Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

"Regarding the time, the first one..."

Ryuka silently recited the mantra in his mind, then resumed playing the role of the chairman's nephew, 'Shane,' and began to chat with the sailors and Greg's men on the ship...

The photograph floated on the water's surface, swaying up and down with the gentle waves, and was lifted up by a magical force just as it was about to sink completely to the bottom.

"Less than ten minutes, it doesn't seem that far."

Melanie landed gently from mid-air, her high heels creating a patch of ice on the river. She flicked the photograph in her hand to confirm the location of the mountains and rivers on the map, then flew away.

After flying for a while, Melanie seemed to pass through a thin membrane, and a large ship appeared on the previously empty water. It was the second mission ship that had set off behind Greg's group. On the spacious deck, two motorhomes were locked to the deck with their wheels locked. Tipalotura and the rest of the mission members were on board, waiting for Melanie's return.

After looking at the photograph in Melanie's hand and gesturing on the map and reference points for a while, Anjaberg said:

"Our ship is already fifteen minutes behind them by water. We've only just set off. At this rate, the smaller convoy will be fine, but the larger ship that set off ahead will be overtaken by them tomorrow. And by then, we'll be half a day's journey behind them..."

Listening to Anjaberg's calculations, Melanie looked at Tipalottura. Although they were vassals of Ryukyu, not Tipalottura, they were now together, and many decisions still needed to be made in consultation with the princess.

"At this distance, we should be able to use magic without being detected by the great mage on their ship."

Hearing Melanie's words, Tipalotura nodded. She gestured to a court mage casting a spell nearby, who immediately dispelled the magic concealing the ship and beckoned his companions to begin subtly casting their own spells. The sails began to billow fuller, waves began to rise beneath the calm hull, and the bow sliced ​​through the rising waters like a butter knife! With the help of the mages, the large ship began to gradually accelerate!

These mages were mostly highly skilled professional mages. Their magical energy reserves lasted about thirty minutes, and they rotated in groups of five or six every thirty minutes to ensure they didn't fall too far behind. As for top-tier combatants like Melanie, they naturally needed to conserve their magical energy and prepare for any eventuality…

"Honestly, I should have had Ryūka bring a few listening crystals, so we could find out the specifics!"

Listening to Anyaberg's complaints, Tipalotura chuckled: "He's a Celestial Rank expert. Even outside of Sochi, let alone four Grand Masters, even ten top Grand Masters plus a three-hundred-strong army of Masters might not be his match. This is just his personal game, why should we worry about it..."

"But we have to be wary of the motives behind this small team. After all, we're ultimately going to be on someone else's turf."

Tipalotura nodded at Melanie's words: "Don't worry, I'll contact the capital immediately and ask them to help investigate and see what the Bauhinia Kingdom is up to."

Chapter 9 Gathering Intelligence (Part 2)

Water travel is much faster. Before the sun had even set, the scenery had changed from flat, green plains and forests to rolling hills. The appearance of towering mountains meant that Liu Xia and his companions had reached the border of Sochi Province and entered the territory of the Harvey family's Raven Ridge.

Captain Cole sighed, his expression tinged with annoyance. The other sailors also seemed less relaxed than before. Ryūka quickly understood the reason: once they left Sochi, the outside world remained the same bleak, old world. For the ship's crew, these lowly laborers, it meant another round of wits and struggles with life. Although Ryūka didn't believe he had transformed Sochi into an ideal country, it had become a well-ordered environment for them, making it difficult for them to adapt to the 'old habits' outside…

"Shane, did your uncle give you anything? Like... a pass to Ravenhill or something?"

"You want that kind of thing again?"

Ryuga looked puzzled at a sailor who had come to talk to him. The sailor chuckled awkwardly at his reaction, scratched his head, and said:

"It's not a real pass, it's just something used for bribing people or something..."

At this moment, Captain Cole, who had been meekly deferring to the river transport commissioner and Greg, approached. He handed the helm to his first mate and took the bow. The gaunt, middle-aged man's expression turned serious; his eyes no longer held fear or flattery. Like a truly reliable captain, he issued commands to the sailor who had spoken to Ryūsha:

"Alright! Let's go to the observation post on the second floor! This is the job we took on. Do you expect others to take care of everything for us? Tell the brothers to get their spirits up!"

"Yes, Boss Cole..."

The sailor mumbled a reply and obediently did as Cole ordered, shouting "stay alert!" to his companions along the way, though in a very low voice, making him look more like a spy than Greg and his group.

"Shane, you should go into the cabin and rest with those southern gentlemen. Also, please tell them we've left Sochi."

Ryuga looked at Cole, the captain speaking to him with an air of authority that inspired trust. Ryuga, not wanting to drop his guard, revealed the nervousness of a country bumpkin, nodded, and headed towards the cabin.

The cabin ceiling was very low, so all the space had to be used efficiently. One of Greg's men was guarding the entrance; he didn't give Ryūka any trouble, simply saying:

"Go into your room, it's on your right. Don't disturb our people's rest."

"The captain asked me to find Mr. Marcus, saying that we have entered the territory of Ravenhill."

"I see... Okay, the innermost room is it, remember to knock."

For an ordinary young man, this burly southerner didn't think too much about it. Although he was also a proper knight, he understood some of the rules and principles of the world. Entering Raven Ridge meant that everything they had done as merchants in Sochi was no longer valid. Although they weren't afraid of any danger with their strength, it was best to avoid unnecessary trouble. The Harvey family in eastern Otus was a vassal of the Fourth Prince, with many elite soldiers and close ties to the Papacy. They weren't much of a threat to Ryukyu, but it was best not to disturb these Bauhinia soldiers who had secretly infiltrated another country.

Ryūsha nodded and walked straight inside. He could sense the atmosphere in each cabin through the wooden hull of the ship. Some of the Bauhinia soldiers were playing and frolicking, while others were secretly cultivating. One of the rooms, from which a woman's fragrance wafted, must be Monica's room. Unlike the other men, who were sharing a room and some even had to sleep on double rope beds, she naturally had her own small, private room. Further inside were the rooms of Greg and his two deputies, a total of three senior officers.

Ryūka could hear what was being discussed inside, but under his disguise, his footsteps were no different from those of an ordinary person. Greg had heard him arrive long ago, so he stopped his plotting and waited for Ryūka to knock on the door.

Boom boom boom!

“Mr. Marcus, are you asleep? The captain told me to tell you that we have arrived at Ravenhill.”

The door creaked open, and through the crack, Ryusha discovered that the cabin actually led to the lowest cargo hold, which was much larger than the other areas. It was filled with cargo boxes, resembling a conference room, while in the corner was where Greg and his two companions rested.

On one of the tables made from cobbled-together shipping containers, there appeared to be a map, though it was obscured by clutter. In the corner, a half-person-high shelf covered with canvas caught Ryuka's eye.

Greg glanced at Ryuu, whose eyes held an undisguised, innocent curiosity. Without a second thought, Greg simply shielded his view with his body and spoke to the boy before him:

"Thanks, kid, I got it. Could you please notify the others to come over? Then you can rest in the room to the right of the entrance."

"Would that lady like some too?"

Ryusha was referring to Monica, as he could tell that Greg and Monica didn't get along well, to the point that they were several steps apart and he, an outsider, had to call them.

"Yes, thank you for your help."

With that, Greg closed the door. Ryusha also turned and left, a slight smile playing on his lips as he knew exactly what was hidden under the canvas in the corner. He easily caught the faint magical fluctuations that Greg hadn't managed to conceal; it was likely a modified magical communication device, enlarged to enhance the crystal ball's magical communication range and the concealment of its magic. It seemed this was their tool for contacting their homeland, the Bauhinia.

Once I figure out the magic frequency, I can arrange for Anyaberg and the others to listen in!

It seems playing dumb works after all. Greg had no idea that the young man before him was the Heavenly Rank Governor, and even more so, someone with considerable knowledge of magical machinery. He was only slightly distracted when Ryūka caught him in the act.

Thinking of this, Liu Xia quickened her pace, preparing to knock on Monica's door. This Miss Monica Santira came from the Santira family, the second largest family in the Bauhinia clan. Although it was the second largest, second only to the royal family of Linor and her family, its family members and subordinates far exceeded those of the royal family. It was said that they also followed the educational philosophy of elite magicians.

Unlike the cautious Greg, this young lady seemed to lack attention to detail. She appeared to assume the cabin was full of familiar faces, as she hadn't even locked her door. Meanwhile, Ryūka, simply standing at the doorway, could sense the magical fluctuations emanating from within.

This made him frown. Although he was a mage and didn't have the same keen senses as a knight, he shouldn't be so oblivious as to not hear his own footsteps.

“Ahem, Miss? Mr. Marcus asked me to inform you to come over.”

He knocked twice on the door, but Liuxia didn't hear any response. He glanced back in the direction of Greg and the others, then gently pushed the door open a crack, precisely controlling the force to make no sound.

The small room that came into view brought Liuxia another unexpected gain.

"Whoa, teleportation magic..."

Ryūka looked at the magic imprint left on the small patch of floor in front of the bed. It was roughly the same as the teleportation magic he had obtained from the Merchant Guild. However, the spell from the Merchant Guild had been modified with magical powers, while the magic circle in Monica's room looked more like the original version cast by a pure mage.

This young lady is certainly bold, but her magical skills are indeed superb. On the same ship, I hadn't even noticed she cast a teleportation spell. Looking closer, I saw magical crystals placed in the four corners of the room, serving to isolate magical fluctuations. Yet, it was precisely these crystals that allowed me to detect a trace of magic outside the door.

"It seems that the southern country that the Chamber of Commerce has jointly obtained the teleportation magic is very likely the Bauhinia... But this spell cannot be cast across half a continent, even for a Heavenly Rank mage."

This means that Monica could not have teleported between Bauhinia and Ottos; there must have been an anchor point nearby for teleportation!

"It seems my friends from the South still have a base in Ravenhill, and perhaps they have more than just these twenty men..."

Liu Xia curled the corners of her lips into a smile. These well-prepared Bauhinia people wouldn't find it difficult to secretly establish a base anywhere. It's even possible they've made preparations not only in Raven Ridge, but also in other territories along the way. However, the only one who can freely move between these areas is probably Miss Monica. After all, high-ranking knights are easy to train, but high-ranking mages are not.

With renewed courage, Ryūka crouched down to examine the magical imprints left by Monica. These undying runes allowed him to deduce some of Monica's spellcasting techniques, enabling him to imitate and learn her magic. Ryūka already possessed the merchant guild's teleportation spell, though he still needed to use it in conjunction with the technology within their magic staff, so learning Monica's spells by reverse engineering wasn't too difficult.

But Ryuka still sighed, "It's a pity, if only we had come sooner, the runes would have mostly disappeared by now."

No rush, there will always be a chance. Although a complete replica is difficult, Ryuka can use Monica's spell to play a little trick on her...

Ryuka quietly left the room, having only stayed there for a dozen seconds. Instead of immediately notifying the others, she first reported back to Greg:

"I'm sorry, Mr. Marcus, but that lady hasn't responded to my calls. She might be asleep."

"Ok?"

Greg frowned slightly. He went to Monica's door, found it unlocked and empty, and then, having already figured out what was going on, asked Ryuka:

"Didn't you go in and look?"

"Of course not, this is a lady's room!"

Ryuu's face flushed red, looking like an innocent young boy, which made Greg grin.

"Alright, go and rest. Did you bring any food? You can ask my people for some."

Ryūka nodded gratefully and quickly walked away. Behind him, another Grand Knight stepped forward and whispered to Greg:

"Sir, should we wait for her?"

"No need, it's good that she left. We can use that magical device to contact our people..."

Hearing the faint whispers behind her, Ryuka's steps and smile became even lighter.

"Melanie, can you hear me? I have two favors for you and Anjaberg to do."

Chapter 10 Creating Panic

"Could they have a base in Ravenhill? I'll inform Princess Tipalotura and have her contact the Harvey family to investigate. What? Is there a way to interfere with teleportation magic? And do it in a way that seems natural? Hmm, let me think... Then, monitoring their communication magic, right? That's a bit difficult, unless we can detect the magical fluctuations of the magic crystals they use..."

"Leave this to me; it looks like I'll have an opportunity soon."

After finishing her conversation with Melanie, Ryuga turned her gaze towards the bow of the ship. Indeed, if she could happen to be there, she would have a chance to do what Captain Cole and the others were worried about.

However, let's hope nothing unexpected happens to Cole and the sailors...

Night fell quietly, and by the light of the stars and moon, the cargo ship sailed silently on the water. But eventually, Captain Cole saw what he had feared…

Bright lights flickered on the water ahead, making everyone on board tense. This was a waterway checkpoint in Ravenhill territory, which for Cole and his men usually meant being ripped off by the patrolling soldiers! After all, these out-of-town rabble knew that every merchant ship leaving Sochi was a prime target! Greg and his group, on the other hand, prayed that nothing unexpected would happen. If a conflict broke out here, while the Ravenhill soldiers wouldn't be a match for them, their presence would be completely exposed.

"Hasn't Monica returned yet?"

Greg watched the approaching lights. At this moment, a mage was far more useful than a knight. Whether it was mental manipulation or casting disguise spells, it would be enough to deceive these ordinary soldiers.

"No, sir, could something have happened to Miss Monica?"

"I'll go check. If she hasn't returned yet, we can only hope that the boatmen we hired are seasoned veterans on the waterways..."

Greg, his face grim, knocked on Monica's door again, but as before, there was no response. This prompted Greg to curse under his breath:

"Damn it! They sneaked away without saying goodbye! I knew the Santilla family was hiding something from us! But if they get us into trouble, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

He was sulking when he pushed open Monica's door, only to find himself both amused and exasperated by what he saw.

Several rats were feasting on pieces of bread that Monica had forgotten to put away on her table. Not only that, but a magical crystal placed in the corner of the room had been kicked over by the rats, landing on the magical runes inscribed on the floor, clearly disrupting the spell's integrity. Greg finally understood why Monica hadn't returned for so long! This was a moving ship, inherently more difficult to locate than a fixed teleportation point; with the magic circle further interfered with, even a great mage would find it difficult to cast a spell.

"That damn hothouse flower! All she knows is to cast safe spells inside the mage tower! She has no idea that anything can happen during a mission!"

Greg laughed in exasperation, pulled a dagger from his pocket, and with a flash of cold light, several rats were instantly killed! He then quickly put the magic crystals back in their places, hoping that Monica would notice on the other end and come back immediately.

But with the ship under inspection, she probably wouldn't make it. Greg could feel the ship slowly slowing down. After instructing his men not to act rashly, he quickly went up to the deck.

Ryūka and the captain were already on deck. Looking at the young man, Greg frowned.

"Aren't you asleep?"

"I've come to see what's going on," Liu Xia said with an innocent smile. "I want to see how Mr. Cole handles this, so I can better prepare for my own business ventures in the future!"

Greg couldn't find fault with this reasoning. Little did he know, the smile on Ryusha's face was entirely due to his own cunning scheme succeeding. It was normal for cargo ships like this to have rats, but for these little creatures to happen to disrupt the magic circle was more than just bad luck…

Although Greg would certainly get rid of the rats and put the scattered magic crystals back in their place, he wasn't a magician after all, and his understanding of magic was only superficial. Furthermore, Ryūka had secretly interfered with the room's magic, causing Monica's beacon to malfunction. Now, that young lady was probably somewhere, worrying about something terribly!

Now, Greg and his men still had to face the waterway checkpoint at Ravenhill. Lights flickered ahead, signals for communication between ships at night. Captain Cole obediently stopped the ship, and soon a small boat carrying eight or nine people approached, with several apprentice knights and crossbowmen on board. The Harvey family greatly favored ranged units, as did their vassal lords; archers and crossbowmen were quite common here.

Although the trainees were easy prey for Greg, he knew they were just small boats being inspected. The lights ahead meant there was a dock, perhaps even a small town. This meant there were more troops stationed there…

"Where are you from, and what are you doing here?"

The apprentice knight leaped lightly onto the deck, scanning the faces of Cole, Ryusha, and Greg, awaiting a reply. His expression was displeased, and the bruises on his face still seemed to have lingered, making him appear even more unapproachable.

“Sir, as you can see, we are a merchant ship. This owner is taking goods from Sochi back south. Here are our documents and the cargo manifest…”

Cole forced a smile and handed over his ship's documents. Greg did the same, forcing a smile as well.

The trainee knight glanced at the pass issued by the River Transport Commissioner of Weihe Port, then looked up at Cole and asked, "Is the destination Feather Lake Bay at the southern end of Ravenhill?"

“Yes, sir.” Greg stepped forward, took out a few silver coins, and said to the apprentice knight, “This captain’s ship will take us there, after which we will find a guide and a caravan to continue south. Of course, this is your tax money…”

"Check their goods and see if the list matches."

The novice knight weighed the silver coins in his hand, then turned to signal his soldiers to board the ship. Each waterway checkpoint charged a fee, based on the value of the cargo, which was reasonable. Merchants, to avoid trouble, would usually pay a little more, which was also reasonable. Greg wasn't worried about their search; such searches were generally just formalities. Their most suspicious item—the magical communicator—was already concealed.

But tonight, things seemed to be more complicated. After taking the money, the trainee knight gave Cole and Greg a cold smile:

"I heard there was some trouble at the Port of the Vesik in Sochi, and the port has been closed. How did you get out?"

Upon hearing this, Greg's smile froze, while Cole, who was familiar with this tactic, quickly stepped forward:

"Sir, we set off before dawn. Miss Alvarez ordered the port closed this morning! What a stroke of luck! If this boss hadn't been in such a hurry to take this shipment home, I wouldn't have wanted to get up so early! I never expected to be the last ship to leave. We're really lucky!"

As he spoke, Cole gave Greg a wink, and the latter immediately understood, smiling as he took out a few more silver coins and stuffed them into the apprentice knight's hand:

"Gentlemen, you're still patrolling so late, you must be exhausted. After the shift change, please go to the tavern for a couple of drinks..."

Seeing the increased amount of money in his hands, the apprentice knight's mood improved considerably. He tilted his head back, smacked his lips for the bruises, but was clearly still not satisfied:

“You guys are pretty lucky, we didn’t get to go that far! Sochi’s port is closed, so we brothers will have to tighten our belts for the next few days! Damn it! Not to mention this morning, we almost lost our heads!”

As he spoke, he weighed the silver coins in his hand, looking self-pitying, and said, "Oh dear, this isn't even enough for me to go to church and have a priest heal my wounds..."

Greg sneered inwardly and offered a few more silver coins, but he caught a detail in the apprentice knight's words.