Lord: I can see loyalty.

The popular fantasy novel category rankings are updated weekly. Click to see the ranking changes.

On the sea, the two fleets, like two unsheathed swords, clashed on the shimmering water.

Timothy's black fleet burst in from the west, moving at an astonishing speed. Its long, narrow hulls and shallow draft made it agile and allowed it to maneuver freely among the cumbersome warships converted from merchant ships.

The veteran sailors were highly skilled at maneuvering the boats; each boat seemed like an extension of their own bodies, moving with effortless grace.

"Hard to left! Ram them!"

"Ballista, prepare—fire!"

The black fleet, like a pack of wolves, pounced on the cumbersome northern fleet from all directions.

The ballistae fired in unison, their thick bolts whistling through the air and piercing the thin hulls of the northern warships, sending splinters flying and screams echoing throughout.

Several merchant ships were hit in vital areas, listing and seawater flooding the cabins. The soldiers on board panicked, some jumping into the sea to escape, while others clung to the ropes and desperately called for help.

"Stay calm! Stay calm!"

Alberto roared at the top of his lungs, but his voice was quickly drowned out by the sounds of explosions and shouts of killing.

His fleet was scattered. Although the Silver Fox's sailors were skilled in naval warfare, their ships were too cumbersome to keep up with Timothy's fleet.

The Iron Hammer family's infantry was even worse; they could barely stand, let alone fight.

A black speedboat burst out of the fog and crashed straight into Alberto's ship.

The ram at the bow was deeply embedded in the hull, and the two ships were tightly joined together.

Timothy's sailors threw out grappling hooks to secure the two ships, then, armed with scimitars and short axes, surged onto the northern warships like a tidal wave.

"kill!"

Swords flashed and blood splattered.

Timothy's men were all veteran pirates, navigating the swaying deck with ease, displaying ruthless swordsmanship and seamless teamwork.

Although the northern soldiers were numerous, they were no match for the enemy in the naval battle, retreating steadily and suffering heavy casualties.

Alberto drew his longsword and charged into battle, but before he could even get to the front, an old sailor chopped the sword out of his hand with an axe, leaving him numb.

"Sir! We can't hold on any longer!" The adjutant, covered in blood, staggered to his side. "Let's retreat!"

Alberto gritted his teeth, looking at his routed men and at the woman standing at the bow of the black ship—it was Timothy!

She stood there, motionless, her bluish-gray eyes coldly staring at him, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Alberto knew that they had already lost the battle, not because of their troop strength or equipment, but because of their lack of experience.

"Damn it, Timothy's really been recruited by the Earl of the South... Retreat!" he roared. "Everyone, break out north!"

They could only head north, back to the northern border.

But to the north is now also the sea, with no harbor to rest in, no land, only boundless seawater.

How could cumbersome merchant ships possibly outrun warships...?

……

Southern border, Earl's Castle in Portor.

Vio had received the news and rushed back to the Southern Territory. He was standing in his study, holding a new letter in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed.

This letter, unlike the previous one, was handwritten by Timothy himself. The handwriting was somewhat messy, but the content was concise and clear:

The 1,200 men from the north who attacked by sea have been completely annihilated, and their commander Alberto has been captured.

At the end of the letter, there was a small line of text: "Don't forget the drink you owe me."

Vio put down the letter, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Your Excellency, is it good news?" Vincent asked tentatively from the doorway.

Vio nodded. "Timothy repelled the northern sea offensive, annihilated the enemy forces, and captured their commander."

A flicker of surprise crossed Vincent's eyes. "Then the Western Frontier is safe?"

"We're safe for now." Vio stood up, walked to the huge map on the wall, and pointed to the western coastline. "But the northern border might not give up easily. If the sea route is blocked, they'll find another way."

"So what do we do next?"

"Let's go check on that prisoner first." Vio turned around and walked towards the door. "Gina, Vincent, come with me."

Gina emerged from the shadows and silently followed behind him.

…………

The western border, at the junction of the southern and western borders, is a small coastal town.

This city was originally a black market for pirates to trade their loot, but it has now been incorporated into the Southern Territory and become an important stronghold for the Western Territory Navy.

Several Timothy warships were moored at the dock, and the Southern Militia stood on the city walls. The streets inside the city were lined with shops and bustling with people. Although it was not as prosperous as Portor, it was still quite lively.

Timothy stood at the city gate, a glass of wine in his hand, his bluish-gray eyes gazing at the southern road.

She changed into a smart outfit, a dark blue bodysuit covered by light leather armor, with two slender swords hanging at her waist.

Her long hair was tied back, revealing her delicate face, with a lazy smile on her lips.

"Here it comes," she whispered.

In the distance, a troop of cavalry was galloping along the main road.

Leading the group was Vio, dressed in a dark gray knight's coat, with a magic winged sword and shield hanging at his waist, his posture upright.

Gina followed behind, as silent as ever, her hand on her sword hilt, her gaze calm. Behind her were several guard knights, their armor gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

Timothy put down his wine glass and went to greet him. "Your Excellency, you've arrived quite quickly."

Violet reined in his horse and dismounted. "Your men did a good job; I can't let them down."

Timothy chuckled. "Of course. When have my men ever been disloyal?"

The group quickly headed into the city.

Gina followed behind Vio, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

The three of them crossed the street and arrived at a mansion in the city.

The mansion was not large, but two fully armed militiamen stood at the entrance, clearly indicating that it was a place for holding important prisoners.

"The person is inside." Timothy pushed open the door.

Inside the house, Alberto, the captain of the Silver Fox family, was tied to a chair, covered in wounds, but his eyes were still bright.

He looked up at the three people who walked in—a young count, a silent female knight, and the female pirate who had caused him great trouble.

His lips twitched slightly, but he didn't speak.

Vio sat down opposite him and looked at him. "Alberto...from the Silver Fox family?"

"That's right." Alberto's voice was hoarse. "You're the Earl of the South? You're younger than I expected."

Vio ignored his words and instead asked, "Answer me, what is the North's next plan?"

Alberto paused for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Timothy sneered. "You're the commander, and you don't know?"

"I'm just the commander of this operation." Alberto looked up at her. "The real decision-making is in the hands of Marcus of the White Horse family and those other big families. Our Silver Fox family was only sent here because we are relatively good at naval warfare."

"What about the Golden Saddle Horse and the Black Serpent?" Vio asked. "When are those powerful families going to send troops? I don't recall seeing any of them in the last two battles, do I?"

Alberto remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking.

"It'll be soon. Cedric can't wait any longer. You humiliated him twice in Blackwater and Blackwood, and he won't let it go. The main forces of the Golden Saddle Horse and Black Serpent are already gathering, and in a month at most, they will join the Allied Knights army and head south."

The room was quiet for a moment.

Vio's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, making a monotonous sound.

"A month...?" he said softly, "but that's enough."

He stood up, walked over to Alberto, and looked down at him. "Would you be willing to work for me?"

Alberto was stunned. "What...do you mean?"

"You are the commander of the Silver Fox family, familiar with the troop deployment in the North and the ins and outs of the various families. I need someone like you," Vio said calmly.

"Of course, you can refuse, but I will not let you go back. Cedric will not let a captured commander go."

Alberto fell silent. He looked at Vio, at Timothy, and at the silent female knight.

He knew Vio was telling the truth; he had been captured, and even if he were released, Cedric would not trust him, and his family would be disgraced because of him.

"I...I'll think about it." He lowered his head.

Vio nodded, not forcing him. "Take him away, let him recover from his injuries, and then send him to 'labor camp for criminals.'"

The so-called "criminal labor" was a system that Vio used to address criminals who had committed crimes but were not sentenced to death for various reasons. They would participate in labor to atone for their crimes, and those whose crimes were minor would even receive wages.

Two militiamen stepped forward and took Alberto away, leaving Vio, Timothy, and Gina alone inside the house.

"Are you really going to recruit him?" Timothy asked.

"It depends. Even if I do accept him, I won't assign him an important position." Vio walked back to the table. "But he's right. Golden Saddle Horse and Black Serpent are about to set out. We can't wait."

Vio's prerequisite for accepting him was to examine his stats. Only if his loyalty level exceeded 60% could Vio confidently grant him military power.

"So what do you want to do?"

Vio was silent for a moment, then looked up and his gaze fell on the map on the wall.

"Take the initiative and wipe out the united knight army led by small and medium-sized families first."

A hint of surprise flashed in Timothy's eyes. She had also heard of this army in the West. "That's a knightly army of ten thousand men."

"Ten thousand men?" Vio sneered. "In the battles of Blackwater and Blackwood, they lost over a thousand knights and militiamen, and their morale has plummeted."

"Moreover, they don't have the support of powerful families, and they have to rely entirely on themselves for food supplies. As long as we can cut off their supply lines, they won't last long."

"What about the sea route?"

"You'll be in charge of the sea routes," Vio said, looking at her. "The southern coast is defended by the Black Pearl pirates of Axel, and the western coastline is your responsibility."

Timothy's lips curled into a slight smile. "Then you owe me more and more drinks."

Vio didn't reply, but turned around and looked north. He gripped the Demon Feather Sword at his waist, a cold glint in his eyes.

"Pass down the order: prepare to march north and launch an attack at any time."

"Yes, sir!"

I highly recommend "Lord: I Can See Loyalty"! Click to enter the story world.