Chapter 246

Chapter 246: So-called Loyalty

"But this way, we’ll fall into disadvantage!" Captain Domon protested urgently. "No—we’ll be driven to the brink!"

As a veteran captain who’d sailed the Sea of Clouds for years, he knew the mortal danger of being pursued.

By analyzing the Skyship’s heading against floating island positions on cloud maps, cross-referencing shipping routes and monsoon patterns, anyone could predict their course for days ahead. Enemies would soon rally ships from nearby islands.

A single pursuer now could multiply to three or five by dawn. Worse, ambushes might already wait ahead like hidden nets.

Standard procedure demanded immediate acceleration and descent into the cloud layers to shake pursuit. Yet this Lower Realm human—ignorant of aerial warfare basics—presumed to issue suicidal orders!

Enough. The captain’s weathered face hardened. "Apologies, Mr. Blade, but I’m accelerating now. As captain, only I can guide us to safety and complete our mission!" Miss Victoria herself had appointed him navigator. Even guild arbiters would uphold his authority.

His hand froze mid-gesture.

Steel whispered as Midi drew three inches of the sun-bright blade. "You misunderstand, Mr. Domon." The swordsman’s palm rested lightly on his hilt. "Only I give orders here."

Though softly spoken, the words carried executioner’s weight.

Seconds crawled before Domon mastered his fear enough to jab an accusing finger. "You’d betray Lady Victoria?!"

The captain’s courage impressed Midi—pity about his wits. Only a fool would be assigned as expendable bait alongside an outsider.

"Truth now," Midi pressed. "There’s no cargo aboard."

The captain’s twitch confirmed everything.

"Steward Lund gave you false coordinates," Midi continued. "A ‘secret port’ near the Stormy Region where you’d supposedly collect goods before taking new routes home. Correct?"

"How…?" Domon rasped through clenched teeth.

Cold satisfaction flashed in Midi’s eyes. Proof at last—they were decoys. Lund’s route led nowhere, existing solely to divert enemies from Victoria’s true shipment.

Yet even as bait, Midi needed control. Domon’s plan to lose pursuers in cloudbanks would strand them beyond the conflict’s reach. No—the Arrow Fish Skyship must maintain course, luring enemies like blood-tracing sharks.

Only when foes converged could Midi seize captives and unravel this Rothschild Guild intrigue. Reaching the Stormy Region might prove impossible, but muddying Victoria’s rivals beat languishing as sidelined prey.

Under Midi’s iron command, the Skyship sailed on, undisturbed as still waters.

Naturally, the tail kept following five kilometers behind.

A day passed quietly like this.

By the third day, Midi assumed the intense battle phase would begin, believing today would decide whether the fish or bait proved stronger.

Yet battlefields remain ever-changing. Even Midi, the genius commander skilled in calculations, failed to predict this turn of events—

The pursuing Skyship behind them didn’t summon reinforcements. Instead, it executed a sharp 180-degree turn and retreated without hesitation under everyone’s watchful eyes!

The entire crew, including Captain Domon, released breaths they’d held since yesterday, relief washing over them.

Only Midi grew pensive.

When would bloodthirsty sharks abandon easy prey?

Only one scenario existed: they’d detected bigger, tastier quarry.

What could make them ignore convenient bait?

The answer loomed clearly—

Victoria Rothschild.

The guild’s young mistress must have failed to divert her enemies with decoys, likely walking into a trap herself.

For Midi, who aimed to exploit chaos, this development proved advantageous.

A faint smile touched his lips.

“Immediate course correction. Full speed pursuit,” he commanded.

“What?” Captain Domon’s face paled. After being spared, they should chase danger? Had this black-haired youth gone mad?

“Full speed pursuit,” Midi repeated, voice unyielding as stone.

As Domon’s crew reluctantly obeyed under the Twin Swords’ threat, drama unfolded aboard Victoria’s flagship Unicorns.

Victoria stared in disbelief.

Idak, who’d openly adored her, had betrayed her to join her brothers!

She’d meticulously planned every detail, prepared contingencies to withstand her brothers’ oppression and eventually seize guild control.

Though her brothers pooled vast resources to crush her ventures, Victoria held an ace—an entire ship of refined whale spices hidden secretly.

Selling this cargo across the Sea of Clouds would replenish her funds, enabling a counterattack before her brothers reacted.

Sacrificing an expensive Arrow Fish Skyship and hiring arena champion Midi served as worthy bait.

If her brothers’ fleet took the lure, Victoria could smuggle her spices through the guild’s greatest secret—the sole route traversing the Stormy Region.

But mortal schemes falter before fate. Her elegant chessboard lay shattered by Idak’s betrayal.

“Why?” Victoria’s voice shook as emerald eyes pierced the gunner.

“Because I love you,” Idak met her gaze. “You’d never wed a mere escort captain. Not even as your house’s servant. So…”

“You joined my brothers?” Comprehension dawned.

“They promised,” Idak nodded. “After reporting your plans, they’ll proclaim me the hero who saved you mid-battle, preserving guild honor. The hero deserving your hand.”

How splendid this heroic farce!

Victoria’s lips curled bitterly.

She’d calculated all—except this truth:

Mad obsession wears no loyalty’s cloak.