Why are you still here?

"Another one!"

Amid warm applause, the man standing behind the angler on the enormous warship clapped and exclaimed, "Colonel Penarosa truly possesses profound fishing skills. Your technique is superb!"

"You flatter me. At most, it's merely familiarity born of practice."

The somewhat aged middle-aged man flicked his fishing rod, tossed the caught flounder into the bucket, and merely smiled.

As though tired and no longer interested in the fishing game, he set down his rod, accepted the wet towel handed over by a servant beside him, wiped his hands, then turned and walked toward the reclining chair placed in the center of the deck.

Beneath the setting sun at dusk, the warship rode the wind and cleaved the waves. One warship after another followed close behind, the vast fleet advancing across the Endless Sea with a majestic aura, as though marching out to war.

"We're almost there, aren't we?"

As soon as Penarosa sat down, a sommelier immediately brought over decanted red wine and attended to him eagerly.

He glanced at the man who had yet to speak and had remained at his side all along. Considerately, the man waved his hand. "Take it away. The colonel does not drink during missions." The sommelier withdrew, and someone promptly brought up two glasses of ice water instead. Luxurious spring water airlifted from the Empire refracted crystalline light among the clear ice cubes.

"How thoughtful."

Penarosa nodded, making no effort to expose the carefully prepared little performance.

"It is merely a small courtesy, hardly worth mentioning." Hamming smiled and flattered him. "During this Calamity Wind, the safety of Seven Cities will depend upon your strength. Once we return victorious, we shall open a bottle from Uncle's private collection to celebrate you."

"What the family does has always been nothing more than icing