'Wasn't he still in the city yesterday?' Liam's heart wavered with uncertainty.
He recalled the warning from the magistrate, and his heart skipped a beat. Could this backwater young noble have some other powerful background? Were those three items really legendary magic items?
He had already sent people to investigate Anser's origins.
The report said he was the newly appointed President of the Adventurers' City, a genius Sorcerer who had also become a Paladin. His achievements sounded so bizarre that no one could tell whether they were true or fabricated.
'That's a Dragonfly Ship!'
He recognized it immediately.
Dragonfly Ships were small, fast, sturdy, and elegant. They were typically purchased as private yachts or collector's pieces—a symbol of status. Their numbers were never large.
As the commercial hub of the Sword Coast, Waterdeep maintained a dedicated skyport and possessed quite a few spelljamming vessels—dozens of them, in fact. But ever since the Weave had become unstable, flights had become much less frequent, and seeing one was now an uncommon sight.
Most of those magical ships were spacefaring vessels, with cargo capacities starting at twenty tons. A Dragonfly Ship, whose standard capacity was only five tons, was essentially an expensive toy with terrible cost-effectiveness. Very few people were willing to buy one.
Several hundred thousand gold pieces was no small sum. Spending that much on a magical ship that would rarely be used was extravagance bordering on insanity.
Not to mention that magical ships required dedicated helmsmen, along with regular maintenance and upkeep. They burned through money at an astonishing rate.
Liam's expression shifted repeatedly.
Fortunately, his fully enclosed helmet concealed every change.
'No matter who you are, I'm getting that shield back!' he gritted his teeth.
That bald barbarian had been right yesterday.
Ever since childhood, he had relied entirely on his family. Every step of his life had already been planned for him—his class, his griffon companion, his political marriage, even ownership of that legendary shield had never truly belonged to him.
Ever since losing it, his family had been bitterly disappointed.
His siblings teased him about it from time to time. They weren't always malicious, but it still left him ashamed beyond words, unable to sleep night after night.
His grip tightened around his lance.
Then, all at once, he realized this was the perfect opportunity.
The Griffon Cavalry possessed the legal authority to inspect anything in the skies.
He could forcibly stop the ship, detain them under official authority, and pressure the other party into surrendering the shield...
'No!'
A blast of cold wind slipped through the gaps in his helmet, instantly clearing his mind.
That would be an abuse of authority.
Even if he recovered the shield, his future would be ruined.
"Move!" he ordered, swinging his lance.
The griffon riders immediately turned around and flew back toward their barracks.
...
Inside the Dragonfly Ship, Stoll slung his greatsword back over his shoulder.
"They've left."
His caution was understandable.
Yesterday, Liam had come as an individual, so Stoll hadn't held back his words.
Today, however, Liam represented the government of Waterdeep. That made all the difference.
"Don't worry about him," Anser said dismissively.
Even those of the Lawful Good alignment possessed darkness in their hearts.
The difference was that they willingly accepted the restraints of law, morality, and rules. Their actions were predictable.
The Dragonfly Ship curved around the skies above Waterdeep before accelerating slightly. It passed over the Great Market and headed straight toward the Sea Ward.
Below, countless people looked up in awe.
Children pointed excitedly at the Dragonfly Ship, shouting as they ran through the streets to spread the news.
People were always like this.
They couldn't help yearning for the world of those above them, forever trying to catch a glimpse of it.
It wasn't only commoners.
Even the children of noble families couldn't hide the envy in their eyes.
At least they still had a chance of reaching that level themselves.
"We've entered the Sea Ward," Lin Qiancheng said as he lowered the ship's altitude and reduced its speed.
"Follow Singing Dolphin Street—the widest road. The manor behind the Tower of Luck is our destination. Enter through the front gate," Anser instructed after surveying the area below to confirm their bearings.
"Understood."
Flying along the roadways might look rather ridiculous.
In reality, however, it was considered a gesture of courtesy and respect.
After all, no one wanted strangers in the sky peering directly into the privacy of their estates.
Besides, House Wyndrivver had prepared a formal welcoming ceremony. Simply dropping in from above would only embarrass everyone involved.
The Sea Ward was home to Waterdeep's upper nobility, its streets lined with temples.
The Tower of Luck, the temple of Tymora, was easy to spot.
The Dragonfly Ship drifted quietly above the avenue, only a few dozen meters off the ground, stirring quite a commotion.
Many people ran after it, eager to see where it was headed.
After circling the Tower of Luck, the ship turned onto Ivory Street before coming to a hover outside a grand manor.
Mounted upon the gates was House Wyndrivver's distinctive heraldry—a green shield adorned with golden wheat and rippling water.
The elderly butler standing at the entrance stared in astonishment.
This was... not at all how he had imagined the guests would arrive.
At this point...
Was there even any point in opening the gates?
After a brief moment of consideration, he decided to proceed according to the proper reception protocol and ordered the gates opened as a gesture of respect.
Anser knew nothing about noble etiquette.
Since they had gone to the trouble of opening the gates for him, it would be rude to ignore the gesture.
He quickly opened the hatch and had Makaria, Adolf, and Giant Tail jump down first, carrying the gifts.
The three of them descended slowly to the ground under the effects of Feather Fall. Makaria stepped forward to speak with the elderly butler, who then led them into the manor.
The Dragonfly Ship followed slowly overhead.
The flagstone path was level and spotless, with flowers blooming profusely on either side and servants standing in orderly rows. The display showed proper respect without becoming overly elaborate or gaudy.
Guided by the servants, the Dragonfly Ship slowly descended into a plaza.
Anser immediately spotted the assembled members of the household, young and old alike. At their head stood a silver-haired elderly man dressed in a simple formal suit, his bearing calm and composed.
'Things should go smoothly today. This trip wasn't a waste after all.' Anser nodded inwardly.
He rarely made such a grand display, but there was no helping it. This was the kind of thing Waterdhavian nobles cared about.
Settling matters through force would be inappropriate, so comparing wealth, status, accumulated resources, and connections was only natural.
The Dragonfly Ship's hatch never opened. The crowd saw only an oval shimmer of magical light flash and vanish. Anser had already appeared several meters before the silver-haired elder with Stoll and Lin Qiancheng beside him.
Since he could cast Dimension Door, there was no reason to walk. The Dragonfly Ship had no boarding stairs, and simply jumping down would have looked somewhat undignified.
Once everyone got a clear look at Anser, unconcealed admiration appeared on their faces, and they instinctively found themselves favorably disposed toward him.
Someone so striking was exceedingly rare. Simply standing there tall and straight, he had already become the most eye-catching sight in the entire manor.
The attendants he had brought were no ordinary people either. Each projected an intimidating presence, their gazes alert and carrying a powerful undercurrent of aggression. By comparison, the Wyndrivver guards looked like sheepdogs that knew how to bare their teeth.
The silver-haired elder became even more certain that his guests had not come with entirely innocent intentions, but he betrayed nothing. He stepped forward with a smile.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Holrewen. I am Aldos, head of House Wyndrivver."
"Good morning, Lord Wyndrivver. Please, just call me Anser. I hope our unannounced visit hasn't inconvenienced you." Anser bowed slightly and motioned for Makaria to present the gift list.
The elderly butler accepted it. His heart immediately tightened after a single glance. Gifts of this caliber were hardly appropriate for an ordinary social visit.
Aldos understood at once. Without even looking at the list, he led Anser and the others into the grand reception hall.
The servants brewed tea for the guests, and the tables were laden with seasonal fruit and beautifully presented pastries.
After everyone was seated, Aldos introduced his wife, children, nephews, and nieces one by one. He gave only their names and identities, without any ornate or ostentatious titles.
Anser likewise introduced Stoll and the others, including their names, class levels, and official positions.
Councilor, commander of the defense forces, warband commander, spelljammer captain... These were the kinds of offices normally possessed only by landed nobles, and the Wyndrivvers could barely conceal their envy.
Aldos's eyelids twitched uncontrollably. What decent person brought this many powerful adventurers along on a social visit? Were they certain they hadn't come looking for a fight?
Seeing that the moment was right, Anser stopped beating around the bush.
"Mr. Aldos, as you probably know, I come from Baldur's Gate. After the fish-men uprising in Silver Scale Bay, I lost contact with many of my friends."
"One of them only recently contacted me through Sending. I heard that your family's caravan rescued her, so I came here specifically to express my gratitude."
Aldos's expression relaxed, and the tension in his heart finally eased.
"Haha, so that's what this is about. It was nothing. You're far too courteous."
He felt quite gratified and was already preparing to reward whoever had rescued her handsomely.
Wouldn't this incident allow House Wyndrivver to establish a connection with the man before him? That could only benefit the family's future development.
With Anser's strength and the size of his territory, he was fully qualified to join the Lords' Alliance. Once he did, he would sit at the same table as Neverwinter, Waterdeep, and Daggerdale. His status would be far beyond anything a family like House Wyndrivver could compare with.
"However..." Anser paused. "She told me that your family has forbidden her from leaving and forcibly employed her as a private tutor to repay the debt of having her life saved."
"Whatever amount is required, I'll pay it. I hope you'll allow them to leave, Mr. Aldos."
The reception hall instantly fell silent.
The elderly butler clutched the gift list, suddenly feeling as though it were burning his hands.
Aldos's smile froze on his face. He quickly recovered and inwardly cursed every person responsible for the family caravan, one after another.
So they really had come looking for a fight!
"Something like that actually happened?" Aldos's expression turned grave. "Anser, where is your friend now? I'll investigate the matter immediately."
"Villa 035, Delzorin Street, North Ward." Anser had already investigated everything thoroughly.
The moment he finished speaking, every member of House Wyndrivver simultaneously turned toward a young man seated near the door.
Anser recalled the earlier introductions. This was Aldos's youngest son, a man in his twenties whose strength was nothing remarkable.
"Kelson!" Aldos did not raise his voice, yet the young man still flinched violently.
"There must be some misunderstanding. What is her name?" Kelson's gaze shifted evasively.
"Gwyneth Moonshadow Quelin."
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