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CH385 - CH386
🕑 Added 2025-02-09 13:19:38 +0000 UTCCH385
In the past, Royce was always informed when smuggling people.
This time, Sam hadn’t told him, indicating the person on the lowest deck was highly significant.
Royce didn’t realize the dragon bones were merely a cover for this individual.
After receiving Sam’s message, Royce rushed to the lower deck.
Normally, unloading didn’t require his supervision, but with a person involved, he had to oversee it.
This was Seranthiel territory, and Royce was from Eye of the Storm.
If caught smuggling here, he’d never return.
Eye of the Storm wouldn’t negotiate for someone like Royce; getting caught meant life imprisonment.
Royce sighed, hoping to relax after selling the cargo, but now faced this issue.
After docking, everyone disembarking underwent identity checks.
Wizards used communication stones for verification; ordinary people showed ID cards.
These black stone cards, linked to the magic network, were like communication stones for ordinary people.
Since the airship came from Eye of the Storm, checks were stricter.
Staying on the airship avoided checks, but entering Silver Beach City required them.
Cargo was also checked, but not every item; samples were taken from batches.
As unloading began, Royce grew anxious, fearing discovery of the person hidden with the dragon bones.
Silver Beach’s dock was a large plaza with a warehouse area.
Cargo was unloaded onto carts, and inspectors randomly selected items for checks.
They used magic sensing spells to scan contents.
However, some valuable items, like the dragon bones, couldn’t be scanned.
The crates had magic-blocking seals, common for valuable goods to prevent tampering.
Such cargo required sample checks.
This worried Royce; if Helag’s crate was chosen, it would be disastrous.
The dragon bones’ paperwork was forged, but that wasn’t a concern.
In Eye of the Storm, they’d be caught, but Seranthiel couldn’t verify the documents’ legitimacy.
The paperwork appeared legitimate; the only issue was North Slope lacked records.
But Silver Beach couldn’t access North Slope’s records, so they couldn’t verify them.
Seeing the paperwork, they’d usually allow passage.
Royce supervised the unloading, appearing calm but inwardly anxious.
Two hours later, it was time to unload the dragon bones.
Several large crates were placed on carts, lined up for inspection.
Aiden, a dock official and Seranthiel member, was a first-level crystallized wizard.
As usual, Aiden oversaw the unloading.
His job was ensuring cargo compliance, free of contraband.
It was challenging, as many tried to bribe him for leniency.
Aiden refused to compromise, treating all cargo equally, never turning a blind eye for profit.
This stance made him enemies, facing subtle sabotage.
His Seranthiel status protected him; otherwise, he’d have been harmed.
Money tempts people, and blocking someone’s income breeds hatred.
Despite troubles, Aiden remained steadfast, committed to his duty.
No one bribed him anymore, knowing he was incorruptible.
Some sought to remove him, not by harm, but by reassigning him.
But this was difficult, and so far unsuccessful.
Aiden personally inspected each cargo batch, though slow, it ensured thoroughness.
The initial cargo was ordinary, with no issues.
The next batch was unusual: several large, sealed crates.
“What is this cargo?” Aiden asked.
Royce smiled, “Sir, it’s dragon bones.”
“Dragon bones? Do you have paperwork?” Aiden frowned.
“Yes! Of course, we have paperwork. We wouldn’t transport it otherwise,” Royce quickly retrieved the documents for Aiden.
Aiden examined them closely.
Finding no issues, he nodded, “Begin inspection.”
“Which one would you like to check?” Royce asked with a smile.
Aiden glanced at him, then the crates, “All of them.”
“All of them? That’s not possible, sir. These crates have seals. Once opened, they can’t be resealed, affecting transport,” Royce protested.
Aiden replied, “I need to verify the contents. Open them all, or leave them here.”
Royce turned pale, considering his options, then whispered, “Can we work something out? Price is negotiable.”
Unfamiliar with Aiden, Royce assumed he was like Case, seeking a bribe.
Hearing this, Aiden immediately suspected the dragon bones were problematic, ordering, “Arrest this man. This cargo is suspicious. Open and inspect each crate.”
CH386
Two staff members immediately cuffed Royce with anti-magic shackles; he dared not resist, knowing it would worsen his situation.
He pleaded, “Sir, please let me go. I won’t transport this cargo anymore. Just let me return; I won’t do this business again.”
Aiden shook his head, “No, this cargo has entered Seranthiel territory. I have the authority and duty to inspect it.”
Seeing no chance of escape, Royce felt hopeless, thinking he was doomed.
He hadn’t expected Silver Beach’s official to be so unyielding, refusing any bribes.
Royce hadn’t done much business in Silver Beach before; Sam specifically sent him to handle the dragon bones.
Originally, there was no issue, but the hidden person caught Royce off guard.
Royce silently blamed Sam; if only he’d been informed about the person, he could have prepared.
Being told after landing felt like a setup.
Royce abandoned hope, resigned to spending his life in a Seranthiel prison.
He handed over the key, a black crystal plate, to unlock the crates’ seals.
Fifteen large crates were opened one by one in the plaza.
With each opening, Royce’s heart sank further, until only three crates remained.
Suddenly, noise came from the last crate.
One side opened, and a young man emerged.
“Who are you!”
Two staff members quickly surrounded him, magic at the ready.
Helag smiled, raising his hands, explaining, “I’m Helag Merlin, a Seranthiel member under Lord Parker. I was accidentally teleported to the polluted zone by Abyssal cultists and barely escaped.”
He quickly explained his identity and situation.
The staff, recognizing his name from recent alerts sent to Seranthiel cities, hesitated but remained cautious.
Aiden, frowning, approached Helag, asking, “Where’s your communication stone? Show me.”
“Due to circumstances, it was destroyed in the polluted zone. Without it, I had no choice but to return this way,” Helag said helplessly.
“No stone?” Aiden looked skeptical.
“Even without it, you didn’t need to smuggle. You could have contacted Eye of the Storm for help,” Aiden questioned.
Helag explained, “I don’t trust them. In the polluted zone, their explorers attacked me. I barely escaped. Once in their territory, I couldn’t risk seeking their help.”
Aiden, half-believing, waved his hand, “Detain him. We’ll verify his identity later.”
“Contact Silvermoon City’s Mr. Pruis, or let me use your stone to prove my identity,” Helag suggested.
Aiden replied, “We’ll verify your identity, but regardless, you’ve smuggled, so we must detain you. Smuggling and identity are separate issues.”
Helag was speechless. Wasn’t Seranthiel his home?
He smuggled out of necessity, not choice.
But Aiden seemed intent on charging him with smuggling.
Returning home counted as smuggling?
Aiden instructed, “Detain him in the interrogation room.”
The staff cuffed Helag with anti-magic shackles.
Helag didn’t resist, knowing the truth would soon come out. Fighting would complicate matters.
Royce, hearing Helag’s identity, was surprised, realizing he was transporting a Seranthiel member.
He hadn’t known Sam had such deep ties with Seranthiel.
Royce believed Helag and Sam were close; otherwise, Sam wouldn’t risk smuggling Helag.
Seeing Helag as a lifeline, Royce pleaded, “Lord Helag, help me. I’m Sam’s subordinate. I don’t want to rot in prison. Sir, Helag is one of yours, so it’s not smuggling, right?”
“Smuggling is an illegal border crossing, unrelated to identity. You’ll be judged accordingly,” Aiden said flatly.
Helag glanced at Royce, helpless; he was cuffed and couldn’t help Royce until he was free.
Helag was taken to the city hall’s interrogation room.
His identity meant he wasn’t jailed immediately.
Left alone, Helag assumed they were verifying his identity.
Three hours later, a middle-aged man entered, smiling warmly, holding a communication stone, “Mr. Helag, here’s your replacement stone. If you’re truly Helag, you can use it to prove your identity.”
“May I ask your name?” Helag inquired.
“I’m Brad, Silver Beach’s Security Defense Minister, and I know Pruis well,” Brad smiled.
Helag nodded, raising his cuffed hands, “Mr. Brad, could you remove these? I need magic to use the stone.”
Brad slapped his forehead, “Oh, I forgot. I’ve been busy with communications. One moment.”
He returned shortly with a key, personally unlocking Helag’s cuffs.
Comments
Rivo
Finally 😭
