Setting Sail

That evening, Belicha delivered the money. In addition to the 100 gold coins in commission she owed him, she brought another 500 gold coins, saying they were the queen's reward. If they returned in triumph, the queen would offer further rewards.

After accepting the money, Ronan could not help marveling at Sinterland's wealth once again.

Over the past three days, Ronan had toured most of Teldrasil, selling off his medicinal herbs for nearly triple the profit. No wonder so many people went to Ravenwood Town hoping to strike it rich. It really was possible to make a fortune there, even if it might cost them their lives.

Ronan had also purchased a large supply of food and fresh water to store in his backpack. There would be no shortage of provisions while marching with the main army, but he still prepared plenty of emergency supplies in case something unexpected happened.

Ronan also recruited twenty new soldiers through the system, expanding his force to its full complement of forty-seven men. They included ten Vigilia elite archers, five Vigyan Knights, and five Templar Knights from the Name of Jerusalem MOD. His luck had truly exploded.

The Vigilia elite archers were equipped with standard hard bows and a quiver of fifty barbed bodkin arrows. These arrows had tremendous armor-piercing power, and once they struck, their barbs would catch in flesh. Without proper treatment, they could leave wounds that were difficult to heal. They were truly deadly weapons. The archers also carried Germanic Swords, wore studded leather armor and Germanic helmets, and had chainmail boots on their feet.

The Vigyan Knights were all Vigilia nobles, and they paid for their own equipment, so their weapons and armor varied wildly. Some used two-handed swords, some maces, some battle axes—there was every sort of weapon. Their helmets were much the same, including great helms and Germanic helmets. Their clothing was comparatively uniform: hooded chainmail hauberks, while their warhorses were also draped in chainmail.

The Templar Knights were one of Jerusalem's core forces. These Battle-Hardened church knights possessed unwavering will, adhered strictly to their doctrines, and were all men of few words. Their equipment was uniform: cross-slit great helms, iron-rimmed shields emblazoned with crosses, a one-handed sword and a two-handed sword, both engraved with inscriptions. They also wore matching chainmail hauberks bearing a cross on a white background.

Though they all carried swords as standard, they were equally proficient with other weapons.

Ronan did not take them back to the side hall. Instead, he found an inn and settled them there temporarily, since it would be difficult to explain where they had come from.

Time flew by, and the three days soon passed. During those three days, Ronan had basically spent his time indulging in the palace's fine food and decadent comforts. He even felt as though he had gained three pounds.

Ronan had also met the Silver Moon Clan soldiers sent to support Terra. Only the thirty-man archer unit consisted of elves; the other 120 were private soldiers trained by the Silver Moon Clan. Their equipment was fairly good, all uniformly armed with chainmail, spears, shields, and short swords.

Most of the other relief forces were the same. Sinterland's main forces were concentrated along the border, locked in a standoff with Moran, and could not be withdrawn easily. Thus, most of the reinforcements were private troops from prominent families seeking to prove themselves, along with hired war mercenaries.

The reinforcements were divided into three waves, roughly 1,500 men each, for a total of fewer than 5,000. This was basically more than half of the strength Sinterland could field beyond its standing legions.

Two hours before departure, the Silver Moon Clan's representative came to find Ronan and led him and his men to the harbor to prepare for boarding. On the way, Ronan picked up the subordinates he had lodged at the inn.

The harbor was crowded with people, most of them hauling supplies onto the ships. By the time Ronan arrived, the Silver Moon Clan's warship had already been fully loaded. Once Ronan boarded, they could depart.

The Silver Moon Clan had 150 men, while Ronan's group had forty-eight. Together, they came just two short of 200. The Silver Moon Clan's warship was enormous, more than spacious enough for their two hundred-odd people. Ronan noticed the two large words "Wavebreaker" painted on the hull, which was presumably the ship's name.

The entire fleet consisted of fewer than twenty ships. The Wavebreaker was the largest among them and had been positioned in the center of the fleet. The commander-in-chief of this relief force was Rexar Nebula. He came from the same family as Dorodamenro, though Ronan did not know how they were related. However, Mario Silvermoon, the Silver Moon Clan's representative for this mission, told Ronan that Rexar was also part of the queen's faction.

Ronan had already discussed matters with Mario. For the time being, Mario would handle the formation and tactics of the force. Ronan knew exactly what he was capable of. He was a fierce warrior when charging into battle, but when it came to arranging troops and devising formations, he could only make do with the bits of military strategy and historical tactics he had learned in his previous life. They might occasionally produce unexpected results, but he certainly could not adapt to changing circumstances.

The warship had three decks. The lowest held the warhorses and supplies, while the second deck was the living quarters. Ronan and Mario each had a private cabin; everyone else shared rooms of eight. The Silver Moon Clan soldiers also served as sailors and officers, responsible for operating the entire ship.

The fleet would sail for over a month before finally docking at Terra's harbor. Besides essential food and fresh water, oranges and rum were among the most plentiful supplies aboard. After all, prolonged sea voyages could leave sailors deficient in vitamin C, and without timely supplements, they would develop scurvy.

Once the supplies had been loaded and all the soldiers had boarded, the fleet weighed anchor and set sail. This was Ronan's first time aboard a ship across both his lives. Fortunately, his mind was tough enough that he did not get seasick. Though he was uncomfortable at first, he gradually adapted.

Along the way, Mario told Ronan much about the Slovak Continent and Terra's situation. Slovak was a typical continent of city-states. Various ethnic groups and religions had established large and small city-states across their territories, perhaps numbering in the hundreds. More than half of the Slovak Continent was harsh and difficult to inhabit.

As a result, Slovak was perpetually at war. Small city-states united to oppose large ones in hopes of seizing fertile land, but they themselves were far from united. The larger city-states also fought constantly over religious beliefs and struggles for power.

The most powerful city-states in Slovak at present were Terra, Valantis, Eredar, Pandero, and Seljuk. Terra lay on the coast and had developed rapidly through seafood and trade with Sinterland. In just a few decades, it had become one of Slovak's largest city-states, and thus attracted the envy of the others.

Valantis was Slovak's largest slaveholding city-state. Its ruler called himself the Son of Harpy. They worshiped the God of Storms, revered strength, and believed the strong had the right to possess everything and command the weak as they pleased.

Eredar was a city-state founded by the Snake Worshipers. They revered death and believed snakes were its incarnation. Their twisted ideals and doctrines made them the most dangerous people in Slovak. The actions of Snake Worshiper followers could not be judged by common sense; they might stab you in the back at any moment. Valantis's willingness to cooperate with them this time could truly be called commendable courage.