A considerable amount of time has passed since my conversation with the king about the case of the spies we sent to the other continent. During this period, things have become notably turbulent. A series of preparations was underway, all with a single purpose, to explore the unknown continent and uncover the true situation there. It's worth noting that this idea was originally proposed by me.
From my perspective, this seems to be the only viable way to resolve this whole situation without getting ourselves into a war. Even though we tried sending letters or any other form of communication, the result remains unchanged; we received no response. Furthermore, the spies we sent are still missing, further complicating the situation.
At this point, I believe both of them are probably already dead, as it doesn't make sense to keep them prisoners for so long. Albert and the king share this same thought, so we avoided addressing this matter delicately. Additionally, other relevant information pertains to Aizen and Penelope's marriage.
It was no surprise to anyone that they ended up getting married. Although Emi and I received invitations to the wedding, it seems they didn't expect our presence. As we entered the venue, we could see the surprise on their faces, surpassing even the astonishment of the other guests.
While Aizen and Penelope were immersed in their newlywed life, Liam continued to wait for the perfect opportunity to confess his feelings. Unfortunately, I couldn't offer much more than my support in this situation. That was all I could do at that moment. Anyway, Liam is an amazing guy, so if he's sincere, he'll likely manage to express his feelings the right way.
Regardless, there was nothing I could do by staying in the castle, as my presence there wouldn't expedite the preparations. So, I returned home and dedicated this time to my family. I also took the chance to share the recent events and the decision to join Albert on the journey to the other continent with my parents.
When I shared this decision with my parents, they were deeply concerned. However, I managed to ease their worries a bit by explaining that we wouldn't be getting involved in anything dangerous. Our plan was just to go there, secure an audience with the leading patriarch, and then safely return home.
I really didn't want to worry Anna, so I just mentioned that I would be away on a trip for some time and that I'd be back in a few months. Despite her persistent questions about where I was going and why she couldn't come along, I managed to navigate the situation without causing alarm.
Of course, Emi was one of the first people I told that I would be heading to the other continent soon. To describe the situation that night, let's just say that Emi was expressing her feelings for me in a noticeably more intense way than usual.
As the days passed, the date of our departure finally arrived. Albert and I were already in Belfri. As mentioned before, all the realms had been previously informed about the situation's development. Although none of them responded or commented on it, none of them denied our requests.
Both he and I had bid farewell to our families, although the way it happened left a strong impression that maybe we wouldn't return. However, to be honest, both Albert and I weren't getting involved in anything dangerous. Albert also understood that attempting to rescue the spies we sent could be risky, and we might end up disappearing like them.
Once we stepped aboard the ship, I leaned against the railing and gazed out at the realm of Belfri. Various people bustled back and forth: mothers, fathers, and children, each immersed in their daily routines without a care for what was happening around them.
"Ren, we're about to set sail in a few minutes"
Albert's voice echoed through my thoughts. When I looked in his direction, I saw he was in the captain's cabin. I simply nodded in his direction. From that moment on, I waited in silence. Just as Albert had predicted, the ship began to move toward the vast open sea.
A cold breeze caressed my face with every sway of the boat. It wasn't a very large vessel; I would say it was, at most, medium-sized. However, our aim was to avoid drawing attention, so this more discreet size suited our needs perfectly. Additionally, when we got close enough, we planned to use a small rowboat, attached on board, to reach the nearest town.
Following this episode, the journey continued without apparent issues. During the mornings, Albert and I spent our time discussing our plans for when we arrived on the new continent, while at night, we rested as much as possible. After about a week and a half at sea, the weather began to grow uneasy. Dark clouds started to gather, and I could feel the sea becoming more restless.
It seemed we had reached the right location; however, following the instructions Albert and I had given the captain earlier, we managed to navigate through it smoothly. In no time, we crossed that area calmly and safely.
Once the fog that obscured much of our vision cleared, we finally caught sight of the new continent. Beside me, Albert also watched in awe at the landscape. For some reason, at that exact moment, I felt as if I were inside an adventure movie.
"This is... impressive"
Albert said beside me, his eyes reflecting genuine curiosity, which didn't surprise me. For people in this world, discovering there's another continent beyond what they know is undoubtedly extraordinary.
"I wholeheartedly agree; the view from here is incredible"
I said, eliciting a small laugh from Albert. After that moment, both he and I fell into silence as the ship drew nearer. As soon as we found a suitable spot, Albert and I boarded the rowboat and began rowing toward our final destination.