Jaina's First Lesson

After years of professional training, Liam's observation skills were now razor-sharp, and the way the three men behaved regarding this matter appeared entirely different in his eyes.

Wenrick's gaze flickered with the relief of someone who had narrowly escaped death; Harlan Sweete's fanatical eyes held a hint of envy and a lingering murderous intent toward the fleeing pirates; yet, Flynn Fairwind's ingratiating smile masked a deep-seated wariness.

Flynn was the first to realize that Liam's appearance here might not be a good thing for them. Being able to track them to such a remote location was certainly no coincidence, which meant the other party had likely been tailing him the entire time and only chose to reveal himself now. Going to such lengths for a small-time hoodlum meant that his goal was naturally more than just asking about a person.

However, he was a smart man; he wouldn't voice such concerns directly, choosing instead to put on an appearance of deep gratitude.

"Rest assured, leave your business to me. Even if that guy is hiding in a Quillboar den, I'll dig him out for you."

Watching Flynn play the chameleon and act his heart out, Liam found it quite amusing. "Just remember that. I'm no 'sucker,' and I'm not that easy to swindle. Make sure you get the job done properly; don't try to slack off or play tricks."

With that, Liam waved his hand and turned to leave, leaving behind a stunned Flynn standing in place, along with his two companions who looked on like curious children, unaware of what had actually transpired.

Although Liam wasn't exactly a seasoned veteran of the underworld, he knew that some people couldn't be suppressed with just a few words; Flynn was like that, and so was that pirate.

To act as a mediator, especially one whose loyalties were clearly skewed, the primary prerequisite was to have a heavy fist. On this point, Liam had no trouble suppressing them.

But relying on force to solve problems would always invite a backlash, so Liam wasn't foolish enough to think this matter was settled. With Liam's keen instincts, he had easily discovered that the pirate hadn't gone far but was still lurking nearby. That was why he had thrown around so much money earlier and quietly left a small "button" behind. If that person was too greedy and blinded by the desire for wealth, refusing to let this go, then it would just happen to do Liam a favor.

The return to the inn was uneventful, but he was startled upon seeing Jaina. The girl, who had been in high spirits earlier, now seemed somewhat depressed. Her little face was crumpled, and her eyes were slightly red, as if she were about to cry but had no tears to shed.

Jaina's mood was indeed poor—or to be precise, it was terrible.

Not long after Liam left, Jaina felt bored and wanted to sneak out for a look. However, remembering her promise to Liam not to run off, the girl decisively suppressed her curiosity after a brief moment of internal struggle.

But not going out didn't mean she couldn't see the "outside." Just as hunters have Eagle Eye, priests have Mind Vision, shamans have Far Sight, and warlocks have Kilrogg's Eye, mages who stayed cooped up in their towers had their own ways of understanding what was happening in the world.

These mages only needed a crystal ball to use simple spatial magic to create a clear projection, allowing them to see anything they desired.

Regardless, Jaina's talent for spatial magic was no less than her talent for water magic, and she mastered it far more easily than other disciplines. Thus, the highly curious Jaina had learned this entry-level "little magic," which was not difficult for her, at the very first opportunity.

Yet, when she looked closely at Freehold, she discovered that even under the rule of Kul Tiras, there were such chaotic and impoverished places that were unbearable to look at.

Born and raised in Boralus, the largest city, Jaina had naturally imagined the world to be beautiful: the northern Stormsong Valley had four seasons of spring, vast plains, and the best farms; the western Drustvar, though blocked by snowy mountains, had hardy folk and the best fishing ports and pastures in all of Kul Tiras; and Tiragarde, as the center of Kul Tiras, possessed rich mineral deposits and maritime trade routes connecting to the Eastern Kingdoms.

In the eyes of the young Jaina, such a kingdom was perfect, and its people naturally lived in peace and contentment, working together to support her father in managing this pure land among the seven kingdoms.

Unfortunately, where there is light, there are shadows, and Jaina had deeply experienced some of the things hidden under the rule of Kul Tiras today.

Just as the sea is not always clear skies and calm waters, cruel storms could cause many to lose their homes, their lives, or simply become refugees. Many women were forced into the business of being bar hostesses, while homeless children became street urchins—the reserve force for the thugs of Freehold.

Kul Tiras naturally had official ways of dealing with this, but there were always those who would walk the path opposite to what people hoped for. These people gathered in Freehold, living in a drunken stupor every day; although they weren't pirates, they did things no different from pirates.

Among them, the three major gangs of Freehold were the worst. While they dared not commit major atrocities under the military might of the Proudmoore family, they never ceased their petty evils of bullying the market and engaging in crooked dealings.

After accompanying Jaina in reminiscing about the past until the night grew dark, the little girl finally got to the point.

"Father always says that big brother is a hero, and it is only through the sacrifices made by heroes like him that we can have such a stable life today. But... but I thought..."

Jaina felt somewhat dejected, unable to describe her sense of loss.

"You thought the whole world was full of good people?" Liam teased. He felt that the term from his memories, "naive," was the most fitting description for Jaina right now.

"Of course not, I'm just disappointed, and I don't know what I can do... After all, they are also people of Kul Tiras. Even if Father doesn't care, I have an obligation to help them." Jaina was a bit angry, her face flushed red, and she glared at Liam with puffed-out cheeks.

Liam slapped his forehead, finally realizing why this girl would lead a group of people to strike out on her own in Theramore years later—the root of the problem lay right here!

Liam truly didn't know whether to call her "innocent" or "genuinely stupid," but to prevent this naive girl from making any more unreliable decisions in the future, Liam decided to teach her a proper lesson.

Coincidentally, the sound of flapping wings echoed outside the window at that moment, and Coral's raspy voice rang out abruptly, "Liam, that guy has gone out!"

"Let's go, come with me." Hearing Coral's words, Liam stood up and said to Jaina, who had reached out to touch Coral only to be glared back by the bird.

"Where to?" Jaina looked up and asked, full of confusion.

"To class!" Liam's answer was full of momentum, yet incredibly cheesy...