Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Paul's farewell banquet ended amidst great excitement.
By dawn the next day, the dock area was almost packed with people, not just residents of Frand Port but also those from nearby villages who had come to see off the three exploration fleets.
Mayor Theodore of Frand Port had specially hired a band to play lively music at the dock, enhancing the festive atmosphere.
Commanders Stanford, Grant, and Nethil solemnly bid farewell to Paul and his group before stepping onto the gangplanks of their respective ships.
Then, as their ships raised their sails and lifted anchor, they moved out of the dock amid waves of cheers from the shore, heading toward the sea.
Each exploration team consisted of three ships, all newly constructed three-masted sailing vessels, equipped with more than 150 crew members.
Indeed, with advancements in technology, the influx of private capital, and the introduction of skilled craftsmen from Horns Bay, shipbuilding technology in the Northwest Bay was rapidly developing. A type of three-masted sailing ship similar to Galleon's was now appearing in shipyards, with longer hulls and greater cargo capacity, making them the backbone of maritime trade.
From an external viewpoint, the three-masted sailing ships equipped for the exploration teams were larger and sturdier than Columbus's Santa Maria and Magellan's Victoria.
However, while European sailing ships were built through meticulous incremental technological improvements, the ships of Alden were, in a sense, "brought forth" by Paul, and their sturdiness and ability to cross the ocean remained uncertain, along with the unknown vastness of the world's oceans.
"Let's wish them good luck!"
After silently praying for some time, Paul patted the disgruntled naval commander Quik on the shoulder, preparing to leave the dock.
"You should have entrusted such a dangerous mission to the navy, not to those rookies," Quik complained, recalling his own glorious expedition to Horns Bay aboard the Southern Star in 1990. He had been feeling gloomy since yesterday's farewell banquet.
Ah, how he longed to once again lead a fleet into unknown seas and earn great glory!
Paul understood Quik's feelings and tried to console him: "Quik, it's time to give opportunities to the younger generation."
"What? Lord Grayman, are you implying that I'm getting old? I'm only in my thirties!"
"Uh... that's not what I meant…"
Just as Paul was pondering how to comfort Quik, a servant squeezed through the crowd and hurried to his side.
"Lord Grayman, Miss Setia has an urgent matter to discuss with you."
"Oh? Where is she?"
"Right there, look!"
Paul followed the servant's pointing finger and saw a beautiful figure standing on the second-floor balcony of a tavern, gently waving at him.
He quickly found Ladia and was surprised upon seeing her.
"What's going on? You look like you haven't slept all night."
"This isn't a good place to talk, Lord Grayman. Please come to the city hall and find a private spot; I'll explain everything in detail."
...
"Wha… what?"
Compared to his previous mild surprise, Paul was now truly shocked! "Another wizard... uh, another mage has come to my territory?"
Seeing Paul's reaction, Ladia's heart sank, but she confirmed, "Yes, and one of them has already made contact with me, just yesterday evening."
Ladia carefully narrated the events of the previous evening but omitted the "conspiracy" related to Sevya.
"Hmm…"
Paul closed his eyes, crossed his arms, and sat back in his chair, deep in thought.
"Lord Grayman, what do you plan to do about them?" Ladia cautiously asked. "Exile them? Or… imprison them, or perhaps… hand them over to the church?"
"No!"
Paul answered without hesitation.
"They are just new immigrants! They haven't committed any crimes, at least not since arriving in the Northwest Bay. Do you remember what I said? I will welcome the 'good people' among them and capture the 'bad ones.' So let's see how they behave from now on."
"Lord Grayman…"
Looking into Paul's sincere eyes, Ladia felt a rush of inexplicable emotion that warmed her entire being.
Just a moment ago, she had nearly made up her mind that if Paul decided to imprison Sevya and the others or hand them over to the church, she would immediately warn the wizards to flee and then come to Paul to confess her sins.
Now, all her doubts had vanished.
"Hmm? Why are you blushing?"
"Uh... it's nothing."
Ladia answered evasively, turning her face away to avoid looking directly at Paul, even though it was somewhat impolite.
"Lord Grayman." She steadied her thoughts and said again, "Even so, we can't guarantee that there are no unstable elements among them that could pose a threat to the territory or even to your safety. You see, the means of a spellcaster can often be mysterious and unpredictable, even to another spellcaster. Have you forgotten about that ambushing assassin?"
Ladia's words reminded Paul of that mysterious ambusher from four years ago, who was practically impervious to weapons and had incredible strength; he could kill with bare hands as easily as killing a chicken. If that person had been able to dodge bullets, his entire crew would have been doomed.
"What do you think we should do?"
"Please have Lord Cecil send someone to monitor their residence without disturbing them on normal days. If any unusual situation arises, take immediate action. And I... even if I'm busy, please allow me to meet with you every day."
"That's not a long-term solution."
Paul waved his hand, "According to their own words, they fled here from Horns Bay, so they must be very sensitive to their surroundings. What if they perceive us as a threat and react aggressively?"
"That is true…" Ladia's heart was conflicted as she pondered whether she should reveal Sevya's "conspiracy" to Paul.
"Lord Grayman, I'm very sorry. I just…"
Just as Ladia was about to commit to revealing everything, Paul suddenly slammed his hand on the table.
"Let's go meet them."
"What?"
"Let's meet and clear everything up."
Paul explained, "The current situation is that they can't determine whether we will pose a threat to them, and we can't determine whether they will pose a threat to us. They also can't gauge how we judge them… ah, I've confused myself. In any case, this has formed a… well, let's call it a 'chain of suspicion.' Luckily, we are all human beings, speaking a language we can understand, and we are not separated by millions of light-years. Heh, if we were millions of light-years apart, I wouldn't be worried at all."
Ladia listened, feeling somewhat bewildered by Paul's words about "chain of suspicion" and "light-years."
However, the earlier parts were quite understandable.
Meeting and clarifying everything was indeed the simplest and most effective approach.
(End of the Chapter)
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