Translator: Cinder Translations
...
"Honorable Lord Hubbard! Please forgive me, but I cannot obey your command!"
Horace's face was tense, his muscles stiff. He wasn't sure what expression to show the lord of this city.
But he forced himself to continue speaking.
"Attacking a group of visitors who have shown such civility and haven't been hostile to us makes my conscience uneasy."
"Oh, oh, oh! So, it seems our port manager is a noble, compassionate figure. Is that why Her Majesty appointed you? Ah, by the way..."
Hubbard looked at Horace. "I remember you opposed the conquest of the northern land's beast slaves."
Horace clenched his teeth, disliking the term "beast slaves."
"Never mind." Lord Hubbard stepped closer, patted Horace's shoulder lightly, and smiled. "I'll capture those hornless people myself. But..."
Hubbard's tone turned icy. "I'll remember every instance of your defiance. Don't think I can't touch you just because Her Majesty appointed you as port manager."
Hubbard's threat caused a layer of cold sweat to form on Horace's forehead. But before he could say anything, Hubbard had already left his office, his sleeves swishing.
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Three large three-masted ships were leaving the docks of Woid Port, each towed by a small rowboat at the front. The rowers on these boats were rowing with all their might, inch by inch pulling the massive ships away from the dock.
The sailors on the large ships were busy too, lowering the sails, so they could soon catch the natural wind and sail into the vast ocean.
"Captain Gran! There seems to be some movement onshore!"
The lookout's voice came from above.
Gran sensed something was wrong.
"Captain Gran! Several rowboats have left the dock, heading towards us!"
Gran acted immediately. "Retrieve our rowboats! Inform the other two ships to leave at full speed with us!"
They were now in a position where they could rely on wind power to sail.
But the horned people's rowboats were faster and quickly closed in, some even positioning themselves ahead, forming a faint encirclement.
Gran quickly summoned the gunnery sergeant stationed with the exploration team.
"I think it's time to prepare our firearms. Those horned people clearly don't mean well."
The gunnery sergeant nodded. "I agree with you."
The sailors on the ship observed something strange—the large ship's sides suddenly opened a few windows, and soon, some cylindrical objects protruded from the dark openings. Those with good eyesight could see they were tubes.
"What are you doing?"
Vito, on the ship with the horned people, asked nervously.
He had volunteered to row that day, only to end up in this unexpected situation.
A grinning horned man, the leader, approached and suddenly punched Vito in the stomach. Caught off guard, Vito clutched his stomach and fell to his knees.
Vito's companions were horrified.
"Silence!" the horned leader said. "From now on, you are slaves of Lord Hubbard! Praise and thank him, you hornless wretches! You're lucky to be taken as slaves by the noble lord of Evord!"
Slaves!
Vito and his companions were shocked!
These horned people intended to enslave them!
"No! You have no right! We're from Aldor..."
Vito struggled to argue, but he was kicked back down as he tried to rise.
"Slaves aren't allowed to speak without permission!"
With no weapons, Vito and the others couldn't resist the sword-wielding horned people and were soon taken captive.
The people on the other two rowboats were lucky—they returned to the main ship before the horned people boarded.
"Oh, no!"
Watching helplessly as Vito and the others were taken, Captain Gran cried out in despair. He had promised the old shipwright Benjamin that he'd look after his apprentice, but now he'd been captured.
"Destroy the other rowboats! Be careful not to harm the one with our people."
He quickly issued the order.
Cannons on the three ships began targeting their respective enemies.
"It seems we were a bit too late; they've all boarded the main ship."
On the dock, Lord Hubbard looked displeased.
"Don't worry, sir," his attendant assured him. "Our warriors won't let them escape."
To Vito and the others, the horned people on the rowboats appeared to be performing strange movements, almost as if in some sort of ritual.
"What are they doing?"
A sudden thought struck Vito: something Egbert, the priest of the Stream Tribe, had told him. The horned people supposedly possessed "divine power."
"Be careful, everyone! They might be preparing some evil magic!"
Vito shouted, warning his teammates.
The gunnery sergeant commanded, "Aim at the boats performing the ritual!"
For several tense minutes, both sides suddenly opened fire almost simultaneously.
On the horned people's side, several boats shot out long flames, like writhing snakes, aimed at the exploration team's ships.
Meanwhile, the exploration team's cannons boomed, followed by clouds of smoke enveloping the ships.
Ten blasts of fire came from the horned people, two hitting a ship each while the remaining eight missed, striking the deck and causing minor fires that were quickly extinguished by the crew.
"What's with the smoke and fire?"
Lord Hubbard watched the battle from the shore, puzzled. Could the enemy also possess some kind of divine power?
His attendant added, "It may be some kind of trick, sir. I saw it—we hit their ship, but from this distance, the impact wasn't strong. Once we get closer, we'll teach them a lesson."
However, what those on the dock didn't know was that their rowboats were already a scene of utter chaos.
"My hand! My hand!"
"Ah—!"
"Someone help me!"
"I need assistance!"
Every rowboat struck by cannon fire echoed with screams and cries of agony.
At this range, the exploration team's cannons were accurate, and the powerful cannonballs tore through the rowboats' relatively thin hulls, sending wood splinters flying. Even if not directly hit, the flying debris caused serious injuries.
As for the horned people performing their divine rituals on the deck, the gunners used grapeshot, unleashing a metallic storm that turned the deck into a hellish scene.
Those on the dock, including Lord Hubbard, couldn't see clearly. To them, their own boats seemed to have stopped suddenly.
"What are they doing?"
Hubbard fumed with frustration.
"Send more reinforcements! Order those fools to keep attacking!"
Meanwhile, Gran ordered his team to maintain fire for deterrence and leave the area as quickly as possible.
They were still at a disadvantage, and the enemy had frightening magic.
As for their captured crew, he prayed for their safety.
But he would return for them!
TLN: I would have brought a whole fleet and conquered this land...
(End of the Chapter)
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