The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 284 - Four: The Journey

Chapter 284: Chapter Four: The Journey

"Mr. Rebry, it seems that your profession seems to change at any moment according to your hobbies, Mage, Adventurer, Magic Item Manufacturer, or even Salesman. Your innate optimism makes me quite envious. When will I be able to reach your level of contentment?" Komer’s compliment seemed devoid of much emotional color, and it was hard to tell whether there was any sarcasm or mockery in his tone. Nevertheless, it appeared Rebry didn’t mind at all; neither man’s attention seemed focused on this matter.

"Alright, Lord, I’m assuming you’re not here to praise my broad range of hobbies, haha. So, have you figured out your plan for the swamp? It seems you’re keen on having Mage Lome wade through these murky waters too? It looks like our Lord has gained some insight from mentoring this convert from the Church of Light over time. Are you really that confident in her?" There seemed to be a hint of disapproval in his teasing tone. The Sloppy Mage gently swayed the Nameless Short Rod in his hand. Komer didn’t know if this was the Magic Wand the other party mentioned experimenting with, but its design was indeed unique—both thick and short, more resembling a mallet, with smooth ends and not a single decorative pattern. Yet, he handled it with such dexterity that it looked more like the prop of a street performer juggling clown, comically indescribable.

"Mr. Rebry, don’t worry too much about that. Miss Lome’s performance has far exceeded both of our expectations. You must admit that the Church of Light has a considerable advantage in selecting disciples for their teachings. The multitude of devout believers allows them to calmly find excellent candidates. And without a doubt, Miss Lome’s qualifications are top-notch. After experiencing the vastness of Light Magic, she should also become acquainted with the intricacies of Dark Magic. Oh, let me tell you something you may not know—The principles of Dark Doctrine and Dark Magic seem to have an innate appeal to Miss Lome, which is a very promising sign to celebrate," Komer spoke highly of his disciple. Rebry even thought to remind him that everything buried deep in the memory of this Light Mage might reawaken at any moment. He was unclear on how Komer managed to make this Mage of considerable Magic Power forget her original memories.

"Well, since Lord feels such strong trust in Miss Lome, I’ll say no more. I’m fully prepared on my end, awaiting your instructions. The Jellyfish People don’t seem to have any strongholds near the Caucasus; their bases are mostly positioned to the west, in the marshlands bordering the Duchy of Rosenbourg and the Luval City-State. Where do you plan to make contact with them?" Shrugging his shoulders, the Sloppy Mage seemed to understand that this Baron could be particularly stubborn at times and tactfully refrained from pressing the issue further.

"Let’s head for the Duchy of Rosenbourg. There should be some way there, and I would like to see some old friends," Komer’s gaze brightened.

There were originally three routes to the Duchy of Rosenbourg. The first was naturally through Leon, entering the Busen Plain after passing through the Greenland Great Forest and then heading west to Galle, where you could then continue westward to reach the heart of the Northern Alliance and move southward through the Bohemia Kingdom to enter Luxembourg Duchy. However, this road had been severed due to the burning of the Bruce Fortress Floating Bridge. The second route was generally in the same direction, taking a ship from Mattdam heading north into Odessa Port, transferring to an inland watercraft through the Canal Area, and traveling by boat all the way to Galle before proceeding overland into Luxembourg. The third route existed only in theory because it had not yet been opened up; it necessitated crossing the desolate and vast Cordillera Wilderness Area. After traversing this Barbarian Territory and sneaking along the backroads into the complicated southern duchies and city-states, crossing the upper reaches of the Catania River from the Lourwa City-State would lead to the heartland of Luxembourg Duchy.

Rebry suggested traversing the Cordillera Wilderness from the southern Continent to infiltrate Luxembourg, but Komer rejected this idea. Although this route seemed simpler and obtaining permission from the Barbarians was no issue, Komer did not want to enter the southern lands through Barbarian Territory. The animosity along that border was quite intense at the time, and if a few Mortals were to emerge unscathed from Barbarian lands, it could draw attention in the city-states and countries of the south. In the current climate, Komer did not wish his influence to reach such an extent, as it would not benefit the Caucasus.

That left only the sea route from Odessa Port as the viable path. The only risk with this route was passing through the Homer Navy’s control zone in the central Nether Sea. Given the current intensity of the Homer Navy’s monitoring of ships entering and leaving Mattdam, it was almost impossible to evade their inspection, especially to enter Odessa. However, Komer did not see this as much of a risk. A simple disguise would suffice to solve all problems, as the Homer Navy Fleet’s main targets were cargo ships, not passenger ships. Their focus on the materials being transported far exceeded their concern for the comings and goings of travellers.

The azure sea gently slapped the ship’s hull while Komer sat quietly in the central cabin room. Lome clearly struggled to adapt to life on board; the novelty she felt when leaving Mattdam Port had long been obliterated by the rough voyage, leaving only weariness. The Black Ash Wood of the ship’s body showed that the owner had put some effort into its upkeep; the cabin was comparatively decently designed. The frayed velvet curtain had been worn threadbare, but a bouquet of the most common wild lilies from the Caucasus, placed in a simple vase, added a bit of embellishment. At least in Komer’s eyes, it wasn’t vulgar or flashy. The simple and rustic interior decor, combined with the semi-new materials, conveyed a certain understated elegance.

The girl in the cabin opposite had already fallen into a deep sleep, the series of bumps causing her, who seemed never to have experienced such a feeling, to vomit until the world spun around her. After a struggle to clean up, impatience flickered in the ship owner’s eyes. Had it not been for the sake of Gold Shield, Komer guessed that they might really have been asked to move to a regular cabin. Mr. Rebry and Solonberg each occupied one of the other two cabins, and it was no wonder the ship owner couldn’t help but grumble inwardly about these seemingly unremarkable people who were so extravagantly generous.

This was an utterly ordinary medium-sized passenger ship that could accommodate over sixty passengers. Of course, the cabins were categorized into different classes. The first-class private rooms occupied the best positions in the middle, stable and safe, but the cost was not small. The ordinary and mixed cabins were mainly located at the two ends. For ten Gold Shields, one could travel directly from Mattdam to Odessa, the busiest route at present, with at least thirty ships of various sizes departing for Odessa from Mattdam every day. Komer had chosen the most inconspicuous medium-sized ship.

To travel from Mattdam to Odessa, it took three days and two nights or two days and three nights, without docking en route, and night navigation depended solely on the sailors’ experience and the use of the Star Compass. The Star Compass could be considered one of the simplest yet most practical magic navigation tools, and in fact, could no longer be entirely called a magic tool, as you could buy it in nearly every port. Although expensive, no ship would dare dispense with this basic equipment, for relying on the sailors’ experience alone to maintain safe, long-duration navigation without getting lost at sea, especially during adverse weather and certain unpredictable non-seasonal ocean currents, was risky. If they lost their bearings, sailors could only rely on the Star Compass to determine their position and choose their navigation direction.

Stepping out of his cabin, Komer curiously observed the Star Compass, which was set in a wooden stand in the center of the captain’s cabin. The compass evidently had some years on it, probably older than the ship itself, likely salvaged from other decommissioned vessels. The dark star plate was filled with various points corresponding to the positions of celestial bodies, while red lines and dots represented sea routes on the map.

Komer could feel that the points sparkling with faint glow were all made of Magic Metal, and there was a small hole beneath each point, slightly bulging at the exact spot. Komer had heard that Magic Toolsmiths likely activated the Magic Metal by infusing magic power through the small hole into the bulge below. Once a mage’s own magic power surged and merged with the Magic Metal at the corresponding point, the Star Compass was deemed complete. Therefore, a Star Compass had to be installed on the ship by the Tool Master themselves or with a Magic Scroll prepared in advance, to ensure activation of the compass.

If a ship got lost, the Star Compass could use the Magic Metal nodes to correspond with the celestial powers in the sky, thus quickly reflecting the ship’s position on the sea map through the power of the stars, helping to pinpoint the location and identify the direction.

The lifespan of a Star Compass could vary, and so could the quality, depending on the magic tool merchant’s skill and the type of Magic Metal used. A top-quality Star Compass could cost up to one-fifth of a ship’s value and last up to ten years. Manufacturing Star Compasses had become the best alternative profession for mages on the Continent who could no longer progress in the field of magic.

The ship owner’s room faced the captain’s cabin, which highlighted the captain’s importance during a voyage. However, the owner’s wary gaze and the captain’s friendly smile revealed their differing attitudes towards Komer.