The newly arrived Angus expressed that he had no objections to the formation of the new warwand. Since there was nothing else pressing at the moment, he was eager to return to his ongoing collaboration with the dwarves, continuing their experiments on alloy compositions. His enthusiasm for research was no less than that of the dwarves themselves.
"You know," the material reseacher said passionately, eyes gleaming, "combining traditional material science with the magical substances here—it's practically an entirely new discipline! There are countless new materials waiting for me to study and synthesize! I'll make a name for myself in history here before I'm done!"
With that, he left with fiery determination.
He seemed to have forgotten, however, that the game had already been running for years in the Gaia Zone. Hopefully, he could still make new discoveries beyond what his peers had already achieved.
Speaking of the Shadow Assassin, Aldric found it odd that three days had already passed, and still no news had surfaced. Could the assassin have been caught?
Security around the lord's castle had grown extremely tight lately. The city's original garrison had suffered heavy losses, many were dead or injured during the cultist attack, forcing the authorities to borrow manpower from various temples, bringing in squads of paladins to fill the gap.
According to information from his teacher, an entire order of paladins was expected to arrive soon at the port. They were originally en route to suppress a potential Chaos infection outbreak within the city. But since that issue had been resolved, their mission had changed: they would rest briefly outside Port Anthony, then proceed directly into the Black Forest to close the Chaos Gate that had been opened there.
This arrangement reflected the tacit understanding between Antoine, the acting lord, and the representatives of the Church. Each major church was allowed to establish a temple within the city, while in return, Port Anthony would take responsibility for the paladins' supplies and logistics during wartime.
In exchange, Antoine would gain the Church's backing to solidify his position as the lord of Port Anthony, while ensuring the paladin order would not enter the city itself but instead encamp in an old fortress about thirty kilometers away.
"An old fortress thirty kilometers outside the city… that sounds awfully familiar. Damn it, don't tell me that's my territory?" Aldric thought uneasily, feeling a chill crawl up his spine. "No way, it can't be that much of a coincidence… right?"
That evening, Captain Emmus Rockfell somehow learned that Aldric was currently staying at the Thunderhammer Forge and came to visit him personally.
After chatting briefly and exchanging news, Emmus inquired about Terry's situation. Upon hearing that the young man was currently studying basic knowledge within the city, the captain finally got to the main reason for his visit.
"A few days ago, Lord Antoine sent someone to ask me questions about you," Emmus said, sitting in the chair with a cup of hot tea in hand, a fine elven brew Aldric had offered him.
"At first, I thought you might have gotten into trouble, so I only told them that you once saved our lives. I was worried my sailors might have let slip something about your… secrets. But before I could even find them, I heard the news that you had been publicly commended by the lord. Only then did I breathe a sigh of relief."
He took another sip of tea before continuing. "But today, Antoine's men came again. This time, they said the lord was willing to sponsor a new ship for me—asked if I'd like to serve as its captain. I know Antoine doesn't offer generosity without reason. So, I came to find you, thinking this must somehow be connected to you, and wanted to hear what you think."
Aldric couldn't help but admire that fat Antoine. No matter how one looked at him, the man wasn't exactly a good person—but when it came to political maneuvering and manipulation, he was impeccable. As long as there was profit involved, Antoine could be the best "friend" one could ever have.
Aldric gently stroked the small artifact in his pocket [Leomund's Secret Treasure Chamber] and an idea sparked in his mind. "Captain," he said with a calm smile, "how about this: instead of letting Antoine fund you, I'll be the one to invest. You can serve as my captain."
The sudden offer left Emmus momentarily stunned. "Wait… are you saying you already have a ship?"
"Not yet," Aldric replied. "But I plan to buy one soon. I'm quite sure I have enough funds to purchase one of Antoine's ship outright."
He smiled while speaking, but in his mind, he was already figuring out how to convince Antoine later that this money had absolutely nothing to do with the disappearance of his treasury.
The old captain gave Aldric a long, thoughtful look. He had known the young man possessed extraordinary talents, but he hadn't expected him to amass such wealth in just a few days.
Recalling their harrowing experiences in the wilderness, Emmus stood up solemnly, straightened his coat, and gave a slight bow. "It's an honor to earn your trust. I would be glad to serve as your captain."
It didn't take long for the two to iron out the details. Aldric would provide full funding for the purchase of the ship as well as the first batch of cargo, while Captain Emmus would be responsible for overseeing the procurement, logistics, and management of the vessel.
The captain's only request was to personally select his sailors and crew members, to which Aldric readily agreed. The only point of disagreement came when Aldric proposed a fifty-fifty profit split, but Emmus insisted on keeping only a 20% share—just as he had before.
"In truth," Emmus added after accepting the offer, "I wouldn't recommend buying one of Antoine's ships." His tone lowered, cautious as ever. "Although he's a clever and business-minded ruler, he's still a novice when it comes to shipping. Frankly, the vessels under his control are in worrying condition."
He glanced toward the window, as though afraid someone might overhear even in this quiet room.
"Oh? Then what would you suggest?" Aldric asked. He knew the old captain well enough to understand that the man never spoke without reason. And besides, avoiding a transaction with Antoine would save him a lot of unnecessary trouble—especially given how suspicious that fat man could be.
After all, it would be hard to convince Antoine that the recent disappearance of his vault's contents and Aldric's sudden wealth were entirely unrelated—especially if he ended up purchasing one of Antoine's own ships.
Emmus took another sip of tea, savoring its warmth. "This elven drink really is something special. I can feel it warming my stomach," he murmured appreciatively. "As for a ship, there's actually a fine one currently available—a four-masted galleon called the Kingfisher. It's an excellent vessel, though admittedly pricey… but worth every coin."
Seeing the gleam in the old man's eyes, Aldric couldn't help but suspect that the captain had had his sights set on this ship for quite some time. "Tell me more about it," Aldric said with interest. "Why would someone sell such a fine ship?"
Emmus composed himself before answering. "A few days ago, several people went missing in the harbor district—it's caused quite an uproar. Among the missing are the Kingfisher's owner and its captain. They were last seen inspecting cargo at a warehouse near the docks. The shipowner's eldest son and several warehouse guards disappeared along with them. No bodies have been found—no trace at all."
Aldric's expression darkened. The captain's story reminded him of the grotesque flesh platform he had seen inside the Chaos Rift. Thinking about it made his throat tighten and his stomach churn.
Though he was a seasoned soldier, accustomed to blood and battle, the horror of wading through human remains was something entirely different.
After that incident, both he and the female warrior had silently agreed never to speak of those missing people again. Neither of them ever brought up what they had seen—it was better left unremembered.
"The shipowner's widow doesn't wish to continue the business," Emmus went on, noting Aldric's discomfort. "She's planning to sell all her family's assets and return to live in Inbram in the Old World."
The captain refilled Aldric's cup with hot tea, his movements slow and considerate.
(End of Chapter)