1:41 a.m.
Through a side door beside the tightly locked main gate of Winterer Fortress, Theo stepped out.
“Cold night.”
He pulled up the fox fur scarf Cecilia had given him, covering his face against the biting winter air, which felt especially harsh on this first winter’s night since his return.
“Oh, finally, you’re here, our youngest!”
Waiting for Theo were Selford and Arin. These two were the senior knights that Julius had assigned as Theo’s support.
Evelyn must be busy preparing for her Swordmaster promotion exam.
He felt a slight pang of disappointment, but he hoped things would go well for her. She had garnered attention from many of the top warriors after her duel with Wolfgang, so her promotion seemed almost certain.
“Did you wait long? I’m sorry for the delay.”
“No, no, we just got here ourselves. And you’re ten minutes early, so nothing to apologize for.”
Selford waved his hand dismissively and gave Theo a curious look.
“So, we’re headed to the Free City Alliance in the Floating Archipelago? What kind of mission are we on?”
“Hm? Didn’t the Captain brief you?”
“He just told us to follow you and gave us a good kick to send us off.”
“...”
No wonder Arin looked annoyed and silent. Theo sighed lightly.
“I’ll fill you in on the details as we travel.”
“Sounds good.”
Whistle!
At Selford’s whistle, two wyverns emerged, silhouetted against the moonlight.
The group traveled for several days, heading towards the Northwest region. They passed through Northern forests, plains, and mountain ranges, gradually sensing the warming of the air.
Or rather, the North’s winter is just exceptionally cold, isn’t it?
As Theo mused over this, a low-lying area with a view of the blue horizon came into sight.
The open sea was breathtaking.
“Aah, it’s been years since I’ve seen this view. Never gets old,” Selford said with admiration, looking back at Theo.
“Hey, Theo, this is your first time seeing the ocean, right?”
“Uh, yes, technically.”
“Really? No reaction, though? Most people either freak out at how much water there is or wonder where the end of it is.”
Theo’s reaction wasn’t quite what Selford expected. The North, with its plains and forests, had few lakes, and many Northerners never saw the sea in their lifetime.
Well, I did live near the ocean once.
With memories of his past life, the ocean didn’t hold much novelty for Theo.
“Well, not everyone is as easily excited as you, Selford,” Arin teased with a smirk.
Selford grinned mischievously. “Oh, remember that one friend who ran to the bathroom right after seeing the sea?”
“...Do you mind shutting up?”
“I think you were that friend?”
“Shut it.”
“Oh? Maybe not?”
“You really want to die, don’t you?”
As Arin drew her sword, chasing after him, Selford laughed and flew ahead, dodging her strikes.
“Hah-hah!”
“Get back here, you idiot!”
As the two bickered midair, Theo quietly observed the bustling coastal city of Novaje, their gateway to the Floating Archipelago.
The harbor was alive with activity: massive ships docked, goods were unloaded, auctions were held, and fishermen, merchants, and street vendors bustled about. The blare of horns signaled departing ships, all forming a lively atmosphere that stood in stark contrast to the North’s survival-driven intensity.
It’s been a while since I’ve been here.
A faint smile crossed Theo’s face as he remembered fleeing Ragnar in his past life, arriving here, and attempting to start a new life as a merchant.
I wonder how those people are doing now.
While Theo reminisced, they arrived near Novaje. After hiding their wyverns and changing into inconspicuous clothing, Theo handed Selford and Arin new identification badges.
“This mission is covert, so we’ll need to hide our identities. We’ll be moving in secret, so we’ll use these badges, marking us as wandering knights.”
Selford examined the badge with curiosity.
“When did you prepare these?”
“Black Snow provided them.”
“So the rumors were true? You really received the Black Snow certificate?”
“There were rumors about that?”
“Rumors? That’s highly classified information—rumors wouldn’t do it justice.”
“So, how did you find out?”
“Good question. Just kind of... heard it.”
Selford shrugged, and Theo sighed as Arin shook her head in disbelief.
“He’s like a rodent, sniffing out information everywhere he goes. It’s best to just ignore him.”
“Hey! A ‘socialite’ is a much better term than ‘rodent!’”
“Knowing the number of spoons and forks in Theo’s house isn’t social curiosity—that’s just creepy.”
“...”
Theo struggled to keep up with the exchange.
“Just ignore him. If you try to make sense of him, you’ll never get anywhere.”
“...All right.”
Still a bit confused, Theo followed Selford and Arin into Novaje.
“So, where to first? Should we buy passage straight to Benota?”
“No. There’s somewhere we need to stop by first.”
“Where?”
“You’ll see shortly.”
“Huh?”
Just then, a passerby brushed against Theo.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t—ahhh!”
To Selford and Arin’s surprise, the man’s hand was caught in Theo’s back pocket.
“Spinola family, right?”
“What—what are you talking about? Let go of me!”
“Where can I meet your higher-ups?”
Theo’s smile was cold as he ignored the man’s cries.
“You little—!”
The pickpocket, his face flushed with anger, drew a dagger, but Theo twisted the man’s arm back, and with a swift kick to his abdomen, sent him flying.
Thud!
The pickpocket landed on a nearby stall.
Screams!
“Guards! Someone get the guards!”
Amid the commotion, Theo approached the fallen man, placing his foot firmly on the man’s neck as he tried to get up.
“Tell me where your hideout is.”
“Can’t... breathe...”
“Location first.”
As Theo applied more pressure, the man frantically pointed towards a nearby tavern.
“There... there...”
“Is that the truth?”
“Yes! Please...”
Satisfied, Theo lifted his foot.
The man gasped for air, only to feel Theo’s grip on his collar as he was dragged toward the tavern.
“P-please! If I go there, they’ll kill me!”
“If they kill you, that’s your problem, not mine.”
“Come on, man!”
The pickpocket had picked the wrong target, thinking Theo was an easy mark.
Crash!
With one final push, Theo threw the man through the tavern’s door, sending him tumbling across the floor.
The man lay limp, clearly unconscious.
“What the hell?!”
“Who’s there?!”
As patrons and staff turned toward the dust-filled doorway,
Shing!
Theo drew his sword and stepped inside.
“Is this the Spinola branch?”
When Selford and Arin entered the tavern, the chaos had already subsided. Various weapons lay broken on the floor, and men who looked like back-alley criminals writhed in pain, limbs twisted at odd angles.
Theo sat at a table, calmly observing the defeated thugs.
Weren’t we supposed to keep this mission low-key? Is it okay to cause such a scene? Selford whispered to Theo, bewildered.
And “Spinola”—the name Theo had casually mentioned—was well-known in the underworld and anything but discreet.
Benota, the self-governing city in the Free City Alliance, was controlled by three merchant families known as the Seafaring Triumvirate. Spinola was one of those three, with ties to smuggling, illegal immigration, and all kinds of underground dealings.
If Theo had really stirred up trouble with the Spinola family, he risked causing a bigger mess.
But Theo’s response was surprising.
“Actually, this is the perfect way to operate covertly.”
“How does that work? Explain.”
“While Benota appears lawless, it’s carefully monitored. The Seafaring Triumvirate’s eyes and ears are everywhere.”
Selford began to understand.
“So we’re likely being watched, too?”
“Yes. If Black Snow’s suspicion about Black Skull hiding under Benota’s wing is correct, it’ll be hard to investigate discreetly.”
“So you’re planning to get close to the Spinola?”
“Exactly. If they’re already watching us, we might as well let them watch openly.”
Theo continued, “The Spinola are like a mafia family. Seeing a talented swordsman like me will naturally catch their attention.”
“And if you earn their favor, it’ll be easier to get to the heart of Benota?”
“Exactly.”
Selford couldn’t help but laugh at Theo’s strategic thinking.
This is just like a Black Snow mission. No wonder Black Dragon’s been so eager to recruit him.
Guess we’ll just follow Theo’s lead on this mission. He seems to have it all figured out.
As Arin joined, listening to Theo’s explanation, they both felt a sense of awe.
Creak!
Thud, thud...
Their attention turned to a figure descending the broken staircase.
An elderly man with a staff appeared.
“Forgive me. It seems your welcome was poorly managed.”
“Are you the Spinola representative here? Your underlings are as crude as expected for a criminal syndicate.”
Theo’s voice dripped with disdain, his cold gaze making even Selford and Arin shiver slightly. His words, combined with his sharp features, gave off an intimidating aura.
The elderly man raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Theo’s arrogance, though his eyes glinted with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.
“Young master, I see you’ve got a spine. Such insolence isn’t common in this city.” He gestured with his staff, his demeanor calm despite the chaos.
“I’m here to discuss business with Spinola. You wouldn’t mind a more private setting, would you?” Theo’s voice remained firm, his eyes locking onto the elder’s with steely resolve.
The elder examined Theo for a moment before he finally gave a slight nod.
“Very well. I can’t deny I’m curious about the boldness of a wandering knight, especially one with skills as polished as yours. Follow me.”
As the elderly man led Theo, Selford, and Arin to a secluded room at the back of the tavern, Theo subtly signaled to Selford and Arin to stay vigilant. The room was sparsely furnished, with a few chairs and a table, the walls adorned with faded maps and ancient nautical instruments.
“Now, let’s get to the heart of it,” the elder said, sitting down and gesturing for Theo to do the same. “What business does a wandering knight have with Spinola?”
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Theo leaned forward, his expression calculated.
“I’m looking to establish a connection with your organization. I believe my skills and knowledge could be of value to you. In exchange, I require access to some of your networks and information channels. Particularly, information on Black Skull.”
The elder’s gaze sharpened at the mention of Black Skull. He studied Theo, clearly measuring his words.
“And why would Spinola involve itself with a rogue group like Black Skull?”
“Because they aren’t as independent as they seem,” Theo replied smoothly. “Their operations have ties to certain influential groups. I think you’ll find it profitable to assist me in navigating these alliances.”
The elder leaned back, visibly intrigued by Theo’s insight.
“Interesting. Very well, young knight. If you can prove your worth, Spinola might just consider this... collaboration.”
Theo nodded, hiding his satisfaction. This was only the beginning, but he knew that gaining access to Spinola’s information networks would bring him one step closer to uncovering Black Skull’s true intentions and their connection to the rising threats from the North.
With the meeting concluded, Theo stood, giving a courteous nod to the elder before rejoining Selford and Arin, who had been keeping a close watch outside.
“So?” Selford asked, glancing at Theo with curiosity.
“We’ve secured our entry point,” Theo replied with a faint smirk. “Let’s get ready. The real mission begins now.”