Pirate Kingship
Chapter 55 - 54: The Beginning of Subversive Action

Chapter 55: Chapter 54: The Beginning of Subversive Action

It wasn’t until the sky had brightened that the privateer captains, each tasked with their missions, left the "Goddess of Vengeance" with heavy hearts.

In the vast war room, only Redbeard Edward remained. Hands clasped on the table, he stared out the window at the gradually bustling port city, his eyes devoid of the passion a councilor might be expected to possess. Only endless coldness and ambition filled them.

No matter how much they struggle, it’s futile. Iron Anchor Bay is becoming a thing of the past! Plan One: seize the position of Military Governor, coordinate from within and without to take down Iron Anchor Bay, eliminate the free pirates in the North Sea Region, and steal the Great Secret Treasure guarded by the Bayfolk. Plan Two: should Plan One encounter resistance, then eradicate all the stubborn North Bay Folks who cling to tradition!

Even to Redbeard Edward, a notoriously senior pirate, the North Bay Folks of Iron Anchor Bay, who had always adhered to tradition, had violated too many taboos. As the most stubborn pirate group on the East Coast, they had infringed upon the interests of all maritime powers of the Great Nautical Age. Even as other great pirates, including the Barbary Pirates, gradually departed the Old Continent, the Bayfolk remained defiantly anchored in Iron Anchor Bay, a slap in the face to the navies of various nations. They refused the Church’s attempts at faith reformation, obstinately worshipping Woden, the God of Prophecy, Authority, and the Mad Hunt, who had long shown no divine signs. Lastly, and most importantly, there was the prophecy attributed to Woden himself.

The glory of the North Bay Folks will be reawakened by blood and flames, and they will rule over this continent!

If I were those high-and-mighty Bishops and Kings, I wouldn’t tolerate the existence of such a group either. If they refuse to leave even when chased out, then the only option is to ruthlessly pull out this nail!

Up until this moment, Redbeard alone was aware of the preliminary plans of the Hightins Navy Department. Every year during the winter season, a massive storm inexplicably arises across the North Sea. The storm lasts from November to January of the following year, with its peak occurring in December. During this period, most sailing ships in the North Sea traditionally try not to venture out. The strong winds and high waves prevent the use of the lower gun ports, and in exceptionally severe weather, instances of entire fleets being destroyed were not unheard of.

It was now November 2, 1471 of the Silver Era. Unless one dared to cross the North Sea through the raging tempest, the pirates gathered for the meeting in Iron Anchor Bay would be trapped there for the next two to three months. When that time came, the entirety of Iron Anchor Bay would become a giant sealed chamber, a prison! It was also when the plan would truly begin.

As a trump card, York will bring to Iron Anchor Bay a "Calamity" that has already been proven irresistible to mere mortals during the Red and White Rose War, reaping everything in its wake. Iron Anchor Bay compared to Lancaster? This battle cannot be lost!

But before that, aside from gaining control of the laws, he and the privateer captains needed to begin another preparation in advance: collecting the flesh and souls of the North Bay Folks.

Although I don’t know why the essence of a specific group is needed, I can guess that orthodox transcendent paths surely have no use for these things; it must be for performing some kind of "forbidden knowledge." To think, not even twenty years have passed since the end of the Dark Millennium under the oppressive rule of the Church, and now even the Royal Family is beginning to fall into decay? The Church, or at least the attitude of the Hastings Diocese Bishops, is also quite intriguing.

Thinking of this, Redbeard’s face turned even more somber.

I had just convened the privateer captains to prepare for action, and I’ve already suffered a fatal attack. Could it be that my previous summons of ’Jack the Ripper’ and ’Faceless Man’ to collect the essence of the Bayfolk, while also probing whether Military Governor ’Child Guardian’ Dennis was alive or dead, has been exposed? It shouldn’t have been.

Well, the group of assassins that had suddenly risen to prominence in Iron Anchor Bay recently: ’Gunpowder Artist,’ ’Jack the Ripper,’ ’Faceless Man,’ ’Mad Hunt’... it turned out most of them had known origins. ’Mad Hunt’ was Byron’s alias; ’Gunpowder Artist’ was a native force of the Bayfolk; who knew how many of the rest were blades thrust by other ambitious individuals. This bunch, pirates by trade, completely disregarded conventional tactics; none of them were to be trifled with. Even an election, a supposed symbol of civilization, could not escape being tainted with blood. Of course, this was also inextricably linked to the Pirate King’s disappearance, the Military Governor’s uncertain health status, and the severe decline of the ’Pirate Code.’

The Bayfolk were, ultimately, in decline.

Redbeard rang the bell, summoning the first mate who stood waiting outside the door.

"Exposed or not, we must accelerate our pace. The privateer captains have already set out with the offerings to prepare the summoning ritual. The arrow is nocked; we must launch our full-scale efforts here as well. I’m assigning you two tasks now. First, aside from the Privateering Alliance, continue recruiting free pirates to bolster our ranks—the greater the commotion, the better. Second, those good-for-nothings want my help to lure and kill that assassin lurking in the shadows, don’t they? Let Jack the Ripper and The Faceless One take action, find that ’Mad Hunt,’ and kill him! I suspect today’s attacker might be that ’Gunpowder Artist.’ They both appeared in Iron Anchor Bay around the same time, and both are targeting us. Perhaps they’re working together."

The first mate bowed and affirmed, "Yes, Captain! Jack the Ripper and The Faceless One indeed need to prove with their actions that our providing them with two ’Curios · Octopus Silver Coins’ for counter-divination was not a waste of resources. The ’Mad Hunt’ is merely a First Order Servant. Even if he’s among the best of them, counter-killing a Fallen Second Order practitioner on his own is nearly impossible; it would take three attackers working together for a chance at success. I am sure they will not disappoint you."

The first mate departed confidently to carry out the order.

Behind him, Redbeard Edward nodded slowly, a trace of piety in his eyes.

I murder and commit arson, engaging in every conceivable evil, but I have always been a devout believer! God grants human rights, and souls are equal, but only the Church has the right to define who is human in this world. The Creator shall bear my sins and forgive my transgressions. Please bless me as I strive to expand Your dominion and achieve greatness in Your name!

「...」

"What? Before that stormy night, the York Family issued an order to massacre the captured Lancaster nobility?"

Byron, having observed the commotion, had just returned to Bruh’s room to find that Bruh, with his rapidly healing injuries, had regained full consciousness. The features Byron himself had marred were completely restored, revealing the face of a steadfast and reliable man, as solid as marble. Though his speech was clumsy, his eyes were filled with the joyous surprise of an unexpected reunion after a near-permanent separation.

Recently, although this Guardian Knight had been severely injured, he had remained lucid and aware of external events. Upon Bruh’s full recovery, neither brother was prone to sentimentality, so they skipped any effusive exchanges. Bruh, with the training of a Guardian Knight and a professional soldier, immediately shared the intelligence he possessed with Byron, his lord.

"Yes, while I was being interrogated by those traitors, I overheard them mention something. The day before the stormy night, on October 11th, Edward IV of the York Family issued an order to massacre the nobility. He had all of our captured people killed. Now, it seems more like a blood sacrifice of unclear significance..."

As Bruh recounted his story, a long-standing enigma in Byron’s mind began to unravel: why, on that night, under the influence of an unknown entity, was it only the Lancasters from the entire fleet who lined up to jump into the sea? Why were the others unaffected?

On October 11th, the current King, Edward IV of the York Family and its ruling power, had suddenly issued an order completely contrary to the rules of war: "Spare the common soldiers; kill all Lancaster captives from the war." Furthermore, when the soldiers buried the corpses, they found them desiccated, as if all moisture had been drained from them.

Byron, having personally conducted Black Sorcery rituals, immediately thought of one thing: sacrificial offerings! Using the blood and souls of some members of a family to target the entire clan meant that escaping was impossible, regardless of whether they were on the battlefield of a naval engagement or not.

Then, the question arose: what kind of entity could leverage such a blood sacrifice to so easily bypass the formidable ’Silver Law’ protections of a Royal Family? The thought of that terrifying thing potentially lurking beneath the North Sea made Byron’s heart race.

At the same time, two notifications appeared.

The decryption rate of "Hidden: The Navy Department’s Conspiracy (Historical Influence 20, Decryption Rate 35%)" instantly jumped from 35% to 56%.

The decryption rate of "Hidden: The Shadow of the Red and White Rose War (Historical Influence 31, Decryption Rate 20%)" also increased to 30%.

The connection between these two events is obvious. Could it be that York intends to reenact what happened in the Strait of Dover here in Iron Anchor Bay?

Byron immediately recalled the giant lighthouse he had seen being dragged into the Sea of Origin Matter by an unknown entity on the day he was promoted to ’Storm Knight.’

Is it possible that this entity has had its sights set on this place all along?

Instinct urged him to flee, but reason told him escape was futile.

His eyes eventually gleamed with a vicious light.

I must know their schemes at all times. There’s no time to lose; tonight, I’ll find some Unlucky Ghost from the Privateering Alliance and take his place!