https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1-If-It-s-Not-Exactly-Smooth-Sailing-It-s-at-Least-Not-a-Total-Failure/12608045/
Chapter 2: The Uncovered Sea
Chapter 2: The Uncovered Sea
Sarge had always assumed that this woman was the leader of a band of mountain bandits, given the abundance of thieves in the area, encountering a wave of them on average every kilometer.
"So it turns out that's not the case," he mused, his eyes drifting to Lily, "I was just thinking, you're quite the looker, and you carry yourself well. You don't strike me as a mountain bandit at all, but rather a princess. Well, well."
Sarge had hit the nail on the head, and he turned to Lily, curiosity lacing his tone, "So, you're royalty, and the ones who issued the bounty are also from the royal family. That would mean… dogs biting dogs, am I right?"
"I am no dog!" Lily retorted, her teeth clenching, "He is! He's the traitor! The usurper! The most despicable person in all the lands!"
"Oh?" Sarge cocked an eyebrow, nodding slowly. Suddenly, he placed a hand on her shoulder, gently guiding her to veer onto a slightly different path as they continued their trek.
They had strayed off the beaten path.
"It took me three days to get here from the royal city," Sarge explained, "but if we were to travel in a straight line, it wouldn't take that long. Bear with me for a little longer; if we push through the night, we should arrive by tomorrow morning."
Lily froze, the words she was about to speak catching in her throat. She simply stood there, staring at Sarge, until half an hour later, she couldn't contain herself any longer.
"Aren't you curious?" she blurted out.
"About what?" he asked.
"About the royal bounty," she pressed.
"Not in the slightest," Sarge shook his head, "I aspire to be a wealthy landlord who exploits others, not some sort of savior who sticks their nose into everything. Asking for your name was purely for commemorative purposes; other than that, I'm not interested."
"You really are…" Lily sighed, a hint of exasperation tingeing her voice, "You're nothing like a powerful cultivator."
"Well, I've never really considered myself all that powerful anyway," Sarge offered a smile in response.
Having a cheat didn't equate to invincibility.
Even though he couldn't quite recall the specifics of the plot, he was familiar with the renowned powerful cultivators in this vast ocean.
They were existences that could effortlessly destroy the heavens and extinguish the earth.
"Is that so?" Lily murmured, her eyes narrowing slightly as she processed his words, before she, too, fell silent, continuing to walk forward.
Discontent was written plainly on her face, but it was laced with a stubborn determination.
Between the two of them, silence reigned, punctuated only by the sound of their footsteps.
Until, that is, a new set of hurried footsteps broke through the quiet.
"Stop right there!!"
Several figures wielding knives burst out from the woods, surrounding them. The man at the forefront, tall and imposing, glared at them fiercely, "Hand over your money!"
These individuals were dressed in tattered clothing, their faces gaunt and bearing a hungry look. Although they brandished knives and swords, their hands trembled, and their eyes wavered with hesitation.
Sarge had encountered quite a few of their ilk over the past few days.
Mountain bandits.
Heaving a sigh, Sarge addressed them, his voice carrying a hint of melancholy, "Now, friends, look at me. Do I really look like the sort who carries a purse? I don't even have pockets, so how could I possibly pull out money? I'm probably poorer than you lot; at least you have your knives."
"Don't give us that rubbish!" The leader of the mountain bandits snarled, "Just look at that fancy sword at your waist, and that woman there, she's clearly a noble! Hand over your money, or we'll kill you!"
"Hold on, boss, look at that woman…" One of the bandits stepped forward, pulling out a bounty notice that Sarge found eerily familiar. He proceeded to scrutinize Lily, comparing her features with the description on the notice.
"It's her! Boss, if we capture her, we'll be rich!" the bandit exclaimed excitedly.
"One million berries!" the boss's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he brandished his cleaver at Sarge, "We're taking that woman, so scram! Or I'll cut you down where you stand!"
"No…" Lily suddenly spoke up, her voice carrying a note of command.
Whoosh!
In that instant, Sarge, who had been standing before them, vanished, only to reappear as a fleeting afterimage in front of them.
This afterimage moved with incredible speed; in the blink of an eye, it had repositioned itself behind them.
And in that moment, whether it was the boss of the mountain bandits, brandishing his knife, or the underlings, their eyes wide with shock, they were all frozen in place, as if they had been turned to stone, immobilized.
Sarge turned and strolled back to stand before the immobilized boss, patting him on the shoulder as he passed by, "We're all just struggling to get by, my friends. If you're going to rob someone, at least pick on someone who can put up a fight. I'm counting on this lady here to help me achieve my dreams."
As he spoke, he casually reached down, plucking a metal flask from the boss's waist, uncorking it and taking a swig.
"Ugh, this liquor is disgusting!" Sarge grimaced, exhaling a breath of foul-smelling air, "You lot will be able to move again in half a day. Next time, remember to consider your opponent's strength before attempting a robbery."
Only then did Lily step forward to stand beside Sarge, her lips pursed as she murmured softly, "Thank you…"
"I'm just not interested in struggling folks," Sarge replied, "We're all poor, and there's no bounty on your heads, so why bother?"
"Do you lot have a Mountain King's treasure in this country?" Sarge asked.
Lily paused, shaking her head, "I've never heard of any treasure-related rumors."
"Then where do all these mountain bandits come from?" Sarge queried.
Lily's expression darkened, her voice lowering, "The tax burden is too heavy. The citizens can't make ends meet, so they turn to banditry out of desperation."
"Huh?" Sarge furrowed his brow.
"Don't you understand?" Lily's voice rose, a note of passion creeping in, "They can't afford the heavy taxes, so…"
"So the sea remains uncovered, and if you can't survive on land, you take to the sea," Sarge finished the sentiment, "I've never heard of the Kingdom of Oikot forbidding its people from taking to the sea.
"You must be one of those who can't make a living on land, so you're turning to the sea," Sarge commented.
"That's right," Lily replied, her eyes widening in surprise, only to narrow again as she lowered her gaze. "The Kingdom of Oikot once experienced a war with pirates. Everyone hates those who go to sea, and they won't easily do so again."
...
Beindeta Lily, sixteen years of age, was a princess of the Oikot Kingdom and the next heir to the throne, if all went as expected.
The Oikot Kingdom was a war-torn nation, especially after a war between the navy and pirates two decades ago. It had never stabilized since, until Lily's father became king and the situation improved slightly.
However, Lily's father had passed away shortly after her birth, and naturally, the improved situation fell apart, becoming as chaotic as it had been before. Her mother, during this tumultuous period for the kingdom, had not only remarried but also passed away shortly afterward. Her stepfather had seized the opportunity to assume the throne, along with the Beindeta family name.
Lily's stepfather couldn't be described as a man of great ambition and talent, but at the very least, he was incompetent. Under his rule, the Oikot Kingdom plunged further into disorder, with bandits and mountain thieves running rampant, and this chaotic environment persisted for over a decade.
Lily had grown up in these circumstances, fostering a strong desire to save her nation. And so, on one fateful day six months ago, she attempted to assassinate the usurper. Consequently, a bounty was placed on her head.
And then, she was captured by Sarge.
"You're quite unlucky," Sarge remarked with a hint of indignation.
"You..." Lily's eyes narrowed as she noticed his expression of pity for her. "You wouldn't be willing to help me, would you?"
"A million berries for a princess, and not just any princess, but one who attempted regicide. I can't believe they're offering so little! It should be at least ten million, or even twenty!" Sarge exclaimed, his voice laced with indignation.
Was that what she found unlucky?
Lily rolled her eyes but felt a surge of impulse welling up within her.
Could this man be the one?
"Wait," Sarge abruptly interjected, holding up his hand.
"I didn't say anything," Lily replied, taken aback.
"Your eyes tell a story, and I dislike stories," he waved his hand dismissively. "I'm sure you want me to help you reclaim your throne or aid the citizens in going to sea, blah blah blah. I don't have time for that nonsense. The vast sea is filled with struggling people, and I'm just trying to make a living here. So, please allow me to hand you over to claim the bounty and get this show on the road."
He had finally kicked off his bounty hunting career, and he intended to make a splash with this first capture.
Lily, upon hearing this, closed her mouth and remained silent.
The two of them swiftly continued their journey and soon disappeared into the mountain forest.
...
The following day, before the sun had reached its zenith, Sarge and Lily arrived at the royal city.
The royal city of the Oikot Kingdom resembled a medieval town from the 17th or 18th century, with vibrant, colorful two-story buildings lining the streets and a grand plaza in the city center boasting a tall clock tower that loomed even taller than the city walls, serving as a landmark of the kingdom.
If one overlooked the rampant mountain bandits, it would indeed appear to be a peaceful town.
As they entered the royal city with Lily in tow, they located a guard soldier and informed him of their arrival. The soldier then escorted Sarge and Lily toward the royal palace.
Initially, Sarge had anticipated various scenarios, such as guard soldiers drawing their weapons against him upon recognizing the princess or citizens attempting to stop him out of loyalty to their captured princess. However, not a single one of these expected situations unfolded. Instead, the guards and citizens alike seemed intrigued and followed behind them to witness the spectacle.
It wasn't until they reached the grand staircase leading to the palace that Sarge finally voiced his curiosity. "You're a princess, yet it seems they don't recognize you here."
"I've never left the royal palace," Lily replied, breaking her prolonged silence. Her eyes fixed on the grand staircase as she continued, her voice steady and resolute. "Since my birth, I've been confined within those walls, and naturally, no one outside would recognize me. The people within the palace are all subordinates of that man, and the information I received about the outside world came from them."
Sarge, too, turned his gaze toward the grand staircase, and his eyes fell upon two groups of people. One was a contingent of Oikot Kingdom soldiers, flanking a solitary figure. The other group consisted of individuals dressed in white uniforms—they were navy personnel.
(End of Chapter)
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