Chapter 188. The Last Seven Extreme Stars

Putting together the information he had received from Harashin beforehand and the rumors that had flowed in from all over, the last Seven Extreme Stars was a particularly strange individual.

‘The people in that position are never ordinary, but…… this guy is on a different level.’

Ron Witterek.

No one knew where he was born.

He was currently staying in the Manoa Kingdom, but he was not a citizen of the kingdom, just a ‘foreigner.’

Thus, his life was like the wind or the waves.

A traveler who had lived his life wandering the entire world, without settling in one place.

‘A type who feels disillusioned with the world and doesn't want to belong anywhere……. I can understand. But to have the name of a Seven Extreme Stars, no country would have left him alone.’

Because Ron was a powerhouse of the Seven Extreme Stars, attempts to recruit him from all over the continent had been incessant.

But Ron repeatedly refused the offers.

The reason was simple.

“The sea is calling me, so how can I live tied to the land! Hahaha!”

A man who loves the sea.

True to his name, he had always lived close to the sea.

He had no interest in what happened on the continent, but if something happened in the sea, it was a different story.

When the great monster Leviathan appeared in the northern seas, it was Ron who had set out to subjugate it with the Great Mage Karin.

Thus, he was, as he had said, a man who loved the sea.

‘I heard that such a man has been staying only at the eastern port of the Manoa Kingdom lately. And I heard there is a woman behind it.’

The reason he, who had never resided in one place and had never left the sea his entire life, chose to settle down.

It stemmed from a connection where he had rescued a shipwrecked woman long ago.

No one knew the detailed circumstances, but after meeting her, Ron had slowly started to step into society.

To be precise, it was more accurate to say that she wanted to mix in with human society, so he had joined her.

Thus, Ron, who was deeply in love with her, had decided to stay at the eastern port of Manoa, where he could see the sea and there was a lot of foot traffic.

‘Nevertheless, he flatly refused the Manoa Kingdom’s request. It means he will never interfere in the affairs of the continent. Will anything change if I go……. No, he’ll probably refuse me too.’

But since he had already told Harashin that he would bring him, there was no choice but to sit down and talk with Ron.

‘In that case, it would be better to talk to that woman first.’

The problem was, there had been others who had thought the same as Evan before.

If Ron was not open to conversation, why not try to persuade him through the woman he loved?

And their ends were all similar.

They either died, or were maimed.

What that meant was simple.

He would never forgive those who approached his lover with impure intentions.

That warning was always proven with blood.

‘……So, what kind of flowers does she like?’

Of course, Evan didn't care about such warnings at all.

* * *

The eastern port of the Manoa Kingdom.

Thanks to the development of maritime exploration and fishing, this place was larger in scale than any other port on the continent.

It had a huge pier that could accommodate hundreds of ships at once, and at certain times, the smell of fish from the numerous fishing boats coming and going would envelop the entire city.

It was a place where money flowed actively, enough to be called the kingdom’s ‘economic capital,’ and as such, the footsteps and voices of people never ceased.

Even during the war, this city was as vibrant as if it were in another world.

However, today was a different story.

Due to the storm that had been raging for days, the streets were deserted, and even the port was quiet.

—Swaaaa!

Evan, drenched in rain, passed through the deserted street and entered a shop where light was leaking out.

“Welcome!”

“I’d like to buy some clothes here.”

The young female owner, who was fiddling with some fabric, greeted him with a bright smile.

“Oh my! On a rainy day like this……. You must have some urgent business? First, I’ll get you some warm tea.”

She soon brought out the tea, placed it in front of Evan, and pointed to a chair.

“Thank you.”

“Please drink comfortably and take your time looking around. Our shop makes clothes to your liking, but it seems you need clothes to wear right away.”

She pointed to one side of the shop wall.

There, practical yet stylish clothes were hung, and what stood out was the neat finish without the flashy decorations of the noble style.

“May I ask where you are going? I can recommend clothes that would suit your destination.”

“I am going to meet a certain lady.”

“Is it your lover? Or is it for work?”

“It’s for work.”

“In that case……”

The female owner immediately picked up a set of neat, navy-colored clothes.

“I think this would suit you well.”

“It’s good.”

Evan, who had received the clothes, went into the inner room she had pointed to, took off his wet clothes, and changed into the new ones.

The perfect fit satisfied Evan, and the female owner’s expression was also pleased.

“Oh my, it suits you really well.”

“It seems like it was my own clothes to begin with. I’ll take this. How much is it?”

“50 gold.”

Evan took out a gold coin and handed it to her.

“Please wait here for a moment. Since it’s raining heavily, I’ll have someone call a carriage for you. If you go out like that, your new clothes will get wet in no time.”

“Then I’ll be in your care for a moment.”

“Where is your destination?”

“It’s the place where a lady named Reina lives, in this vicinity. I was told it's on Torne 1st Street.”

At that moment, the smiling face of the female owner slowly hardened.

“What is your business there? You don’t seem to be from around here.”

“I am going to meet her.”

“In that case…… I don’t think a carriage will be possible.”

In her following words, the female owner’s voice also cooled.

It was an attitude that drew a line, as if he had touched a taboo just by mentioning that name.

“Instead, take this.”

She held out a waterproof cloak made of waxed linen.

Of course, it was not free, but an item with a price, and Evan paid the price without a word and left the shop.

—Hoodoo-dook.

In the heavy rain, Evan walked silently through the deserted street.

This time, he headed to a nearby flower shop.

“I’d like you to recommend some flowers that ladies would like.”

And the moment he bought the flowers there, the rumor that ‘a foreigner is going to meet Reina’ spread quickly throughout the port like rainwater.

The news soon reached the ears of a man standing in the rain at the pier.

“Hey, Ron!”

The one who came running through the rain was a fisherman who was close to Ron.

The fisherman, though completely soaked in rain, hurriedly approached Ron.

“Why are you out in the rain? I told you to go inside.”

“That’s not important! Some dandy is going to meet Reina right now. And with flowers, too!”

“What……?!”

In that instant, Ron’s peaceful expression contorted coldly.

As if his sworn enemy had appeared before him.

“How dare you!!!”

He roughly grabbed a harpoon that was lying around and began to run towards Torne 1st Street.

“Reina!”

Watching Ron’s retreating back, the fisherman sighed.

“Looks like there’ll be another corpse to clean up. I thought it was quiet for a few years.”

He prayed for the soul of the unfortunate foreigner who had gone to meet Reina.

In the meantime, Ron ran and ran through the rain.

‘What bastard dares to go and meet Reina without fear! I won’t let him be!’

And finally, he arrived in front of a small wooden house, away from the port, where he lived with Reina.

Arriving at the door, Ron, without even a moment to catch his breath, roughly pushed the door open.

—Kwang!

“Reina!”

As the door burst open, he saw Reina and Evan talking in front of a warm fireplace.

On the table was a bouquet of flowers with raindrops still on them.

That made him even more furious.

“Who are you!”

The harpoon in Ron’s hand trembled precariously, as if it would fly at any moment.

But since Reina was right in front of him, he gritted his teeth and barely held back.

“Get away from Reina and come out now…… if you want to live.”

Despite Ron’s threat, Evan nonchalantly bowed his head to Reina and said.

“Lady, it seems I have committed a great rudeness.”

“No, you haven't. We are the ones who have been rude. Ron!”

Reina got up from her seat and approached him.

“Calm down. This gentleman came to talk to me.”

Despite Reina’s soothing, Ron could not calm his anger.

“Has this happened only once or twice? They all come out so kind at first, but in the end, they were all bastards who tried to use me by threatening you!”

“That’s right. But this gentleman is not. He was polite from beginning to end, and he just asked to at least have a conversation.”

How many people had approached Reina over the years.

But deep in all their hearts was the dark intention of luring Ron in.

“Reina, please…… don’t open your heart so easily to others!”

Of course, Evan also had the purpose of luring Ron in, but it was not for personal greed, but for the safety of the entire continent.

And the one who had heard that fact first was Reina.

“This gentleman came all the way here to save the continent. You know it too, that the whole country is at war right now.”

“That’s not our business. If the aftermath of the war reaches here, we can just leave. There are many places to live.”

“No! I don’t want to run away anymore!”

There was a firmness in Reina’s voice.

And Ron was taken aback by her attitude.

“Reina! But……”

“What good is it if only I live well? Our neighbors could be in danger. People like Loren next door, and old Mrs. Karl across the street.”

What on earth had Evan said to frighten her like this.

Ron’s gaze slowly turned to Evan.

“Whatever that man says, that won’t happen.”

“Ron, you say you can live with me even in the ruins, but I can’t.”

“Reina……”

“I’m not strong like you. If I see the people around me dying one by one, I won’t be able to bear it.”

Her heartfelt words shook Ron’s stubborn heart.

In the end, he silently placed the harpoon beside him and sat down opposite Evan.

—Kung!

The sharp tip of the harpoon hit the floor.

Ron spoke in a low, cold voice.

“Speak. What do you want. If you say one single useless word…… even if Reina tries to stop me, you will die.”

In his heart, there was already a 90% resolve to kill Evan.

Just for making Reina anxious was a crime punishable by death.

But the next moment, Evan’s single sentence erased even the last bit of mercy he had left.

“Your lover, turns out she’s a mermaid. Mermaids sell for a high price.”

Ron’s wrist flashed up, and the harpoon shot straight for Evan’s neck.

But its tip stopped just in front of his nose.

It was because of the next words that came out of Evan’s mouth.

“The reason mermaids are expensive, it’s all because of the Empire. Did you happen to know this fact?”

“……Say more.”

In front of the roughly breathing Ron, Evan, without blinking an eye, began to bring out the ugly truth of the Empire.