"Lower the sails, half sail down!"
"Prepare the wooden fenders! Quick, quick, quick... Move faster, run!"
Thud, thud, thud…
Early in the morning, just as the sun peeked over the mountaintops, loud shouts echoed through the fleet, accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps.
Inside the ship, Lucas lay on his back, staring blankly at the ceiling of the cabin, quietly listening to the commotion outside.
Had they arrived at Pentos City?
He heard them mention "wooden fenders"—a feature unique to this era, using wooden rods to prevent ship collisions.
Lucas guessed that there must be a lot of ships outside; otherwise, they wouldn't need to use "wooden fenders." The congestion was so bad that wooden beams were necessary to prevent collisions.
These "wooden fenders" were only effective for small boats—if a large ship crashed into them, it would likely crush everything in its path.
"Ahh~~" Lucas sat up, stretching his arms high above his head. He didn't need to go outside and give orders—after all, he had no clue how to operate a ship. It was best to leave that to the professionals.
Creak~~
The door slowly opened, and a pair of cat ears peeked in. A moment later, Mina's head followed, just in time to see Lucas yawning.
"Good morning, young master." Mina greeted him with a bright smile as she stepped into the room. Last night after having sex with Lucas, Catherine had dragged her off to join Nicole and Dahlia for a girls' night.
"Morning." Lucas replied with a lazy grin, his messy black hair sticking out in all directions. "So, how was your late-night chat?"
"This ship really doesn't offer the best sleep." Lucas muttered to himself. The constant rocking, especially when the wind picked up at night, made it even worse. And then there was the eerie creaking of the mast swaying in the cold night air.
"We talked until late. It was really fun." Mina replied softly as she stepped forward, pulling clothes from a wooden chest for Lucas.
Over the past few days, the cat-eared girl had started learning how to serve him, with Nicole sometimes coaching her on things like dressing etiquette. After all, she had spent her nights either sleeping next to Lucas or sharing a bed with Nicole.
"Hmm. How's the situation outside?" Lucas asked as he got out of bed, letting Mina fumble through helping him dress. Her movements were still clumsy, but she was trying her best.
"We're almost at Pentos City. There are a lot of ships outside, so everyone's slowing down." Mina replied softly, carefully tending to him.
Before long, she had finished dressing Lucas.Tilting her head slightly, she scrutinized him, making sure everything was just right.
Lucas's lips curled into a smile as he gazed at the cat-eared girl's delicate features, eyes, soft pink lips, and those beautifully unique feline ears.
Without thinking, he slowly leaned in, capturing Mina's lips with his own. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close as he deepened the kiss.
"Mmm…~"
It was only when Mina began to gasp for breath that he finally released her. Seeing her flushed cheeks and dazed expression, Lucas couldn't help but feel unexpectedly cheerful so early in the morning.
"Huff... Huff..." Mina panted, her cheeks flushed as she glared at him playfully. "Young Master, you're being reckless again."
"This ship's soundproofing is terrible." Lucas chuckled, reaching out to pinch her cheek before turning to leave the cabin.
Mina froze for a moment, then her face burned an even deeper shade of red. Was he saying she was too loud?!
"Ugh... Young Master, honestly... flirting so early in the morning." She muttered, patting her cheeks in an attempt to calm her racing heart. Grabbing the coat hanging nearby, she quickly ran after him.
Outside on the deck, Lucas stared at the dense crowd of ships in front of him. There had to be at least a hundred or two.
He was genuinely surprised—a single auction had drawn this many people?
The legend of the Divine Heavenly Kingdom had an even stronger pull than he expected. Everyone was chasing the dream of eternal life. It reminded him of Earth's past—whether merchants, emperors, or even the greatest figures in history, all of them had pursued immortality.
Especially the wealthy and powerful—they were obsessed with the mystery of immortality. Many brilliant and formidable figures, upon reaching old age, became consumed by the pursuit of eternal life, making one ridiculous decision after another.
And in this era, nobles were even more indulgent in their pleasures. Of course, they would want to enjoy their lives forever. Even if they knew the Divine Heavenly Kingdom was a myth, they would still cling to a sliver of hope and seek it out.
"Young Master, you're not wearing your coat again." Mina pouted as she draped the coat over Lucas's shoulders.
"It's not that cold." Lucas said calmly.
After all the times he had traveled through worlds, his body had become stronger and more resilient. What used to feel unbearably cold now seemed tolerable.
"Young Master, what's our plan once we reach Pentos City?" Mina asked, her eyes scanning the crowded Whispering River filled with ships. She frowned slightly. "At this rate, we might not even find a place to stay."
She wasn't too keen on staying on the ship anymore—sleeping on solid ground was much more stable, and the constant dampness was unpleasant.
"Don't worry, we'll figure something out." Lucas said casually. When it came to accommodations, he had never been concerned.
"Mm." Mina responded softly. The two of them simply stood there in silence, letting the cold wind brush against their faces.
As the fleet moved forward, Pentos City gradually became clearer. The port was especially striking—packed with ships. There had to be at least four or five hundred vessels, most of them small boats.
When they were still a few hundred meters from the port, Nicole arrived with Catherine and Dahlia.
It was time to say goodbye.
"Catherine, Dahlia, you're always welcome to visit Sedona City again." Lucas said with a gentle smile.
"We definitely will." Catherine nodded seriously, her golden eyes filled with determination.
She had already made up her mind—next year, she would secretly join Dahlia's fleet again and head to Sedona City. This time, she wouldn't make a big fuss about it.
"If anything comes up, use the carrier pigeons to contact me." Lucas added. After spending these past days together, he had developed a good impression of the two girls.
"We will." They replied in unison.
Dahlia pulled Catherine into another curtsey, then embraced Nicole and Mina, exchanging a few words of concern that only girls would understand.
"Well then, we'll be off." Catherine said, just as Dahlia grabbed her hand and led her away.
"Take care."
Lucas, Nicole, and Mina stood on the deck, watching as the two girls boarded a small boat. Once they safely reached the flagship of their fleet, they exchanged one last round of waves before their ship gradually sailed down the river, disappearing beyond the horizon.
The wind picked up slightly, rustling Lucas's coat as he stood quietly, eyes fixed on the fading silhouette of the ship. Mina leaned against the rail beside him, her expression uncharacteristically subdued.
"They're good people." She murmured, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Nicole nodded, her arms folded as she followed the ship's slow departure. "Yeah. I didn't expect to like them this much."
After a seven-day journey, they had finally arrived at Pentos City.
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