Translator: Cinder Translations
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Three sailing ships, under the strenuous pulling of the towmen, slowly docked at the quay.
TL Note: Quay – a stone or metal platform lying alongside or projecting into water for loading and unloading ships.
Half an hour later, Captain Quik, accompanied by several sailors, disembarked from the deck and stepped onto the dock.
With the increasing amount of military supplies sold to the kingdom's army by the Northwestern Industrial Sector, and in addition to the continued extra aid provided by Alden to gain favor from the royal family, Alden Town had become increasingly reliant on maritime transport to avoid accidents along the way. This method was more discreet.
The Southern Star escorted two cargo vessels south to West Port. All three ships were filled with supplies for the kingdom's army, mainly consisting of canned goods and armor and weapons.
As they walked a short distance, a cheerful voice rang out, "Haha, Captain Quik, is it your turn this time?"
Quik spread his arms wide. "Oh, Lord Dylan, long time no see."
The two embraced warmly, displaying their enthusiasm.
To ensure the safety of the transport, Alden Town required the navy to dispatch a warship for every shipment.
Compared to other territories of the kingdom, the Northwestern Bay initially did not provide much in terms of supplies, but it was consistent and enduring. Since Alden advanced in furnace smelting technology and the various lords jointly developed Northwestern Industry, the military supply from Northwestern Bay had been rising steadily. Of course, most of the military equipment had to be purchased by the kingdom's government with actual money.
In the core power circles of the kingdom, Northwestern Bay had started to shed its previous image as a dispensable wilderness. The king's concern for his youngest daughter had also lessened somewhat; with so many supplies being sent, it seemed that life there was probably quite good if there was money.
To better utilize this supply chain, the kingdom government stationed dedicated liaison officers in West Port to handle the incoming supplies.
Dylan was one of the highest-ranking officials, in his early thirties and a Viscount. He was enthusiastic and prepared to work hard to build his career for future promotions.
When he was first assigned, he was quite reluctant, wondering if he had offended someone to end up dealing with a bunch of country folk. However, when he saw the Northwestern Bay fleet arrive and boxes of supplies being unloaded from the ships, he quickly realized it was a rare opportunity.
Quik handed him a document and said, "This is the inventory of the supplies arriving this time. Please count them, my lord."
Dylan patted Quik's shoulder and laughed heartily, "Haha, no rush, no rush. You Northwestern folks are reliable."
What Quik and Dylan didn't know was that their meeting had caught the attention of someone with ulterior motives. At another dock, a rowing sailboat quietly remained, with Edward and Nathan standing on the stern deck, observing from afar.
"From the attire, it seems to be a kingdom government official," Nathan said quietly.
"That ship's flag belongs to the Grayman family of Northwestern Bay. Yes, their red dragon emblem is easy to recognize," Edward replied.
"It looks like the captain is quite familiar with the major families of Northwestern Bay."
"Hmm, I have spent many years there… Wait a minute."
Edward suddenly stopped talking, focusing his attention on Quik, who was chatting amicably with Lord Dylan.
After a while, he started smiling again, "Heh, didn't expect to encounter an old acquaintance here."
"An old acquaintance?" Nathan looked at Edward with interest.
"Nothing much, just a nodding acquaintance from my pirate days."
"Is the other party…?"
"Sort of, but it seems they have been incorporated into the Grayman family now. Looks like my old gang has indeed been caught up by Grayman's people."
"It seems that the northern lords are indeed strongly supporting the royal family, at least in Northwestern Bay."
…
Quik finished his chat with Lord Dylan. As usual, he was about to lead his disembarked sailors to a tavern for a big drink. He led his excited crew towards the center of West Port.
As they walked, the lively atmosphere of their conversation was palpable. After drifting for over half a month, the solid ground felt really good.
"Don't come without safety."
A sudden and inexplicable phrase reached their ears, accompanied by a jostle on his shoulder. Quik was startled and turned around quickly.
However, the person who had just brushed past him walked away quickly and soon disappeared into the bustling crowd. He only vaguely recalled seeing a tall figure that seemed familiar but couldn't piece together a specific memory.
"How strange!"
Quik muttered to himself, thinking it was probably just a coincidence, and the phrase wasn't directed at him.
"Captain, what's wrong?"
A nearby naval officer cadet, Alan, noticed Quik's unusual reaction and asked.
"Oh? Nothing. Let's continue."
…
The next afternoon, the replenished Southern Star and the two other sailing ships were ready to set off. Lord Dylan bid farewell to Captain Quik and his crew at the dock. Before the fleet arrived, the liaison officers from the kingdom's government had already prepared the supplies for their northward journey, so the replenishment process was very quick.
"Captain Quik, there is something very important that I need your help with," Dylan said, reaching into his pocket.
"Please, my lord."
Dylan pulled out a letter and handed it to Quik, "Please deliver this letter to a Miss Betty D'Arshi in your region."
"Miss Betty? She is our education supervisor," Quik said, somewhat puzzled. "Which person wrote this letter? As far as I know, she is from Gabella."
Dylan shook his head, "I don't know. This letter is from the royal palace, and the courier instructed me to select a person of stature from your side to carry it to Northwestern Bay. I think Captain Quik, you are suitable for this task."
"Haha, you flatter me, but I will certainly deliver this letter."
"Hmm, thank you. I personally guess, judging by the surname of Miss Betty, that she might be a relative of the queen?"
Quik was surprised, "What? That's remarkable. That's really something." He carefully took the letter and put it away.
Back at Horns Bay, he had already been astonished by the connections between the female advisor Lady Setia and Duchess Helen. Now, it seemed there was someone else with a potential link to the royal family.
Quik patted his chest and assured Dylan once more before boarding the Southern Star.
The three sailing ships were towed out of the docks one by one, hoisting their sails and setting sail northward.
Offshore from West Port, a rowing sailboat also slowly headed south. On the deck, Edward watched the receding West Port with a cold expression.
"Dear lords of Aldor, next time we come, we won't be bringing just this small number of people."
TL Note: IDK why but I'm getting excited...
(End of the Chapter)
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