Cyprus Seaport, the biggest port and the third largest city in the Kingdom of Nicosia, is located at the tip of the Labrador Peninsula, known as the Corner of the Nether Sea.
To the east, it faces the Light Blue Sea, which separates the Blue Continent from the vast unknown land—a sea that claims the title of the Pearl of the Nether Sea.
Thanks to its superior geographical location and favorable natural conditions, commerce and industry here are extraordinarily prosperous. The Murray River, flowing from west to east across the western part of the Blue Continent, winds around the south of Cyprus City and into the Nether Sea, making Cyprus a port excellent for both sea and river transport.
This is also the capital of the Homer region, which has always been the fiefdom of one of the most famous families in Nicosia—the Grand Duke Philip's family.
The Philip family has controlled this region for two centuries, and because of long-term intermarriage with the royal family, most current members of the Philip family possess royal blood.
Gazing at the merchant ships gradually docking with the downstream current, the river's color also slowly turns bluer, revealing a gentle touch as the continuous reed belts that span for miles from east to west dance in the wind.
Here, nearing the sea, the heavier seawater is backflowing into the mouth of the river due to the influence of the tides and gravity, imparting a slight salty tang to the river water.
With the cool breeze, one can even see several beautiful seagulls approaching inland, riding the fresh sea wind from the depths of the Nether Sea, their crisp and pleasant cries signaling the homecoming of travelers and the arrival of newcomers—beautiful and prosperous Cyprus is at hand.
The young man, feeling a bit awkward, shifted slightly away from the owners of several disgusted stares. Although faint, the slightly sour smell of sweat was still scorned by his exceptionally sensitive fellow travelers.
The clothes he was wearing hadn't been changed in several days, not because there weren't any changes to make, but because there were no clothes to change into. Firstly, there had been no time to go ashore during the eastward voyage by boat; and secondly, an indescribable sense of trepidation made him feel that perhaps staying on the ship was the safest option.
This was an utterly ordinary dual-purpose single-masted sailboat; the front part generally used to transport goods and necessities, while the rear adapted to the situation. It could accommodate a few crude bunks when there were passengers or be converted into a cargo hold by removing the wooden bunks when no suitable passengers were aboard, very convenient and flexible.
Such boats were extremely common on the Murray River and in the nearby coastal areas. After sailing for three days and nights and nearly reaching Cyprus Seaport, the young man finally shed that uncomfortable feeling and settled down, getting a good sleep on the hard wooden bunk.
Looking at the bustling dock filled with carriages and horses and ships coming and going, the young man seemed a bit confused, Is this my home?
The tax office and the marine smuggling enforcement agency directly in front of the dock hadn't changed at all, seemingly just like when he had left home dispirited three years earlier, but it felt as if something had changed. Exactly what had changed, the young man couldn't quite put his finger on.
He lazily jumped off the boat, giving one last disgruntled glance at the single-masted ship that had accompanied him for a few days. Such a decrepit ship had actually charged him three Gold Shields; if it weren't for his worry that the Thunderhorse Knights might return and find him, he never would have set foot on this swindling vessel.
Thinking this, the young man couldn't help but peek inside his own bosom again. Relying on his sensitive feelings, he could be certain that the Thunderhorse Knights must have returned to the spot after he left.
Although the Spirit Perception Technique he had set up in the original location wasn't all that useful, it was very accurate. As soon as someone moved something there, his spirit would immediately sense it. In such a short time, the only ones who could have triggered it other than the Thunderhorse Knights were no one else.
These guys must have returned with the goal of seeking the corpse he wanted to cultivate. So what was their ultimate purpose in searching for this corpse? Were they trying to cover up something? Could it be that there was indeed some great secret unknown to others hidden within this corpse?
But right now, I don't have the energy to ponder these questions anymore. I'll think about it when I get home, thought the young man as he couldn't help but take a deep breath of the fishy smell of the dock air. Cyprus, my home, I'm back!
Seeing Steward Sanders leading a poorly dressed fellow swaying into the door, the young man, just stepping out from the hall clad in an agile knight's attire, skillfully retracted the coiled silver-threaded horsewhip in his hand back into his palm. The young knight eyed the somewhat familiar figure entering.
"Sanders, what's this guy here for?" he asked, frowning slightly and unable to determine who the fellow was at that moment, unable to resist asking in a deep voice.
The raggedly dressed young man glanced sidelong at the figure standing high on the steps, still that same demeanor, with a cold look that immediately made the young knight on the stairs recognize him, "Komer! It's you!"
"Indeed, it is me. Surprised?" replied the raggedly dressed young man with a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, a sardonic smile twisting his head as he spoke.
"Hmph! You still look the same, no change at all. Where have you been for three years?" The initially excited young knight felt his mood turn cold at the sight of the other's mocking, unpleasant expression, and his face regained its usual composure.
"Where have I been? Didn't you tell me to go away and hide for a couple of years? It's been three years; I've overstayed by one. Surely, there shouldn't be any problems now, right?" the shabbily dressed youth said carelessly, his gaze wandering around the courtyard, "Heh, it seems our father's territory did quite well these two years? Even the walls outside and inside got a good cleanup. It looks like my leaving really did bring some good fortune to our father."
The young knight's eyebrows furrowed tightly, his robust frame straightening slightly, "Komer, why speak in such a manner? Haven't three years of travel taught you any manners or discipline? Father has gone up to the Archduke's Mansion and will be back soon. I hope you watch your words when he returns, so as not to anger him!"
Seeing his good-for-nothing half-brother still so rebellious and unrestrained, the young knight felt a wave of annoyance. How could the Reese Family produce such scum? The progeny of servants can only be lowly servants, and even with a noble lineage, he cannot change this reality.
He sighed inwardly. His ever-wise and decisive father had created a son without virtue or discipline after one drunken bout, something he couldn't come to terms with.
In these three years, the Reese Family had, under his capable leadership, earned the Duke's commendation, and their reputation had gradually improved. But with this fellow's return, the efforts of his father and himself over the past three years might be destroyed all at once.
Yet, he shared the same father with this man and belonged to the Reese Family. Now that he had just returned, although he was the legitimate eldest son, it wasn't his place to say much—it seemed they could only wait for father's return to discuss how to deal with him.
Upon hearing his self-righteous brother speak so, the raggedly dressed young man sneered slightly, "Don't worry, I won't anger our father. I'm sure he wouldn't be pleased to see me either. I think I'd better stay put in the back yard."
With a contemptuous glance at his rakish sibling, the young knight coldly said, "Stay put? I doubt you're capable of that, or else you wouldn't have fled Cyprus with your tail between your legs! Do you have any idea how much blame our father took on for you? If you still consider yourself a member of the Reese Family, I hope you won't do anything further to tarnish our family's reputation!"
"A member of the Reese Family? Heh, such a glorious and exalted status is hardly something I can bear. Conan, in everyone's eyes, probably only you are fit for such a sacred role, right? If I were capable of taking on that role, I wouldn't have had to run away and hide three years ago, would I?"
The raggedly dressed young man shrugged nonchalantly, his complexion unnaturally darkening—a sign the other touched a deep and sore spot in his heart that he preferred not to mention.
Seeing the two brothers on the verge of an unpleasant spat filled with verbal jabs and sarcasm, the hitherto silent Steward Sanders had no choice but to intervene and prevent the impending outburst of words, pulling aside the raggedly dressed youth—who was the Reese Family's illegitimate second son, Komer Reese—from the front yard.
Taking a deep breath, Komer stood in the desolate courtyard, silently staring at the azure sky, lost in thought.