The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 286 - 6: Navigator

Chapter 286: Chapter 6: Navigator

"Giganthia Temple?" Komer was taken aback, noting from the man’s tone that the temple seemed to be quite famous; yet, somehow, he had never heard of it before.

Seeing the puzzled look on Komer’s face, the bearded man mistook his confusion for a lack of understanding of the South and, quickly glancing around, lowered his voice a bit before explaining, "The situation in the Southern Continent and the Northern Continent is somewhat different, especially in the regions near the Mediterranean Sea. The ethnicities and religious beliefs in these areas have major differences compared to the North. The Shark people are rulers of the waters, but they haven’t formed a united force; instead, they are divided into many tribes living in the Mediterranean Sea. Some islands serve as their important bases, and as long as no one invades these islands, they generally do not interfere with the feuds and grudges among races on the Continent."

"The countries and powers near the Southern Mediterranean are mostly multi-ethnic mosaics. Though we mortals also make up a considerable portion, the numbers of dwarfs, the Elf Clan, as well as Half-Beastmen and Half-Elves are much greater. Even the mortal powers there are quite different from ours here. Dwarfs and the Elf Clan follow their own traditional deities, while the mortals there mostly worship the God of Darkness—Hades, the god of the underworld. The Church of Light is not very popular there and faces oppression from local governments. Giganthia Temple is the most important temple of dark worship for Piraeus City State, the most vital mortal city-state within the Corinth City-State Union. It is said to house the sacred objects of Hades, the god of darkness, and it stands on Kixila Island, which belongs to Piraeus in Aegean Bay. The temple collapsed during a storm after the fleet from the Severo Kingdom was stranded there. The priests of Piraeus City State claimed that the dwarfs had desecrated the dark god in Giganthia Temple, leading to the storm and the temple’s destruction. Therefore, they demanded the Severo Kingdom to hand over those who desecrated their god. However, it seems important figures from the Severo Kingdom were also part of that fleet, causing an ongoing dispute that has intensified the conflict—now affecting the safety of the entire Aegean Bay."

It was evident that Captain Portalan was very knowledgeable about the entire situation in the Mediterranean, and not in a superficial way either—he was privy to the kind of secrets that were beyond the reach of most, a clear sign that he was someone with a significant background in the Mediterranean. It was puzzling, though, why such a man would deign to work as the captain of a passenger ship.

"Oh, a natural disaster causing a temple to fall, and that leads to hostility between two countries? Isn’t that a bit exaggerated? Perhaps my choice of words isn’t quite accurate, but such a scenario is somewhat perplexing. It seems unbelievable that two nations sharing the same region could come into conflict or even war over such affairs. Captain Portalan, what do you think?" Komer shrugged, unable to comprehend the occurrence of such events.

"No, it’s not entirely for that reason. If it were just for that, it wouldn’t have escalated to this point. The relationship between mortals and dwarfs is not that close, but it’s not as bad as some in the North imagine. However, Piraeus City State and Severo Kingdom have never been on the best of terms, but within the Corinth City-State Union, there are two Elf Clan cities. While members of the City-State Union, they’ve always maintained a fairly close relationship with the Severo Kingdom. For years, it has been these two cities that have facilitated negotiations between the two sides, keeping peace in Aegean Bay. But it seems this time, due to other priorities, the two Elf Clan city-states didn’t intervene much in this matter, leading to a deterioration of the situation."

From this conversation, Komer could sense that the bearded captain had a thorough knowledge of the Corinth City-State Union. This only deepened Komer’s curiosity, as the Union was formed by the city-states along the important bays of the Southern Mediterranean—Aegean Bay, Saronikos Bay, and Corinthia Bay—with economies primarily relying on craftsmanship, trade, shipbuilding, and navigation. Encouraging trade policies, their maritime and shipbuilding industries were extremely developed. A navigator like Captain Portalan should have easily found a well-paid captain’s position in the Southern Mediterranean, or even led a fleet.

"Captain Portalan, forgive my boldness, but I must ask: Are you from the Corinth City-State Union? And do you currently hold the qualifications of a Navigator or a Great Navigator?" Perhaps feeling a strange affinity for the bearded captain with the tinge of sadness always present in his eyes, Komer couldn’t help but inquire further.

After a moment of surprise, Captain Portalan gave a faint bitter smile and replied, "Indeed, sir, you guessed correctly. I was born in Sparta and grew up in Oubeia. I’ve loved sailing since I was a child and have lived at sea for many years. I’ve held the qualifications of a Navigator for quite some time. As for being a Great Navigator, heh, securing that title isn’t just about experience—it also requires a considerable amount of money, and I don’t have that kind of spare cash at the moment."

Oubeia and Sparta are mortal city-states within the Corinth City-State Union, but Sparta’s situation is slightly different from the others—aside from a coastal town, most of its territory, including the City of Sparta, is inland. Sparta is the most populous city-state with the largest territory in the Union. Its economy, unlike the others that focus on trade and shipping, is primarily agricultural. Its honey, honey wine, olive oil, and figs are quite famous, and Sparta’s warriors are also well-known across the Continent.

It was not an easy task to become a sailor or ship captain on the Blue Continent. From apprentice sailor to sailor, from sailor to navigator, then to Navigator and Great Navigator, every rank above apprentice sailor—not only required a wealth of sailing experience, but also needed the approval and accreditation by the Navigation Guild. Especially from the rank of navigator upwards, the assessments were quite strict. Navigators could only pilot and command medium and small-sized vessels, while Navigators could become captains of large ships and command regular fleets. However, to command large fleets or own armed fleets, one must possess the qualifications of a Great Navigator. On the entire Blue Continent, the number of people qualified as Great Navigators would not exceed thirty, among whom several were pirates who roamed between the major seas. Mariners who violated the regulations of the Navigation Guild would face sanctions from the Guild and would be disqualified for life from its recognition. There were also two Navigation Guilds: one was located in Istanbul, home to the largest port in the Mediterranean and the strategic fortress between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Wind Sea; the other was in the Navigation Guild in Seville on the Western Star Sea. The standards of recognition between the two Guilds were equally strict, and they recognized each other’s certifications. Mariners could hardly expect to find any loophole between them.

Komer nodded silently, sensing the desolation behind the man’s words. Even as a Navigator, he could secure a good position in the Southern Mediterranean, but the man clearly did not want to delve deeper into the subject. Keeping the conversation light, Komer felt he had earned the man’s friendship. After all, they had only known each other for half a day, and Komer had not even told the man his name. He felt it inappropriate to give a false name, but revealing his real identity at the moment seemed too presumptuous. Avoiding the topic seemed like a good idea, and the man seemed to have forgotten to ask for Komer’s name too, whether intentionally or genuinely forgotten.

"The honey and figs of Sparta are unforgettable, oh, and the olive oil. It’s just a pity that I prefer the intoxicating fragrance of honey wine." Komer deliberately changed the subject to the specialties of the man’s hometown to lighten the somewhat melancholic mood.

"Oh? Sir, have you been to my homeland?" The Bearded Captain’s eyes lit up. Meeting someone from home while abroad brought comfort, even though they were not acquaintances, relishing memories of home on the vast Nether Sea eased the heart’s troubles.

"Yes, I passed by on a ship, but I didn’t stop in Sparta. I stayed in Piraeus Port for one night two years ago. The leisurely and carefree atmosphere of the open-air cafes and beer gardens there is truly unforgettable. Sparta’s honey wine may well be the finest brew for me, but for warriors like Captain Portalan who have been fighting at sea for years, it might be too mild, perhaps gin suits your taste better."

Komer’s nostalgic tone immediately stirred fond memories in the Captain, further enhancing Komer’s favorable impression in his eyes. Alcohol has always been a liquid language for men’s exchanges; even though Komer preferred honey wine, it was apparent that Captain Portalan wished to cultivate Komer into a true seafaring man.

"Oh, Sir, you’ve really stirred up my memories. What should I do? Maybe I can only dilute this longing in my heart with alcohol. Would you care for a glass?" The surprise and joy in the Bearded Captain’s eyes were not concealed at all. Behind the captain’s cabin was his rest quarters, and with a quick gesture, Captain Portalan took out a small oak barrel from the resting cabin. The shiny, smooth surface of the barrel seemed to bear a faint metallic emblem, and with a gentle push from Captain Portalan, the old wooden plug popped open with a "pop," releasing a rich fragrance of wine that permeated through the captain’s cabin.

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