"A king never retreats."

With that, Arthur raised his hand and patted the shoulders of his three confidants. After nodding with a smile, he walked straight past them, his cloak whipping through the air like a billowing cape with his strides.

Jimte, Kalal, and Hayes watched Arthur pass by without anyone trying to stop him.

They would not defy Arthur's command.

All they had in their eyes was anticipation.

Anticipating Arthur's next move.

The remaining people were the same.

They looked toward that figure filled with expectation.

Only Baro was different.

He still ranted.

He was still unconvinced.

"What king?

It's just your good luck!"

At this moment, Baro had lost all his composure.

He had long forgotten the famous saying his tutor once taught him: 'Destiny is the modesty of the strong, comfort to the weak, but most importantly, do not use fate as an excuse at inappropriate times.'

He had forgotten.

So, he encountered the most unbelievable scene of his life—

"Welcome, Your Highness, to the Inner Bay that is loyal to you."

The famously ruthless and arrogant Western Sea Pirate General, at this moment, bowed in greeting to the young Spirit Medium.

Everyone froze.

Especially the subordinates behind Drake.

They never thought Drake would do this, although...

They thought there wasn't anything bad about it.

Originally, under the influence of [Bloodline Seal. Lionheart King], these diehard followers of Drake still looked at Arthur with a touch of curiosity, but when their boss saluted, that curiosity instantly turned into admiration, and when admiration appeared, the 'drumbeat of war' that echoed in their ears began to completely change their mindset.

No!

It wasn't a change!

But subtle influence!

An influence completed in an instant!

The look in their eyes towards Arthur became feverish!

Baro saw these eyes.

Immediately, this Lord Baro shouted—

"Wake up!

All of you, wake up!

Don't be fooled by him!

These are all secret techniques!"

"Shut up!

You traitor!"

Among the pirates, Drake's staunchest supporter, the Chief Sailor, raised his hand and tossed a salted fish—accurately hitting Baro's face.

Baro did not want to dodge.

But, at the moment he tried to, a thought drilled into his mind.

Don't dodge.

If he dodges, he will die.

He could clearly feel this killing intent coming from Arthur.

Arthur was threatening him.

He...

Accepted the threat.

He had not lost yet!

He still had a chance to turn the tables!

So—

Smack!

The salted fish slapped on the face of this 'Ascend Steper.'

The foul stench was filled with a bizarre taste that further pierced his lips.

Unhindered.

Ugh!

This Lord Baro began to retch violently. For a smoother reading experience, visit MV&LEMPYR.

He swore he had never smelled or tasted anything like this before.

Lord Baro, vomiting so much that bile came out, lay there, subjected to everyone's contempt—whether from the earlier crowd or the newly joined pirates, all scorned this once second-in-command eminence.

And this was exactly what Arthur needed.

He needed such a supporting role.

Moreover, unexpectedly, this supporting role offered him cooperation beyond imagination.

Like at this moment—

"You have bigger crises unresolved!

Do you know?

The nobles from those territories absolutely won't miss such an opportunity!

They aren't spineless cowards like pirates!

Facing territories, they are the fiercest of wolves!

And when the Inner Bay is placed before them, they will turn into a pack of wolves; they will work together, biting off the best from you and savor it!"

Baro lay there in his vomit, his gaze vicious, words venomous.

But no one refuted.

Everyone knew Baro spoke the truth.

Moreover—

The fleets of the Bert, Ainhars, and West Berlin families truly appeared in sight.

The Bert Family was led by Count Bert.

The West Berlin Family was led by the Marquis's daughter.

The Ainhars Family was temporarily handled by Viscount Windsor's only daughter, Lady Windsor.

Under the secret technique blessing of the West Berlin Family, 'going with the flow,' they quickly, in a short time, appeared within the Inner Bay.

"Look!

They are coming!"

Baro sneered.

"My lord, I'll go and hold them off for a bit."

Jimte, Kalal, and Hayes bowed and requested permission.

In such an advantageous situation in the Inner Bay, they wouldn't let 'outsiders' ruin it, even if these 'outsiders' were related to them.

"Load the explosives.

Give them a little pirate's greeting."

Drake also wouldn't want outsiders to disrupt his nephew's situation.

The Kledos Family always stands by their own.

"Yes, Captain!"

The pirates responded loudly.

War, to them, is just everyday life.

Especially sea battles, they have never lost.

They are the most elite under the Western Sea Pirate General's command.

The pirates shouted and hoisted sails, turning the cannons.

Barrels of explosives were being opened.

They have used ships to blow up other ships before.

And not just once.

"Get two more ships!

If we block the channel before the port, they can't get in, and then they'll be sitting ducks under the port's turrets!"

The burly Chief Sailor issued orders loudly.

"Yes, Chief Sailor!"

The pirates moved swiftly.

The people of the Seven Major Families were not to be outdone.

"My lord, please leave it to us.

We prepared as soon as we received their declaration of war."

The knight at the head of the Seven Major Families signaled as he spoke.

Immediately, one after another, turrets appeared in Kilg Harbor out of thin air.

No!

To be precise, it was the previously camouflaged turrets that removed their force fields.

The dark cannon muzzles aimed at the advancing ships.

A great battle was imminent.

Arthur strode forward, just as he had done earlier.

Seeing this scene, the busy people around were stunned.

Baro had a highly incredulous thought rise from the bottom of his heart.

'Impossible!

This is impossible!

Even that guy couldn't do it!'

Baro roared in his heart.

The others were somewhat incredulous too, but there was a trace of unexplained anticipation.

Amidst the crowd, Drake and Cassandra were somewhat different.

The two looked at their formerly young nephew, the family's only non-magic user.

Their expressions became complicated at that moment.

They originally didn't want their nephew to bear more.

But soon, they began to hope.

Amidst the near-universal anticipation, Arthur looked at the flagship of the three-family alliance, at Count Bert, Lady Windsor, and the eldest daughter of the Marquess of West Berlin—

"Why are you here?"

Before the other two could react, Count Bert didn't hesitate. He bowed directly.

"To help Your Highness Arthur successfully settle in the Inner Bay."

Saying this, Count Bert also lowered his head.

Then, Lady Windsor was even more straightforward.

"I am here to help my friend, Lord Arthur."

Saying this, Lady Windsor bowed in respect.

"And you?"

Arthur looked at the last person.

The eldest daughter of the Marquess of West Berlin.

Yekaterina Otto von West Berlin smiled radiantly—

"I am here to celebrate my friend's return to his rightful territory."

Three people, three different answers.

But all expressed friendliness.

Especially when the sails were lowered and the cannons pointed upwards, all unease was completely eliminated.

When the three boarded the dock in a small boat, a friendly atmosphere began to spread.

Arthur smiled at the three.

He wouldn't speak of his relationship with the three.

He simply glanced around and then focused on the stunned Baro—

"Baro, do you understand what a dead man is?"

As he spoke, [Serpent's Gaze] flickered in golden light.

No one noticed this.

Everyone was drawn to Baro.

They were all waiting for this jester's response.

But for a long time, his lordship did not answer.

Four or five seconds later, Jimte, first noticing something was wrong, stepped forward to check.

The next moment, only to hear the young noble shout—

"Your Highness, Baro was scared to death!"