The prince did not respond. He quietly flipped through the reports on the table and said without looking up, "Galahad, make a trip to Castel Island."
"When, Your Highness?"
"Soon. I spoke with them not long ago. They're preparing to send a ship to take Connor's group back first. Go with them, get a good understanding of Castel's situation, and make contact with Count Theus. I'll speak to them about it."
Galahad froze for a moment before speaking. "They're only sending Connor back? You mean Zoe and Erwin are both staying here?"
It did not matter much if Zoe stayed, but Erwin was clearly the military official in charge of Castel. He was staying here too?
Galahad instinctively frowned.
Before he could say anything, however, a commotion erupted outside. Both men turned to look, just as a servant came running over in a panic.
"Y-Your Highness! Something happened at Blood Port!"
"Chief Priest, we've received some news."
Josh looked amusedly at the white-haired little girl. She was politely reporting the intelligence she had gathered, small and thin as she sat there like a quiet cat—if one ignored the fact that she was noisily slurping hot rice porridge.
She seemed particularly fond of the porridge. Though her expression revealed not the slightest hint of it, she refused to put down the bowl in her hands.
Feeling that taking in this group of street children might turn out to be a loss, Josh shook his head with a smile and put on an attentive expression. "What news?"
"The Castel people's ship is leaving Blood Port."
Josh's fingers twitched, and the smile on his face faded.
He had been hesitating over whether to approach those people. He knew Erwin; the man had once been a fisherman too, yet now he had worked his