The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 400: Volume 8 Gathering of the Storms - 3 Source of Disaster

Chapter 400: Volume 8 Gathering of the Storms Chapter 3 Source of Disaster

The soldiers stood rigidly in formation at the dock, and the passing traders and workers consciously cleared away from the area. Although they weren’t sure why the Lord’s Guard had suddenly appeared, the sight of a visitor’s ship bearing noble insignia pulling into a private dock that had never before been used by vessels allowed most to venture a guess that some official of high rank was paying a visit to Caucasus. The merchants and dockworkers cared little for these matters; the oversight here was lax as long as taxes were paid, there were no prying eyes to question you, and the traders were more concerned with profit while the workers needed to earn their keep. It seemed nobody cared who came to the Caucasus; such concerns were for the Lord to contend with.

Mounted on his horse, Ilot observed the ship that had been dockside for a while without anyone disembarking, a look of cold scrutiny on his face. As an aristocratic youth, he of course recognized what the emblem on the ship signified. He had already been notified by dispatches from Ugru that two of the Kingdom’s Royal Successors and Duke Homer Philip’s daughter, Commandery Princess Tracy, were set to inspect Caucasus, and they would land in Mattdam by ship. Vermin! Although Ilot was himself an aristocrat’s son, he never harbored a fondness for the noble title. In his view, it had brought him no honor; every glory had been snatched away by his elder brothers, and the only thing he had taken with him when he left his family was his mother’s love. Apart from his mother, he held no further affection for that family. That was one of the main reasons he did not hesitate to leave Cyprus and come to the desolate Caucasus with Komer.

Although Ilot only knew of the royal family members from reports and wasn’t familiar with them, he was all too acquainted with Commandery Princess Tracy. Hadn’t the Boss fallen victim to that bitch? And hadn’t he and Puber also been implicated and exiled from Cyprus? That bitch dared to come to Caucasus this time, and moreover, with her fiance. This was nothing short of a provocation to the Boss’s bottom line. Ilot could not understand what the other party intended to do.

But from the dispatches sent by the Boss, Ilot seemed to detect nothing amiss. He could not believe that his Boss had wholly buried that profoundly heartfelt past relationship. Though the Boss had changed a lot over the years, Ilot had always believed that at his core, Komer was still the same man who had once been reckless and indulgent alongside him.

Dismounting and taking off his helmet, he tucked it under his right arm and quickly strode forward, standing upright at the edge of the dock. Ilot disliked such cumbersome gear, which didn’t suit his preference for unrestrained combat, but in instances like these routine checks and lining up to welcome distinguished guests, he still had to begrudgingly conform. To defend the dignity of Caucasus, it was necessary to maintain necessary outward appearances.

The ship’s activity ramp unfurled with the sound of pulleys, skillfully dropping from the ship’s side to rest perfectly on the dock’s steps designated for guests. Two servants had already opened the middle cabin door. The first to emerge was naturally His Highness Prince Hoffman, the kingdom’s third in line to the throne, followed closely by Hoffman’s fiancee, Commandery Princess Tracy of the Homer lineage. The last to gracefully step out of the cabin and onto the deck was Princess Renta.

Though he did not know them, Ilot was quick to deduce their status from their attire, not to mention the smiling presence of Commandery Princess Tracy by their side.

"Ilot welcomes His Highness Prince Hoffman, Princess Renta, and Commandery Princess Tracy." His clear voice softly spread out across the dock.

"Ilot, is that really you?" The lady raised her brows in surprise, her gaze with a hint of coquetry lingering on the strapping man before she smiled winsomely, "My, it is you. Are you here to greet us?"

"Lord has been waiting for you in Ugru. Ilot is under orders to escort you there." His response seemed both an answer to her question and a matter-of-fact statement, his deep gaze focusing solely on Hoffman who led the way.

"Ah, this must be Sir Knight Ilot. I’ve heard much of your renown. Meeting you today, your reputation certainly does not disappoint," Hoffman said with a laugh, stepping off the ship with a smile.

After performing the appropriate knightly courtesies, Ilot also offered his respects to the two ladies disembarking from the ship. In the Blue Continent, only those with the status of a novitiate knight or higher had the privilege of offering a knight’s salute to the esteemed nobility. Although the standards in Caucasus were more relaxed due to the Lord’s particular idiosyncrasies, in front of others, Ilot dared not display any disrespect. Ilot’s fiefdom was but a small village, and he had never visited his distant lands in the North, but that didn’t hinder him from being a knight.

"My lords, carriages have been prepared for you, though the amenities are modest. Please accept our apologies for any shortcomings." While he was polite on the surface, the inherent aloofness of a knight still unreservedly emanated from him, sparking curiosity in both Hoffman and Renta. They were well aware that this young knight bore them no prior ill will, and as successors to the kingdom, it was unlikely he would show such hostility under normal circumstances. The only possibility was that it stemmed from Tracy, a former resident of the same city, and perhaps even an acquaintance. Hoffman was even curious about the kind of irreconcilable grudge Komer and his company held against his fiancee that even in front of other guests, this knight felt no need to conceal his animosity.