"Rhode, you can't leave without saying goodbye. You want to go to the empire and don't tell me!"
At the cape pier surrounded by water on three sides, just as Rhodes was about to board the ship to the Empire's Oster Territory, a familiar female voice came from the land path. Frost Witch Caroline arrived on a white horse, covered in dust.
The moment he saw the witch, Rhodes knew that trouble was coming again.
Caroline has never been a light-hearted person. After getting along with her for more than two months, Rhodes deeply felt the helplessness of Lord Valere. It can be said that wherever there are new things, wherever there is food and wine, there is Miss Heidelberg.
She doesn't care about anything and is curious about everything. Among the witches, Caroline is a real weirdo.
Rhodes even doubted whether this guy had ever been to Kislev Magic Academy. Otherwise, in such a serious and dull palace, normal people would be tortured to the point of being callous, but Caroline was not like that. She could use magic.
Ice fish, and then bring them back to the castle for barbecue and eat them. You can sneak into the hot spring pool to enjoy the hot spring bath. It doesn't matter even if you lose a little magic energy. However, normal frost witches are not like this. They are cold, harsh and cold.
It strengthens their will, freezes their emotions, and makes them do everything rationally. But Caroline is not like this. She is casual and does whatever she likes. She is not at all like those trained by the Queen.
Cold undercover. Of course, there is nothing in Heidelberg that the Queen should worry about. Perhaps it is for this reason that Caroline was not trained to be such a person, Rhodes thought...
"I wanted to tell you originally, but then I thought about it. I don't seem to have the obligation to inform you about everything, right?"
Rhodes said, a slight smile brushed his lips.
Caroline dismounted and walked over. The sea breeze ruffled her long hair, but she couldn't stop staring at Rod's eyes.
"You are not obligated to tell me everything. You are the great Lord of Blackhammer Castle and you act eclectically. I have no right to know everything."
"That's it, go back to the castle. There are many people waiting for you there. At least, your magic can help farmers farm. By the way, your father misses you even more. Go back, go back to him
, Lord Varel needs a good daughter like you to manage the territory for him."
Rhodes returned with a smile.
"You really don't want to take me with you?"
Caroline asked. Her eyes were still staring at Rhodes' eyes, as if questioning. However, facing the "menacing" Frost Witch, Rhodes looked calm.
"Without."
He returns again.
"There are old acquaintances of mine where you are going."
"Don't bring it with you. If you want to meet your old acquaintances, you can go by yourself as a private person. This time I go to the empire as the lord of Blackhammer Castle. It doesn't seem good to bring the witch with me.
.You know, the Frost Witch should not appear in other countries on formal occasions."
Rod answered politely.
"Well then, I wish our great Lord Blackhammer a safe journey."
Facing the resolute Rhodes, Caroline had no choice but to grit her teeth and say something against her will. However, anyone with a little bit of brains knew that at this moment, the frost witch with a strong desire for discovery must be in her heart.
He hated Rhodes so much. Ranger Lawrence had a wicked smile on his face, hid behind Rhodes, and began to carry his accompanying luggage.
They boarded a merchant ship, and just like when Iron Claw went to the Empire a few months ago, they asked the merchant ship captain to take them to the port in Osterland. Although Blackhammer Castle is very close to the coastline, it does not have its own ship.
There is not even a decent port on the coastline, only this dilapidated small dock. Did Rhodes' ancestors never think about building a decent port here so that the goods of the Empire and Bretonnia can directly reach Blackhammer Castle?
Territory. However, the Sea of Claws and the Gulf of Kislev have been plagued by pirates for many years. Most of these pirates are Norscans. The Norscans, who are strong and brave in battle, have been the empire and Kislev for centuries.
The people's nightmare. During the third great invasion of Chaos, the Norscans in the north even acted as Chaos' lackeys and became their vanguard. Even the empire had no way to deal with such a bloodthirsty nation.
Not to mention the barren Kingdom of Kislev.
After raising the sail, the land became farther and farther away and smaller. The bay showed a beautiful blue color. The salty sea breeze made Rhodes feel friendly. He once lived in a small coastal town, and the beach was right at his doorstep.
Nowadays, the waves of the sea and the non-stop sea breeze remind Rhodes of the distant past. Like a painting or a dream, so clear, yet so far away.
He and Lawrence took a merchant ship and staggered to the city of Pullen in the Oster Territory. It was one of the few trading cities on the northern coast of the empire. Merchant ships coming and going usually ran the risk of being attacked by pirates.
Entering the port, however, it is also the closest seaport to the northern frozen soil, and many northern specialties flow into the empire from here.
If there is profit, there will be businessmen, and even if they risk being robbed or killed, there will be people who will do it. The ship that Rhodes and Lawrence boarded belongs to this kind of adventurer's ship. Their journey started from Norsk Evernight
A large amount of ore and furs were transported from the port to the empire in exchange for clothing and gold. Rhodes paid the money, and the captain took him with him. In the unmanned northern waters, identity and status are not important, as long as you
After paying the money, you are their guest. If you don't have the money, even if the emperor comes in person, no one will pay attention to him, and he will be kicked off the ship and fed to the sharks.
According to the captain, this ship is called "Flying Giant", but in Rhodes' view, it is no more than a big bathtub. Since both the Empire and the Kingdom of Bretonnia use the ship deck area calculation method to collect taxes, the deck area is more
The bigger, the more tariffs will be charged. Therefore, most private merchant ships are made large and wide, with the bottom as wide as possible and the upper part as narrow as possible, forming such a sea-going ship shaped like a big bathtub. It
The belly can be filled with goods, but the upper part does not look too big.
Rhodes guessed that once such a ship encounters stormy weather, it will be difficult and may even capsize. Therefore, the captain and first mate are both skilled weather observers.
"Go to sleep, brother. We still have a long way to go before Port Pulen. Keep your strength up. When we get to the empire, we will have things to do."
In the sea breeze, Rhodes turned around and said to Lawrence.