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Salt and Blood - Chapter 142
🕑 Added 2025-03-24 12:10:47 +0000 UTC<< Chapter 141 | Table of Contents | Chapter 143 >>
2.48 - A Royal Welcome
You can only push a cornered rat so far before it fights back
-Common knowledge of the common folk
“You should really learn to think before you speak,” Everyn told Rose, staring at the unconscious Jason.
“Shut up,” she retorted, punching his arm gently. “What the hell happened, Daniel? I thought you said you knew what you were doing! Why is Jason half dead?” she lambasted the pale-faced boy.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve done it myself instead of trusting those random guys,” he muttered. “The first upgrade went fine, but then that idiot went and smacked the engine. It set off a chain reaction that almost caused the engines to explode. Jason, he… He saved us by doing something to the energy. I think he absorbed it all into his body. I thought I was going to die. We all owe him our lives,” he explained.
“I see.”
“He’s doing better. The doctor came. He wasn’t quite sure what had gone wrong but he was able to stabilise his condition. He said he should wake up within a few days,” Daniel said, glancing towards the bed.
“Let me have a look,” Rose said, walking to Jason’s side and crouching down.
Focusing, she observed the arcane energy flowing through his body and in his core. At first it seemed as if nothing was wrong, but the more she stared the grimmer her expression became.
His energy seemed to be flowing normally, but there were jagged edges to it. Eddies and whirls that shouldn’t be there. A closer inspection revealed the problem.
All through his arcane circuits and even around his core there were tiny wounds, cuts and scrapes. It was as if someone had set off an arcane explosion inside him.
Actually, based on what Daniel said… Damn. I wonder if I can fix it? I don’t want to make it worse though. Rose was conflicted.
“I can see the problem. No ordinary doctor can fix this. I might be able to if I try, but I don’t want to make it worse. You said he’s stable?”
“Yes, the doctor said he’ll be fine,” Daniel replied.
“Let him rest for now. We need to start preparing to set sail. I was hoping to return to an upgraded ship, but it will do fine without them,” she sighed.
“Actually, I’m confident I can make most of the modifications we discussed without anything going wrong. The problem wasn’t with my work, it was that idiot labourer. If I handle everything myself it will be fine,” Daniel said, his voice shaky.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to get blown up again.” Rose narrowed her eyes as she spoke.
“I’m sure. Give me three days,” Daniel confidently stated.
“Alright, I trust you. Three days it is. Everyn, when will the soldiers arrive?”
“This afternoon. They’re probably being held up by my brother,” Everyn scoffed.
“Alright, for now I need a nap. My head feels as if it’s going to burst,” she chuckled. “I want to wake up to the rocking of the waves, not my fiery death. Don’t let me down, Daniel,” she added, making the boy fidget with his hands.
“I’m kidding. See you in a few hours,” she sighed exasperatedly, walking out of the room and towards the closest cabin. /////
***
Rose sat on the deck of the ship, putting the finishing strokes on her most recent drawing. With the help of her recent skills along with consistent improvements to her original scholar skills, her occupation was getting much closer to completion.
Skill up!
Drawing 30 > 31
Your occupation has advanced!
Apprentice Scholar 64 > 65
Rose had also earned a new trait for drawing, which much like the first trait also held the promise of applications beyond her artistic endeavours. While the first trait Deft Hand improved her motor control, the second—Steady Grip—kept her hand almost entirely still while drawing lines.
It didn’t specify that the ‘steady’ part of the grip only applied while drawing however. Rose hoped that it might help out with her ability to hold weapons steadier. Her gaze was drawn to the long butt of a rifle strapped to the back of one of the royal soldiers.
She had used a pistol since Trent had given her one, but never had she attempted to fire a larger gun. She winced, a memory of Nasar’s final moments flashing through her head.
Her fingers trembled. I can’t avoid a useful weapon simply because of my traumas, she told herself, taking deep breaths.
However, she decided against asking the soldier to borrow his weapon. She would expand her repertoire of weapon skills when she was ready and not a moment before. Right now all she needed was a calm mind and a cutlass in hand.
She stood up, stretching her arms as she took a deep breath of the salty sea air. There were dozens of people on board now, scurrying to and fro as they prepared the ship for departure.
Rose, despite being the one who had decided on their strategy, actually had very little to do. Daniel, having successfully performed all his planned upgrades to the ship, was taking charge of ordering the soldiers about and telling them where to store their things.
Everything was going smoothly. “Everyn, where’s that brother of yours?” Rose asked as she approached the taciturn prince.
“I’m not sure,” he replied with a sigh. “His soldiers told me that he would meet them here, but couldn’t give me a time. If he isn’t here by midday then we can just leave without him, my father’s orders be damned.”
Rose snorted. “I think I’m a bad influence on you, your highness. Rebelling against the king is treason, you know.”
Everyn raised an eyebrow at the joke and cracked a half smile. Rose knew there was something bugging him that he wasn’t sharing, but she wouldn’t pry it out before he was ready to share.
“Well, I suppose you can say you opened my eyes to the arrogance of my old ways. I always thought I was an invincible hero, but I couldn’t even beat a single officer of the Minenblum Royal Navy in a duel,” he said mockingly. “And that was after you’d beaten him half to death.”
“No need to feel so down. You’re still stronger than almost everyone on our little island. That’s something to be proud of,” she replied with a smile.
“Is it? The Emerlan Isle isn’t the world and with every passing day I feel like a smaller and smaller fish in an ever growing pond,” he said, leaning his head against the railings of the ship.
“Cheer up you grouch,” Rose snapped, suddenly kicking him in the backside and making him startle. “We’re about to go and blow up one of Minenblum’s cities. You could at least seem a little excited at the prospect of vengeance.”
After rubbing his ass a few times, Everyn shook his head at her. “You’re right. I know you’re right. It’s just…” he paused and stared at the sky for a few seconds. “Never mind. You wouldn’t understand.”
Rose rolled her eyes but didn’t bother replying. Everyn acted as if he had to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, but the truth was far from it. However, she couldn’t make him see sense by telling him. He had to experience reality for himself.
At that moment there was a loud crash from the deck. Rose looked down to see that Daniel was helping up a soldier from a pile of splintered wood and dried meat that had spilled across the deck after he dropped a crate.
Standing over the two men was the most gaudily dressed man Rose had ever laid eyes on. He wore full-plate armour from head to toe, polished to the point that it reflected the rays of the sun even brighter than they already were.
Rose had to squint and raise a hand over her eyes to even focus on him. He had golden locks of hair that fell to his shoulders that shimmered in the light, looking even more pampered than a princess.
“Peasant! You dare block my way,” he screeched in a shrill voice, reaching to his waist. “And you, idiot! Don’t you know how to carry a damn box without falling over!?”
The soldier bowed and began replying something Rose couldn’t hear. Daniel’s face twisted into an ugly scowl and he stood up with clenched fists.
There was a shiing noise as the youth drew a bejewelled sword from its scabbard and pointed it at Daniel’s throat. The boy froze, gulping and looking at the tip of the blade.
Awakening one’s core didn’t make a person invincible. A sword at his throat was unavoidable, but Rose saw his trembling fists.
From beside her, Everyn sighed deeply and kissed his teeth. “Damn pompous idiot. He gets worse every time I see him,” he scoffed. “Let me put an end to this farce before someone gets hurt.”
He was about to rush down to the commotion and stop the new arrival, when Rose put her hand on his arm and stopped him. She pointed towards the deck with a big grin on her face. “Be patient and enjoy the show,” she chuckled.
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