Chapter 266
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 266
Chapter Title: The Continental Alliance's Naval Battle Led by Gundo and Olivia!
With Gundo and Olivia at the forefront, the continental alliance's naval battle had come to an end.
Every nation in the alliance, directly or indirectly, had a stake in this war, drawing the eyes of the entire continent to this massive conflict.
Many across the continent had voiced their concerns. They claimed that Jerome von Carviot, who had gained fame and titles at such a young age, had underestimated Gundo's ferocity and stirred up trouble.
Those uneasy about the war whispered that provoking the pirate king, who had been lying low, might unsettle the southern regions.
But the war's outcome defied all expectations across the continent.
Olivia's overwhelming victory.
And the deaths of the pirate king and two of the Four Spirits.
Gundo's crushing defeat—the force that had long instilled terror in the hearts of continentals—brought joy and profound shock to countless people.
No matter the full support from numerous kingdoms, few had predicted Olivia's triumph as long as the pirate king on his throne and the Four Spirits held firm.
Among them, some who knew of Lampang's existence and Jerome's true prowess had foreseen Olivia's win.
Even they, however, had scarcely hoped to see the pirate king Ballak's head taken in the war.
Ballak's presence weighed that heavily on the continent.
Defying all predictions, the head of Ballak—who had ruled one of the continent's thrones for decades—rolled.
And it fell to the hands of a young man barely into his twenties.
The continent went wild for the youth who ushered in a new era.
The name Jerome von Carviot was no longer confined to one of the rising young stars.
He was a true hegemon, proving himself not just for the next generation, but the current one as well.
Yet those who loved to tear others down still doubted Jerome's achievements.
They chattered that surely not Jerome himself, but one of his supporters, had felled the pirate king.
Even they, however, had no qualms admitting that the forces Jerome had built were strong enough to topple those enthroned.
At last, a new era dawned on the continent.
Two young women sat facing each other across a desk.
One with hair the cool blue of the open sea, the other evoking fresh spring grasses in soft green.
Though they exuded different charms, they shared something in common.
First, their beauty was truly stunning.
"...So, as I said, mermaid coral reefs are a rare material even in Gundo. Do you really think it makes sense to hand over something so precious, unavailable anywhere else in Gundo, for that price?"
"Oh my. Such harsh words, Lady Martel. Thanks to your baron's tremendous help, you've risen in one leap to mistress of this vast sea. Can't you offer a little convenience for that?"
"......"
Grind!
The sound of Martel's teeth grinding carried all the way here.
But only for a moment. True to her reputation as Gundo's information queen, she regained her composure in a single breath and launched a counterattack.
"...Fine. Without the baron's outstanding aid, my head might not even be on my shoulders now. I agree. I'll concede that much. But in return, could you lower the payment for the wheat shipment to Gundo by another 20%?"
...The second thing they shared was their ruthless haggling over mutual interests.
"Wh-what?! What kind of highway robbery is that?!"
Bam!
Jeremiah recoiled at Martel's proposal, slamming the desk.
Martel didn't even blink, of course.
"Olivia will be in exclusive trade with us for the foreseeable future, right? Holding the monopoly on intermediary trade is a huge boon, I trust you know. Considering those massive profits, isn't this reasonable?"
"That's a different matter entirely. Wheat makes up four-tenths of the goods planned for trade with Gundo. Slashing it by 20%? Speaks to your pirate roots—you've sheathed the sword, but the habits linger."
Twitch!
Martel's eyebrow twitched at Jeremiah's sharp retort.
But she quickly continued calmly, as if nothing had happened.
"And you, Miss Jeremiah, having seen firsthand how Gundo's common folk starve, seem awfully stingy on the moral front. Especially since you've experienced it yourself."
Snap!
The thick vein bulging on Jeremiah's forehead was audible from here.
"......"
"......"
It was strange. With warm spring weather and the mild southern climate, Olivia felt downright hot—not just warm.
Yet this room was inexplicably freezing.
"Ahem. It's about mealtime, isn't it? How about we wrap this up and grab some food first?"
"Oh, good idea. Come on, Captain. Let's fill our bellies first..."
Unable to stand it, Jerome and Tessai tried to intervene.
"Oh my. What are you saying, Baron? I'm having a blast right now."
"Tessai. Bring some leftover sandwiches from the kitchen after dinner."
The two women didn't even turn their heads at the men's suggestions.
"...Yes, sir."
Jerome and Tessai slunk out silently, shutting the door behind them without a word.
"Whew, intense. Jeremiah, was it? She's got guts. Does that woman even know who our captain is?"
"No way she doesn't. She suffered under the Kybele Pirates for ages. She'd know Martel's name and face. She volunteered for this negotiation table knowing full well."
Tessai kept whistling in admiration at Jeremiah's otherworldly boldness.
"Knowing who our captain is and still sticking her neck out like that—that's impressive. Man, how does a woman who looks like a single punch would end her stand so tall before our captain?"
"She never even considered the possibility of force. Things have changed with Gundo now, after all."
That's right.
The war was over.
Ballak's final request played a part, but Jerome had always intended to make peace with Martel, Gundo's new ruler, and build a new relationship.
Gundo was a key piece in the picture he envisioned.
"Tch. Easy to say, but hard to swallow in practice. How many people can just accept and adapt to that right away? I see why the baron put that woman at the table. She's trustworthy."
After the armistice, the Mermaid Pirates had returned to Olivia with them, negotiating daily schedules, prisoners, and more.
Of course, neither Martel nor Jeremiah were ordinary women, so there were some(?) bumps along the way.
Compared to the war where they'd held blades to each other's throats not long ago, it was practically cute.
"We just have to iron it out bit by bit. No choice."
"Heh, true enough. That said, you must be tired, Baron."
Tessai's sudden shifty glance.
Jerome's brow furrowed at Tessai's smirking words.
"...Ugh. Here we go again."
The outer walls of the lord's castle.
Visitors had arrived once more.
Jeremiah wasn't the only one who grasped Gundo's value and rushed to the table.
Those with keen eyes didn't take the Mermaid Pirates docking at Olivia lightly.
The southern sea lanes long monopolized by Gundo were now open for Jerome and Olivia to use.
This was the key to new growth for Ikenia Kingdom, boxed in on the west with nowhere left to expand, and a boon to elevate the power of the entire southern continent.
Olivia now held that vital key.
Naturally, surrounding southern territories sent envoys daily to mend ties with Olivia.
No one wanted to cross Jerome, who had risen—no, solidified—as a power player shaping the continent's future.
But where there's light, there's shadow.
Not everyone on the continent celebrated Jerome's victory.
Praon territory's beach.
Unlike the serene, tranquil shore, harsh clashes echoed nonstop from the Sword Family's expeditionary camp tents along the coast.
Crash!
"Arrrghhh!"
A man roared as he trashed the tent into chaos.
The man was Victor, Sword Family heir.
"Damn it! Goddamn it! How the hell did that worm bastard...!"
The recent victory report from Olivia. Victor couldn't believe the war's result.
Fine.
He could accept that Jerome, out of his depth, had made considerable preparations.
He'd received troops and supplies from multiple nations, and while Vidal Kroit was past his prime, he still had his old reputation.
With that divine commander's skill, he figured they'd inflict serious damage on Gundo's pirates.
No—in fact, that's why he'd rooted for Jerome.
The greater the damage to Gundo, the more the Sword Family would shine sweeping up the weakened remnants.
Victor knew it well.
He'd dismissed them as mere pirates, never imagining they'd withstand his father Braum van Dmitri's sword.
In other words, the pirate king was a monster only his father could subdue.
The weaker that monster's forces grew, the more intact the Sword Family's strength remained.
He'd figured inflicting damage was the best outcome.
Yet they'd killed that monster.
Jerome, of all people.
'How... how the hell did he obtain such an absurd feat?'
Victor's eyes bulged red with bloodshot rage.
Jealousy, contempt—a storm of negative emotions churned in his chest.
Just knowing Jerome had grown stronger than him had been hard enough to stomach.
But he'd consoled himself.
Let the fool have the heroic flair; he'd rule as a sovereign.
But now. Subduing Gundo's pirates and slaying the pirate king himself?
"That pathetic insect takes it all...!"
Fortune, fame, power, authority. Everything.
Grind!
Victor, gnashing his teeth, suddenly turned at the presence at the tent flap.
"Who's there?!"
At Victor's irritable shout, the man parting the tent flap cautiously was Lennon, captain of the Silver Eagle Knights.
His face as stiff as Victor's menacing glare, Lennon spoke slowly.
"Young lord, Praon territory says... with Gundo's threat gone, they request our forces withdraw."
"......!!"
It was phrased as a request, but it was effectively an eviction notice.
Understanding full well, Victor's lips twisted into a sneer.
"...Ha! These scum dare ignore the Sword Family—the Dmitri ducal house?"
"Young lord, southern territories' opinion isn't favorable. They mutter what the Sword Family did while Olivia bled against Gundo...!"
Crash!
Lennon dodged the flying glass instead of finishing.
The cup shattered against the tent pole.
Lennon's face hardened slightly, but Victor didn't notice.
"Blabber from ignorant trash! As if their opinions scare me...!"
Instead of retorting to Victor's furious yell, Lennon silently offered the crystal orb.
He was already too excited to hurl a cup; no point speaking when his voice wouldn't register.
He wasn't that stupid.
Hum!
A calm voice emanated from Lennon's crystal orb.
-Return, Victor.
"......!!"
The voice from the orb was steady, yet cold as ice.
His father, Braum van Dmitri.
"F-Father! But! Withdrawing now will squander our family's hard-built influence in the south!"
Victor protested desperately, but Braum's tone sank even lower.
-And?
"...Pardon?"
-You think camping there will revive our already shattered influence?
"......!!"
-If you'd just sent reinforcements to Olivia, it wouldn't have come to this. Idiot.
The blatant rebuke. Feeling Braum's growing chill since the spring festival, Victor ground his teeth.
-Curl up now. Shut up and come back. No arguments.
Beyond the crystal orb, Duke Braum's eyes blazed like molten gold.