Through the narrow, high windows of the terrace, the sunset's afterglow bathed the ground, casting dark red streaks on the walls.
Few places in the kingdom remained where one could still witness the sunset, and Bishui Harbor was among them. Legend had it that the Evil Demon's Moon, shrouded in heavy snow and biting winds, exerted little influence on this area. Aside from the Black Sail Fleet being unable to depart, the city remained as bustling as ever.
The owner of this harbor city, Jasmine Wemberton, sat at a square table by the window, intently reading a letter. Her silver hair shimmered with golden tones in the sunset, while the interplay of light and shadow on her face accentuated her sharply defined features, exuding a unique charm and a touch of heroic grace.
Fareen had been standing beside her for some time.
Though the letter had taken longer than her usual reading time, Faren chose to wait in silence—he didn't want to disturb the peace.
Finally, Garcia let out a soft sigh and set the letter down.
"The King is dead," Fairen said, stunned. "What?" "My father, Ailin Wimbledton, the King of Graycastle, is dead." She rarely repeated what she said, he thought. If he had asked her normally, she would have brushed it off. But she wasn't joking? The King was dead?
"..." Faren opened his mouth to console her, but the words slipped into a question: "How did you die?" Thankfully, Jiasia didn't care—she was the Third Princess of the Kingdom, Lord of Bishui Harbor, and supreme commander of the Black Sail Fleet, so no comfort was needed. "The letter said my brother Goron killed my father and was then captured by the Imperial Guards. He didn't commit suicide out of fear of punishment, so the King and several other Ministers brought him to trial and sentenced him to death by beheading." "This is abnormal," Faren thought subconsciously.
"Of course it's abnormal," Jiasia said with a blank expression. "My brother may be rather dull, but he's not foolish enough to seek his own death. Without guidance, he wouldn't do such a thing." "Did someone frame him?" "Let me guess..." The Three Princesses closed her eyes. "Someone must have devised a detailed plan to tempt him into helping him ascend—their goal was to bring someone into the inner court of the Royal Capital, which required prearranged actions like purges, replacements, and bribes. But that's not what Gollon excels at—or rather, he's too lazy for such trivialities. The rest is simple: the schemer, who had his full trust, betrayed him in the end." Faren remained silent. These were merely conjectures. The process didn't matter; the outcome was crucial. He believed the Three Princesses, Your Highness, shared this view.
As expected, Jiasia opened her eyes and continued, "There are nine out of ten people like this in the Great Prince's circle. They possess brute strength and a mind of steel, so it's no wonder they get manipulated. But..." Her tone turned slightly angry, "My second brother's methods are too crude." "You mean Tifeko Wimbledon?" "Who else knows Goron better than him? And who stands to gain the most from this?" Jiasia tapped her fingers on the table unconsciously. "Even a blind man could see through it! Yet his father's favor alone makes this step unnecessary!" Your Highness was angry. Faren realized how rare it was for the Third Princess to display such divine presence. Though she had always complained about King Wimbledon III's favoritism, she ultimately didn't want her father to meet such an end.
Faren could more or less comprehend this sentiment. Within a large family, the master's perception of his descendants always resembles a mountain to be conquered—both revered and loathed. If her assertion holds true, and this act was indeed committed by the Second Prince, then his behavior can indeed be deemed brutal.
"But why... why did he do this?" "Because he feared me," Jiasia drew a deep breath, trying to control her emotions. "He feared Black Sail." Seeing Faren's silence, she continued, "Tifeco had spies in Port of Emerald Waters. It's no surprise—just as I've planted eyes in Golden Ear City and the Royal Capital. After learning about Black Sail's fleet, he could easily predict my next move. Golden Ear City couldn't possibly maintain an army capable of resisting Black Sail. So he resorted to the most foolish method: using Goron as bait to get what he wanted." "You mean he wanted an army?" "He wanted the throne," Jiasia said. "After Goron's death, he became the first in line. With his father dead, he's probably on his way to the Royal Capital now. If he becomes King Wemberton IV, he'll be able to mobilize vassals and troops without territorial restrictions." She shook her head. "But as I said, as the father's favorite son, he shouldn' t have had to do this." "That would be disastrous," Faren worried. "What if the Second Prince is crowned smoothly, declares the end of the royal succession, and orders you to return to the Royal Capital?" Jiasia scoffed. "This step is too direct. Just because the father favors him doesn't mean all Ministers will support him, especially the act of murdering the King. Although Tifeco pinned it on Goron, that only deceived the kingdom's common people. It'll likely take him a long time to fully control Graycastle." "So..." She turned to Faren. "I need to adjust our plan slightly." Faren immediately knelt down and said, "I'll do as you command." Ghasia stood up and walked to the window, turning her back to Faren. "Once he ascends the throne, he'll target me first. The only option is to pressure me through Duke Joey Cole of the South. But he'll probably use the pretext of the King's passing and the nation's mourning period as an excuse to avoid action—the old fox never likes losing money. At worst, he might gather his vassals and stage a show at the Port of Emerald Waters," the Third Princess paused briefly. "But these actions would cause unnecessary trouble. Let's set sail tomorrow." "Sail? Your Highness, do you really want..." "Eagle City, being inland, is practically undefended. You can reach Clearwater via the Three Bays River tributary, and it only takes a day to get to Eagle City. Once we capture Joey, the entire South will be under my control. That's a perfect timing gap. When he sits on the throne and tries to command Duke Joey, he'll find the whole South already under my control. I wonder what expression he'll have." "But you mentioned King Wimbledon III just passed away. So..." "What, do I need to cry first?" Ghasia turned, the sunset casting a purple-red veil over her. Her face disappeared into darkness, leaving only her eyes glowing faintly. That gaze was as unshakable as a rock, Faren thought. Even if there was anger and regret within, there would never be sorrow.
Grief is not for kings.
"No, you don't need it," he said earnestly.
Giaxia nodded approvingly. "Proceed and summon all the captains to me. Since Tefiko refuses to wait five years, I won't let her down. Once we capture Eagle City, the entire southern frontier will gain independence." Whether Tefiko orchestrated this or not was irrelevant to him. He knew she always found her own path through unpredictable circumstances, and once determined, she pressed forward fearlessly. This was her true charm—and the very reason he had followed her all the way.
"Your Highness... No," Faren replied in a solemn voice, "Your Majesty the Queen."