The Stellar Swordmaster — Chapter 140

URGH... UUUGH...

I'D LIKE NOTHING MORE THAN TO CUT YOUR HEAD OFF RIGHT NOW...

BUT IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR YEARS LEADING THE THIRD CAVALRY, I'LL SPARE YOUR LIFE.

TH... THANK...

...YOU.

TAKE HIM AWAY.

UUUGH...

TH... THANK YOU... THANK... YOU.

HAAAH...

EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM...

I'M SURROUNDED BY INCOMPETENT INGRATES.

BARON IZNIK FELL BEFORE THE WAR EVEN BEGAN.

HE LOST EVERY SAILING SHIP HE HAD. THERE'S NO RECOVERING FROM THAT.

THE NEWS MUST HAVE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WEST BY NOW.

THAT MUST HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHY THE OTHER HOUSES ARE SLOW TO JOIN US.

THIS WAS NO IMPROVISED SCHEME.

BAYEZID WAS WAITING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY AMID ALL THIS TURMOIL, TOO.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT BASTARD PETER MANAGED TO HOLD BACK THIS LONG.

THE TIMING IS EXQUISITE.

AND THEY EVEN TOOK THE LAST RAVNOMA...

IT'S OBVIOUS WHY THEY TOOK THE CHILD.

THEY MUST WANT TO PLANT A MINE IN THE WEST'S UNSTABLE REAR.

BUT...

THE NORTH ISN'T THE ONLY SIDE THAT'S PREPARED SUCH A THING.

GODIN.

PREPARE A TELEGRAM.

WHERE SHALL I SEND IT?

DRAGULIA.

TELL THEM IT'S TIME TO TURN THEIR BANNERS IN A NEW DIRECTION.

WOOOOW!

IT'S HUGE!

FIRST TIME SEEING THE OPEN SEA?

YEAH, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

IT'S NOTHING LIKE THE SEA I SAW FROM THE HARBOR.

GUUUH...

LORD RUTIGER, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?

NO.

NOT AT ALL...

HOW ARE YOU FINE?

WHO KNOWS? MAYBE I'M MADE FOR THE SEA.

YOU'VE LIVED IN A CITY YOUR WHOLE LIFE. HOW...?

HOW ARE THE OTHERS DOING?

WELL, THEY'RE ALL...

Bleeergh!

...ABOUT THE SAME.

The... the grasslands...

IF YOU WERE GOING TO BUY A SHIP ANYWAY, WHY DIDN'T YOU GET A BIGGER ONE?

A BIGGER SHIP WOULDN’T ROCK SO MUCH...

WHERE WOULD AN ORDINARY KNIGHT GET THAT KIND OF MONEY?

I HAD TO SQUEEZE EVERY LAST COIN I HAD OUT JUST TO BUY THIS ONE.

THAT’S WHY I TOLD YOU TO SERVE UNDER ME INSTEAD OF JOSEPH...

AH, WHAT A SHAME.

I SHOULD’VE GONE ON THAT GOBLIN SUBJUGATION MISSION BACK THEN.

STILL...

I’M GLAD MY YOUNGER BROTHER HAS SOMEONE LIKE YOU BY HIS SIDE.

ANYWAY.

YOU OWE ME FOR THIS,

SO SOMEDAY, YOU'LL HAVE TO USE YOUR SWORD FOR ME...

HUH?

THAT'S NOT THE SWORD I GAVE YOU, IS IT?

OH, WELL...

I'M SORRY.

FOR WHAT?

HUH? WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

THE "RED-HAIRED JEMINA"?

YOU'RE SERIOUS?

YOU THINK I WANTED TO NAME MY SHIP AFTER A DOG?

JEMINA INSISTED, SO I DID SO.

SHE SAYS SHE HAS A STAKE IN THIS SHIP.

WHAT STAKE?

SHE SAYS IT ALL STARTED WITH THE SWORD SHE GAVE YOU, PAID FOR BY SELLING HER HAIR!

HA!

BY THAT LOGIC, SHE'D HAVE A STAKE IN EVERYTHING I DO!

WELL, YOU TWO CAN SORT THAT OUT YOURSELVES.

FOR THE RECORD, I...

I WANTED TO NAME IT THE "ROSE'S SMILES MARCELLA."

ARE YOU SAILORS ALL DESPERATE TO NAME YOUR SHIPS AFTER WOMEN?

BEATS ME.

SAILORS ARE A SUPERSTITIOUS LOT.

ANYWAY, IT SUITS YOU.

YOU LOOK LIKE A PROPER CAPTAIN.

HOW'S BUSINESS?

WE'RE DOING ALL RIGHT.

HOUSE KANNOR IS A RELIABLE REGULAR CUSTOMER.

STILL, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT WINTER.

THAT'S WHY ALL THE MERCHANTS FROM SOARA JOINED THIS LANDING OPERATION.

NASSAU IS AN ICE-FREE PORT, EVEN IN WINTER.

IF WE COULD GAIN CONTROL OF IT, TRADE ROUTES IN THE NORTH WOULD BECOME MUCH MORE VARIED.

IT'D BE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR US, TOO...

SO MAKE SURE YOU TAKE IT BACK, SIR KNIGHT.

THEN I OUGHT TO COLLECT TRIBUTE FROM YOU.

HM?

HARVEN, WHAT’S THAT?

WHERE?

OVER THERE.

SOMETHING’S GATHERING AROUND THE SHIP.

?!

HUH?

THOSE ARE SQUID, AREN'T THEY?

SQUID?

CAN YOU EAT THEM?

I'VE NEVER HAD SEAFOOD BEFORE.

THAT'S STRANGE...

WHAT ARE CREATURES THAT FOLLOW COLD WATER DOING THIS FAR SOUTH?

AND IT'S SUMMER.

WHOA?!

HUH?!

HEY, HARVEN. DO THEY NORMALLY DO THAT?

ARE WE GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT?

OTAR!

WAKE EVERY SAILOR!

RIGHT!

WHY? WHAT'S HAPPENING?

VLAD.

TAKE THE KNIGHTS BELOW DECK,

AND TELL THEM TO HOLD TIGHT TO WHATEVER THEY CAN.

IT'S GOING TO BE A ROUGH NIGHT.

THIS CHILD...

IS RAVNOMA'S LAST DESCENDANT?

THAT CAN'T BE.

THIS CHILD IS NOT "KARL RAVNOMA."