and scooped up Olica, the dark elf maid, who obediently slipped off her shoes and nestled into Ryan's lap. "Master~ I'm always ready for you, whenever you need~"
Olica wore a simple black embroidered dress with a high collar, paired with black heels. Her slender
legs were wrapped in sheer white stockings. She curled up contentedly in Ryan's arms, resting her head on his chest. Ryan, embracing his dark elf maid, enjoyed the peaceful moment.
In the afternoon, sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow on the room. After a few minutes, Ryan, still holding Olica, teased Veronica. "By the way, darling, who do you plan to assign Katherine to?"
"What about Karad?" Veronica, who had been dozing off, perked up at the mention. The Garland witch stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Katherine is a Bright Fire Witch like me, and she could definitely help Karad."
Veronica's personal apprentice, Katherine, had now become an official witch and was ready to take on her own responsibilities and disciples.
"That works." Ryan nodded. Seeing that Ryan agreed, Veronica's eyes sparkled. "Then it's settled."
Thus, the Sea God Fleet sailed on to the Duchy of Luccini. After landing, Ryan met with Duke Lorenzo, who wore an antiquated suit of armor—a round helmet with a red plume, segmented chest armor over chainmail, and leather straps hanging from the waist, all topped off with a red leopard-patterned cloak. At his side was a short sword and a square shield emblazoned with a leopard emblem.
Ryan found him quite old-fashioned and deeply… traditional. Lorenzo even insisted on speaking in the local Tilean dialect, though Ryan, fortunately, spoke the language fluently, preventing any miscommunication.
Ryan successfully hired Leonardo's Leopard Company, and this elite force would now join the expedition to reclaim Eight Peaks Mountain.
The army rested and resupplied in Luccini's port while the Randuin set sail for Sartosa, the Pirate Principality south of Tilea.
"Federmond, we're going to visit your relatives!" Ryan joked from the deck of the Randuin. "Tell us, how will your family greet us?"
"That woman? Saltspite? I'm guessing she'll welcome us with bullets and cannon fire!" Count Anthelm of Quenelles, Su Liya's cousin and a Grail Knight, joked as he approached, fully armed. "Hey, this is a rare opportunity! Let's see how many Bretonnians dishonored themselves on Sartosa. How many do we need to settle?"
"Saltspite is our ally. She won't point her guns at us; she's a daughter of the Sea God, and we have the Sea God's prince with us!" Karad also cracked a rare smile, though his expression remained serious. "Isn't that right, Federmond?"
"For the last time, we are not related to Aranessa Saltspite!" Federmond exclaimed in frustration. "The only reason we've helped her before is that the Sea God Mannan appeared in a dream to my father. Beyond that, our family has nothing to do with her pirate crew! Only Mannan knows how a Norscan chieftain's daughter became the Sea God's chosen!"
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha~"
In the distance, Aranessa's flagship, the Swordfish, awaited Ryan's arrival off the coast of Sartosa.
Ryan gazed at the enormous pirate ship, frowning.
Through Amancio, Fugen had sent Ryan a message: to reach the Great Vortex at the Graveyard of Ships in the Vast Ocean, they would need a legendary artifact—the sundial of the pirate king, Captain Ross.
And that artifact was said to be hidden in Sartosa.
_________________________
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