Chapter 346: Chapter 319 Welcome Home (3/3)
Until the end, the soldiers on the âPrivateerâ were unable to board Senanâs swift sailing ship.
When Ian returned, he received a heroâs welcome, or rather, he was a true hero.
With the strength of one man, at most with the assistance of one comrade, he single-handedly fended off an entire warshipâs surprise attack. How could this feat be achievable by an ordinary person?
Putting aside the somewhat exaggerated praises of the sailors, even the White Mist Bishop, after returning from his armor suit, thought that Ianâs speed in dealing with the escort ship was surprisingly fast.
"Itâs not uncommon for someone to capture a ship alone, but for someone your age, this speed can really be called a miracle. Even among the many great pirates and legendary captains who now roam the Stormy Ocean, there are not many who have accomplished such a feat," he said.
Shasha did not wander far but continued to accompany the sailing ship. It wasnât until the fleet of The Nineteenth Legion of the Empireâs South Sea Fleet began to converge and escort the sailing ship that Shasha quietly left under Ianâs instructions.
Two destroyers flying The Empireâs flag approached and protected the swift sailing ship as it returned to port.
They were originally sent to assist the ship that might have been âattackedâ to deal with the Privateer from Fiery Flame Land, but they were surprised to find that their target not only did not need any rescue but was also completely unscathed.
When they realized that the enemy had already lost the ability to pursue, Baron Gervain, the commander of the rescue operation, could hardly believe it was true.
Especially since the nominally credited heroes were Ian and Yisen Gard, two fourteen-year-old boys, with others merely cheering on from behind.
âHe was still playing hide and seek with maids when he was fourteen!
Baron Gervain truly did not understand. It made sense for Yisen Gard to have the ability, and it wasnât odd for the credit to go to a Marquisâs child, but Ian...
According to the information provided by Viscount Grant, wasnât he an alchemist and an appraiser? How could he be so strong?
But faced with Master Gossayâs assurance, he had to believe it, not to mention the White Mist Bishop, who theoretically would never lie. Even if he would, he definitely wouldnât lie about something so trivial.
"We will dispatch other warships as soon as possible to attempt to capture those anchored âPrivateers,â" he promised, and he immediately relayed the message back to the port and to where the Viscount was.
The Southern Sea was still shrouded in storms. The climatic impact of the disturbances in the Southern Sea Relic Cluster was comprehensive, and such abnormal weather would continue for at least half a month... but the great storms would no longer appear.
Three warships cut through the fog and waves, moving steadily across the sea at a consistent pace, and soon enough, they fully entered the waters near Harrison Port.
Here, one could already glimpse Viscountâs manor and the Alchemy center of the New City District. Bolts of lightning were drawn from the rain clouds in the sky by power engines, flowing into the Furnace Core of the Alchemy Workshop.
This scene, if witnessed for the first time, would certainly be quite shocking, but after three or four years of watching, any of the People of Harrison Port would only find it familiar and routine, and even feel an inexplicable sense of security.
After all, as long as there was lightning, the water in the public bathhouse could be a bit hotter.
The sailors aboard the high-speed sailing ship let out cheers, and even the Frost Butterfly fluttered excitedly for a moment, briefly leaving Ianâs hair, seemingly joyful for reasons unknown.
As the ships continued to move forward, the silhouette of a massive fleet gradually emerged from behind the curtain of rain. When the outline became clearer, Ian saw that it was the South Sea Fleet that usually stationed at Naru City - these giant ironclad ships seemed to have just gone through a battle, and now they were resting in port, replenishing supplies.
At the port, many people were also waiting.
Just as the people on the ship eagerly gazed towards the land, those on the land awaited, looking out to sea with anticipation.
Finally homeâ
Even the usually composed Ian couldnât help but sigh deeply, visibly relaxed, not to mention Yisen Gard.
The golden-haired youth, who had been standing straight by the shipâs rail, wobbled slightly, as if he was about to fall over, but fortunately, he regained his senses after a bout of dizziness and firmly grasped the rail.
Otherwise, he might well have fallen into the sea before returning to port, making a spectacle of himself.
Even Master Gossay touched his beard, the old man looking as if he was experiencing a different worldâhe, as an Alchemy Master, didnât have many experiences as thrilling as this over the years.
If it werenât for the many secrets from the trip to the Southern Sea Relic Cluster that couldnât be divulged or explained, he would have loved to write everything down in a book, or even in his own autobiography, which would certainly be a bestseller.
And Andor, who had been trying his best to make himself as transparent as possible, began to shiver.
At this point, whether he lived or died was no longer up to himâ
"Donât worry," Ian said, seemingly sensing the otherâs fear and the very deep sense of âresignationâ hidden beneath it, he turned to look at the Elf Pirate Captain.
He nodded with a smile that made Andor feel even more uneasy and said softly, "As long as you stay close to Master Gossay and the others, you wonât be in danger."
"But donât think of escaping. If you do, you will certainly die."