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Chapter 179: Tricks That Toy with Fate
🕑 Added 2025-01-13 03:08:16 +0000 UTCCharlot Mecklenburg gazed at the vanishing fifth page of Agmirlas Labyrinth and was filled with awe at the unfathomable and irresistible power of fate. He realized that he was inexorably stepping onto the path of the labyrinth’s continual transformation.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. The Radiant Lord also presides over fortune. Although not as skilled in manipulating fate as the Serpent of Fate, the Radiant Lord still wields divine influence over destiny.
“Could High Priest Auguslatin, as a follower of the Radiant Lord, possess some ‘tricks’ to meddle with fate?”
“Could this all be part of the High Priest’s plan?”
The thought sent a shiver down Charlot’s spine. He reasoned, Saint ranks, while powerful, couldn’t possibly achieve such precision. I must be overthinking.
As he sensed the intent emanating from the diary, Charlot noted the daunting task of securing eighteen medium-sized ships. Though Cappadocia was a port city, its modest size and population of just a few thousand limited the number of docked vessels. Without the shadowy trade of slave trafficking, he suspected the number of ships would have been even smaller.
Time was running out. Charlot armed his soldiers with weapons from the Administrative Bureau’s stockpile and hurried to the port.
Yet he was too late.
Two merchant ships had already set sail from Cappadocia’s harbor.
Charlot had the means to pursue them alone—his Bloodfire Transfiguration and Floating Blossoms provided him the power to overtake and subdue the ships. However, after a moment’s hesitation, he chose instead to raise the Byron banner over Cappadocia and abandon the chase.
Gazing at the fluttering Byron flag, Charlot thought to himself, Let’s hope this crude ploy proves somewhat effective.
Protagoras was a Fars native, and his secret art, Blood Glory, was hidden within Fars’ four universities. Few practiced it, which often led to Charlot being mistaken for a vampire. He intended to use this misconception to his advantage.
Though Charlot was a transmigrant and Fars was far from an ideal nation, his brief time here had connected him to people—friends, companions, even loyal subordinates. The detachment he once felt from this world had softened.
While Charlot still harbored no allegiance to the Axel royal family, he was eager to do something meaningful for the people of this land. If he could ease the ravages of war and bring peace to more lives, he was willing to struggle and sacrifice for it.
Back in Cappadocia, only four merchant ships, including the White Tea, remained docked. However, the diary indicated a labyrinth transformation progress of just (1/18).
Acting decisively, Charlot commanded his newly acquired forces to seize three merchant ships. To him, the ships in the harbor were no more than fish on a chopping block, and resistance was futile against his seven extraordinary individuals and over a thousand soldiers.
With the three ships successfully seized, the diary’s progress rose to (4/18).
The captains of the three ships were incensed. Though they had been herded ashore and dared not defy the overwhelming force, they boldly voiced their grievances.
One captain shouted angrily, “If you do this, no one will ever come to Cappadocia again!”
Charlot responded with a faint smile, “I don’t care!”
“I’ll ask you this: who among you has participated in the slave trade?”
The three captains exchanged uneasy glances. As seasoned sailors, they were well aware of Cappadocia’s infamous “specialty” and knew that the two departing ships were likely engaged in the trade. In unison, they shook their heads. “We are honest merchants and have never been involved in such dealings.”
Charlot summoned the Chief Overseer of Cappadocia’s city patrol guards to verify their claims. “Are they lying?” he asked.
The Chief Overseer replied in a low voice, “They are indeed legitimate merchants and have no involvement in slave trafficking.”
Satisfied, Charlot declared, “Since none of you are slavers, you have a choice: join my army or face execution.”
Though furious, the captains relented in the face of the West Wind Knights’ rifles and reluctantly agreed to join.
Charlot then repeated an earlier “performance.” This time, however, the salted fish from the little girl he had encountered earlier wasn’t sufficient. As a result, only the captains and first mates of the three ships received the salted fish version of his Stretching Stare Pill.
With their “loyalty” secured, Charlot dispersed the crews of the three ships, integrating them into his army. He promoted the captains of the merchant ships and the Chief Overseer of Cappadocia to the rank of squad leaders.
By now, the two fleeing slave ships were long gone. Charlot ordered the Byron banner to be taken down, knowing its presence would deter other ships from docking.
As for the two escaped ships spreading word of the incident, Charlot was unconcerned. Given the primitive methods of communication in this era, it would take considerable time for any news to reach its destination.
Charlot appointed Dolores, Anastasia, and Belisa as the new captains of the three seized ships. Meanwhile, the original captains were not allowed to return to their vessels. Despite their consumption of the Stretching Stare Pill, Charlot trusted them no more than before. After all, the concoction was merely salty and non-toxic—it lacked any explosive effects.
Unlike the abandoned stronghold of Machubi or the temporarily ownerless Silver Dove Castle, Cappadocia was now entirely under Charlot’s control, even if not legally.
Without hesitation, Charlot abolished all taxes, forgave the residents’ debts to the government, and redistributed the past two months’ tax revenue stored in the Administrative Bureau’s estate. Taxes collected before that had been sent to Ingrima and were beyond his reach.
Charlot did not waste the opportunity to trumpet his benevolence. He paraded the 600 liberated Goring Island natives as witnesses, painting himself as a “savior.”
Charlot was well aware that once the Ingrima Empire discovered the occupation of their territory, they would dispatch forces to reclaim Cappadocia. The taxes he had abolished would be imposed twice over by the Empire’s officials.
To gain more trust from the locals, Charlot planned to evacuate the residents to Machubi once the labyrinth transformation was complete.
Meanwhile, the Fars Empire’s delegation had reached the port of Bredon and was hosted at the Ingrima Empire’s summer palace designated for foreign guests.
High Priest Auguslatin, disembarking from the ship, immediately visited the Radiant Lord’s temple in Bredon. There, he was received by the local High Priest, and the two spent a cordial afternoon in discussion. What they talked about, only they and the Radiant Lord would ever know.
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