Creamy Truffle Cod Rolls

Arthur arrived at the so-called nobles' restaurant and announced loudly, "Prepare a private room. I need to discuss an important matter with Governor Drew."

"What's your signature dish?"

The restaurant's waiter held a wooden board with ordinary writing paper on it, covered in lines of tiny Latin script.

In the most prominent spot, a line of large letters stood out in bold ink: Creamy Truffle Cod Rolls.

"Two orders of creamy truffle cod rolls and two glasses of sherry. Have them ready as soon as possible."

Governor Drew's brow furrowed deeply as he rushed to the restaurant with his navy. He took a seat across from Arthur.

His temper was exceptionally short. The treasury had been robbed, and he was searching every corner of Rhine Island.

Arthur's invitation left him confused and even more irritable. What couldn't be said outright? Why drag him to a restaurant and waste his time?!

"Does Governor Drew think he can catch the Sky Thief who robbed the treasury?"

"Or does Governor Drew think the navy's men will find someone who managed to sneak into the treasury without the guards noticing?"

Governor Drew frowned and scrutinized Arthur. "What exactly are you trying to say, Lord Arthur?"

"If this is just pointless chatter, I need to get back to searching for the thief."

He knew Arthur had a point, but right now, searching Rhine Island was the only solution he had.

The restaurant's chef, Antonio, personally brought over the freshly prepared creamy truffle cod rolls, paired with excellent sherry.

Arthur picked up his knife and fork, cut off a piece of cod roll, and took a bite. The cream and truffle mingled with the rich flavor of the cod, bursting across his palate.

So food in the Age of Navigation wasn't all inedible hardtack after all.

Governor Drew had no appetite. He hadn't touched his knife or fork, waiting for Arthur to continue.

"The treasury on Rhine Island holds taxes collected from merchant ships across the region. The money has to be sent to Fog City once a month."

"Governor Drew must be worried about the taxes. Such a vast fortune at sea would attract only two groups."

Taking his time to savor the sherry, Arthur began steering Governor Drew toward a different course of action.

Governor Drew tapped the table. "Merchant ships passing through? No! Rhine Island can't go around plundering merchant ships!"

Even if he disguised the navy as pirates and sent them to plunder merchant ships, it would be difficult to turn their cargo into a large quantity of gold coins in a short time.

And whether there were enough merchant ships to plunder was another question entirely.

"Merchant ships? No! I mean pirates."

"Pirates?"

Governor Drew had been about to call them "that bunch of paupers," but then he thought of the pirates' ships, cannons, and the merchant vessels they had plundered.

The stores and accumulated wealth of famous pirates were considerable.

Governor Drew sat up straight, cut off a piece of creamy truffle cod roll, and asked Arthur about his plan.

"Pirates are far more cunning than you imagine. How can we defeat enough of them?"

If they could wipe out enough pirates, the spoils they recovered, along with the credit for the victory, would minimize the impact of the treasury robbery. His position would remain secure.

Except... Governor Drew let out a sigh.

"It's simple. I'll use my identity as a pirate to call the others together."

"Why?"

Governor Drew thought Arthur was being fanciful. Once a pirate received a royal charter, he was a noble in all but name.

Sailing the seas, he had to abide by the rules of nobility and couldn't plunder his own country's merchant ships.

There was no way the other pirates would trust "Lord" Arthur!

Arthur raised his glass and clinked it against Governor Drew's, offering a reason he could believe.

"Governor Drew's treasury was robbed, and it contained a precious treasure. I need that treasure."

"If we find the Sky Thief, the gold coins he stole will be ours as well."

Governor Drew spoke quietly. "I'll have people spread the word that a banned item was stolen from the treasury."

"Just gathering the pirates won't be enough to achieve what I want. Chasing pirates at sea is... difficult."

The most troublesome part of wiping out pirates was that they scattered and fled in every direction.

Take Rosen, captain of the Giant Catfish Pirate Crew, for example. He had ranged from the waters off the Xiya Empire to those off the Tudor Dynasty.

Rhine Island's fleet consisted of twelve warships, including two Carrack-class flagships.

That wasn't nearly enough to surround pirates on the open sea.

"What if they came to us?"

"Oh!?"

Governor Drew looked at Arthur. If pirates came to them of their own accord, the navy's warships and coastal guns would leave them with little chance of escape.

"Are you joking, Lord Arthur? Why would pirates attack Rhine Island?

"With just eighty coastal cannons, and not enough ships to surround the island, it would be extremely difficult to break through the barrage."

Arthur's hand trembled slightly, and a drop of wine fell onto the table. He used the wine to draw a question mark with his finger.

Lowering his voice, he said, "If Governor Drew comes under pressure and has no choice but to send out the fleet to search for the wandering Sky Thief..."

"Rhine Island will be left poorly defended. The merchant ships moored here and the goods in the warehouses would be a considerable fortune."

Governor Drew pondered in silence. The pirates wouldn't be able to resist the temptation, while the navy protected merchant ships as they sailed.

If the navy were gone, Rhine Island would become a plump cod roll, with the wealth it had amassed and the fame that would bring.

The pirates would definitely be tempted.

He looked at the question mark Arthur had drawn. They could send the main force away from Rhine Island, then have it follow the pirates when they attacked.

The coastal guns and Rhine Island's land troops would be enough to hold them off for a while.

When Eisen returned with the main fleet, they could attack from both sides. At most, a small number of pirates would escape.

But the main force would be completely wiped out! The pirates' flags would become medals for Governor Drew!

"Why?"

Governor Drew was still cautious. The plan seemed highly feasible, but if the pirates managed to land, even the slightest mistake could lead to immeasurable losses. He could hardly imagine what it would cost.

He wanted to know Arthur's motive. This plan clearly wasn't a spur-of-the-moment idea; it had been carefully plotted in advance.

Arthur already had the perfect excuse. "You know where my title of lord comes from, Governor."

"My relationship with the Church of Light is strained. I've become a noble of the Sun Never Sets Empire, but I'm still an outsider among the nobility."

"A great achievement would give me the standing to go to Fog City and formally become a noble of the Sun Never Sets Empire."

The corners of Governor Drew's mouth curled up. He was satisfied with Arthur's answer.

No one could refuse the status of nobility in the Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets. It meant not only money and wealth, but also a position above the masses.

Even in the Royal Navy, only the finest fleets and commanders could be nobles.

"These creamy truffle cod rolls are delicious. This restaurant has a skilled chef."

Smiling, Governor Drew used his knife and fork to bring the cod roll to his mouth, then commented on the flavor of the restaurant's food.

"The creamy truffle cod is excellent. I hope the feast to come will be just as delicious."

Arthur raised his glass of sherry and clinked it against Governor Drew's. Wine splashed from their glasses, brimming with anticipation.