207 – Port City of Tuscania
The rippling water surface and the sound of crashing waves.
As I was leaning on the ship moving powerfully through the current, a strange smell of half fresh water and half sea water tickled the tip of my nose.
-Kkrukkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk?
A flock of seagulls surrounded the ship as if guarding it, flying dizzyingly above my head and crying, and I felt an inexplicable sense of emptiness there.
‘If there were shrimp-flavored snacks here too, I would have been able to use those biological drones freely.’
Sometimes, when I had nothing to do, I would go out to the park with leftover snacks in hand and sit on wild pigeons. It was a pity that I couldn’t show off my breeding skills.
‘Sometimes people would come and look at the pigeons and pet them, asking if I was raising them, but I was a little chilled.’
As I looked at the bow, Sonia was also busy watching the seagulls.
“If I catch them, will they roast me like last time?”
The point of appreciation seems to be a little different from mine.
The speed that had been holding the party back so far was resolved to some extent by Sonia taking off her armor.
-What? So what are you going to do if you get attacked?
-You wouldn’t get on a boat wearing that anyway. Do you want to spread the word that you are a knight?
-That’s true, but there’s still something to be said.
Of course, the process was not smooth. Armor plays a very important role in protecting me or something.
It wasn’t the strong wind or the hot sunlight that took off Sonia’s armor, which was full of caution.
-I’ll let you do whatever you want later night.
-… !
-… Except putting it in.
Sullen.
Like a street prostitute, persuasion in exchange for her body stripped her of her heavy armor.
Based on my sacrifice, we arrived at the canal in half a day and barely boarded the last ship heading west.
The voyage takes approximately 30 minutes.
It may feel short, but considering that this is a canal, it actually takes a long time.
I was lost in thought as I watched the sun hiding behind the horizon.
‘It’s such a shame that it’s fall now.’
Sea and summer. Isn’t there a attire that naturally follows the two words?
I don’t know what the difference is between underwear and underwear, but it was a shame that I couldn’t see the sight of people walking confidently on the beach wearing only a piece of cloth.
In particular, the emptiness that came from it was doubled because it was a legitimate opportunity to see the busty body of a saint hidden under a tightly wrapped nun’s robe.
‘I was wondering if there were any events related to the sea in the game….’
That time when I pondered my regrets and wondered what would have happened if I had come a little earlier.
Warm.
I lowered my gaze when I felt something sticking to my waist.
“Ian~ Your expression is sinister~ Are you thinking of being naughty again?”
While Reina, who was experiencing a boat as a means of transportation for the first time, took refuge in her cabin, complaining of motion sickness. Thalia, waiting for an opportunity, took the seat next to her.
“Do you think of Thalia now when you look at the sea? Anyway, you say you like me so much~”
She started pressing her face against his chest, making her own incomprehensible noises.
Then, the gracious scene of her sainthood was instantly changed to the sight of her wearing a silver bracelet and being taken away by the knights.
‘He’s definitely an adult….’
Is it because the comparison group was a saint? The image of her wearing a children’s swimsuit came to mind and she felt sorry for no reason.
“Haa….”
“Why are you sighing at me!”
As I turned my gaze away from Thalia, who was clinging to my waist and whimpering, I saw the land that seemed so far away gradually getting closer.
Tuscania, a port city encompassing fresh water and the sea.
Although it is widely known as a city, it is definitely a country that occupies a place in the Western Kingdom.
In the game, it was robbed by users, and later by monsters, and it looked like it was close to destruction, but now it just took on the appearance of a beautiful tourist town built along the coastline.
‘Is this where it starts?’
Unlike before, when he was just hitting things, Ian felt like it was going to be a bit of a pain.
***
A long hall where a luxurious chandelier hanging from the ceiling reflects the light.
There were six people sitting across from each other at a table with various dishes on it, fighting.
“Don’t you know that now is the closed season for blue tuna? Why on earth is Padmonte randomly catching blue tuna that has entered the spawning season!”
“So, didn’t Arche invade our territory and wipe out all the fry of the water gun octopus? So you’re telling us not to catch them? There’s a degree of shamelessness!”
It was a difficult place to see as a gathering of kings from various countries, with shouts among each other rife.
“Do you think we gathered together to fight only over fishing rights?”
The indigo-haired middle-aged man sitting in the first seat clicked his tongue as he watched the two people arguing that seemed like they would never end.
Then the old man sitting across from me scolded him, his bald head shining.
“That’s because Marfan has more land for farming than other countries. Don’t you know how important fishing is to us?”
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“No matter what, a king must have dignity…”
“I was reminded of your dignity. Have you already forgotten what you looked like when the harvest failed last year?”
“Hmm! Why are you bringing up something that has already passed?”
“Come on, let’s stop.”
The man who was sitting in a corner and watching the scene closely opened his mouth.
“Wouldn’t all of that be somehow possible with the grace of the goddess?”
King Padmonte, who was very sensitive, screamed at the man who spoke comfortably.
“Why does the goddess come out here? It’s because Tuscany collects a toll from her outsiders!”
“Well, if you’re in a good position like us, that won’t happen, right?”
“Are you now doubting the insight of the ancestor who founded Padmonte?”
The King of Tuscany, who was giggling at his sunken face, looked at his opponent sitting across from him and said:
“Everyone says it’s hard, but among these, there’s no country that can compare to Porgia. Even the king of a country that shrinks its size while others expand doesn’t have any complaints, so why do they do that?”
“….”
A young man showing his displeasure at an insulting remark directed at his country.
“What is that expression? It’s not like I made up something that didn’t exist, right?”
-Clump, clump.
He glared at the king of Tuscany and consoled himself by taking a sip of wine.
“I’ll remember it a lot when I return to Porgia, so eat it to your heart’s content when you have the chance.”
At that time, such childish provocations continued.
-Clap clap clap.
Suddenly, applause rang out and an old man with a sad look appeared.
Then, the interior, which had been noisy until now, suddenly became completely quiet.
When the commotion stopped, the old man, who was naturally sitting on the seat in the center, looked around at the other kings and opened his mouth.
“It’s already been over 20 years since we’ve been together regularly, but it’s still noisy whenever we get together.”
“You looked embarrassed.”
“This is shameful.”
The kings, who had looked as if they were going to grab each other by the throats, gave up without even thinking about who would take the first step.
“hehehe. It’s okay.”
The old man with a kind smile picked up the canapé on the plate.
“Hmm. As expected, biscuits made from wheat harvested in Marfan have a unique flavor. I see that they cannot be compared to the plain bread of the South.”
“We can’t discuss our country’s specialties at a dinner party, can we?”
When the King of Marfan flattered him, thinking it was the right time, the old man grinned.
“Rather than that, what good did you have for calling us, King Salazar?”
In response to a question from King Amperio, who boasts a dazzling appearance in another sense, the old man called Salazar wiped his mouth with a napkin and said,
“This is an event where precious people from all over the world are gathered together, but could it have been called for something trivial?”
“What on earth is going on that’s making you so quiet?”
“It’s tantalizing, so please tell me quickly.”
When everyone’s attention was focused, Salazar opened his mouth with a satisfied smile.
“Hasn’t it already been decades since we were oppressed by the empire and couldn’t raise our flag?”
“That’s…”
“Hmm…”
Then everyone cleared their throats and just stared. No one expressed any opinion whatsoever.
Salazar, who was watching the situation, spoke with an expression of regret.
“Gosh, I thought everyone had the same thoughts as me.”
Salazar’s eyes fell on the young man sitting in the corner and remaining silent.
“In particular, I thought Porgia’s anger toward the empire was more special than anyone else’s… I guess I was wrong about this.”
“…!”
He flinched greatly at Salazar’s remarks.
“The previous king of Porgia was truly brave. Unlike me, who was a coward, he fought against the empire until the very end.”
Salazar uses a method of speaking that degrades himself and elevates his opponents.
“Of course, the country suffered from poverty in return.”
But the next words were full of ridicule.
“If you’re going to die because of a hot illness, I think you’ll sympathize with what I’m saying to some extent…”
“Ugh…!”
At that time, the wine in the glass the young man was holding was shaking violently.
“Excuse me, Your Majesty.”
“Hmm? What’s going on?”
One of the subjects approached Salazar and whispered in his ear.
“…Jeon Seo-gu has just arrived in a hurry.”
“I’ll check later.”
“But the contents are unusual. I think you should check…”
“That much? I’m sorry about this. Please excuse me for a moment.”
His eyes widened as he asked for understanding from the kings and received the letter.
Afterwards, other kings also received news from their subjects.
“What now?!”
“I guess I didn’t see something wrong?!”
“No, how did these people come to the West?!”
“No way, Saldena…!”
“Explain, Salazar!”
Then Salazar, who was munching on a sip of wine, answered.
“Everyone, please calm down. Couldn’t it just be the road to the Holy Kingdom?”
However, with the news that came immediately after his remarks about the empire, not a single person believed Salazar’s words.
“What?! What you just said has nothing to do with this!”
“Isn’t this the right time!”
“Were you planning to lure us out and bring us to the empire?”
“If you have a mouth, say something, Salazar!”
Salazar, who had been silently listening to the five kings’ remarks, quietly opened his mouth.
“I hope you don’t act presumptuously.”
Amid the shouting, an icy tone descended, and no one dared open their mouth.
A pressure that seemed to be constricting his entire body emanated from Salazar.
It was similar to when we rebelled against the emperor in the past and were brutally broken and faced with him.
This is clearly a strange situation considering his despicable personality, where he would normally use national power to threaten.
The moment when the kings who had been protesting so loudly could not even open their mouths.
“…But King Salazar. No matter what, they say a party of warriors has set foot in the West.”
A young man who has been quiet until now. The King of Porgia opened his mouth with difficulty.
“I think we should at least be on guard.”
Then Salazar softened his expression and answered.
“Phew… I know. If we leave it like this, they’ll be wandering around here and there. If they figure out our intentions, it’ll be a big problem.”
The kings’ expressions hardened at the word ‘us’, but they could not bear to say anything.
Because I didn’t want to feel the same pressure again.
“Then what should I do?”
“Hmm….”
Salazar, lost in thought while stroking his beard, looked at the King of Tuscany and opened his mouth.
“How about doing it this way?”