Cale turned at the sound of Raon and Mila's voices. The two dragons were looking toward the back of the ship. Ron was also looking in the same direction while wearing a scary looking grin, a dagger already in his hand.
Cale turned his attention in the direction that held all three of their focus. If he strained enough, he could hear faint sounds of war cries and the splashing of water instead of the gentle rocking it normally had against the large ship.
"It sounds like the merfolk are attacking something. I believe it to be the Fish Beast people, though I'm not sure which one." Lady Mila told them. The scythe that she previously laid down was now firmly gripped in her hands, and a malicious smile was painted on her lips. "I'm guessing the Clown or Angel Fish based on our location."
"How shall we handle this, Young Master?"
The merfolk weren't any of his concern but they did pose a threat to the sea trade route. Cale released a sigh. "We will check it out."
That damn future king better appreciate the work Cale was willing to do for him for free. He'll have to find a way to milk the crown prince later on. Maybe Cale could charge an arm and a leg if the bastard ever makes a request of the Secret Garden.
The smirk that Cale had been wearing fell when he came upon the scene before him. Dodori was standing on the ledge of the ship with his bow aimed toward the water. The clear blue of the ocean's waters were a murky red as blood, black ooze, and aquatic body parts floated in it. Merfolk could be seen below the watery depths tearing apart fish-like creatures.
Cale walked up to the ledge of the ship. He held out his hand toward Raon. "My bow." It was not his weapon of choice, nor could he use it very well, but it was the only weapon he had that could be of any use in this situation. Raon eagerly laid the beautiful masterpiece in his hand. "Aim for the merfolk," he told the others.
He raised the bow and locked the arrow into place. With steady hands, he took aim. The arrow shot forward, slicing through the air. It landed in the arm of the mermaid he was aiming at, lodging itself in.
A frown wanted to form on his lips, but he refused to let it show. He had missed. He had hit the mermaid, but he had been aiming for its head, not its arm.
"A lousy shot! A hero should have perfect aim!" Dodori released an arrow, hitting a mermaid chasing after a fish missing part of its tailfin right in the head.
"Tsk." Cale could no longer hide his frown. The young dragon was annoying.
A silver blur passed by him out of the corner of his eye right before a dagger sunk itself into the eye of one of the attacking merfolk. "It is better to hit the target than to miss," Ron reassured him, "though your proficiency with a bow could be better, Young Master."
Traitor. It wasn't like the bow was his main weapon of choice, though he wasn't that great with a sword either. He was no master when it came to any weapon, but knowing how to use them was better than not knowing at all.
A large hand landed on his shoulder for a split second before removing itself. Beacrox gave him a small look that seemed almost encouraging before moving to stand beside his father.
That was strange. His chef has been showing more and more emotion as time passed. It was strange to Cale and completely unfamiliar. Everything so far since his regression had been unfamiliar to him.
Before long, the mermaids were wiped out. Cale would have found himself sick at the gruesome sight if he had not grown used to it before his regression.
"What would you like us to do, Young Master?"
Cale gave the sight a passing glance before turning to Mila. "I am unsure if the poison in their bodies will spread throughout the water. Could you dispose of them for me, Lady Mila?"
The beige-haired dragon grinned at him, sending tremors down his spine. "I'll make sure there is nothing left." She then shifted into her dragon form and began fishing out the maimed corpses and scattered body parts.
"Some of the Fish Beast People are still alive. Are we as heroes going to do anything about the ones that are poisoned?"
Cale was ready to brush Dodori off when a past memory resurfaced. It wasn't a crucial memory or one that he would have deemed as being important. But there was something that stuck out now that he was in this current situation.
Dirt covered his white tunic, sweat beaded down his face, and new blisters covered old blisters and newly formed calluses. The wooden sword fell from his hand and landed on the dirt floor that served as the ground for the knightage training ground.
Weak of knees and completely out of breath, he flopped on the ground, releasing a sigh. The sun was setting and most knights were already departed or were departing from the training grounds.
"The princess is amazing."
"I agree."
The chattering of passing knights drifted to his tired ears.
"She would make a fine bride for our Crown Prince."
"Agreed. Beautiful, smart, and talented. A princess who is a high mage and has been through many trifles."
"Yes," the first knight answered eagerly. "Did you hear of her recent exploits?"
"No."
When will they shut up? They were starting to sound annoying and all Cale wanted to do was to catch his breath before resuming practice.
"She apparently found a cure for mermaid poisoning during sir Choi Han's fight against them. I think it had something to do with their blood."
"I thought the Whales weren't affected by the poison?"
"They're-"
"Are you two coming or not!" A new voice shouted, cutting off the first knight.
"Blood," Cale mumbled under his breath. He looked up at Dodori. "Their blood may hold the cure, but I am not entirely sure."
Mila returned just then. "It sounds plausible and worth a shot." She then plucked out a finger from the water that she had missed. "Shall we give it a try, hero?"
"If you want, Lady Mila." He turned away, ready to head back to his chambers when a thought occurred to him. "What did you do with the bodies?"
Mila flashed him a toothy grin that seemed rather pleased for its malicious looking nature. "I flew them out of sight and burnt them to ash in the air. Can't have the bodies staying in the water for too long, or it will attract more mermaids."
Cale nodded at her statement before taking his leave. He had no wish to stay and see Lady Mila's experiments. There were more important matters that needed his attention, like fine tuning his plan for when he met the master of the Magic Tower.