Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Meeting the Pirates
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An unexpected enemy's appearance.
'Damn.'
He didn't say it out loud, but fighting multiple foes while riding a wyvern was a bloodcurdling ordeal.
A single hit from a Blessed Spear, and the wyvern would be flightless, teetering on the brink of death.
Moreover, last night's battle had been waged for the future of Neruman's hundreds of thousands of citizens, adding to the exhaustion.
"Why are they here?"
From the fifth line
He asked the flustered knights in an irritated tone.
"Viscount Lukens seems to have fled to the pirates."
Jenis answered directly.
'That's why you have to crush them completely when you hit them.'
There had been no choice last night due to the chaos, but next time, he vowed to uproot any enemies entirely.
Ding ding ding ding!
Amid it all, the mercenary band's urgent bell rang without pause.
Pwoooo! Pwoooo!
The massive horns blown by Denfos's soldiers and the harbor defense commander echoed through the entire city.
'Fine, let's see. Just how great they are.'
Pirates who dominated the seas like some big shots.
He wanted to see their twin-plate stance.
"What are you doing? Everyone, let's move out."
And now, besides himself, there were four more Sky Knights.
"Order received!"
"Heh heh. We're all ready already!"
Unlike Jenis, who responded vigorously, Raiker clearly lacked discipline.
'Now he looks like a noble.'
Not quite left blue dragon and right white tiger, but having Sky Knights flanking him felt pretty good.
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'They're completely terrified.'
The distance from the harbor where the pirates had appeared to the Aerial Knights' base was short enough to reach upon takeoff—close enough to touch if you tripped.
But for those running on foot, it was quite a stretch.
And hundreds of imperial soldiers under Count Yaiks, who should have been defending the harbor, had forgotten their duty and were fleeing toward Denfos.
Kuooooooo!
Bebeto had spotted the pirate wyvern flock.
He took the lead and bellowed to announce his presence.
'That's right, Bebeto. A man's got grit!'
No matter how fearsome the enemy, shake off the fear in your heart, and they're just another brawler.
In that sense, Bebeto was perfectly in sync with him.
'Twelve of them...'
Large wyverns, making the twelve clearly visible.
They circled the harbor skies, flexing their might.
'No sign of Lukens.'
Lukens's wyvern wasn't among the pirate wyverns.
'Huh? What's that guy?'
The distance to the enemy was about four kilometers.
As he drew his Blessed Spear to enter combat formation, one pirate wyvern turned toward them.
Waving a white flag, no less.
He raised his hand, signaling to stand down the attack.
The pirates had something to say.
'If they say surrender, I'll smash their face.'
He had sweat blood to become Neruman's official overlord.
Confidence swelled in him like a puffed-up Fedor chest.
'Land?'
The Sky Knight flying toward him, waving the white flag, slowly landed by the roadside.
"Bebeto, down ahead."
Even in battle, he knew not to threaten an envoy.
He guided Bebeto to land about ten meters in front of the pirate wyvern that had touched down first.
Thud.
Bebeto, easily over ten tons, landed heavily.
Whirrr.
Dust swirled in the wind.
Upon landing, Jenis and the Sky Knights circled overhead in a defensive formation to protect him.
Whoosh.
'Look at that bastard.'
Fearless, the guy leaped from his wyvern.
Thud!
He too hopped lightly down from Bebeto's torso.
Step step.
They faced each other, about five meters apart.
Click.
The man removed his helmet.
Whirrrrr.
A timely breeze blew.
Rustle.
Long blue hair fluttered in the wind.
"What...?"
'A woman?'
He'd thought it was a guy, but a long-haired woman stood boldly before him.
Looking closely, her armor revealed a sleek figure.
'Ohhh!'
Like a TV shampoo ad, she tilted her head slightly, letting her hair cascade, then lifted it.
Intense.
Her face, a bit larger than a palm, featured a bold nose bridge, moderately sized eyes without double lids, slightly upturned brows, and small red lips.
And slightly tanned, dark skin.
A sun-kissed pearl of a woman.
"You're Kaiyer, right?"
'You know my name?'
She pegged him right away.
"Yes. And who might you be?"
A beautiful woman deserved national protection, but he wouldn't drool over an enemy.
Click. He removed his helmet, staring her down directly.
"Hehe, black hair, black eyes... You must be Baronet Kaiyer."
The pirate woman who had suddenly stormed the harbor for a show of force.
She greeted him warmly, like an old friend.
'She's barely early twenties, and their leader?'
No matter how he looked, she seemed about twenty-two. Her identity intrigued him.
"I'm Krisia. Royal Guard Sky Knight of Kesmir Kingdom and commander of the 2nd Fleet."
'What...? When did Kesmir pirates become a kingdom? And commander at that age?'
Krisia dropped one bombshell after another.
'Is that one a hybrid wyvern too?'
Only now did he notice Krisia's wyvern.
A white base with golden Dalmatian-like spots scattered over its body—unlike any he'd seen.
Grrrrrr.
Grooooowl.
The two wyverns faced off like him and Krisia, growling.
'Bebeto's neck is all tensed up?'
Surprisingly, Bebeto—who ignored most wyverns—let out a tense growl.
"Our wyverns seem as friendly as our meeting."
"..."
Krisia left him speechless.
Where did she see affection in two wyverns growling like dogs?
'A female?'
Krisia might have a point.
Her wyvern was a female, lacking a crest.
"What brings you here? What's the reason for terrorizing this peaceful city?"
Krisia had a sharp tongue beyond her years.
He asked coldly why she had come.
"You know full well, yet you ask—that hurts my feelings."
'Huh, was that a wink?'
He'd imagined brutish Viking-like sea pirates, but this pirate group deployed a beauty trap out of nowhere.
Calling themselves Kesmir Kingdom, organizing pirate ships into legions—what was their game?
And Krisia winking as she said he knew.
It pierced the defenses he'd built expecting a fierce morning battle.
'It's the holy water.'
He didn't know how many more wyverns waited beyond those menacingly circling.
Plus, renowned pirate marines might land.
What those pirates targeted now was the holy water Lukens had stolen.
"Of course I know. But why should I hand it over?"
"You know, so no long talk needed. Choose one: lose it in battle, or continue Viscount Lukens's unfulfilled contract with us."
She smiled, but a cold aura flowed from her entire body.
Threat and temptation.
"Huhu... Are you threatening me now?"
He wouldn't yield to threats.
He had nothing but his iron guts.
"Oh my, threatening? How could we threaten the hero who annihilated Viscount Lukens's Sky Knights alone? I just wish to end this pleasantly without hard feelings—my small hope."
'A fox among foxes.'
Someone with the power to crush foes, plus a sharp mind—tricky opponent.
Krisia was no pushover.
"I understand the holy water. But I'm furious at your repulsive attempt to enslave the innocent daughters and sisters of Neruman's people. How could I give it to you, future enemies?"
'What was the contract? Curious.'
He spoke boldly, but curiosity burned about Lukens and the pirates' deal.
"Was that so? I know nothing of it. I swear on my name—we never made such a contract with Lukens. We demanded only holy water, nothing more, nothing less."
Krisia looked shocked at his words.
'Believe her or not?'
Her pretty face didn't scream liar, but foxes turned into world-class beauties, they said.
Yet "pirate" gave him pause.
"Viscount Lukens is with you—bring him and I'll confirm. Then I'll believe."
"Viscount Lukens? Sadly, he hasn't come to us. Our Kesmir tradition: we don't trust or protect those who break promises, no matter the reason."
'Huh, then where'd he bolt to?'
Her firm words left him momentarily flustered.
"But can you beat me with just that wyvern there?"
"Hehe. Of course not. That's why three wyvern transport ships are here, with 24 wyverns total and elite Sky Knights on standby. Not counting the 3,000 landing troops, of course."
'Aircraft carriers and marines...'
Quick mental math yielded only disadvantage.
He could hold out, but Baron Jenis and his knights wouldn't survive.
"Impressive force. But sadly, I'm not afraid at all."
He lifted his head proudly, declaring fearlessness.
"I figured. You crushed ten years of Viscount Lukens's work in no time. That's why I'm here. Hand over the holy water, and we'll honor Lukens's contract: no attacks on Neruman Plains ships henceforth; upon request, a five-wyvern squadron for defense; plus 20 Class 4 Hildrian imperial magic crystals, 5 Class 3, 1 Class 2; one ton of eastern continent spices and aromatics; ten premium sea monster hides; 100 kilos of mithril ore. Reject this generous offer...? Use your imagination."
'They've got solid intel.'
Even without Lukens, Krisia knew this place inside out.
'Amazing. Such a massive deal for holy water.'
Unimaginable items poured from Krisia's lips.
He understood why Lukens risked the transport ship over him.
Class 3+ high-efficiency magic crystals for city wall defenses rivaled a million gold.
A Class 2? Millions.
Plus rare local spices, monster hides, mithril ore.
No exact price, but easily over ten million gold—a huge deal.
'They need the holy water that badly.'
More urgently than he'd thought.
"Very tempting conditions. But add one more, and I'll hand over the holy water cleanly."
"A condition? Hehe, tell me. If I can grant it, I will."
For a mere Sky Knight, Krisia had immense authority.
Suspicious woman.
'If they need that much holy water... wyvern eggs!'
He pondered the reason during talk.
Then it hit: wyverns.
From egg stage, only top-grade holy water tames their wildness to heed humans.
Likely for sea beasts and breeding.
"Give me five wyvern eggs. Then we end this deal cleanly."
"Hmm..."
At "wyvern eggs," Krisia bit her lip, deep in thought.
All while staring straight into his eyes.
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'He figured it out...'
Krisia pondered, gazing at the man before her.
Pirate Kingdom Kesmir.
Bordered nations and empires shunned contact due to its origins.
Yet the Kesmir archipelago had grown strong, now calling itself a kingdom.
Suddenly, wyverns produced eggs, needing top-grade potions.
Wyverns—measure of national power.
They hurried usual dark channels for top-grade potions.
But top-grade potions were divine blessings from top saints or saintesses in deep communion with gods—even temples rarely produced them.
Money was no issue, but acquisition was tough.
Worse, Kesmir was enemy to all empires and kingdoms.
Large-scale deals were impossible.
Thus, they backed Lukens, long-time Neruman ruler.
Neruman—surrounded by monsters, Temir races, empire—perfect for bulk buys without suspicion.
Smart Viscount Lukens allied with Kesmir, stockpiling top-grade potions.
Kesmir Pirate Kingdom expected thirty new wyverns, all problems solved.
Then a saboteur appeared, forcing this hasty meeting.
'This young one toppled Viscount Lukens?'
Unbelievable, even seeing him.
But spies watching Lukens and Neruman were always accurate.
The smirking youth mismatched his age—a Sky Knight not to trifle with.
One wielding both magic and spirits, no less.
'Headache.'
Lukens's forces alone could seize by force, but this guy's power? Unmeasurable.
The needy ones had to bow first.
"I'll accept the condition."
"Haha. I like your straightforwardness."
Kaiyer's speech belied his age.
Nobles were like that, so Krisia flashed a business smile.
"Hehe. You seem hot-blooded too, Sir Kaiyer."
"Then withdraw those circling wyverns. Tonight, when the moon hits dead center, we trade at the harbor. Until I get the eggs, leave equivalent goods as collateral."
"C-collateral goods...?"
Cautious Kaiyer's term made Krisia stutter.
"Huhu, you know. Prepare appropriately. Say, spare wyvern armor or an Air Plate or similar. Ahem."
'...Fox of a bastard!'
Kaiyer—handsome with black hair and eyes, fox-demon believable.
Krisia cursed inwardly.
"Of course. Understood. I'll prepare equivalent goods in advance."
"Haha. See you tonight."
With that, he dipped his head slightly and hopped onto his wyvern.
Meeeng.
Krisia—idolized as a beauty in Kesmir—glared at him holding her wyvern's reins, like an orc eyeing a roof after chasing a chicken.
"Sigh..."
But no way to deal with him now.
She sighed long, turning to her wyvern.
'...Gasp.'
Then she saw it: her beloved hybrid wyvern Rakania's dazed, blank white eyes.
Staring blankly at the black-based golden-striped wyvern flexing its muscled frame off the ground.
Rakania—ever proud, never permitting males to mate.
Seemed smitten by the bandit-like black hybrid.
'Kaiyer...'
She followed Rakania's gaze to Kaiyer soaring into the sky.
Kesmir tradition: worship strength above all.
And Kaiyer, now recognized as strong.
In that moment, he etched deep into Krisia's heart.
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'Heh heh. Jackpot!'
Blessed by God, Allah, Buddha—sudden windfall rolled in.
Holy water he didn't desperately need turned into a golden-egg-laying goose.
'Pirates, withdraw please.'
Aboard Bebeto, he waited for pirates to retreat; as Krisia flew to her wyverns, they vanished seaward.
"To the Aerial Knights!"
Jenis and Sky Knights circled him, clueless to the talk.
At his order, they turned toward base.
'Gotta stay friendly from now on.'
He'd accidentally become Neruman's master.
What he needed wasn't empty titles or honors—money or power.
Pay, and they're friends; otherwise, all bastards.
Whirrrrr.
Unexpectedly easy pirate encounter resolved.
Just manage the holy water, and he could plunder their pockets anytime—pleasing thought.
And the cool sea breeze blowing just right.
Today was truly lucky.