North x Northwest

Chapter 335

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“If so, why did Liloa, who allegedly ran away from my private residence, not return to Obernyu? That is most likely because she felt that Obernyu was not a place she could rely on. No one here truly knows how harshly the Prince Regent has disciplined Liloa.”

“And yet, you rush to resume the engagement as soon as Liloa returns to Sesbron in order to claim ownership. Would Obernyu have felt safe enough to stay away from your evil clutches?”

Mireille responded dejectedly, placing his hand on his chest.

“Your Majesty, I fully admit that I have been immature and maybe even immoral in the past. But this time, I can assure you, it truly will be different, so please give me a chance to make up for everything that has happened.”

Venua’s furious eyes glared at Mireille.

“Make up for it? It is your duty as the man of the house to protect the family you have already built. Do not dare to try to force the daughter of Obernyu into this dishonourable position.”

“My request is not to break off my marriage, but to annul it completely. My marriage to Jeanne will be as though it has never happened in the first place.”

Venua finally snapped and Mireille continued to spew out words as well. The men’s voices grew louder as they argued on top of each other. Even the ministers sighed and yelled, thereby adding to the commotion.

In the meantime, no one asked Lil for her opinion.

To shake off the familiarity of the situation, Lil took two steps forward, placing herself ahead of Mireille and Venua.

“Your Majesty, I do not want to go back to either.”

Even amidst all the turmoil in the room, her voice sounded clear. But the emperor chuckled insincerely.

“You are as bold as always.”

The short-tempered Venua quickly intervened.

“Your Majesty, please consider the wishes of the parties concerned.”

“If the situation is like this, how can I be concerned about anything at all? My head is hurting.”

Mireille began to claim ownership again, while Venua refused to remain silent and countered Mireille’s words. When the emperor didn’t budge even though Venua threatened Mireille with a criminal case, the ministers chimed in one by one.

Finally, the emperor, having decided that he had sufficiently assessed the situation, raised his right hand.

“That’s enough. It’s too noisy.”

‘He’s cautious. He clearly has no intention of resolving the problem regarding me right now. After passively listening to the Sesbron ministers’ criticisms or support for the three standing parties before him, it appears that he will make a decision based on public opinion… Or he could be waiting for something Mireille or Venua might offer him behind the throne…’

Now that it had become quiet again, Venua stepped forward next to Lil.

“Your Majesty, but…”

“Venua. Did you not hear what I just said?”

The emperor’s tone was strict.

“…”

“A banquet to welcome Liloa will be held soon. At least until then, please do not bring this matter up again. I only want to celebrate the safe return of my niece.”

***

As the wind blew across the estuary, the moon crumpled on its surface. Still, the black waves reflected the crumbled moonlight finely.

Somewhere in the distance came the steady sound of oars being rowed, breaking the silence of the night. A yacht moved through the light fog, causing small water droplets to form on the lantern hung on the bow and giving off a hazy glow.

The yacht reached the estuary’s corner, moving towards a sailing ship hidden in the shadow of the cliffs. The ship’s watchman went on high alert upon noticing the approaching yacht and discreetly drew his gun. Upon further inspection, he spotted a singing person on the yacht, and such a person’s singing reached even the deck of the sailing ship. The closer the yacht came, the clearer the rhythm of the song sang to the beat of the rowing became.

A boatman dragging a yacht out into the estuary in the middle of the night was suspicious enough, let alone while singing a song. After the watchmen exchanged hand signals with the deck officer, the officer went up to the forecastle and stepped on the railing. He then too aimed his gun at the yacht. However, the yacht continued to pass alongside the sailing ship, and the boatman sitting in the middle of it was looking straight ahead, as though he didn’t see the ship hidden in the shadow of the cliff at all.

In the end, the deck officer shouted to the yacht’s boatman below the ship.

“Hey, what’s up with you?!”

The boatman, who was rowing the oars, shuddered in surprise.

“What the hell!”

The boatman, clutching his hat that almost fell off, looked up at the sailing ship. He frowned and craned his neck to look more closely into the shadows. Although it was exquisitely hidden in the black shadow of the coastal cliffs, he was certain there was something resembling the shape of a sailing ship in the darkness.

The boatman, facing the ghost-like ship, asked with a look of fear.

“…Who’s there?”

The watchman who came next to the deck officer added.

“He just asked you what you’re up to…”

“Why is it so dark?”

“…And what are you doing this deep in the night?”

“I’m on an errand to the port ahead. I have something urgent to load on a ship that’s leaving early tomorrow morning.”

At first glance, it sounded like a valid reason, but the men on the ship still found it suspicious.

“What are you loading?”

“Snacks to be distributed to the merchant ship’s sailors.”

Hearing the word ‘snack’, caused both the deck officer and the watchman to pause. The watchman waved his gun and opened his mouth first.

“Open the sack.”

“…Uhh, here.”

The boatman opened one of the sacks and positioned the opening towards the sailing ship for the men to see. It seemed like the sack contained snacks made of hardened dried pulp and sugar, giving off a fragrant fruity smell that flowed all the up to the deck.

But before they knew it, the boatman was looking at them with his hands raised.

“Are… Are you pirates?”

“…What? Pirates?”

The deck officer and watchman lowered their guns at the same time. One of them then put his arm on the railing and motioned for the boatman to come closer.

“Hey, sell that to us.”

“…What?”

The sailing ship’s crew had not been able to disembark for over ten days because their plans had gone awry. It was all thanks to the warships of the Mondovi Navy that have been diligently patrolling and conducting inspections in the Western Sea. As a result, it became impossible for the sailors of the ship to move around hastily. And because it had been difficult to satisfy themselves with meals consisting of only dry bread and beef jerky, they instantly felt lucky to encounter snacks such as this, so trying to receive them was a no-brainer.

The two men, desperately leaning over the railing till the point they were about to fall, tried their best to persuade the boatman.

“You don’t have to sell us everything. Just a little will do.”

“Come on. We’ll pay you generously.”

“Well… Still…”

Hearing the small commotion, the rest of the watchmen moved to the left railing and thus to the yacht’s side. They were initially confused as to what was going on but immediately became ecstatic when they saw the contents of the boatman’s sack.

About ten people crowded around the railing and bargained with the boatman. Loud and excited voices were hoping to get a taste of the different types of food. At the same time, however, hooks rose simultaneously above the right deck railing… As the ropes connected to the hooks became taut, the metal dug deeply into the wooden railing…

Nonetheless, on the left handrail, a quarrel started over how much money was worth just ten pieces of candy, as well as five pieces of dried fruit. The men argued about the right price of the snacks, completely unaware of the unidentified intruders climbing their ship’s hull from the right side.

The watchman suddenly spoke up as if a brilliant idea came to mind.

“First, let me get the rope…”

As he turned to the deck to look for a rope, he was instantly shot in the chest by an arrow and collapsed.

The rest of the gathered sailors belatedly realised the situation, but it was already too late. The boatman, who had been laughing brightly one minute, now quickly pulled out a crossbow from beneath a sack and opened fire, taking down one of the deck officers. In the meantime, twenty intruders had already crossed the railing from the right side of the ship and similarly shot out their crossbows, thereby eliminating the rest of the deck officers.

The large red-haired man standing in the middle of the intruders commanded in a whisper shout.

“…Capture as many as possible alive!..”

While the intruders dispersed all at once towards the forecastle, stern, and watchtower, a group of latecomers climbed over the railing and stepped onto the deck as well. In an instant, their numbers had doubled. They quickly went down to the lower deck, carrying the rifles strapped to their backs.

Actually, there was no need to call them latecomers because a steady stream of new intruders continued to climb over the railings…

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