I'm really a serious wizard.

Chapter 247 Federal Mission (Two Chapters Combined)

"Besides that, I think you should take a look at this first."

During the conversation, Catherine placed a secret letter on the edge of the desk.

"This is a secret letter from the Peric family on the north coast of the coast. The current head of the family is a hereditary baron who delivered the letter to me through his own secret channels."

Hmm, it's clear that this border baron is eager to improve his skills...

But why are you suddenly so serious again?

A woman's heart is like the bottom of the sea; Her Majesty the Empress is always like this, keeping public and private matters very separate.

One second she was a wanton woman seeking love, the next she had regained the dignity befitting a king.

Ron calmed his breathing, suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his mind, and picked up the letter to examine it carefully.

He quickly skipped over a long string of praise praising his progress and focused on the last small, important piece of information.

I humbly report to you that the raging seas that have plagued my realm for nearly a thousand years have finally returned to calm.

Even more alarming was the urgent report received at dawn on the 27th: three massive ships flying the banner of "Blood Moon and Twin Swords" had appeared on the northern horizon. Their hulls were as sharp as if cut by a knife; they had no masts or sails, yet they were able to sail freely on the sea.

They sent a small team ashore, claiming to be an envoy from the "Radiant Federation," carrying a pearl-encrusted box and a letter of credence wrapped in red silk.

I extended a courtesy reception on your behalf, but did not permit them to venture further inland. I await Your Majesty's decision.

"This……"

-

White Harbor, Tide Town.

Although this coastal town is not located at a key point on the trade route, it has its own resilient dignity.

The rough stone houses are stacked along the headland, their gray walls bearing the marks of a century of sea wind erosion.

The people here have been fishermen for generations, but the idea of ​​sailing out to sea to catch fish is a legend from over a thousand years ago. Now they have a more respectable name – salt merchants.

Salt production in the coastal region accounts for one-fifth of the entire Kingdom of Oran, making it an extremely important pillar industry.

As the lord of this place, the current Baron Peric is a greedy fellow.

He looked at the strangely dressed foreign envoy before him and gave a polite yet dignified smile:

"Distinguished guests, I have already informed His Majesty the King of your delegation's situation, and news will arrive soon."

"Soon? How long do you mean by 'soon'?"

"We traveled a long way, only to be attacked by a dragon and its minions at sea. Our ship is damaged and awaiting repair."

At this moment, a woman with black hair, bloodshot eyes, small sharp teeth, and long pointed ears asked in broken ancient language.

Upon hearing this, Baron Perrick patted his chest and said:
“Miss Vivian, I know you’re in a hurry, but everything must be done according to the rules.”

"Here's what we'll do. Take whatever you need from my territory. I won't take a single copper coin!"

The moment he said that, Vivian rolled her eyes inwardly.

Should I use mud, stones, or wood to repair the boat?
This wretched place is nothing but salt; even human bodies have excessive levels of nitrite, making it very unhealthy.

“Thank you for your kindness, Your Excellency Baron, but the laws of the Federation do not permit us to do so.”

"Please allow us to take our leave. We will seek your help if we encounter any trouble."

Another male messenger, who bore a striking resemblance to Vivian and also possessed red eyes and sharp teeth, responded.

After saying that, he turned and left, wanting to escape the study filled with the salty, fishy smell.

But at this moment——

"and many more!"

Baron Perrick suddenly stopped them and said in an unusually generous tone:

"Your Excellencies, please be patient."

"Although I don't know anything about shipbuilding or the alloys you're talking about, I believe that the Kingdom of Oran is vast and rich in resources, and there must be something you need."

"The head of the Financial United Savings Bank went missing unexpectedly some time ago, but the consortium's channels and resources have not been affected much. You two can think of a solution in this regard."

"Believe me, there is no more professional merchant guild in the entire Kingdom of Oran."

After several days without receiving good news, the two paused, and the girl named Vivian asked first:

"Where should we go to find the head of the Financial Union Savings Bank?"

In the past few days, she and the delegation's guards and servants have toured the entire town, but they have not found the so-called Financial Union Savings Bank.

Upon seeing this, Baron Perrick smiled and shook his head, then opened the drawer and put the designer brand inside on his chest.

"You two are both far away and right before my eyes!"

So you went through all this trouble just to try and do business with us?!

If this were in the federal government, I would have arrested you and thrown you into prison to be used as fertilizer!

Vivian clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly, her pale, delicate face flushing slightly.

Just then, a hand gently tugged at her arm.

"Vellex, we can't let this greedy guy lead us by the nose!"

Seeing that her useless brother was still calm, the vampire girl immediately whispered in the Federation language.

Kvelex did not respond, but simply turned his head and said to Baron Perrick:
“Your Excellency, repairing an aircraft carrier is no easy task. You may not understand how the alloy we need must be forged.”

"In my opinion, your kingdom's foundation seems insufficient to meet the necessary conditions, though perhaps my knowledge is limited."

"However, besides that, we also need to replenish our supplies. I will start taking stock when I get back. I hope that you will keep your promise and allow us to take whatever we want within the territory."

As soon as Verex finished speaking, he pulled his companion out of the Baron's manor and joined the guards outside.

"Brother, what's wrong with the people here? We don't want to eat or drink, and we're not spending any of their money, but they keep making excuses when we ask them to report to the king that a federal delegation has come."

"This is too uncultured!"

Thinking about what she had experienced in the past few days, Vivian couldn't help but complain.

The old fogies in the Federal Parliament finally reached a consensus and prepared to send a mission to establish diplomacy. If they had known they would be treated like this, they should have sent troops to blow that lousy baron's manor to smithereens.

"My dear sister, isn't this normal?"

"We are a piece of fat meat in other people's eyes. The people here are greedy and backward, and they even use slaves. It is already polite of them to just want to do business with us."

Velex stroked his chin, then pondered:

"He certainly didn't report the whole truth to the Queen, or even mention that we needed to repair the ship, but we're not the only ones."

"It's truly unbelievable that the human empire more than a thousand years later is exactly the same as it was a thousand years ago."

"Let's go back to the camp and see if the white-robed archbishop has replied."

-

The federal mission's camp was not far from the sea.

Amidst the crashing waves, five enormous shadows floated on the sea surface.

Amidst the intertwining of the golden and crimson moons, five colossal ships revealed themselves, reflecting a cold, metallic sheen. However, upon closer inspection, sharp scratches were visible on the ships, and the central flagship even bore a gaping hole melted by flames, accompanied by marks of being clawed and torn apart by a giant beast.

If it weren't for the ship's sturdy hull and unique emergency response capabilities, it would probably have sunk to the bottom of the sea long ago.

The fire crackled as it burned the firewood. Verex sat by the campfire, gazing at the outline of the distant fleet, lost in thought.

Suddenly, he felt someone poking his arm.

"Brother, the people here are actually religious. Do you think there really are gods in this world?"

Vivian, with her black hair and blood-red eyes, appeared beside her brother at some point and asked as if she had opened the door to a new world.

"Ancient texts say that they exist, and aren't there tribes within the Federation that worship gods?"

"Although those are just totem beliefs and have no practical significance."

“One of our ancestors was said to be the chosen one of that ‘mistress’.”

"However, the Thousand-Faced Lord worshipped by the rebels is different; He seems to truly exist and bestows extraordinary power upon His followers."

Upon hearing this, Vivian immediately frowned and said:
"Didn't they still suffer repeated defeats at the hands of the Allied forces?"

"You're really boring. No wonder you're a good-for-nothing. Is this what I wanted to tell you, brother?"

At this point, the vampire girl revealed a very gossipy expression and said:
“I’ve heard that the rules in the Holy Light Church on this continent are particularly strict. The higher one’s status, the greater the restrictions one faces, and one must also remain a virgin while serving the gods.”

"Brother, do you think Pope Cyrus VII was a virgin for over two hundred years?"

How am I supposed to know that?

Verex shook his head, and before he could say anything, he suddenly noticed hurried footsteps a hundred meters away.

"Young Master Verex, I've received the message!"

Within three minutes, a soldier in a guard uniform arrived breathlessly beside the two envoys.

These are the liaison personnel they left behind in Tidetown.

"Is there news from the Vatican?"

Vivian stood up in surprise and asked first.

"Yes, Miss Vivian, not only the Holy See, but also the Stardust Society's stronghold in town has received news, however..."

The person in charge of liaison nodded, then a look of utter confusion crossed their face.

He handed over the two letters along with a newspaper.

Vivian took the newspaper first, and was shocked when she saw what was written on it.

"What!?"

"Celes VII fell from power three days ago?"

"And he's dead."

Being an envoy is a troublesome job; one must not only achieve effective communication but also gather intelligence.

God knows how many miles Vivian has traveled and how many people she has asked these past few days in order to better understand this Pope.

“Miss Vivian, look at the back of the newspaper.”

"The newly enthroned Pope is named Ron Griffith, but I haven't been able to find out much about his life."

"Because even that white-robed bishop had never heard of such a person."

Hey, are all the high-ranking people in your positions appointed this hastily? Those old fogies in the Federation would hold a year-long meeting just to promote a newcomer, and this guy is clearly still a minor!
Vivian frowned as she looked at the color portrait in the newspaper, feeling utterly overwhelmed.

Arriving in a place where travel relies entirely on horse-drawn carriages and communication on letters, and having to deal with impolite locals, is more than just difficult.

She wouldn't have done such a troublesome thing if it weren't for revitalizing the family with her good-for-nothing brother and keeping her position in the federal legislature.

"Brother, what do these letters say?"

Vivian looked at her brother and asked with a frown.

"Hmm... The Vatican's reply said that His Holiness the new Pope will come to receive us."

"The letter from the Mage's Guild says they will be sending a great mage named Gandalf..."

"So...that's it? They didn't say how long it would take?"

The vampire girl asked in surprise.

In her view, such a backward place required a grand procession for the Pope, and it would probably take several months to reach the coastal border.

For several months, Vivian felt anemic and about to faint just thinking about it.

"No, the letter says that His Holiness the Pope will arrive tomorrow, as will the first investigator named Gandalf."

"According to the letter, there is a teleportation node in White Harbor that connects to Ryan County. It only takes two or three transfers to reach Glenhill, the capital of Oran."

"Ha, I knew it. That nobleman probably received the Queen's reply a long time ago and deliberately kept it from us, just to make more money. What a greedy fellow."

Verex said calmly.

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of horses' hooves came from the solid dirt road in the distance.

A knight hurried over, dismounted, and said:

"Lord Verex, Miss Vivian, the Baron has asked me to deliver a message to you."

"The envoy sent by the kingdom will arrive tomorrow. He is Her Majesty the Queen's most trusted knight and her closest comrade-in-arms. He will escort you to the capital to meet Her Majesty Catherine."

So, if there are teleportation nodes, why do we need to use a horse to deliver messages?

The locals are so rude!

Upon hearing this, Vivian gritted her teeth, wishing she could fly to the noble manor and punch the greedy baron.

However, just as she made a move, she was suddenly stopped by Verex.

"Please tell the Baron that we appreciate his kindness these past few days."

Verex said expressionlessly.

After the knight had gone far away and the sound of hooves had gradually faded, the brother and sister returned to the campfire and began to plan their journey for the next day.

"Honestly, when you need to see them, you can't, but then a whole bunch of them show up. It's such a hassle."

Vivian couldn't help but complain at the thought of a bunch of people crowding around her asking all sorts of questions.

She looked up and thought for a moment, then realized there was still one place where no specific information was being provided.

“Brother, was our ancestor truly the chosen one of the Mistress of Mercy? I’ve heard that this deity’s followers are not exactly good people on this continent.”

Is it really a good idea to contact them rashly?

Verex stroked his chin. "According to the records left by our ancestors, that god was said to be exceptionally benevolent."

"However, for that matter, we have to take some risks and at least contact someone of sufficient influence."

"After we finish our business in town tomorrow, we'll go check out the cult's stronghold."

(End of this chapter)