Fia departed from the Holy Empire's fleet, escorted by two four-star Glory Knights on her return journey.
Elizabeth gazed out of the cabin window, watching as Fia's figure gradually disappeared into the vast ocean. Her eyes reddened, and her spirits sank.
She wasn't saddened for Fia but for herself. The thought of Fia being buried at sea, her own impending departure for the battlefield, and the coldness of the Church filled her with a sense of despair. Even the death of a rabbit could make one mourn the fox.
Including Elizabeth, most of the Church personnel, like Isaac Taylor, believed that once Fia entered the sea alone, her death was certain. Adding two knights would make no difference.
On the deck, not a single cleric came to bid farewell to the High Priestess, but it was crowded with secular officers and naval personnel. Lord Hall, unable to change Isaac Taylor's decision, could only accompany his men to see Fia off.
All the soldiers saluted Fia, as if sending off a comrade heading to certain death.
"Thank you for your contributions, High Priestess Fia. The Holy Empire will not forget you," Lord Hall said.
"Thank you for your contributions, High Priestess Fia! The Holy Empire will not forget you!" The soldiers' voices echoed across the sky, even moving Fia, who was usually composed.
She had never imagined she could become someone so significant. Yet, in this moment, she envisioned countless people mourning at her grave, grieving for her.
She felt as though she had deceived everyone, betraying their emotions.
Fia smiled, finding this fate acceptable.
Parker, Ruben, Evans, and others were captivated by Fia's smile, not with worldly desires, but with a sense of reverence. Though rescued by Leon, they were returned to the Blue Whale by Fia and felt gratitude toward her.
The crew of the Blue Whale and the entire Holy Empire fleet owed their escape from the destruction of Golden Island to Fia's timely information. They thanked her from the bottom of their hearts and admired the High Priestess.
She had once defended Leon brilliantly during his trial, showcasing her vast knowledge and wisdom. She should have had a glorious life, yet she was to be buried at sea. Elizabeth pitied her.
If not for Fia's closeness to Leon, Elizabeth believed Fia wouldn't have been sent on this expedition. Similarly, Elizabeth herself was dispatched after speaking a few words in Leon's defense during the trial.
She wiped her tears, suddenly envying her friend, Dorothy. Only Dorothy had the protection of a father like Lord Hall, while Fia was being exiled by the Church. Both had become Mermaid Eradicators, yet their fates were so different.
Elizabeth dared not bid farewell to Fia or approach Leon on the Blue Whale. To survive and return to the Holy Empire, she had to endure.
"I can't set up a teleportation array on a moving object, or I might have sent Fia directly back to the Holy Empire," Dorothy thought, feeling a pang of guilt.
"It's fine. Believe me, Fia will be okay. She's lucky," Leon reassured her, having arranged for Sola to protect Fia. With obstacles cleared and two knights by her side, Fia should be safe.
Dorothy nodded, trusting Leon's judgment.
"Dorothy, thank you," Leon said gratefully, glancing at her. Her purple hair flowed in the sea breeze like luxurious silk, carrying a faint fragrance.
Dorothy's eyelashes fluttered, her eyes shining like stars on the sea.
"For what?" she replied.
*Why didn't you leave when you could?* Leon thought but said nothing, only smiling.
He had replayed the events in his mind. When Dorothy touched the seawater and lost her magic, she could have asked the flame demon, Krus, to break the door. Or used her strange potions and magical tools. Or even asked Nina Owen, the useless five-star Glory Knight, for help.
If not for him, she would still be in the tower, happily researching magic, free from danger.
"Leon, thank you," Dorothy said softly.
"What for?" Leon asked in return.
Dorothy smiled and said nothing.
Their eyes met, and both smiled genuinely.
"We're too polite," Lord Hall remarked, watching Leon coldly.
If not for knowing his daughter was fortunate to become a Special Believer and gain more power, and that it was her choice to land on the island with Leon, he would have thrown Leon into the sea to feed the fish. Even if it meant returning to the womb, he would have done it.
Leon noticed the Earl's growing dislike for him. If he didn't do something, he might lose his chance to marry Dorothy. He had forgotten why he wanted to marry her, but he couldn't let someone like Augustus take her.
Unnoticed by Leon, Dorothy gently extended her pale hand and took his. He froze, turning to see her blush under the light, her beauty striking him.
Before Leon could savor the softness of her hand, she withdrew it shyly, leaving him with a blood bag, and followed her father.
"Daddy, wait for me," Dorothy called out, having left the blood for him because she feared hunger.
Leon felt moved, not wanting to admit he had already eaten.
*Should I keep this blood bag? Will it expire?* he wondered, tucking it into his coat pocket.
He leaned on the Blue Whale's railing, gazing at the distant speck that was Fia.
"Come back alive, and leave the Church," Leon said quietly.
The two knights, determined to die for Fia, echoed, "High Priestess, if you return alive, leave the Church. With your talents, even in the secular world, the Emperor would welcome you."
Fia nodded, flipping the pages of her book, her composure restored.
She was engrossed in a Church-published holy chronicle from 300 years ago, determined to read it all to discern lies from truth. The Gifts of the Canvas and the Mermaid Crystals had deeply shaken her.
Were humans lying to maintain their rule, or had the gods deceived the world? Fia yearned to know the truth, believing she was born for it. Truth and knowledge were her lifelong pursuits.
Adjusting her golden-rimmed glasses, she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Under the dim light, Fia's mind immersed itself in the book, reconstructing a world of gods.
The knights watched her read, finding comfort in her dedication. They felt Fia, a High Priestess, shouldn't be abandoned by the Church. Her existence was a beauty in itself.
The Holy Empire's fleet sailed for another half-month without encountering any mermaid attacks. The crew assumed the mermaids would avenge themselves on Dorothy and Leon, but nothing happened.
Unbeknownst to them, Leon had secretly removed Dorothy's Mermaid Eradicator title. They attributed the peace to the blessings of the God of Tigers, Tigre.
As for the sea monsters, the Blue Whale periodically released slaves to feed them, keeping the creatures docile. Leon initially thought this was Tina's decision but later discovered it was Lord Hall's.
The Empire's slavery system dehumanized slaves, treating them as objects. Additionally, the fleet's limited supplies made discarding the slaves the optimal solution. This revealed another side of Lord Hall to Leon. A man who reached the rank of Earl couldn't remain kind forever.
The Hall family had two Earls: one was Lord Hall's older brother, who inherited his title, and the other was Dorothy's father, who earned his through effort.
Finally, land and buildings came into view again. The officers, excited and eager, had endured the long voyage to reach the Dragon Court and go to war.
At last, they had arrived!
This place was destined to have their names etched into the annals of the Sacred Empire.
The guards also shouted excitedly.
"Look! Look! It’s the Azure Dragon Court!!!"
The shouts woke up Parker, who was resting in his room. He quickly got dressed and rushed to the washroom to relieve himself before heading next door and knocking on Allen's door.
"Brother, the Azure Dragon Court is in sight."
Nina Owen opened the door, looking displeased at Parker's disheveled appearance.
Parker, seeing her piercing gaze, shrank his neck slightly.
For some reason, he found the beautiful maid by Allen's side a bit intimidating. Compared to her, Annie seemed much more approachable.
Moreover, she was nothing like the rumors suggested. She didn’t have the slightest air of a socialite, treating even the noble young men, military officers, and people from the Church with cold disdain. It was as if everyone else in the world was beneath her, and only she was noble and superior. This demeanor made even those who approached her because of her beauty retreat in fear.
"Sorry, I’m looking for my brother," Parker said politely to Nina Owen.
He was genuinely worried that Nina Owen would turn around and say to Allen, "Master, your dogshit of a brother is looking for you."
Fortunately, Nina Owen didn’t say anything like that. She simply responded coldly with an "Oh" before turning back into the room.
Parker followed her inside, where Allen was sitting by the window, looking at the scenery. Across from him was the beautiful legendary witch, Dorothy.
Dorothy Hall?
Parker’s cheeks suddenly turned red. He thought about how he hadn’t washed his hands after leaving the washroom and subconsciously wiped them on his pants. On the ship, without the service of servants or attendants, he had almost forgotten he was a noble.
"I already know," Allen said, turning his head. He looked at the fourteen-year-old boy, who was starting to grow a faint stubble but didn’t mind it. "At this distance, it will take at least three more days to arrive."
"Three days? But I can clearly see it’s right before our eyes."
Parker ran to Allen’s side, not daring to look at Dorothy sitting across from him. He also gave up trying to figure out why Dorothy was in Allen’s room so early.
He didn’t believe Allen and Dorothy were in a relationship. The Muller and Hall families were like fire and water, and their animosity was the foundation that allowed them to coexist in the capital. If they were harmonious and even formed an alliance, the Franck family would lose its position.
Even at fourteen, he could understand the underlying reasons. So, he could only secretly admire Dorothy from afar and never confess his feelings.
"That’s a mirage, which means there’s a Mirage Dragon nearby. Mirage Dragons are skilled at using light and clouds to create illusions. What you see isn’t the Azure Dragon Court but a projection from the Northern Continent."
Dorothy explained slowly.
"The Northern Continent? Isn’t that place far from here? Why would it appear here?"
Parker didn’t understand the principles of mirages and asked naively.
"You just need to know we haven’t arrived yet," Allen said, his gaze passing through the transparent glass window to the scene on the deck.
A white-haired old woman was scolding the officers, which surprised Allen. He didn’t know the army had a female general of such an advanced age.
Noticing Allen’s gaze, Parker also saw the old woman and instinctively shrank his neck.
"It seems you know her," Allen said, looking at Parker.
Parker nodded.
"Major General Cheryl House. She’s a Lieutenant General and has been put in charge of supervising us after the last incident. General Mathis was stripped of his duty to oversee the noble lieutenants, and Major General Cheryl House took over our training. She drills us every day, but you’ve never joined us."
For someone like Parker, a noble youth participating in the expedition, their identity and treatment were different from ordinary soldiers. They held the rank of junior lieutenant but weren’t part of the regular guard units.
Although General Mathis wasn’t punished after the incident on the Golden Island, he was relieved of his role as the supervisor of the noble lieutenants, allowing him to focus on preparing for battle.
The task of supervising the nobles was handed over to a female Lieutenant General, Cheryl House.
Cheryl House was a sixty-year-old military officer. At her age, she should have retired long ago, but she was a Five-Star Glory Knight. Age meant nothing to her, and she still wanted to serve the empire. She participated in this expedition without hesitation.
However, this old lady had a peculiar temperament, making life difficult for Parker, Ruben, and the others.
For example, she would wake them up at 4 . for training, drilling them until 8 ., allowing them a short nap before breakfast, and resuming training at 9 . She treated them no differently from new recruits, not as nobles at all.
The old lady was extremely strict with Parker and the others but had never appeared before Allen.
"Something like this happened? Why wasn’t I informed?" Allen asked, sounding surprised.
Parker glanced at Nina Owen.
Nina Owen turned her head away, unwilling to admit that she had personally turned away the messengers every time.
"I didn’t go either," Dorothy said with a smile.
Mentioning Major General Cheryl House, Parker felt she was even stricter than the senior relatives in his family. He anxiously checked his pocket watch.
"Oh no, I’ll miss breakfast!"
Parker quickly bid farewell to Allen and rushed to the military cafeteria. If he missed this meal, he would have to go hungry until noon, and he definitely wouldn’t survive Major General Cheryl’s hellish training.
Watching Parker hurry away, Allen stroked his chin. "Should I join the training too? After all, I’m also a junior lieutenant."
"In theory, I should too," Dorothy said.
"No one has the qualifications to train a legendary witch," Allen said.
"Nor does anyone have the qualifications to train a Supreme Believer. Oh, you’re also a Six-Star Blood Knight. With your strength, you could even serve as a Major General."
Dorothy said frankly.
"Well, I think I’ll avoid giving Major General Cheryl a headache."
Allen smiled and shrugged.
By the porthole, the silver-haired General Tina had also come to the deck. Her stride was powerful, and her demeanor was completely different from when she was seducing Allen. This actually sparked some curiosity in him.
Tina’s white naval coat fluttered in the wind as she threw her cigarette on the ground and crushed it under her thick-soled military boots. She held a telescope adorned with golden and blue patterns in her hand, placed it to her left eye, and shouted loudly.
"Full alert! It’s a Mirage Dragon! Prepare the magic cannons! Knights, form up and follow me into battle!"
"Yes, ma’am!!!"
The officers and sailors responded in unison.
Hearing that a formidable enemy was ahead, everyone’s expressions turned solemn, their hearts filled with both excitement and tension.
Mirage Dragons were a subspecies of dragons, about five to six meters in size, which was relatively small compared to sea monsters. What made them troublesome was their ability to fly, soar through the clouds, and create mirages. They were also skilled at evading detection by hiding in clouds and oceans and could even appear on land. They were incredible creatures with no weaknesses.
The assembly horn sounded.
The deck erupted into activity as footsteps clattered everywhere.
"Aunt Tina is Father’s most capable assistant. Her combat command skills are top-notch, so we probably don’t need to intervene," Dorothy said calmly.
The Blue Whale trembled violently as its first magic cannon fired, the recoil causing the entire ship to lose balance momentarily. Objects inside the cabin were thrown into the air before falling back down.
Dorothy used magic to stabilize the objects in the cabin. Her gaze, along with Allen’s, turned toward the window.
The first magic cannon fired by the Blue Whale had struck the elusive Mirage Dragon, which surprised Allen.
"Aunt Tina’s telescope is a magic aligner, allowing her to accurately hit targets, but it still requires some judgment," Dorothy explained.
Parker hadn’t even had time to reach the military cafeteria before he was hastily called away by Ruben and the others. They stumbled out of the cabin and arrived at the familiar training deck.
Evens even came to Allen’s room. "Big brother, the assembly order has been given."
Although Allen had joined the expedition voluntarily, since he was part of the military, he still had to obey certain orders.
So, he bid farewell to Dorothy and followed Nina Owen to the deck.
Major General Cheryl House, with her snowy white hair, stood with her hands behind her back, her posture straight and her expression stern as she looked at the sailors under her command.
"Did you feel the commotion earlier? Yes, a Mirage Dragon has appeared, which means we’re approaching the Azure Dragon Court. Lieutenants, prepare your gear and follow me into battle! You’re here to fight, not to vacation!"
"What? We’re going into battle?"
Ruben couldn’t believe his ears. Of course, he had heard the noise and seen the massive explosion in the sky, but he wasn’t prepared to fight immediately.
Major General Cheryl House had only trained them for half a month. Even if they felt they had improved a bit, they still lacked the confidence to fight a Mirage Dragon.
“Sir, isn’t the Blue Whale equipped with magic artillery? And isn’t Major General Tina commanding the battle? Why do we need to go? Can’t we just keep bombarding the dragon with the magic cannons?”
Wilson Viscount said discontentedly, clearly unwilling to head into battle at the moment.
“Major General Tina is leading the Knights' Regiment to stop the dragon, but our target isn’t the dragon—it’s the sea monsters following it! These sea monsters are intelligent beings living on the islands around the Court of the Azure Dragon. They’re like an external military force under the dragon’s command. The battle has already begun!”
Sheryl House raised her voice.
“You’re not children anymore, and you don’t need babysitting. I’m your superior, and it’s a soldier’s duty to follow orders. Either you fight, or I’ll throw you into the sea as bait to lure the sea monsters. That’s your fate. Now, immediately, join the battle!”
With the military order, Parker and the others instinctively merged into the naval formation.
They realized that their days of training were over, and from now on, every day would face the same situation—battle.
Strictly speaking, this was the first formal meeting between the old lady, Sheryl House, and Leon, but she showed no leniency toward him. In her eyes, if these young noble lieutenants couldn’t even endure such a battle, they would be sending themselves to their deaths by going to the Court of the Azure Dragon.
As for Nina Owen, the maid, Sheryl House looked at her with a peculiar gaze.
Nina Owen, dressed in her maid uniform, also glanced at the old lady with a flicker in her eyes. She had encountered an old acquaintance, which ignited a long-dormant sense of shame in her.
Fortunately, the old lady didn’t recognize her as the Duke of Jiles, otherwise, she might have died of embarrassment on the spot.
Leon noticed Nina Owen’s unusual behavior. This self-centered man had never shown such a flustered expression before.
“Water Lily, could that be your old flame?”
“Master, could we please skip this topic?”
Nina Owen’s face darkened.
Leon was surprised that he had struck her weak point. Was he really right? But the war had already begun, and Leon didn’t have the mood to tease his old servant further. He needed to go and help, and it was also a good opportunity to test the true combat power of the Six-Star Blood Knight.
Ever since he gained the power of the Blood Knight, he had been fighting either against evil gods or sea witches who were a match for magicians. This had greatly limited his ability to unleash his true strength and had shaken his confidence.
Only these ordinary sea monsters could allow him to test the true power of the Blood Knight and regain some of his confidence.
The dragon’s deep roar awakened the sea monsters that had been sleeping on the floating islands. This sudden group of humans had disrupted their rest. In the white sea fog, a makeshift sea monster army was formed, responding to the dragon’s call and marching forward on the waves.
They came in various forms—some were giant octopuses, others were sharks with razor-sharp scales.
Major General Tina stood majestically at the bow of the ship, her stern expression bolstering the morale of the entire formation. She looked down at the enemy ahead, her face heavy with concern. She stretched out her arm and slowly waved it, signaling the warships to form a tight formation and launch a fierce attack on the sea monster army.
The battle erupted in an instant. Gunfire rang out, knights drew their swords, and clerics began chanting blessings to boost the army’s morale. Brilliant magical arrays were unleashed.
The navy and the sea monsters engaged in a grand and intense battle.
Amid the shouts, the navy’s swords flashed across the sea like lightning, silently cutting into the sea monster formation.
However, the sea monster army revealed overwhelming power. Every cell in their bodies contained immense strength, and each attack was accompanied by waves crashing down like thunder.
The navy felt increasing pressure from the enemy.
They fought back with their formidable strength and agility, launching frantic attacks. But the sea monsters seemed endless, neutralizing the navy’s attacks as if they were a dam facing a torrent. They were like an unstoppable flood.
The sea was dyed red in an instant.
The Blue Whale fired its cannons, and in the deafening explosions, the charging shark sea monsters were blown to pieces. But the octopuses behind them were unharmed and even used their massive bodies to protect the smaller shark sea monsters.
The shark sea monsters continued their assault, clashing with the naval forces.
Even for low-ranking knights, it was extremely difficult to take down a C-level giant octopus.
The massive octopus swung its tentacles, trying to climb onto the Blue Whale. Ordinary soldiers were like shrimp before it, easily swatted into the air and falling into the sea.
Parker gripped his sword tightly, his blade aimed at the octopus’s enormous body. His eyes burned with determination and anger. With a fierce leap, he showcased the fruits of his training, his sword flashing like lightning toward the octopus’s tentacles. The powerful strike seemed to split the air itself.
As the blade fell, dark green blood flowed like an evil stream across Parker’s face, but he remained oblivious, focusing only on the severed tentacle.
The brothers around him erupted in thunderous cheers, proud of Parker’s bravery.
But in that very moment, the wound on the octopus’s body began to twist and squirm. New tentacles grew rapidly and wrapped around Parker’s body.
Parker felt an overwhelming force binding him tightly, making every struggle extremely difficult.
He wanted to swing his sword again, but his movements became sluggish. The ink seeped into his skin like thousands of needles, numbing him. A surge of anger rose in his heart, but his powerless body left him unable to do anything but scream in his mind: “Damn it!”
“Save Parker! He’s been caught by the monster!”
Evans shouted.
“Damn it! Charge!”
Though they feared the gigantic creature before them, since setting sail from the empire, they had experienced numerous battles at sea. The naval forces had learned to overcome their fear, and with the encouragement of the clerics’ blessings, they became extraordinarily brave.
The sailors charged forward, trying to rescue Parker.
But the octopus’s massive tentacles swung through the air with shocking speed and power, ruthlessly sweeping the sailors away like falling leaves.
Body parts and blood covered the deck, a ghastly sight.
Ruben clenched his fists, his body trembling as fear overwhelmed him. The cruelty of war far exceeded his imagination.
Everything around him seemed to freeze, leaving only the monster’s tentacles dancing in the rain and the constant fall of his comrades. The sea waves washed over the deck, but they couldn’t rinse away the pungent smell of blood.
“I can’t do this. I just can’t.”
Ruben covered his head, tears streaming down his face as fear took over.
Ail turned pale and tried to run, as if an evil spirit was chasing him. He wanted to escape, but the slippery deck caused him to fall on his face. Tears and snot streamed down as he wailed.
“No, no, I don’t want to die! I want to go home! I want to go home!”
Evans picked up a weapon from the ground, his hand trembling as if the sword was a thousand pounds heavy. He charged forward with a crazed look in his eyes. “I’ll kill you! You damned monster! Die, die, die!”
A shark monster leaped onto the deck and bit down on his head.
Was everyone going to die?
Evans felt his vision go dark.
The shark’s head was torn off and thrown aside.
Leon looked at Evans, who still had some courage left, and patted him on the shoulder. “You did well, Water Lily. Take care of him.”
Nina Owen reluctantly acted as Evans’s temporary bodyguard, swatting away the approaching shark sea monsters.
Evans touched the bloodstains on his neck, staring blankly at the scene before him, and finally broke down in tears.
Among these young noble lieutenants, those like Parker and Evans who could even pick up a weapon to fight were already considered exceptional.
Leon leaped into the air, his figure flashing above the giant octopus. Just as the monster was about to swallow Parker, Enzo unsheathed.
A white sword light flashed, and for a moment, the world seemed to only have black and white.
The power of the Light Hand and the Dark Hand fused into the sword Enzo, causing it to hum.
A dark green bloodline splattered through the air.
The giant octopus’s body was split in two, and instead of falling into the deep sea, it dissolved into dust in the light and gradually disappeared.
The enormous shadow it cast also faded with it.
“It was actually a magical creature.”
“No wonder we couldn’t kill it.”
The knights discussed, their gazes filled with admiration for Leon.
The navy’s morale greatly lifted. They hadn’t expected that Leon, a genius on the path of faith, would also possess such extraordinary swordsmanship.
Parker fell from the sky, and Nina Owen disdainfully tossed Evans over to him.
Parker landed on Evans, cushioning the fall to some extent. Though both of them fainted, at least they weren’t injured.
After killing the giant octopus, Leon moved on to the next target.
These gigantic monsters, which could easily crush the naval forces, were nothing more than large practice dummies for Leon to hone his sword skills and build muscle.
Since gaining the power of the Blood Knight, he had been fighting either against evil gods or sea witches who were a match for magicians. This had greatly limited his ability to unleash his true strength and had shaken his confidence.
Only these ordinary sea monsters could allow him to test the true power of the Blood Knight and regain some of his confidence.
Li En fought at sea as if in a realm of his own, slicing through the shark and sea monster army with the ease of chopping vegetables, leaving them utterly defeated. As for the gigantic octopus monsters, they too met their end under Enzo.
The blood of the sea witches stained his elegant coat.
"Too slow, too slow, too slow."
Li En watched the sea monsters attacking him, feeling as though he were watching a slow-motion replay.
Only now did he realize just how fast he truly was.
This battle made Li En's name resound throughout the navy.
The number of sea monsters he single-handedly slew surpassed that of an entire knight order.
To be precise, it was three knight orders: the Flame Knights of the Frank family led by Mary's uncle, Earl Yar Frank; the Rose Knights of the Hall family; and the Pioneer Knights assembled from 22 territories.
Except for the mirage dragon, which was slain by General Tina, nearly all the C-level beasts were Li En's spoils of war.
Although these three knight orders had not exerted their full strength and held back somewhat.
**[Acquired new entry: Sea Warrior]**
**[You have demonstrated outstanding achievements in this naval battle, slaying over 200 sea monsters and becoming a warrior of the sea.]**
**[With this entry, you will always possess courage.]**
Li En thought to himself, covered in blood, as he returned to the deck.
He was greeted by thunderous cheers.
The sailors were extremely excited; they had initially expected a daunting battle, but with Li En's participation, the tide of the battle turned in an instant.
"Li En Moria! Li En Moria! Li En Moria!!!!"
As someone began chanting his name, nearly all the sailors joined in, as though he had already become a new war god.
Parker, the paralysis toxin now gone from his system, gazed at Li En with shining eyes, silently vowing in his heart,
"One day, I too will become a hero in people's hearts, just like my brother."
Ivans wiped away his tears, looking at Li En with admiration.
Li En had not expected everyone to be so idle, with time to cheer for him. It seemed he had overlooked the fact that most of the sea monsters had been slain by him. Except for the gigantic octopus, those magical creatures, other shark-like sea monsters, when killed, would drop magic crystals, just like skeletal monsters. These magic crystals were similar to Blue Moon ores and belonged to low-grade magic stones.
These magic stones could replenish the loss of magic projectiles. Li En now possessed half of the Blue Moon Territory's Blue Moon ores,
so he had little interest in these magic crystals and simply handed them all over, leaving a good impression on Earl Hall.
Li En had fully caught the attention of the high-level leaders of this expedition.
Apart from Earl Hall, both Earl Yar Frank and Earl Sam Isaacsen had truly taken notice of Li En.
"I heard that Li En was a talent from Ogulas, but I thought he was exaggerating. Now it seems I was the one who was blind. A blind man possessing such extraordinary swordsmanship—his future is immeasurable."
Earl Yar Frank and Earl Sam Isaacsen, two great nobles, sat opposite each other in the elegantly decorated captain's cabin.
Outside the window lay the chaotic aftermath of the naval battle, a stark contrast to the tidiness inside.
They were dressed in exquisite attire; Earl Yar's outfit was primarily deep blue with golden embroidery, while Earl Sam wore crimson silk. Both wore medals symbolizing their identities. Each held a glass of red wine, gently swirling it, their calm eyes revealing a hint of excitement.
They had not participated in the earlier battle but had observed it from a superior's perspective.
The Frank family was a Creed family and a earth-attribute family,
while the Isaacsen family was an old, prestigious noble family that had intermarried with the royal family, known as the "Queen's Family," having produced three queens and five imperial finance ministers.
Although both were honorable earls, their military status was far inferior to Earl Hall's.
Both earls currently held high hopes for Li En. If he could return safely to the imperial capital, they would spare no effort to recruit him under their banners.
"I hear he's still unmarried."
Earl Sam Isaacsen said meaningfully, "His age is about the same as my youngest daughter."
"Sam, don't be like that. Men from the Moria family only like beautiful women, and the daughters of the Frank family would be more suitable for him."
Earl Yar Frank replied.
"Isaacsen's daughters aren't bad either! And besides, Li En is blind. He can't tell the difference between beauty and ugliness. When it comes to character, our Isaacsen daughters are far superior."
Earl Hall's eyebrows flickered imperceptibly. If not for the need to guard against Ogulas going mad, he would have told these two old fools to stop their delusions. Li En was already the son-in-law of the Hall family.
At that moment, Imperial Rose Paula appeared on the deck. She handed Li En a set of clean clothes.
Li En casually removed his blood-stained coat and put on the clean garments, walking beside Paula.
The two of them stood together, looking quite compatible.
Earl Yar Frank and Earl Sam Isaacsen simultaneously furrowed their brows. They wanted to remind Earl Hall to keep his daughter in check, but they dared not.
Paula cast a spell, restoring the Blue Whale's damaged hull to its original state. This saved a lot of work for the crew.
At least they no longer needed to repair the ship.
As for the injured sailors, the clerics would handle their treatment.
"Not bad."
General Cheryl House walked to Li En's side. "Although you've never attended any of my training sessions,
I must admit—you are the hope of the young generation of nobles."
"Thank you."
Li En bowed humbly, politely accepting the praise.
Tina also patted Li En's shoulder in appreciation before giving Paula a thumbs-up.
Paula's cheeks turned slightly red. She knew Aunt Tina was praising her good judgment.
The two walked into the cabin amidst the sailors' cheers, with Nina Owen following closely behind.
"Do you hear what they're calling you? Blind War God. You might want to tell them your vision has recovered."
Paula whispered.
"If you want me to tell them when I return to the imperial capital, so that a group of nobles will send beautiful women my way, I don't mind."
"I suddenly think the name Blind War God suits you—especially because it's—special."
