Celebratory Banquet

"Ah! My dear Lord Arthur! You're a truly brave old sea dog!"

Governor Drew warmly embraced Arthur, took him by the hand, and led him toward the banquet hall.

The great pirate admiral, Earl Drake, had once used "old sea dog" to describe his own bravery and familiarity with the sea after defeating the Xiya Empire's Invincible Fleet.

The term was a compliment in the Age of Discovery, but it sounded a little strange when applied to Arthur.

"Governor Drew, today we drink until we drop!"

"Until we drop!"

At the victory banquet, Arthur met many important people, including Father Roberto and Deacon Wallace.

"Come, Lord Arthur, let me introduce you. This is Eisen Black, captain of the fleet at Rhine Island."

"Lord Eisen, this is Lord Arthur, who has foiled the cult's schemes time and again!"

"Lord Eisen! A pleasure to meet you!"

"Lord Arthur! Likewise!"

Arthur shook Lord Eisen's hand. They drank and chatted, soon turning to the rampant pirates.

Lord Eisen had blond hair and blue eyes. A sharkskin dress sword hung at his waist, and his shoulder boards were studded with copper rivets.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. This was the captain of the Rhine Island fleet.

"Pirate activity in the waters beyond the Mist Sea has grown increasingly rampant. The Empire's merchant ships have been attacked time and again."

Lord Eisen suddenly remembered that Arthur had also been a pirate. He immediately added, "Lord Arthur, I didn't mean you."

"It's all right." Arthur took a sip of wine. He didn't care about his origins.

Lord Eisen's words revealed something useful: he was deeply hostile to pirates. That was something Arthur could exploit.

"Lord Eisen, don't you know there are two kinds of pirates in the near waters?"

"Two kinds?"

Lord Eisen was curious about Arthur's claim. What did pirates think of other pirates?

"One kind consists of ordinary pirates who put to sea and plunder passing ships."

"And the other kind?"

"The other kind doesn't need to make a living by plundering ships. They escort some merchant vessels and plunder others.

"They receive regular supplies of fresh water, hardtack, and rum, so they don't have to worry about survival."

Arthur finished his wine, then turned away and mingled with the navy from Rhine Island.

Lord Eisen stood there, mulling over Arthur's words. His expression gradually darkened.

Arthur took in the lively atmosphere of the banquet hall, focusing on the people from the Royal Navy.

"Lord Arthur! Come, let me drink to you!"

There were also plenty of "nobles" from the Tudor Dynasty. Their families had fallen into decline, leaving them with no means of making a living on land.

They came to nearby islands and ports, trading on their "noble status" to build up a little capital and make connections.

No noble in the banquet hall outranked Governor Drew!

The victory banquet went on until nightfall. Arthur had drunk quite a few glasses and was a little tipsy.

In a single evening, he'd met more traditional Tudor nobles who claimed, "My ancestors were once great," than he'd ever read about in books in his previous life.

Night fell.

Governor Drew and Lord Eisen left, while Arthur stayed at the Rhine Governor's private guesthouse.

He used the Moth's power to murmur in his mind, dispelling his drunkenness.

He strode out of his room and wandered through the guesthouse.

Suddenly, Arthur heard some suspicious noises. He walked to the corner where the guesthouse corridor met the garden.

"Oh, James! You're amazing!"

"Really? How do I compare to Will?!"

"Damn it! Don't mention that man. I've been married to him for three years, but these past two days with you have been more satisfying!"

Arthur couldn't help but admire their audacity. They were sneaking around in the Rhine Governor's private guesthouse to have an affair.

Their conversation made him even more alert.

He turned to leave, but then the sounds from the garden seemed to change. James was making a noise like he was dying.

"Mary! Mary!"

"Oh—Mary!"

The scream stirred a memory. It was like a pirate being tied with a rope, cut open, and dragged behind a pirate ship.

As time passed, sharks drawn by the smell of blood kissed the pirate with their sharp teeth, their cries echoing across the sea.

Dead? Was he dead?!

Arthur frowned slightly, turned to face the garden, and backed away.

He drew his flintlock and fired a warning shot!

Thump, thump, thump. Navy guards rushed over with their flintlocks raised. "Lord Arthur! What happened?"

Arthur pointed toward the garden and calmly said, "Someone was having an affair in there. Their moans turned into screams."

"You Rhine Islanders prefer doing it out in the open instead of at a pastry shop. What a strange taste."

The head of the guard detail rushed into the garden with his men, flintlock raised. Ten seconds later, he came running back to the corridor.

His face was stricken with terror. He returned to Arthur's side, trembling as he pointed toward the garden.

"A dried-up corpse! There's a dried-up corpse!"

Arthur patted the guard captain and gave him an Ease effect, calming the navy guards.

"Notify Governor Drew about what happened. I'll wait here."

"Leave two sailors here to secure the scene."

"Yes, Lord Arthur!"

Arthur strode toward the garden, stopping at the corner. After confirming the Moth hadn't warned him of danger, he stepped inside.

In a corner of the garden, a shriveled man's corpse lay in the grass, his lower half naked.

He lay on his back, his eyeballs bulging from their sockets. Even sun-dried fish left out for a month weren't this dry.

"Lord Arthur, could it be a vampire from the stories?"

"Yeah! I heard vampires can drain all the blood from a person in one breath, leaving them like little dried fish?"

"Oh! Damn you, John! I'll never be able to eat dried fish again. You're going to pay!"

The three of them chatted around the corpse, and the mood gradually lightened.

By the time Governor Drew arrived, Arthur was discussing which tavern on Rhine Island had the best food with the navy sailors.

"Lord Arthur, I'm sorry you had to go through that!"

Governor Drew saw the corpse on the ground, and his face instantly turned ghastly pale.

The dead man was James, a captain in the Rhine Island fleet. He had risen to the rank by mastering naval artillery.

The ships under his command could always hit their targets' powder magazines with pinpoint accuracy, blowing enemy vessels to smithereens.

"As I passed by, I heard the names Mary, Will, and James. Does that mean anything to you, Governor Drew?"

Mary, Will, and James?!

Governor Drew's face changed dramatically. He immediately turned and ordered his men, "Seal off the port at once. No ships are to come or go."

"Have everyone from the merchant ships come ashore. I want every vessel searched."

Governor Drew looked anxious and didn't have time to comfort Arthur, his distinguished guest.

Arthur frowned, called Mickey over, and slipped him a silver coin. "Mickey, find out who Mary and Will are on Rhine Island."

Mickey soon returned and whispered, "Captain, I found out."

"Governor Drew's private treasurer is named Will. Mary is Will's wife."

The treasurer's wife. No wonder Governor Drew was so anxious. It concerned his private stash of money.

"Come on. Let's go see what's happening."