Chapter 225: Twenty-fifth Episode: Chapter 4-1 (1/2)
Chapter 225: Twenty-fifth Episode: Chapter 4-1
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Cape Cada Fortress was close to being cut off from the world. It was located on an isolated island at the center of Cape Cada, and it was once the most terrifying prison where the prisoners given the death sentence were imprisoned by the king of Slovenia. Around the sixth century, the prison was almost abandoned. The Royal Family of Slovenia converted the fortress into a true military facility, mainly for the defense against pirates and the invasion by the Great King of Arabah.
The wall foundation of the fortress was built on the cliff of an isolated island and the drop between the watchtower and the city wall to sea level was close to 30 meters. In this terrible place which was hellish, throughout the years it was only visited by gales and gigantic waves, hordes of seabirds and hateful hermit crabs. The fortress was connected to the seacoast through a hidden waterway. Every month, the Slovenian Navy would send a small fleet to provide supplies for Cape Cada Fortress. However… this kingdom was about to face a disaster it had not encountered in a long time. The last supply was already a month ago.
So far, there was no news at all from the communications official of Cape Fortress who was sent to land. The supplies seemed to be taking an indefinite amount of time, but the stored fresh water and food had already been exhausted. It was also useless for the commander of the fortress execute deserters by hanging.
By the end of the 6th month, the garrison group of the fortress had already plunged into despair. They had indeed been cut off from the world.
No reinforcements, no support, no instructions from their superiors, no royal inquiries. The military could only guard the infinite gold and a princess suffering from typhoid fever. They lived frugally and were told that in a few days, the fortress would be cut off of fresh water supply.
On the 2nd day of the 7th month, Cape Cada Fortress, abandoned by the people, finally welcomed the only thing worth looking forward to. A sailboat with a Faran Navy Flag hanging from it finally entered the center dock of the isolated island. The warm-hearted Faran merchants sent long-lost grape wine and black bread to their isolated, helpless Slovenian friends. Of course, the fortress garrison officers must pay the same amount of gold for the supplies they received.
Even so, the fortress commander expressed his utmost gratitude to the Farans for being timely. His soldiers were suffering from the torture of hunger and thirst. If it were not for the timely arrival of food and drink from the boat, even if he himself did not surrender to the Titans, his soldiers would find a way to facilitate this matter.
There was also a noble madam and a banker among the entourage on the Faran military navy vessel that arrived at the Cape Fortress. Speaking of this madam… she seemed as if she had a powerful backing! It was said that she did not have a definite class in the Faran Court, but represented a department of authority directly serving the Faran King. However, no one on the boat knew specifically what she was doing.
As for the banker... the Royal Family of Slovenia had found the right man! Russell Finn was a typical pessimistic finance expert. He gave guarantees for all black market transactions in the world, strived for a secure storage channel that was legitimate and reasonable for all the world's property that cannot see the light of day.
Just how much property does the Slovenia Royal Family have? It was believed that Russell Finn would not tell anyone so easily. To be in this field, one would have to have prestige and brains, and they must abide by the promises and rules as though they are treating the dogma of the gods. All financiers would tell you that there are only two rules to this profession, one was to do business only with people who are trustworthy; second, do not be foolish and cause trouble.
However... if businesses were on such a level as Russell Finn's, one would probably not encounter any trouble. At sea, a military navy vessel that belonged to the Faran Navy escorted him. There was a special registration department at the port to cover his illegal business. In the seven major bank groups. Internationally, Russell owned shares among four of them. Absolutely no one cared about how much fluid funds there were in the multiple accounts under Mr. Finn's name.
The agency relationship between the financier and the Slovenian Royal Family was finalized in the 3rd month of this year. For every kilogram of gold that Russell Finn processed, he could receive a deduction of 4.9% from it. Regardless of how rich the King of Slovenia was, Russell carefully calculated that his final income would be sufficient to buy any of the seven major bank groups. Even if he had to risk his life to come and go between the Eichin Sea and the Aldrid Sea where pirates moved about rampant, why not? After completing this business, he would be able to enter a new class. For example… purchase a noble title and sponsor a Royal Family's palace… when that moment came…
Russell put away the smile he could not hold back on his pockmarked face and turned towards the fortress' underground treasury behind him.
”Hurry up, please! Time waits for no one!”
Time waits for no one! The arrival of the rainy season caused the surge of a two-meter high wave and a strong southeastern wind in the southeastern territorial waters of Slovenia. The so-called southeastern wind indicated that the God of Light above the territorial waters was extraordinary. He would let the powerful wind move toward the north a moment, then to the south and before moving toward the east and north together. The sea would become a messy pot of boiled algae soup. If it were viewed from the sky above, it should be quite a spectacular sight, but those born of the sea would not think so – the winds would drive the variable tides, and the variable tides would drive the undercurrents and the undercurrents would drive the seagoing ship to wander away from the waterway... then congratulations! You are closer to the heavens and the hell!
The fortress was overcast with dark clouds and raging winds. The people in the fortress had smiles on their faces and were so enthusiastic that they were about to soar up into the sky. The warriors that were guarding the wealth of the king were busy in the underground treasury. They placed the gold bricks with the Slovenian Royal Family's totem on them into wooden crates covered with hay. After nailing the wooden box, it was ironed with lacquer, and the merchants on the military naval vessel stamped the emblems saying 'Royal Family imported product' one by one.
Looking at the Faran noblewoman who had a pair sharp eyes despite appearing as if she had nothing to do, the garrison officer of the fortress could not help but ask, ”What is that pretty woman doing? Will there be any danger?”
Russell Finn put down the account book in his hand. He followed the sound and looked over. ”I didn't even sleep with her; how would I know what she's doing? But...”
The financier groaned. He moved closer to the Fortress garrison officer's ear, ”On the way, the female noble has been secretly recording the Engelish and West Percian's fleet number and the position of the coastal base! So, I have reason to suspect that she is a spy sent by my king!”
”A woman?” The commander of the fortress did not really believe it.
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Russell Finn shrugged, ”She is a woman, so she can come and go as she pleases from the receptions and wine parties that the Engels Navy and the West Percy Navy organized! These men can't even compare!”
”May your kingdom do something practical for the injustice that Slovenia has experienced.”
The financier patted the commander of the fortress on the shoulder, ”We will! We indeed will! The kingdom is planning, and the Titans will not get their way...”
Before he could finish, the countess, who had caught the last part of it immediately, shot them a glare. Russell Finn immediately shut up, with an expression like that of a horse when it saw the whole ground covered in grass.
So far, the commander of Cape Cada Fortress was absolutely certain about the countess' identity. It was difficult to come across young beautiful women on the deserted, isolated island. The garrison commander did not lack the warmth and forthright attitudes of the Slovenian aborigines. He led the countess for a tour of the entire fortress, save for a few sensitive areas. However, to Countess Aeolia Siva Wimmester, who had been strictly trained in espionage, understanding those 'sensitive' matters would not be something difficult. For instance… the firing range of the ground-based cannons in the fortress, the position of the princess' bedroom, the change in shift of the sentries, the number of soldiers, the emergency measures, etc...
In the evening, sudden news came from the Faran's military navy vessels. The gale had damaged the mainmast. There was absolutely no way to go out to sea this evening, and the ship did not have sufficient sailors… Russell Finn and the countess looked for the fortress garrison officer and requested him to send more men to be involved in the rush for repairs.
The fortress commander was wondering why Russell, the miser, would keep half of the supplies that were on board; presumably, it was for this reason. He readily agreed to the request to increase the manpower and transferred a whole team of sailors, who were familiar with the operation of the ship, to the dock to be assigned for the Faran naval captain.
When the sun was swallowed up by the sea level, the clamor in Cape Cada Fortress that had been bustling with activities the whole day had finally come to a halt. The isolated island was cloaked in an absolute silence, only the high-spirited working chants of the sailors traveled out from the dock below the cliff.
The Slovenian soldiers involved in the maintenance work traveled to and fro the island throughout the year. They were more than familiar with the veterans' manner of doing things. The Faran navy soldiers on board appeared like an elite squad with their every move. Most of the time, these soldiers did not speak much, except when the captain shouted orders; they would answer with ”Yes!” This made the Slovenians feel a little strange, as these people were extremely lousy in their Faran.
A small tea reception was held in the fortress. Although it was a reception, the number of things that the commander of the fortress was able to offer up were indeed too little. However, the Princess of the Royal Family was more generous. She contributed her imported tea leaves she had kept for a long time for the reception. They were different from the fermented black tea of the westerners; these were genuine tealeaves! These might really be heaps in the east, but in the west, even Countess Aeolia, who was familiar with the market, would gasp in surprise at it.