Sky Thief

Arthur brought Mickey outside, where soldiers of Rhine Island were lined up in rows, controlling the island's ports and main thoroughfares.

Soon, a dazed Will was hauled to the Governor's Mansion by two naval soldiers.

"Damn you, Will!"

Governor Drew slapped him across the face, jolting Will into sobriety: "Where is the key to the vault?!"

The vault auditor held the key to the vault, the only way to open the heavy doors.

Even if Governor Drew wanted to enter the vault, he had to register with the tax officer, write out an approval slip himself, and then order Will to open the vault.

"The vault key... the vault..."

Will fumbled at his chest for a long time, his pupils gradually dilating; the vault key was gone.

"Damn it! Come with me to the vault!"

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Governor Drew hurriedly led his men toward the vault.

Lord Eisen rushed over from a distance, still maintaining the decorum of a nobleman.

He arrived at Arthur's side, his eyes revealing a look of pure, unadulterated confusion as he asked: "Lord Arthur, what has happened?"

Arthur whispered: "The vault auditor Will has lost his key."

Lord Eisen's expression sharpened; the loss of the vault key was a major incident.

"Captain James is dead."

"What?!"

Lord Eisen gasped; Captain James was the most outstanding gunner in the Rhine Island fleet.

"How did this happen? How did Captain James die?"

"He was killed by Will's wife, Mary... the body is in the guesthouse garden."

Lord Eisen was left somewhat bewildered by Arthur's words; the development of events was too complex for him to process all at once.

Arthur smiled and followed Governor Drew toward the Rhine Island vault.

The vault guards stood at attention, and upon seeing Governor Drew, they immediately spoke: "Governor!!!"

Governor Drew strode past the guards to the vault door, opening it to reveal the interior—a massive safe forged of steel.

Arthur stood outside the vault, looking at the scene within; it was empty, without a single copper coin, save for the large safe.

Governor Drew stood behind the large safe, staring at a hole the size of a fist; he stuck his rear in the air and peered at the ground, seeing that there was nothing inside the safe.

His face, weathered red by the sea breeze, turned an even deeper shade of crimson, and the world went black before Governor Drew's eyes.

The Rhine Island vault safe had been robbed!

How was he supposed to answer to the authorities of the Tudor Dynasty? Most of the contents were taxes paid by cargo ships; if he couldn't turn them in, he would have to cover the deficit himself!

"Everyone, blockade Rhine Island! Search every merchant ship!

Captain Eisen, lead the fleet to blockade the port; do not let a single suspect escape."

Arthur stroked his chin, sensing an opportunity; the gold coins from the vault had to be accounted for somehow.

Aside from passing merchant ships, only pirates possessed large amounts of gold on their vessels.

If word got out that the Royal Navy was plundering merchant ships, the nobles on the mainland would tear Governor Drew to pieces; there were plenty of nobles coveting the position of Governor of Rhine Island.

The news spread quickly across Rhine Island, triggering a crisis among the passing merchants.

"We must leave Rhine Port and head to Fog City!!"

"Let us go at once! We have already paid our taxes, or I shall report you to the Minister of Finance!"

"I heard the Sky Thief is on Rhine Island! My cargo is all on that ship, let me leave!"

Arthur took Mickey to a tavern to drink rum and inquire about local news.

Lord Arthur's reputation was spreading throughout Rhine Island, and he became the center of attention wherever he went.

Dandelion Tavern.

As soon as Arthur arrived at the tavern, "Oh! The heroic Lord Arthur, welcome to Dandelion Tavern!"

The bartender shouted: "Dandelion Tavern treats Lord Arthur and his Sailor... to a glass of sherry!"

Arthur chuckled and tossed a gold coin onto the table: "Drinks for my friends in the tavern."

"Oh! Thank you, generous Lord Arthur!"

A waitress from Dandelion Tavern brought over two glasses of sherry, a special vintage from the Xiya Empire that cost one silver coin per glass.

Arthur took a sip of the sherry; the flavor was indeed quite unique, and he tapped his fingers on the bar:

"Is there any interesting news, perhaps regarding the legend of the Sky Thief?"

The Sky Thief.

The Dandelion Tavern fell silent, only to immediately erupt into a cacophony of voices as everyone clamored to share the legends of the Sky Thief they had heard.

Chatel, a waiter at the tavern, suddenly spoke up: "Is it the Sky Thief who stole the Golden Thorn Badge in the Fog City?"

Arthur looked at the waiter Chatel, who stood about 1.6 meters tall with short reddish-brown hair, a broad face, and a hooked nose; upon closer inspection, he appeared slightly cross-eyed.

He had a heavy foreign accent and looked like a native of the New Continent.

"Bring this waiter a glass of sherry."

"Thank you, Lord Arthur."

Chatel's eyes flickered as he bowed slightly to offer the information he knew.

The Sky Thief had once committed a crime in the capital of the Tudor Dynasty, the "Fog City," stealing a precious Golden Thorn Badge from the Fog City Museum.

After the Age of Navigation began, the vanguard fleet of the Tudor Dynasty participated in the opening of new sea routes.

The crew members who eventually survived and returned were commended by the Church of Light and awarded the "Golden Thorn Badge" along with noble titles.

Arthur smiled and asked, "Roughly what time was this?"

"The time was August 1601; I am not clear on the specific date," Chatel said, appearing to genuinely struggle with the memory.

The sherry was brought before Chatel, who bowed slightly: "Thank you for your generosity."

Arthur closed his eyes to ponder this lead, then suddenly spoke again: "Does anyone know where the Golden Thorn Badge has appeared since?"

He paused, then added, "Any time after August."

There are no airtight sails at sea; a Sailor stood up and said, "I think I've seen a Thorn Badge, with the captain of the Tuna Pirate Ship."

"Did you see it with your own eyes, or is it just hearsay?"

"I saw it with my own eyes, though I'm not certain if it was the one... a pure gold badge... with a thorn pattern."

Arthur tapped the table and said, "Give this Sailor a glass of sherry."

The Sailor was visibly delighted; precious sherry was not something a sailor could afford to consume!

"Thank you for your generosity! Lord Arthur!"

The Golden Thorn Badge stolen by the Sky Thief had appeared in the hands of a pirate captain, which inevitably made one wonder: was there some collusion between the two?

Arthur's lips curled slightly, and he tossed another gold coin to the bartender.

"Bartender, are there any decent restaurants on Rhine Island?"

The bartender replied respectfully, "Turn left out of the Dandelion Tavern, and there is a noble restaurant where the chef's cod rolls are exquisite."

Arthur turned to look at Mickey and said, "Mickey, go invite Governor Drew; I am hosting a meal at the noble restaurant."

Mickey muttered under his breath, "What reason should I use to invite him?"

Governor Drew was in a very bad mood right now.

"Tell him I have a way to help him solve his tax problems."