The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 285 - 5: Mediterranean

Chapter 285: Chapter 5: Mediterranean

Komer did not change his demeanor because of the two men’s gazes; he remained keenly interested in the craftsmanship of this Star Compass. It must be the handiwork of a genuine Magic Toolsmith, as temporary mages simply couldn’t produce such exquisitely made items. The dark star map and the crimson lines representing the sea map complemented each other beautifully, and the edges of the compass had been polished to a shine, likely due to long-term use.

A smooth glass cover shrouded the compass. Whenever one needed to harness the power of the stars, all that was required was to open the skylight at the top of the captain’s cabin and let the force from the stars shine upon the magic metal star map arranged in a specific pattern on the compass, which would then guide the crew on their way forward.

"It seems this gentleman is quite interested in the Star Compass," the captain said with a kind smile, prompting Komer to nod in response. He had not intended to engage in conversation about such topics, but with time to kill, learning about the ways of the sea might alleviate some of the loneliness of the journey.

"Yes, this Star Compass is quite exquisite, but it appears to have some years on it. Generally speaking, a Star Compass’s lifespan doesn’t exceed twelve years. May I ask how old this one is?" Komer’s fair fingers gently grazed over the glass cover, causing the shipowner beside him to tense nervously. However, the shipowner seemed to have a certain respect for the bearded captain and, seeing no signs of displeasure from him, simply turned his head away and pretended not to notice.

"This is Master Agamemnon’s creation from Delphi, who claimed that this compass should be usable for up to fifteen years. It’s been ten now, but it remains very precise; I too believe it can last longer than fifteen years," the captain said with evident respect when mentioning Agamemnon’s name.

"Delphi? Oh, was this ship built in the west? That’s incredible, it can actually navigate the Nether Sea. It seems you are a remarkable navigator. Please forgive my impertinence," Komer said, raising his eyebrows in surprise. Delphi was an important port at the northwest end of the Blue Continent, famous for shipbuilding and maritime trade. The straight-line distance from Mattdam must be over three thousand miles. If one were to travel by sea, it would be at least ten thousand miles. Komer had always felt that the ship did not quite fit the design and style from his region; it turned out to be an ocean vessel from the West. The fact that this medium-sized vessel could make the long voyage to the Nether Sea was indeed a surprise to Komer.

"Hmph, Captain Portalan is a well-known navigator on the Nether Sea and the North Mediterranean. He helped me select this ship, and it cost me a great deal of money, 80,000 Gold Shields," the annoying shipowner interjected inopportunely, his words tinged with a show-off attitude. Upon hearing this, Komer noticed a flash of displeasure in the captain’s eyes, but due to the presence of another party, there was no further comment.

"It seems that Captain Portalan must be very familiar with this sea region. I wonder if Captain Portalan has ever been to the south?" Komer was very interested in the situation in the Mediterranean. The old thief Gote was nowhere to be found, and even with the leverage of Magic-armed guns, it was difficult to meet with him. He had heard that the struggle for maritime dominance in the North Mediterranean was fierce, with the Red-haired Witch battling the Skeleton King. It seemed difficult to determine who truly held supremacy over the North Mediterranean for the time being.

"The south? You mean the Mediterranean?" The captain’s face flickered with a hint of wistful reminiscence, as if Komer’s question had stirred some past memories.

"Yes, it seems that Mr. Portalan is very familiar with the surrounding seas and even with ships from Delphi. So, I ventured to ask," Komer indeed wanted to understand the situation in the Mediterranean. Ordinary crew members were usually focused on their own jobs and might have some knowledge of maritime situations, but it would be incomplete. As a captain, however, one had to be completely aware of the surrounding waters as the shipowner might redirect the vessel to another route at any time, and the responsibility for any mishaps fell on the captain’s shoulders.

With the severely restricted northern shipping route from Mattdam at this time and increasing reliance on trade with the southern part of the Blue Continent and colonial settlements on the vast land, food remained a major import for Mattdam. The south’s grain, of poor quality and high price, was unsuitable for the palate of the Caucasus people accustomed to northern tastes. For the time being, reliance on southern supplies was the only option to address the food shortage. The colonial settlements on the vast land have emerged as the main market for Mattdam’s exports of iron ore, coal, pig iron, and wrought iron products. As the colonies continue to expand, the demand for goods from the Caucasus has grown, potentially exceeding the trade with the southern continent to become the Caucasus’s largest export destination. The Mediterranean stands as the crucial route connecting Mattdam with these two regions.

With a deep sigh, the bearded man’s face showed a look of helplessness mixed with loathing. It was obvious that some unpleasant experience in the Mediterranean had left him with an unforgettable memory.

"I see that you, sir, have some status, and if you can avoid going south, it’s best not to. The North Mediterranean is now ablaze with conflict, and two pirate fleets, the Gray Skull and the Red-haired Witch, are competing for domination in the Northern sea. The Gray Skull uses Rhode Island in the Poletis Islands as its base, while the Red-haired Witch relies on Dacorsica Island, 300 nautical miles south of Pythia Port at the tip of the Coiled Snake Peninsula. Most ships are forced to sail close to the coastline to avoid the fleets, but hugging the coastline too closely poses its own dangers: dense rocky reefs and underwater currents due to the coastal terrain, which can easily cause accidents. Moreover, you might encounter the Wicked Dragon’s attack. Now, the freight rates from the southern ports of the Mediterranean to the Nether Sea in the north have skyrocketed by thirty percent, but it’s still risky business. This also affects the rates to the Blue Continent, leaving traders in distress and shipowners frightened," Portalan soon regained his composure and began to explain the situation in the Mediterranean in a bland, expository tone. At this point, the shipowner had lost interest in the conversation and left, leaving Komer and the man alone in the captain’s cabin.

Portalan didn’t know why he was sharing his views on the Mediterranean situation so openly with a young man. Even he found it strange, as he wasn’t a talkative person nor one who enjoyed chatting with strangers. However, the young man in front of him, though appearing somewhat frail, exuded a sense of steadiness like a mountain. Portalan remembered feeling this way about someone before. He was almost tempted to shake his head in self-mockery—the disparity in their statuses was too great. One was a renowned powerhouse of the Continent, while the young man before him was just a small aristocrat, here for an adventure in the Caucasus or perhaps to seek relatives or business opportunities, yet why did he evoke such a similar resonance in Portalan’s heart?

"Oh, it seems that the North Mediterranean is indeed not very peaceful. No wonder Mattdam seems to have become a lot quieter," Komer made no judgments as he wanted to learn more about the situation. After all, opportunities to have a face-to-face conversation with a captain who regularly traveled in these waters were rare.

"The quietening of Mattdam is not due to the instability of the North Mediterranean, but rather it is more affected by the relationship between the landowners in the north, the Caucasus, and their lord, Grand Duke Philip. Apparently, the Grand Duke Philip is not very satisfied with Baron Komer from the Caucasus. I heard there has been some animosity since their time in Cyprus, um, it seems to involve a romantic entanglement between their offspring." Seeing Komer staring intently at him and seemingly very interested in the gossip, the bearded man felt a flicker of displeasure. He was not inclined to talk about such private matters, but had not expected that the person before him would be the main character of the topic.

"Heh, please continue, Mr. Portalan. I’m visiting the Caucasus for the first time and find these topics quite interesting," Komer said, slightly embarrassed as he touched his nose and grinned sheepishly.

To such a near shameless display, Portalan found that he did not feel any disgust. Instead, he thought it somewhat amusing that a young man who had always behaved with polite noble demeanor could suddenly show an expression that, uh, seemed fitting only for wanderers.

"The Homer Navy has blockaded the northern route to Mattdam. Even with a permit issued by the Kingdom’s Ministry of the Interior, it can take many days to get through. Mattdam has, in fact, found it very difficult to import from the north or export their ore and coal. Fortunately, for passenger transport, there are no such restrictions. Nowadays, most ships traveling to and from Mattdam, Odessa, and Cyprus are passenger ships," he explained.

"What about the situation in the Southern Mediterranean?" Komer lifted his eyebrows, feigning casual interest.

"The Southern Mediterranean?" The bearded man was taken aback, clearly not expecting Komer to inquire about this region. His expression turned uncertain; the situation in that dark sea was very different from the north, especially with the vast differences in religious beliefs and races causing the Southern Mediterranean to differ starkly from the Northern Continent, "I haven’t been to the Southern Mediterranean for a while, but I’ve heard that after the temple in Giganthia on Gozo Island was destroyed by a storm, a once-in-a-hundred-years disaster, tensions quickly escalated between the Corinth City-State Union and the Severo Kingdom over control of the shipping lanes in the Aegean Bay. However, I’m not very familiar with the details. Probably only sailors who regularly travel the Southern Mediterranean would know for sure."

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