Chapter 136
Chapter 136
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: Coral Sahar's Storm 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thuds and punches echoed as the servants crumpled to the ground.
“Krack?!”
“An ambush…”
“How cowardly!”
The fallen servants spat those words, but they were all gasping in agony from blows to their lungs or paralyzed from head to toe. Azadin had taken down three of them in one go with long strikes, elbows, and kicks.
The servants clutching their solar plexuses wheezed curses as they lay there, but the more they ranted in anger, the worse their breathing got.
“I made my intentions perfectly clear. And this counts as an ambush? You’ve got to be kidding.”
Even if not, among the Herald clans, the one who got ambushed was the fool. Especially after challenging someone to a duel first—there was no excuse.
“Enough! Are you trying to humiliate me right now?”
Sion barked the order at his servants, fuming.
“I’ve already recognized Azadin as a Herald! And you dare oppose my decision? You don’t think I’ve gone blind, do you?”
“N-No, sir.”
“It’s just the rumors about that Azadin…”
“Rumors? My little sister serves him as a Herald! They’ve got to be baseless nonsense! What else could they be? Are you saying Midi’am Etar has bad eyes? That a girl from the Etar bloodline is some kind of idiot?”
“……”
“We’re sorry.”
The servants Azadin had beaten admitted their defeat.
“Alright then, Azadin. Their lives are yours to decide…”
“No need.”
“No need?”
“They might be Etar servants, but they’re also members of the Coral Sahar Merchant Guild, right? Dragging them around as my lackeys would be less useful than letting them work the guild routes. Money, supplies, information—all better that way.”
“Hmm, unexpected. Quite the dignified fellow.”
“What’s unexpected? I’m always overflowing with dignity.”
“That just undercut it a bit.”
For all his words, Sion inwardly approved of Azadin sparing their lives and loyalty.
“All of you—apologize to Azadin. You only said sorry to me? Tell him you’re sorry for underestimating him and thank him for sparing your lives.”
“S-Sorry, Azadin.”
“We’re grateful for your mercy after we foolishly underestimated you, Lord Herald.”
“If you’re really sorry, help get this boat in the water. No time to waste.”
Azadin had the servants hitch the goats to the boat’s cart.
With goats and people pulling, they launched the boat into the water—which had risen so high there was barely any need to drag it far.
The village site was already submerged, letting them float it right away.
“Good. Looks like it’s repaired solid, no issues. Can you steer a boat?”
“Nope.”
Azadin shook his head.
“Then follow my lead. I’ll teach you the basics of handling a single-sail boat. Shouldn’t take long.”
Sion boarded confidently and took the tiller.
“Um, Lord Sion. Are you sure about this?”
“Most of the people on board are Azadin’s crew.”
The Etar servants who hadn’t challenged Azadin still distrusted him, owing him no emotional debt.
But Sion declared boldly,
“No problem. If this guy’s a traitor, that’ll mean something too. The rest of you, head to the next rally point and fortify it. Contact the family elders. If you run into Ara’el tribesfolk, just watch them—don’t engage. As guild merchants, they’ll let you pass without killing you. Don’t die chasing petty glory. Keeping the network alive is the greatest merit, and I won’t forget yours.”
Sion gave his orders to the servants, then boarded with Azadin’s group.
*********
Azadin’s crew boarded with Sion, who taught them how to handle the boat. It was small, so it wasn’t hard to learn. But the current was ferocious, and obstacles abounded.
“Flooding from nearby villages brought in all this debris. And this ‘river’ used to be a village. There are buildings underwater—steer clear so we don’t hit them.”
Sion said that while gripping the tiller.
“I can’t see a thing. Muddy water, dark sky—nothing visible below.”
“You can’t use Foresight Bird magic in water! It won’t move down there!”
Ismail shouted, and Sion clicked his tongue.
“That’s because you lack ingenuity, Ismail!”
“Yes?!”
“I’ll teach you the Foresight Bird cormorant technique.”
Sion recited the incantation and cast the spell himself.
An artificial spirit shot into the sky, dove from above, pierced the surface to scout underwater obstacles, then resurfaced.
“Ah!”
“Amazing, brother! As expected!”
Midi’am marveled at Sion’s skill.
“Impressive. Wish I could use Foresight Bird too.”
Azadin was impressed as well.
“Alright. Scouting underwater is great, but… doing it while steering…”
“What?”
“Urp—bleeegh!”
Sion couldn’t hold back the dizziness and seasickness and started vomiting. Standing ramrod straight made it pour out like a waterfall—everyone recoiled in horror.
A clean-cut young man gripped the tiller while hurling.
“Hey! Puke over the side! What are you doing?”
“But I have to hold the tiller. Urk!”
“Don’t talk while puking! Damn it! Was I wrong to even say anything?”
Azadin looked to his companions for input, and they all nodded.
“Don’t talk to him at times like this.”
Shati said.
“It’s… quite the sight.”
Gibek groaned, too refined for curses.
Everyone panicked watching Sion retch. Even Midi’am, who doted on her “big brother,” looked utterly disillusioned by the gruesome display.
“Ugh. I’ve always gotten a bit seasick. Add Foresight Bird on top of boating, and I’m dying here.”
“You’re a Herald and you get seasick?”
“Yeah. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Even a noble youth like me has his little flaws. Humanizing, right?”
“Wipe off the puke at least.”
“Nah, the wind and rain are taking care of it.”
“Where to? It’s flowing across the deck. Seriously.”
Azadin pulled out a rag and dunked it in a nearby water barrel. Rain had filled it, soaking the cloth instantly.
“Ismail, clean Sion up with this—his body and clothes.”
“But that’s a deck mop…”
“Too wet for anyone to tell. Better than puke everywhere, right?”
“……”
Ismail hesitated, then approached Sion—his original master from the Etar bloodline—clutching the deck mop.
As a Herald’s attendant, he had to obey his direct superior Azadin. But shoving a mop at a noble Etar son? Mortifying.
And even amid the storm, the wind and rain were already washing the vomit off Sion’s body. How fierce was this gale…?
“Screw it.”
Ismail bowed to Sion and wiped him down with the mop. Sion grumbled while holding the tiller.
“The wind and waves are rocking the boat too much. Gonna puke again. Better not eat.”
Scott jumped up at that.
“What?! No way! I’m catching fish right now!”
“Fish?”
Sure enough, Scott and Gibek were amiably fishing off the side.
“Look, they’re biting great. No bait needed.”
Gibek had tied suturing thread to his mace as a fishing rod.
Come to think of it, Gibek’s hobby and specialty was fishing? He was reeling them in effortlessly, even without bait, tossing them into a tub nearby. Scott helped out, eager to earn his keep.
The boat was so small that it didn’t need many hands for the sails. One at the tiller—Sion—and Azadin handling the sail was plenty.
A normal person might need two or more in this gale, with the sail so heavy—but Azadin’s strength made it easy solo.
“You wanna go hungry? Makes no sense! Oh no, low blood sugar shock incoming. Ancestors beckoning from across the river.”
Scott clutched his head.
‘This guy’s skills are beyond doubt, but damn, he’s a hassle to travel with. Eats a ton, talks nonstop… No wonder orcs get a bad rep even among Kurt god-followers.’
Azadin was fed up with Scott’s dramatics. But as group leader, he had to calm him.
“Hey, the boat’s fast as hell—we won’t be long. We’ll stop somewhere sheltered for a break and food.”
“Argh! Orcs are dying here. You humans have no idea how delicate we are. I braced for ignorance, but this torment exceeds expectations.”
“Your ‘delicacy’ is pissing me off. Need more proof you’re fragile?”
But then—
“Everyone, quiet! Incoming!”
Shati screamed.
“What?!”
“Ah?!”
Midi’am, scouting ahead, spotted something slithering along the water’s surface.
“Nagas!”
“Nagas?!”
Lightning flashed, illuminating the world.
White-skinned nagas churned foam in the raging current, shifting their hides to match surroundings as they glided over the waves.
“Tch!”
“Fast!”
The nagas, spotted approaching, cast spells. Magic bolts plunged subsurface, bubbling up toward the boat.
“Gasp?!”
“Block them! Midi’am!”
“Right!”
Midi’am dashed to the rail, using the boat’s sway to leap high into the air, firing arrows mid-flight.
-Whoosh!
Incredible shots from a 14-year-old girl arced cleanly, diving like fish-hunting kingfishers to strike the magic bolts.
-Boom!
Air bursts erupted, sending water pillars skyward. Midi’am fired more at the nagas, but they slipped underwater to dodge, then burst up with mouths agape.
“Grah!”
A deafening roar shattered the air, disrupting Midi’am’s midair balance to foul her landing.
But Ismail rushed to the rail, catching her as she touched down—they slid back across the deck together.
Gibek and Shati grabbed the sliding pair, steadying them.
“What? These humans are tougher than expected!”
The nagas panicked at Azadin’s crew’s unexpected response.
“Ah, damn. What now?”
Shati fretted over the nagas. Cooperate with them, and Azadin’s punishment scared her. Side with Azadin’s group, and the nagas would brand her a traitor.
In the end, she pretended to tie her wrists with a rope from the boat but actually gripped it herself, then screamed.
“Kyaa!”
‘She’s trying. Eh, as long as Shati heals us later with regen magic, she’s square.’
Azadin gave a wry smile at her act.
Meanwhile, the gap between the nagas and boat was closing fast.