Translator: AnubisTL
Garos and the white dragon Treacy emerged from her dragon nest.
"Shall we take a look at the Ice Plains?" Garos asked, gazing north at the world shrouded in frost and snow. The thought of exploring the frozen expanse suddenly piqued his curiosity.
On the Permafrost Tundra, frost giants and barbarians were locked in a brutal conflict, their clashes painting the ice plains with blood and death.
Garos hadn't ventured directly into the Ice Plains, but his forces included a small contingent of troll familiars captured and assimilated into his ranks, as well as the frost behemoth he had slain earlier—all connected to the frozen wastes.
The Borderlands bordered the Ice Plains, and the chaos there was already impacting the region. Garos considered investigating the situation firsthand.
However, after careful deliberation, he shook his head and dismissed the impulsive idea.
"Better not," he concluded. "The Ice Plains are chaotic and dangerous. Going there now would be like jumping into a churning furnace. There's no need for me to risk myself personally."
"Creatures are fleeing the Ice Plains daily. We can gather information from them without endangering ourselves."
Composing himself, Garos turned to the white dragon.
"Come with me," he said.
The territory was rudimentary, or rather, not a territory at all, but merely a hiding place. With nothing to linger for, the white dragon abandoned it without hesitation.
The two dragons soared into the sky, one after the other, retracing their path. As they gradually moved south, the air grew warmer.
Meanwhile, on the deck of the treasure ship Gem on the Estonian Great River, the sunlight cast a warm glow. Nick leaned lazily against the mast, savoring a rare moment of tranquility.
The river's surface was as smooth as glass, reflecting the lush pine forests lining its banks. Only the gentle ripples created by the ship's passage slowly spread across the water.
"Did you see the Sky-Rending Wing?" Tiefling Maggie emerged from the cabin and approached Nick, asking softly.
"No, the great Sky-Rending Wing," Nick corrected his wife. "He's even more powerful than I imagined, worth betting everything on."
Gazing at Maggie's abdomen, Nick said gently, "Maggie, the deck is damp. You need to rest."
Maggie had discovered she was pregnant.
Humans valued their offspring more than dragonkind did. It was partly for the sake of his and Maggie's child—to provide them with the best possible environment—that Nick had resolutely decided to wager everything on the juvenile dragon.
He knew.
After passing the other party's test during this meeting, Nick was certain his standing in their eyes had improved.
Maggie blinked her emerald eyes and smiled brightly. "I'm not some frail human girl, Nick. Ten of you wouldn't be enough to handle me with one hand."
The merchant rubbed his nose and chuckled sheepishly. "I was overthinking things."
After a pause, he added, "Whether it's a boy or a girl, our child will be strong and healthy."
Maggie remained silent for a moment before sighing softly. "I hope our child inherits your intelligence."
Having endured countless cold stares and discrimination, she didn't want her child to inherit the tiefling bloodline.
But the chances of a tiefling-human hybrid inheriting that trace of devil's blood were high—a fifty percent probability.
"No, Maggie. I love your eyes and horns."
Nick pulled his slightly worried wife into his arms, his usual carefree smile vanishing to be replaced by a serious expression. "I promise I'll build a powerful family, earn a noble title and territory. By then, even if our child inherits your bloodline, they won't face cold stares or discrimination."
"In our territory, the tiefling bloodline will be a source of honor, not a burden."
Wealth often means resources and connections.
On Bernardo Planet, merchants held a respectable position. Extremely wealthy merchants could purchase noble titles and territories, becoming part of the aristocracy. However, this was no easy feat, and Nick, at least in his current state, was far from achieving it.
"Mm, I look forward to that day," Maggie said with a smile.
Suddenly, a gust of wind shattered the calm surface of the river.
First came subtle ripples, which quickly transformed into surging waves.
Dozens of sharp dorsal fins sliced through the water as a school of Knife-Fin Sharks circled the treasure ship like silver lightning. The ship began to rock violently, its masts groaning under the strain.
"Watch out!"
"Ferocious beasts approaching underwater! Prepare for battle!"
"Thirty degrees port! Ready the Magic Energy Cannons!"
The sailors and guards of the treasure ship braced themselves for combat.
The Estonian Great River was notorious for its dangers. Beneath its vast, seemingly endless surface lurked countless aquatic ferocious beasts and demonic creatures, which frequently attacked passing merchant ships.
Knife-Fin Sharks were among these aquatic predators. True to their name, they possessed steel-sharp dorsal fins capable of slicing through ship hulls.
The treasure ship's armaments could handle the Knife-Fin Shark swarm, but not without sustaining damage. Repairs would be necessary, delaying their journey.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ship's cannons roared, their shells exploding in the river, sending waves crashing and scattering the sharks, making it difficult for them to approach.
Yet, through a gap in the water columns created by the bombardment, a Knife-Fin Shark, its tail swaying, surged through the water. Its powerful body carved a white-foamed wake across the surface as it charged straight toward the ship's hull.
Just then—
Whoosh!
A feathered arrow, carried by a fierce wind, descended from the sky. Anticipating the shark's trajectory, it struck with pinpoint accuracy, piercing its flesh. The wind magic detonated violently, tearing flesh and blood from the creature's body.
This was the Exploding Magic Arrow, a favored technique among elven archers.
Fast, piercing, and precise, these arrows detonated upon impact.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three more arrows fell in a triangular formation, driving back the sharks attempting to close in.
Then, one after another, Exploding Magic Arrows rained down from the sky, coordinating with the treasure ship's cannon fire to scatter and decimate the shark swarm.
Minutes later, the blood-stained river gradually calmed. The corpses of Knife-Fin Sharks floated on the surface, while the rest had fled in terror.
Nick emerged from his hiding cabin and returned to the deck.
He looked up, joining the sailors and crew in gazing at the sky. They could faintly discern a figure riding a warhorse, an angelic guardian striding through the air.
"That's a centaur chieftain under the dragon lord," Nick murmured.
He remembered a unique winged centaur woman from the Centaur Tribe. Though the figure in the sky was indistinct, he was certain it was her.
Nick's intuition proved correct.
The figure was indeed Elvie, a hybrid centaur, tasked with escorting the fleet.
Such protection was unprecedented for merchants.
After his audience with Garos, Nick had secured even greater support.
"It seems I made the right choice," Nick thought, taking a deep breath. A radiant smile spread across his face as he bowed slightly to the centaur in the sky, expressing his gratitude. Turning to his crew, he shouted, "Haul those sharks aboard! Shark fin soup for dinner tonight!"
As the treasure ship set sail once more, the river had returned to its tranquil state.
(End of the Chapter)
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