Setting Sail

That evening, Belicha brought the money, along with an extra 500 gold coins on top of the 100 gold coins commission he owed. He said it was a reward from the Queen, and that there would be further rewards if they returned victorious.

Accepting the money, Ronan couldn't help but marvel at Sinterland's wealth once more in his heart.

Over the past three days, Ronan had visited most of Teldrasil, selling medicinal herbs and earning nearly triple the profit. It was no wonder so many people went to Ravenwood Town to get rich; it truly was possible to get rich, even if it meant risking their lives.

Ronan also purchased a large quantity of food and fresh water, storing them in his backpack. Although rations wouldn't be an issue when following the main army, Ronan had prepared plenty of emergency supplies to guard against unforeseen circumstances.

Ronan also recruited twenty new soldiers from the system, expanding his troop numbers to the full capacity of forty-seven. This included ten Vigilia elite archers, five Vigilia knights, and five Templar Knights from the "Name of Jerusalem" mod. It could be considered a massive stroke of luck.

The Vigilia elite archers were standard-issue with a sturdy bow and a quiver of fifty bodkin arrows. These arrows possessed strong armor-piercing capabilities, and once they hit, the barbs would lodge in flesh, causing wounds that were difficult to heal if not properly treated, making them formidable weapons. The archers were also equipped with a Germanic Sword and wore studded leather armor with a Germanic helmet, and chainmail boots.

The Vigilia knights were all composed of Vigilia nobles, who bore the cost of their own weapons and equipment. Therefore, their armor and weapons varied greatly, with some using two-handed swords, others staves, battle axes, and so on. Their helmets were similarly diverse, including kettle helmets, Germanic helmets, and others. However, their body armor was more uniform, consisting of chainmail with a hooded tunic. Their warhorses were also clad in chainmail.

The Templar Knights were one of the core forces of Jerusalem. These battle-hardened church knights possessed unwavering willpower, adhered strictly to their beliefs, and were all men of few words. Their equipment was uniform: kettle helmets with a cross-shaped opening, kite shields emblazoned with a cross, a one-handed sword, and a two-handed sword, both etched with inscriptions. Their body armor was also uniform, consisting of chainmail tunics featuring a white background with a cross pattern.

Although they exclusively used their sidearms, they were also proficient with other weapons.

Ronan did not bring them back to the side hall but instead found an inn to temporarily house them, as explaining their origins would not be easy.

Time flew by, and the three days passed quickly. During this time, Ronan largely indulged in the various delicacies and decadent lifestyle within the royal palace, even feeling like he had gained three pounds.

Ronan had also met the Silver Moon Clan soldiers supporting Teldrasil. Among them, only the thirty-person archer contingent was comprised of Elves; the remaining one hundred and twenty were private soldiers trained by the Silver Moon Clan. Their equipment was reasonably good, consisting of uniform chainmail with long spears and short swords.

Most of the other support teams were similar. Sinterland's main forces were concentrated on the border, facing off against Morand, and could not be easily withdrawn. Therefore, the support teams mostly consisted of private soldiers from various families eager to prove themselves and recruited war mercenaries.

The support was divided into three waves, with approximately 1,500 people per wave, totaling less than 5,000 people. This was essentially more than half of Sinterland's available strength, excluding their standing legions.

Two hours before the departure time, the Silver Moon Clan's representative found Ronan and led him and his group to the port to prepare for boarding. Ronan also took the opportunity to collect his subordinates who were staying at the inn.

The port was crowded at this time, with most people transporting supplies onto the ships. By the time Ronan arrived, the Silver Moon Clan's warship was fully equipped, and Ronan could depart as soon as he boarded.

The Silver Moon Clan had 150 people, and Ronan's group had 48, bringing the total to just under 200. The Silver Moon Clan's warship was very large, easily accommodating over 200 people. Ronan noticed the words "Wavebreaker" painted on the hull, presumably the ship's name.

The entire fleet consisted of fewer than twenty ships, with the Wavebreaker being the largest and positioned in the center of the fleet. Leading the fleet was the overall commander of this support contingent – Rexar Nebula, who was from the same family as Dorodamenro, though their relationship was unknown. However, Mario Silvermoon, the Silver Moon Clan's representative for this mission, informed Ronan that Rexar was also part of the Queen's faction.

Ronan had already discussed with Mario that troop formation and tactics would be temporarily arranged by Mario. Ronan knew his own limitations; he was a fierce warrior in charge of charging into battle, but when it came to deploying troops, he could only rely on the minimal military knowledge he had absorbed from his past life and historical accounts. While this might occasionally yield surprising results, his ability to adapt to changing circumstances was certainly lacking.

The warship was divided into three decks. The lowest deck housed the warhorses and supplies, the second deck was the living quarters, with Ronan and Mario having private rooms while the others were assigned eight per room. The Silver Moon Clan soldiers also served as sailors and captains, responsible for the entire ship's movement.

The fleet would spend over a month sailing at sea, finally docking at a port in Terra. In addition to essential food and fresh water, oranges and rum were among the most carried provisions. This was because prolonged sea voyages could lead to vitamin C deficiency among the crew, causing scurvy if not replenished promptly.

Once the supplies were loaded and the soldiers had all boarded, the fleet weighed anchor and set sail. This was Ronan's first time on a ship in either of his lives. Fortunately, his mind was in good condition, and he didn't get seasick. Although he felt a bit unaccustomed at first, he soon adjusted.

Along the way, Mario told Ronan a great deal about the Slovak continent and the situation in Terra. Slovak was a continent characterized by a typical city-state system, where various ethnic groups or religions established numerous city-states, large and small, possibly numbering in the hundreds. More than half of the Slovak continent had harsh environmental conditions that made survival difficult.

As a result, Slovak was constantly embroiled in warfare. Small city-states allied to fight against larger ones, hoping to seize fertile territories, but they were not united amongst themselves. Large city-states also engaged in constant warfare due to religious ideologies and power disputes.

The most powerful city-states in Slovak currently were Terra, Valantis, Eredar, Pandero, and Seljuk. Terra, being coastal, had rapidly developed through its seafood industry and trade with Sinterland, becoming one of Slovak's largest city-states within just a few decades. Consequently, it had attracted the envy of other city-states.

Valantis was the largest slave-owning city-state in Slovak. Their leaders claimed to be sons of the Harpy and worshipped the God of Storms, valuing strength above all else and believing that the strong deserved to possess everything and freely dominate the weak.

Eredar was a city-state established by the Snake Worshipers. They revered death, believing snakes to be the embodiment of death. Their twisted ideology and tenets made them the most dangerous people in Slovak. The actions of Snake Worshipers' followers could not be predicted by common sense; they could stab you in the back at any moment. Valantis's willingness to cooperate with them this time could be considered quite courageous.