Governor Tualeh's eyes narrowed as he suddenly turned around, shooting a venomous glance at the officer. "Are you sure?"
The officer, panting and out of breath, hesitated for a moment before replying, "Absolutely sure, Your Excellency. Knight Roland is with them. They didn't stop; they headed straight for the port district."
Tualeh's face, dark as crimson, betrayed no emotion, but he sensed something unusual. The orphan of Calvinver usually frequented the castle and the graveyard; she had rarely ventured anywhere else.
Could it be that Roland plans to send her away? Damn meddler!
A young girl might not be important, but if the prince found out that his plan had been foiled, it would surely undermine his authority.
Tualeh couldn't allow such a thing to happen. "Immediately notify the guards to assemble and block their way outside the port."
In the past, Stormport had only a small police station modeled after Podria's capital, with few officers mainly dealing with street brawls. But after the fall of the ruling nobles, the royal family had established a governor's mansion. The power of the Governor's Office had expanded, making it a true military-political entity.
The guard force had been created as a violent arm of the Governor's Office, with three hundred men armed with muskets and coastal cannons. Positioned near the entrance to the port district, the Governor's Office was strategically located, making it difficult for anyone to get in or out without passing by it. Although the guards were slow to respond, there was still plenty of time to intercept Rebecca before she reached the port.
Up above, Beatrice flew silently over Stormport. When Ian saw the movements from the Governor's Office, he realized things might have changed. The second prince didn't seem to be as careless with the orphan as he had thought.
"Ian, what should we do?" Mierta asked, his voice laced with concern.
"Stay on the ship," Ian replied quickly. "If anything goes wrong, you can support with the ship's cannons. Lia, let's move, and be ready for a fight!"
Taking the lead, Ian swiftly headed toward the port. At the same time, a large group of birds, once perched in the castle district, suddenly took flight in unison, soaring high into the air before heading toward the port district.
Meanwhile, upon confirming that Knight Roland had not changed his route and was near the Governor's Office, Tualeh began thinking of his next steps for the encounter. He had to be cautious; Roland, the genius knight of the Church of Truth and Justice, was not someone to be taken lightly.
Roland, seeing the large group of guards blocking his path, frowned. He had no love for these men. Ever since the Governor's Office had taken control, Stormport's taxes had increased, but crime had surged alongside it. The Governor's Office even seemed to purposely stoke division between the city's various classes and factions, forcing them into internal conflict rather than turning their attention to the ruling authority.
This was the difference between a local noble and a governor: the noble prioritized stability and long-term development of their land, while the governor cared only for money, as long as there were no major uprisings.
"Move aside!" Roland said, stepping forward, his voice commanding without anger.
The guards, already rattled, quickly stepped back. They might be able to handle street punks and thugs, but going up against a knight of the Church? They had no chance.
Tualeh, who had been watching from behind the curtains of the Governor's Office on the fourth floor, cursed under his breath. "Useless fools, all of them."
He hurried downstairs, his voice echoing before he even arrived. "It's a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding—"
Tualeh, looking like a bloated rat, appeared in the street, his black-red face framed by gold-rimmed glasses. Roland watched him with cold indifference, curious to see what he would do next.
Tualeh slowed his pace, but deliberately positioned himself in the middle of the road. He clasped his hands behind his back and cleared his throat.
"My apologies," he said, with a thin smile, "My subordinates have been terribly rude. Allow me to apologize on their behalf. The port district has been overrun with dangerous wanted criminals, and the guard is in pursuit. Several officers have already fallen in the line of duty."
He sighed deeply for effect. "To prevent the criminals from escaping and endangering such esteemed individuals as yourselves, the port district is temporarily closed. The blockade will be lifted once we capture the criminals. Please, bear with us."
Roland sneered internally as he looked at the once-clear street, now blocked off by guards. "If there are criminals, then as a knight of the Church, I can't stand idly by. Step aside," he said. "You don't seriously think a few criminals could hurt me, do you?"
Tualeh waved his hands dismissively, still smiling. "Of course, they wouldn't dare harm such a renowned justice knight. But," he added, his voice turning condescending, "the lady behind you is very young. In this chaos, accidents can happen. You may go ahead, but she cannot."
Roland froze. A surge of anger washed over him at Tualeh's blatant targeting of Rebecca. Before he could respond, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Rebecca, who had been standing behind him, was suddenly smiling brightly.
Before he could fully register the change, a dark shadow covered the entire street. A massive flock of seabirds, as though responding to Rebecca's presence, suddenly charged at the guards and the Governor's officers. Their beaks, claws, and wings struck like a storm, sending the street into chaos. Screams, cries for help, and the cacophony of bird calls filled the air.
Ian, having arrived earlier, heard the exchange and realized they had reached an impasse.
He stepped out of the crowd, his long-brimmed hat obscuring his face, looking as clean-cut as ever. Fearing that Rebecca might not recognize him, he had shaved his beard early in the day.
The sharp-eyed Rebecca instantly recognized him. He smiled in return and began rushing toward her. Beatrice, already poised, led the flock of birds in a charge toward the guards.
Seeing the sudden upheaval, Roland moved to block Rebecca, but the young girl slipped around him, charging toward the front of the road. It was as though the birds were intentionally avoiding her, clearing a path in their wake.
In mere seconds, but feeling like an eternity, Rebecca leaped into the air, and Ian caught her effortlessly, her small form light as air.
Rebecca buried her face in his chest, holding onto him tightly, as though she had found the world in that one moment. Ian's heart finally settled as he felt her warmth.
Without a second thought, he signaled to Lia in the crowd and began running toward the docks.
"Go! Keep up!" he urged, as a delicate hand grabbed Anna's arm, pulling her forward.
Anna, still dazed, snapped back to reality, calling out to Luca and the others. They quickly moved through the chaotic streets.
Meanwhile, Roland, still standing frozen, watched as the birds stayed far from him, circling Tualeh's position, where the air was thick with the sound of battle. Tualeh had somehow drawn a thin sword, and with each strike, a bird fell to the ground. The streets around him were quickly covered in bird carcasses.
In the midst of the chaos, Tualeh spotted Ian carrying Rebecca away and, in a panic, shouted, "Stop him!"