Early the next morning, sunlight filtered through the stained-glass windows of the manor's corridors, casting a warm glow on the polished wooden floors and the expensive paintings adorning the walls.
The new head maid, Sylvia, was dressed in a traditional maid's uniform. Her golden hair was neatly pinned up, and she wore white stockings and black leather boots. She carried a stack of freshly laundered clothes as she passed by the master bedroom.
Since Emilia's departure, Sylvia had smoothly taken over the role of head maid. She efficiently managed the household staff and the daily operations of the castle. Unlike Emilia, who often focused on Ryan, Sylvia diligently fulfilled her responsibilities as the head maid.
One area where Sylvia was particularly meticulous was table manners. In Bretonnia's noble etiquette, each type of cutlery had a specific use, with strict rules on which hand to use and how to place everything from the napkin to the soup spoon. These details were essential in courtly settings to reflect one's status.
In Bretonnia, there were four types of knives alone: the bread knife, the butter knife, the main course knife, and the fish knife. Knowing when to use each was crucial.
Ryan, however, seemed indifferent to these rules. He often shared meals with Sulia at a round table, a significant honor typically reserved for dining with Grail Knights. Ryan's casual approach to such high etiquette often drew Sylvia's disapproval, although he usually brushed off her complaints with a promise to improve, only to change very little.
Ryan's high status and formidable strength meant Sylvia could only offer mild rebukes without taking further action, leaving her feeling that she wasn't fully upholding her duties as head maid.
Sylvia thought to herself that she needed another opportunity to address this with Ryan.
As she mused, the master bedroom door opened, and Ryan stepped out, wearing a simple robe. His muscular physique was evident beneath the loosely tied garment, and his freshly combed black hair added to his striking appearance. He greeted her with a warm smile, "Good morning, Sylvia."
Sylvia, about to return the greeting, found herself blushing for some unknown reason and quickly turned her head. "I've placed your clothes here."
"My dear head maid, have I offended you in some way?" Ryan jested as he took the clothes from her.
"No... please step aside, my lord. I need to prepare your breakfast," Sylvia replied with a formal tone, trying to maintain her composure. "Is the lady up yet?"
"I'm up, Sylvia. Serve breakfast in thirty minutes," Sulia's voice came from within the room. She appeared in a silk nightgown, her long blonde curls slightly tousled, and her face glowing with a rosy, contented look. "Join us for breakfast afterward."
"Understood," Sylvia responded, quickly leaving the hallway with her face flushed, the ribbons of her maid's cap fluttering in the air.
"Sylvia has been doing well lately. She manages everything with great diligence," Ryan remarked thoughtfully, watching Sylvia's retreating figure.
"Sylvia is just getting accustomed to her role," Sulia understood Ryan's subtle implication and responded gently. "She will find a way to adapt to our household."
Thirty minutes later, the dining room in the manor saw only three occupants seated at the long table. Sulia carefully spread honey and jam on a piece of bread with a knife before handing it to Ryan. "Have you informed Veronica?"
"Yes, she's already packing," Ryan replied, pouring a cup of hot milk for Sulia. "Olica is also preparing her things."
"Is Alfred coming too?" Sulia asked casually as she prepared the bread. "Why not bring that half-elf ranger with you? You could use a skilled marksman."
"The half-elf? Estelle?" Ryan paused, setting down his knife and fork. He thought of Estelle, who had recently managed to barely break through to the legendary rank, officially becoming a full-fledged ranger. However, at the age of ninety, Estelle was already equivalent to a middle-aged human in his forties. Despite reaching legendary status, his lifespan was unlikely to exceed two hundred and fifty years.
Ryan considered the potential benefits of having a ranger like Estelle on their Estalian journey. Rangers were undeniably formidable in combat, especially with Ryan leading the way to minimize close-quarter threats. But recalling Olica's presence, Ryan ultimately decided against the suggestion.
The deep-seated enmity between dark elves and high elves was well-known. Additionally, dark elves and wood elves had a notoriously strained relationship. The Forest King, Orion, once led a massive wood elf army using the roots of the world to assault Naggarond, severely defeating the Witch King Malekith. This siege only ended when the Witch Queen Morathi promised to teach the Forest Queen Ariel dark magic. However, the dark magic amplified Ariel's inner darkness, resulting in a part of Athel Loren being shrouded in eternal night.
Following this, the three ancient treemen, led by the oldest, Adanhu, sacrificed himself to heal Ariel, restoring her sanity. Deeply affected by the ordeal, Ariel rarely left the King's Glade thereafter.
In Ryan's territory, his subordinates were aware that Ryan had a dark elf maid, but since Olica mostly stayed home, either training or attending to Ryan, she rarely ventured out, giving little chance for others to interact with her.
Out of sight, out of mind—the wood elves and half-elves usually did not dwell on her presence. However, taking her along on a mission was a different story. Ryan believed that such a journey would inevitably lead to conflicts due to their fundamentally opposed worldviews. The animosity between elves far exceeded their hostilities with other races.
"No, there's an advantage to having fewer people," Ryan concluded after considering the situation.
Sulia, seeing Ryan's decision, did not press further. She spoke softly, "Take care on your journey. I'll manage the estate in your absence."
"I won't be gone for too long."
… A boundary before setting sail ...
Three days later, at the Manannan Drydock in Bordeleau, aboard the Bordeleau Galleon, "Wrath of Manannan."
Ryan stood on the deck, gazing at the endless expanse of the sea and sky merging on the horizon. Around him, sailors bustled, and heavily armed knights moved purposefully. The ship's massive main sail bore the family crest of the Sea God's trident. Ryan smiled at the lady beside him, "This is the pride of the Sea God Fleet, the Bretonnian Galleon. What do you think, my dear?"
The Bordeleau Galleon was the pride of the Duchy of Bordeleau. These powerful ships were built from carefully selected oak and assembled at the Manannan Drydock. Each keel was laid with a grand blessing ceremony, and the launching of the ship was celebrated with multiple feasts and holidays. The people of Bordeleau loved their galleons, which symbolized their pride.
A galleon could carry hundreds of well-trained sailors and soldiers. Resembling floating fortresses, these ships were heavily armed with cannons and crossbows. Most sailors wielded cutlasses and muskets. The sides of the ship were lined with up to a hundred cannons, capable of unleashing devastating volleys of cannon fire and crossbow bolts on any approaching enemy. Even if foes managed to get close, the sailors and Sea God Knights on board were ready for boarding actions and close-quarter battles.
The ship's bow featured a mermaid figurehead holding the trident of Manannan, the Sea God. Under the Sea God's blessing, the figurehead could not only help stabilize the ship amid currents and strong winds but also unleash lightning bolts. During the battle that led to the destruction of Estalia's "Invincible Armada," a single strike from the figurehead's lightning reportedly sank a large enemy ship, causing shockwaves that prompted many smaller vessels to flee in panic.
The Sea God Fleet, led by Duke Bodrick, was one of the few blue-water navies in the Old World and crucial to Bretonnia's maritime defense. King Richard also maintained a navy at Le-Angoulême, but it was primarily a yellow-water navy composed of privateers and pirate ships.
On the deck, sailors sang the Bordeleau Navy anthem, "Heart of Oak," as Ryan strolled along the ship's rail with Veronica. The sea breeze, the vast ocean, and the faintly salty air provided a unique charm.
"I'm grateful you remembered me. I thought you might have forgotten," Veronica said, holding Ryan's arm. The Garland Witch's face bore a sweet smile, clearly pleased that Ryan had asked her to join him.
At thirty-three, Veronica's powers and the guidance of the High Loremaster Teclis had advanced her light and fire magic rapidly. Despite her formidable magical prowess, she still looked like a woman in her twenties. Compared to when Ryan first met her, she had become more mature and composed. Her current red robe, which exuded a strong aura of a Grand Witch, made the sailors keep their distance.
In addition, Veronica had received numerous High Elf spellbooks and magical scrolls from Teclis. These gifts had kept her busy with experiments and deeper magical studies. If Ryan hadn't invited her on this mission, Veronica could have spent years absorbing all this new knowledge.
"If I ask for your help, you complain I'm interrupting your research. If I don't, you fear I've forgotten you," Ryan teased. "You make things difficult for this count."
"So, you must find the right balance: spend time with me when needed and give me ample time for my studies. The mysteries of magic are endless," Veronica playfully poked Ryan's face with her finger. "Long journeys like this are perfect for inviting me. Though, I wish your dark elf maid wasn't coming along... Where is
she?"
"Olica? She's in the cabin," Ryan glanced towards the ship's interior. The dark elf, disliking crowds and preferring seclusion, had chosen to stay inside.
With the galleon loaded with soldiers, space was limited. Ryan's group was assigned two cabins, each about fifteen square meters. Predictably, both Veronica and Olica insisted on sharing a room with Ryan, leaving Alfred to room alone.
The problem didn't end there. Given the ship's cramped quarters, Alfred having a cabin to himself was impractical. The stern-faced, red-nosed navy captain promptly reassigned Alfred's cabin for use, making Alfred bunk with the Sea God Knights.
"According to Alfred, the cabin felt like 'a breath of hell' and 'the stench of demons'," Ryan chuckled, holding Veronica's slender waist. "I feel a bit guilty about it."
"Oh? Or perhaps you didn't want him interrupting us at critical moments?" Veronica suggested mischievously. The witch closed her eyes and rested against Ryan, clearly enjoying their private time together. "So, you made this arrangement."
"Alfred and I are the same age, both in our thirties, and he's still unmarried," Ryan deflected, changing the topic. "Do you have any suitable candidates, perhaps from your Garland Council? Could you introduce him to someone?"
"A witch and a Templar Knight? I bet they wouldn't exchange five sentences before arguing," Veronica replied, her black-brown hair releasing a rose fragrance as she glared at Ryan. "Are you serious?"
"Alright, let's drop it," Ryan conceded, realizing the impracticality of his suggestion. He gently stroked Veronica's face and neck, his voice softening. "Close your eyes, my dear. I have something for you."
"What kind of gift?" Veronica asked, her heart warming as she obediently shut her eyes.
"It's our tenth anniversary. This is a special memory just for us," Ryan said, pulling out a small box. "I'm giving this to you now. To me, you'll always be that stubborn witch covered in thorns."
Inside the box was a golden ring, crafted from an unknown metal. It featured a flame-shaped diamond with a golden hammer imbued with molten energy engraved upon it. The band was adorned with ancient runes.
"For me?" Veronica's eyes lit up as she admired the ring, overjoyed. "Thank you. I love it. Put it on for me, dear."
"This was made by a talented craftsman, a good friend of mine," Ryan said, carefully placing the ring on Veronica's left ring finger. "I knew you'd love it."
"Thank you... Ryan, you're wonderful," Veronica murmured, feeling the ring's power resonate with her. She closed her eyes, stood on tiptoe, and kissed Ryan deeply.
On the bustling deck of the Bordeleau Galleon, time seemed to stand still.
The only sounds were the salty sea breeze and the waves lapping against the ship's hull.
The boundless sea breeze, the blue ocean, and the clear sky.
After a while...
"It's windy out here. Let's go inside."
"Alright."
I aimed to write a more romantic chapter here. I hope you all enjoy it.
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