Chapter 278

Chapter 278: Emil and Avril

Three days later.

The whaling ship that had drawn hostile gazes from Windstream residents slipped quietly from the harbor at dawn. Instead of charging through waves like before, it navigated a hidden safe route through Windstream before finally accelerating away.

Though its departure seemed more subdued than its aggressive arrival, this wasn’t retreat. The new allies crowding the cabins proved Midi had not only succeeded but gained unexpected advantages.

Despite his wariness of Midi and accusations of Wiseman’s betrayal, Prince Reinhardt ultimately surrendered to the throne’s allure. With conflicted sigh, he boarded Midi’s Skyship.

What choice did a crownless prince have? For royalty venturing alone into the Sea of Clouds, time burned faster than oil lamps. No true prince would choose anonymous adventuring over palace life – enduring hardships, scrimping meals, lacking servants. Worse, each passing day in these clouds pushed the imperial throne further from reach.

Reinhardt’s nightmares often showed his second brother crowned emperor, branding him traitor before their reunion.

Princely life proved cruel, especially in empires like Delos.

Thus Midi’s offer became irresistible. Even doubting its feasibility, Reinhardt’s heart stirred – better gamble everything than waste decades building power from nothing! At least this was Midi Asreks’ crew. Surely working with the legendary corridor-builder between Arad and the Sea of Clouds, some advantage could be seized?

So Reinhardt boarded.

Emil followed, swayed not just by the fourth prince’s endorsement but by Midi’s thunderous reputation across the Sea of Clouds.

Information brokers spilled tales of Midi’s ten consecutive Sky Arena victories reaching the hundredth floor. Victoria’s silver tongue smoothed over initial misunderstandings during negotiations. The dark elf even felt shame for suspecting Midi wanted her ancient battlefield.

The clincher came when Venus Auction House’s convoy arrived – eight level 55+ awakened experts delivering Emil’s payment: 140,000 Crystal Coins (70% of 200,000) for her humble ice-breaking tech.

Midi had paid this fortune from his own pockets, not Rothschild Guild’s coffers.

Here stood a legend – peerless fighter, wealthy benefactor, rising star – personally seeking her cooperation. How could Emil hesitate?

Now Midi’s former rivals became allies. The future "shipwright" destined to rival Master Norton joined them. Ancient battlefield coordinates marked their charts. Their first step into the Stormy Region was secured.

Of course, no fifteen-meter whaling ship could brave the Dusk Graveyard’s storm-lashed reefs and heaven-war energy currents slicing spatial rifts. Only a fortress like the Narwhal Skyship could endure.

Emil’s vicious cycle broke – she’d auctioned alchemy techniques to fund equipment for battlefield exploration needed to earn more coin. Midi’s involvement solved everything.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcement came, "Dusk Graveyard lies north near the East-West Sea divide. We sail west first, transferring to Lady Victoria’s flagship Narwhal at the border before turning north for salvage operations."

Steward Lund spread a massive, intricately detailed nautical chart across the table, his voice booming with vigor. Such high-level charts only existed within powerful factions like the Rothschild Guild – back when Reinhardt and Emil went salvaging, they’d never had such precise navigation plans.

Having now witnessed the methods of true Sea of Clouds powers, the Windstream group could only marvel in silence. Who’d dare raise objections?

If Emil harbored any hope, it was to retrieve a fully intact ancient warship from the coming expedition to the ancient battlefield. Mastering those awe-inspiring ancient techniques represented her ultimate aspiration as an alchemist.

Midi naturally supported this ambition wholeheartedly.

Two weeks later, the whaling ship reached the rendezvous coordinates – an area choked with floating island rocks. The conflicting eastern and western monsoon currents created near-still waters here, forcing skyships to burn massive quantities of magic crystals for propulsion.

This route-less wilderness lay silent under windless skies, the scattered rock formations resembling a shattered jigsaw puzzle. At its center floated a 65-meter silhouette: the Narwhal, technological crown jewel of the Rothschild Guild.

"What a vessel!" Reinhardt and Wiseman gaped at their first sight of such a colossal skyship. This dwarfed anything from Arad continent – even Master Norton’s Hawk Brigade couldn’t produce such engineering.

The fourth prince studied the Narwhal’s flank of cannon ports, imagining three such ships over the Delos Empire. Would his scheming second brother have any choice but surrender?

While the battle-hardened prince admired the firepower, Emil stood quietly appraising the flagship’s design through her thick white tortoiseshell glasses. Her verdict was clear.

"Dear Victoria," she murmured to the heavenly girl, "your flagship still needs improvements."

"I agree," Victoria adjusted her gold-rimmed crystal glasses, "but Midi claims this ship will leave an indelible mark in your memories."

Emil pushed her glasses up, surprise flickering behind the lenses. "Oh?"

"You’ll understand once aboard," Midi interjected with a cryptic smile, standing between the two bespectacled beauties.

Minutes later, Emil froze upon the Narwhal’s deck. A dark elf woman stood waiting – silver-haired with gemstone eyes, her tall frame willow-slender, radiating beauty to bewitch any man.

Though certain they’d never met, Emil felt inexplicable familiarity. For someone who kept others at arm’s length to pursue alchemy, this was baffling.

The dark elf’s piercing gaze softened upon meeting Emil’s eyes, revealing shared recognition – that haunting mix of déjà vu, unplaceable affection, and buried nostalgia.

"Allow introductions," Midi stepped forward, clearing his throat. "My Sky Arena secretary, Avril. Our new alchemist, Emil."

He produced the ice-breaking technology contract bearing Emil’s white snake mark. When Avril saw the emblem, her eyes widened. She stared at Emil before whispering tremulously:

"Sister?"