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Chapter 267 "Princess" - A Sailing Battleship

After quickly leaving the Sea God Cult's base in the Seagull Tavern, Richard and his group soon arrived at the Antwerp port's flight point.

Because Richard's hippogriff was clearly unable to carry the weight of four people, not to mention the orc Otombo, a huge beastman.

Richard estimated Otombo's weight to be at least three to four times the weight of Stephanie, possibly even more, because Richard's Ignis School had learned that different organisms have different bone densities.

Orcs have more than twice the bone density of humans. According to the measurement standards of the previous life, the bone density of orcs is equivalent to that of tigers, and their Mohs hardness is 4.

But this is only for ordinary orcs. For elite orc berserkers like Otombo, it is not surprising that their bone density is greater than 6.

Consequently, muscle density will also increase to the same extent, leading to further weight gain.

Therefore, Richard figured he'd have to arrange a separate flying mount for Otombo later.

"My lord wizard, may I ask how I should address you? I have been with the Norris family for many years, but I do not recall ever seeing you before," Captain Barolorick asked with a hint of doubt.

Just now, Richard and Stephanie swiftly and decisively eliminated most of the Sea God Cult's forces at their secret stronghold in Antwerp!

This left Captain Barlowic extremely shocked by the fighting prowess of Richard and his companion.

But no matter how hard he racked his brains, he couldn't recall a young wizard with such power under the Marquis of Norris.

Moreover, both of them were dressed in black robes, a stark contrast to the white or light blue wizard robes that are the mainstream at the Business Alliance.

This means the other person is a wizard of the negative energy type.

Although knowledge about wizards is extremely difficult for ordinary people to access, Captain Barolorick, as an explorer and a great knight, naturally possessed it.

"Richard Clavel, I am a friend of Melo, the daughter of the Marquis of Norris," Richard said with a slight smile.

"I see! It's been several years since I last saw Miss Mero. Could it be that Miss Mero has also returned from the continent of Byas?" Captain Baroric exclaimed in sudden realization.

"Yes."

"No wonder! We heard that Miss Meiluo went to study at a wizarding academy on the continent of Byers. At that time, we were wondering why Marquis Norris would send his daughter to such a remote place to study."

"It now seems that Marquis Norris was indeed prescient, not only protecting Miss Melo from the turmoil within her family, but also allowing her to study at such an excellent wizarding academy."

"A wizarding academy capable of producing a young talent like Lord Richard must be one of the top wizarding academies on the continent of Byers!" Captain Baroric said with a smile, his words as gentle as a spring breeze.

"Haha, Captain Barolorick is too kind." Richard couldn't help but touch his nose; this Captain Barolorick was clearly very good at socializing.

This is normal. A captain who aspires to explore the unknown needs to be familiar with the sea conditions of various sea areas, understand the specific job duties of each position on a ship, and most importantly, coordinate new and old crew members to work together.

And the last point is also the most important!

When the crew is of one mind, their strength can break even metal!

This forces an outstanding captain to not only have excellent technical skills, but also very good communication and coordination abilities.

Clearly, Captain Barolorick possesses the aforementioned excellent abilities.

After a few words, Richard and Captain Barrolick quickly became acquainted.

"So, Lord Richard intends to travel to Baselles Island in the Summer Sea?" Captain Barrolick's expression changed upon hearing Richard's destination.

"Eh! Captain Barrolick, is there some difficulty?" Richard saw the change in the other's expression and knew there must be a reason.

"Well... both First Mate Otombo and I are willing to accompany Lord Richard, but there are two difficulties that need to be resolved," Captain Barolorick said slowly after thinking for a moment and carefully choosing his words.

"Captain Barrolick, please speak," Richard gestured.

"First of all, there's the issue of the crew. The island of Basel, which you're heading to, is not only tens of thousands of miles away from the Loras Peninsula, but it also involves countless dangerous sea areas."

"So, recruiting crew members is very difficult. I think I can handle that, but it might require you to spend a lot of money. And right now, I'm really short of funds," Captain Barolorick said, looking ashamed.

After all, Richard was his savior, and in principle, he shouldn't have to spend any more money on him, but the Sea God Cult had already plundered all his belongings.

Stephanie chuckled and spoke up, "Hehe, I think Captain Barolorick doesn't need to worry about that at all."

"Lord Richard is a rare alchemist among wizards; money is absolutely no problem for him!"

"Haha, that's great." Captain Barolorick's face lit up with joy, and he nodded.

There's a saying that goes, "Money can solve 99% of problems!"

If one's savior and client is a very wealthy person, then many problems on this long voyage will no longer be problems.

However, he changed the subject and said again, "The second question is about ships."

"If you want to minimize the risks at sea and increase your defense capabilities, my advice to Lord Richard is to purchase a retired warship from the Duchy of Loras, rather than leasing or buying an ocean-going vessel."

"I have a suggestion on this, but it might require Lord Richard to communicate with Marquis Norris. I know that Marquis Norris and the Grand Duke of Fabrico are very close friends. Do you think you could help me resolve this issue through Marquis Norris?"

"Our last trip to Baselles Island almost resulted in the destruction of our ship and the loss of all our lives," Captain Baroric said, still shaken by the memory of what had happened.

"That shouldn't be a big problem. I'll tell the Marquis of Norris about it after we arrive in Norris." Richard nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Between a warship and a merchant ship, the warship was clearly more suitable for his journey.

Because Richard wasn't going to do business, but rather to explore and take risks.

Warships would be the most suitable, but Richard also knew that warships of various countries were obviously the cornerstone of national power, and it was extremely difficult to purchase them.

Therefore, Captain Barolorick's suggestion makes perfect sense.

The next day, Richard and his group of four returned to Norris City. After settling the orc Otombo in an inn, the three of them went to the Norris City Governor's Mansion and met with Mero and the Marquis of Norris again.

Before being imprisoned yesterday, Ocott had explained how to cure the venom of the Cheek-Splitter Sea Serpent. Therefore, the Marquis of Norris now looks much better than Richard had seen him before.

"Marquis Norris! Miss Melo!" Captain Barrorick greeted Marquis Norris immediately upon seeing him.

"Captain Barolorick, it's a pleasure to see you again," Marquis Norris nodded.

"."

When Richard mentioned the warship, the Marquis of Norris immediately agreed and offered to help Richard communicate with the Grand Duke of Fabrico.

Since preparations for supplies, recruitment of personnel, and communication with warships all take time, Richard accompanied Meiluo on a leisurely stroll, spending two rare days of relaxation.

Stephena, being quite sensible, went to the wizarding market to replenish her spellcasting materials, leaving her master Richard plenty of time to spend with Melo.

On the third day, news came from the Grand Duke of Fabrico that he had agreed to sell the decommissioned five-masted sailing battleship "Princess" to the Marquis of Norris.

Even the Marquis of Norris couldn't simply sell it to the Grand Duke of Fabricco, as it involved military secrets.

Therefore, this compromise was adopted.

Clearly, the Marquis of Norris had also noticed the unusual relationship between Melo and Lord Richard!

Several times, he actually wanted to ask about the specifics, but he couldn't find a suitable opportunity, so he had to give up for the time being.

Thus, Richard obtained the right to use the battleship "Princess" without spending a single penny on the purchase of the warship.

Today, accompanied by the Marquis of Norris and his entourage, Richard arrived at the port of Norris to witness the handover of the warships.

Hundreds of ships of various sizes were anchored in the port of Norris, a scene of bustling maritime trade, but according to Captain Barolorick, this was already a small spectacle.

At the height of the Norris family's prosperity, nearly a thousand ships docked here, a far cry from its current desolate state!

This immediately gave Richard a clearer understanding of the financial strength of the Meiluo family; indeed, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse.

Despite the immense depletion caused by years of internal family strife, they still possessed such a massive fleet of merchant ships.

Soon, the group arrived at a five-masted sailing ship that was noticeably longer and more streamlined.

The ship was about 60 or 70 meters long and about 20 meters wide at its widest point. It had a streamlined shape like a giant tuna, and it was clear that it was much faster than the ordinary merchant ships that Richard had seen before.

The structure has three decks, each with a dark, gaping cannon muzzle.

Its overall design is quite similar to the shape of the British Empire's sailing warships during the Age of Exploration in Richard's previous life.

This surprised Richard quite a bit. He remembered clearly that the heavy weapon used for defense on his ocean-going ship from Crab Claw Peninsula to Loras Peninsula was a giant crossbow.

He had assumed that naval warfare in this world consisted of long-range attacks using cold weapons such as crossbows and arrows.

It now appears that this is not the case. In some countries in the world where the ocean is their primary interest, artillery has begun to be organically integrated with warships.

At least, the attack power of the warship in front of him was basically at the level of the 18th-century sailing warships of his previous life.

I wonder how powerful the cannon was? And was the formula for it made of black powder?

If it were gunpowder, Richard smiled.

Perhaps he could make some minor improvements to increase the lethality of his ship's guns.

At the bow is a figurehead, a bust of a woman holding a scepter. The figurehead is made of rust-resistant metal and is well-maintained. Even though it has been in service for many years and is of retirement age, it still shines brightly in the sun and is very lifelike.

A navy officer dressed in a blue striped shirt, leading five or six junior officers, approached Marquis Norris with a smile and said, "Your Excellency Marquis Norris, I have been ordered to hand over the five-masted sailing battleship 'Princess'."

"You're too kind, Captain Algnis! It's been a long time. When are you considering retiring? If you are, please consider our Norris Trading Company first!" Marquis Norris laughed heartily, half-jokingly speaking to the naval officer.

"Marquis Norris, you are too kind. If I were to retire, my first choice would definitely be the Norris Merchant Guild. Every year, a considerable number of retired officers from the Principality of Loras Navy come to you."

"The Norris Chamber of Commerce's treatment of its employees is widely praised!"

"By the way, I heard you need skilled gunners this time. I have a few excellent naval gunners who are about to retire, and I'd like to recommend them to you. These are the ones."

The middle-aged officer, named Captain Algnis, pointed to the five or six spirited young officers behind him.

Seeing this, Richard thought to himself, "The Norris family truly lives up to its reputation as a giant in the shipping industry of the Loras Peninsula, managing to recruit so many retired naval soldiers."

"In that case, the most troublesome problem of operating the warship's guns will be solved!"

After all, even the best weapons are useless without skilled workers.

At this moment, Captain Barolorick, standing to the side, looked at Richard with unusually fervent eyes.

If he still can't see anything, then he's wasted his eyes.

Because a large portion of the trade and transportation within the Commercial Alliance is conducted via sea freight, which offers the best cost-effectiveness, the warships of the various kingdoms and duchies within the Alliance are their lifeblood. Even decommissioned warships are never allowed to be released casually.

The various duchies and kingdoms within the Commercial Alliance invest substantial funds annually in upgrading, modifying, and updating their warships. This explains why Richard did not see such advanced warships in the Kingdom of Heron.

It is no exaggeration to say that warships, along with advanced wizards, form the cornerstone of the military power of the various countries in the Commercial Alliance.

Therefore, Captain Barrolick was utterly dumbfounded. "This Richard is probably more than just Miss Meiluo's lover! Even a biological son wouldn't get this kind of treatment."

When he was rescued by Richard, Captain Barrorick thought Richard was a skilled fighter hired by the Marquis of Norris.

So it turns out he's the son-in-law!

Half an hour later, Richard boarded the bow of the "Princess" sailing battleship, gazing at the boundless sea, his heart filled with emotion! He felt a strong urge to set sail immediately!

The vast universe always evokes a person's longing for poetry and distant places!

(End of this chapter)