After signing the contract with Prince Horace—who had looked a little grim at the sight of Lathander's holy symbol but had resolutely pressed down the royal seal—Xue Yunfeng invited Prince Holmes aboard his magic ship.
At first, Xue Yunfeng had only asked the prince to send a noble to guide the Undead fleet. They were about to enter the Eastern Gulf, after all.
The Undead's enormous fleet would look like a terrifying threat to many coastal cities. They had come to Imbutu to make money and gather some intelligence to take home, not to frighten anyone.
Having a noble who could speak for them in the surrounding cities would save them a great deal of trouble.
Instead, Imbutu's crown prince had promptly taken on the role himself.
Some of the young nobles and ministers behind him looked alarmed, but Holmes knew exactly what he was doing. He ordered the young nobles to accompany him. Most were heirs to great noble families; even with the royal capital to relocate, there was little for them to do. Like him, they were merely figureheads whenever they appeared in public.
They might as well follow the Terrasil Elves and see something of the world.
The ministers in charge of domestic affairs, however, had to return to work. Faced with their anxious expressions, Prince Holmes could only reassure them gently.
None of Imbutu's royals or nobles wanted to seize the throne. They just hoped for a practical king.
After all, any family that had founded a kingdom along the Starfall Sea had some connection to dragons or dracoliches. Imbutu, for instance, had several Lich Towers within its borders and a silver dragon living in the Gray Forest, all with ties to the royal family.
If the Imbutu Royal House brought ruin upon itself, no one