Two Caravels lay anchored by the shore, their astonishing sails furled, their heavy iron anchors dropped. The Kingdom's Samurai had occupied the great ships, posting ten guards on each vessel, men who would not come down even to eat or drink.
"Main God as witness! Keep a close watch on these two ships for me! Even when you sleep, you wear armor and hold your weapons!"
"Yes, captain!"
Samurai captain Copilli knew full well how important these two great ships were. Reluctant to part with them, he stroked those thick, towering masts for a long while before finally taking the Priest Ah Ding off the ship. Then he narrowed his eyes and looked toward the forty Demon Sailors by the shore, who had been taken over by the Samurai, bound hand and foot, and trussed up like turkeys. He said coldly, "Priest Ah Ding, how many of these Demon Sailors do we keep?"
"Mm, Main God as witness! For a great ship like this, you need at least, at the very least, fifteen sailors to sail it. In a while, find someone to interrogate them. Pick the ten with the greatest crimes, kill them, and sacrifice them. The rest have to be kept to tend the ships and head west."
"Only kill ten? Fine, they get off easy!"
"Ahem! Samurai captain Copilli, please put on a smile and hold a victory feast with the warriors! Then, as a matter of course, we invite that group of Holy Roman Empire Mercenaries over, give them all the wine and food they can take, let them enjoy themselves, be happy, and lower every last bit of their guard!"
"Good!"
The plans of the two Kingdom leaders scattered into the evening as the sun gradually sank west. Beneath the bloodlike golden-red sunset glow, the